[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

OT: Maybe show her Windows 11 and MacOS side by side.

Well, I have not used Windows 11 (even a preview), so are you saying it's way better than the MacOS?

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Well, I have not used Windows 11 (even a preview), so are you saying it's way better than the MacOS?

I think Dry Ice is being sarcastic

Just some perspective in case you would like to influence her decision I was a lifetime Windows user, switched to the MacBook Air M1 last year. It was different, I wouldn’t say complicated but you do need to unlearn certain things and learn a few new ones. Suggest you go for the 16GB memory option to future proof the MacBook.

The main thing for me was the sheer fluidity, speed and the way things moved around. In a very short time I began to think why on earth I didn’t move to MacOS earlier. Suffice it is to say, I am never going back to Windows.

Cheers

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

I think Dry Ice is being sarcastic

Just some perspective in case you would like to influence her decision I was a lifetime Windows user, switched to the MacBook Air M1 last year. It was different, I wouldn’t say complicated but you do need to unlearn certain things and learn a few new ones. Suggest you go for the 16GB memory option to future proof the MacBook.

The main thing for me was the sheer fluidity, speed and the way things moved around. In a very short time I began to think why on earth I didn’t move to MacOS earlier. Suffice it is to say, I am never going back to Windows.

Cheers

I understood that Dy Ice was making a nice dry comment

I did exactly what you did. I bought my first ever MacBook (Posted on the forum too) last year as soon as MBA M1 chip version released. Initially, I struggled a bit this OS but, later I realized, it's same like my iPhone

Totally agree on the speed, fluidity, UI and blazing fast performance. It's a totally different level and just cannot be compared to any windows laptop. After one year, it still feels like I bought it yesterday and battery performance is mind boggling. I get 6-7 days on a single charge as my usage on it is low maybe 2-3 hours a day.

P.S : Bonus feature-I open the lid and it instantly opens with my Apple Watch and I don't even need the fingerprint ID...LOL!

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Bonus feature-I open the lid and it instantly opens with my Apple Watch and I don't even need the fingerprint ID

The Apple Watch is what I have not been able to convince myself to buy, never used a smartwatch or any tracker as such. Don’t know how much I will use it or if I will like it and on the flip side, if I happen to love it (like the MacBook) then all my other watches will become redundant

Hope you manage to persuade your wife to come over to the dark side of the moon

Cheers

[Saanil]

Hi,

I am planning to buy a laptop from Amazon. I have shortlisted one product but it is not clear from the description if the laptop comes with MS Office preinstalled. The heading of the product says that it comes with MS Office. But if I see the Q&A, there is a response that the laptop comes with a trial version only (30 day trial).

This is the laptop I am considering: https://www.amazon.in/Dell-Inspiron-...EBOOK_COMPUTER

I am looking at laptops with i5 processor and 16GB RAM. Any other suggestions for laptop with lifetime MS office license?

[Guite]

For some inexplicable reason I hate being stuck with Hp's recovery partition. I removed it on my old Hp desktop long time back. I thought it would be easy peasy on my Hp Envy x360 laptop. I tried deleting the partition and merging it with main partition. One thing led to another, I ran Macrium Reflect restore, deleted the partition from Macrium app, and booted to Macrium restore mode. It got stuck. So I had to power down without completing the restore. Now I am stuck royally.

I can't boot from any bootable USB or CD. It wouldn't boot to Windows, because it's not there anymore. It would not go into Windows recovery mode because the recovery partition is gone. I have tried Windows boot USB, Hiren's boot CD, Macrium boot CD, etc etc. It just boots into a blank screen. No message. Can anyone guide me what could have gone wrong.

We took it to Hp service. They couldn't boot either, but at the same time would not open the laptop physically to reset or diagnose any hardware problem, saying they can't service a model which is not released in India. I have run all diagnostics available on BIOS menu. No hardware problem found.

I am planning to open it up myself and troubleshoot. I have the service manual, have ordered some screw driver sets and prying tools, will view YouTube guides. Will try hardware reset, BIOS reset, new Nvme SSD drive, etc. Any guidance would be highly appreciated.

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by Guite

I can't boot from any bootable USB or CD. It wouldn't boot to Windows, because it's not there anymore. It would not go into Windows recovery mode because the recovery partition is gone. I have tried Windows boot USB, Hiren's boot CD, Macrium boot CD, etc etc. It just boots into a blank screen. No message. Can anyone guide me what could have gone wrong.

Have you tried booting it using some Linux bootable USB? If not then worth to give it a try.

Anyways what storage this laptop has got? If its conventional had disk then chances are that the hard disk is gone, have faced such issue in my cousin's laptop which also exhibited similar symptoms.

[Guite]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

Have you tried booting it using some Linux bootable USB? If not then worth to give it a try.

Anyways what storage this laptop has got? If its conventional had disk then chances are that the hard disk is gone, have faced such issue in my cousin's laptop which also exhibited similar symptoms.

Thanks for the tip. I can try Linux boot USB, but I wouldn't know what to do after it boots (if it does), not having used Linux at all. Storage is m.2 Nvme SSD. I have ordered a new m.2 drive. I will be trying that.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Saanil

Hi,

I am planning to buy a laptop from Amazon. I have shortlisted one product but it is not clear from the description if the laptop comes with MS Office preinstalled. The heading of the product says that it comes with MS Office. But if I see the Q&A, there is a response that the laptop comes with a trial version only (30 day trial).

This is the laptop I am considering:
I am looking at laptops with i5 processor and 16GB RAM. Any other suggestions for laptop with lifetime MS office license?

I was considering the Dells for my wife's requirement which is browsing, social media, emails and little bit of work on M365. Laptops of this age is bloody confusing with so many crazy options and minor tweaks to specs that it's impossible to decide.

Firstly, someone said don't go with any processor that ends with an H as they are usually older ones compared to ones that end with a digit.

If I was my wife (which I am not), I would have gone eyes closed with an Apple MacBook M1 Chip. No confusion and a quality product. But, wifey insisted on windows so we go this one (details below)

Originally Posted by Cyborg

The Apple Watch is what I have not been able to convince myself to buy, never used a smartwatch or any tracker as such. Don’t know how much I will use it or if I will like it and on the flip side, if I happen to love it (like the MacBook) then all my other watches will become redundant

I'm an ardent Apple Watch user (it's never off my wrist) and use all it's features diligently including a new update where I "Double Clench" my wrist to answer a call, snooze alarms etc. Not to mention use Apple Maps on watch when I am driving..LOL!

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Hope you manage to persuade your wife to come over to the dark side of the moon.

Sorry to say, I have failed in my wife convincing endeavor and she got this laptop instead. Decision was taken primarily because of a spot "Black Friday Deal" and we just couldn't let go of it for that mouth-watering price.

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by Guite

Thanks for the tip. I can try Linux boot USB, but I wouldn't know what to do after it boots (if it does), not having used Linux at all. Storage is m.2 Nvme SSD. I have ordered a new m.2 drive. I will be trying that.

If Linux bootable works then it will also boot on Linux desktop using the same boot media. There you can open the 'Disk' utility from menu and see your disk. If its there then delete all the partitions and format it. Probably it will start working with Windows then. Linux Mint will be preferred out of so many distros available there for Windows users.

[Guite]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

If Linux bootable works then it will also boot on Linux desktop using the same boot media. There you can open the 'Disk' utility from menu and see your disk. If its there then delete all the partitions and format it. Probably it will start working with Windows then. Linux Mint will be preferred out of so many distros available there for Windows users.

A big, big thank you for the tip, tbppjpr. I choose Ubuntu distro and it booted successfully. In it I found Gparted. I used that to reformat the SSD. Now other boot discs work.

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by mobike008

I was considering the Dells for my wife's requirement which is browsing, social media, emails and little bit of work on M365. Laptops of this age is bloody confusing with so many crazy options and minor tweaks to specs that it's impossible to decide.

Firstly, someone said don't go with any processor that ends with an H as they are usually older ones compared to ones that end with a digit.


Attachment 2236876

Attachment 2236877

Processor ends with an H are older ones. Actually they are usually not older but higher end ones from AMD (Ryzen 7 5800H and Intel (eg i7-11800H). Google yourself. What is even more suspect is the advisor saying go with ones ending with a digit. Like Intels (ending with G7). They are decent processors but comparable to an 4-5 year older ..H processor. H processors are not old, and in fact higher end, and higher price. I do hope you did your own research rather than rely on bad advice.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by Guite

A big, big thank you for the tip, tbppjpr. I choose Ubuntu distro and it booted successfully. In it I found Gparted. I used that to reformat the SSD. Now other boot discs work.

Yes Linux will boot and install every time unless the disk is corrupted. I have done it with all sorts of configurations - 80x86, Core processors and Xeons in the last 30 years and it woks every time.

Once Linux is installed you can re partition the HDD and install other OS. At one time I had 4 OS installed in my desktop!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by vasudeva

Processor ends with an H are older ones. Actually they are usually not older but higher end ones from AMD (Ryzen 7 5800H and Intel (eg i7-11800H). Google yourself. What is even more suspect is the advisor saying go with ones ending with a digit. Like Intels (ending with G7). They are decent processors but comparable to an 4-5 year older ..H processor. H processors are not old, and in fact higher end, and higher price. I do hope you did your own research rather than rely on bad advice.

My bad. I think what I meant was a processor name that ends with an alphabet (not sure which one) is older gen than a digit one. And this advice was given by a fellow desi (works for Microsoft in Hardware Engineering ) as he too was browsing for laptops for his wife at Costco.

Anyways, I do my research for everything that I buy and never rely solely on anybody's advice but, appreciate your inputs

[Guite]

Processor generation and performance nomenclature is very confusing for people who do not follow this particular industry. When I was researching for my PC assembly, early on I just removed Intel from contention based on initial feedback. That's makes it easier to understand the CPU grading within one company- AMD. So it's very convenient when someone knowledgeable chims in on such a situation.