psipsy

I'm working on a Linux system. Currently, I'm poking at Linux Mint 18. The initial install went fast and smooth, but it's giving me some serious issues with the USB ports. I don't know if it's because I'm using very new hardware (Intel H170 chipset) and the proper drivers haven't filtered their way to Linux, or what. I hear Mint 17.3 has an older kernel with more compatibility, so I may try that. If all else fails I can just put Windows on it. But then I already have a bunch of Windows computers.

Why get into Linux? To be honest, I'm not that hot on Windows 10. I have it on my travel laptop, and I have it on a generic computer I used to use as a server. It's like a feral pitbull compared to Windows 7. It does what it wants without regard to the wishes of the end-user, and it's almost impossible to use physical force on it.

Something I learned about USB flash drives: If you have a large capacity flash drive for USB 3.0, be careful when putting it in a USB 2.0 port. The way this becomes a problem is because USB 2.0 ports are designed to provide 500mA of current, while 3.0 ports can provide 900mA. To support the faster speeds, the drives use more current. And to support the higher capacities, again, more current. And if the flash drive tries to use more current than what the port can provide, it can be damaged. I've already fried a couple 128GB drives this way. 64GB hasn't given me problems (yet). 32GB and lower seems safe. If using a full-size external hard drive with its own power supply, it should be fine. Same goes if using a powered USB hub. So if your computers don't have USB 3.0, stick with the 2.0 sticks, especially if you want 128GB at a time.

I see more international travel in my near future.