Random Tech/IT Thread

[SoulSkin]

Did the upgrade from Windows 7 to 10 on my Lenovo Y570 laptop. Went very smoothly. The webcam no longer works after the upgrade. Neither the Windows 7 or 8 drivers will install, The OS stops the install and warns that it's incompatible. Not a big deal, because I don't use it. I just wanted to see how the upgrade went. I imagine a lot these driver issues will pop up for people upgrading. I would wait to upgrade for a little bit, just to see if people are reporting successes or failures with whatever particular computer model and/or hardware components you might have. And of course, have some kind of backup of at least important files, etc. before upgrading.

 

Second issue: Avast AV was turned off after the upgrade. Turned it on and the PC locked up. Hard shutdown and booted back up, Avast was working, but not communicating with Windows Security Center. Looked at their forums, and there are some issues. Had to do a repair install of Avast, reboot, and now it's working. I use the paid version and paid extra for Secureline VPN, which was not working even after the repair install. I found a registry edit fix on their forums.

 

Check your Antivirus compatibility, and any other software you might be worried about, before upgrading and see if there are any known issues.  

Edited July 31, 2015 by SoulSkin

[Gamebreaker]

I expected this stuff to happen when it came to drivers and antivirus software. Most antivirus software is created to work with a specific OS, so you may need to get with Avast and keep in touch with them for when they release their new Win10 version. 

 

Below is a link from Lenovo's website. It is the list of drivers you'll need for Windows 10. 

 

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/lenovo-y-series-laptops/y50-70-notebook-lenovo

[SoulSkin]

I expected this stuff to happen when it came to drivers and antivirus software. Most antivirus software is created to work with a specific OS, so you may need to get with Avast and keep in touch with them for when they release their new Win10 version. 

 

Below is a link from Lenovo's website. It is the list of drivers you'll need for Windows 10. 

 

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/lenovo-y-series-laptops/y50-70-notebook-lenovo

 

Roger that. I downloaded from there and Bison Electronics directly. No drivers work. Windows can't install it. Compatability mode doesn't get it to install. They say if it worked on Windows 7, it should work on 10. That's definitely not going to be the case for every little thing. Who knows, maybe it's protecting me from superfish, or whatever that Lenovo spyware was. Don't need it anyway. Upgrade went perfect on a Surface Pro, which I half thought would bomb out, because of course it would.

Edited July 31, 2015 by SoulSkin

[chipwhich]

Upgrade went perfect on a Surface Pro, which I half thought would bomb out, because of course it would.

 

Surface Pro might be the one piece of hardware that's a sure thing for the upgrade.

[tshile]

I've downloaded the iso but i haven't had a chance to do anything with it.

 

torn between upgrading and doing a fresh install. i've always done a fresh install for the exact reasons you listed with your upgrade. too many OS specific things that don't work.

 

As for antivirus... starting with windows 8 Windows has built in antivirus (windows defender.)

 

If you're a big fan of a specific antivirus, or if you're worried about having an antivirus product made by the same people who made the OS (which is absolutely a valid concern, if you have it), then I understand.

 

But Windows 10 has a whole new security apparatus around it, including the built in antivirus. I'm curious how it works compared to a free 3rd party product.

 

I'm admittedly not impressed, and haven't been for a while, with Avast. So I have a little bias there

[Zguy28]

Happy Sysadmin Appreciation Day!

 

[tshile]

lol

 

i forgot about that.

[tshile]

in the course of 15 minutes:

 

I had an office with a window offered to me (mine has no window )

Then the offer was recinded

 

Happy sysadmin day

 

on a side note:

http://community.spiceworks.com/topic/1081028-it-issues-17-problems-all-sysadmins-will-understand?utm_campaign=sysmas&utm_channel=swemail&utm_content=150731&utm_function=use&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sysadminday&utme=body+17probz+cta

 

though most of those are resolved by not doubling as helpdesk.

[Elessar78]

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WR841N-Wireless-Router-300Mpbs/dp/B001FWYGJS/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1438565130&sr=1-1&keywords=wireless+router&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_89%3ALinksys%7CTP-LINK%7CAsus%2Cp_36%3A-6000

 

Need to replace my ISP-provide wireless router. All I do at home is stream netflix (up to 3 devices at a time maybe streaming video) and surf the internet. 

 

I was clocking 18 Mb/s download this morning, if that matters. Will this suffice for my requirements?

[Gamebreaker]

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WR841N-Wireless-Router-300Mpbs/dp/B001FWYGJS/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1438565130&sr=1-1&keywords=wireless+router&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_89%3ALinksys%7CTP-LINK%7CAsus%2Cp_36%3A-6000

 

Need to replace my ISP-provide wireless router. All I do at home is stream netflix (up to 3 devices at a time maybe streaming video) and surf the internet. 

 

I was clocking 18 Mb/s download this morning, if that matters. Will this suffice for my requirements?

 

I have a question, you're replacing the ISP-provided router? Those are normally a router/modem combination, is your ISP going to provide one of their modems to compensate? If your ISP is Verizon (like mine), they won't allow you to do this. But I hear Cox will. 

[Elessar78]

My ISP is a small regional one, not one of the Big Boys. I called and they said they would (and it would actually drop my bill by $5, I didn't know I was renting this from them). 

 

I will ask them if I will need a modem as well.

 

this is the model: http://armstrongonewire.com/documents/D3GN2_manual.pdf

 

edit: I believe the model is the modem/router combo. So I can just shut off the router aspect and use this as a modem?

Edited August 3, 2015 by Elessar78

[HOF44]

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WR841N-Wireless-Router-300Mpbs/dp/B001FWYGJS/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1438565130&sr=1-1&keywords=wireless+router&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_89%3ALinksys|TP-LINK|Asus%2Cp_36%3A-6000

 

Need to replace my ISP-provide wireless router. All I do at home is stream netflix (up to 3 devices at a time maybe streaming video) and surf the internet. 

 

I was clocking 18 Mb/s download this morning, if that matters. Will this suffice for my requirements?

I use Comcast and have a Motorola Surfboard Docsis 3.0 modem with and AirPort Extreme wireless router. I just had to call them with the MAC address of the modem and I was up and running.

[mistertim]

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WR841N-Wireless-Router-300Mpbs/dp/B001FWYGJS/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1438565130&sr=1-1&keywords=wireless+router&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_89%3ALinksys%7CTP-LINK%7CAsus%2Cp_36%3A-6000

 

Need to replace my ISP-provide wireless router. All I do at home is stream netflix (up to 3 devices at a time maybe streaming video) and surf the internet. 

 

I was clocking 18 Mb/s download this morning, if that matters. Will this suffice for my requirements?

No. I would suggest a Juniper MX2020

 

 

 

 

At 80 Terabits per second fully loaded it should be able to handle your Netflix needs.

[Elessar78]

seems a bit of overkill.

[Gamebreaker]

I think he was being sarcastic. 

[Elessar78]

as was I

[dfitzo53]

I use Comcast and have a Motorola Surfboard Docsis 3.0 modem with and AirPort Extreme wireless router. I just had to call them with the MAC address of the modem and I was up and running.

That's what I have (modem-wise) and it works well.  Buying your own modem pays for itself in a year or less with the $5-10 ISPs charge to rent.  Plus you can take it with you if you move or change providers.

[PCS]

Maxed out the RAM on this Imac and updated the OS to Yosemite and now waiting for EL Capitan. So far so good and getting ready for a bunch of other updates as well. Big thing here is to calibrate the monitor...again. Utility is there for it but wondering if someone has experience with something else. Other than that,so far so good. Not bad for a 2008 model.  

[ixcuincle]

Windows 10 positive

Apps no longer are full screen

More friendly towards pc

Windows 10 negatives

Can't really complain about much. The issue is with Microsoft and privacy. Do you want to connect to a Microsoft account to sync settings!?

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/how-to-keep-windows-10-from-spying-on-you-125730399429.html

If you have 7 and are happy just keep it. If you have 8 you should update, and it's free too. Honestly I think this update is better for those who had 8 originally. The huge app start menu is gone. If you have seven you're good with the start menu and interface already so I wouldn't recommend paying to upgrade. Unless you like apps...

[Elessar78]

noticed that a lot of my programmer/coder friends, now that they're in their 30s are wearing wrist braces at or when they work. I assume for carpal tunnel. Is that normal industry-wide?

 

Any sense for a younger person to wear them as a preventative measure?

[mistertim]

noticed that a lot of my programmer/coder friends, now that they're in their 30s are wearing wrist braces at or when they work. I assume for carpal tunnel. Is that normal industry-wide?

 

Any sense for a younger person to wear them as a preventative measure?

I haven't really noticed it much myself, but I'm a network engineer, not a coder (though I've done a little Python and Perl before just for my needs). Coders tend to go much longer durations with heavy typing. A lot of my time is spend designing networks and configuration is rarely more than a couple hours worth of typing.

[Elessar78]

I think these guys are "super heavy" (some literally). They got into it as a hobby in high school, did hours daily then. Hours daily through college. Hours daily through the past decade. 

[mistertim]

I think these guys are "super heavy" (some literally). They got into it as a hobby in high school, did hours daily then. Hours daily through college. Hours daily through the past decade. 

Yeah I definitely know guys like that. Personally I've never been able to do it besides in small amounts. I'm way too absent minded and I have a hard time concentrating on that level of minutiae for long periods of time. I generally spend half my day juggling tasks and problems at my desk and the other half at various white boards (or playing ping pong).

[mcsluggo]

2 unrelated questions:

 

1)   what "matters" in an external drive?   is there something to look for other than just number of terabytes?

 

I just want a big drive to back-up all the **** on my dying computer, as i look to buy a new one  (and eventually follow the generally accepted guidance of regularly backing up the NEW computer, moving forward... something i have never done in the past)

[mcsluggo]

also....  my kids have a samsung/nook tablet.  it only has 8 gig internal memory, and a 32 gig mini-SD card tacked on.   but it fills up all the damned time because you can't get most programs to use the SD capacity for squat.   

 

 

soooo... first of all, how can i get the damned thing to dump all the crappy nook and other useless apps that are built into the machine? Collectively they use up like 4 gig, and most of them are utterly worthless.  but if you uninstall them, they automatically re-install eventually.  (for instance, they have a 200 mb powerpoint viewer that i am fairly confident they can do without for now )

 

second, is the SD data capacity really useless?   you can individually go to each app and "ask" it to move to the SD card, but none will move fully.  Usually what happens when you try to switch to the SD is an 80 MB app on the device becomes 100 MB in total, with 75 MB on the device, and 25 MB on the SD card.  Lots of apps just plain refuse to use the SD at all.  

Edited August 4, 2015 by mcsluggo