Cheap IT person

Gallee

Any recommendations for someone who can do work on a small small network in a business. A relative is looking for someone to use on an ongoing basis.

Ryanba

Gallee wrote: »

Any recommendations for someone who can do work on a small small network in a business. A relative is looking for someone to use on an ongoing basis.

I know just the guy. PM sent.

davo2001

PM sent

leakyboots

This is as good as any a place to ask this - bought a netbook for herself last year and turns out the processor is a pile of shoite, takes ages from boot up to using internet and is just slow and clunky. Think it needs more RAM?

Anyone decent (and cheap enough, I don't want to plough a load of money into it only to find it hasn't improved that much) based around the city centre who could take a look at it for me?

RedXIV

leakyboots wrote: »

This is as good as any a place to ask this - bought a netbook for herself last year and turns out the processor is a pile of shoite, takes ages from boot up to using internet and is just slow and clunky. Think it needs more RAM?

Anyone decent (and cheap enough, I don't want to plough a load of money into it only to find it hasn't improved that much) based around the city centre who could take a look at it for me?

If you post up the specs of it, there's a good chance someone will tell you for free what you could be charged for in the shop. Diagnosis is usually cheap and easy

leakyboots

It's an MSi U180, using an Intel Atom N2600 processor. 1 GB ram.

Easy to speed up?

leakyboots

leakyboots wrote: »

It's an MSi U180, using an Intel Atom N2600 processor. 1 GB ram.

Easy to speed up?

No. it's one of the lowest powered processors in terms of benchmark results.

This netbook has only one ram slot so upgrading to 4gb which is the miniumum ideal ram would be expensive as 1 x 4gb ram sticks aren't cheap.

Going from 1gb to 2gb would help and not that expensive
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2GB-RAM-Memory-Module-Upgrade-For-MSI-U180-Netbook-Laptop-/330757612398

simple to do yourself.

but basically, I'm afraid to say that the processor and machine are at the lowest end of the low end so there is not a lot that can be done. your current phone is probably more powerful than it. I'd go for a cheap dell 15.6 inch inspiron pc or something off saveonlaptops.co.uk

you could also type msconfig in the search box when you hit the windows button and untick things in the startup tab that don't seem to be needed. may help a bit.

davo2001

glasso wrote: »

No. it's one of the lowest powered processors in terms of benchmark results.

This netbook has only one ram slot so upgrading to 4gb which is the miniumum ideal ram would be expensive as 1 x 4gb ram sticks aren't cheap.

Going from 1gb to 2gb would help and not that expensive
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2GB-RAM-Memory-Module-Upgrade-For-MSI-U180-Netbook-Laptop-/330757612398

simple to do yourself.

but basically, I'm afraid to say that the processor and machine are at the lowest end of the low end so there is not a lot that can be done. your current phone is probably more powerful than it. I'd go for a cheap dell 15.6 inch inspiron pc or something off saveonlaptops.co.uk

you could also type msconfig in the search box when you hit the windows button and untick things in the startup tab that don't seem to be needed. may help a bit.

Actually, MAX 2GB of RAM for this netbook.
€24

http://eu.crucial.com/eur/en/compatible-upgrade-for/MSI(MicroStar)/u180

Even with the RAM upgrade, not worth it IMHO. Processor is the bottleneck here.

Special Circumstances

Lightweight linux installation might allow it to boot and run at acceptable speed. If it's just for general browsing and emails. If Microsoft products are specifically needed then you need a new machine.

Linux mint xfce is pretty painless to setup and use, latest version comes with a decent version of firefox.

leakyboots

Thanks guys.

Linux would be grand for me, I'd figure it out, but not sure if herself will bite.

At the time of buying Netbooks were next to impossible to come by (I don't think they're being made anymore? Everyone seems to be leading towards Chromebooks etc.) so had to plump for this. Couldn't believe how slow it is. Will try some of the suggestions above.

Special Circumstances

Herself is using linux mint 17 xfce on a msi u135 netbook (extra ram, cheap small ssd). So far typing "killall firefox" is the techiest thing she has had to do. I like those netbooks, great battery life and a proper keyboard. I'd prefer one to many tablets.

Shur try it running off a usb key for an evening, see how she likes it. The 135 was never a flyer even on XP and got worse as time on, but linux saved it from the scrapheap.

didn't consider linux as an option as we're talking about a girl user
I'm not a linux person but as other posters have said the modern versions probably have gui's that aren't rocket science.
Might still be worth getting the ram upgrade as it's not expensive.

jbkenn

glasso wrote: »

didn't consider linux as an option as we're talking about a girl user

???, the mind boggles.... :mad:

Special Circumstances

Just to note if you are upgrading ram - build quality isn't super, make sure you get all the screws, and be careful removing the battery. The plastic is a little flimsy so easy to break something if you miss a screw or if you are rough with the catches on the battery.

jbkenn

jbkenn wrote: »

???, the mind boggles.... :mad:

really? the op himself thinks that linux may not be an acceptable option for his gf. if you look at this

http://www.netmarketshare.com/os-market-share.aspx?qprid=9

you can see that a very small amount of people use linux as their os.

unless you're a female working in IT it's likely to be pretty alien to you....

peckerhead

glasso wrote: »

Going from 1gb to 2gb would help and not that expensive
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2GB-RAM-Memory-Module-Upgrade-For-MSI-U180-Netbook-Laptop-/330757612398

simple to do yourself.

I did this with an MSI U-200 I'd bought cheap and it made a noticeable difference. Worth €22, anyway...

leakyboots

glasso wrote: »

really? the op himself thinks that linux may not be an acceptable option for his gf. if you look at this

http://www.netmarketshare.com/os-market-share.aspx?qprid=9

you can see that a very small amount of people use linux as their os.

unless you're a female working in IT it's likely to be pretty alien to you....

Correct, she wouldn't be that tech savvy and is up to her eyes in college work so learning a new OS wouldn't be high on her list of priorities at the moment! . I'm pretty good to pick things up and lived with guys who used use Linux back in 2005 and it seemed alien to me. I'm sure it's easier to use now. I'll try the extra RAM first myself and see how we go, thanks again all

(sorry for the thread hijack OP!)

redron74

glasso wrote: »

really? the op himself thinks that linux may not be an acceptable option for his gf. if you look at this

http://www.netmarketshare.com/os-market-share.aspx?qprid=9

you can see that a very small amount of people use linux as their os.

unless you're a female working in IT it's likely to be pretty alien to you....

He is not even a linux user himself, so he's hardly in a position to make a fair judgment on that. Using a modern Linux desktop GUI requires no more technical savvy than Windows.

If women couldn't cope with the demands of Linux, god help them when it comes to the move to Android.:rolleyes: