There are no stupid questions.
Linux has been able to read any drive I have ever tried. NTFS is readable and writeable. I would bet almost all distros support ntfs. if they dont you can install ntfs-3g.
Edit: i dont usually use ntfs so I went and had a quick search, to make sure I wasnt wrong and remembering the right driver name. I also didnt think about drive health checks that they lightly cover in the link.
VPN’s are like a condom for the internet. With much of the internet trying to fuck you putting on a wrapper is probably a good idea.
Eventually you get used to the slower speeds, rarely have issues with connection and if I do I just change IP. If a website doesn’t allow a vpn I really don’t need to go there and for the sites that I do want to visit there are optional different front ends I use.
A vpn and a good add blocker is pretty much a necessity for me at this point.
You are correct about me using a vpn to change my IP… I probably should been more descriptive.
Side note, thanks for helping OP in my absence.
A lot of this has to do with youtube blocking IP addresses. When it happens to me I change IP and it works again.
How have you installed the yt-dlp app? Through apt or with pip? You can probably get faster updates if you use pip.
Can you use ublock? built in. Im going to give it a go.
I had a 1991 carola hatchback with push button all wheel drive. That thing was indestructible. Used to live out of it in the summer, out in the woods with 2 dogs. It went places that most of my friends with trucks wouldn’t try.
I miss those days.