new laptop questions advice needed

[Neil]

so linux is just a different running program then like windows/vista etc but not microsoft?

Pretty much . way back when unix and then linux was what tech people would use , microsoft was the single home user stuff , which was fine when you sat on your own doing a spreadsheet but now you spend time with other people on the internet and windows wasn't designed for that use .

With respect, rubbish.

Most versions of Windows on peoples' PCs, now, have descended from NT - which very much was / is capable of any of that.

The problems that most people have, are nothing to do with the OS architecture, per se, and more to do with either how it's used, protected, or the privilege used normally.

I've nothing against Linux, spent a big chunk of years working with Unix (and mainframes before it), but Linux is probably a step to far for people that are, and intend to be, just users of their PC.

 

[perry]

So windows xp doesn't give the main user admin rights out the box ?

 

[jonnyboy666]

i heard about the defrag thing but have never done it, how do you do that?

 

[Neil]

So windows xp doesn't give the main user admin rights out the box ?

That's an implementation thing, not exactly an OS design issue.

And in fairness, mainly because of app requirements (installation) and addressed in later incarnations of Windows.

I'm not a Windows apologist, I've got plenty of Unix experience. Most of the criticism of Windows, though, is incorrectly attributed.

 

[thel33ter]

There is a Windows defragger thing, but its hopeless and takes several days on a 60gb hard drive.

Use this, it works quite well - http://www.iobit.com/iobitsmartdefrag.html

To get rid of temp files and just speed things up a bit try www.iobit.com/advancedwindowscareper.html

They both help a bit but sometimes a full wipe is the best thing to do.

Moving an iTunes library is a hassle, but it is possible. If you get Linux you can't really have iTunes cause there isn't a decent alternative, but for everything else its the way to go.

 

[jonnyboy666]

i thought that the defrag thing was something already on the computer as opposed to something to download, sort of seems strage to download something that takes up space to save space or am i being dumb again?

 

[gibbleking]

dome defrag better then the original installed version...quicker too in some cases..

 

[perry]

I wouldn't bother with a defrag unless there is only things on there that you want on there . It sounds like the best thing to do would be a reinstall , it's actually really simple but can sound daunting .

Might be worth buying a couple 8gb thumb drives and copying everything that you want to keep to them , think of it like someone has just stolen your laptop from you and there is no way of getting it back , what do you want back ? put that stuff on the drives and start over .

 

[thel33ter]

I wouldn't bother with a defrag unless there is only things on there that you want on there . It sounds like the best thing to do would be a reinstall , it's actually really simple but can sound daunting .

Might be worth buying a couple 8gb thumb drives and copying everything that you want to keep to them , think of it like someone has just stolen your laptop from you and there is no way of getting it back , what do you want back ? put that stuff on the drives and start over .

Best idea IHMO. But get a portable hard drive, it would end up much cheaper.

 

[perry]

You don't have to buy a specific external drive , when I changed the netbook to ssd I put the redundant 160gb drive into a case I got from hongkong for a couple of quid . I'm sure someone can offer you an old drive for cheap , pick up a cheap case and cheap usb cable for it .