Computer with W8.1 out

[Jherrith]

thelufias ?

[Aelin]

Hi Aelin,

sorry for answering you this late, I had a very busy afternoon.

[...]

I assume that you already have copy of all the files you want to keep, and that those copies are all verified. The latter part is important because if a copy contains an error and you overwrite the only source you have, that file is gone forever. So if you aren't sure I would recommend (and insist) that you make sure before proceeding.

If I read you right you intend to re-install Win 8.1 on the disk currently mounted in your old laptop - the one that could have been the cause of the problem. There are two possibilities: either you take the risk and pretend that the disk is healthy, or you run a thorough disk check before getting started. I would recommend the latter because else you might find out too late (after wasting all the time it takes to install a system) that the situation is the same as before (i.e., the system doesn't work) - or, even worse, the problem could reappear once you have already begun to trust the freshly reinstalled system. If you browse the web for "hard disk check" you should find several HD-check programs for free - try at MajorGeeks.com, they use to have pretty good free stuff and they explain you how to use it.

Now, where comes the 'new' Win8.1 from? As far as I know (I have very little experience with Win8.1) it is meant to be installed from a DVD, but installing it from a specifically prepared USB should also work. If you don't already have the USB it would be better to get a DVD (more official, less potential problems) - but it costs dear money. A way around would be to buy a much cheaper downloadable version in ISO format and then burn it yourself onto a DVD - just make as sure as possible that the source is reliable.

I hope this will help you a little. Should you have further questions, just ask - and with a bit of luck you'll get an answer from someone who knows Win8.1 better than me :smile:

Crossing my fingers for you  :winks:

Don't worry, like I said, I want not to do that before the next week. Besides problems with computer I had a bad news today, and I really haven't the head to try something.
Yes files aren't comprised until now. I can't check everything (DS, Poser), but the bright side is I have 99% of folders on external.
Like I said, I haven't other disk. And I'm not ready to have another one. And with W10 mess, the disk inside the other computer is my only solution. When I had VIsta, if I knew it was possible to keep disk of computer, believe me, I always had that one - not the case But now, I won't trust 100% the disk, it's just to work with 3D until it works no more. No save on, but on an USB specially for that - I'm doing "clean" between triple (or more) saved folders

Like I buy nothing on line, no risk I take like that a bad version of W8.1. And no one is in the town, like that, it's settled    My only solution stays the image of 'similar'.
So if a computer uses (I don't know for the moment for my case) 150Mo on the memory, image will be compressed?

Just a thought Aelin....  Is this a NEW HP Laptop?  If so, have you tried going to their support page?

About a year ago my Brother got a HP Laptop that came with Win 10....he was use to Win 8 and went to the HP site and they did have a download to switch from 10 to 8.  It took him a long time go do this but it wiped all Win 10 items off the board and loaded up Win 8.  Don't know if they still offer that.  I would check for you but they require Model No and Serial Number for looking it up.

It's a new yes, and all these days looking for solutions on their site don't give me the taste to suscribe for a solution. When you have people saying that their new computer (just exited of the box) under W10 has too much CPU and/or memory used, and the only solution of HP is "restauration system"...

Mtdana, if I'm back to shop, they won't accepted to exchange for another. I bought, computer works, it's not their problem if I can't use it even for listen youtube. If I want another? I have choice between Acer, Acer or Acer. That's all. And minimum the double of this I took. And of course, I must pay totally for a new.
Anyway, each time you go in a shop here, no matter what you do with a computer they try to bring you under the worth computer.

[Chiron]

[...] So if a computer uses (I don't know for the moment for my case) 150Mo on the memory, image will be compressed? [...]

Tha depends on what software you use to make (and then to restore) the image, but generally yes. Still it's pretty hard to predict by how much the image will be compressed - some files (.txt, .doc etc.) can be compressed very effectively, others (.jpg, .cab etc.) much less.

One possible solution would be to save the bulkiest unnecessary files of the 'donor' computer on an external medium, delete them temporarily, make the image and then restore them. This would certainly provide a smaller image file.

[rrkknight3]

In my experience that sort of slowdown is because the program is trying to use more "memory" than it should.  This term "memory" has several meanings.  Here I'm talking about the short term, program memory, not the amount of disk. 

Compression will help on the disk, but not in the program memory.  To make a render the program has to be able to see the pixels that make up the .jpg or .png.  So, it must uncompress the .jpg or .png to get the pixels.

An experiment that may be worth trying on the W10 computer: can you render a primitive cube?

Do you know about the Resource Monitor?  I'm assuming that you're using it but, just in case, you can run it with Windows-R and then type resmon.  Or however you run specific program names.  The Memory tab should show how much of the Physical Memory (program memory in my sentence above) is being used.

[Chiron]

Aww...  "image" is a tricky word!

Is Aelin talking of a disk-image (as in 'a file mirroring the whole disk contents, meant to restore or transfer it'), or of a plain .bmp, .tga, .jpg image that can be processed and displayed on a screen? 

[rrkknight3]

I'll certainly let her speak for herself.

I'm wondering about how the new computer stalls when even showing YouTube and rendering a simple scene.

[Aelin]

Look youtube, my record was 15 minutes non stop.
Load a V4 and do a render without lights, it was possible like test.
But when I have loaded yesterday a scene of V4 with clothes, comp didn't like that


I talked well of the image of computer, not our usual jpg, png...

I have another question, because I didn't think until now. What is the point of Recovery (:D) 'disk' in a computer? If it's the restauration at the beginning of computer, maybe can I use it?

[rrkknight3]

Recovery disks usually mean disks that will take the computer back to its original manufacturer's state.  That is, the condition of the machine at the point where the box was first opened.  Without any of your data, however!

Do you have one for your W8.1 system?

[Aelin]

Yes, normally I have one, I remember it was shown when I looked "This PC"; like for the W10 in fact (and like had Vista). I don't remember the number of Go that was already used. But something like 2Go was always 'available' (and no, I never touch that part of computer).

I don't care to reinstall just what I need in programs now I have grabbed my preferences in Firefox - I had a lot of links I never put on a document. Programs are aside on external (zips or executables) so I can take what I need.
Anyway, I know now I can't avoid to reinstall stuff.

[Aelin]

I haven't touch the W8.1 for the moment - and won't touch tonight like I don't know how many time it will ask.

So I have just to use the bootable Windows USB, then the tools in options, like on those screen captures ? Then I choose "troubleshoot", "reset your pc", it's that?