Solved Finding the right laptop

Fabler2 · Dec 6, 2021

@Hazel123 just tried it out and the option is available if you boot the laptop blind and wait a time for the lock screen. Then pressing enter to get to the sign in screen then press WINKEY + P together then the down arrow key once or thrice. You should get the screen up on the TV if connected correctly. Makes it a bit easier to navigate and get your data off it. Worth a try.

barman58 · Dec 6, 2021

The other option would be an external case - they are not expensive, and you could use it to access the data you need now, and once you have everything you need wipe it and use it as a scratch pad /transfer drive

Fabler2 · Dec 6, 2021

barman58 said:
The other option would be an external case - they are not expensive, and you could use it to access the data you need now, and once you have everything you need wipe it and use it as a scratch pad /transfer drive

I think @Hazel123 is already using the backup drive to do it but seems to be a hassle. This way you can at least use the old laptop as normal for now... if it works on the machine.

ShamrockRig · Dec 6, 2021

Fabler2 said:
@Hazel123, can you connect your old laptop to your TV with a HDMI cable, select the proper input on the TV, then boot the laptop. Press the Windows key and P until you get the screen on the TV.
I don't know if this will work from the lock screen though.

It should do, When i used to have my laptop around 7years ago it ran constantly plugged in via hdmi to the tv, Booted up no issues aslong as its connected at the time of boot. Unless they changed it it should just display on the tv, laptop screen might go black though

barman58 · Dec 6, 2021

Ah, one thing I would advise is to always take ownership of any drive you are accessing, or give full rights to the complete drive(s) you are accessing from the new system

Hazel123 · Dec 6, 2021

Thanks. Yes I can actually connect the old laptop up to a monitor and do another back up or image.

What I’m interested in though is Bree’s info about restoring the image to another laptop. I didn’t think you could do that as different motherboard.

Hazel123 · Dec 6, 2021

It does all make me feel tempted to build my own laptop. I’m aware you can buy bare bones laptop cases but there don’t seem to be many and I’d be concerned about the quality of hardware (eg mouse clicks, build, ergonomics etc).

Bree · Dec 6, 2021

Hazel123 said:
What I’m interested in though is Bree’s info about restoring the image to another laptop. I didn’t think you could do that as different motherboard.

The two laptops couldn't have been more different, the old one was Legacy/MBR with Intel processor and graphics, the new one was UEFI/GPT with an AMD chipset. I think the biggest part of the work was uninstalling the last of the remaining Toshiba OEM utilities before making the transfer image, they wouldn't have been much use on an Acer.

If you were thinking of the installed Windows key as a potential problem, it was not. The installed key on the donor system was the generic Home key, and the recipient machine already had a digital licence for Home of its own. The only licensed 3rd-party software I had was Macrium Reflect. I removed the licence key before making the image (reverting my reflect Home to the Free version) then reinstalled the licence on the new PC after restoring the image.

More here on Ten Forums about how I did the migration.

orlbuckeye · Dec 10, 2021

Hazel123 said:
Need a new laptop and not finding anything easily. I’m using a battered old HP Pavilion DM4 which I love and had for years. It’s great to type on, chunky enough, not too big or too small (14”). Nice small central mousepad. Good ergonomics. But dropping to bits. Repaired a few times. Running windows 10 on an ssd.

So the problem I’m finding is most 13” or 14” laptops now are too thin. Some of them look fantastic but not that easy to type on. For example son has a 5 year oldHP Spectre x360. Hardly uses it now so thought I’d requisition that. But I can’t get on with it - I type a lot and typing is just too awkward. Partly the keyboard layout and ergonomics but also the enormous trackpad.

Don’t want a desktop - I’m a laptop user. I usually buy used ones for economic reasons but started looking at new ones just to try a d find something that is good for typing as a priority. I’m not bothered about touchscreens etc. Just want something like my old HP Pavilion. But it seems they don’t exist. Because they don’t have dvd drives any more so are thinner - I kind of like the slightly chunkier feel and more stable.

Anyway don’t really care if it’s thin or not but I need to type a lot and be comfortable doing it. Reviews say the HP Spectre X360 has a great keyboard (I disagree and hate the mouse pad). Don’t want a separate mouse as I rarely sit at a desk and based at home.

Any suggestions? I read the surface laptops have good keyboards - they’re available used - but they also look thin so can’t see how it can be easy to type on something so flat.

Ideally something that will run windows 11 as well!

I would go to your local Best Buy and look and touch so you can get the laptop that feels right for you. Maybe look at the Surface Laptop.

Winuser · Dec 10, 2021

Hazel123 said:
It does all make me feel tempted to build my own laptop. I’m aware you can buy bare bones laptop cases but there don’t seem to be many and I’d be concerned about the quality of hardware (eg mouse clicks, build, ergonomics etc).

I didn't know that one could build a custom laptop.

Hazel123 · Dec 14, 2021

I'm not sure there's much building as from what I've seen a "barebones" laptop already comes with processor and most componenents already and not any cheaper (much) than buying a new laptop.

Hazel123 · Dec 14, 2021

orlbuckeye said:
I would go to your local Best Buy and look and touch so you can get the laptop that feels right for you. Maybe look at the Surface Laptop.

Thanks. I did get a surface laptop! It wasn't for me so sold it on. I've got another HP Pavilion DM4 for £100

With plenty of spare parts. For now anyway.

Hazel123 · Dec 18, 2021

Well it's a bit sad but I don't think there is any new laptop available these days that I would be happy with. Even the thicker ones like a Dell latitude or HP Probook, are still "flat". Same thickness at the front and back. It's cool design over sensible ergonomics these days. As for having the screen protruding below the keyboard to give an angle to the keyboard - well that is possibly one of the most annoying things I have found so far - digs into your legs - it's designed for use on a table. So why not just go back to the old form where the back is thicker than the front and slopes down and the laptop already leans towards you.

Too thin, too flat. This is for 14" or 13" ones - there is probably something in 15" but I don't want 15" - too big for lap use.

So even with more money available I wouldn't spend it on anything I can see available right now. I've bought another 12 year old HP Pavilion DM4 which works fine and doesn't have M2 so I can re-use my 1tb SSD. The HP Spectre is manageable if the DM4 packs up.

I hope things change soon - everything is the same right now. Not much variety of style.

Winuser · Dec 18, 2021

Hazel123 said:
I hope things change soon - everything is the same right now. Not much variety of style.

Things will change but I doubt it will be in the direction you want.

Hazel123 · Dec 19, 2021

I can hope! Ironically desktop users don’t have these issues. Plenty of good keyboards to choose from! Interesting thought though - could you build your own laptop with the shell of an older existing one and a new motherboard? I doubt it’s possible but I would love to turn my 10” netbook into core i5

.

12 years ago we had small and light (netbooks) but quite chunky - not that thin. Now we have bigger snd thinner than a pad of A4 - same weight. It’s all trying to squeeze a square peg into a round hole! Sorry for all my gripes! I may go back to pen and paper and my phone - lol!

TraderGary · Dec 19, 2021

I went with laptops more than 20 years ago and never looked back. I couldn't take being tied down to a single spot in a single room with a desktop system. I need to be mobile. For me laptop development over the years has definitely continued in the right direction. Keyboards, screens, power, and useability get better every year.

Today I have the two laptops you see below, an ideal solution for the way I like to work.

And as always, YMMV.

Winuser · Dec 19, 2021

TraderGary said:
I went with laptops more than 20 years ago and never looked back. I couldn't take being tied down to a single spot in a single room with a desktop system. I need to be mobile. For me laptop development over the years has definitely continued in the right direction. Keyboards, screens, power, and useability get better every year.

Today I have the two laptops you see below, an ideal solution for the way I like to work.

And as always, YMMV.

My only complaint about the newer laptops is the access to the inside. The old laptops were very easy to change things like the HDD, memory, Wi-Fi card and the battery.

TraderGary · Dec 19, 2021

Winuser said:
My only complaint about the newer laptops is the access to the inside. The old laptops were very easy to change things like the HDD, memory, Wi-Fi card and the battery.

My Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is easy to open and allows for changing HDD, Wi-Fi card, and the battery. Memory is soldered in and only comes with 32GB. I'm fine with that. I doubt that I would ever need to change anything before getting a newer laptop anyway.

My Surface Pro 7 is another story. After the warranty is over, it's a throwaway. When it needs replacing, I'll be looking at Asus.

hdmi · Dec 19, 2021

TraderGary said:
My Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is easy to open and allows for changing HDD, Wi-Fi card, and the battery. Memory is soldered in and only comes with 32GB. I'm fine with that. I doubt that I would ever need to change anything before getting a newer laptop anyway.

My Surface Pro 7 is another story. After the warranty is over, it's a throwaway. When it needs replacing, I'll be looking at Asus.

Same with my Medion Akoya S15450. Replacing the SSD and RAM was child's play. Just had to take the bottom cover off, nothing more.

Medion-Akoya-S15450-MD-63650-Aldi-Notebook-im-Test-2048x1152-b55e6d588fe5689c.jpg

Winuser · Dec 19, 2021

hdmi said:
Same with my Medion Akoya S15450. Replacing the SSD and RAM was child's play. Just had to take the bottom cover off, nothing more.

Let me guess! You had to remove the rubber feet and a couple of screws and then had too carefully pry the bottom off. This is not something the average user should try. There is no reason except for greed that laptop makers had to make it harder to access the inside of the laptop.

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