Computer recommend

[John A]

So what is a decent inexpensive laptop that's primary purpose will be Guzzi Diag?

[ken farr]

The black one at Costco.


 


kjf

( seriously, that's what I did.  Very good warranty through OEM and then Costco, little money for a laptop that runs Guzzi Dialog, plays music, Prairie Home Companion, goes to Amazon.com and here......)

[Wayne Orwig]

The black one at Costco.

There can be a good reason to buy at the high volume places like Costco and Sam's Club. If there is any kind of glitch, when you take it back, they have no clue what to do, so they just hand you a new replacement.
If you buy from the computer geek people, they are more inclined to want to try this driver setting or that setting, when in reality the dang touch pad (or whatever) is broken.

You can run GuzziDiag on a touch screen tablet for under $100 BTW. Real handy to carry around.

[ITSec]

Almost any brand except HP/Compaq. Even some of the no-name ones. Costco is a great source with their own add-on tech support (free) and an extra year warranty (free). Other good online sources include Frys, Newegg and TigerDirect. I use a Windows 10" tablet or my ThinkPad X220 for GuzziDiag; it's not a terribly demanding piece of software, it just needs good USB connectivity so it doesn't drop data or connections.

[atavar]

You are asking for too many things at once.  Your three choices are Good, Easy and Cheap.  Pick two.

[rodekyll]

I have a Toshiba 'tablet' type touchscreen laptop running W7 I'll sell you for $200.  Comes with pivoting/flopdown touchscreen, the charger, and battery.

[Markcarovilli]

There can be a good reason to buy at the high volume places like Costco and Sam's Club. If there is any kind of glitch, when you take it back, they have no clue what to do, so they just hand you a new replacement.
If you buy from the computer geek people, they are more inclined to want to try this driver setting or that setting, when in reality the dang touch pad (or whatever) is broken.

You can run GuzziDiag on a touch screen tablet for under $100 BTW. Real handy to carry around.

Touch screen really - don't you need a serial port.  Help me understand....

Mark

[ITSec]

Touch screen really - don't you need a serial port.  Help me understand....

Mark

Touch screen means the keyboard is optional - lighter and easier to use in the garage and on the road, though a bit less accurate in use than mouse and keyboard.. Serial port? These days most PCs of any kind are losing their serial ports. A USB-to-serial dongle is a common accessory, as shown in the threads on GuzziDiag.

I have one laptop that's a big desktop-replacement style one, one that's the Windows equivalent of a MacBook Air (solid-state drives, thin and light), and a tablet what has a detachable cover that includes a keyboard and touchpad - as well has having its touchscreen. I pick the one that suits the need of the day.

[charlie b]

Buy it from RK.  You get lifetime IT support :)

[Wayne Orwig]

Touch screen really - don't you need a serial port.  Help me understand....

Mark

Not sure what you mean.
The LonElec cable set to OBDII is USB. Pretty much ALL GuzziDiag cable sets are going to be USB to OBDII. Most Windows tablets have USB (and Micro SD). Even the cheap ones at WallyWord.

You can run most anything with the windows touch screen. The developer of GuzziDiag even added a touch menu for me on the screen to even make it easier. Though you can run GuzziDiag even without that, it works a bit better with fat fingers.

[Markcarovilli]

Opps - I was thinking the cables were a serial connection had forgotten it is USB.

Mark

[Wayne Orwig]

Opps - I was thinking the cables were a serial connection had forgotten it is USB.

It actually is serial, but the cables pretty much are all USB to OBDII (serial). It will show up as a normal serial COM port.

[rboe]

I picked up a used (off lease) Lenovo T410 from this source. http://computers.woot.com/?ref=w_gh_cp_4

I like the Lenovo brand (Thinkpad line only) as they have been pretty good to us at work. Just another data point.

[guzziownr]

My 9 Y.O. twins upgraded my laptop to Windows 10 without asking "may I?"

Will guzzidiag still run the same?  My Griso is currently tuned to perfection but...

[John A]

Rodekyll , I sent a PM, I am interested. Unfortunately I am computer illiterate so I have not a clue what I would be buying but assume it's what I want. PM me and we can set up the details if your not up to your armpits in alligators, moving and like that.

[rodekyll]

PM sent

[Wayne Orwig]

My 9 Y.O. twins upgraded my laptop to Windows 10 without asking "may I?"

Will guzzidiag still run the same?  My Griso is currently tuned to perfection but...

Should work fine. All of my PCs, tablets and laptops are Win 10 and run GuzziDiag fine.

[Testarossa]

Almost any brand except HP/Compaq.

Over the past 33 years I've gone thru eight or ten portable computers, beginning with a luggable Kaypro. The only two that proved unreliable were a Compaq and an HP, and tech support was of no help whatsoever.

[lazlokovacs]

For my guzzidiag needs, I went to the nearest shop and bought the ugliest cheapest pc they had..

3 years later I'm still using it for everything!

[jcctx]

Wonder if a "chrome book" would run the "guzzi diag" program????

[rss29]

I really like my HP Folio 9480 laptop. It's far better than the Thinkpad it replaced. It gets used all day, every day and drives 3 external monitors no problem. It gets carried around constantly, docking, undocking, sleeping, etc and has been all over North America. I never liked HP computers before getting this one, but it has been flawless. It still cold boots in about 30 seconds (SSD). We have hundreds of them in use and almost everyone has had a similar experience.

[charlie b]

I've used HP/Compaq for many years and except for one laptop they were all great.  That one had a Wifi issue on the motherboard.  FWIW, that motherboard was common to about 4 different brands of laptop.  As to customer service, got a service chat online, RMA number.  Sent it back.  It was fixed and returned under warranty.  6 days total turn around.  IMHO, not bad.

My current work laptop is an HP (Elitebook).

Most of my laptops have died after about 4 yrs of use.  I am not kind to them.  The go on the bike with me to work everday, and on camping trips where they are stuff into the cases with other stuff, dropped, banged around, etc.  When I am shopping the first thing I do as a 'test' is to twist the case.  If it does so easily I do not buy it.  That usually means I buy metal cased laptops, which also means not cheap.

But, I prefer Toshiba laptops.  They just seem to be more rugged than others.  My current one also cost a bit more, approx $800.

[grinmaul]

i use an old acer netbook that my wife bought years ago for under 200.

something like this, but ours is a lot older.

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834315373

[ITSec]

Wonder if a "chrome book" would run the "guzzi diag" program????

A Chromebook runs Chrome OS, not Windows or Linux, and relies on an Internet connection for much of its functionality. It might be possible to tweak the Linux version of GuzziDiag to run on Chrome OS, but with the limitations of the platform it's likely not worth the trouble. Chrome OS is more of an alternative for devices intended to compete with high-end eBook devices like those from Amazon and B&N, or for laptop users who don't use productivity applications and who can rely on Internet-based apps.

[Demar]

I use an Asus tablet with USB port. It works aces.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 I bought an H P red from Wally World today.  I am un able to make it work.
 H P in their infinite wisdom thinks that anyone who buys one of their computers already knows how to use it.
 When I took it out of the box, there was not one single word of instructions.  I figured that the black rectangular button was the power button so I pressed it.  A tiny orange light came on so I was hopeful.
 After about 3 minutes the screen lit up.  After poking around futilely, I found a start up page and began filling in the blanks and clicking on next.  It came to a page about choosing a wyfy system and
I figured I could come back to that after I filled in all the other info it wanted.  BIG MISTAKE  Now it won't let go back to that page the choose a wyfy system.  So now I have a new USELESS laptop that won't let me do anything until I am on the web and it won't let me go back to that page to get on the web.
 It should be Illegal to sell a computer without a sheet of instructions in the box.
 Can any of you help me get back to the opening page that first came up when I turned it on?

[rodekyll]

What's the operating system, Jim?

[Mr Revhead]

I bought a cheap Windows tablet that attaches to a hinged keyboard. Was cheap and works fine. Is smll enough I can take it with me no problems, and is also handy for movies and browsing etc when away ;)
GuzziDiag is not a big programme that needs a lot of resources so pretty much anything made int he last 5 years will do it no problem.
Just make sure whatever you buy runs proper Windows and not the tablet/mobile version

[Sasquatch Jim]

  I don't know what an operating system is.  I don't speak computereese.  That's why I need an instruction manual.

[rodekyll]

Then I can't help you.  Sorry.