Ubuntu: Reinstallation

I really do need to remember that, the next time my mouse, keyboard and trackpad freeze, I should try holding down the option key while rebooting and then choose the only boot option available. Last time I did that I regained full functionality. However, just recently I forgot to do that, and instead reinstalled Ubuntu with all the problems that inevitably entails.

I did try to reinstall Mac OS but that didn't get far. Figure 1 shows the error message. Numerous attempts failed. I was using an Ethernet connection and not WiFi for the download but still it failed. The Time Machine was an option but I long ago abandoned that method of backing up. It was probably for the best as I'm sure the laptop would have been overly sluggish.

Figure 1

So it's back to Ubuntu, for the moment. Even reinstalling that was a problem as the mouse, keyboard and trackpad kept freezing up. I tried to upgrade to the latest version of Ubuntu in the hope that this glitch will go away but so far I haven't been able to download the necessary software to begin the upgrade process. That's hardly surprising.

If this laptop performs satisfactorily under Ubuntu then I've been thinking that getting a new MacBook Air later in the year is probably unnecessary. I spend most of my time at my desk anyway and so a desktop computer is probably a better choice. I think back to the good old days when I built my own PC from the ground up. I could do that again or experiment with a Raspberry Pi. I'm still undecided.

The updated 2022 version of the Mac Mini is tempting, if indeed an update is released. The current M1 version would certainly be sufficient for my needs. Currently, a model with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD costs around 15 million rupiah or about A$1,377 which is not bad. The M1 Mac Mini would be even cheaper if a new model is released in the near future.

Any purchase would be an indulgence as I don't really need such a device unless my venerable old laptop decides to call it a day. In the event that it did however, the Mac Mini is certainly portable and could easily be used in hotel rooms while travelling, provided a mouse and keyboard are brought along.

There are alternatives to the Mac Mini. For example, this mini-PC (SER3 3750H) from Beelink with the following specifications:

• Powered with AMD Ryzen 7 3750H CPU(2.3 ~ 4.0GHz) and Radeon RX Vega 10 Graphics. 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 512 GB M.2 SSD. Preinstalled with Windows 10 Pro 64bit. Support Ubuntu and windows 11.
  
  
• Triple Display Output: SER Mini PC comes with Integrated Radeon Vega 10 Graphics(graphics frequency 1400MHz), 4K@60Hz triple display output via dual HDMI and USB-C Port, which enable you to multi-task with ease.Stream 4K video, edit media, work from home, or finish your homework. Get ready for incredible graphics, sound, and performance.
  
  
• Large Capacity: Installed DDR4 16GB RAM (2x SODIMM slot, can be upgraded to 64GB), installed 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD(up to 2TB) and can expand the storage via 2.5 inch SATA HDD slot for your personal needs.

Its going price is US$529 which converts to about 7.5 million rupiah, half the price of the Mac Mini. This is definitely one to consider.

SER3 3750H