PC fettling and repairs thread
- Thread starter DCBassman
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Seevio
Guru
- Location
- South Glos
A question for you PC experts...
I have a Lenovo 710s-13isk running Windows 10. It's keyboard is not too bad as far as rubbery laptop ones go. I am, however, not a touch typist so I type looking at the keyboard and occasionally mistype by either double-clicking a key or not clicking hard enough, causing extra or missing letters. It can be annoying. I would like to turn on a key click sound so I can immediately hear when that happens rather than discovering it 30 seconds later when I finally look up at the screen, but I can't find any way to do it. I thought that there would be an entry in the keyboard settings, but no.
Any ideas?
Freeware, use at your own risk.
That said, I tried it and windows defender hasn't thrown a fit yet and my files don't appear to be encrypting...
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I did think of looking for something like that, but my paranoia held me back!
It just struck me that there ought to be some way of enabling such a basic feature without extra software.
Oldhippy
Cynical idealist
Netbooks!
Does it have to be Office, or would any old word processor do?
Somebody gave me one a couple of years back. I can't remember if I left it as a Windows machine or stuck Linux on it...
Any word type programme would do as long as I could email it and write my adventures down and it wasn't cumbersome on a cycle trip.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I am going to check that the netbook is working ok. If it is, you'd be welcome to it***. (I checked with my pal - he doesn't want it back, and is happy for me to pass it on to a fellow cyclist!)
It's an ASUS eeePC, 1025C, as reviewed here...
Unlike that one, this device does not have upgradeable RAM - it is fixed at 1 GB but that would be fine for writing simple documents, and emailing.
It has Windows 7 starter edition installed. That is no longer supported so obviously it won't have had security updates for years. No problem for your simple requirements though.
It has a 100-240 V mains power block with two prongs on it. I have an adapter to UK 3-pin standard. You might need a different adapter for some other countries. The battery life might not be super-long. Anyway, I'll give the device the once over and get back to you tomorrow. You can then decide if you want it.
*** Free, gratis, and for nothing!
Last edited:
Oldhippy
Cynical idealist
That is so very kind of you thank you. May I at least donate something to your favourite charity? It will be used to do my travelogues when I'm touring as a phone screen is a pain for size. Again thank you.
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
Not, exactly .... it does have a removable RAM module, just getting to it is a faff and a half!
View: https://youtu.be/H0UAOR2VQfc
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
No problem - I was given it, and several CycleChat members have given me things in the past.
If you feel happy with it and want to make a charitable donation - either Parkinson's or a Ukrainian refugee charity would be good.
It will definitely work well on mains power. I suspect that the battery life will be poor though because it is probably the original (now 10 year old) battery and they do wear out with use. (Replacements are still available.)
I am running a soak test with a long YouTube video. I imagine that you could probably get 30-40% more time typing text than playing videos. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts. My guess is that it won't last an hour, compared with 3+ hours when it was new!
I stand corrected! I was looking at the review model above, which had a removable cover for the RAM module. This one does not, so I assumed that they had decided to solder the RAM in.
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
I think I have the same problem with an Acer Swift ultrathin. I want to upgrade from 4gb to 8gb and put Win 11 on it, but not going to risk bricking it if its a big dismantle to get at the module. 4gb isn't too bad anyway?
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
Some advice please from you learned fettlers!
Madame Fondo has snapped off the power adapter to her Lenovo laptop and the end plug is stuck in the socket, any ideas on getting it out and somewhere to get a cheap replacement?
Thanks all
Madame Fondo has snapped off the power adapter to her Lenovo laptop and the end plug is stuck in the socket, any ideas on getting it out and somewhere to get a cheap replacement?
Thanks all
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Some advice please from you learned fettlers!
Madame Fondo has snapped off the power adapter to her Lenovo laptop and the end plug is stuck in the socket, any ideas on getting it out and somewhere to get a cheap replacement?
Thanks all
As above, battery out and I'll raise the game to tweezers
I've been charged (no pun intended
) with selling some (genuine, used) Lenovo power supplier at work; I think we'll be looking for about a tenner plus post. By all means drop me a PM with spec (current output, plug type) if you'd like me to take a look on Monday 
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Two things started yesterday.
1) Upgrade all the household mice, 5 out of a total of 6 wireless ones, to rechargeable AAs, using IKEA LADDA cells, which are rebranded Eneloops. The remaining wireless mouse has a built-in rechargeable.
2) Begin the process of upgrading the Asus Vivobook. This can only be done by complete motherboard replacement, as everything is soldered on. Aliexpress for the board, should have it done ready for my hospital stay. Takes it from a poor dual-core Celeron with 2GB ram and 32GB storage to a quad-core Pentium with 4GB and 64GB. The dual-core N3050 is comprehensively left in the dust by any half-decent Core2 Duo, the Pentium N3700 should redress that. Checking the figures shows my best Core2 Duo still outperforms the Pentium on raw power, but the extra cores make up for that, mostly.
1) Upgrade all the household mice, 5 out of a total of 6 wireless ones, to rechargeable AAs, using IKEA LADDA cells, which are rebranded Eneloops. The remaining wireless mouse has a built-in rechargeable.
2) Begin the process of upgrading the Asus Vivobook. This can only be done by complete motherboard replacement, as everything is soldered on. Aliexpress for the board, should have it done ready for my hospital stay. Takes it from a poor dual-core Celeron with 2GB ram and 32GB storage to a quad-core Pentium with 4GB and 64GB. The dual-core N3050 is comprehensively left in the dust by any half-decent Core2 Duo, the Pentium N3700 should redress that. Checking the figures shows my best Core2 Duo still outperforms the Pentium on raw power, but the extra cores make up for that, mostly.
Last edited:
If it's of any interest I have some old bitsa desktops up for grabs for any fettlers local to Oxford 
