The Digital Surgery (computer questions/problems here)

[Ginjaninja]

It's the temperature over here too. My laptops run at very high temp. most of the time in Thailand. I try to use a cooling fan as much as possible...... A probably cause for your graphics card failure as it has happened to me before with my Dell XPS.

GN.

[PET]

I have been told that if you open and close your laptop frequently and carry the laptop around a lot the cable connecting to the screen will sooner or later dis-function. That is indeed easy to repair. Could be you paid 600 Baht for a new cable. But I hardly ever carry my laptop around and I not even close it, so overheating is most likely the cause of my black screen. All in all a good excuse to buy a shiny new one as this one is 5 years old.

Good idea - Christmas has come early.

[richard]

my laptop has finally given up the ghost so a. replacement is required. Eying up the HP Pavilion pro 4300. Any comments? I also suspect it will come with windows 8. Any thoughts or experiences in moving from 7 to 8?

[Big Boy]

Well, you've asked, so I'll give my 2 penneth, but as usual, I expect my comments to attract criticism.

My current laptop is a HP Pavilion, albeit a lesser model. I would never buy another. It does what it says on the tin, but it carries a lot of baggage that isn't needed. It took a long time to get rid of ALL of the crap, and even now there's probably a few more bits I don't need.

I've used Windows 8, and I don't like it. Of course it has a lot to do with familiarity, but I'm getting old and don't really want to change. However, once I'd worked my way around it, and realised where things were it wasn't too bad; although given a preference, I'd stick with 7. You'll probably have to pay for an operating system - 7 is cheaper as well.

[richard]

Thanks BB. My thoughts too to a degree. Did manage to rid mine of a lot of baggage and I too am thinking I'm okay with 7 but I guess 8 is the way to go.


ps. Have the sprouts and mushies taken root yet?

[buksida]

As BB mentioned, if you do get a HP you'll increase the performance of it quite a bit by removing all the bloatware and crappy software that they load up on these things.

[caller]

Don't know what it's like elsewhere, but HP are struggling in the UK and recently laid off a lot of staff here. The piece I read in the paper basically stated they haven't kept up with the competition.

[richard]

As BB mentioned, if you do get a HP you'll increase the performance of it quite a bit by removing all the bloatware and crappy software that they load up on these things.

it apparently comes in virgin state and they will load whatever software you choose. HP crudd I'm used to and know how to get rid of



we will see

[Crafack]

It's getting harder and harder to buy a PC without OS and tons of crap pre-installed.

I've used a program called "PC Decrapifier" a few times, and it works like a charm for identifying and uninstalling crapware.

I've only had a little experience with Win8, but IMO it is best for tablets and phones. They're trying to get rid of the desktop as we know it.

If you find it easy to learn a new interface, go ahead with Win8. Otherwise get Win7

/Crafack

[musungu]

I do not understand Richard why you have to go the HP route, when there are other and better options IMO, as regards Windows 7 or 8 I would not hestitate in choosing 7 unless you are up with the latest IT -ware. Most of us are of an age when it is often better to take the easy option. We use our computers a lot and going from 7 to 8 is a major change, but of course 'up to you'

I suggest you first try someones 7 installation if you reallly do want to look that way.

[richard]

I do not understand Richard why you have to go the HP route, when there are other and better options IMO, as regards Windows 7 or 8 I would not hestitate in choosing 7 unless you are up with the latest IT -ware. Most of us are of an age when it is often better to take the easy option. We use our computers a lot and going from 7 to 8 is a major change, but of course 'up to you'

I suggest you first try someones 7 installation if you reallly do want to look that way.

well to be honest I am a little bit biassed towards HP. I used to work for them so know the crapware they put on for customers. I've had several HP laptops and despite the ones I had when I worked there all have been good. Working there you get used as a guinea pig on new hardware and software.
7 or 8? .I'm always up for a challenge. Never too old to learn but I will listen to any advice offered by those who have the knowhow

[J.J.B.]

I've got Windows 8 on my work laptop and 8.1 on a home-based machine. The work device is a Lenovo ThinkPad and the screen cleverly detaches from the keyboard to become a tablet, not that I use it much in that configuration. As far as I can tell - not that I'm any kind of programmer - Windows 8 is not much more than a 'skin' from what I still recognise from legacy Windows platforms. It provides a slick user interface that certainly looks as though it would be better suited to a tablet or phone but the guts of the OS are almost identical to Windows 7 and even XP, so many elements will be familiar.

The most irritating aspect of Windows 8 for me is the additional functionality built into mouse/trackpad gestures and additionally where your pointer happens to be on the screen. I'm forever opening, moving or swapping windows in error because I've unknowingly activated some kind of gesture-related action. Likewise overlay windows and commands will appear when I simply wanted to navigate elsewhere on the page but when I do want to use some of the handy commands they contain, I can't get them to show themselves!

As with many new introductions, it's something you can learn and get used to although the process is a little more painful than perhaps it should be. Comparing 8.1 with 8.0 has revealed that at least MS appear to have listened to some of their critics and have bought some functions back to their OS that they thought nobody would miss. It does make things more familiar...and with it the contempt that makes me prefer my Mac!

[lomuamart]

I think it's about time for a new modem. The current one is playing up and I can spend quite a while getting a connection when I start the computer up. The modem must be 6-7 years old. When it's running it's fine.
My wife wants wifi for her mobile and I'm happy with the TOT connection I have.
So, Ive found a DLink combination modem - adsl and wifi - but I've been told that I can't just plug it in and away we go. It needs to be set up for the TOT connection.
Can anyone explain in really simple terms how I go about setting the modem up? I've got a 4 meg TOT connection.

[buksida]

This may vary slightly depending on which router you get:



You'll need the info from TOT:
VPI: 1
VCI: 32
User: (usually your number @tothome)
Password

Dlink has some videos and emulators also: http://support.dlink.com/

[lomuamart]

Thanks for that. I'll probably get the router fairly soon.