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How long do graphics cards last?

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 28, 2018August 21, 2018

How long do graphics cards last? As with anything computer-related, it depends. But as long as the card isn’t abused, it’s not uncommon at all for the card to be obsolete before it stops working.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He has written professionally about computers since 1991, so he was writing about retro computers when they were still new. He has been working in IT professionally since 1994 and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He holds Security+ and CISSP certifications. Today he blogs five times a week, mostly about retro computers and retro gaming covering the time period from 1975 to 2000.

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SSD not detected in BIOS? Try this.

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 24, 2018August 23, 2018

Have I got one weird trick for you. I spent most of a night fighting an SSD not detected in BIOS problem, and the answer was simple. But weird. Even for a guy who once recovered the data off a broken USB thumb drive with two clothespins.

But my clothespins trick was temporary. This is a long-term fix, even if it lacks something in the professionalism department. MacGyver-style computer fixes can be fun.

Dave Farquhar

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Install Chrome OS on an old laptop or PC

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 22, 2018March 13, 2021

Chrome OS is a great alternative operating system for secure, modern computing. But did you know you don’t have to just buy a Chromebook or Chromebox? Did you know you can install Chrome OS on an old laptop or PC? Here’s how, and why you might want to do so.

Dave Farquhar

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How to print from a Chromebook to an HP printer

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 21, 2018May 12, 2023

Setting up a printer on a Chromebook is quite a bit different from what you’re used to on a Mac or Windows PC. Google provides cloud printing and similar functionality to make it easy, but it doesn’t work with all printers, especially older printers. Believe it or not, new Chromebooks work great with ancient HP Laserjets. So here’s what I learned about how to print from a Chromebook to an HP printer.

It’s not super user friendly but this is still fairly new functionality. It works well if you know the trick. And this is important. I like Chromebooks. But you won’t like Chromebooks if you can’t do the stuff you want on them. Not everyone does a ton of printing anymore, but printing is basic functionality that people expect to be able to do. You won’t care how secure a Chromebook is if you can’t do basic functions.

Dave Farquhar

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How long do laptops last?

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 17, 2018August 19, 2018

How long do laptops last? How long should a laptop last? Is there anything you can do to make one last longer? Those are all fair questions. Let’s dig in so you can make your laptop last as long as possible, and save yourself a lot of money in the process.

There is a secret to buying laptops and saving a fortune, as you’ll soon find out.

Dave Farquhar

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Should I buy a used Chromebook?

Dave Farquhar Hardware, security August 15, 2018August 22, 2018

Should I buy a used Chromebook? I asked myself that question for years. And argued with myself about it. Finally I decided to take the plunge and bought one. Here are the pros and cons to buying a used Chromebook, and what you should look out for to protect yourself.

Overall I recommend them. For less than the price of a year of Lifelock, you can do something that really will make a difference in how secure your personal finance is.

Dave Farquhar

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Can you use a Dell charger on an HP laptop?

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 6, 2018September 10, 2023

Can you use a Dell charger on an HP laptop? Or vice versa? I don’t recommend it, but sometimes you can. In a pinch, that’s better than not being able to use your laptop at all. Here’s how to tell.

Interchanging chargers between Dell and HP laptops doesn’t always work, and in the worst case, can damage the computer. Be sure to check the voltage and polarity before you even try it.

Dave Farquhar

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How long does toner last?

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 2, 2018June 4, 2023

Laser printer toner doesn’t dry out like inkjet ink does. But does toner go bad? Does laser printer toner expire? How long does toner last? In this blog post, I’ll explain why it can last a decade or more.

Laser printer toner doesn’t dry out, so the toner itself doesn’t go bad, and page count matters more than age when it comes to longevity. There are parts inside the toner cartridge that eventually go bad, but that generally takes 15-20 years.

Dave Farquhar

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CPU vs core, or core vs processor

Dave Farquhar Hardware July 15, 2018July 29, 2018amd, intel

Here’s a good question I heard the other day: What’s the difference between a CPU and cores, or the difference between the number of CPUs and the number of cores in a system? The CPU vs core or core vs processor distinction, it turns out, is subtle.

As far as the operating system is concerned, there is no difference, but I’ll explain why. For you, there might be a difference.

Dave Farquhar

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Advantages of Intel processors

Dave Farquhar Hardware, Retro Computing July 13, 2018September 23, 2024

I’ve talked before about the disadvantages of the Intel 8086. But in spite of its weaknesses, it won. The CPU you are using right now descended from it. Even if you’re reading this on a smartphone, the server that sent the page to your smartphone has an Intel 8086 descendant in it. So what are some advantages of Intel processors? They won for a reason.

In the 1980s, there was a saying that nobody got fired for buying IBM. Intel positioned itself as the logical successor to that, building an ecosystem around its CPUs that allowed it to conduct marketing campaigns as the safe, reliable, compatible choice. It was true enough of the time that Intel built momentum that no other company could match.

Dave Farquhar

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