old computer

[Deleted member 8987]

old computer

So, couple of months ago my old computer was dying.....hard to get certain things to work...finally died.
Got a new/used one from the IT guys at wife's work (XP Pro, and all that good stuff), the old one had mega memory (for it's day), with a "C" and a "D" drive, exactly two......so I yanked the two drives (located below the DVD and CD players....note the word "below"), took them to the IT guys, they said one was dead (figured) and one showed "striped" so could not read the data.
Friday I stopped with a friend at RePC, a computer recycling outfit, with old power supply (dead) in hand, bought a good tested unit for twenty bucks, Friday night, yarded the old box (server sized) up onto the workbench in the garage on a folded up burlap bag. Top of box is now about nose level...highest I've ever had it. Stuck in the power supply, started hooking up plugs for a test to see if it would light off (when it died, it wouldn't even cause the fans to start spinning), And, at the height it now was....hidden ABOVE the CD and DVD players.....right up against the top of the box, under the lip of the top.....was another box.....geez. Pulled it out....another hard drive.
Looks like the "D" drive (which I didn't use for anything) was TWO striped drives....and possibly the "C" drive is still there.
Powered it up (no monitor, keyboard or mouse), and the SOB actually lit off! Fans, lights, the whole enchilada.

I am somewhat chuffed, I am. Possibly the files are still there (I had saved photos, but the thumb drive for file backup apparently was no good).

Now, the box is on the floor of my office, this week, I shut down, swap cables and see if I can get it up and running....and download everything, plus send off e-mails I need to myself.

I think I may swap this "C" drive into my new computer, if it works, and get rid of the old box.

 

[NutmegCT]

Re: old computer

Live and learn. Did any IT experts tell you the first computer was really dead? Or you just assumed ...

My two cents on moving the old C drive: drives don't last forever. If you go to the trouble of installing it, does the new PC power supply have the oomph to power all those drives?

And how long might it last?

Hard drives are cheap these days. Old drives can surprise you at the worst possible moment.

So ... I'd take your old drive to your wife's IT gurus, have them copy all the files from that old C drive onto a thumb drive, and then you can copy the files from the thumb drive to a drive in your new(old) machine. Actually I'm impressed that those guys diagnosed a machine that wasn't really their responsibility. But whatever ...

Or for that matter, just keep the thumb drive as an "archive", and insert it when you need the files on it.

Ain't computers fun?

My definition of multi-tasking: two different secretaries typing two different letters on two different typewriters.

Tom

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Re: old computer

The old computer (put together I think 15-17 years ago, used in development work at MS, has remnants of 95, ME, 2000, and finally XP) was dying. The "D" drive had many, many daily alerts to "D" drive failure imminent, but since I didn't use "D" for anything, no big deal. I saved photos on one thumb drive, files on another, but even tho the thumbs said they'd loaded, the one with files did not.
Facebook pages were text only, off on left, in what looked like basic html, Yahoo groups similar, everything else worked, but slow. Scanned frequently, ASW and malware, kept clean.
On a computer that old, it's time...."mean time before hard drive failure long since past" was the term.
I figured I'd just yank the drives, have the IT guys transfer data.....had no idea (since I didn't build this box) that the "C" was stuck clear up in the top, then DVD, then CD, then two more hard drives I thought were "C" and "D", but apparently they were both striped "D" drives.
Power supply was a 400 watt, unit now installed is max 535 watt, so we have plenty of ooompf.
The 400 watt unit, I found out from the builder, was what AMD recommended for the equipment.
First time I've seen three hard drives in a box before. Probably fairly common, just that I'd never seen it before.

And I do archive.......just this one POS drive tells you files successfully loaded....and they weren't.

 

[DrEntropy]

Re: old computer

We're gonna see a massive shift in the industry shortly. Solid state drives, all the capacitor changes... the average peep will no longer purchase a "desktop" as everything hand-held and the appwarez wil be on "the cloud". The only large computers will be business owned and things (components) will become more expensive again.

Already happening with hard drives: most are either made in Thailand or the controller boards are. Thailand's manufacturing area is about under water and the supply of drives is dwindling fast.

 

[DART]

Re: old computer

Good point, Doc. Prolly gonna apply to a lot more than drives.

 

[NutmegCT]

Re: old computer

Doc - I've been waiting for "solid state" drives for 20 years. 'bout time!

Remember holographic data storage?

I think even crystal structure (x, y, z coordinates) was being considered.

Could you posit why it's taking so long? If I can plug a 20 gig flash drive into any computer now ... why aren't flash drives standard now for "internal" storage, instead of still having mega-size spinning pancakes?

Is it just a "capacity" thing?

T.

 

[GregW]

Re: old computer

We're gonna see a massive shift in the industry shortly. Solid state drives, all the capacitor changes... the average peep will no longer purchase a "desktop" as everything hand-held and the appwarez wil be on "the cloud". The only large computers will be business owned and things (components) will become more expensive again.

I hope the cloud isn't a future we will be forced to use. I have no interest in storing my data on anything other than my own media.

 

[Brooklands]

Re: old computer

Already happening with hard drives: most are either made in Thailand or the controller boards are. Thailand's manufacturing area is about under water and the supply of drives is dwindling fast.

My PC guy told me that he can not get internal drives, and when he does get one, what he would have paid $40 for now costs hime $100+. It is due to the flooding.

I just replaced an external that was starting to have a controller problem and would just disappear from my iMac. I did not want to lose the drive even though it was backed up weekly.

 

[DrEntropy]

Re: old computer

Could you posit why it's taking so long? If I can plug a 20 gig flash drive into any computer now ... why aren't flash drives standard now for "internal" storage, instead of still having mega-size spinning pancakes?

Is it just a "capacity" thing?

More a cost per bit/byte thing, IMO. They're finally available but still a lot more expensive than the plate-spinners. But they're FAST.

Greg: I expect we'll be largely dependent on The Cloud by decade's end. Not that I like it, mind ya. We see more and more of this "Ellisonian Vision" as hand-held devices become the "computer" of choice... remember: People are LAZY. They go for "convenience" with scant regard for consequence. Data vulnerability will become exponentially increased as it is stored in the ether, IMO. The pitch is that it's less vulnerable to LOSS. If peeps would BACK UP data with a solid scheme of redundancy, loss is a moot issue. The increase in the number of space-for-hire offsite backup businesses supports my argument, IYSWIM. $10~$12 bucks a month seems a good trade for having "data security", to the lazy.

Same thing will soon apply to apps (already happening with hand-held). Rent 'em as needed, as opposed to all that messy purchase/install/upgrade/backup routine and expense.

Us control freaks are poo-poo'd as being paranoid.
I consider it being prudent and responsible for myself. :wink:

 

[Brooklands]

Re: old computer

My biggest fear with local back up is a fire taking all my external drives...and I doubt I will run through the house in an emergency grabbing hard drives...

 

[NutmegCT]

Re: old computer

"People are LAZY. They go for "convenience" with scant regard for consequence."

ain't that the truth. the "human condition".

And I often wonder how many people who do back up their "data" get really stuck, when their HD dies and they realize they have to re-install the OS, then the apps, then the bazillion system and app updates ... before they can restore their data. I went through that once 15 years ago; never again. I make a HD image weekly, and data backups every few days.

Regarding the "cloud" - scary, isn't it. If your data (words, pictures, etc.) have to go through a world-wide-web cloud for processing ... then how secure is your data?

The mind boggles.

T.

 

[Basil]

Re: old computer

I hope the cloud isn't a future we will be forced to use. I have no interest in storing my data on anything other than my own media.

Ditto

 

[Basil]

Re: old computer

More a cost per bit/byte thing, IMO. They're finally available but still a lot more expensive than the plate-spinners. But they're FAST.

I recently upgraded the HD on my Macbook (laptop). I was tempted to put in a SSD but you're right, they are mucho more expensive currently per GB. So, I did the next best thing by installing a Seagate 500GB Momentus Hybrid HD. It's called a hybrid because, while it is a spinning platter HD, it also has 4GB of "smart" SSD onboard. It "remembers" the files you open most often (like OS system files). Thus, most of the stuff you do frequently (like booting up and opening certain apps) happens much faster, but at the same time, I have loads of storage on the platters. Not bad for $114 (Price as since gone up due to flooding previously mentioned)

 

[MikeP]

Re: old computer

I just have a hard time with the idea of storing all my stuff, and eventually probably running the software from some unknown location out in the net. What happens if that particular provider goes out of business?? What if they get served with a court order trolling for terrorist or other possibly illegal activities they might be hosting, do you want some foreign or domestic agency going through your financial records or other personal stuff?? How secure are they, being permanently connected and probably carrying information belonging to thousands of people would they an inviting target of thieves?? And on and on.

 

[bgbassplyr]

Re: old computer

Doc,

Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean somebody isn't out to get you.

 

[PC]

Re: old computer

.... Data vulnerability will become exponentially increased as it is stored in the ether, IMO. ...

I disagree, for <span style="font-style: italic">most</span> people. <span style="font-style: italic">Most </span>people don't have clue one about data integrity, security, survivability, maintenance, or even simple organization.

Most data for most people is compromised by the simple stuff, drive crashes, dropped hardware, stolen hardware, inadvertent deletion. And the reason that hacking, malware, viruses, etc are so dang common is that they work so well on so much of the population.

John Q. Public is too busy with everything else and too ill-equipped to maintain data integrity on his own.

Will the cloud result in a raft of new data problems? Sure.

But the sum total will be smaller overall than today's.

.... If your data (words, pictures, etc.) have to go through a world-wide-web cloud for processing ... then how secure is your data?...

If your PC is connected to the web already, how secure it your data now? (I'll tell you. For a <span style="font-style: italic">huge </span>percentage of the population, not very or not at all.)

.... If peeps would BACK UP data with a solid scheme of redundancy, loss is a moot issue....

And if the Israelis and Palestinians would just put the past behind them, let bygones be bygones and start everything fresh the world would be so much more cheerful.

Should we be hold our breath for either?



pc.

 

[GregW]

Re: old computer

What happens if that particular provider goes out of business??

Or just decide that it isn't cost effective to continue the service. AOL shut down their Hometown service with no warning from what I understand. There was a great Healey site with compiled tips and how-tos that just disappeared one day. John Sims was able to reassemble it over time with the help of the community, but I don't see that happening with personal data. AOL had set up a help page for people but the links they provided looped right back to the same help page.

Bottom line is you'll only get service that someone else feels is profitable for themselves. Your needs come second.

 

[NutmegCT]

Re: old computer

"Bottom line is you'll only get service that someone else feels is profitable for themselves. Your needs come second."

I think that applies to a *lot* of things in life.

But here's a thought: what happens when those "free" photo hosting sites shut down, and/or start charging per view?

Or all the websites and forums where we've stored millions of tech tips and knowledge.

Have you ever tried to transfer 100s of photos or 1000s of forum posts to other sites? I remember a few years ago we thought BCF was going down. Panic!

Efficient systems become popular. Popularity can lead to dependence. Southern New England almost ground to a halt recently when over one million people lost electricity for a week.

My digital life in a "cloud" over which I don't exercise control? Yikes!

T.

 

[GregW]

Re: old computer

But here's a thought: what happens when those "free" photo hosting sites shut down, and/or start charging per view?

Ha! Wouldn't bother me a bit cuz all those photos reside on my own hard drives as well. I use photobucket for convenience linking photos on websites. Nothing really important if the link goes down.

 

[Brooklands]

Re: old computer

But here's a thought: what happens when those "free" photo hosting sites shut down, and/or start charging per view?

Ha! Wouldn't bother me a bit cuz all those photos reside on my own hard drives as well. I use photobucket for convenience linking photos on websites. Nothing really important if the link goes down.

I agree, I have a paid Flickr account so I can share photos, but it is normally my 3rd or 4th copy of each of the photos.