PC fettling and repairs thread

[DCBassman]

That is often true but not always true!

For example: The YouTube app on my 9 year old Galaxy Tab...

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But you can upgrade the OS so it will be compatible. Not trivial, but not rocket science either.

 

[ColinJ]

But you can upgrade the OS so it will be compatible. Not trivial, but not rocket science either.

It has been upgraded as far as Samsung supported it (not very far at all!). Any further OS upgrading would involve 'rocket science', as in using unofficial techniques to force a DIY OS created by enthusiastic hackers onto the device. There is a list of which features would no longer work and others that would become unreliable.

I still thought of having a go, but apparently even then the device would not work with the software that I am writing because the graphics hardware is too old to run it.

I bought a new tablet instead, but kept the old one to run simple puzzle games that I enjoy like Sudoku and Spider Solitaire.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I’ve never bought another android device after the Samsung S3 , it was horrible. Software lockups etc. they stopped updating it after 2yrs. So was left with a buggy phone . Switched to IPhone after that.

 

[fossyant]

The man from Del Monte (aka notebookrepair.co.uk) has phoned to say laptop is repaired. I was going to try and replace the keyboard myself, but this is an insurance job - i.e. it was nearly written off (drink spilled)

 

[HMS_Dave]

I’ve never bought another android device after the Samsung S3 , it was horrible. Software lockups etc. they stopped updating it after 2yrs. So was left with a buggy phone . Switched to IPhone after that.

Yes, This was firmly in the era of Samsung farting about with their touchwiz layer on android. I had a Note 3 and was fine but did, albeit rarely, lock up. In the end i routed it and it was great for years. I understand though, that routing a phone is beyond the scope of most users. Now i use a Galaxy Note 20 which is my first new phone since that Note 3 in 2013/4 and the software is immeasurably better and very stable. Samsung have committed to a 3 year Android software update cycle, which in my eyes is still a joke but clearly better than 2 years. There is absolutely no reason why a phone device cannot have a 5 years life cycle at least. But hey ho, that is my opinion...

 

[MrGrumpy]

Yep I rooted my S3 as well, not beyond me back then . However that’s what I needed to do to get a workable phone with updates . Absolutely ridiculous situation to be in, so really put me off. Only good thing though was battery’s , you could replace them easily ! Nowadays everything is sealed up . Life certainly was simpler !

 

[MrGrumpy]

The man from Del Monte (aka notebookrepair.co.uk) has phoned to say laptop is repaired. I was going to try and replace the keyboard myself, but this is an insurance job - i.e. it was nearly written off (drink spilled)

Reminds me our MacBook Pro has smashed screen , too good to scrap so may have to bite the bullet and get it fixed . Will cost me probably £300 I think .

 

[fossyant]

Reminds me our MacBook Pro has smashed screen , too good to scrap so may have to bite the bullet and get it fixed . Will cost me probably £300 I think .

I've done a screen repair on this Laptop previously, wasn't too hard.

The chap is also fixing the issue with the hinges on these HP Envy laptops - the springs are too strong, and over time, break the bolts - they can adjust the strength of them. He's had a little trouble with the repair as I had to bond the hinges inside the case - so wasn't a quick job.

Hopefully off to pick it up soon. It's about 7 years old but series 4700 i7, 16GB Ram, 1TB SSD and 1TB hard drive - really quick. I'll treat it to a new battery - Duracell have them on offer at half price £39.99

 

[fossyant]

It's back and repaired ! Yay.

 

[SydZ]

Well I had a first for me today.

Ran Windows Update on an HP laptop and it did a BIOS update.

 

[DCBassman]

Well I had a first for me today.

Ran Windows Update on an HP laptop and it did a BIOS update.

If it's a recent laptop, maybe MS has had it check and update in order to upgrade to W11?

 

[SydZ]

If it's a recent laptop, maybe MS has had it check and update in order to upgrade to W11?

It’s an August 2020 laptop and took Windows 11 ok. I guess HP must have allowed Microsoft to push the update through their systems.

 

[JoeyB]

It’s an August 2020 laptop and took Windows 11 ok. I guess HP must have allowed Microsoft to push the update through their systems.

This has been a thing for a long time now, usually the device drivers / BIOS updates are listed as optional updates which is a good thing because I've known a few to blue screen Windows machines. I tend to avoid manufacturer driver updates via MS Update and usually get them from the manufacturers website directly once I've validated device model and OS version etc.

 

[SydZ]

I’ve seen driver updates before but this is the first I have seen a BIOS update via that route.

 

[JoeyB]

I’ve seen driver updates before but this is the first I have seen a BIOS update via that route.

Ah I see. Been a thing for a while too. I guess down to manufacturer to approve the MS route first, still doesnt fill me with confidence.