Garden Railway Forum

My tower PC finally bit the dust last weekend. At the first Eunice powercut, I gracefully powered her down (I have a UPS, so it doesn't just die suddenly), but when I went to restart later, I had a fatal error, which I was unable to recover from, going round in circles in the repair and diagnostic utility.
I have since realised that I bought the PC in 2012, so it really doesn't owe me anything, I suppose, but I am annoyed that although I have arrangements in place to back up all my data, I have never done so for progam settings etc. That is not going to be fun to recover
Does anyone else run an old PC? How long have you kept it going for?

Lonsdaler wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 4:29 pm
Does anyone else run an old PC? How long have you kept it going for?

Mine goes back to 2015. I like it but it is getting painfully slow these days, I suspect the graphics which is integral on the motherboard, so not really upgradable. Trouble is that I have loads of programs on it that I use occasionally, some of which are obsolete now.

philipy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:43 pm

Lonsdaler wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 4:29 pm
Does anyone else run an old PC? How long have you kept it going for?

Mine goes back to 2015. I like it but it is getting painfully slow these days, I suspect the graphics which is integral on the motherboard, so not really upgradable. Trouble is that I have loads of programs on it that I use occasionally, some of which are obsolete now.

I specced a quite powerful processor when I bought it, but the graphics are also the m/b integrated one, and I think that's where the problem is. I too use some old programs, but the ability to select compatibility mode is a great help. Just hoping I can get the files off the old one!

Nowhere near as old, my 2016 laptop became so slow I eventually had to reinstall Windows. It wasn't as traumatic as I had expected once I'd backed up all my photos etc

Rik

Lonsdaler wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 4:29 pm Does anyone else run an old PC? How long have you kept it going for?

I wouldn't own a PC on a bet......

I'm a Luddite from way back and regard computers as a tool, not a toy. Apple hardware is usually close to bullet proof, although there have been exceptions over the years.

My 'daily driver' is a 2009 Intel iMac running OS X 10.11.6. I have it set up with an external hard drive and Time Machine does an incremental backup every hour. The hard drive is the weak link in this and it's about time I went out and replaced it again. There are files on there that date back to my first Apple II+ in the late '70s and have been transferred each time I updated the computer.

I also keep it's predecessor going for running some legacy software and hardware, which is a 20+ yrs. old G4 PowerMac running OS X 10.4.11. It's not connected to the internet and I've never got around to setting up a network, so I transfer files by 'sneaker net' using usb sticks.

There's also an old G3 iMac connected to the HO layout, which runs the DCC system for programming. It could replace the G4 if necessary, although both may well outlast me.

Regards,
Graeme

I built my own computer, and its a bit like triggers broom, the case mobo and CPU circa 2010, the PSU circa 2013, and the two SSD HD circa 2018, started on Win 7 now on Win 10, but not suitable for upgrade to Win 11, so a new "box of tricks" soon. When I finally retire from work, I may even move to a Mac!

Jimmyb wrote: ↑Sat Feb 26, 2022 9:02 am I built my own computer, and its a bit like triggers broom, the case mobo and CPU circa 2010, the PSU circa 2013, and the two SSD HD circa 2018, started on Win 7 now on Win 10, but not suitable for upgrade to Win 11, so a new "box of tricks" soon. When I finally retire from work, I may even move to a Mac!

I used to build my own too. I did a course on MS-DOS in 1990, and that inspired me to have a go. The pc that has just died was my first full build purchase, as I got tired of the Trigger's broom process

GTB Graeme - I can't say I view my pc as a toy - it's always been a tool, supporting software for Comms and location detection for mountain rescue purposes (none of which runs on Apple), as well as graphics design and editing. I have experimented with Linux in various forms and have 2 raspberry pi's providing standalone functions as well. All have the advantage of being customisable, a feature I don't associate with any Apple product.

Lonsdaler wrote: ↑Sat Feb 26, 2022 12:10 pm

Jimmyb wrote: ↑Sat Feb 26, 2022 9:02 am I built my own computer, and its a bit like triggers broom, the case mobo and CPU circa 2010, the PSU circa 2013, and the two SSD HD circa 2018, started on Win 7 now on Win 10, but not suitable for upgrade to Win 11, so a new "box of tricks" soon. When I finally retire from work, I may even move to a Mac!

I used to build my own too. I did a course on MS-DOS in 1990, and that inspired me to have a go. The pc that has just died was my first full build purchase, as I got tired of the Trigger's broom process

GTB Graeme - I can't say I view my pc as a toy - it's always been a tool, supporting software for Comms and location detection for mountain rescue purposes (none of which runs on Apple), as well as graphics design and editing. I have experimented with Linux in various forms and have 2 raspberry pi's providing standalone functions as well. All have the advantage of being customisable, a feature I don't associate with any Apple product.

Totally agree with that, I wouldn't touch an Apple product with yours, way too restricted, over priced and using older technology compared to what's out there these days.

I also dabble with Linux from time to time, a little beyond me to run as a single system but for hosting forums, picture servers etc, perfect, all running on VMWare of course.

I also dabble with the Raspberry Pi (Zero 2 W) and have one on each of my Ender printers running Octoprint. Wireless monitoring, camera, heater adjustment with uploads of prints and the ability to kick a new print off. In fact I only have to visit the printer to change the filament (yes there is a filament sensor connected to the Pi so it halts at that) to take the print off the bed and to spray glue on the bed ready for the next print. It can even do time lapse videos and show layer by layer GCode. I am working on the robotics side now to be able to remove prints from the bed and to spray glue on so I don't have to get up at all (ok, maybe the robotics side is a bit of BS, but the rest is real)