Recent content by tommylommykins

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Will future "cost-oriented" SSDs (think TLC) have plastic cases too?

I assume spinning disks are made out of metal because they need to be very strong. Seeing as they are mechanical devices, any large force creating a bend over the whole disk would be pretty bad?
- tommylommykins
- Post #11
- Aug 25, 2012
- Forum: Memory and Storage
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UK, looking for cheapest 15" 1080p laptop

mmm, thanks for the advice. I think one of the things driving up the laptops with nice screens is that they come with overspecced hardware in every other department. My sister really doesn't need 8gb ram, or an i5 processor (all modern processors are lightningspeed) or big discrete graphics...
- tommylommykins
- Post #8
- Jul 20, 2012
- Forum: Laptops
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UK, looking for cheapest 15" 1080p laptop

My sister's off to uni next month, and I'm looking for a laptop for her. I'm refusing to let her go off with a machine with a 1366x768 screen, but I'm having trouble finding a suitable high-resolution laptop which doesn't cost megabucks. Does anyone know of any 15" laptops on sale which have a...
- tommylommykins
- Thread
- Jul 16, 2012
- Replies: 11
- Forum: Laptops
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How to use RAM as cache?

As other people have said, you don't actually need to do anything here. Your computer automatically uses up as much as possible memory as cache. 8Gb of RAM is lots, so most of the time, 5-6GB of that memory is probably being used purely for cache, all without you even having to bat an eyelid :D
- tommylommykins
- Post #5
- Jul 7, 2012
- Forum: Memory and Storage
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"HDDs don't consume anywhere near all SATA bandwidth" = SATA 3.0 HDDs are pointless?

Do you know what the driver was for the introduction in SATA 3?
- tommylommykins
- Post #4
- Apr 14, 2012
- Forum: Memory and Storage
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"HDDs don't consume anywhere near all SATA bandwidth" = SATA 3.0 HDDs are pointless?

I assume SATA 6gb/s was created because of the existence of SSDs. It lends them a bit of credibility when when mobos have a special port specifically for SSDs. I guess it's a bit of an issue that SSDs and HDDs use the same connections for communicating, when the devices typically operate on...
- tommylommykins
- Post #2
- Apr 14, 2012
- Forum: Memory and Storage
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Help me explain cores and threads to my neighbor

If your neighbour is not technically oriented, then is he asking you to make a decision for him? If so, you shouldn't be spending time explaining the technicalities of threading and cores to him, because he really doesn't actually need to care about them. Instead, just find work out what will...
- tommylommykins
- Post #27
- Apr 14, 2012
- Forum: CPUs and Overclocking
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WD Refurbs any good?

Hard drives are pretty much the least reliable component in a computer. They are also the part you want to fail the least, because you will lose data when they fail. Refurbished drives have very low warranties, and have a reputation for failing. They are untrustworthy. So, don't buy a...
- tommylommykins
- Post #6
- Mar 24, 2012
- Forum: Memory and Storage
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How to properly clear a computer of history?

I think it depends on what bad things will happen if anything confidential gets found. I would reccomend applying a quick format and reinstalling the operating system in every case though. This will guarantee that there is no crapware running on the system. It will also confidently guarantee...
- tommylommykins
- Post #4
- Jan 9, 2012
- Forum: Memory and Storage
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USB stick

Thanks for the help :)
- tommylommykins
- Post #5
- Dec 29, 2011
- Forum: Peripherals & Components
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Why doesn't MSAHCI.SYS spin-down SATA drives, when it says "Safe to Remove"?

On that note, do hard drives typically state a maximum safe rotational velocity? I've seen maximum G-load requirements, but I don't think I've ever seen a limitation on rotation? Presumably this means you're entitled to ask for your money back when you put your desktop through a spin cycle in...
- tommylommykins
- Post #10
- Dec 29, 2011
- Forum: Memory and Storage
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USB stick

I recently bought a USB stick which had poor performance. I am searching for a replacement with reasonable performance, but I am having trouble finding one because I cannot find many up-to-date reviews. Can anyone reccomend a suitable USB2.0 4GB-8GB USB stick that is not slow and is not really...
- tommylommykins
- Thread
- Dec 28, 2011
- Replies: 4
- Forum: Peripherals & Components
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How loud is too loud for mechanical HDDs?

IMO disk noise is heavily influenced by the case the disk goes in. I made my disks almost inaudible by putting them in a case which had rubber feet in the disk trays.
- tommylommykins
- Post #12
- Nov 20, 2011
- Forum: Memory and Storage
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How to ensure HDD is dead and erased?

HDDs are much easier to destroy with a screwdriver than with a hammer. A few twists with a torx screwdriver will have the platters out quite quickly. Once that's done, just chuck the platters in the bin. The act of dissassembling a hard drive is enough to render it practically unrecoverable
- tommylommykins
- Post #10
- Oct 30, 2011
- Forum: Memory and Storage
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Negative progress in monitor technology?

How much of the graphics on Windows is still based on Raster graphics? If there're still many things that are not vector graphics, then this is a hinderance to having more pixels per inch...
- tommylommykins
- Post #63
- Oct 27, 2011
- Forum: Displays

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