Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Tech and PC

Best way to upgrade to a Solid State Drive?

Rhaomi — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:18:22 -0800

What's the best way to go about installing a solid state drive in a new laptop? (And is this even a good idea?) After six years of solid service from my workhorse Dell Latitude, the combination of wonky ports, depleted battery, slowing performance, and an intermittent Disk Click of Doom has convinced me it's time to finally upgrade. Luckily, I found a great deal on a snazzy new IdeaPad Y580. According to this exhaustive review, it's got everything I'm looking for: decent screen, powerful CPU and GPU, similar form factor, and priced hundreds less than comparable machines elsewhere.

The only real flaw is storage. I've heard phenomenal things about SSDs -- lightning speed, low heat/noise emissions, shockproof, etc. -- and definitely wanted to make one the centerpiece of any new laptop purchase. But the Y580 only ships with a standard mechanical drive, which the review identifies as a significant performance bottleneck in an otherwise speedy package.

One potential solution is to go for the premium model, which includes a 32GB "caching" SSD as a supplement to a whopping 1TB mechanical drive. But I get the impression that such a set-up isn't nearly as responsive as an all-SSD environment -- faster boot-up, maybe, but not a "Best. Upgrade. Ever." system-wide turbo boost. I'd also like to avoid, in light of aforementioned Disk Click of Doom, returning to the relative frailty of physical drives for storing all my files. (And frankly, I don't fully understand how one manages a hybrid set-up. Installing the OS in one drive and media files in another? Where do programs go? It sounds awkward.)

Given these misgivings, what I'd really like to do is just buy a lower-tier Y580 with a small HDD, use the savings to acquire a full SSD separately (256GB sounds good), and swap it in when the new laptop arrives. But this has complications of its own. So here are my core questions:

- What's the most reliable ~256GB drive available today? Not necessarily the fastest -- the difference between SSD models is peanuts compared to the step up from HDDs -- but the one most likely to last at least a few years, given reports of perilously high failure rates in earlier years. Intel is the most respected name and offers a five-year warranty, but they're relatively pricey at well over $1 per GB, so I'd be interested in hearing about other brands with respectable track records (as well as those with high failure rates to steer clear of)

- What's the best way to install a new SSD in a new laptop? Should I clone the stock hard disk to the SSD with a migration tool, or would it be better to just install Windows 7 on it fresh? What about transferring files from my old laptop? What's the process for swapping out the drives themselves? Also, are there any tweaks I should do to the SSD that would normally be done by Lenovo pre-shipment in order to optimize it and prolong its lifespan?

- Is there any reason I shouldn't prefer a large SSD over the hybrid HDD+caching SSD? Apart from sheer cost, obvs. I'm really trying to "future proof" this purchase and get the biggest possible performance leap that will last a good number of years, but if a hybrid drive offers ~90% of the speed of an SSD or avoids some major pitfall, then I might be willing to settle. I'd really like to shockproof my data and reduce noise/heat/power consumption, though, so it would have to be a pretty big pitfall.

Two VGA only monitors & one VGA only PC - Dual screen needed. Please suggest.

daveg02 — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:06:16 -0800

I have a PC - CPU tower with one VGA port, a DVI port and few USB ports. And I cannot open this to add any cards, corp policy. And two monitors with just VGA ports. Is it possible to setup a dual monitor? - one extending to another not a splitter with mirror image in two monitors Please help.

How to stay up to date on PC parts after a hiatus?

BurN_ — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:44:48 -0800

How does MeFi stay up to date with PC Tech? Usually when you want to build a new computer there ensues a horrific amount of research into different computer parts, the alternatives, and why one is better over the other. Even more tormenting is the fact that PC tech changes every few months.

So for those of us who are never up to date on the scene: are there any tips and tricks or even great websites that do the work for you? And if not what is the most painless way to go about finding the best computer parts for a new PC?

Apples and Oranges

oohisay — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:38:29 -0800

No really, what is the difference between a Mac and a PC? I'm not looking for consumer advice here, nor am I looking for superficial distinctions. I mean, both are "personal computers," and it's not like Macs run on ether or unicorn tears. A home computer is, regardless of branding, a computer.....

I have a Mac and although--for reasons I have never bothered to fully articulate--I resent Apple, I must admit that this computer works better than any Windows-based machine I've ever used and has lasted longer than all 3 non-Mac laptops I've had put together. Even though it kills me (and my bank account), I would never consider going back to a PC. But I want to know how and why the operating systems work differently. I'm not a techie (or I probably wouldn't be asking this question), but I am curious to know what the technical differences are (in terms of software, not hardware). So, please don't dumb it down too much--this is an intellectual exercise for me!

And no, I don't care whether you think one or the other is better, I just want to know how they differ.

Why does external drive keep switching back to read-only setting?

noir — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:20:27 -0800

I have an external usb drive running off my Windows 7 computer. It keeps switching back to Read-Only, so when I try to send files to it, it merely appends a file and adds a number to its name, instead of re-writing the entire file. I've tried to change it back, but it does not stay changed. The minute I refresh the page, the read-only status comes back! Is there some setting I'm missing? Is there something in Windows 7 that's causing this to happen?

Please help with this simple MS Excel problem!!

writingjulie — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:04:24 -0800

MS Excel Problem: CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP? I am a very average PC user having unable to open spreadsheets. I borrowed a copy of MS Office Professional from a friend, but it did not install Excel properly. I no longer have access to those installation CDs. Whenever I try to open a spreadsheet, it prompts me for the CD's. So I bought Excel 97, installed it fine, but still when I try o open a spreadsheet it automatically tries to open it with the XP Professional version... How so I get around this to just use the Excel 97 version now on my computer??

Help me add to my tech support skills.

fenriq — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 09:43:30 -0800

What are the core tech support skills needed to work in a school district and how can I improve those skills this weekend? I'm interviewing with the local school district next week for a site computer tech support position the includes both computer support and instruction. It requires knowledge of both Macs and PCs (though the school I'd be working at is all Mac), networking, wireless, end user support and a whole bunch of other stuff. I have the Mac side covered without fear but I'm a bit rusty on the PC stuff. I will be practicing on my wife's PC to get some rust off but could use some additional help for sure.

I've read previous AskMe threads that touch on tech support skills but none have been explicitly what I need.

I'd love a site that can walk me through tutorials and expand my knowledge if possible. But really, I'd love any insights to help get me through the multiple layers of testing and interviewing.

The first written test is on Monday followed by a hands-on on Tuesday.

Self-powered USB Hubs?

AndrewH — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 19:18:16 -0800

Hello MetaFilter. This is my first question, so I thought I'd start with something easy. I'm looking for a a USB hub that runs off it's own adapter. Any recommendations? I have a G4 PowerBook with two under-powered USB ports. USB thumbdrives and mice work fine, but iPods don't. My iPod Photo is dead, and the 5G iPod Video is USB only. I was considering a PCMCIA USB card, but I'm not really sure I trust those (if my USB ports are under-powered, what else is?) and it seems like a hub would be cheaper.

So what does the MetaFilter community like?

Help me grow my small computer repair business?!?!

Bjkokenos — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 19:55:35 -0800

I need advice about taking my side business to the next level. I have been repairing peoples computers for a while now and earning some extra cash and I am ready to start turning it into my full time job. Wanna know why? I work construction by day and I hate it. I am pretty much self taught on computers and i have no certifications but i know a lot about hardware and software and a little programming/web design. What should i do to start taking it to the next level? I have gotten a DBA (assumed name) in the name i use for the company. I want to start advertising. I have set up a website.

Is there anything i should know before i start advertising? I think my best bet is doing a PC Tune Up type of thing where I remove adware/spyware, clean up the registry and optimize the startup programs and such. Any other suggestions?

I am a home owner and am getting married later this year. I want to be out of the construction field before i get stuck having to stay at the job i am in because i have to support my family so i can't take any chances. I am confident in myself but I really am not sure what the best move is. Any advice from business owners would be appreciated.
Thanks

Stall on cold boot, sometimes. Help.

krisjohn — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 18:07:36 -0800

IT problem brainstorm: I have a PC that stalls during boot. Help. The last thing that's displayed is the IDE auto-dectection. (Photo of a stalled boot here.) The next thing should be it clearing the screen and displaying that BIOS system summary. This usually occurs during a cold boot, first thing in the morning and resetting it usually results in it booting on the second try, but not always.

It has had two different network cards. I have moved RAM into different slots. I've re-seated all the cards. I've disabled unused ports (like serial/parallel). I have relatively few other options when it comes to replacing stuff (ie; no spare parts at hand).

Since this typically only stalls first thing in the morning and not every morning, I get to try one thing each day then it might take a week before it stalls again, telling me I tried the wrong thing. Since I'd like to fix it this year, does anyone have any idea where I should look next?

What do you suggest for a defragger for Windows?

swank6 — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 23:04:19 -0800

In this thread, people mention a few times that the Windows disk defragger is horrible and can have negative long-term effects on hard drives. What suggestions do you guys have for a defragger to use instead? Preferably freeware...

Diagnosing Computer Issues - many parts already replaced

Mossy — Wed, 15 Sep 2004 10:00:21 -0800

Computer fixing frustrations - what to do when you've replaced (pretty much) every part and the problem continues? (more inside) So, a little while back my little sisters computer started to go on the blink. Every so often it would simply lock up and the screen would stay frozen. Eventually it began to lock up during the bios loading procedure, so I doubt it was a hardware fault. Finally, the computer wouldn't start at all - the fans would all start, but the cd roms didn't seem to have any power unless I removed their ide cables. No vga out either.

Figuring this would probably be a ram problem, I went out and bought a new stick of pc2700 ram (this was an original nforce mobo) to replace the existing ones. Still no joy, so I bought a new integrated mobo, case and power supply.

The problem persisted, so I finally ditched the exising 1700XP processor and heatsink and bought a 2000XP witha new heatsink.

Unfortunately, it still isn't loading into bios - the fans and power supply just whirr away..

The current setup is:
New 256MB pc2700 RAM
New PC Chips mobo (http://www.pcchipsusa.com/prod-m863gv15.asp)
New athlon xp 2000+ (133mhz fsb?)
New case and psu
Old cd, dvd and hd (all of which work with other comp setups fine)

Any ideas what's going wrong?

The only things connected on the mobo are the power, reset and hd led connectors (erm, the arrow pointer is the p part, right?), speaker connector, vcore, power and cpu fan. The ide devices are not connected, but still no bios booting.

Any help would be much appreciated, I'm feeling a dash useless here..

Adding a hard drive to an old PC

stavrosthewonderchicken — Wed, 14 Jan 2004 17:03:55 -0800

I have a old PC. I want to buy a big new (non-boot, second) hard drive. Will I have problems? [more inside] My good old workhorse of a PC, a PII 400 Gateway I bought back in January '99, is still serving me well, after numerous upgrades and additions. My upgrade triggers for the whole system will probably be the release of Doom3 and Half Life 2 in the coming months, if the wife lets me (by no means guaranteed). In the meantime, though, and just in case, I'd like to buy one of these big-ass cheapo hard drives out there at the moment. Even a 40 Gb one, which is nothing special these days, would be good for my media needs. My plan would be to replace a 4 Gb secondary drive I installed a few years back. The question is, with an oldish PC running Windows XP, is a new hard drive going to play nice? Is it just a matter, as it was last time, of settting the jumpers to 'slave' and plugging it in?

A secondary question would be if anyone has any recommendations for good, cheap hard drives, or any gotchas I should look out for in the installation process. I've installed heaps of hardware in the past, on many different machines, but I usually pretty much fly by the seat of my pants, and have just been lucky so far, I think.