Windows laptop

[Royston]

Hi Guys
Any recommendations for windows laptop.
Have always used macs but this virtual software is driving me bonkers.
Cheers
Roy

[Hands0n]

If all you want it for is using the various utility softwares that are typically written for Windows before Mac or Linux (if at all) I can recommend using one of the refurbished that come about.  My fave place used to be BigPockets.co.uk but they seem to have gone.  I bought a refurb Dell 630D from them (Core2Duo, 2.2GHz and stuffed it with 4GB SODIMM and Windows 7).  It was in remarkable condition and runs beautifully.  Later I stuck in a hybrid 720GB/4GB SSD Seagate Momentus XT (see http://www.seagate.com/gb/en/internal-hard-drives/laptop-hard-drives/laptop-solid-state-hybrid-drive/ ).

I';m wary of Windows 8 at the moment - not sure that all the various drivers are about for that OS.

I also use the thing for various smartphone utilities - typically Android stuff.

[Royston]

Cheers
Looking on laptop s direct.  Lots of refurbs.
Daughter works in IT and wouldnt touch Windows 8

[Hands0n]

I';m not too keen to. Been working with Windows since MS first brought it out (showing my age now). I';d go along with your daughter';s view.

I suppose the thing is to find out if the reputation of their refurbs is good.

[guest325]

I don';t like Windoze full stop and only use it if I have no choice, that said Win7 is the best by a country mile - Win8 is a waste of time, it';s following the normal MS pattern of following a good release with a cr4p one.
Dell refurbs are pretty good and have a good back up service, you can';t go wrong with one of theirs. I';m using a core 2 duo laptop with 2Gb ram of theirs running Fedora and for most things I do its as fast as my Cad workstation at work which cost over £2500, the power of Linux!!!

[Ross]

WINDOWS 8  will be updated with a newer FREE  version later this year.  One of the modifications  is removing the stupid start and replacing it with the old version.
Keep an eye out on Google/Microsoft for announcements.
There is a trial version already available.  Like all BETA s'; ..USE IT AT YOUR PERIL

[Royston]

Thanks guys
Its mainly for mission planner and flashing boards so woll keep looking.

[Hands0n]

Thanks guys
Its mainly for mission planner and flashing boards so woll keep looking.

A Core2Duo with Windows 7 will do you fine for that.

[BrianS]

I use a macbook with vmware fusion with winows 7 guest never had a problem with mission planner or flashing esc';s

[Royston]

Hi Brian
I use Paralells but having nothing but trouble?
Prob simpler to buy cheap Windows machine just for multirotors
Cheers
Roy

[robshaw]

I';m also a mac user and didn';t fancy emulating windows on it. So I got an old dell windows laptop from work. Running windows xp. Its perfect. Can take it out on the field without worrying about it getting bumped about. There';s loads on eBay for less than £100.

[BrianS]

Roy,

Used to be a parallels user then switched to vmware but cant remember why.


Rob,

I got a Dell D630 laptop from work when they upgraded for using outside, works fine but battery life isnt brilliant.

[Royston]

Just had a mosey in PC World (Just for the hell of it) Mac specialist there said don';t bother with virtual windows unless you want to have them running at the same time. Use Bootcamp, which I think is what Peter King uses now I come to think of it.
Will get my daughter to have a look at it as she is in IT support.

Will let yo know outcome.

[Royston]

Done.
Now have Bootcamp running Widows 7 on my macbook pro.
Perfect
::) ::) ::)

[guest325]

Done.
Now have Bootcamp running Widows 7 on my macbook pro.
Perfect
::) ::) ::)

Saved yourself couple of hundred quid in the process!!!

[Royston]

Well there is that too.
Also the good lady won';t see another piece of equipment sneaked into the house.

[guest325]

Well there is that too.
Also the good lady won';t see another piece of equipment sneaked into the house.

Just look at it as being more cash available for new toys of a more interesting nature      :evil

[Royston]

I know. Theres a guy in my local heli club selling a DJI 550 c/w controller gps and loads more for £400.
OMG I';m gonna have to be strong

[Leigh]

When you';re next tempted to try virtualisation again, check out VirtualBox, it is quite nice under Mac OSX.

[guest325]

When you';re next tempted to try virtualisation again, check out VirtualBox, it is quite nice under Mac OSX.

The only problem is the overheads, if you';ve got an up to date machine its ok but older machines can struggle running win os inside mac os, same thing with Linux I am using dual boot purely because it';s an older machine I am using, also sometimes drivers can be an issue, I can';t run Solidworks inside Linux at anything other than software open gl for that reason and wine doesn';t work for anything newer than 2010 version which is no good for me.

[Hands0n]

The only thing I worry about VMs is shared resources and impacts.  I used to run Parallels in a Mac Pro (2007 model) and that worked really well, generally.  Then one day, while flashing an Android smartphone something (I never did find out) slammed the CPU (all 4 cores of the Xeon processors) and ended up bricking the phone.  I got it back, eventually, but it was a complete chore to do. 

Since then I';ve not really trusted VMs for such tasks as USB flashing - hence the £165 Dell D630 for anything Windoze.

[Royston]

We shall see.
Just in the process of installing Mission Planner and taking it one step at a time.
So far windows 7 is running much smoother and faster than with parallels.  Onltime will tell.