Tech questions that don't need an entire thread

[tragabigzanda]

"Clout is the values-free currency of the always-online age — both a substitute for hard cash as well as a conduit to it. Clout is a calculus not of what you do, but of how much bulk you-ness there is in the world. You get clout by playing the victim. You get clout by victimizing others. This is something that is understood by the left and the right. If influence sways, clout squats, taking up space for its own sake."

[run2death]

i don't have any idea what a registry is, but my understanding was always that PC pre-loads files for quick access into your RAM, while Mac did not. If you're telling my different, I'm prepared to buy it at face value because i don't even know what a registry is.

Yeah, I don't know what to tell you. MacOS does preload files into RAM. One of the big selling points of their last upgrade was that MacOS can now compressed the data it sends to RAM.

An OS that didn't preload files into RAM would be slow as dirt. RAM is about 100,000 times faster than a hard drive.

[bune]

Why 12GB? Do you have 8GB and 4GB sticks? What type are they, i.e. DDR3?

It's what came with the computer. And yeah, this is what Crucial says I should get:

Specs: DDR3 PC3-12800 • CL=11 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR3-1600 • 1.35V • 1024Meg x 64

Get the SSD, I mean does someone still use a computer without SSD? It will change everything.

I'm seriously looking at it. The issue is all the stuff already on the computer...plus trying to move my Windows license.

Is there a reason for my RAM to look like this?



My computer is being really slow lately and all of the RAM tests say the memory is fine. I think that upgrading to 16GB would help, maybe even an SSD. I mean, I right click and it takes a few seconds for the menus to pop up.

That's not all that crazy. Windows typically uses 20% to 40% of your RAM. Windows loads shit into your RAM to access stuff quicker.

Your RAM is not the reason your machine is slow. Clean your registry and temp files and uninstall all the useless shit you don't use.

Yes, upgrade to an SSD.

This one is the one I buy for my kids' laptops. It's $24 right now. Use it for Windows and programs, then use your old hard drive for all that disgusting shit you download when your wife's asleep.

That sounds like my plan then.

Does a clean reinstall of Windows 10 work? It keeps asking me if I want to do it but I don't trust that it'll work and not delete files that are important.

[run2death]

I would move the files you need to a USB/thumb drive and do a clean install of Windows 10.

Then clone your old drive onto the new SSD with the free version of Macrium Reflect. It's super easy to do.

Get one of these to clone your drive.

Then download CCleaner and run it twice a week to clean up temp files and the registry.

[bune]

Thanks. I have ccleaner but I don't think I've ever run the registry part of it. I'ma do that now and restart, and the rest when the drive gets here.

Side note: Is there a size that works best? Like, if it's too big it's not as good of an idea?

[Sgt. Crackpot]

Wow, whoever setup your pc knows nothing about dual channel RAM.

[Sgt. Crackpot]

I would also respecfully advise against CCleaner. Do some Googling on reasons not to use it.

The built in Disk Clean up tool in Windows is very adequate.

[contamination]

Yeah I was also thinking about the malware thing in Ccleaner. Also, the rule of thumb with SSD's is that the bigger the size in GB the faster it is, but I can't say how much difference you would notice in "regular use". I have 256GB and it works fine, and the difference in speed in everyday use compared to the old spinning disk is huge. I also personally wouldn't buy the cheapest possible SSD because of, you know, the quality. I think you also get longer quarantee e.g. with Samsung SSD's, like 5 years or something. That's the one I'm using. But of course which to choose also depends on your use case.

[run2death]

If you can afford it, Samsung EVOs are kinda the go-to SSDs these days. I have 2 850 EVOs and just got an 960 500GB NVMe drive for the rig I'm about to build.

That being said, I've being using 2 Silicon Power SSDs and a USB thumb drive for a couple of years now without issue. SP has 3-year warranties on their SSDs.

I've been using CCleaner for like 15 years without issue, but it looks like they were hacked sometime last year.

[bune]

Wow, whoever setup your pc knows nothing about dual channel RAM.

...

It's a Dell.

[Sgt. Crackpot]

+1 for an SSD. Probably the most noticible performance boost because everything (even Windows) loads so quickly.

Definitely also good for games because it removes the bad texture loading delays, even in poorly optimized games.

A windows refresh is also highly recommend. It'll usually keep your personal files, but non Microsoft programs are removed. Best to backup all your files first, regardless.

[bune]

Alright, SSD is in the works. Since I'm here, I have an onboard video card and want to upgrade. Is there a tool to let me know what my system can handle?

[run2death]

As long as you have an open PCI slot, I'm guessing you'll be good with anything up to a GTX 1050ti.

The 1050ti draws power from the motherboard and even one of those stock Dell office systems with a ~250W PSU will power it.

I would probably still advise you upgrade the PSU. You can get a good (80+ Bronze) 450W PSU for like $35.

[LoathedVermin72]

Uh, why do I have mod powers on my own threads in A&E?

[Sgt. Crackpot]

Residual settings from your tournament. I've made some changes, does everything look normal now?

[tragabigzanda]

"Clout is the values-free currency of the always-online age — both a substitute for hard cash as well as a conduit to it. Clout is a calculus not of what you do, but of how much bulk you-ness there is in the world. You get clout by playing the victim. You get clout by victimizing others. This is something that is understood by the left and the right. If influence sways, clout squats, taking up space for its own sake."

[Sgt. Crackpot]

I already have the backups. Let me know when you need copies.

[96583UP]

www.ayatollahcloud.iran

[bune]

Let's say I have a lubuntu laptop that I want to put Windows 7 on and the laptop is old enough that I can't make a USB boot drive. And let's also say that I have a W7 DVD that I put into the drive and tell the bios to boot from the CD drive but nothing happens, it just goes past that and boots lubuntu. What am I doing wrong? Every guide I see (that makes sense to me) says it should be as easy as putting the disc in and watching it work. Is it because it's lubuntu?

[Self]

Shouldn't be. If you have the BIOS set to boot from the DVD drive, it should run before lubuntu starts. Try the disc in another machine and see if it works?