Anyone have user experience with Toshiba Satellite laptops?

BuzzPCSOS

brent I don't know what version Toshiba yours was other than using BIOS. Mine is a Satellite C660 with a i3 gen 3 CPU, 2Gb ram and originally shipped with win7.
4Gb of ram makes things much more responsive and an SSD improves general speed and performance greatly. Great for browsing and light use. Probably best not to try video editing or bitcoin mining on it though 😀

brent

BuzzPCSOS We aren't using either of them since I rebuilt my desktop; they are both in a box under the bed. 2GB just is not enough for a game of Solitaire..

..I think these would be great with 8-12GB in them so now I have to weigh RAM cost, install time [case has to be removed there is no memory access], money, availability...plus the hours of research I normally do before a task like that...

...or sell them $25 a piece for them on Craigslist.

I realize there are harder decisions in life than this 😀

BuzzPCSOS

brent Selling them is certainly an option, especially if you have problems getting at the hardware. I have since acquired another Toshiba with an older low performance AMD CPU. It seems to work well enough on 2GB for me, even running on a rusty disc.
Probably worth a look at the CPU spec as a decent processor could well justify a reclaimed SSD and a RAM upgrade especially if they are in excellent condition. For laptops I prefer i3 or i5 Intel CPUs. There were plenty of economy spec versions that were just a waste of space. Intel Celeron in all it's guises should be avoided as should Atoms, Pentiums and Core2duos.

brent

BuzzPCSOS Probably worth a look at the CPU spec as a decent processor could well justify a reclaimed SSD and a RAM upgrade

I did not consider this, thank you.

BuzzPCSOS have since acquired another Toshiba with an older low performance AMD CPU. It seems to work well enough on 2GB for me, even running on a rusty disc.

that's strange. my C-55 when I went into BIOS was about 2.3ghz which I also attribute to its lackadaisical performance.

BuzzPCSOS Intel Celeron in all it's guises should be avoided as should Atoms, Pentiums and Core2duos.

yes, these date back to the Compaq era! I'm glad you told me and SSD might improve things. I really value your technical input.

PLAN: Since partner does not want hers I am going to crack it open and take her Ram and add it to my laptop. and see of that changes anything. At least under the hood I can see which SSD type it will accommodate. I will report back. @Axios and when I put the new Ram in I will follow your contact-cleaning advice (eraser!).

brent

BuzzPCSOS
OK...........I cracked open both of these little bast**** and Bazinga! They only have one RAM slot. I was warned in my reading some might.

I did not notice anywhere for an SSD except for where the tiny HDD goes. It fit the width I think.

I think 16GB is the max on these C-55's I have to doublecheck, some say 8GB.

I have a couple fairly useless 2GB sticks in my hand. My choices, Buzz, are clear 2X8 or 2X16GB depending--one for each.
One RAM bay changes my thinking entirely. Might have to research if these are even SSD upgrade-able.
These could likely be the two most useless things in my house right now. Or above average in the end.

BuzzPCSOS

brent my C-55 when I went into BIOS was about 2.3ghz which I also attribute to its lackadaisical performance.

I was referring to RAM size, not CPU speed. A slow i3 is still better than a fast Celeron. Lots or RAM will usually help but Atom or Celeron processors still seem to need time to 'catch up' every so often. Don't know why.

brent I did not notice anywhere for an SSD except for where the tiny HDD goes. It fit the width I think.

The hard drive in this model is a standard 2.5" HDD which is a standard laptop item but much smaller than the 3.5" drives found in a desktop. Either way a 2.5" SSD will fit perfectly.
The extra RAM will give a performance boost but please make a check on what CPU you are running before getting too invested here. There are plenty of this type of laptop that ship on the budget end of the spectrum sporting the Intel inside label while carefully avoiding the Celeron label by giving the processor some complicated name instead. If the processor is worth spending time with it should clearly be identified as i3, i5 or i7.

brent

brent EDIT: now my reading says some C55s hide their 2nd Ram Slot under the keyboard. Good grief.

MORE EDIT: I'm watching a tech swap out a HDD for an SSS in this model so it can be done.

brent

BuzzPCSOS If the processor is worth spending time with it should clearly be identified as i3, i5 or i7.

thanks! will have a look later

brent

BuzzPCSOS There are plenty of this type of laptop that ship on the budget end of the spectrum sporting the Intel inside label while carefully avoiding the Celeron label by giving the processor some complicated name instead.

Intel Celeron 2.16 GHz is what I have X2.

The project to make either one of these laptops a dependable and reliable auxiliary computer is closed.
It pretty much is impossible. Glad they were free.
I don't think 8GB ram and and an SSD would greatly improve this do you? Or do you?
Last ditch here, and I value your opinion 🙂

BuzzPCSOS

brent It looks like from the specs of this model there are only a few CPUs fitted

Intel Core i3-4005U
Intel Pentium 2020M Less cores than i3. No hyper-threading. Slower
AMD A8-6410 Much slower than i3
AMD A6-4400M Much, much slower than an i3
I think that is basically how it spans out anyhow. Speed of the CPU fastest at the top, slowest at the bottom.

BuzzPCSOS

brent A Celeron is always going to be an economy processor no matter what you do to it.
If you were only wanting the one laptop I would seriously consider selling the two and then using the money to get one with a decent processor.
I use eBay to source computers that generally have Linux support. My personal favourite is Dell as they provide a Ubuntu option in addition to Windows which means that other distros will most likely work out of the box. They are often used in the offices of big companies so there is plenty of choice and the price is usually very fair.
I hope that helps.
Edit: If you are more familiar with desktop PCs it should be noted that like for like the mobile CPUs will always have a lower performance due to less efficient cooling, miniaturised components and battery conservation. If you want a laptop to perform well you will need to use the best CPU available depending on what you want to use it for. An Atom CPU is a low performer but is easy on batteries and cheap. An intel i7 will be fast and powerful but only the very recent iterations have returned reasonable battery consumption, it is also much more expensive. Strangely in the second hand computer marketplace the cost difference between high-end and economy seems to be much narrower.

WetGeek

brent Glad they were free.

There's always GoodWill.

brent

BuzzPCSOS Strangely in the second hand computer marketplace the cost difference between high-end and economy seems to be much narrower.

I've noticed that. As an Ebay hound, I've noticed used parts are often more than open box (never used).
Anyways. thanks for that great info.
The laptops were free and the models almost non-upgradable---what bad luck!! Hey, we tried.
It was a simple plan: take free laptop, give it new life as a daily performer. FAIL 🙁. Can't win
em all.
Will just stay with my desktop til another free laptop falls from the sky 🙂

BuzzPCSOS

brent In all fairness a Celeron will run Solus fairly well if you pop out the keyboard and put a donor RAM stick in there. The addition of an SSD would make most things happen about six times faster. It just wouldn't be as nice as with an i3 under the hood. Really depends on what you want to use it for.

brent

BuzzPCSOS In all fairness a Celeron will run Solus fairly well if you pop out the keyboard and put a donor RAM stick in there. The addition of an SSD would make most things happen about six times faster. It just wouldn't be as nice as with an i3 under the hood. Really depends on what you want to use it for.

now I'm reconsidering! ha! If i do reconsider I have to find out out if a C55-5296S or a C55-5242X even have the under=keyboard slot. that kind of research always takes more time than it should.
Ongoing... 🙂

brent

see what I mean about suspect research? this, from https://specspro.net/laptops/809-toshiba-satellite-c55-b5242x/
Intel Pentium N3540 / 2.16 GHz
2.66 GHz
Quad-Core
2 MB
Yes
Intel Pentium 2.16 GHz
Intel HD Graphics

It's rare, in my research, when a line of laptops all have one and only one CPU they ever used.
Also in those specs it alludes to a single slot.
I go on..

I found the Toshiba factory manual:

"Model Name: C55-A5242
Processor and Graphics:
Intel Celeron Processor 1037U
(2M Cache, 1.80GHz)

Mobile Intel NM70 Express Chipset

Mobile Intel HD graphics with shared graphics memory

Memory
Configured with 4GB DDR3 1333MHz (max 16GB)
2 main memory slots. One slot is occupied
Storage Drive6
500GB (5400 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive"

at 1.8Ghz I'm not getting my hopes up. Will see if the 5296 is more robust. specspro was mostly right. NOTE: 2 memory slots though (EDIT).

brent

BITTERWEET --the 5296:

Processor and Graphics
• Intel® Celeron® N2830 Processor
o (1M Cache, up to 2.41GHz)
• Mobile Intel® HD graphics with shared graphics memory
Memory
• 4GB DDR3L 1333MHz (not user upgradable)
Storage Drive

• 500GB (5400 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive

relevant stuff BOLDED. This Celeron more robust (2.41Ghz vs 2.16). Bittersweet the memory is not upgradable (single slot).

drats.

BuzzPCSOS

brent • 4GB DDR3L 1333MHz (not user upgradable)

But I thought you only had 2GB RAM?
If you have 4GB then a 120GB SSD and you would be good to go on Solus.

See if there is a YouTube tutorial for upgrading the RAM for your model number. Failing that there are plenty of memory sales sites that include individual tutorials that would include removing the keyboard if it was an option.

Axios

brent I found one of these in a box the other day about fainted be happy send it to you
for your laptop..lol

Anyway on serious note I have this that I use for browsing and just stuff it works just fine with 4g memory
and ssd only difference its prob newer than what you have.
But a great lounge machine.

brent

BuzzPCSOS But I thought you only had 2GB RAM?
If you have 4GB then a 120GB SSD and you would be good to go on Solus.

performance was so shi*** I naturally assumed 2GB. And In BIOS I thought. I saw 2GB in specs as well for the old C-55s.
Should I go with the beefier of the two CPU's which is the 5296? I will YT for that info later (thank you Solus for maintaining yewtube!)

WetGeek There's always GoodWill.

the last few years I have lived there. donated there. shopped there. probably bought a shirt or two back that was mine there since I like the style 😀 .

There will be no donating of the Satellites until its time, to quote Orson Welles in a Julio Gallo commercial.

BuzzPCSOS

brent performance was so shi***

This has been a long discussion, probably should have got you to post inxi -F early on and then I would have had a good idea of what we were working with.
Right now Solus Budgie? What is slow? Time to boot, application launch time, website loading time, or struggling to run graphic animations? Some things are fixable by upgrading hardware or tweaking software but other combinations are going to result in a sale on Craigslist.

brent

BuzzPCSOS Right now Solus Budgie? What is slow? Time to boot, application launch time, website loading time, or struggling to run graphic animations?

budgie. everything slow. typing. dragging windows. opening apps. loading a webpage. activating fields to write in. long spinning wheels. it's not like it's broken...it's more like fatigued and taxed...

..the laptop simply performs as a laptop would circa 1995.
That's the year I bought my first laptop: a Compaq size of a briefcase. It behaves exactly like using the Satellite--frustrating.

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