Hi! Thanks for reading.

I'm sure all of us Linux users revel in the countless articles coming out about the enshittification of Windows, reporting on how Microslop is utilizing more and more vibe coding, transforming PCs into rental clients, and more.

While I'm happy to call myself a Kubuntu-ist, many of my family members still daily drive Windows 11 on their PCs. I can only imagine how their UX is declining day over day.

This makes me want them to witness the freedom of Linux!

So, what are your easiest ways to set up dual boot between W11 and your favorite distro?

Seems like a GUI would be best for non-tech savvy people. Something like rEFInd or Clover (I come from the Steam Deck dual boot world, and am somewhat familiar with this one).

Are there any risks with changing the default Windows Boot Manager? I've heard that Windows updates can mess things up, but that if you install Windows first, that can save some headache down the road.

Bonus if you have a favorite distro for non-tech savvy people that needs minimal configuration!

Hi! First time posting here on Self-Hosted. Let me know if I got any norms wrong.

I've been seeking to upgrade my digital environment for years now to be more sustainable. Recently, I've adopted repairable electronics like Framework's 13 laptop and Fairphone's earbuds (although I realize now that wired headphones are 100% the more sustainable option now). I've slowly been deGoogling and deMicrosofting my life, from using FOSS apps on my Galaxy S23+ like CoMaps, NotallyX, and AntennaPod, and FOSS programs on my Framework like LibreOffice or just Linux in general.

One area I'm focusing on upgrading at the moment is my Work From Home (WFH) setup, and specifically the electronics/hardware I use to conduct work functions. I have some ideas to upgrade the keyboard using products like ZSA's Ergodox keyboard and Ploopy's mouse, but I haven't found many options for Open Source Hardware (OSH) cameras.

Does the self-hosted community on Lemmy have any ideas for OSH cameras that at the minimum stream 1080p 30fps video for applications like Zoom and Microsoft Teams?

More generally, does the community support a maintained list similar to Wikipedia that tracks OSS/OSH projects that can give recommendations to novices like myself?

So far, the only OSH cameras I've been able to find, whether capable of streaming video or merely taking photos, are the CinePi / v2, Sitina 1, and even ones like the Elphel 393 series.

The Elphel 393s are 100% out of budget for what I want to do. I was actually astonished when I saw their prices. The Sitina 1 has promise, but it looks like it's not well maintained as it once was. This leaves the CinePi, which seems promising in terms of both budget, support (based on Raspberry Pi), and implementation.

It seems to me that closed source software and hardware only has the ability to exacerbate the issues with the electronics industry, whether contributing to e-waste via forced obsolescence or eroding personal privacy and liberties. Hopefully, one day governments, likely starting with the EU and ending at the US, will embrace open source on a societal scale. In the meantime, us technologically savvy people have to support these initial projects with our voices, wallets, and ballets.

Thanks for reading!

Hi! Thanks for reading this post.

Disclaimer: I've already figured out how to dual boot SteamOS & Windows 10 on my Steam Deck (see this post), but things haven't gone the smoothest - hence this post and learning more about using Linux in general as a current Windows user.

Recently my Surface Pro 6 laptop, which runs one of the latest Windows 11 updates (23H2), updated to one of the new releases (24H2), and that completely bricked my laptop (bricked as in slow asf). I was able to revert back to 23H2 thankfully, but the fact that Microsoft can brick my device without my consent is unacceptable.

So, I'm hoping to learn how to install Linux and a good distro/DE combo like Fedora KDE. The Steam Deck Desktop Mode runs KDE, which I have to say sits well with my Windows sensibilities.

I also see value in dual booting though. I know about Ventoy and GParted because I used those softwares on my Steam Deck, but I was following a guide and didn't really understand what I was doing. Ventoy seems better than the alternatives like Balena and Rufus due to the multi-boot functionality.

With that all out of the way, I have questions:

• How should I get started?

• What hardware do I need to get started, especially if I want to multi-boot .ISOs from a singular USB drive (e.g. minimum GB size, USB specs, etc.)

• What software do I need to get started? Is Ventoy and GParted enough, and do I need to configure my hardware in any specific ways so those softwares run as expected?

• What should I do now to prepare to switch from Windows to Linux? FOSS apps aren't a big concern to me. I prefer them

• What other technical facts should I consider when making the switch, like disabling Bitlocker and Fast Boot on my current Windows device?

• If I were to load Windows 10 or 11 onto my Ventoy, are there any issues I should watch out for, like how Windows 10 overwrote my GRUB file on my Steam Deck, making it instead the default boot .ISO?

• If I have games that I want to play but I can only play them via Windows 10/11, how would I enable things like Secure Boot, TPM, and other Anti-Cheat methods like what's required for Battlefield 6 (see above post I linked)?

• What risks are there in making the switch, and how can I counter those risks or at least mitigate them to protect myself?

• If things go completely wrong, and I brick my laptop in the middle of switching, or if something happens after I make the switch but I boot into one distro/DE or another, what's my ripcord? How do I do a complete wipe of my laptop, and will this involve breaking into the hardware to mess around with cables, like if I need to reset the motherboard?

• Is there anything else that I should keep in mind?

Thanks for the help!

P.S. I'm pretty sure my laptop has these specs, if that helps.

Hi! Thanks for clicking on this post.

I purchased a Steam Deck OLED about a year ago hoping to play my favorite video games outside of a Microsoft environment (the Xbox Live costs were getting annoying).

Everything worked fine for a while until EA games stopped launching via Steam OS. This fact motivated me to look into dual booting with the Windows 10 edition that'll be supported for another 5-7 years, despite the commercial editions losing support in October 2025. I followed this guide, and got W10 dual boot up and running with Ventoy and GParted.

Fast forward to 2025, and the new Battlefield 6 beta just launched. I was hoping to try the beta out knowing that I probably wouldn't buy the game (all BFs since BF1 are COD trash) and that BF4, BF1, and BFV all launch in W10 on Deck.

But then I receive this error: "SecureBoot is not enabled. Learn how to use SecureBoot at [go.ea.com/SecureBoot] (111)".

I've done some research to try to figure this out, following EA's own guide to enable Secure Boot:

Running msinfo32 shows that my BIOS Mode is UEFI, and Secure Boot State is Off.

Running tpm.msc shows that "The TPM is ready for use" under Status.

Entering Disk Management, right clicking on C:, selecting Properties, Hardware, Micron_2400_MTFDKBK1T0QFM, Properties, Volumes, Populate, and my Partition style is shown as GUID Partition Table (GPT).

Now I enter Advanced Startup to view BIOS settings, Troubleshoot, Advanced options, UEFI Firmware Settings, Restart, and the Steam Deck boots into the InsydeH2 BIOS menu.

From here, EA says these BIOS settings are specific to the manufacturer, so I go exploring. Under Setup Utility, I see Main, Advanced, Security, Power, Boot, and Exit menus to the left side of the screen.

When I click through these, I see the following:

• BIOS Release Date = 08/01/2024

• VBIOS FW Version = 113-AMDSphJupiter

• Current TPM Device = TPM 2.0 (FTPM)

• TPM State = All Hierarchies Enabled, Owned

• Quick Boot = Enabled

• Quiet Boot = Enabled

I don't see any specific mention of "Secure Boot".

I have read that the only way to enable Secure Boot is to go through these steps. I don't have the time or energy to do that now. Maybe this weekend.

Has anyone else gone through similar troubleshooting?

Is the above the right path forward for my use case?

Are there any risks I should keep in mind if I want to enable Secure Boot?

What ways can I protect myself from my n00b carelessness?

Thanks for your time!! I don't post much, but all the reddit posts out there failed to answer my specific problem. And who on Lemmy doesn't like more content?

Hi! Thanks for clicking on this post.

I purchased a Steam Deck OLED about a year ago hoping to play my favorite video games outside of a Microsoft environment (the Xbox Live costs were getting annoying).

Everything worked fine for a while until EA games stopped launching via Steam OS. This fact motivated me to look into dual booting with the Windows 10 edition that'll be supported for another 5-7 years, despite the commercial editions losing support in October 2025. I followed this guide, and got W10 dual boot up and running with Ventoy and GParted.

Fast forward to 2025, and the new Battlefield 6 beta just launched. I was hoping to try the beta out knowing that I probably wouldn't buy the game (all BFs since BF1 are COD trash) and that BF4, BF1, and BFV all launch in W10 on Deck.

But then I receive this error: "SecureBoot is not enabled. Learn how to use SecureBoot at [go.ea.com/SecureBoot] (111)".

I've done some research to try to figure this out, following EA's own guide to enable Secure Boot:

Running msinfo32 shows that my BIOS Mode is UEFI, and Secure Boot State is Off.

Running tpm.msc shows that "The TPM is ready for use" under Status.

Entering Disk Management, right clicking on C:, selecting Properties, Hardware, Micron_2400_MTFDKBK1T0QFM, Properties, Volumes, Populate, and my Partition style is shown as GUID Partition Table (GPT).

Now I enter Advanced Startup to view BIOS settings, Troubleshoot, Advanced options, UEFI Firmware Settings, Restart, and the Steam Deck boots into the InsydeH2 BIOS menu.

From here, EA says these BIOS settings are specific to the manufacturer, so I go exploring. Under Setup Utility, I see Main, Advanced, Security, Power, Boot, and Exit menus to the left side of the screen.

When I click through these, I see the following:

• BIOS Release Date = 08/01/2024

• VBIOS FW Version = 113-AMDSphJupiter

• Current TPM Device = TPM 2.0 (FTPM)

• TPM State = All Hierarchies Enabled, Owned

• Quick Boot = Enabled

• Quiet Boot = Enabled

I don't see any specific mention of "Secure Boot".

I have read that the only way to enable Secure Boot is to go through these steps. I don't have the time or energy to do that now. Maybe this weekend.

Has anyone else gone through similar troubleshooting?

Is the above the right path forward for my use case?

Are there any risks I should keep in mind if I want to enable Secure Boot?

What ways can I protect myself from my n00b carelessness?

Thanks for your time!! I don't post much, but all the reddit posts out there failed to answer my specific problem. And who on Lemmy doesn't like more content?

Liberation Kitchen was a vegan hotspot in Chicago, offering plant-based versions of Chicago dogs, doughnuts and a range of delicious food. But, on June 24, Liberation Kitchen made the announcement that they're closing. The good news, though, is that they're still going to focus on their main business, Upton's Naturals, according to the statement.

Federal prosecutors say Vance Boelter went to the homes of four Minnesota lawmakers with “the intent to kill them.” They also released images of the guns, ammo, mask and notebooks they say Boelter used to plan and carry out the attack. NBC News’ Maggie Vespa spoke with a witness who says she alerted police after spotting a man she believes was Boelter in the hours before his arrest.

Current affairs magazine Slate reports on the Leftist movement's political equivalent of Joe Rogan: Hasan "Abi" Piker. Slate elaborates on Piker's origins to the political commentary space, substantiates his trials and tribulations with becoming one of the most well known, well paid, hottest socialists, and proposes Piker's no holds barred approach to advocating for the working class American as the Democratic Party's new platform in wake of the humiliating 2024 General Election.

Consider reading if you aren't familiar with Hasan! He's opened my eyes to a world outside of Capitalism that has helped me better understand open source technologies like FOSS software, and the kinds of systems that inevitably lead to closed source technologies falling apart that serve no one, charging a fortune in return.