Latitude E6400 Owner's Lounge, Part 2

My own preference would be to keep these threads separate. Digging Windows 7 issues out of the Owner's Lounge will be much more work than looking through the Windows 7 thread. There are many, including myself, who are only now considering migrating to Windows 7.

John

 

Hi guys

I am still waiting for a price offer for my configuration, killing time by checking new apps I will install on my E6400. Just now Kaspersky Security and MS office 2010 beta

I would like to install fast booting linux alongside windows 7 (pick in boot manager), for superquick access to the internet and email. Can you recommend any distribution? I have tried to run moblin 2.1 from CD experimentally, but it is a little too simplified for my taste (but if it proves to be the fastest, I can probably manage). I will only use web browser, email client, simple text editor for notes and voice recorder for the same purpose. It would be great to be able to share files between two OS's.

I assume there is no chance on sharing outlook email or calendar database with any linux app?

 

Assuming that you will run Windows 7 64-bit

If you:
1- only visit trusted secure website 100% of time on that system.
2- only use genuine/trusted software 100% of the time
3- don't accept USB keys from friend unless you specifically know their knowledge on computers (ie: changes that they have a virus are slim to none, such as a computer enthusiasts)
Then you can live without a A/V or disable live scan to improve system response time, and maximize every minute of battery life.

Else, you need an A/V

Now that is out of the way. Instead of wasting your money on A/V that are not even good for the money:
- http://arstechnica.com/security/news/2009/09/av-comparatives-picks-seven-anti-malware-winners.ars
- http://arstechnica.com/security/news/2009/10/av-comparatives-picks-six-malware-removal-winners.ars

Microsoft Security Essential is not only free and very good, but it's also very light on the system and VERY easy to use.

http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

I always set my laptop to sleep. This way I get instance access not only e-mail and web, but also all my Windows based applications and files. Much easier! The laptop can stay several hours under sleep when the battery is low. Sooo it should be no problem. And if it's really low.. the laptop will automatically hibernate quickly, and won't cause any problem even if it's in your bag enclosed. It's not the ~20'sh seconds that it take to hibernate will cause an overheating issue with this laptop.. and that is IF your laptop is at critical level and sleeping, which should be VERY rare.

 

GB, thanks for your advice.

As for AntiVir, after reading through the links you have provided, I am even more baffled.

Usually the work in progress I have on my comp is worth more than the laptop itself, so antivir is a must for me, even if it only alters the probabilities. I can't afford not to use various USB keys, it is often the only way I can get the files that I need there and then.

Till now I have been using Avast, and it proved useful few times with USB, and once or twice with infected emails. But I was looking for AV integrated with Firewall, hence Kaspersky vs. Symantec. According to your surveys I should probably go for Symantec.

I don't trust sleeping because I have experienced few spontaneous wakeups in my time, caused by my tinkering with windows scheduling. I have not been able to find the damn settings again to turn it off, my computer was rising on 9pm sharp every day if put to sleep. I got rid of that only after reinstalling the system. (yea, how stupid of me , but frankly I have lacked the time to investigate it properly).

As for the Linux, the idea of my new laptop booting in 6 seconds (according to some claims) seems strangely alluring.

But on the other hand, maybe I should install another instance of Windows 7, just bare, offline mode (the ability to read old emails is more important for me than checking new ones), without AV and FW, only Outlook, Acrobat reader, AutoCAD Viewer and OneNote...

I think I will try the above, after upgrading to SSD it should push me under 20s boot?

 

hehe... Windows XP times (or should I say Windows NT 3.0 with a pile of patches) is loooonnng gone. The idea of Windows Vista is to run non stop.. this was shown also by having by default the "shut-down" button to sleep your system instead. I can't even count the number of times I sleep my computer... it's been over a year I have my laptop, and 3 years I have Vista (then switch to Win7) and never had my system show a sign of problem when sleeping.

1- Now with Windows Vista (and up) you can go back in time a file, folder or even your system (without affecting your files in your profile folder)... so you can undo these kind of things.
2- Windows 7 and Vista is already optimized. In fact, it was proven that tweaking services or task schedule leads to a reduction in performance or system problems. LEAVE AS IS.. everything is automatic.. don't touch! You don't tweak your microwave so it cooks your food faster... do the same for your computer.
3- If you gasp for the few kilobytes that you gain and that 1% in performance reduction in CPU utilization, then get more RAM and a order your system with a faster CPU. RAM is cheap and easy to upgrade (heck even the CPU is easy to upgrade on this laptop).

PLEASE FORGET HOW XP WORKS... Since Vista, it's a new core! People that realized that with Vista had a great experience.. those who don't.. like some Vista reviews by disabling everything from the OS without understand what they do, thinking it "maximize performance like XP" got junk results.

This laptop (fully configured) will massacre the performance of your HP system on your signature... The fact of going 64-bit and 4GB of RAM and more powerful GPU (Intel or Nvidia which ever you pick), will provide a greater performance right off the bat. Now, add a much faster CPU, and motherboard chipset, and the SSD that you are interested in.

Not worth it... just leave 1 system with a good A/V of quality and performance.

 

I have not had A/V on any of my system(s) in ages. Then again, I don't click on FREE IPOD! ads, search for dumb things, go on Facebook, Myspace, etc and I have never gotten anything of any nastiness level on any of my machines.

I also don't set up a boot manager with 5 different selections based on what I think I might be doing on the machine. That's insane. Sounds like you are overengineering the problem. You sound like someone who reads these goofy magazines and online speed tweaking blogs too much. Or you need to lay off the meth! LOL

 

Pff, you have no idea what you are missing!

100% agree.

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j/k

 

LOL

mvalpreda, you are right, I am overdoing it. It is because just now I have some time to consider these things, but in the end I will no doubt go for simplicity. I tend to optimize a lot at the beginning, and then use my computer like a tool, hammerlike

I will sometimes throw at you something I doubt myself, and your comments let me extrapolate in other matters. Really valuable, they are .

GB, I take your word for W7 (and Vista) stability, I will definitely try to sleep more .
In fact, I used to hibernate XP almost every time, sometimes been able to go for a month or so. Had to restart sometimes, mainly due to memory problems. Once it got paging it was lousy even after closing the big eater.

As for AV, I generally don't click banners. But I trade a lot of files, both from computer illiterate clients and STUDENTS (yea, I know some of you are ones ). I work at technical university, and from my experience student community is sth. like an ant colony: you give them enough time and they arrange themselves in Mona Lisa. Without any conscious effort, they are statistically capable of anything. There were times when every time I used USB key (mine or not) to transfer data it was infected.
I don't say that everybody need AV, but in my case it is a must (IMHO). Maybe I don't need a firewall, but on the other hand, it is a part of eg. Symantec and easy to use, so why not?

BTW, is it currently any reason (I mean with AutoCAD 2D/3D, Lightroom, MS Excel/Word/Outlook as critical apps running simult.) to go beyond 4 GB? In three years lifespan of this notebook?
I suppose it would be pricewise to fill one slot wit 4GB (add 80$) and buy another one when they go cheap, instead of throwing away 2x2GB when the time comes (well, put it aside in case of DELL warranty issues). But only if 4 GB won't suffice.

 

Windows Vista/Win7 firewall is just as good as most paid firewall software... so it's kinda of a waist of money and system resources.

If you go with 1 stick of RAM you can't go dual channel which provide greater performance over only 1 stick of RAM. However, when time to upgrade you'll need to change both. Maximizing performance vs future upgrade. Quantity of RAM depends on your project size, but I think 4GB should be enough for the next 2-3 years with a stretch.

Dell doesn't void the warranty when you change/add/remove internal hardware... the only thing is that the warranty won't cover it (obviously).

 

Well, obviously, but AFAIK it is recommended (needed?) to go back to the original configuration in some service cases. So I can't sell the ram for example, I am stuck with it.

What loss of performance should I expect with only one slot filled? As you already pointed, I am planning for quite fast comp.