New laptop specs?

[RoyMac5]

Just had my old (5 yrs ish) Windows 10 laptop crash a couple of times because of overheating. Not sure why, there’s no heavy load when I check in task manager.

Anyway I guess it’s time for a new laptop. I have never used Windows 11 so am unsure as to the spec needed. No gaming will be done 😄 so will 8gb be enough memory and will I need video memory?

[Dean (hick) Saunders]

I’m still nursing a Windows Vista machine along that has some movie maker software I like on it.

Almost everything has stopped working on it but somehow still it has a pulse.

Sorry I can’t help, but thought I would share my story. 😀

[RoyMac5]

3 minutes ago, Dean (hick) Saunders said:

I’m still nursing a Windows Vista machine along that has some movie maker software I like on it.

Almost everything has stopped working on it but somehow still it has a pulse.

Sorry I can’t help, but thought I would share my story. 😀

Lol.

I'm nursing this along too if I don't open too many tabs at once. TBH I'm not looking forward to figuring out how to transfer all my data and settings either.

[Malagaram]

3 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

Just had my old (5 yrs ish) Windows 10 laptop crash a couple of times because of overheating. Not sure why, there’s no heavy load when I check in task manager.

Anyway I guess it’s time for a new laptop. I have never used Windows 11 so am unsure as to the spec needed. No gaming will be done 😄 so will 8gb be enough memory and will I need video memory?

I have the same problem with a mag box,found that by raising mag box off whatever it is sitting on,so air can circulate,and by having a small electric/battery fan next to mag box with air circulating over  the box the overheating problem is overcome.Hope this helps

[i-Ram]

Was I the only one who thought that some 3D optics might have been designed such that when you reach out to the screen it seems like you are actually squeezing buttocks?

[Eddie]

5 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

Just had my old (5 yrs ish) Windows 10 laptop crash a couple of times because of overheating. Not sure why, there’s no heavy load when I check in task manager.

Anyway I guess it’s time for a new laptop. I have never used Windows 11 so am unsure as to the spec needed. No gaming will be done 😄 so will 8gb be enough memory and will I need video memory?

You'd be safer with 16. Windows 11 is currently trying to take over the world. I bought an Acer Aspire 16 Gb laptop from Currys PC World last year for a little under £400 and it runs very well (gaming too). My other Windows machine is 8 Gb and that runs very slowly under Windows 11. Perhaps it's time to rip out some of the bloatware again (rubbish like MS Teams, SQL Server add-ons etc).

[EtoileSportiveDeDerby]

Have you tried to turn off some of the services that always get started at startup?

If you do get a Windows11, the more memory you can afford the better

[Day]

15 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

Just had my old (5 yrs ish) Windows 10 laptop crash a couple of times because of overheating. Not sure why, there’s no heavy load when I check in task manager.

Anyway I guess it’s time for a new laptop. I have never used Windows 11 so am unsure as to the spec needed. No gaming will be done 😄 so will 8gb be enough memory and will I need video memory?

What was the error message, or did it shut down?

Laptops weirdly can overheat on your lap as it can cover all the vents, or depending how long you've had it, could be full of dust inside which is stopping the fans working properly. 

[Boycie]

12 minutes ago, David said:

What was the error message, or did it shut down?

Laptops weirdly can overheat on your lap as it can cover all the vents, or depending how long you've had it, could be full of dust inside which is stopping the fans working properly. 

Come on, tell them what you really think about laptop advice, let it out.

[Day]

8 minutes ago, Boycie said:

Come on, tell them what you really think about laptop advice, let it out.

Don't like em.

[TimRam]

Don't spend too much. I have a Toshiba c850 which is about 10 years old. 8gb ram + ssd (reinstalled windows 10 onto it). All good but I backup once a week using freeware program macrium reflect.  Good thing about these older machines is that they are easy to upgrade (just one screw to undo for ram, hard drive, cmos battery access). Maybe try cex if there is one nearby. A laptop from there should be around £200-250. Look at reviews of each model first. Stick with Windows 10 for now.

[RoyMac5]

1 hour ago, David said:

What was the error message, or did it shut down?

Laptops weirdly can overheat on your lap as it can cover all the vents, or depending how long you've had it, could be full of dust inside which is stopping the fans working properly. 

Yeah it's just shutting down. It happened after an update and I thought it was that, so uninstalled it. But it's not. I think it's MS OS software causing overheating - the fan sounding like a jet and a red hot area of keyboard being a hint. 😄

I see no reason why a 16gb i7 (although 7 yrs old) updated Win 10 laptop with lots of nasty MS stuff turned off, should be overheating. I'm fairly sure it's something running in the background now. MS are infamous for it. I've seen something about MS Compatibility Telemetry causing high CPU useage and MS Edge browser doing similar. So I've been trying to shut down aspects of those. 

I've run Belarc which lists all info on your comp and software and it's suggested that I've got lots of real-time virus software running. I didn't think it was actually but I'm now just about to try and remove the non-MS stuff.

 

Windows Defender Version 4.18.23070.1004

    Scan Engine Version 1.1.23070.1005

    Virus Definitions Version 13/08/2023 Rev 1.395.331.0

    Last Disk Scan on 12 August 2023 21:21:19

    Realtime File Scanning On

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Version 4.5.33.272

    Realtime File Scanning On

Avira Antivirus

    Virus Definitions Version Up To Date

    Realtime File Scanning On

 

I don't even recall installing the Avira! Unless it's from 'left-over bits' still loaded in the registry...

 

[Day]

Try a complete factory reset on it, just backup anything you need first to a external hard drive or Dropbox

[RoyMac5]

1 minute ago, David said:

Try a complete factory reset on it, just backup anything you need first to a external hard drive or Dropbox

You can bugger off! 😉 My days of solving a headache by chopping my head off are long gone. 😄 I know it might not seem it but I am computer literate having knowledge of MS dos and stuff - my problem is my poor memory (too much to remember when not needed) and an inability to remember terminology and other words generally! Age related!

The fan is going crazy and all that's open is MS Edge and 6 tabs, but when I check Task Manager Edge shows using 90+% useage and over 30 tabs! I think I have found the culprit.

I already use Chrome and Firefox, any other good browsers around? I like to keep different browsers for different uses, makes it easy to keep an eye on cookies and such like. I might just have to ditch Edge and move my tab useage around the other two browsers...

[Day]

Just now, RoyMac5 said:

You can bugger off! 😉 My days of solving a headache by chopping my head off are long gone. 😄 I know it might not seem it but I am computer literate having knowledge of MS dos and stuff - my problem is my poor memory (too much to remember when not needed) and an inability to remember terminology and other words generally! Age related!

The fan is going crazy and all that's open is MS Edge and 6 tabs, but when I check Task Manager Edge shows using 90+% useage and over 30 tabs! I think I have found the culprit.

I already use Chrome and Firefox, any other good browsers around? I like to keep different browsers for different uses, makes it easy to keep an eye on cookies and such like. I might just have to ditch Edge and move my tab useage around the other two browsers...

Chrome is terrible for using excessive resources.

Only option is finding a local repair shop, worth checking first before forking out for a new one.

[Mucker1884]

Are you Derby based, @RoyMac5?

I know nothing on this subject, but I can recommend a decent repair guy (Pucker company, not a guy at his kitchen table!) just off Ascot Drive.
We use him for all our company (and personal) IT woes.  Not let us down yet! 
(He can often supply decent re-conditioned stuff too if needed, which may ultimately prove preferable to buying new?)

Shout up if details required.  👍

 

[RoyMac5]

6 minutes ago, David said:

Chrome is terrible for using excessive resources.

Only option is finding a local repair shop, worth checking first before forking out for a new one.

I'm now 100% sure it is software related and probably all Edge. I might try uninstalling Edge and reinstalling it. The problem with keeping hardware going long-term is bits of crappy software get left behind. I might have to try the ultimate clean-up and reinstall Windows...but it is tedious getting everything back on and personalised again. And I think the dvd drive on the laptop actually is knackered! Plus can I find my usb copy of Windows?! 😄

[Turk Thrust]

Must be getting old. When I saw the thread title, I thought it was about getting a new pair of glasses to look at the screen

[RoyMac5]

2 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

Are you Derby based, @RoyMac5?

I know nothing on this subject, but I can recommend a decent repair guy (Pucker company, not a guy at his kitchen table!) just off Ascot Drive.
We use him for all our company (and personal) IT woes.  Not let us down yet! 
(He can often supply decent re-conditioned stuff too if needed, which may ultimately prove preferable to buying new?)

Shout up if details required.  👍

 

Thanks. But we're dahn sarf in Wiltshire. 

Bits on the laptop are gradually breaking - I'd forgotten the dvd was bust, the hdmi socket and one of the usb ports is intermittent, the backlit keyboard is horrible. But the 17" screen is fab! 😄 It might be time to go down the Dell Outlet Store again and treat myself, this one has lasted - oops I've just checked the email receipt, time flies - 9 years!

I just wanted it to last long enough for Win 11 to have settled down, I'm not an early adopter, and to do some decent research. Think I'm looking for a Dell Inspiron 16 Plus. 

Cheers everyone. 👍

[Day]

9 years for a Windows laptop will get you in the Guinness book of records, drop them an email with your receipt! Congrats