Danged computers

[Hawkmoon]

First my AutoCAD stopped working on my primary computer. Lengthy session with tech support provided no relief. I can't afford a new copy (and wouldn't support Autodesk anyway, since AutoCAD is now subscription only), so I'm looking at/for alternatives.

And then today my calendar stopped working. It won't allow me to enter a new event or to save the calendar. So now I'm also looking for a desktop calendar. I don't want a DayTimer organizer -- I just want to see the month laid out so I can see which days I have events scheduled. For the moment I'm switching to Outlook, but I don't particularly like the appearance of Outlook. I know Mozilla offers a calendar add-on for Thunderbird, called Lightning Calendar. Does anyone use it? None of the reviews I've read tell me whether or not Lightning Calendar will synchronize across multiple devices. I need it to do that.

[Jim147]

Sometimes i think pencil and paper might be your friend.

[Grandpa Shooter]

Calendar?  Isn't that what wives are for?

[cordex]

Sometimes i think pencil and paper might be your friend.

Clay and reed, not that ephemeral, newfangled stuff.

You think any paper will survive 6000 years from now the way clay tablets have?  And you can't even get a real lead pencil these days - you're stuck with that gimmicky graphite that wears down in no time, forcing you to go out and buy another box of pencils.  If a reed breaks, you go out with your flint knife and cut another one the way Marduk intended - and it gives you a chance to grab another handful of clay while you're down by the riverbank instead of buying more pulp from Big Paper.

[K Frame]

Both programs on your primary computer?

You shouldn't be looking for a new program, you should be considering that your hard disk might be failing.

[lee n. field]

First my AutoCAD stopped working on my primary computer. Lengthy session with tech support provided no relief. I can't afford a new copy (and wouldn't support Autodesk anyway, since AutoCAD is now subscription only), so I'm looking at/for alternatives.

And then today my calendar stopped working. It won't allow me to enter a new event or to save the calendar. So now I'm also looking for a desktop calendar. I don't want a DayTimer organizer -- I just want to see the month laid out so I can see which days I have events scheduled. For the moment I'm switching to Outlook, but I don't particularly like the appearance of Outlook. I know Mozilla offers a calendar add-on for Thunderbird, called Lightning Calendar. Does anyone use it? None of the reviews I've read tell me whether or not Lightning Calendar will synchronize across multiple devices. I need it to do that.

Multiple things break like that I'd be looking at overall system health, and Mike's k-frame's suggestion is one of the things I'd be looking at.

[Phantom Warrior]

I had the same thought as K Frame and lee n. field.  How old is the computer?  A hard drive scan with HD Tune might be a good idea...

https://www.hdtune.com/download.html

[lee n. field]

I had the same thought as K Frame and lee n. field.  How old is the computer?  A hard drive scan with HD Tune might be a good idea...

https://www.hdtune.com/download.html

Seatools from Seagate is free.   Parted Magic's disk check tool covers a lot of what the pro version of hd tune does, and cost $11.  (I use that all the time.)

[Hawkmoon]

Computer is about five years old (Dell Inspiron desktop), but the drive is a Western Digital SSD drive that's about one year old. HD Tune shows 4.2% bad blocks -- what's considered normal for an SSD drive?

[lee n. field]

Western Digital Dashboard.  Install it, run it, see what it says.

Most SSD failures we have seen at work have been sudden.  Sometimes, though, they seem to flake out slowly like a spinning platter type drive.

[zxcvbob]

Western Digital Dashboard.  Install it, run it, see what it says.

Most SSD failures we have seen at work have been sudden.  Sometimes, though, they seem to flake out slowly like a spinning platter type drive.

I just ordered a new computer; a Lenovo IdeaPad (that's their cheap series) "Gaming 3I".  10-gen Intel I5 processor, NVIDIA graphics card, 8GB of RAM (single stick and an empty slot) and a tiny SSD.  I wanted something with a 15" 1080p screen and either a discrete graphics card or a I7, Xeon, or Ryzen processor, and this is what I came up with.  Should I add another SSD to boost the storage, or a spinning platter HDD? (it has a hard-to-get-to empty drive bay in addition to the SSD)

I guess I should wait until I start getting low on storage before I throw more money at upgrades :)  But I'll probably at some point add a second 8GB memory stick that matches the first so it can go dual channel, and maybe a 500 or 750 GB drive of some sort.

Pretty much as soon as I bought it, Amazon put a better configuration of the same thing on sale for about the same price I paid (the one with the Ryzen processor and 120Hz display), and I could have used my Amazon Prime credit card points to pay for half of it.

[lee n. field]

I just ordered a new computer; a Lenovo IdeaPad (that's their cheap series) "Gaming 3I".  10-gen Intel I5 processor, NVIDIA graphics card, 8GB of RAM (single stick and an empty slot) and a tiny SSD.  I wanted something with a 15" 1080p screen and either a discrete graphics card or a I7, Xeon, or Ryzen processor, and this is what I came up with.  Should I add another SSD to boost the storage, or a spinning platter HDD? (it has a hard-to-get-to empty drive bay in addition to the SSD)

SSD.

How small is "a tiny SSD".   256GB seems to be big enough for most normal people's use.  I've seen people fill up 128GB drives way more quickly than I would have thought.

I guess I should wait until I start getting low on storage before I throw more money at upgrades :)  But I'll probably at some point add a second 8GB memory stick that matches the first so it can go dual channel, and maybe a 500 or 750 GB drive of some sort.

500gb ssd is, like, $60(ish), off the shelf at Walmart now. 

[Hawkmoon]

Western Digital Dashboard.  Install it, run it, see what it says.

Most SSD failures we have seen at work have been sudden.  Sometimes, though, they seem to flake out slowly like a spinning platter type drive.

It says drive health is normal, 96% life remaining.

I don't see an option to run a diagnostic. Am I overlooking something?

[JTHunter]

A Windows 7 computer that is ~12 years old, a 1 TB HD that has 171 GB used.  The only problem I have had with it when my original profile got corrupted but the shop was able to salvage everything (except my PPPoE connection for T'bird email program) and make a new profile.   

[zxcvbob]

SSD.

How small is "a tiny SSD".   256GB seems to be big enough for most normal people's use.  I've seen people fill up 128GB drives way more quickly than I would have thought.

500gb ssd is, like, $60(ish), off the shelf at Walmart now.

256GB; not SATA, the other kind, I think it's a "2242" form factor.  That might be enough, I don't know.  The spare drive bay will take a 2.5" SATA drive or a 2280 or shorter SSD.  It might even take a 2.5" SATA drive *and* a 2230 SSD.  I like SATA drives because I can pull them out and hook them up externally, so I might get a SATA SSD.

My desktop computer has a 180GB SSD (Intel) and a 3.5" 2TB HDD, or maybe it's 3TB I don't remember.  I don't think I'll ever fill that up :)

[Hawkmoon]

It says drive health is normal, 96% life remaining.

I don't see an option to run a diagnostic. Am I overlooking something?

I found the diagnostic, and it found an error.

The S.M.A.R.T. Diagnostic Extended Test completed. One or more problems were detected.
Failed with error code: 3

Translation?

[Ben]

I found the diagnostic, and it found an error.

Translation?

RUN!

https://youtu.be/Gash0294Mzw?t=33

[lee n. field]

I found the diagnostic, and it found an error.

Translation?

SMART is a built in diagnostic that hard drives have had for at least 20 years.  The WD software used that to self test the drive.  The extended self test is the longer and more thorough of the internal tests.

Get a replacement drive. 

Get a USB to SATA adapter.  (They're cheap.  The last SSD I bought came with one.  We use these at work.) 

Install Acronis True Image for Western Digital (Free from WD, works if there's one of their drives being cloned to or from.). 

Use the Acronis software to clone the failing drive to the replacement. 

Remove the original drive and install the replacement.  It will come up exactly the way you are used to.

Deal with the old drive under warranty, or not.

(Do not try any magic software fixits to "repair" the drive.  The manufacturer's own diagnostic flagged a problem.  I wouldn't trust that drive.)

[zxcvbob]

.

[lee n. field]

Amazon link doesn't work.  I think this is it tho'  https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-SATA-USB-Cable-USB3S2SAT3CB/dp/B00HJZJI84

I fixed it.  Yes, that's what I was trying to link to.

[zxcvbob]

I fixed it.

I was wondering about that, or if I was just an idiot.  (the two are not mutually exclusive, LOL)  You can see which I opted for