The school gave us netbooks but we can hardly do anything with them even at home on our own internet. I wanted to know if there was a way to take complete control of these and maybe have a fresh installation of windows 7?
Install windows seven then...
You do realize your parents will be billed for the netbook, right?
i use a bootable linux stick
and btw you will be causght so fast if you reinstall windows...
I need an admin password to install anything
If I got caught I'm pretty sure they would just set it back to the way it was.
You don't know how to install an os, do you?
"Gave" you netbooks? or you checked them out for the year? That's how it works at my kids' school. If they have a sticker that says "Property of <school district>", keep in mind that you have absolutely no privacy on them and that you might be fined for any damage or changes they discover/ don't like.
I don't know what your school issues, but, in general, the devices districts hand out aren't at all impressive. Make sure it's really worth whatever you risk.
If I got caught I'm pretty sure they would just set it back to the way it was.
Just saw your comment. FYI, no: that's not the way school districts think. I used to work for a district, and I've had two kids go through this stupid "digital school" crap. Even if your school sells insurance policies with their netbooks, stuff like this won't be covered. You'll pay the full replacement cost for that thing at the end of the year.
I can't on these netbooks, not without an admin password. I can't install, download or even browse websites of my choice without an admin password. I even tried to do a system restore and I needed a password for that.
We were given the netbooks at the beginning of the year, I have had this netbook since I was in 8th grade. At the end of the year we give them back and they give them to us at the beginning of the next year.
So there's a BIOS password?
I agree that a bootable USB drive is the best solution if the bios is unlocked, since you probably don't actually own the laptop (why else would they make you give it back during summer?).
But in stead of ubuntu or mint I'd say take a more dedicated linux distro. For example a version of puppy linux. This makes it (relatively) easy to save everything back to the USB and tends to be faster when not running on a hdd. But like any linux disrto, it takes some getting used to.
An other question is how they lock down your internet, if they do it on school too. Is it on the pc itself, or is there some centralized system? In which case just another OS doesn't help and you might want to look at VPN's proxy's and/or TOR.
Bootable Usb will be as far as you get. I've gotten in tons of trouble for messing around with school computers. Don't reinstall Windows or anything. It is possible to clear or extract/brute force to find the password with various programs, but do not suggest doing that with school property.
smash it with a hammer,
then say to yourself "who's the boss now?"
it is now fully under your control.
you cant do anything, give it up, you say
If I got caught I'm pretty sure they would just set it back to the way it was.
yeah right little dude. you cant even install anything on it and you're talking like you even know how to restore it. ppaaaaaaaaaaaaalease.
Don't bother with it. Not worth your time. Mess with your own stuff.
It is not that you ACTUALLY mess anything up, it is the fact they think you did. ever seen "the social network"? same thin, smaller playing field. if an Icon is in the wrong spot, they may go nuts. never trust an individual to be rational, especially in organized groups.
You don't own it so don't fuck with it.
The only way to do what you want without modifyig the system is by booting off a bootable USB. If the bios is locked and you cant boot from USB then there is noting you can do. Unless you exploit a hle in the security of the bios or some shit but if your at this stage, I doubt you have any idea how to start or the trouble you could get in to. Technicly the laptop is not your property so you have no rights to do anything on the laptop that you cant already do. Finding a way around could be fine but more than likely if you are found to be doing said acivities, ou could easilly be fined for damaging private property and accessing private data.