Mom bought new (SMALL) computer! HELP me get it working for her?

[KT 💣 KλBoƠM]

Okay my spontanious mom wanted a small computer because Dave said her current case is too large for her computer desk. So she did it .. she went small instead of going through Dave to build one for her. She is like that.

This is what she has:  Acer Aspire XC Desktop PC (Intel Pentium Quad Core J5005D/1TB HDD/8GB RAM/Intel UHD Graphics 605)

Model Number: XC-830-EB11
CPU: Intel Pentium Silver J5005D
RAM: 8GB DDR4 2400MHz
Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 605
Audio Output: High Definition Audio With 5.1 Channel Audio Support
Power Supply: 65 W




https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/acer-aspire-xc-desktop-pc-intel-pentium-quad-core-j5005d-1tb-hdd-8gb-ram-intel-uhd-graphics-605-open-box/14542628

• 1.5GHz Intel Pentium Quad Core J5005D processor with 8GB RAM powers through everyday tasks

• 1TB hard drive provides plenty of space for your multimedia libraries, software, and important documents

• Built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi allows you to seamlessly connect to your wireless home network and offers improved coverage for distance and range

• 10/100/1000 Ethernet port provides a secure and reliable wired connection for potentially faster download and upload speeds

• Integrated Bluetooth 4.0 LE lets you pair with other Bluetooth-enabled devices like smartphones, printers, and speakers so you can enjoy a hassle-free wireless experience

• 6 USB ports (4 x USB 2.0 and 2 x USB 3.1) allow you to connect an array of peripherals, while an HDMI output lets you connect to an HD monitor or HDTV so you can play games and watch movies on the big screen

• Low profile design tucks easily under the desk or in other small spaces

• Embedded optical drive adds function while maintaining the integrated architectural appearance

• Features 2 expansion slots to add additional ports, storage, and more

• High-Definition audio with 5.1 channel audio support provides crystal-clear acoustics for a theatre-like entertainment experience in the comfort of your own home

• Intel UHD Graphics 605 delivers sizzling visual response so your HD entertainment looks stunning on your monitor

• Preinstalled with Windows 10 64-bit operating system, which features a refined browser, improved Start menu, digital assistant with Cortana, universal Windows apps, and much more

[KT 💣 KλBoƠM]

Attachment no matter how many times I try says "Server Error
404 - File or directory not found.
The resource you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable."

The thumbnail shows up though. What is going on Jeff??

And then when I posted this post it attached a pic of Dave's cat .. wtf. Something is majorly wrong with attachments..

---

Oh ya so I plugged everything in as is and she bought an HDMI cable to plug into the big monitor Shawn gave her. I have a question. If the computer is still set up so she can run her old one separately with her big monitor is there a way to use her new computer with the same monitor? I do have my old Monitor at my place (I forget waht is wrong with it) I will bring over Friday so I can get her new computer working but she still has to take everything off the old one. Also I noticed that this new case doesn't seem to ahve much in the way of expansion. Is she able to put her SSD from her old computer into the new computer while still leaving the new computer's drive (also an SSD) in? Or do I need to buy some sort of metal sleeve to keep it stable in the new case?

Dave are you free Friday?

When my mom got this new computer she had no clue that it came with a keyboard and mouse which she didn't need unless she sets this up as a 2nd computer and still uses her old one too. I wish more research was done before she got this but she was excited and she tends to spontaniously shop .. which resulted in her buying this. I could have talked her out of it I guess but I thought she doesn't need much and saves us a lot of work with one that is just all built for her already when all she does is email and watch videos.

[One Eyed Wonderweasle]

 Right off the bat if you upgrade the hard drive you would lose any warranty the computer might have. The whole tower runs off a 65 watt power  supply so most parts inside are laptop class parts rather than desktop, except the hard drive (I think it is a mechanical 1tb) the specs you listed didn't include an SSD. If it includes one usually they make a point of mentioning it.
 Also graphics port on the mother board usually provides 75 watts of power for a slot powered card. considering the power source for the whole tower is rated below that. performance graphics are off the table.  Old SSD could be put in a 2.5" USB 3.0 case for about $15-20, but like I said installing the drive would void any warranty. If both computers have a HDMI port one can be on the monitor and the other could use the tv, it should have an HDMI port on it (rather than bringing another monitor for copying stuff, probably require another cable though too).

https://www.amazon.ca/ORICO-External-Enclosure-Optimized-Transparent/dp/B01LY97QE8/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=283PJ8JRD1K3M&dchild=1&keywords=2+5+inch+hard+drive+enclosure&qid=1604173673&sprefix=2.5%22%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNkI2Q08wRUROUk4mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyMzE4ODkyQU5aVjBUV0VPTUlHJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5NDQxNzEyRDNaNk5SSVJOQ0pCJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[Sandman[SA]]

Sorry about that.  I have tried fixing the server several times and ended up with very little positive result's.  I don't know how to fix it and I have pretty much given up on it.

Anyway, so your Mom got a new slim form factor computer?  Good for her.  But going off of the listed specs, It won't be fast, or very upgradeable.  Replacing the HDD with a SSD will be it's only option to get any reasonable speed from it.  I could have built her one too.  And would be competitive (price wise) with what she paid.  But noticeably better performance.

Does she have any thoughts or concerns with it?  Most modern TV's and display panels have multilabel HDMI ports so you can plug in more than one device at a time.  You just have to switch between them on the display screen.

[KT 💣 KλBoƠM]

I told her I would test it with Shawn's big monitor after she condenses and organizes her files for transfer. Busy this time of year for me with annual bills due and getting started with Christmas shopping. Ya I am not satisfied with her computer but honestly it is good enough for her. Not like she is a gamer or anything. She is spontanious and felt like she achieved something. At her age I figure let her enjoy that feeling even though she could have done much better if she took her time to pick out what she wanted in a computer and had it built for her instead.

[Sandman[SA]]

Your mom could look into getting something like a HDD dock.  Example link.  With something like that, she could just access her files from the old HDD like it was a portable USB storage drive.

[One Eyed Wonderweasle]

actually I could just bring my hard drive dock but we have to image her hard drive to something move a bunch of stuff around etc. likely gonna take hours.
my hard drive dock.

 https://www.amazon.ca/Cavalry-Retriever-EN-CAHDD2BU3C-ZB-Standalone-Duplicator/dp/B003ZDLATE

[Sandman[SA]]

At least yours is USB 3.0 capable.  I really need to get a better one.  Mine is USB 2.0 and esata.

https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Drives-Docking-Station-ST0014U/dp/B001A4HAFS?th=1

[One Eyed Wonderweasle]

 Fully USB 3 no problems on transfer rates. not bad on SSD transfer rates besides the limits of USB 3.0, I am aware of the difference in speed between USB 2.0 and USB 3. picked that dock because other than the marginal power supply it comes with. the ratings were really good. And it was on sale too when I was looking for one.

[KT 💣 KλBoƠM]

My mom has kept me so busy I haven 't even had any time to return any phone calls or call anyone back before 2am..

But yes dave I need your help.

[KT 💣 KλBoƠM]

Okay now that my computer is done, it is time to go back to my mom's computer. She currently is using her old one as it has all her files but now with my car and PC behind me I have time finally to take a look at her new one and if it can handle more than one hard drive. If it can then I can just put her old drives in the new one and go from there.  I have edited the quoted post in THIS post so that we don't have to go back and forth for all the info.

This is what she has: 

Acer Aspire XC Desktop PC (Intel Pentium Quad Core J5005D/1TB HDD/8GB RAM/Intel UHD Graphics 605)

Model Number: XC-830-EB11 <- Link to ASUS
Part: DT.BDSEK.001
CPU: Intel Pentium Silver J5005D
RAM: 8GB DDR4 2400MHz
Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 605
Audio Output: High Definition Audio With 5.1 Channel Audio Support
Power Supply: 65 W
Storage: 1TB Serial ATA/600



BestBuy.ca link for this PC where she bought it

• 1.5GHz Intel Pentium Quad Core J5005D processor with 8GB RAM
• 1TB hard drive (SSD)
• Built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi
• 10/100/1000 Ethernet
• Integrated Bluetooth 4.0 LE
• 6 USB ports (4 x USB 2.0 and 2 x USB 3.1) and an HDMI output
• Low profile design tucks easily under the desk or in other small spaces
• Embedded optical drive DVD-Writer ±R ±RW
• Features 2 expansion slots to add additional ports, storage, and more
• High-Definition audio with 5.1 channel audio support
• Intel UHD Graphics 605
• Preinstalled with Windows 10 64-bit operating system

So that should be all I need to do. Just put her drives in and she will be set, right?

She even says all she does it check email and watch YouTube. That is ALL. She does NO gaming. No streaming. No banking. No online shopping. Nothing else. So this should be fine for her, put out less heat, and all new and smaller so easier to manage for her. Even though it has only 2 USB ports on the front IO port instead of 4 like her old one, she never used all 4 anyway.


She had no clue how to plug anything in. She needs a system that is just "turn on and go". Heck, I even had to reteach her how to properly shut down a computer as I found out she was just hitting the button to shut down because as she said in her mind it was just easier. She is definitely not a computer wise, lol. She seems to have forgotten almost everything I have taught her about using the computer, it is worrisome. So I am trying to set this up as simple as possible for her. She won't be doing anything major on it anyway, so I am not worried about her switching to this simple PC.

I just don't know how many devices she has plugged in but sure it can't be as many as me. Off the top of my head, she has her Printer, Keyboard and Mouse which are all USB. She also has an external drive but it is my failing MyBook I gave to her a few years ago so we will end up just having Dave get as much as he can off of it (I have been unsuccessful the times I have tried when I was over there) and ditch it. The only thing worth keeping I think from her old machine but not needed in her new one is her rewriter. But even that .. even though she LOVED to download songs back in the day and burn them, she has forgotten how to do that. Her new PC has that anyway so the old one would be just for either my dad or to sell to help my mom out with finances as she still owes $3G to the government.

I will start by moving her files from her old HHD's to her 1TB SSD that is in her old machine. The plan is to add that particular SSD to her new machine so she will have 2 of the 1TB SSD's. This will make things faster for her so she stops complaining as well as make everything on less drives as she has absolutely NO clue how to change drives even in Windows. Eventually I hope to put everything on her 1TB and take her extra 1TB SSD and put it in my PC since she keeps complaining about everything not being on one drive for her. Hey I bought it for her but she complains and the new computer comes with one so fine .. I will take it back. Be that way lol. I am just trying to make it easier on her. Of course that last part all depends on how much space she needs. She holds onto a LOT of pictures and movies.

[Sandman[SA]]

Oh my!!  I feel so bad for your mom that she has to use such a dreadful computer.  How much did that system cost?  I know you said that she generally only checks email and watches YouTube videos.  But with an Intel 605 chipset on a low powered laptop Pentium processor with 8 Gb of ram, there is no future compatibility for a system like that.  A stiped down version of Windows 10 is the best it can run.   She is limited to 720P playback at best using the VGA port.  Maybe 1080P, but get ready for some studdering.  If she can use the HDMI port, that would be better for 1080P.  But no higher than that.  Current browsers will eat right through 8Gb of ram like nothing.  So hopefully, that's not soldered on too like the processor is?

[KT 💣 KλBoƠM]

Oh my!!  I feel so bad for your mom that she has to use such a dreadful computer.  How much did that system cost?  I know you said that she generally only checks email and watches YouTube videos.  But with an Intel 605 chipset on a low powered laptop Pentium processor with 8 Gb of ram, there is no future compatibility for a system like that.  A stiped down version of Windows 10 is the best it can run.   She is limited to 720P playback at best using the VGA port.  Maybe 1080P, but get ready for some studdering.  If she can use the HDMI port, that would be better for 1080P.  But no higher than that.  Current browsers will eat right through 8Gb of ram like nothing.  So hopefully, that's not soldered on too like the processor is?

The big monitor Shawn gave her stopped working anyway so she is back to a 19" like I was. Also it came with Windows 10 on it and runs just fine.  It seems like it will be good enough for her. She is not a power user like we are.

Videos have not stuttered on it at all. One day we will get her a better monitor so she can use her HDMI cable I got her before for Shawn's monitor she was using.

One day maybe Dave will have a good computer for her but for now it is good enough. She needs simple.

[One Eyed Wonderweasle]

 This vid should tell you what we can and can't do with it. CPU looks soldered in but on the acer site it says it is upgrade able to win 11. The most accurate specs should be on the right hand side of the case when looking at the front of it. should list the hard drive type and size, if it doesn't say SSD or NVME or m.2 it isn't likely an SSD.
 

[Sandman[SA]]

This vid should tell you what we can and can't do with it. CPU looks soldered in but on the acer site it says it is upgrade able to win 11.

Oh, It does.  It's limited to a max of 8Gb of LDDR4 2400.  BGA stands for Ball Grid Array.  So, the CPU is in fact soldered on.  The PSU is external.  So, you will have to upgrade that if you want to use a under 75 watt low profile, single slot GPU.  All storage is SATA 6 compatible at least.  Including the M.2.  But it's not Nvme.  Only SATA.  Worst of all, it does not support TPM 2.0.  It can't run windows 11 officially.

She is not a power user like we are.

Power user or not, it's still a Fisher Price JR's first PC.  It's just E-waste really.  I think even Dave can agree with me on that.

One day maybe Dave will have a good computer for her but for now it is good enough. She needs simple.

Well, if she can appreciate it, then good for her.  But a MiniForum PC would make a much better option IMHO.