I need help with my PC.

[Random]

I have a still good enough for me computer, bought in 2008.  There is still plenty of memory and it does everything I need it to.

 

But it's SO SLOW!  Slow to download.  Slow to open a program offline.  Slow to do everything.  Like, slower than molasses in January.  Like, press a key and walk away and get your coffee and then come back and press another key.

 

And the CD/DVD drive has stopped working.  Since it no longer opens and/or closes, I don't know if it can still spin and read a disc.

 

I took it to a Data Doctors (maybe a local chain?).  They charged me $250 and told me everything is fine and in great shape.

 

I really don't want to buy a new computer.  Mine is pretty old, but it is still plenty of machine for what we do.  And even though it's slow, it's been a great computer and is in better shape than the newer, cheaper one we bought three years ago.

 

How do I clean up & speed up my current PC?  I do minor things like emptying trash bin, clearing temp files & cookies, defrag. 

 

It's an HP with a Pentium processor.  32-bit OS.  I have Vista Home Premium.  I use Norton antivirus.

 

 

[AK_Mom4]

gently said here - it's not actually true that it's "plenty of machine" for what you do.  I know that because you are complaining that it's SLOW.....

 

So - how can you speed up an old computer?  It's going to be tricky to do that for less than the cost of a new one, but you can try.  

 

First thing is to add more memory.  You mentioned that it has "plenty of memory", but I'm going to guess that it probably doesn't if it's really that slow to open programs.  I'm talking RAM memory and having at least 4GB of high speed RAM if your machine can use that much..  You have to buy the RAM that fits in your computer and that might be a problem to find for an old HP Pentium machine, but that will go a long way to help.

 

Second is disk - make sure your hard disk isn't getting full.  Try to keep it between 75% and 85% full at the most as it needs the disk space free to launch programs.  If your hard disk is more full than that, then you need to delete some.  Buying a hard drive that is faster will help your computer run faster - but again, make sure you buy one that works with the older Pentium models. 

 

Does your CD drive have a tiny hole on the front?  If so, you can try opening it manually by sticking the end of a paperclip in the hole.  

[Random]

AK Mom,

 

Thank you for the thoughtful response and your kind manners. :)  I'm okay with the straight truth.

 

What I meant when I said it was still 'plenty' is that the hard disk still has 50% memory free.  It does only have 2 GB RAM, though.  We don't do much besides online school, shopping and light web surfing for news and research and stuff.  I know all of this adds up over time. 

 

The disc drive does have the tiny hole, which we've used.  It sounds like there is something inside the tray that is catching and won't allow the tray to open.  I can hear the tray trying to open, but it doesn't.

 

 

 

 

[AK_Mom4]

I'm going to guess there's a CD there in the drive that's gotten itself out of the track and wedged in there.  Since the drive doesn't work today, here's what I would do.

 

Power off the PC.  Unplug it from the wall.  DON'T SKIP THE UNPLUG STEP. Take a knife with a thin blade and wedge it into the top of the cd door. Slide it back and forth and see if you can pop that cd back where it belongs so the drive will open again.  It may take a few tries and I wouldn't be surprised if the plastic face plate on the front pops off at some point (depending on the model).

 

If that fails, CD drives are easy to replace - just buy an external one and plug it in.  Does your PC have a USB port (not all the older machines did)?  If so, then you can pick up an older external drive like this one for under $10 on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/132010981928?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

 

One more thing - you may find that with your older PC that Norton Antivirus might not be your best choice.  It works well, but it's quite a pig running in the background and you don't have a whole lot of extra computing power to spare.   You might want to try Microsoft Security Essentials instead.  

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5201

 

I don't usually recommend Microsoft's stuff, but in this case MSE works well, it's free and it supports Windows Vista.

[Random]

I'm going to guess there's a CD there in the drive that's gotten itself out of the track and wedged in there.  Since the drive doesn't work today, here's what I would do.

 

Power off the PC.  Unplug it from the wall.  DON'T SKIP THE UNPLUG STEP. Take a knife with a thin blade and wedge it into the top of the cd door. Slide it back and forth and see if you can pop that cd back where it belongs so the drive will open again.  It may take a few tries and I wouldn't be surprised if the plastic face plate on the front pops off at some point (depending on the model).

 

If that fails, CD drives are easy to replace - just buy an external one and plug it in.  Does your PC have a USB port (not all the older machines did)?  If so, then you can pick up an older external drive like this one for under $10 on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/132010981928?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

 

One more thing - you may find that with your older PC that Norton Antivirus might not be your best choice.  It works well, but it's quite a pig running in the background and you don't have a whole lot of extra computing power to spare.   You might want to try Microsoft Security Essentials instead.  

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5201

 

I don't usually recommend Microsoft's stuff, but in this case MSE works well, it's free and it supports Windows Vista.

 

Sure, there are 2 USB ports in the front and 3 in the back.  An external drive is probably my quickest solution. :)  Thanks for mentioning it, though I will try your other rec.

 

I'll look at the MS security, too.

 

Thanks again!

 

[Mergath]

Even if you take the best possible care of a computer, after nine years it's going to be slow. Components slowly become corrupted, newer programs and updates use more RAM, you accumulate junk files... There's only so much you can do before it's time to get a new computer. A complete factory reset might help, but it's still never going to be as fast as it was when you bought it. My older laptop was behaving like yours, and I finally broke down and bought a new computer. I LOVE it. It's so nice to be able to run two programs at once, or open a webpage faster than I can run and use the bathroom.

[Guest]

Yes, that's time for an upgrade (and new computers are so inexpensive for great models), or st the very least more RAM and an updated OS to help smooth things out on the software side.

[Alessandra]

I agree that it's time for a new machine, would not put more $$ into the old one.

 

Hard disks are often degenerate over time, so the first thing I would do is back up.

 

Have you optimized the disk recently? That will help move files with data scattered all over the disk into one physical place on the disk for each file.

 

Also, iirc from my old PC days, the start up files usually contain a lot of directions from practically every program you ever installed. The start up files can be modified if you know what you are doing.

 

All the suggestions above are good too. But do check out lower priced new computers or refurbished slightly older ones. Lanny has lots of experience with refurbished PCs.

[Lanny]

I have a still good enough for me computer, bought in 2008.  There is still plenty of memory and it does everything I need it to.

 

But it's SO SLOW!  Slow to download.  Slow to open a program offline.  Slow to do everything.  Like, slower than molasses in January.  Like, press a key and walk away and get your coffee and then come back and press another key.

 

And the CD/DVD drive has stopped working.  Since it no longer opens and/or closes, I don't know if it can still spin and read a disc.

 

I took it to a Data Doctors (maybe a local chain?).  They charged me $250 and told me everything is fine and in great shape.

 

I really don't want to buy a new computer.  Mine is pretty old, but it is still plenty of machine for what we do.  And even though it's slow, it's been a great computer and is in better shape than the newer, cheaper one we bought three years ago.

 

How do I clean up & speed up my current PC?  I do minor things like emptying trash bin, clearing temp files & cookies, defrag. 

 

It's an HP with a Pentium processor.  32-bit OS.  I have Vista Home Premium.  I use Norton antivirus.

 

I suggest that you cross Data Doctors off your list of providers. You have just wasted USD $250 and that is more than we have  paid for all but one of the computers (one brand new desktop cost more) and the laptops we have in our house. Well, the Dell Mobile Workstation I am using as I write this, I may have about USD$300 in, but that's because I unexpectedly bought an SSD (Solid State Drive) for it, because the HDD I installed in it proved to be bad. We purchase "Refurbished" boxes now (from Blair Technology Group) or Used "INCOMPLETE LAPTOPS" from an eBay Seller in PA.  

 

We have been using Advanced SystemCare Ultimate by IOBit for approximately 5 - 7 years. Possibly more than that.  My wife tried some other Utility Suites and this was the one that fixed the issue she had. We began with the Free version of Advanced SystemCare and eventually migrated to the "Ultimate" version. It seems to be extremely stable, in comparison to other Utility Suites we had used on Windows boxes in past years. I recommend Advanced SystemCare to you. You can Download it and try it and you can then decide whether or not you want to use the Free version or a paid version.

 

If the box is otherwise solid, I would suggest that you look on eBay to see what a license for Windows 7 would cost. Probably not much. I bought the Media from someone in San Francisco on eBay for about USD $8 and have installed Windows 7 on multiple boxes (each one has a Microsoft COA or Certificate of Authenticity with a legible Product Key so it can be activated with Microsoft).    If it is a 64 bit CPU, probably it is, we have several laptops from 2008 era, I would suggest installing the 64 bit version of the OS.  

 

A CD/DVD drive is a Mechanical device. Mechanical components are the things most likely to fail in a Desktop or Laptop PC.  I have replaced a number of them.  I have had drives where we could not get the tray to open and slide out and at least one drive where it couldn't read the media.  They are cheap.  I would look on eBay at the listings of this company, which sells Used things that they thoroughly test before listing them for sale:  DiscountedLaptopParts   I have purchased 2 or 3 used DVD drives for our laptops from them. They are my   "go to" source, if I am looking for replacement components. http://stores.ebay.com/Discounted-Laptop-Parts

 

NOTE: Assuming that you have the Installation DVD for Windows Vista, AFTER BACKING UP all of your Data, if you would do a "Clean/Fresh" install of Windows Vista and begin again, that would probably help a lot. That might involve looking for a few "Drivers" after you do it.  I would first try installing Advanced SystemCare and see if that can clear up some of the issues the box is having that are making it so slow to respond. If you do a Clean install of Windows you will then need to install any Applications and Utilities that you use. Only install the things you actually use.

[Lanny]

Follow-on to my first reply. After I told my wife about your post and my reply, I realized that I forgot something.  I would like to assume that Data Doctors did this, and that is included in their $250 charge.

 

The first things one should do, when computers are behaving badly, is to test the RAM (Memory) and the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive).  

 

To test the RAM, I use the free version of Memtest86. You download a file and burn a CD and then boot from the CD.  http://www.memtest86.com/   Memory issues are so common that this Utility is on all Linux installation DVDs I have ever used.   Let it do at least one complete Pass, if not 2 or 3 passes.

 

The other thing is to check the HDD or SSD.  For that, it is best to use the Diagnostic Utility from the OEM Manufacturer (Seagate, Maxtor, Western Digital, etc.).

HDDs are Mechanical Devices and they are prone to failure for that reason. An  HDD that is failing could account for the symptoms you described.

 

Again, God willing, for $250, they did those tests on your box, but who knows what they did or did not do with it.

 

[Lanny]

@Random I replied before I read other replies.  I am starting to read them. I just read Post #3.  If it only has 2 GB of RAM (Memory) that is bareful enough to run a modern  OS (Operating System) like Windows or Linux.  Our boxes from that era (2008 to 2010) have 4 GB in them,   Our "newer" boxes, like this one, probably 2010 era, have 8 GB of them.  Several of our machines came with 4 GB and were upgraded to 8 GB of RAM.

 

You refer to the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) having 50% of it's "memory" available. That's not "Memory". That's empty space and that is good.  That's Storage Space.

 

After Breakfast, I will try to read all of the replies, slowly...

[Lanny]

I'm going to guess there's a CD there in the drive that's gotten itself out of the track and wedged in there.  Since the drive doesn't work today, here's what I would do.

 

Power off the PC.  Unplug it from the wall.  DON'T SKIP THE UNPLUG STEP. Take a knife with a thin blade and wedge it into the top of the cd door. Slide it back and forth and see if you can pop that cd back where it belongs so the drive will open again.  It may take a few tries and I wouldn't be surprised if the plastic face plate on the front pops off at some point (depending on the model).

 

If that fails, CD drives are easy to replace - just buy an external one and plug it in.  Does your PC have a USB port (not all the older machines did)?  If so, then you can pick up an older external drive like this one for under $10 on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/132010981928?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

 

One more thing - you may find that with your older PC that Norton Antivirus might not be your best choice.  It works well, but it's quite a pig running in the background and you don't have a whole lot of extra computing power to spare.   You might want to try Microsoft Security Essentials instead.  

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5201

 

I don't usually recommend Microsoft's stuff, but in this case MSE works well, it's free and it supports Windows Vista.

 

We used Norton Anti Virus and then a Suite of Norton Utilities, many years ago.  Stability problems at that time.  Also, they didn't "integrate" the individual utility programs they purchased from other companies, well, into the Suite of utilities.  

 

NOTE: If you "Uninstall" an Anti Virus utility, within the program, or, with something like IObit Uninstaller, that does not completely remove all of the program. You will find available, on the web site of the company that made the Anti Virus program (McAffee, Norton, etc.) a Tool that can be Downloaded and with that, you remove the rest of their program.  

 

With regard to the CD/DVD drive, if you have a paper clip, with the end of that, if you stick the paper clip into the tiny hole on front of the CD/DVD drive, it should pop open.  I have done that, to get a CD or DVD out of a failed drive.  If that doesn't work, try the method described above.   

[mlktwins]

Ok, so my laptop is 8 years old and is running slower. I had my BIL (computer dude) look it over and got all my updates completed. I also run Norton.

 

I want to ask if you are running your laptop wirelessly and, if so, how far are you from the router? We did a test and found that the closer I took my laptop to the router (in my husband's office), the faster everything was. It got really fast when I hardwired my laptop to the router.

 

Anyway, it was interesting that that was slowing things down so much.

[Lanny]

There is a huge leap in technology, between our Dell Latitude E6400 laptops (Core 2 Duo CPUs and DDR 2 RAM) and our 2 Dell Latitude E6410 laptops and this Dell Precision M4500 Mobile Workstation (like an E6410 on Steroids). These were made probably in 2010 or 2011.  They have Intel i7 CPUs and they have DDR3 RAM.  That's a huge leap in performance.  If one were to buy one of those machines Refurbished, today, from Blair Technology Group (a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher), or a Used "INCOMPLETE LAPTOP" from the company I won the 2 E6410s and this M4500 from, on eBay, from a Seller in PA, the price differential would be small. We bought 2 of the E6400s from Blair in 2014 and the last one in 2015.  I would NOT put much $ into something with technology like the E6400s have.  On the other hand, an E6410 or an M4500 should have a long healthy life ahead of it. One thing about the DDR2 RAM for the E6400 is that when I looked, 8 GB of RAM was approximately USD$240, a couple of years ago. For the E6410 laptops and this M4500, I bought 8GB of RAM from an eBay Seller in CA, I think it was approximately USD $35.  That is why none of our E6400 laptops has 8 GB of RAM.  

 

I bet if one looked on the Blair web site (BlairTG.COM) or at their listings on eBay http://stores.ebay.com/Blair-Technology-Group one could find an E6400 for something North of USD $100. If you pay another 5 or 10 dollars, they warranty everything for one year, except the laptop battery.  However, I suspect that one could get an E6410 from them for about $150 to 200 (I have not looked at their listing, so I have no idea what their current prices are).  With that tiny price differential, one would be wise to bite the bullet and spend a little more and get current technology.

 

The models I mentioned were designed for and sold to Enterprise (Corporate/Government clients) so have higher quality components are are easy to service and replacement components are available on eBay, because tons of them were made. 

 

Generally, it is not a good idea to put a lot of $ into an old computer or car or TV or whatever.

[Lanny]

@Random   I know you would like to revive your old machine, but please take a deep breath and consider what I am suggesting...  I would like you to look at this eBay listing for Blair Technology Group in KY.  We purchased our 3 Refurbished Dell Latitude E6400 laptops from them, during 2014 and 2015.  

 

NOTE: I cannot find the information about the BlairTG warranty on this page, so I would send them a message on eBay, before you buy, to see if the warranty is only for 30 days. If it is only 30 days, I would ask them what the cost is to extend the warranty to one year.

 

This is their eBay listing for a Dell Latitude E6510, at 1141 A.M., E.S.T. on 25 FEB 2017: 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Laptop-Latitude-E6510-Computer-Windows-10-Intel-Core-I5-WiFi-FAST-4gb-RAM-/141189681324?hash=item20df8f90ac

 

It is USD $182.97 including shipping in the Continental USA. 

 

Note: It shows 4 GB of RAM and a 160 GB HDD.  If you are very lucky, you will receive one with more RAM and/or a larger HDD. If not they are cheap and you can install them in 2 or 3 minutes in one of these machines.  

 

A Dell Latitude E6510 is like our E6410 machines, but it has a 15.6" screen. The E6410 has a 14" screen.  My M4500 has a  15.6" screen.

 

This is the Dell.com Spec page for the Latidude E6510.   http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/notebooks/latitude-e6510/pd

 

 

[Random]

Thanks, everyone for the all the good info!  You are all making it much harder to live in denial, though.

 

I have recently optimized the disk (and run all of the performance and maintenance tools).  I have configured the start up to not run programs automatically.  The CD tray is trying to open when I give the command either by pressing the open button, using the paperclip, or by accessing the command in the control center.  For a while, it only opened reliably if there was a disk in the tray.  Now, it won't open at all.

 

It's a desktop, not a laptop.  The internet connection is hardwired, with a cable directly going to the modem/router (it's just one unit, provided by my ISP).

 

I'm not that tech savvy...but I know that as old as it is, my PC is outdated.  I know things accumulate and junk-up over time and that just by reason of age tech has to be replaced/updated.

 

May I whine a bit?  I strongly dislike shopping for tech.  I feel like specs are intentionally misleading and brand-specific so that I cannot compare across stores and brands.  It took me months of research just to buy a phone.  Maybe the biggest hurdle is the budget?  I don't think most quality new machines are inexpensive.  I want another computer that will last me a while, which is going to cost me.  I will look at your links closely, Lanny.

 

 

[Random]

@Random   I know you would like to revive your old machine, but please take a deep breath and consider what I am suggesting...  I would like you to look at this eBay listing for Blair Technology Group in KY.  We purchased our 3 Refurbished Dell Latitude E6400 laptops from them, during 2014 and 2015.  

 

NOTE: I cannot find the information about the BlairTG warranty on this page, so I would send them a message on eBay, before you buy, to see if the warranty is only for 30 days. If it is only 30 days, I would ask them what the cost is to extend the warranty to one year.

 

This is their eBay listing for a Dell Latitude E6510, at 1141 A.M., E.S.T. on 25 FEB 2017: 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Laptop-Latitude-E6510-Computer-Windows-10-Intel-Core-I5-WiFi-FAST-4gb-RAM-/141189681324?hash=item20df8f90ac

 

It is USD $182.97 including shipping in the Continental USA. 

 

Note: It shows 4 GB of RAM and a 160 GB HDD.  If you are very lucky, you will receive one with more RAM and/or a larger HDD. If not they are cheap and you can install them in 2 or 3 minutes in one of these machines.  

 

A Dell Latitude E6510 is like our E6410 machines, but it has a 15.6" screen. The E6410 has a 14" screen.  My M4500 has a  15.6" screen.

 

This is the Dell.com Spec page for the Latidude E6510.   http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/notebooks/latitude-e6510/pd

 

That laptop is a real possibility.  It looks like only an additional $34 for a one year warranty.

[Mergath]

Thanks, everyone for the all the good info!  You are all making it much harder to live in denial, though.

 

I have recently optimized the disk (and run all of the performance and maintenance tools).  I have configured the start up to not run programs automatically.  The CD tray is trying to open when I give the command either by pressing the open button, using the paperclip, or by accessing the command in the control center.  For a while, it only opened reliably if there was a disk in the tray.  Now, it won't open at all.

 

It's a desktop, not a laptop.  The internet connection is hardwired, with a cable directly going to the modem/router (it's just one unit, provided by my ISP).

 

I'm not that tech savvy...but I know that as old as it is, my PC is outdated.  I know things accumulate and junk-up over time and that just by reason of age tech has to be replaced/updated.

 

May I whine a bit?  I strongly dislike shopping for tech.  I feel like specs are intentionally misleading and brand-specific so that I cannot compare across stores and brands.  It took me months of research just to buy a phone.  Maybe the biggest hurdle is the budget?  I don't think most quality new machines are inexpensive.  I want another computer that will last me a while, which is going to cost me.  I will look at your links closely, Lanny.

 

Asus is a good brand, if you need recs. (Asus, not Acer- some people get them confused. ;) ) We have an Asus Republic of Gamers laptop and an Asus all-in-one, and they're both very reliable and work great. My all-in-one, especially, is fantastic. It's by far the best computer I've ever owned. Like you said, quality computers are pricey, but imo, it's worth it to get something that won't crap out on you in a couple years. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-zen-aio-pro-z240ic-23-8-4k-ultra-hd-touch-screen-all-in-one-intel-core-i7-12gb-memory-1tb-hdd-8gb-sshd-icicle-gold/4906400.p?skuId=4906400

 

ETA: Also, I wouldn't get anything with less than 8gb RAM or in a few years you're going to have a slow computer again. Newer programs always seem to require more and more memory.

Edited February 25, 2017 by Mergath

[Lanny]

That laptop is a real possibility.  It looks like only an additional $34 for a one year warranty.

 

One thing about the Dell Latitude E6400 and Dell Latitude E6410 (5 total in our house ) and my Dell Precision M4500.  They do not have a HDMI Port. They have a "DisplayPort".  We bought, from an eBay Seller (YellowKnife or something like that) an adapter that works perfectly.  My wife has her E6410 hooked up to a TV and uses the laptop to get movies and then duplicates the video/audio on the TV. Works perfectly.    I think the Adapter is about 6 or 7 dollars, but with an HDMI cable it is about 10 dollars.  We need to buy another one because one of the adapters she had died. We have been using those since 2014.  I see her streaming stuff onto the TV from her E6410 laptop, daily.  Movies, games, etc.

 

With these Dell models, there is one Screw on the bottom that you loosen to remove the bottom cover. If you want to replace the RAM, it is right there and that takes 2 or 3 minutes.  The HDD (hard disk drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) is held in place with a "Hard Drive Caddy Cover". A tiny piece of plastic. You can replace the HDD or SSD in 2 or 3 minutes. Servicability is something Dell had in mind,when they designed these machines.  The CD or DVD drive can be replaced in approximately 20 seconds.

 

NOTE: Since I now know that your current machine is a Desktop, you also have a Monitor...  If  you retire the Desktop, you can hook your Monitor up to the Laptop and Duplicate the Laptop Screen onto the Monitor.  My DD does that for her primary laptop (a Dell Latitude E6410).  She has a Monitor hooked up to it.

 

ETA:  We have external USB Keyboards and USB Mice hooked up to our laptops when they are in the house, which is most of the time, which makes them easier to use. 

Edited February 25, 2017 by Lanny

[Lanny]

Asus is a good brand, if you need recs. (Asus, not Acer- some people get them confused. ;) ) We have an Asus Republic of Gamers laptop and an Asus all-in-one, and they're both very reliable and work great. My all-in-one, especially, is fantastic. It's by far the best computer I've ever owned. Like you said, quality computers are pricey, but imo, it's worth it to get something that won't crap out on you in a couple years. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-zen-aio-pro-z240ic-23-8-4k-ultra-hd-touch-screen-all-in-one-intel-core-i7-12gb-memory-1tb-hdd-8gb-sshd-icicle-gold/4906400.p?skuId=4906400

 

ETA: Also, I wouldn't get anything with less than 8gb RAM or in a few years you're going to have a slow computer again. Newer programs always seem to require more and more memory.

 

I don't know much about ACER or ASUS, or Consumer Grade machines,  but my impression is that ASUS is the better brand among the "Consumer" grade machines, if one is comparing ASUS and ACER.  That said, my wife bought a  mini ACER laptop (12 inch screen I think) for DIL during July or August of 2015. She carries it around in her backpack all day and it is in school with her at night. I believe it has been trouble free.   It only has 2 GB of RAM...

 

I also agree with the 8 GB of RAM and that's a reason one needs a 64 bit OS (Operating system).  4 GB is OK, but 8 is better...

[Lanny]

@Random   I went back to the Blair Technology Group listings on eBay and took a quick look at the Desktops they have listed, awhile ago, since your current machine is a Desktop.  I did not see anything that I can suggest to you, to get you a technology leap, that would be less expensive than going to an Enterprise class laptop.  

 

If you do buy a Laptop, we have all of our laptops sitting on a "Cooling Pad" when they are in the house.  Primarily, our laptops are in fixed positions, and used like a Desktop would be used.  This Dell Precision M4500 Mobile Workstation is loaded (8 GB RAM, Intel i7 CPU,  nVidia discrete card, etc.) and it is *extremely* rare that I hear the fan in the laptop come on. When it does, it is usually only for a few seconds.  

 

NOTE: This is an advantage for going to a laptop in your house. If you have a good battery in the laptop, if there is a power failure, the battery is like a UPS for a Desktop/Tower machine. So, you do not need to buy a UPS if you have a laptop with a good battery.

 

I've purchased several batteries for the Dell Latitude E6400/E6410/ and this M4500 from laptopz-outlet on eBay.  They cost about 12 or 14 dollars. Much better than paying Dell.com $150 for a battery.  Possibly the battery from Dell would allow the laptop to run longer on battery power, but I'm not in a financial position to test that...  You can buy a lot of batteries for $150....

 

These machines have Screens with a "Matte" finish, so there is little or no glare from lights.  I find that very very distracting when I look at a Glossy Screen.   

[Alessandra]

Thanks, everyone for the all the good info! You are all making it much harder to live in denial, though.

 

I have recently optimized the disk (and run all of the performance and maintenance tools). I have configured the start up to not run programs automatically. The CD tray is trying to open when I give the command either by pressing the open button, using the paperclip, or by accessing the command in the control center. For a while, it only opened reliably if there was a disk in the tray. Now, it won't open at all.

 

It's a desktop, not a laptop. The internet connection is hardwired, with a cable directly going to the modem/router (it's just one unit, provided by my ISP).

 

I'm not that tech savvy...but I know that as old as it is, my PC is outdated. I know things accumulate and junk-up over time and that just by reason of age tech has to be replaced/updated.

 

May I whine a bit? I strongly dislike shopping for tech. I feel like specs are intentionally misleading and brand-specific so that I cannot compare across stores and brands. It took me months of research just to buy a phone. Maybe the biggest hurdle is the budget? I don't think most quality new machines are inexpensive. I want another computer that will last me a while, which is going to cost me. I will look at your links closely, Lanny.

Since you dislike shopping for tech -- I agree about confusing :-(

Look at iMacs. Very few choices, so simple to buy, but actual intelligent people wil talk with you if you need help deciding.

Prices are higher, but Macs tend to last a long time.

[Lanny]

I think a leap in technology will be something you will find very helpful, if you change to a newer box.   This morning, I got my "Backup" laptop out. It is a Dell Latitude E6400 with a Core 2 Duo CPU and 4 GB of RAM.  I run it every few weeks, to update the Anti Virus definitions, scan the HDD, and check for "Important" (actually Microsoft should use the word "Critical" for those Updates), and get the battery charged up to 100%   It is running a "Full Scan" of the HDD for viruses now.  It has been running for 41 minutes and is 74% done as I write this.  I think sometimes the "Full Scan" on that box takes as much as 90 minutes.  When I ran a "Full Scan" with the same program (Advanced System Care Ultimate by IObit) on this Dell Precision M4500 with an Intel i7 CPU and 8 GB of RAM and an SSD this morning, the "Full scan" took 2 1/2 minutes. Sometimes, it takes as much as 12 or 13 minutes and I'm not sure why the time varies. This morning, I tried not to use the M4500 while the scan was going on. There are a lot of variables, and it depends upon what one is doing and what is installed on the box and whether it has a HDD or a SSD, but newer will generally equate to faster performance.

 

 After the "Full Scan" finishes on the E6400, I will get the External USB HDD and make a "System Image" copy of the HDD on the E6400 with "Clonezilla Live" a free utility you can Download and burn to a CD.  

 

It is always helpful to have more than one box. If one box dies, you can use the other while getting the dead one back to life.  If one needs a "Driver" or something, you can Download it onto the box that is working. I've had to do that, to get Communications Drivers, several times, so I could get a box online, after doing a Fresh/Clean Install.  Also, if you have more than one box and there is an issue isolated to only one box, you can get a handle on the issue much faster than if you only have one box and are totally dependent upon it and are dead in the water.  If they all have a problem, the issue is upstream.

 

ETA: The "Full Scan" of the HDD in the E6400 this morning took one hour and 11 minutes.  It has approximately 275K fewer files than this M4500 does.  However, the size and type of files also come into play, so it is not "Apples to Apples" but "Apples to Oranges".  Also, this M4500 has a SSD and the E6400 has a HDD.

Edited February 26, 2017 by Lanny