How To Load Ubuntu on your Locked Dell Latitude 7490

This article is about getting my friend's laptop free from Windows and loading it with Ubuntu :)

In case you have a Dell Laptop with password-protected BIOS, you may find this How To article useful. You don't need to pay to get your BIOS unlocked, it is free, just read on.

You will need to find the serial number of your laptop first. In the case of Dell Latitude the number looks like bellow:

1234567-595B

You will see this serial number, when you try to enter BIOS (pressing F2) and push the Unlock Button. With the serial number you just need to visit the site bellow:

https://bios-pw.org/

Enter there the serial number in the field under Enter your Code and press the Get Password button. This will generate a list of passwords similar to the one bellow: 

Try one of the following codes:

Dell HDD Serial Number (old)	yyyyyhnn
Dell from serial number	46rg65ky

	Use the Dell from serial number entry and press CTRL+ENTER, when entering code in BIOS

This shall do the trick!

Bellow you can also find a video detailing the steps above:

Unlock your BIOS

After getting your BIOS free, you can follow on the instructions links bellow to prepare:

Ubuntu Installation Stick using Ubuntu

Ubuntu Installation Stick using Windows

You will need then to reboot your laptop and press F12 to Enter the System Boot Menu. In this menu you should be able to identify the USB stick as one of the proposed boot options.

Select it and press Enter.

You will soon see a similar screen to the one bellow (without the Webinar publicity browser window).

 

To finish with the installation, just follow the instructions from the link bellow:

Installing Ubuntu Desktop

Finally, Enjoy your brand new Linux :)

And if you wonder what Ubuntu means, check the video bellow:

Ubuntu explained by Nelson Mandela 

 

Orange Pi PC as Android Box

Необходим хардуер

Този пост описва как да превърнем телевизора си в Андроид устройство.

За целта ще използвам евтина платка Orange Pi PC.

Техническите детайли за платката са представени в този линк:

Orange Pi PC

 

Платката може да се поръчи в България от следния сайт за 44 лв.:

OPiPC at www.robotev.com 

 

За да работи ще имате нужда от подходящо захранване:

• 5V/3A Supply at Aliexpress 
  
• 5V/3A Supply at www.robotev.com
  

Бърза SD картa:

• 16GB SD-Ultra  

За упражлението на екране може да ползвате  безкабелна мишка.

Зареждане на Андроид

За да тръгне Андроид ОС на тази платка, ще имаме нужда от свободната програма:

PhoenixCard Freeware SW 

и фърмуер (image file) за:

Android 7.12 Image File 

 

Преди да стартирате PhoenixCard SW, проверете и инсталирайте следният пакет:
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x86)

 

Приготвяне на картата

Сложете картата в подходящ адаптер или в микро SD слота на вашият лаптоп.

След това стартирайте PhoenixCard SW.

 

Изберете съответното устройство и форматирайте картата първо:

 

След това изберете директорията, където свалихте Адроид фърмуер (image file).

Изберете "Startup" Write Mode и натиснете Burn.

 

Стартиране на платката 

Преди да захраните платката, поставете картата в предвидения слот и свържете платката към телевизора с HDMI кабел.

Сега може да свържите захранването, след което платката ще започне да зарежда Андроид. Първоначалното зареждане може да отнеме време. Изчакайте поне 5 минути.

Когато ситемата се зареди ще видите следният екран:

 

 

За да управлявате екрана е най добре да свържете дистанционна мишка в един от USB портовете на платката.

И така, наслаждавайте се на Андроид на голям екран :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Environment

2015, was somehow special for me. 

I remember well the year before. At my current work as audio engineer, our boss gave us the opportunity to have tai-chi lessons twice per week. I was also doing special meditative exercises, called standing like a tree almost every day, before going to bed. 

Standing like a tree itself is pretty simple, you just stand upright, stepping shoulder-width apart with bent knees, raising hands in a kind of "hug-the-tree" posture, and try to remain still there for a while.

My bedroom window was looking at a green space with some trees outside, nothing real big, just bushy green friends that made me feel in the wild during the exrcise. My daughter used to play around them as a little kid, and I have grown fond of them with time...

Our witty landlord, however was looking for a change. For some time now, he was sharing with us his gargantuan dream of building this new "luxus" building, just a meter away from our bedroom window. It was all absurd, but for someone who would simply lust for money above all. And he finally erected some metal pillars to reserve and mark the space for his new luxus jail.

So I was staying like a tree one evening, close before Christmas, looking at my familiar hairy friends, waving friendly branches on the wind, inside the pillar space and I felt sad. My meditation focused on a single wish: "Please let these bushy little greens survive the greed of man..."

End well, my wish was heard, as in the coming 2015 in Switzerland a new law was accepted that forbids close standing buildings. I was truly happy at this law. 

(to be continued)

Hi Everyone.

My name is Plamen, which means fire in Bulgarian.

This is my personal space, dedicated to my interests and ideas.

My intention is to keep them free and flying, therefore the spaceship metaphor.