Computer Related > Resurrection of Laptop Computing Issues
Thread Author: sherlock47 Replies: 16
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New Thu 21 Jun 18 08:27 
 Resurrection of Laptop - sherlock47
Having just been given a Dell Inspiron 1525 with a broken hinge - which I sucessfully repaired, I thought i would check it out to see if worth keeping as a spare. It was of indefinite age - running Vista! but seemed a reasonable spec with an HDMI interface.

It was password locked ( forgotten!) to safeguard previous owners Docs and content, so access was limited, Having an unused copy of Dell W7 pro I thought I would install it as a clean install, and a full reformat of the HD. I was somewhat surprised to find that when finished I had complete access to all Docs and Music in the windows.old directory.

Is this a normal workaround for a lost password? let it be a warning to anyone getting rid of an old 'faulty' machine. I normally take out old HD of any machines of mine and do a mechanical destruction if there is a problem in doing a complete multi level reformat.

It will do service as a guest machine in the holiday home and provide television streaming services.
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New Thu 21 Jun 18 08:39 
 Resurrection of Laptop - Zero
no it doesn't alway work like that, I suspect its the vagaries of using a dell version of windows on a dell machine, its probably treated it as a recovery.

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New Thu 21 Jun 18 08:48 
 Resurrection of Laptop - sherlock47
Z , thanks for that comment and suggestion.

I had hoped to try W10 on it but found the accesibililty work around ceased on Dec31! Unless anybody else knows different?

If performance appears to be a little limited I was thinking of putting Linux on it - but was a little wary of screen and other driver issues.

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New Thu 21 Jun 18 09:21 
 Resurrection of Laptop - Zero
If you are thinking of using as a guest machine at a holiday home, Don't use Linux. It will confuse the público en general.



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New Thu 21 Jun 18 09:37 
 Resurrection of Laptop - sherlock47
That was part of the plan - just make it more difficult for half educated people to do things like install their pet VPNs etc. whichas happened in the past!

Actually with 3GB of memory and 2Ghz Core2 Duo T5800 performance is not that bad. i just wonder if a £25 SSD from
www.7dayshop.com/products/palit-uv-s-120gb-2-5-ssd-solid-state-drive-uvs10at-ssd120

might be worth it.
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New Thu 21 Jun 18 10:12 
 Resurrection of Laptop - Zero
GAH! Typical techie, "how can we upgrade this puppy"

Its been saved from death, be happy at that point.
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New Thu 21 Jun 18 13:57 
 Resurrection of Laptop - Driver
>> If you are thinking of using as a guest machine at a holiday home, Don't
>> use Linux. It will confuse the público en general.
>>

I wouldn't leave a laptop for others to use. Anything that they do that is criminal in nature will fall on you as the owner.
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New Thu 21 Jun 18 14:55 
 Resurrection of Laptop - No FM2R
>>Anything that they do that is criminal in nature will fall on you as the owner.

No it won't.

One of the difficulties with convicting people misusing computers is actually proving who it actually was.

If only the owners of the computers were prosecuted then internet cafes would become a great deal more popular and libraries would be closed down even more quickly than they are.


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New Thu 21 Jun 18 22:48 
 Resurrection of Laptop - Driver
>> If only the owners of the computers were prosecuted then internet cafes would become a
>> great deal more popular and libraries would be closed down even more quickly than they
>> are.


All very well if you have spent the night in a cell before the interview explaining that it was all someone else!

You also don't want this weeks guests switching on the computer and finding goodness knows what was left by the previous users!
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 22 Jun 18 at 03:07
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New Thu 21 Jun 18 23:19 
 Resurrection of Laptop - No FM2R
You've been watching too much television.

Your second point, however, hadn't occurred to me. Not sure that I think it's likely or much of an issue if it did happen. But nonetheless, it is a point.
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New Thu 21 Jun 18 23:23 
 Resurrection of Laptop - Bromptonaut
I'm in a holiday cottage right now. Owner provides ADSL modem and wi-fi but we're using our own laptops/tablets/phones. These days I'd not expect anything else.

If you need a PC to support other guest services keep it locked away and under remote control with a local rep able to step in if it goes majorly belly up.

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New Thu 21 Jun 18 23:32 
 Resurrection of Laptop - rtj70
Would you trust using a laptop provided is not snooping or collecting private data? I wouldn't. And I'm not saying the OP installed anything - someone else might. Or just visit a website that compromises the laptop and then the next guest is caught out too.

Provide Wifi - yes. Laptop or a tablet - no.

I assume the property in question has a TV licence when you mention TV streaming... But providing a laptop plugged into a TV via HDMI and relying simply on websites for streaming means you'll end up being tech support.

It would be interesting to know a rough ball park figure after income tax what such a property provides as an income. Slightly nosey I know.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 21 Jun 18 at 23:35
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New Fri 22 Jun 18 07:31 
 Resurrection of Laptop - sherlock47
This is pretty good thread drift in Computer Related :)

To answer some of the questions raised -

The only users are family and very close friends who have had run of my primary house as well anyway at times in the past.

Income = zero. I would prefer occupation to income - I might even pay travel for some users!

Local support is confined to security issues and emergency pool consultancy.

I provide technical support to many of the locals anyway! for (satellite and computing).

Paranoid bunch aren't we?












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New Fri 22 Jun 18 07:45 
 Resurrection of Laptop - sherlock47
RJT70

If you are paranoid about a compromised machine collecting info why are you happy to use a router provided in the property unless you are using personal VPNs on all your kit. What about small Hotel networks and 'smart' TVs that harvest data?

Last edited by: sherlock47 on Fri 22 Jun 18 at 07:48
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New Fri 22 Jun 18 07:52 
 Resurrection of Laptop - Zero
I hire a uk holiday cottage every year and have done for the last 15 years.* Guest Wifi is becoming more prevalent, but no more than that, I really wouldn't expect a guest PC. On holiday the most I do is social media so don't really need one.


*Dog friendly. Its tremendously good value for money out of school holiday season, you get to see this fantastic island of ours, and if you choose late September, normally good weather.
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New Fri 22 Jun 18 08:09 
 Resurrection of Laptop - sherlock47
Friends, family, and dogging allowed but, absolutetly no DOGS.

i have yet to walk into any dog owners property and not notice the whiff of foul odour. A bit like carpeted corridors in old peoples nursing/care homes:)
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New Fri 22 Jun 18 08:38 
 Resurrection of Laptop - Zero
No carpets in my house. No doggy whiffs.
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Cant get rid of the smell of my departed mothers Blue Grass tho.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 22 Jun 18 at 08:39
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