Author Topic: 'Nother 'puter question (Read 3136 times)

Hawkmoon · « **on:** July 20, 2012, 10:04:28 PM »

My wife has a two (or so) year old notebook computer that came with Vista pre-installed. It's a dog, and now that she's looking to try to start a small home-based business, she needs something a bit faster so we're replacing her notebook with a new one. I'll inherit the old one, which is newer than my notebook so I'm willing to toss a couple of bucks at it for some extra RAM to see if that will help.

However, I would really like to get away from Vista but I don't want to spend a bunch of money for an upgrade to Windows 7. Awhile ago I think I saw that Microsoft has made available as a FREE download a beta edition of Windows 8. Has anyone played with that? Would it be worth downloading it and using it to replace the Vista on my wife's old notebook?

BryanP · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2012, 10:07:44 PM »

Well first off, the beta will be timed and will stop functioning.

Secondly, when you say a dog, exactly what laptop are we talking about here? That might help with suggestions.

Ben · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2012, 10:08:50 PM »

I haven't played with 8 and am not too thrilled with what I'm hearing about it, but anything is better than Vista. You might also look at the "system builder" version of Win7. A good bit cheaper than the retail version. The only caveat is that it registers to the CPU you buy it for.

Cliffh · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2012, 11:04:52 PM »

If the computer's already slow, upgrading to a newer version of Windows is likely to slow it even more. It's been my experience that each new version of Windows needs faster hardware to maintain the same speed as the previous version.

The notebook should run faster with XP on it instead of Vista, Win7 or Win8.

bedlamite · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2012, 11:47:26 PM »

Quote from: Cliffh on July 20, 2012, 11:04:52 PM

If the computer's already slow, upgrading to a newer version of Windows is likely to slow it even more. It's been my experience that each new version of Windows needs faster hardware to maintain the same speed as the previous version.

The notebook should run faster with XP on it instead of Vista, Win7 or Win8.

You'd think so, but that's not necessarily the case here. There are differences that depend on what you're doing, but XP and 7 run very similar on the same hardware:

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/windows-compared-windows-7-vs-vista-vs-xp-615167
http://blog.testfreaks.com/information/windows-xp-vs-vista-vs-7/
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2355703,00.asp

Hawkmoon, have you considered trying Linux? Zero cost, no licensing issues to worry about, and if you don't like it, you can always go back to Windoze.
You can run it from the CD before installing to see if you're interested: http://www.ubuntu.com/
I prefer 10.04LTS to the newer versions: http://releases.ubuntu.com/lucid/

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2012, 11:48:54 PM »

Quote from: BryanP on July 20, 2012, 10:07:44 PM

Secondly, when you say a dog, exactly what laptop are we talking about here? That might help with suggestions.

Toshiba Satellite L500

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2012, 11:52:40 PM »

Quote from: bedlamite on July 20, 2012, 11:47:26 PM

Hawkmoon, have you considered trying Linux? Zero cost, no licensing issues to worry about, and if you don't like it, you can always go back to Windoze.

I have been planning to make time to try out Linux on my old desktop box, which is in the basement, so I can get a feel for it. I don't mind playing with a desktop, I think I can handle doing a complete orbital nuke and rebuild if there are problems. I don't have any confidence that it would work on a notebook, with all the manufacturer's proprietary drivers and utilities.

lee n. field · « **Reply #7 on:** July 21, 2012, 12:35:13 PM »

Quote from: Hawkmoon on July 20, 2012, 11:52:40 PM

I have been planning to make time to try out Linux on my old desktop box, which is in the basement, so I can get a feel for it. I don't mind playing with a desktop, I think I can handle doing a complete orbital nuke and rebuild if there are problems. I don't have any confidence that it would work on a notebook, with all the manufacturer's proprietary drivers and utilities.

These days it's not usually a problem to put Linux on a laptop. Even wireless is not usually a problem (and the wireless card is easy to swap out, normally).

Quote

Toshiba Satellite L500

Specs look about par with the Satellite I acquired not long ago. Ubuntu works fine. I have a Vista partition which I never boot. If I could score a Win7 license, I'd install it in a heartbeat.

Vista is sucky? How much RAM?

Doggy Daddy · « **Reply #8 on:** July 21, 2012, 06:27:08 PM »

Actually, you can get Win7 in a 3 pack (home premium upgrade version) for $118 at Amazon. Not bad, if you have 3 'puters to upgrade.

DD

RocketMan · « **Reply #9 on:** July 21, 2012, 10:00:08 PM »

Quote from: Doggy Daddy on July 21, 2012, 06:27:08 PM

Actually, you can get Win7 in a 3 pack (home premium upgrade version) for $118 at Amazon. Not bad, if you have 3 'puters to upgrade.

DD

My Win 7 three pack from Amazon arrived today, coincidentally; $118 with free shipping. Going to install one on this laptop that happens to be running Vista HP. Really looking forward to getting that done.
MS does not sell the 3-pack upgrade anymore. What's available is just the remainder in the retail pipeline, so if you are going to pop for it, do it soon.

Jamie B · « **Reply #10 on:** July 21, 2012, 10:37:13 PM »

Maybe your first step should be to back up and save your critical files first.

Then reformat the boot drive and re-install Vista.

I am about to do this for my Toshiba Satellite - I do this every couple of years.

You would be surprised at the difference.

I may have a couple of ram chips laying around that might fit that I could let go for a song.

PM me your model number, and I will check compatibility.

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2012, 11:20:54 PM »

Quote from: Doggy Daddy on July 21, 2012, 06:27:08 PM

Actually, you can get Win7 in a 3 pack (home premium upgrade version) for $118 at Amazon. Not bad, if you have 3 'puters to upgrade.

DD

I'm considering dropping the coin for that 3-pack.

Sindawe · « **Reply #12 on:** July 22, 2012, 01:12:17 AM »

Quote

...but anything is better than Vista.

'Tis strange. My primary home PC has been runing Vista for 3+ year out of the box and handles pretty much anything I throw at it. I even got some old DOS based running on it.

Maybe the trick is throwing enough RAM at the thing. But than that is true for most 'modern' operating systems. RAM, RAM and more RAM is key. Win7 runs like dren on 512MB, but works fine for basic use on 7+ year old hardware with 2 GB or more.

I've seen Win8 and and Office 2013, and truthfully I'm not impressed. Shades of Windows 1.0, but not as colorfull. Another reworking of the interface that feels like its driven not by the end user input but rather by the staff enchanted by their own credentials in GUI design and Industrial Design.

I like *nix flavors, but most folks can't/don't want to have to think about that depth of power at their hands. Sorta like the divide between those of us who get off on engine oil analysis; changing cams and tweeking the gearbox and final drive ratios vs ths people who just want to step in the gas, point and go.

Hawkmoon: Put as much RAM in the box as it will support. If drivers are avaiable for XP (unlikely given the state age of the beast), go for it. Else just format and restore to Vista unless you're a chip-head who LIKES wrenching on computers.

Sometimes I miss OS/2. Even with Windows, it just worked with out a bunch of hand holding. *SIGH*

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #13 on:** July 22, 2012, 03:11:43 AM »

Quote from: Sindawe on July 22, 2012, 01:12:17 AM

Sometimes I miss OS/2. Even with Windows, it just worked with out a bunch of hand holding. *SIGH*

Oh, heck -- I miss DR-DOS 6.1. With DR-DOS and the WYSIWIG versions of WordPerfect and Quattro pro, I was sitting on top of the world. Then along came Windoze and ruined it ...

BryanP · « **Reply #14 on:** July 22, 2012, 07:35:15 AM »

The first thing I do for a slow Windows install is run ccleaner on it. Depending on your problem the difference could be anywhere from nothing to astonishing.

Second thing I'd do is find out how much memory you have and how much that laptop can take. If you have less than 2GB and it will take that much or more I would max it out.

As has already been suggested, a complete wipe and reinstall would help. If you're going to do that then yeah, going to Win7 may be worh it.

What's the full model #? The L500 is a whole range of models over the years with wildly varying specs. If you look at the properties of Computer, what processor do you have and how much memory?

RocketMan · « **Reply #15 on:** July 22, 2012, 03:28:41 PM »

Another thing you can try for a slow 'puter is defraggler. It's from the same folks (piriform) as ccleaner. Does a very respectable job of defragmenting the hard drive, and that can speed things up considerably.

lupinus · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2012, 03:41:50 PM »

defraggler is good.

I also like advanced system care.

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2012, 04:24:13 PM »

Quote from: BryanP on July 22, 2012, 07:35:15 AM

What's the full model #? The L500 is a whole range of models over the years with wildly varying specs. If you look at the properties of Computer, what processor do you have and how much memory?

Model: L500 (no suffixes)

CPU: Intel Celery

RAM: 2 GB

RocketMan · « **Reply #18 on:** July 22, 2012, 04:44:36 PM »

Intel Celery....

lee n. field · « **Reply #19 on:** July 22, 2012, 05:23:49 PM »

Adequate ram, putzy CPU. Single core.

I'd go Linux. But, I say that to everything.

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Author Topic: 'Nother 'puter question (Read 3136 times)