Hard Drive !

[Doc Alan]

I'm so sorry to say that my hard drive has failed (again) on my Dell Inspiron Mini netbook. A friend thinks it's been over heating. I've had it since April 2009 and the hard drive had to be replaced last June.
Lat time it took about 10 days to be repaired, which I understand is not an excessive time, but I would not recommend this netbook or the time wasted waiting for picking up and returning the computer. They refuse to give a time, only the date !
Right now I'm in the library "internet cafe" , which hopefully will escape the threat of closure, because it's certainly a well used facility here.
So if I don't post much in the next 2 weeks please understand !

[KeithD]

TIP: Anyone with a laptop/netbook should use a cooler underneath. This prevents overheating, and prolongs the life of the machine. http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_t...All-Categories

NEVER put a laptop on your knee, bed, etc unless all the vents are clear.

[Sim11UK]

I've got my laptop sitting on 2 pieces of 2 x 1 as we speak...It dosen't look too good, but it stops it overheating.
Plus the lid??? is broken & all floppy, so it's resting against a cardboard box.

...But hey! this is the 21st Century!...the age of communication.

[Pete/London]

TIP: Anyone with a laptop/netbook should use a cooler underneath. This prevents overheating, and prolongs the life of the machine. http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_t...All-Categories

NEVER put a laptop on your knee, bed, etc unless all the vents are clear.

My sis-in-law had one of them when we met her in Bangkok.Really worked well and was cheap to buy. Though she works in Singapore and it seems to be a good place for cheap accessories.She gave me a charge storage pack for mobile phones that cost her 8 Singapore $, very useful.

[Dedworth]

Very bad news Doc about the HDD - would it be worth talking to Trading Standards and seeing if it would be viable to threaten Dell with Small Claims Court under the Sale of Good Act for selling goods not of a merchantable quality. I'd be inclined to take them all the way as online it it is fairly inexpensive to start a claim http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-righ...-claims-court/

A few years ago I ended up putting the Bailiffs in and getting £300 plus from Homebase over a non critical part missing from a kids study bunk. Cost me about £20 which is added to their final payment.

I go along with the advice about the cooler and use a fold up stand jobby with my laptop to give the vents clearance.Problem is they can be a bit unstable when you fold the comp down. These ball things look a simpler and cheaper alternative

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laptop-Noteboo...item2eb2d4c956

Don't buy Dell - weve got an Acer netbook which is 2 yrs old and going fine. This looks a half decent deal Compaq £175 from Tesco Win 7

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.210-3905.aspx

[stevewool]

i have one of those coolers and they keep me cool too, with a blue light shining form under

[KeithD]

I've never had a problem with Dell.... HD's will fail on any make of computer regardless of brand.

[imagine]

covering your lap top may damage the hard drive,

[Dedworth]

I've never had a problem with Dell.... HD's will fail on any make of computer regardless of brand.

Agreed but twice in 2 years would not encourage me to cross my fingers and hope for 3rd time lucky. Time to switch brands.

[somebody]

Gotta say had loads of dells myself at work and at home they are ok had plenty last with out any inssues thought their life.

Another vote for ensuring its cooled and has clear airways.

Not a great fan of the netbooks as many look like the cases simply don't have any airflow inside them.

When looking/buying even if you intend to go online try and pop in during the afternoon or evening when the device has been on all day.

Also Alan Sir how are you shuting down and how long do you have the device on at a time?

Im sure you will be shutting down as suggested by Dell but I know of many examples of XP not shutting down correctly or taking ages and ages meaning people simply hold the off button down, if you do this try to check the hdd is not active at the time.

Also at home we have one dell laptop where it has no HDD actvity indicator. and one the wifes latest XPS device the indicator is hidden behind the screen when the lid is open

When that light is on dont turn the power off.

If you dont have a HDD activity indicator trying feeling the case to feel if the HDD is moving. Not an easy thing to do

Also some Laptop batterys have a tendecy to drain very quickly. Check the barry alarm and power is set to shutdown when you have a few percent left on. Otherwise I have seen some devices lose power before the machine can shutdown or hibenate safely..

I would write to Dell and like Dedworth says threaten further action if they can not give reasons why this fault seems to be reoccuring. Sometimes your be surprised if you can get past level 1 support how good the service can be at many large companies if you have a reasonable issue which needs resolving..

[Doc Alan]

Very helpful advice ! The netbook is still under warranty and is being collected by courier next week, with a promise to return within 7 working days. They cannot be persuaded to specify a time, simply saying between 8 am and 6 pm Monday, just as well I'm not at work. It will be the same when it's returned.
The notebook is still under warranty, and I think the best policy is to hope they will repair it - assuming it IS the hard drive. I've been told by friends who know more than me (not difficult!) that parts may not be replaced free, if it appears that I'm responsible through allowing overheating. So I will await their reaction, before complaining !
Whatever the outcome, I have purchased a Sony Vaio which I'm using now, taking care to ventilate adequately !
Probably like many people, when I purchased the netbook about 2 years ago, I never imagined using the computer so much. Now I really appreciate the full size laptop, and will just keep the netbook in reserve.

[Sim11UK]

Welcome back to e-land Doc!

[mickcant]

A good examply of why it is important to do backups

I prefere a desctop machine, they are so easy to get at inside and change parts.

Mick.

[les_taxi]

A good examply of why it is important to do backups

I prefere a desctop machine, they are so easy to get at inside and change parts.

Mick.

Me too wouldn't touch a laptop with a barge pole,well ok i have but don't like them at all and the mouse control drives me nuts!

[mickcant]

I know Doc Alan’s laptop is under warrantee.

My son bought one from Carphphone Warehouse, under a credit agreement, the hard drive failed at around 3 weeks; they would not exchange it for another, said they would send it to the manufacture.

It took 3 weeks before it came back, it is ok for now.
Mick.

[grahamw48]

My boy has a new Toshiba all-singing all-dancing laptop (birthday present from me).

I have a 2003 desktop...upgraded here and there.

This generally goes for all our possessions...but I don't begrudge him anything.

[KeithD]

Tesco have a laptop sale online .... netbooks from £143

[joebloggs]

£143

laptops we use at home..
lenovo T43 cost me £170 over 2 1/2 yrs ago , still working was on 24/7 for more than 1yr
lenovo t61 cost me £190 1yr ago (like new it was) using it now
and
a dell d630 for £100 - like new again me little gal has it

good second hand/refurbished ones out there

[flyaway]

Acer, 1 years old, only cost me 500...no wait, crap.

[Doc Alan]

The Dell courier collected my netbook at 9.30 am ( could have been any time between 8 am - 6 pm), with a promise to return within 7 working days. Thanks again everyone for posting, I'll update you with the outcome ! Meantime the Sony Vaio is in a completely different league (but with a different price tag). I obtained "free" Norton security for a year as part of the package, so I have time to seek advice about security before the year expires.

[les_taxi]

The Dell courier collected my netbook at 9.30 am ( could have been any time between 8 am - 6 pm), with a promise to return within 7 working days. Thanks again everyone for posting, I'll update you with the outcome ! Meantime the Sony Vaio is in a completely different league (but with a different price tag). I obtained "free" Norton security for a year as part of the package, so I have time to seek advice about security before the year expires.

Aww no not the 'my virus protection is best' routine
You don't know what you have started Doc

[Dedworth]

Aww no not the 'my virus protection is best' routine
You don't know what you have started Doc

This is what I use to protect my computer

[Terpe]

.... Meantime the Sony Vaio is in a completely different league (but with a different price tag). .........

I've had many Laptops, all Sony Vaio. Great pieces of equipment.
(quite a few went to Phils and stayed there)

My netbook is also sony. Pretty good machine. But I do not see me getting another netbook any time soon.

[Doc Alan]

Aww no not the 'my virus protection is best' routine
You don't know what you have started Doc

You mean I should stick to topics I know something about ...like health? Not computers, football, religion and politics ? I've got a year to decide on the best antiviral protection ...could run as long as Terpe's "I've given up smoking" thread

[Terpe]

...could run as long as Terpe's "I've given up smoking" thread

[les_taxi]

All of the pc savy guys (myself included) will all tell you which is the best a/v and it's a never ending loop as we all have different opinions

[mickcant]

Hi Doc Alan,
If using Windows Microsoft have their own free programme that seems good.

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

Norton I am told can be a resorce hugger.
Mick.

[les_taxi]

Here we go

[grahamw48]

AVG seems to work for me, and it's free !

I combine it with Windows Defender...also free, and a bit of Spybot when I remember...also free.

[Englishman2010]

Welcome back Doc It's probably a good decision to go to a proper lap top if you're on line a lot. Netbooks are OK for browsing, but like all things you get what you pay for, and a higher priced machine will usually give you better performance.
In my business we buy a lot of laptops and never have problems with Sony or Toshiba's and they do get a fair bit of stick by the users. HP's, Acers and Dell's don't usually last as long. Personally I've been using Toshiba's for 18 years and never had a hardware failure, it would take a lot to convince me to switch from Tosh, but a Sony is one brand I would consider