How to make your computer run like you just bought it, or better!

[Greg]

I usually just dump it and buy a new PC.  All the faffing around takes me too long.  I'd rather earn money and just buy a PC than waste a day.

Paying a pro to sort it out is never cost effective, when you can get a decent PC delivered pre-configured for $600 for a desktop.  $1000 with a fancy large monitor.

I did upgrade my wife's iMac the other day from Leopard to Mavericks.  Took about 6 hours with all the faffing around.

[Akavit]

My approach is usually to reformat and reinstall one time over a 6 year period or so.  After that, I'll get a new one then reformat the older machine once more for other uses.  Eventually, the oldest ones get tossed but I've currently got a 12 year old Pentium III (Windows 2000) to operate a laser engraver and a 9 year old laptop with XP running a CNC router.  For a couple years there was a Pentium 4 running 24/7 as a server but that's been taken down.

If that seems like a lot of computers it's because people usually ask me to build their systems.  The way parts are made these days a blind monkey could do the work but most people are intimidated by all the wires, schematics and specs.  I like to build systems because in my experience, they last forever and the ones that come from Best Buy or Tiger Direct seem to have problems after a couple years.

Computers seem to run forever around here.

[Dafrenchman]

I've built my own system since around 1992. Most older system work fine with CNC stuff. I work on CNC also.

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[Arun]

hey is yuor computer running?

well i guess you better go catch it then...

[TeDeum]

hey is yuor computer running?

well i guess you better go catch it then...

Windows PCs have to install the Train Me For The Olympics - Linux is born that way. Macs adopted UNIX  so they got at least something to show...

[Duchamp]

I find the use of windows fundamentally unethical. (Not to start an argument, but just to amuse with my honest opinion).

I'd add to the list (an alternative list):

1.Dump proprietary software (has nothing to do with capitalism, more to do with bringing an ottoman into the living room with the audible sound of a demon scratching from the inside).

2.Get sysresccd (gentoo) and run through the gentoo handbook plus the funtoo installation tutorial side by side (funtoo tutorial is much more digestible for functioning generalists) ...learn a heck of a lot about how computers work...(use virtual box to practice if fearful)

3. For the kernel, first run a module detection script on a functioning live install of an automated flavor of Linux (to see what modules your hardware actually picks up from the globule of a general kernel) Take a photo, write them down, then search for them with the "/" key when you finally run "make menuconfig" and enable them one by one ... This is the most painful part but necessary for perfectionists; Otherwise use the debian binary kernel (the globule one size fits all).

4. Intall DWM instead of Gnome or KDE.

5. Watch as you run a piece of graphical software in "monicle" mode, having virtually every resource dedicated soley to your professional purpose at a given time (also never scramble through a huge pile of windows again).

Granted... I've gone three months trying to get this to happen. (Had to learn about efi, and the nvidia efi buffer conflicts)

But the dream lives on...

Oh yeah and get a solid state drive ;0)

[Arun]

hey is yuor computer running?

well i guess you better go catch it then...

Windows PCs have to install the Train Me For The Olympics - Linux is born that way. Macs adopted UNIX  so they got at least something to show...

lol

[Elizabeth]

Most people just Google and learn on the go.  It teaches you self reliance and the ability to figure out what you need.  It's a good exercise in learning.

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