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Jnr FD is in GCSE year.
3 or 4 years ago generous friends bought him a Dell Inspiron 7306 2in 1
It’s still in good condition, apart from the battery which is useless. However the CPU is constantly working hard ie 70% roughly
Googling suggests Dell software could be the issue taking up resource, but I’ve updated the Dell software which in theory solves it, it hasn’t
So I can buy a new battery £50 ish, but am I just better to spend £200 on a Google Chromebook (it’s only used for school which uses Google)
Ive run full antivirus and malware scans and nothing
Ideas ? Ta
Remove the Dell shitty software
Or convert to a Chromebook - very easy, you only need a usb memory stick and takes about 30 minutes.
Remove the Dell shitty software
Easier said than done!
It still leaves stuff that you can’t simply uninstall
Take all the stuff/files you need off the computer onto a drive somewhere and do a clean install of windows without all the crappy dell stuff.
Run services.msc and review what is using CPU and memory and then see if you can disable them if they are unneeded.
Hit ALT + CTRL + DEL to bring up the task manager.
See what processes are running and what resources they are using.
Go to the Startup tab. Disable from startup anything that isn't essential.
Also vacuum out any dust clogging the cooling system and check that there is plenty of disk space.
As others have said, you need to see what's using CPU power. Nothing wrong with a 4 year old laptop - probably some useless software running in the background.
This seems like a good place to ask...and apologies for jumping on the thread. I need to get my daughter (just started 6th form) a chromebook or similar. The college provide O365, so is it just a case of picking something off the shelf at Curys or is there any spectacular devices out there we should consider?
This seems like a good place to ask...and apologies for jumping on the thread. I need to get my daughter (just started 6th form) a chromebook or similar. The college provide O365, so is it just a case of picking something off the shelf at Curys or is there any spectacular devices out there we should consider?
Chromebooks are great, but if she has aspirations to continue education beyond 6th form, I'd be looking to buy a windows or mac machine.
A Lenovo or Dell refurb/ dent and scratch model would be where I would look if Casa OTS wasn't entirely mac.
Without knowing the spec of the laptop, if it was new 4 years ago my suspension would be on them having done something software wise as suggested above.
If it's this, https://www.productindetail.com/pn/dell-inspiron-7306-2-in-1
It's perfectly capable so I'd be looking at what's running at startup and what's using resources in task manager, as suggested above.
Remove the Dell shitty software
Easier said than done!
It still leaves stuff that you can’t simply uninstall
Really what exactly does it leave? Manufactures like to add bloatware, but normally it's all removal in add/remove programs.
At worst re-install a fresh version of windows, as I'd echo the above, laptops that 3/4 years old will last for ages nowadays.
To add to the above, I have a very simmilar spec asus, and its absolutley great - get into task manager and see whats using resourses: 
Thanks for the further input
I did do a Windows install last night that kept documents and data. It made no odds
Maybe I need to do a complete reinstall and just save any docs to a memory stick.
Not massively IT literate, an you do a complete reinstall with a disk etc?
Thanks for the further input
I did do a Windows install last night that kept documents and data. It made no odds
Maybe I need to do a complete reinstall and just save any docs to a memory stick.
Not massively IT literate, an you do a complete reinstall with a disk etc?
You can 'reset pc' which is almost like reinstalling windows... is that what you mean? but really you need to analyse task manager to see what the culprits are or you're stabbing in the dark and youll be none the wiser.
Its quite possible theyve installed something dodgy etc, but its impossible to diagnose with the only info being 'high cpu, terrible battery'.
I can try and post a pic tonight of the task manager stuff. It doesn’t remain constant, but was a massive long list of Microsoft and Dell stuff
a massive long list of Microsoft and Dell stuff
Stuff like Microsoft Teams can take a lot of resources. Go to the task manager, look at the startup tab, disable anything that isn't essential.
This doesn't uninstall programs, it stops them launching in the background when the machine starts up. Some things need to launch at startup, but stuff like MS Office doesn't.
I can try and post a pic tonight of the task manager stuff. It doesn’t remain constant, but was a massive long list of Microsoft and Dell stuff
If you click the tabs at the top, you can order the list by biggest hog, rather than it dancing around too much.
for example here, i've clicked memory, which shows me that im only really using memory for things im activley using right now, i.e. browser, outlook, windows security and task manager...which is as it should be.
Do that for memory and CPU and that should give you a good idea of whats going on.
If required for school which uses Google services then buying a Chromebook might be a good idea. My main home device is an Asus Chromebook and it does almost everything I want really well, is reliable, lightweight and has a long battery life. It would be ideal for use by a school pupil.
This seems like a good place to ask...and apologies for jumping on the thread. I need to get my daughter (just started 6th form) a chromebook or similar. The college provide O365, so is it just a case of picking something off the shelf at Curys or is there any spectacular devices out there we should consider?
Separate thread would be a good place to ask.
As for the OP:
1) Hardware issues. Does she need a battery? How long does she go between power sockets?
2) Software issues. Pff, it's software, flatten it. I wouldn't be pissing about with taskman et al, I'd have a USB stick and hose the lot.
If it's Day One shit then that's different.
Are you in Scotland or have I confused my Duncs?
I did do a Windows install last night that kept documents and data. It made no oddsDid you reset, reinstall from recovery partition or reinstall from a USB? 2 of the 3 will leave all the bloatware.
Not massively IT literate, can you do a complete reinstall with a disk etc?Yes, you can create an image you can use to install windows on pretty much any media with enough space. I have a USB with win 10 on it somewhere, it's an old USB which i use as an emergency nuclear option when someone downloads so many viruses that i can't even be bothered to try and clean it up.
Suggestions of buying a new laptop are akin to kieth Richards returning his Bentley and demanding an new one. When pressed as to why, he said 'the ash tray is full'.
So this is 5 mins after starting the laptop
https://imgur.com/gallery/laptop-l0NVuCy#Bc1468F
This is after ending the dell task at the top
https://imgur.com/gallery/laptop-l0NVuCy#JP5HRSa
Even after ending the Dell Data Manager it then popped back up. In fact rather than the list of running stuff being stable it goes nuts with about 20 things then taking different cpu useage
Dell doesn’t appear on an app list anywhere
I’ve no idea why pics are not posting !?!
https://imgur.com/gallery/laptop-l0NVuCy#Bc1468F
https://imgur.com/gallery/laptop-l0NVuCy#JP5HRSa
https://imgur.com/gallery/laptop-l0NVuCy#tlC9kkd
Are you able to see any dell apps if you go settings - apps - installed apps?
also, in task manager, if you click 'start up apps' on the left pane, see what you can disable here, too.
You might want to allow some stuff, in my case I have a funky touch pad, specific to certain Asus models, so I leave 'asus mouse agent' enabled.
I googled that 'dell analytic' service, and it appears there's a lot of people bitching about it, so I'd nuke that... it appears to be some sort of security thing, but you only need microsoft security - 3rd party security apps are usually a pain in the ass.
Suggestions of buying a new laptop are akin to kieth Richards returning his Bentley and demanding an new one. When pressed as to why, he said 'the ash tray is full'.
Amusing anecdote but not really comparable. If the young student is battling to use a device that is not functioning correctly they may start to fall behind their peers, get frustrated etc.
Spending £200 on a Chromebook that can be used for schoolwork and keeping the Windows laptop for leisure use, where any performance issues will not impact education progress, seems a sensible approach to me.
A Chromebook is likely to be lighter and have better battery life which are both big pluses. It also looks like the current Dell uses a proprietary charging port whereas a modern Chromebook will use USB C for power which simplifies charging.
That the school uses the Google app suite reinforces the suitability of a Chromebook for this use.
In the OP's shoes I would set a time limit on trying to fix the Dell and if that is reached either convert it to run ChromeOS or by a new Chromebook.
Suggestions of buying a new laptop are akin to kieth Richards returning his Bentley and demanding an new one. When pressed as to why, he said 'the ash tray is full'.
Amusing anecdote but not really comparable. If the young student is battling to use a device that is not functioning correctly they may start to fall behind their peers, get frustrated etc.
Spending £200 on a Chromebook that can be used for schoolwork and keeping the Windows laptop for leisure use, where any performance issues will not impact education progress, seems a sensible approach to me.
A Chromebook is likely to be lighter and have better battery life which are both big pluses. It also looks like the current Dell uses a proprietary charging port whereas a modern Chromebook will use USB C for power which simplifies charging.
That the school uses the Google app suite reinforces the suitability of a Chromebook for this use.
In the OP's shoes I would set a time limit on trying to fix the Dell and if that is reached either convert it to run ChromeOS or by a new Chromebook.
Hah, it's absolutley comparable.. op just needs to uninstal and disable as appropriate, the dell bloatware.
Sure throw money down the drain if you want, but there is a better way, lol
Hah, it's absolutley comparable.. op just needs to uninstal and disable as appropriate, the dell bloatware.
and that appears to be a lot easier said than done
Why, its just software. Have you tried to uninstall it/anything from settings - apps - installed apps? What message do you get?
Are you able to see any dell apps if you go settings - apps - installed apps?
TBH, the number of warnings i get when removing the bloatware, i'm not surprised it seems difficult...Hah, it's absolutley comparable.. op just needs to uninstal and disable as appropriate, the dell bloatware.
and that appears to be a lot easier said than done
If you're prepared to get it to me, I'll fix the fkn thing for free or tell you if it's trash.
it's absolutley comparable..
☝
My car ran out of petrol, can anyone recommend a horse?
So last night had another look
Took the case off , very little dust but still vacuumed
Looked at apps, but via a different menu approach and all the Dell apps did come up and could be uninstalled
all taken off and pc still runs. CPU usage now down to approx 10% avg and the fan isn’t constantly running more like 75% of the time. New battery ordered so will see when that arrives
Thanks for all the input
So last night had another look
Took the case off , very little dust but still vacuumed
Looked at apps, but via a different menu approach and all the Dell apps did come up and could be uninstalled
all taken off and pc still runs. CPU usage now down to approx 10% avg and the fan isn’t constantly running more like 75% of the time. New battery ordered so will see when that arrives
Thanks for all the input
With the fan, it doesn't take much to make it spin up, as laptops aren't great for heat dissipation... you metioned you reset/reinstalled windows, so it will likely settle down a bit if you leave it running so it can update and index properly (stuff that will happen automatically in the background without your input).
Well, I'm sure people are writing words.