28 replies to this topic

[Spider]

Many thanks Xrocketman and Black Ghost.

 

Time hasn't permitted me to go much further with this today (and probably won't for a few days yet).

 

Black Ghost, when my last hand me down quit, my first reaction was to go for a new machine, however, a few months back my parents wanted a PC, they'd never had one, but had been attending classes. They say they'd been using Windows 10, so that was what I was sure to get them. Upon using and registering it for the first time and setting up (as best I could) a few things, it then took me over half an hour to work out how to shut it down. It was not at all straight forward and most user unfriendly I found, frankly, turned me cold.

 

Sorry if there was a misunderstanding somewhere, I don't have Vista but Windows 7 (both on the 'new' Laptop and in the office), having come from being a very happy XP user, the step over to this for the most part haven't found this too painful, other than most of my specialist software won't run under Windows 7     

 

I'll let you know how I go from here - if you don't hear from me in a few days, it's likely I've committed harakiri.

Edited by Moke Spider, 15 May 2017 - 07:49 AM.

[Ethel]

There is a good argument for doing a clean install, but you might lose things you do want as well as things you don't, but since you can keep your working HDD unmolested until the new one is running to your satisfaction it is worth considering

 

You can always resize partitions, but as I mentioned Linux, be wary of using it for such tasks on Windows partitions and vice versa - they have a habit of overwriting the UUID which results in the altered operating system not being able to find itself when it's booted back up. Fixable, especially if you jot down the existing UUID first, but a PITA.

 

I've skipped from XP to Win10 fairly painlessly, it has a hint of Cinnamon (Linux). Turning it off is no problem, but I've noticed it likes to turn itself back on* for updates and the built in anti virus scans. I'm sure you can alter the settings, and dunno if it sets itself up differently on a laptop.

 

* from stand by at least.

[Spider]

Many thanks guys.

 

The 'clean install' actually sounds like it maybe the way forward.

 

The only reason I was wanting to 'copy' (clone) the small Drive in this 'new' Laptop was to retain all the special settings on to of or integrated in to the Windows version that's running, that this Laptop apparently needs.eg, for the touch pad, the screen settings etc

 

All the files and programs etc from my old Laptop I do have a copy of.

[Spider]

Some progress here.

 

Turned out the new Disk Drive I bought was faulty (or so it was relayed to me). While I was away recently, out of frustration, I left it with the good wife to take to some one to swap out and get running.

 

That they have done though the particular store she went to I'm not fussed about. So the new drive is fitted and seems to be working, only I now have some 600 Gb of 'unallocated space' (sounds like the stuff between my ears). I think I need to remove a partition but have read in a few places that this may also need a format of the Disk and some say not, but I need some software to do this.

 

While I was able to locate such software, I'm really wary of downloading anything like this off the net without recommendation. The System I have is Windows 7 (and no, I'm too much of a dinosaur to upgrade - I'm still struggling with 7 after being forced off XP about 18 months ago - slow learner with this stuff).

[blueovalcraig]

Computers scare me! Lol

[xrocketengineer]

This will make you dangerous, MS.

 

http://www.makeuseof...ions-windows-7/

 

[Spider]

Computers scare me! Lol

 

Me too !!!

And for ways that you con't possibly imagine, made my life hell the past 12 months or so. Not for loosing or hacking, but from having received an email from my (late) brother about 5 years ago,,,,, another story,,,,,

 

 

This will make you dangerous, MS.

 

http://www.makeuseof...ions-windows-7/

 

 

That looks the goods mate, many thanks. I'll get on to it hopefully today ad let you know how I go. Looks simple enough (much easier than the stuff I was looking at).

[Orange-Phantom]

I know this is a bit of a moot point now that you're pretty much back up and running (I'm pleased to hear), but if anyone is replacing out an old hard disk and the computer is still of reasonable spec, seriously consider going for a Solid State Hard Drive for your main disk, especially if you have another Hard Drive i.e. 2nd Disk in your system that you can store files and programs that don't require fast access.  Then you don't have to get a silly sized SSD so it won't then cost a stupid amount of money.

 

The speed difference on boot up and just general tasks is quite honestly shocking!  It's like getting a brand new computer and then some.

 

I just swapped the HDD on an old Core 2 Quad desktop to a SSD (after getting a really good Amazon Deal) and it now fly's along!

 

My other laptops run SSD's. I would never go back to having the Main Disk being anything other than an SSD now.

[Spider]

Hey Orange man -  as they say,,, two steps forward and one back, but it's actually been more one forward and two back for me,,,,,

 

I'm 'here' on the old small HDD, hence why of late, I haven't posted a lot of photos etc on the forum, there's simply not enough space for me to run a few programs that I need - I can't even get an email program to work it's that tight for space!

 

I hear what you say on Solid State Drives and I am aware they are very fast, however, one thing that was pointed out to me (by a couple of Forensic IT guys) about them is if they fail, you're data is toast, there is next to zero chances of recovery. And from their collective experiences, they say that the Solid State Drives are no more reliable than the Mechanical types.

 

In the past, I've now had two mechanical drives fail on me, while  a little expensive, I was able to have them recovered them 100%. I'm not saying that the solid state ones are no good, but you want to back them up very regular. Just something to keep in mind.

[Spider]

I just want to put out a HUGE THANKS to our Rocketman for helping me not on live through this but get the job done.

 

Thanks mate

[xrocketengineer]

I am glad that I could help. It was no biggie. Like they used to say in the good old days - "If you can not dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with BS". So, hopefully you were dazzled.

[r3k1355]

I hear what you say on Solid State Drives and I am aware they are very fast, however, one thing that was pointed out to me (by a couple of Forensic IT guys) about them is if they fail, you're data is toast, there is next to zero chances of recovery. And from their collective experiences, they say that the Solid State Drives are no more reliable than the Mechanical types.

 

 

True, but there is another point worth considering.

A solid state drive has no moving parts, it is much less likely to suffer damage from being thrown about.

 

I've had a couple of HDD drives fail, they have always been in a laptop and it's always happened when the laptop was running and has fallen off the arm of a chair or off a table onto the floor.

The impact with the floor crashed the drive and it was toast.

 

Same happened with an SSD laptop and it wasn't bothered at all, just picked it up and carried on using it as if nothing had happened.

[nicklouse]

and you should have your data backed up anyway.

[Spider]

I am glad that I could help. It was no biggie. Like they used to say in the good old days - "If you can not dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with BS". So, hopefully you were dazzled.

 

Don't get too far ahead of yourself here mate

 

 

But, yes, dazzled,,,,,, and dazed too !

 

 

 

I hear what you say on Solid State Drives and I am aware they are very fast, however, one thing that was pointed out to me (by a couple of Forensic IT guys) about them is if they fail, you're data is toast, there is next to zero chances of recovery. And from their collective experiences, they say that the Solid State Drives are no more reliable than the Mechanical types.

 

 

True, but there is another point worth considering.

A solid state drive has no moving parts, it is much less likely to suffer damage from being thrown about.

 

I've had a couple of HDD drives fail, they have always been in a laptop and it's always happened when the laptop was running and has fallen off the arm of a chair or off a table onto the floor.

The impact with the floor crashed the drive and it was toast.

 

Same happened with an SSD laptop and it wasn't bothered at all, just picked it up and carried on using it as if nothing had happened.

 

 

Fair point on the SSD. As you can see, I'm far, very very far, from being anyone who knows anything about this stuff!!

 

And as Nick points out, regular back-ups are wise.

 

Which would have raised another 'thing' for me. Despite using these wretched things since around the mid 90's and hearing everyone say 'back-up' it's only recently I was put on to a somewhat user friendly means to do this.

 

Cheers guys