Computer Longevity

I have an Acer laptop that is 10 years old and was wondering how long I can expect the CPU and hard drive to last, based on average figures for such hardware.

 

You should hope for the best but plan for the worst.

There really are too many variables to accurately predict what will happen to your specific computer. An excessive surge could take it out tomorrow. Or you could get years of service yet.

Actually, when it comes to computers, by far, most are retired before they actually die. That is, they are replaced or upgraded to support the latest operating systems or other software, or to improve performance, or just because the user wants something newer.

All hard drives (and electronics) WILL fail - eventually. So keep a good backup.

If I were to "bet" on what will fail first on your 10 year old laptop, I would put my money on your battery.

 

Thanks, guys. Already did the battery replacement a couple of years ago. Funny thing is that this laptop is plugged in 99% of the time.

 

So is mine. But often, when batteries fail, they develop an internal short between the cells within the battery. This often results in no or reduced voltage actually reaching the notebook itself. On some notebooks, you can remove the battery and run just off the charger. Other notebooks require the battery to be inserted.

Regardless, there is a lot of controversy over whether it is good for the battery or not, to leave the charger plugged in for long periods of time (I'm talking days and days). Like you, mine is plugged in pretty much 24/7 for weeks at a time. But what I do is, about once a month (if I remember), I unplug the charger and run the notebook until I run the battery down, and then let the notebook shutdown (go into hibernation) by itself. Then I fully charge the battery. This "exercises" the battery but more importantly, it calibrates or synchronizes the notebook's battery status monitoring feature to the battery.

For what its worth, my notebook is a 17 inch Toshiba I bought in February 2010 and its still the original battery. When new, it had a typical runtime of about 2 1/2 hours. Today its about 1 hour 45 minutes. All batteries naturally get weaker as they age so IMO, that loss of just 45 minutes for a nearly 10 year old battery is pretty good.

 

Yeah, my Toshiba never had great battery life. But that is not uncommon with hi-res 17 inch monitors compared to 15" notebooks in that day.

 

My Hp laptop has not shut off in over a year.Runs All day,I let it drain battery at least once a month.Down to about 25%,And it still has at least 3 and a half hour charge after a year.I have been doing this for at least two years since i got the laptop.

 

If you are running windows 10, I would think in a year or two or three, The os updates will make your computer obsolete. However, provided all the relevant irreplaceable hardware holds up, you can extend it's life even further with linux, perhaps even a lighter version of linux like Ubuntu Mate or lighter granted the internet will continue to get heavier as well.

That said, I was keeping someone's computer running on Linux Zorin and eventually, they went to a linux kernal that was incompatible with her processor (I believe). Even then, you could find a linux version (or even an older version of one that is currently too advanced in it's latest form) that would still work on it. Granted, you could always use lighter browsers, perhaps data saving ones and even turn off media.

I myself have a 10 year old Dell Latitude e4200 still on win10. That's a great machine, I would guess an early ultrabook as it's pretty light. But The internet is a bit heavy for it at the time especially the way I browse as I will open a ton of tabs.

 

Ummm, no. Sorry but that's just silly and really makes no sense at all.

The OP is asking about the hardware dying due to age. That has absolutely nothing to do with the operating system running on the computer. Linux does NOT increase the lifespan of electronics. Windows (including Windows 7) does NOT decrease the lifespan of electronics.

The usefulness, or the ability for the hardware to meet one's needs may be affected by the operating system. But usefulness and hardware failure due to age are totally different things.

And other factors affect the computer's ability to support the user years down the road. This includes future security requirements and install applications and other new technologies that may arrive.

For example, there is lots and lots of hardware still running just fine that was designed for XP that will not run on Windows 10. But why is that? It is NOT because the hardware failed. It is because the hardware no longer meets "industry standards". Note I said "industry" standards and not "Microsoft" standards. While Microsoft may be the driving force behind many of the new standards, they don't set them.

For example, the USB-IF sets the standards for USB devices. If a motherboard designed for XP does not support USB 3.0 but you install Windows 10 on it, that is not Windows 10 fault if USB 3.0 is not supported.

It is the hardware makers responsibility to ensure compatible W10 drivers are available for their legacy products. It is NOT Microsoft's job to ensure every piece of legacy hardware is supported in W10.

 

I understand that the hardware was the focus, but this is to an extent semantics. Yes, this is not a direct answer, it is in the ballpark. Put windows 10 on a laptop from 97 and the the hardware will be useless, effectively dead. And this is common experience, people notice for various older devices, upgrading the os eventually outdates the hardware.

indeed linux brings "new life" to old hardware. it's hyperliteralness to take issue with the language, where it might've been inept with the latest windows, it works and may work with newer peripherals and the internet where the outdated os would not be acceptable.

 

Again, that's just silly. You said, "The os updates will make your computer obsolete." That's just wrong!

If the legacy hardware cannot support the modern operating system, it is because the hardware maker failed to provide the necessary drivers. So it is the hardware maker (and time) who made the computer obsolete, not the update. And frankly, it is the user's fault too for trying to install an unsupported OS on 20 year old hardware - hardware that was designed to operate with the operating systems of that time.

Yes, installing Linux on legacy hardware can extend the usefulness of the hardware - but ONLY if there are supported drivers. And even then, it is likely some of the features or capability of those peripherals will not be supported.

What you are suggesting is akin to trying to put a 2019 motor into a 1997 car. If it does not properly mate to and align with the engine mounts, original transmission and other components, you would blame the 2019 motor for making the car obsolete.

It is not semantics at all. "Computer longevity" and "obsolescence" are NOT the same thing! You are talking about totally different, and off-topic, things. The OP's topic is all about hardware longevity - that is, how long it will last before it fails to operate as designed. It is not about upgrading to an unsupported operating system.

I have an old XP box I built in 2002 that still runs XP to this day. That's longevity. SuperMicro has no W10 drivers for it. It will not run Windows 10. It is obsolete, but the hardware is not "effectively dead" because it still powers up and works. In fact, it has been re-purposed and still is providing a service. I loaded it up with drives and it is now being used as my NAS. I just blocked its access to the Internet so it does not become a security risk.

 

Agreed

rwrohrs is Not completely understanding both hardware and software compatibility's.Each build is different.

It's Like saying for example.If i try to install windows XP on my laptop through Legacy mode.Which i have tried FYI.It will not allow it to install Windows XP software due to the fact that windows xp OS is far to old for newer hardware.And it's not supported.It will support windows 7 with out issue which is what i currently have running.That is the oldest legacy i can run on my laptop.It originally came with windows 10.But due to when windows 10 was new.Windows 10 completely bricked the hard drive and i had to replace it with a SSD drive.So hardware changed.

 

Nope, I understand 100 percent. I appreciate that more technically correct description of things. But as one who is a minor geek, not major, I am still correct in my colloquialism as language is rightly and normally determined by usage, and it is quite flexible. Indeed, updating software can make your equipment obsolete, linux can breath new life into an old computer, and tomatoes are vegetables, not fruit especially for cooks and dietitians though not for scientists.

I understand you all 100 percent and don't disagree with what you mean and never did. It remains, this is semantics.

 

I have a Dell Laptop 14 years old, still working, never had a problem, still working, naturally it is slow but gets the job done. Also have an Acer laptop, put in a SSd years ago and still hums along. We have a Macbook Pro five years old, no problems. Against all that, friends have had Toshiba, HP and Macbooks which did not even make four years. Seems like a lottery to me.

 

Sorry, but no. That is not how life, or the definition of words, works.

You are correct that usage can set or even change the meaning words. But that is not true in every case.

You will often see users misuse terms and it is our jobs as advisors to help them sort the "jargon" out. For example, we occasionally see a user call their entire tower computer, the "CPU". Does that mean "CPU" is a correct term for the whole computer? No!

No it can't. Updating software can make the equipment useless, but not obsolete. Why? Undue the update and be good to go again. Or install other software on the equipment and re-purpose the equipment.

Perfectly good EIDE (PATA) hard drives are obsolete. Why? It is not because of software upgrades. It is because modern motherboards no longer include EIDE drive connectors.

We, as technical advisors, have enough problems with marketing weenies misusing terms and making up their own terms. "Wireless router" is a perfect example. Technically, there is no such thing. All routers are wired. Period. What they call a wireless router is really an "integrated" network device that incorporates a router, a WAP (wireless access point) and a 4-port Ethernet switch into one box. Those, technically, are 3 discrete network devices that just happen to share a circuit board, case and power supply. And when troubleshooting you often have to treat those as 3 separate devices. Yet users will often call that device their router, or even modem (as many integrate that into them too).

But that does not mean calling that integrated device a "router" or even "wireless router" is technically correct.

That's great you appreciate the correct technical descriptions. But then as a "minor" geek, you should strive to learn and use the proper terminologies - not attempt to justify incorrect usage just because you are inexperienced. This is especially and particularly true if you will be dispensing technical advice to others - which you have demonstrated a desire to do (a good thing, BTW). Technical advisors have a responsibility to teach and use the proper terminology - if for no other reason than to help avoid confusion and the misuse of terms.

*****

Now I remind you again this thread is about "hardware" dying - that is, hardware failing due to age. It is not about upgrading software. So I suggest we get back on topic.

 

Not too many years ago I gave some PII Cpu's and some related parts to a subject who needed to replace one on a computer that was running some kind of farming equipment. The PII is useless for what I would need to use it for, but obviously not for other applications. Up until last year I had a PIII 1ghz computer I was using to test and process salvaged IDE hard drives and Optical drives. The Intel D815EEA board finally died. I'd been using that set up for various purposes since 2002. It was last running Windows XP 32 bit.

I guess it's situational. I am frequently surprised by what some people throw out as being obsolete. I have inherited many old computer systems that people have replaced. I take them and fix them if they don't work, or salvage useful parts from them to make another computer. I give these to people who need one but can't afford to buy a new one. I recently gave a P4 based computer to a person who needed one to do word processing/Spreadsheet work on. The computer was of no use to me, but for her it fit the bill perfectly. In fact, it has a decent video card so it can handle some light gaming as well.