Author Topic: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?  (Read 9605 times)

cdgreg

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Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« on: December 16, 2017, 08:07:35 PM »
Family member purchased a black Friday laptop and gave us their old laptop for free.  The laptop is a Toshiba Satellite C655-S5061 with an Intel i3 M370 @ 2.40 ghz, 4 GB of DDR3 memory (2x2gb sticks), 64 bit Win7, Toshiba MK5065GSX 500 GB SATA/300 HD, with a battery that holds a charge for a couple hours.  We'd like to use it for a general web surfing, word processing, and very rarely Toyota Techstream.  Overall though, the thing is slow as a dog, I just clocked it, it took 63 seconds to open a chrome browser.  Other than wiping the HD clean with a fresh windows install, do you all think it's worth either a memory upgrade or replacing the HD with a SSD? 

Estimates from crucial.com look like about $75 for 2x4gb sticks of memory and/or $60 for a 120 GB SSD.

Thoughts on whether it's worth investing $$ into this to improve performance and functionality?

Thanks!

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2017, 10:52:13 PM »
Yes, an SSD is worth it.

RAM looks like it's gone up in price, I remember paying less than that for 4GB DDR3 sticks a number of years back.

I'm running an old Core 2 Duo powered MacBook Pro with an SSD and 8GB of RAM. Performance is still fine.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2017, 03:29:43 AM »
I love mine and mine does not run slow. My battery is toast but I am on it pretty much when I am sitting in den watching Tv so I dont take it places it with me. But its a great computer and I have just done all the updates that Microsoft sends out etc..but yea I would invest  some money into it for sure to keep it going/speed it up. Great computer/laptop.  On it for hours everyday.

RobFIRE

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2017, 07:10:24 AM »
I'd certainly do the SSD swap. Light and day difference between HDD and SSD.

I'm assuming you are in the US. On eBay US you can get a 64 GB Crucial M4 SSD for $30 with free shipping. 4 GB RAM stick for $20 free shipping. You can probably do better, I just looked quickly. No need to pay Crucial $75 for RAM, though perhaps having a newer & larger SSD for $30 more with a warranty etc. would be worth it.

RAM: I would consider just getting 1x 4GB to go from 4GB to 6GB, as 4GB is a bit limiting but less difference between 6GB and 8GB. For that kind of laptop make sure the 4GB DIMM says 2Rx8 on it not 1Rx8 (1Rx8 won't work in a Core i first gen).

SSD: A 64 GB one would be sufficient, or spend a bit more for 120 or 128 GB if you prefer.

Note you can avoid having to reinstall Windows by clearing down the existing installation of clutter so that disk use is comfortably below the SSD size, say 55 GB or 110 GB max respectively. Then use Windows disk manager to resize existing drive partition to that size, leaving the rest as free space. Then do a a full Windows system backup (search for backup in the Control Centre) to an external/USB hard drive. Swap disks, connect external hard drive. Then boot laptop off windows DVD, choose a system restore and you should be able to restore Windows from the external hard drive image. You'll be up and running as-is on new disk.

TomTX

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2017, 07:42:30 AM »
Yes, an SSD is worth it.

RAM looks like it's gone up in price, I remember paying less than that for 4GB DDR3 sticks a number of years back.

I blame the cryptocurrency miners.

drudgep

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2017, 08:16:13 AM »
Can you upgrade a laptop??

jim555

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2017, 08:29:06 AM »
I would upgrade to a SSD and put Ubuntu Mate on it, will be better than new.

Sjalabais

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2017, 09:31:23 AM »
I'm not sure I would spend money on an old Satellite. It's much cheaper to source and upgrade parts for a desktop instead, if that could be a thing?

Anyway, if you run Windows 7, I think you are eligible for a free Windows 10 upgrade? New SSD and maybe a total of 8GB RAM are sound advice.

jim555

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2017, 09:33:32 AM »
I'm not sure I would spend money on an old Satellite. It's much cheaper to source and upgrade parts for a desktop instead, if that could be a thing?

Anyway, if you run Windows 7, I think you are eligible for a free Windows 10 upgrade? New SSD and maybe a total of 8GB RAM are sound advice.
The upgrade can be done up to 12/31/2017:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade

bortman

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2017, 10:59:43 AM »
I agree with the recommendation to install Ubuntu Mate. If you only want to surf and do some word processor stuff you can get this all with Mate: Firefox/Chrome, LibreOffice/Google Docs

If you feel that you really need to stick with Windoze then an SSD and adding RAM will help. I wouldn't upgrade to Windows 10.

However, before you upgrade hardware, install Piriform's CCleaner (free) and strip all the crapware that is likely slowing everything down.

A few years back I found a Toshiba Satellite A505-S6005 (i3 processer, 4gb RAM, 500gb HDD) in the trash, but with a smashed display and dead battery.

I connected it to my TV, installed Ubuntu Mate 14.04, and now use it as a Kodi media/streaming box. Works well and has no trouble handling video, either local files or streaming. I think it's a very capable computer.

jim555

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2017, 11:12:12 AM »
If you are sticking with Windows 7 remember it will be end of life 1/14/2020.  I would upgrade it for that reason alone.

daverobev

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2017, 02:23:15 PM »
4Gb should be plenty for browsing.

An SSD will make a huge difference.

I would not go for anything newer than Windows 7. I will be very very reluctantly moving to Linux when Win 7 is 'done'.

That is a first generation Core processor.. should be good for a couple of years.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2017, 02:30:38 PM »
The Windows 10 upgrade was free

daverobev

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2017, 02:59:00 PM »
Can you upgrade a laptop??

Often the RAM (SODIMMs), hard drive. Wireless card/bluetooth. Some have slots for cellular modems.

Very few have CPU sockets.

cdgreg

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2017, 03:01:33 PM »
Thanks for the feedback everyone, I have to admit I am incredibly, and pleasantly surprised by the performance after a clean windows wipe.  I initially tried to disable everything in msconfig, clean it with ccleaner, malwarebytes, etc. But even then it still lagged HORRIBLY.  After a full reformat it opens a browser to the google homepage in about 6 seconds.  I was also able to install toyota techstream software with little to no issue and from testing it off the charger in my prius the laptop battery seems to last a couple hours under standard use. 

I'll stick with Win7 for now since the Toyota software is running smoothly and I prefer the slightly older school interface to Win10 (just personal preference).  I may see if I can pick up a 64 GB SSD off ebay as recommended for less than $30.  Otherwise, I may just leave her be for now as it seems to do the basic job I want to do without any immediate upgrades. 

Thanks for all of the feedback, definitely gives me multiple pathways to move forward with in the future depending on use.  Amazing how someone else's trash is more than ample for what we need!

Gronnie

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #15 on: December 18, 2017, 06:16:55 PM »
SSD: Definitely worth it, can move to another computer if you get rid of this one
RAM: 4GB is probably enough for your uses, DDR3 will soon be useless and probably won't be able to move to anything new

W10 is far, far superior to W7.

daverobev

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #16 on: December 18, 2017, 08:14:53 PM »
W10 is far, far superior to W7.

Except for the adverts, forced updates (which I understand the logic behind but MS still seems to roll out dodgy updates now and again), the weirdness of going between the new style tiled stuff and old style stuff now and again... and a load of other things I've forgotten.

Now. Windows 2000 was 'perfect' to me for a long time. Windows 7 doesn't, generally, get in my way. There is nothing that Windows 10 offers that I want. I certainly don't want 'please log in with your Microsoft account!' all over the place, and I don't want the OS tracking my every move.

Yeah. Linux. Sigh.

Daley

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #17 on: December 18, 2017, 09:23:17 PM »
I certainly don't want 'please log in with your Microsoft account!' all over the place, and I don't want the OS tracking my every move.

I really don't understand these last two arguments against Windows 10 in favor of older builds of Windows, and this is coming from a long time entrenched *nix beard who hasn't run Windows himself on a daily basis for over a decade and a half.

You do realize and understand that all the "tracking" and telemetry stuff in Windows 10 was backported to Windows 7/8 nearly two years ago, right? All of it. Every last bit. The only difference is, I actually find it easier to properly locate and disable everything able to be disabled in Windows 10, because it's not as hidden away (in fact, the quickest and easiest way is to just disable most of it during initial account setup)... but somehow being more transparent and accessible about these settings is bad and evil. How's the old saying go... out of sight, out of mind?

Also, the account login stuff is optional, including with the system accounts. I'd heard so many horrible complaints about it from others, I was expecting the worst... then I experimented around with it. It's amazing how easy it is to avoid Microsoft accounts across the board on software and the user account if you just read during setup. You don't even need an MS account to install free software from their app store.

If you're that concerned about getting bleeding edge updates, there's even ways to postpone them. Easier still in the Pro builds, but it's always suggested to go Pro over Home with Windows anyway. The advertising also isn't hard to cripple after initial install.

As for complaints about UI incongruity, Windows has had that going back to well before everyone's precious Windows 2000 (and you can thank the legacy of OS/2 for some of that)... and if you think it's jarring in Win 10, you clearly haven't ever had to use a Linux desktop with apps installed using GTK, Qt/KDE, Java, XUL, Tk, Motif, and Xaw widget toolkits in the same environment - and that's not even factoring the applications put out by programmers even within the same toolkits who don't know Fitts's Law from their elbow. Things have gotten better over the years, but dang. Heck, not even OSX is immune to inconsistent UIs.

I've deeply disliked Windows for a long time, and I'm a very strong privacy and consumer advocate (as my years here on this forum leave considerable record toward) as well as a strong F/OSS booster primarily for the speech over beer reasons... but Win 10 is the first version of Windows that I haven't just absolutely loathed out of the box since Windows 2000. Stuff just works... and when combined with Ninite, is surprisingly quick and easy to set up and configure.

I still run Ubuntu myself, and I'll readily admit that I'm one of the few weirdos that actually liked the Unity desktop, so feel free to discredit me on that opinion alone... but Win10 isn't near as bad as people make it out to be if you just read a little bit during setup, be less afraid of change, and just give it a chance. Gronnie isn't wrong.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2017, 09:33:43 PM by Daley »

daverobev

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #18 on: December 19, 2017, 08:50:07 AM »
I certainly don't want 'please log in with your Microsoft account!' all over the place, and I don't want the OS tracking my every move.

I really don't understand these last two arguments against Windows 10 in favor of older builds of Windows, and this is coming from a long time entrenched *nix beard who hasn't run Windows himself on a daily basis for over a decade and a half.

You do realize and understand that all the "tracking" and telemetry stuff in Windows 10 was backported to Windows 7/8 nearly two years ago, right? All of it. Every last bit. The only difference is, I actually find it easier to properly locate and disable everything able to be disabled in Windows 10, because it's not as hidden away (in fact, the quickest and easiest way is to just disable most of it during initial account setup)... but somehow being more transparent and accessible about these settings is bad and evil. How's the old saying go... out of sight, out of mind?

Also, the account login stuff is optional, including with the system accounts. I'd heard so many horrible complaints about it from others, I was expecting the worst... then I experimented around with it. It's amazing how easy it is to avoid Microsoft accounts across the board on software and the user account if you just read during setup. You don't even need an MS account to install free software from their app store.

If you're that concerned about getting bleeding edge updates, there's even ways to postpone them. Easier still in the Pro builds, but it's always suggested to go Pro over Home with Windows anyway. The advertising also isn't hard to cripple after initial install.

As for complaints about UI incongruity, Windows has had that going back to well before everyone's precious Windows 2000 (and you can thank the legacy of OS/2 for some of that)... and if you think it's jarring in Win 10, you clearly haven't ever had to use a Linux desktop with apps installed using GTK, Qt/KDE, Java, XUL, Tk, Motif, and Xaw widget toolkits in the same environment - and that's not even factoring the applications put out by programmers even within the same toolkits who don't know Fitts's Law from their elbow. Things have gotten better over the years, but dang. Heck, not even OSX is immune to inconsistent UIs.

I've deeply disliked Windows for a long time, and I'm a very strong privacy and consumer advocate (as my years here on this forum leave considerable record toward) as well as a strong F/OSS booster primarily for the speech over beer reasons... but Win 10 is the first version of Windows that I haven't just absolutely loathed out of the box since Windows 2000. Stuff just works... and when combined with Ninite, is surprisingly quick and easy to set up and configure.

I still run Ubuntu myself, and I'll readily admit that I'm one of the few weirdos that actually liked the Unity desktop, so feel free to discredit me on that opinion alone... but Win10 isn't near as bad as people make it out to be if you just read a little bit during setup, be less afraid of change, and just give it a chance. Gronnie isn't wrong.

I've used pretty much every version of Windows since... 3.11 I guess.

You can disable all the backporting stuff from 8 and 10 to 7, which I've done. I thoroughly dislike being nagged to do things/seeing that kind of stuff built in to the *operating* system. Key point - it's there to be the foundation on which other stuff runs.

I thoroughly dislike OSX, though I am out of date with it (I had 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, then I think 10.5 and 10.6, I forget). I thoroughly dislike Linux but it's getting to the point that it will be the lesser of two evils. I am slightly hopeful I'll be able to switch to ReactOS or even Haiku.

I'm not afraid of change. I'm afraid of adverts and spyware built into the core of the operating system. I used Vista for a while, and after disabling a lot of crap and with the later updates it was fine, honestly. I used 8 for a while and, well, ditto. 10 is fine if you ignore the things I absolutely can't stand, which is things that should not be there - buttons and switches (and yes adverts) in various places for things that have no business being part of the *operating* system.

ketchup

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #19 on: December 19, 2017, 09:16:37 AM »
I'd throw an SSD in there without a second thought, and "wait and see" about the RAM upgrade (since it's low impact and quick to do, less so than the SSD).  And yes, I would upgrade to Win10 too; you'll have to do it eventually, so you might as well now.

Sjalabais

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #20 on: December 19, 2017, 11:24:17 AM »
I've used pretty much every version of Windows since... 3.11 I guess.

You can disable all the backporting stuff from 8 and 10 to 7, which I've done. I thoroughly dislike being nagged to do things/seeing that kind of stuff built in to the *operating* system. Key point - it's there to be the foundation on which other stuff runs.

I thoroughly dislike OSX, though I am out of date with it (I had 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, then I think 10.5 and 10.6, I forget). I thoroughly dislike Linux but it's getting to the point that it will be the lesser of two evils. I am slightly hopeful I'll be able to switch to ReactOS or even Haiku.

I'm not afraid of change. I'm afraid of adverts and spyware built into the core of the operating system. I used Vista for a while, and after disabling a lot of crap and with the later updates it was fine, honestly. I used 8 for a while and, well, ditto. 10 is fine if you ignore the things I absolutely can't stand, which is things that should not be there - buttons and switches (and yes adverts) in various places for things that have no business being part of the *operating* system.
Couldn't agree more with this post. Windows 10, just as Android on phones, is a massive insult to privacy and rationality out of the box. Spend a couple of hours fixing it though and it works very well. I see no reason at all to remain at Windows 7.

jim555

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #21 on: December 20, 2017, 07:46:07 AM »
I've used pretty much every version of Windows since... 3.11 I guess.

You can disable all the backporting stuff from 8 and 10 to 7, which I've done. I thoroughly dislike being nagged to do things/seeing that kind of stuff built in to the *operating* system. Key point - it's there to be the foundation on which other stuff runs.

I thoroughly dislike OSX, though I am out of date with it (I had 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, then I think 10.5 and 10.6, I forget). I thoroughly dislike Linux but it's getting to the point that it will be the lesser of two evils. I am slightly hopeful I'll be able to switch to ReactOS or even Haiku.

I'm not afraid of change. I'm afraid of adverts and spyware built into the core of the operating system. I used Vista for a while, and after disabling a lot of crap and with the later updates it was fine, honestly. I used 8 for a while and, well, ditto. 10 is fine if you ignore the things I absolutely can't stand, which is things that should not be there - buttons and switches (and yes adverts) in various places for things that have no business being part of the *operating* system.
Couldn't agree more with this post. Windows 10, just as Android on phones, is a massive insult to privacy and rationality out of the box. Spend a couple of hours fixing it though and it works very well. I see no reason at all to remain at Windows 7.
Any closed source OS should not be used if you are concerned with privacy.  Android, Win 10,8,7, OSX are all botnets.

Sjalabais

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #22 on: December 21, 2017, 02:12:48 PM »
Any closed source OS should not be used if you are concerned with privacy.  Android, Win 10,8,7, OSX are all botnets.
That may be true, but there are always ways to adapt. Not in perfection, but close enough. I am, for example, very happy when Google AdSense asks me, male, 35, if I am pregnant. Might be confused with my wife or whatever, but big data is not there yet.

I ran SuSe Linux for five years while being a student. Eventually, I got so frustrated with the half-cooked OS, I had to go back to Windows to avoid destroying the hardware. Unpacking .tar.gz-files will forever be the work of satan in my mind.

jim555

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #23 on: December 21, 2017, 02:37:30 PM »
Any closed source OS should not be used if you are concerned with privacy.  Android, Win 10,8,7, OSX are all botnets.
That may be true, but there are always ways to adapt. Not in perfection, but close enough. I am, for example, very happy when Google AdSense asks me, male, 35, if I am pregnant. Might be confused with my wife or whatever, but big data is not there yet.

I ran SuSe Linux for five years while being a student. Eventually, I got so frustrated with the half-cooked OS, I had to go back to Windows to avoid destroying the hardware. Unpacking .tar.gz-files will forever be the work of satan in my mind.
Ubuntu Mate for me has been solid and bug free.  I don't think software can destroy hardware.  Maybe give it another try?

Sjalabais

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Re: Is this old Toshiba Satellite Laptop worth any upgrades?
« Reply #24 on: December 22, 2017, 01:30:18 AM »
No software won't destroy hardware, owners with five years worth of frustration related to hardware can though. :D

I just build a very competent desktop from leftovers. Installed Ubuntu while trying to figure out how to make my W10 license work. There were a couple of issues that made me install the god awful Windows 8 for a waiting period and I haven't run Ubuntu since.

Got to say the desktop is first and foremost build to play. Even though my game is cleared for Linux in Whine and "Play for Linux", it was not just straight forward. Wasn't the real issue here though, other things came first.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2017, 01:32:07 AM by Sjalabais »