PC fettling and repairs thread

[Grant Fondo]

Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention - they all sounded super-powerful!

My laptop has a 2.2 GHz i7-6560U CPU. Only 8 GB RAM and that is not upgradeable. The SSD is 256 GB and is currently only about 50% full but at some point I may put a faster 1-2 TB SSD in.

It's a pity that I can't put more memory in, but so far it has not been a big issue.

You are fine with that RAM:

RAM: 4 gigabytes (GB) or greater. Storage: 64 GB* or greater available storage is required to install Windows 11.16

 

[ColinJ]

At some point** those of us on Windows 10 will pretty much be forced to change to 11. What would we gain by doing so earlier?

My laptop is supposed to support the required TPM 2.0 but there is a problem with it which would have to be sorted out first.

** Oct 14, 2025?

 

[Grant Fondo]

At some point** those of us on Windows 10 will pretty much be forced to change to 11. What would we gain by doing so earlier?

My laptop is supposed to support the required TPM 2.0 but there is a problem with it which would have to be sorted out first.

** Oct 14, 2025?

You just have to change the security settings in the bios then it all works fine.

 

[ColinJ]

You just have to change the security settings in the bios then it all works fine.

Oops - I just checked. I seem to have sorted it out a while back! (It was still reporting errors a few months ago but several reboots later, it is reported as working.)

 

[DaveReading]

At some point** those of us on Windows 10 will pretty much be forced to change to 11.

How is that going to work ?

 

[ColinJ]

How is that going to work ?

Ok, those of us who still want to get security updates for our operating system!

(I accept that Microsoft agents are not going to break into our houses to confiscate our Windows 10 machines. )

 

[DCBassman]

The machine I mentioned above as running W11 is unsupported in terms of Secure Boot, TPM, or CPU. It's getting updates as it should. Personally, I think Microsoft will increasingly turn a blind eye to this, rather than risk alienating millions of users who can't buy compliant machines. The USB-formatting tool Rufus now has the ability to create an install medium which bypasses the checks.

 

[GuyBoden]

I want to agree with this, but having used that SFF box with many different Linux flavours over the past year, the snappiest response is Windows 11, by some distance. And I really did NOT expect that...

Windows 11 64GB
Linux Mint 15GB
Ubuntu Lite 8GB

MS Windows is bloatware.

If you are mainly browsing, you don't need Windows. With Linux you can still use your old laptop with it's small hard drive and small amount of RAM. Most users don't need "the snappiest response" to browse the internet, which is mainly due to broadband speed.

As a Software Engineer, I laughed at MS Windows in 1990's, but now, I find Windows' strangle hold on users really annoying.

 

[MontyVeda]

is it really a 'strangle hold' or just a case of most people aren't aware that there are other OS options outside of Windows and Mac?

 

[GuyBoden]

is it really a 'strangle hold' or just a case of most people aren't aware that there are other OS options outside of Windows and Mac?

No, it's a "Death Grip" by MS on their valuable market.

Look what your mobile phone can do, which is Unix based, with very little memory and processor power in comparison to Windoze.

 

[StuAff]

No, it's a "Death Grip" by MS on their valuable market.

Look what your mobile phone can do, which is Unix based, with very little memory and processor power in comparison to Windoze.

Android is based on a modified version of the Linux (Unix-like, not Unix....) kernel. All Apple OSs are Unix or Unix-like (some certified Unix, some not).

 

[ColinJ]

Look what your mobile phone can do, which is Unix based, with very little memory and processor power in comparison to Windoze.

My phone has the same amount of RAM as my laptop (8 GB), a pretty hefty processor - Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver), and 128 GB of non-volatile memory (ok, that is half what my laptop has, but Windows and everything else only uses half anyway.)

 

[GuyBoden]

My phone has the same amount of RAM as my laptop (8 GB), a pretty hefty processor - Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver), and 128 GB of non-volatile memory (ok, that is half what my laptop has, but Windows and everything else only uses half anyway.)

Seems like a very nice phone, much better than my Huawei phone, that my sister gave me for nothing.

 

[GuyBoden]

Android is based on a modified version of the Linux (Unix-like, not Unix....) kernel. All Apple OSs are Unix or Unix-like (some certified Unix, some not).

Yes, I know.

Apple and MS were very good marketeers, the best in their chosen field.

 

[MontyVeda]

No, it's a "Death Grip" by MS on their valuable market.

Look what your mobile phone can do, which is Unix based, with very little memory and processor power in comparison to Windoze.

you haven't seen my mobile phone!