After we switched mostly to Macs after the big lightning strike of 2011, my admin job has diminished greatly unless I just want to do something for fun (like a Linux install or a VM setup). I have a nice Windows laptop (used a good bit), a windows netbook (not used much) and my daughter has a windows laptop that was passed down from me. The rest (the other 8 are Mac or Linux). I did have to point my wife's Imac and Macbook to a new Timecapsule the other day for backups.
I do run Windows in a Parallels partition on my Mac for those Windows only Parallax programs!
Funny thing, my 11 year old daughter's windows laptop had a failure yesterday and we discussed options......she asked if I could just put Linux on it! Good girl!!
That's one reason I didn't use the controller included with the Ebay plywood robot arm. I already have at least 6 different chip programmers on my computer and I didn't want to clutter up the system with something I'd only use once. Did you use it, Martin_H?
Although it was programmed in C, I didn't bother trying it. With only 4 kb of flash it wasnt up to the task of what I was trying anyway.
Frankly Freedman, fortunately for me I have a backup, so I'm OK. I think the hard drive is beyond any attempts at repair or reformatting.
Funny thing, my 11 year old daughter's windows laptop had a failure yesterday and we discussed options......she asked if I could just put Linux on it! Good girl!!
So Wile E Coyote crashed his Segway AND your daughter's computer yesterday?
They use what's known as 'Micro-SATA' interface. It's the same as a normal SATA interface, but scaled down a bit.
(HP use them in their 12" EliteBook series)
Slow things... REALLY slow things...
Thanks, your writing about it reinvigorated me to try it out again and I found out the 1.8" Thinkpad drive does work in the USB-enclosure that I had left it in years ago.
Since I got the six year old ThinkPad X60 for free and has other minor problems (e.g. a sticky spacebar, low capacity batteries, and dead internal Wi-Fi), I'm learning towards getting a new machine. A crazy idea I'm having is buying an Acer C7 Chromebook for $200 and setting it up to dual boot into Linux. Most of the development tools I use are either available on Linux, so this isn’t as crazy as it seems. I already use cloud storage for my current laptop so a Chromebook’s small internal drive isn’t a problem either.
Because Chromebooks use a special BIOS and bootloader that is distinct from the ones used in standard Windows laptops, you can't use them to boot just any operating system.
I went to Micro Center this morning and looked at a new SSD versus a new laptop. A new drive was $59, but they had a bunch of refurbished laptops from Asus, HP, and Lenovo. For $289 I could get a Windows 7 machine, 4 GB of RAM, and a battery that works. So I decided to spring for a new Asus X401A
I know what you mean. I used up all the rearms for running Windows 7 unactivated on my new computer and had to re-install. It took me about 3 hours to get things back they way I like them. It's amazing how many little tweaks you can do in just a few months and then have to re-create. I took careful notes this time, so I should be able to do it much quicker if I ever have to do it again.
I'm now running with only 32 active processes, HDD activity is almost non-existent if no programs are running. All software except Windows, Firefox, Eraser, TrueCrypt, VLC, and HandBrake are running in portable mode (nothing written to the Registry).
Turns out it's a nice-looking 15.4" HP Win8 AMD laptop for $230, their cheapest one. Next up the food chain is $300.
I have dual boot Vista & Win8 on my box here, I bounce back & forth since everything is on my Vista HD. But my Win8 experience has been great so far.
Have you tried using an XBox controller on the XBox media center? LOL I really really found it funny that the two Microsoft products are entirely incompatible.
Turns out it's a nice-looking 15.4" HP Win8 AMD laptop for $230, their cheapest one. Next up the food chain is $300.
I checked out the specs on that laptop and that was a good deal. Although it only came with 2 GB while the Asus came with 4 GB. But it was an in store only special, and I don't live anywhere near a Walmart.
A mini-Walmart just opened up less than a mile from my house. My girls' favorite outing is to ride their scooters to Walmart and sucker Dad into buying everything they desire.
You could use a mac with time machine and it will back up automatically to an external drive. If you want, the externals could be rotated to keep the drive mechanics new.
I'm attaching a PDF I downloaded (had to register, ugh) with general info on keeping Windows running lean & fast. Nothing earth shattering, but useful info. At the end there are several links to online articles, such as this one on retrieving info from a "dead" HD: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-get-data-off-a-dead-hard-drive
I'm attaching a PDF I downloaded (had to register, ugh) with general info on keeping Windows running lean & fast. Nothing earth shattering, but useful info.
This was perfect for a long-neglected XP desktop computer one of my daughters uses daily. Thanks for posting it.
The joys of family IT support. 3 people, 3 different levels of users, 3 different OS's, too many computers....sometimes, it's harder than work but at least I get to set the standards...and some of the budget!
Comments
I do run Windows in a Parallels partition on my Mac for those Windows only Parallax programs!
Funny thing, my 11 year old daughter's windows laptop had a failure yesterday and we discussed options......she asked if I could just put Linux on it! Good girl!!
Although it was programmed in C, I didn't bother trying it. With only 4 kb of flash it wasnt up to the task of what I was trying anyway.
Frankly Freedman, fortunately for me I have a backup, so I'm OK. I think the hard drive is beyond any attempts at repair or reformatting.
So Wile E Coyote crashed his Segway AND your daughter's computer yesterday?
Thanks, your writing about it reinvigorated me to try it out again and I found out the 1.8" Thinkpad drive does work in the USB-enclosure that I had left it in years ago.
My mistake the X-60's use 2.5" drives and the X-40's use 1.8" drives.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/12/how-to-install-ubuntu-on-acers-199-c7-chromebook/
For maybe $50 or so more you could get a real netbook/laptop.
http://www.microcenter.com/product/404677/X401A_14_Laptop_Computer_Refurbished_-_Matte_Deep_Blue
Online they've gotten mixed reviews, but so far so good, and I've liked the other Asus products I've used. I've been installing software all day.
I know what you mean. I used up all the rearms for running Windows 7 unactivated on my new computer and had to re-install. It took me about 3 hours to get things back they way I like them. It's amazing how many little tweaks you can do in just a few months and then have to re-create. I took careful notes this time, so I should be able to do it much quicker if I ever have to do it again.
I'm now running with only 32 active processes, HDD activity is almost non-existent if no programs are running. All software except Windows, Firefox, Eraser, TrueCrypt, VLC, and HandBrake are running in portable mode (nothing written to the Registry).
Turns out it's a nice-looking 15.4" HP Win8 AMD laptop for $230, their cheapest one. Next up the food chain is $300.
I have dual boot Vista & Win8 on my box here, I bounce back & forth since everything is on my Vista HD. But my Win8 experience has been great so far.
Have you tried using an XBox controller on the XBox media center? LOL I really really found it funny that the two Microsoft products are entirely incompatible.
I checked out the specs on that laptop and that was a good deal. Although it only came with 2 GB while the Asus came with 4 GB. But it was an in store only special, and I don't live anywhere near a Walmart.
A mini-Walmart just opened up less than a mile from my house. My girls' favorite outing is to ride their scooters to Walmart and sucker Dad into buying everything they desire.
Here's that laptop: http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-Winter-Blue-15.6-2000-2b09wm-Laptop-PC-with-AMD-E-300-Accelerated-Processor-and-Windows-8-Operating-System/21634588
FYI.
This was perfect for a long-neglected XP desktop computer one of my daughters uses daily. Thanks for posting it.
PS: @ User Name: On the off chance your password is "password", change it!
Is that what you have to do to keep Windows fit and healthy?
Never realized you guys had such a hard time.
You have no idea! Especially when there are multiple computers and users who do "less than intelligent" things when no one's looking.
+1 to this. My two kids and my wife keep me hopping. Couple that with occasional hardware failures and I now have a part time job.