Laptop advice needed please.

Pinkypants

I'm really getting into photography and don't think my ageing dual core 1.7ghz with 2gb ram running Vista is much up to the job.

Money is tight as for most I guess. Do I look on flea bay for a dual core 2.0+ with 4gb ram and win7 for around £250

Or upgrade current lappy to SSD hard drive extra 2gb ram and win7?

I really need win7 as a very kind person has given me a server with Hyper7 on? is that correct. Anyway I need to play with the mmc snap in, which so far as I can tell, it doesn't work with my Vista Home edition.

Really would love to get the server up and running as well, as that's where I'll store all my photos.

Or do I really need to get saving and buy something even better.

Any help much appreciated.

closed

what is the job it isn't upto?

remote control the server using remote desktop/vnc etc - a server seems a complicated setup just to store photo's, are they going the be backed up? If it's going to be on all the time, the electricity bill will creep up.

Pinkypants

When I'm editing my photos in lightroom, the laptop takes ages to show a preview of what changes I've made. Don't seem to have the same problem on the better works pc.

As for the server it'll be used purely as backup at the moment, once I get it up and running. Might as well use it, it was a gift and has 4 x 1gb drives in it. It won't be switched on 24/7, only when I need it.

deed02392

I am concerned that your lack of expertise is going to result in you storing all your critical company data on this server, which could fail in a moments notice.

You need to get someone who knows what they're doing to ensure you have a redundant set up.

With regards to your laptop, depending on factors such as the chipset it's based on, the processor and the age of the hard drive (i.e. age of whole laptop, basically), upgrading could be a good idea or a waste of money. Tell us more.

Pinkypants

Many thanks for the reply.

Its an Advent 8117, Intel Processor Dual Core 1.7ghz, with 2gb ram, Windose Vista and small 80gb hard drive that's only about 2 years.

I have today got a copy free of windows 7 Home and yes it's a legit edition. I have some nice friends.

Don't worry about the server too much that's more of a toy then a real storage solution. As it was free it'll be nice to use it. But don't have any software apart from the preinstalled Hyper V I think it is.

My back routine is quite good, online, external drive and internal hard drive put in a caddy once a fortnight. So I'm not concerned about losing my data, been there before.

Laptop can take max out at 4gb RAM and guess next step if need be would be SSD hard drive. But will I be wasting my time and money. When for around £329 I can get 6gb RAM, 2.0 dual core new laptop.

Really want a laptop as old desktop is in converted garage, which means going outside and away from family. Laptop in the lounge is slightly more sociable. Plus office has too many memories of my smoking days. Now an ex smoker, I want to stay out of there for as long as possible.

Hopefully that's enough info, if not give me a shout.

Just reread, your post, this is for personal use not business. Laptop is around 5 years old I guess.

TakeThis

Pinkypants wrote: »

Many thanks for the reply.

Its an Advent 8117, Intel Processor Dual Core 1.7ghz, with 2gb ram, Windose Vista and small 80gb hard drive that's only about 2 years.

I have today got a copy free of windows 7 Home and yes it's a legit edition. I have some nice friends.

Don't worry about the server too much that's more of a toy then a real storage solution. As it was free it'll be nice to use it. But don't have any software apart from the preinstalled Hyper V I think it is.

My back routine is quite good, online, external drive and internal hard drive put in a caddy once a fortnight. So I'm not concerned about losing my data, been there before.

Laptop can take max out at 4gb RAM....

The manual suggests that it is already 'maxed out' at 2GB RAM.....or have you already tried and succeeded with a 2GB RAM module?

Pinkypants

I was using the scan utility from crucial's website. The result came back 4gig max.

So who knows.

TakeThis

Pinkypants wrote: »

I was using the scan utility from crucial's website. The result came back 4gig max.

So who knows.

I never use that utility. It could be that the Motherboard takes four, but that it is BIOS limited to 2GB.

Who knows? It's an Advent, so anything goes.


I guess if you buy from Crucial and it doesn't work, they'll give a full refund.

I'm guessing that have already upgraded the RAM to 2GB, so you know that the second slot is accessed from under the keyboard.

Dave_C_2

I'm really getting into photography and don't think my ageing dual core 1.7ghz with 2gb ram running Vista is much up to the job.

I'm an old school amateur photographer with darkroom experience and I moved to digital a few years back. Some points based on my experience:

• You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear. If the shot in camera isn't good enough, no amount of post-processing will improve it.
  
• Get the lighting and composition right in camera and everything else is easy peasy.
• You cannot throw money at photography and get really good pictures. I've seen many people try and fail.
• Join a camera club
• You are spending money on the wrong bit of equipment - if you must spend money, improve your camera and lenses first. And buy/borrow some good photography books like this one.
• The laptop screen will be pants for digital photography, not big enough and not enough resolution.
• Bearing in mind the first two points, using Lghtroom is like using a sledgehammer to crack walnuts. I use simple Picasa on this ageing Duron/XP desktop.
• I save to DVD and a second Hard drive.
• YMMV
• Read the first two points again.

Dave

Pinkypants

Thanks for that Dave. But did you never dodge or burn in the darkroom? Make the picture slightly brighter or darker in the darkroom?

I've not spent a penny yet on equipment apart from my camera and lenses.

I work with RAW files which can be edited wonderfully and quite simply with the correct equipment, ie half decent pc and lightroom.

I used have the same mindset as you, until I spent some time learning what can be done and how to do it. My results are improving month on month.

The windows 7 version I have is 64 bit only, CPU is not designed for that so that's out the window, looks like 2gb RAM is most I can go to. So it's off to save and get a new laptop as and when.

Many Thanks to all those have replied.

Dave_C_2

Pinkypants wrote: »

Thanks for that Dave. But did you never dodge or burn in the darkroom? Make the picture slightly brighter or darker in the darkroom?

You are correct, my fault for aiming at a general audience in my reply. Apologies if I'm preaching a bit.

Dave