PC Tech Thread

I'd play with robocopy and figure out how to set up a cron to sync the folders.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/robocopy

Any recommendations for good / free backup software for Windows? Got a bad driver update yesterday which reminded me that I haven't made a full backup for ... a while

Treat the machine as wipeable, know where you keep the OS and drivers, and only backup data.

On that last one, I use syncthing to replicate data to a NAS (syncthing is on that too). And then the NAS controls backup policies and has it's own backup software. Syncthing requires you have enough storage on another machine, I figure I'm not going to lose all machines at once.

I had a play with Robocopy but could only seem to get it working in one direction.

I use this which seems fine
https://www.minitool.com/backup/

I have a Vega 56 kicking about if you’re interested...

Hi, thinking of swapping my work Mac to a PC, if I could have my way (our IT buyer is a dick), I could choose from one of these 3, what do you think?

Surface Book 2 13.5", i5 8350U / 1.7GHz, 8GB, 256GB SSD
Surafce Pro 6 12.3", i5 8350U / 1.7GHz, 8GB, 256GB SSD

They won't let you upgrade to 16Gb despite the fact that my work could benefit 16GB, because you could also choose from:

Toshiba Portege X30-E-1J7, 13.3", i7-8550U, 16GB, 512GB

Honesy truth is, I quite fancy a Surface but they specs are a bit shit, I have seen a similar model Toshiba some colleagues have, it is quite nice, also a touch screen.

The Mac I current have is 2017 13" 15 16GB 256GB.

These days I do a combination of admin and some design work...

Can't persuade them to get the new XPS?
https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/laptops/new-13/spd/xps-13-9300-laptop

Afraid not, they used to give out Dell, but it was never the xps... so I am afraid it would have to be one of the 3 options listed on my post...

If it was my old job, I could make a case to get an Alienware, but not in my new job, besides, while the Alienware are good laptops, they are so big and well, big.

yeah, certainly wouldn't want an Alienware laptop. They still look like they were designed in the 90s. Have got a Dell 7391 now which is great. Might persuade myself to go to an XPS.

Anyway
I had a Surface Pro 4. Lovely laptop, bit quirky at times and battery life was sometimes good and sometimes lousy. But I changed because I didn't use it as a tablet and it was a bit fiddly to use on your lap with the keyboard. I think I'd go for the Book over the Pro for that reason.
(no chance of a Surface Laptop...?)

Not used a Portege in a decade. Design looks slightly dated but reviews are decent enough. Bit less flash than either Surface but presume if you just want a laptop rather than a tablet then it'll be ideal.

If I were on the market for a laptop for myself, I'd go for a XPS, no question about it. Might still, currently deciding if I should switch to PC completely, still have a 15" MBP, but I don't really use it much anymore... hummm...

I like the Surface because of the tablet, but then like something and need something are very different. I am not sure... I guess I will just ask if I could swap to a PC first, our dickhead IT buyer might say no, althogh he is the same grade as me, he seems to always only buy fancy stuff senior staff... I wonder why!

Really is no chance for anything else other than the 3 choices - he might not even let me swap.

Can I just ask if you only use the Surface as a tablet, are the Book and Pro basically the same?

Unless you want super portable or you're using it with a docking station I'd skip the Surface Pro (it's also not got USB-C which is somewhat out of date).

Personally I don't find Windows much cop as a tablet and I don't really use the touchscreen other than watching videos,etc on trains and planes.

I'd be tempted by the Toshiba but the surface book is pretty nice.

I just looked and be reminded the Surface Book 2 is a 2017 model with no news that a 3 is on the way, if I asked for a new machine now, it’d have to last me 5 years and I am not sure if the Surface is a good idea anymore. Even the Toshiba doesn’t come with the latest parts but at least it’s i7 with 16GB so a bit more future proof...

Guess I have just answered my own question, haven’t I?

It’s a real shame they won’t get Dell anymore, it’s nothing to do with cost, it’s to do with contracts as I am sure it’s the case with most big organisations.

That model with that spec is the 2019 model (although it's based on the 2017 one).

Oh yeah... it is... 😅

I guess it’s then down to screen resolution vs ram- the surface book has a much better screen by the looks of it...

Let me ask to see if it’s possible to swap first...

That's why I was wondering if you could get a Surface Laptop 3. They're on the latest CPUs and thought that might be easier to get past the purchasing folks

No.... I am afraid... when was the Surface Laptop 3 released? Our PC list was updated in Dec 2019 and if these was released at least a good couple of months before that, then absolutely definitely no chance.

I could always ask but since I am not a senior staff in their eye, they won’t. It’s hard enough to get them get my current laptop fixed because the issues I had didn’t significantly affect my work... erm... only a couple of keys on the keyboard broken... sorry not trying to rant... 😬

Alternatively, since I am in no rush to get it, I could wait till June to see if they’d update the list as they seem to do it twice a year... with us getting ready to shut down, it’d probably have to be in June anyway....

Ah, was released along with the Surface Pro 7. So yeah, I guess if you're still on the old Pro then makes sense the Laptop isn't there either.
Start making the case for that or the XPS now and then hope it's on the list in June?

The XPS still won't make it to the list, I have never seen one of them here, I see a lot Inspiron though, as they are basically the same from a business point of view?

I am going to hold off with starting the coversation until at least next week... everyone is either confused and / or stressed, so probably not a good time to ask for something that isn't that important especially my Mac laptop is working perfectly fine...

I'm making the mad dash to sort out home working equipment as my work issue laptop is too painful to work from for extended periods (low res screen, small keyboard, poor screen position etc).

With the price of all in one machines am I better off just paying a bit extra for a machine or trying to plug a monitor into the laptop and using a usb keyboard?

If I go all in one, any recommendations for a decent budget model?

Do you have any specific software installed on your laptop which might be hard to get on a new machine? If so I'd recommend a screen - and a good screen is useable for much longer than a laptop/desktop IMO

Budget and use case?

Yeah I've asked our IT team but they're swamped and haven't confirmed yet - although I know that we can access the system from supposedly any PC, as it's a remote desktop I'm accessing. Hopefully they'll confirm necessary specs if any, but I don't expect them to be high or for me to need loads of software.

Good point on monitor - I guess I can always buy a monitor and then plug a box of my own into it if I choose, whereas an all in one is what it is

Also a box, if anything fails you can still usually replace on a PC, an all-in-one is much harder