Ranting about Microsoft and Tech Support in India

Thanks for that advice.

My SSD is running well. I didn't set up a RAID system as I am somewhat of a control freak, plus keep to the KISS principle.
The 512GB SSD has my operating system (Win 7), documents, Outlook files, recent photos, and such on it. I have the 100 GB of music, 200GB of photos and all such data on each of the two internal 2TB drives and the external 1.5TB back up drive (only connected when backing up). Plus a system image on the external drive.
I regularly do backup updates from the SSD to both internal drives, and weekly backups to the external drives.

Super important stuff like century old photos and documents, are also burnt onto archive gold DVDs and stored in my son's house in case of fire.

Results of using the SSD are that the PC has tablet type snap. Data is instantly available, internet response is quicker (obviously download speeds are not improved). Updating very large spreadsheets, and modifying jpgs and mpegs is much faster. Computer also boots and shuts down much quicker.

Lord Skimper wrote:

Daryl wrote:Today is Father's Day in Australia (different days around the world). My lot have decided to get me a SSD (Solid State Disk). As usual they didn't get their act together so it will be here in a few days. Any advice on setting up my PC with it from our resident geeks would be appreciated.
Tech details - PC has 64 bit Win 7 (Win 8 retro replaced), CPU i5, 8GB memory, 4 SATA 3 + 2 SATA 6 drive connections, SATA DVD R/W, two of 2TB internal SATA drives, plus 1.5TB external USB3 drive, and a USB bridge for about 8 IDE HDs for archiving.

I've reduced the SATA 2TB C hard drive with Windows etc down to 350GB, and intend to ghost the whole contents across to the new 512GB SSD, then to mark it as the boot disk.
Any suggestions as to possible pitfalls, or how to maximise performance afterwards will be appreciated.

The best thing is a raid 5 or raid 6 option it will maximise the speed and the safe back up of the data. SSD when they die and they do die just stop no warning given. If you are going to do a raid system used a dedicated external raid card. Also check the cable anytime you have a failure as I have had a number of bad modern cables. Never had IDE cable problems.

Different point. Ever had a burned DVD go bad? If so, which brand? I know, I can look up the stats online in forums, but honestly I don't really trust em anymore than you guys. Current Sony silver guys I am using have never gone bad. Had old burned CD's die on me and do not trust them. Then again, usually they went bad due to heat(being used) and not simple storing.

Gotta love ghost and SATA SSD now.

No more DVD multi disk junk.

Some of the true geeks here may correct me, but my understanding of DVD technology is that it is a development of the old player piano roll or computer punch card principle.
By this you have a centre opaque layer that has a binary code punched in by focused laser in very small pits. Normal recordable DVDs have a coloured plastic recording layer (that has a 5 to 45 yr lifespan), while archive ones have a metallic gold layer that is supposed to last 100 years.

wastedfly wrote:Different point. Ever had a burned DVD go bad? If so, which brand? I know, I can look up the stats online in forums, but honestly I don't really trust em anymore than you guys. Current Sony silver guys I am using have never gone bad. Had old burned CD's die on me and do not trust them. Then again, usually they went bad due to heat(being used) and not simple storing.

Gotta love ghost and SATA SSD now.

No more DVD multi disk junk.

Yup. same as hdds (hard drives), just less dense, and the disk doesnt come with the reading hardware already attached. in fact:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USJGui9yIuA.

This vid shows the development of the original drive by IBM. interesting stuff. Same tech as records all the way through to cds, dvds, and multi terabyte hdds.

Daryl wrote:Some of the true geeks here may correct me, but my understanding of DVD technology is that it is a development of the old player piano roll or computer punch card principle.
By this you have a centre opaque layer that has a binary code punched in by focused laser in very small pits. Normal recordable DVDs have a coloured plastic recording layer (that has a 5 to 45 yr lifespan), while archive ones have a metallic gold layer that is supposed to last 100 years.

wastedfly wrote:Different point. Ever had a burned DVD go bad? If so, which brand? I know, I can look up the stats online in forums, but honestly I don't really trust em anymore than you guys. Current Sony silver guys I am using have never gone bad. Had old burned CD's die on me and do not trust them. Then again, usually they went bad due to heat(being used) and not simple storing.

Gotta love ghost and SATA SSD now.

No more DVD multi disk junk.

Well, I just upgraded my new used laptop with PNY ssd 120 gig ssd. I downloaded guides and researched the process. Most of the research was a waste of time except the info on cloning. I had not cloned a hard drive in a while and manufacturer is too cheap to provide a program...hey I just had to spend some time on the internet looking for a good free cloning program.

The next question is do upgrade my 64bit windows 7 ultimate to 8 gigs of ram or leave it at 4 gigs of ram. Is the $200 price worth the upgrade!

SMR,
In my opinion, it definitely is worth the upgrade. I don't have the performance numbers handy for my wife's machine, but when I replaced the RAM, went from 8 to 16GB I saw a significant improvement. Boot up time was reduced, internet programs ran better, and her gaming programs had fewer hang ups. I want to say it was about 30% over all, but don't quote that.
For the money, I've always figured doubling up from 4GB or 8GB was a sound investment. It's easy to do, doesn't cost a lot and doesn't take very long. My current rig has 32GB and can be expanded to 64GB. I doubt I will do that for a while, if at all. I'm just not a hard core gamer any more.
Sadly, however, I see a rebuild in my not too distant future. A complete flush out of the entire system. I am not looking forward to the hours that will take.

smr wrote:...

The next question is do upgrade my 64bit windows 7 ultimate to 8 gigs of ram or leave it at 4 gigs of ram. Is the $200 price worth the upgrade!

The upgrade is probably well worth it. But the pricetag you quote sounds WAAAY too high.
I could get 16GB DDR3 1600 for that price.

Well, I am using a dell latitude E6400 with windows7 ultimate with 4 gigs of Ram. My information is that a person has to install a dell certified ram or I would use a generic stick of 4 gigs of 800 MHz SDRAM 200-pin. Now, I would love for it be cheaper for Ram on the laptop. The price is of $200 for 2 sticks of 4 gigs DDR2 laptop SDram 200 pin is from the internet including tax and shipping from several stores on the Internet. I have not price compared with Frye's or Directron yet. (Internet stores with physical stores onsite in Houston!) Dang! DDR3 laptop ram 8 gigs are cheaper than 2stick of 4 GB of DDR2 200 pin SDRAM.

Edit: That just means the 2 x 4 Gb of SDRAM notebook memory 800 MHz 200 pin costs $160.

Dell certified is a load

of BS. all companies say you need to use theirs, but i upgeraded my 6420 from 2gb 1066 mhz ddr3 to 8gb 1336 offbrand for like 60, and installedit myself. only thing you need is a normal screwdriver, and about an hour to just sit down, take it apart, replace the ram, give the fan a clean, clean the keyboard and scren, and put it back together again.

smr wrote:Well, I am using a dell latitude E6400 with windows7 ultimate with 4 gigs of Ram. My information is that a person has to install a dell certified ram or I would use a generic stick of 4 gigs of 800 MHz SDRAM 200-pin. Now, I would love for it be cheaper for Ram on the laptop. The price is of $200 for 2 sticks of 4 gigs DDR2 laptop SDram 200 pin is from the internet including tax and shipping from several stores on the Internet. I have not price compared with Frye's or Directron yet. (Internet stores with physical stores onsite in Houston!) Dang! DDR3 laptop ram 8 gigs are cheaper than 2stick of 4 GB of DDR2 200 pin SDRAM.

My mother's computer died again. Spent about 2 1/2 hours trying to contact Microsoft for the proper way to reinstall windows 7 with product registration number. Those 2 phones calls meant 1 disconnection (I think on purpose but not totally sure!). The second phone call, I was transferred 8 times and then dumped back into the original phone cue. At this time I just terminated the phone call.

I used the win 7 repair disk and the result was a complete lock of OS system. Windows 7 would not even boot! I spent a bunch of time trying to install windows 7 using my dvd drive. That dvd drive has to have windows 7 booting. Yes...Yes...I changed the bios to disable quick boot. The computer would see the cd/dvd burner but I could not use dvd burner to use my windows 7 cd for a new or upgrade install. Oh, the hard drive quit working and could not even see it on my external hard drive.

What worked really well was to create an iso of the windows 7 cd. Then I followed a guide from internet to install the iso on the usb drive. After formatting a new ssd, the installation of a new windows 7 OS took only 20 minutes from the usb. That's the only way to install an OS. Second, I will not buy another dvd burner and I will only keep a blu-ray external burner to be transferred computer to computer as the needs arises.