lti wrote on 2025-02-17, 21:25:

I don't know if this computer is worth $27, but the old drive is so slow that it feels like it's failing sometimes. However, SMART status is perfect, which is unusual for a Toshiba drive that's more than two years old (even the 3.5" HGST-derived models failed quickly, along with a stupid design flaw where the TVS diodes on the power input connect through tiny surface mount jumpers that blow open and let a bad power supply blow up the whole board). Back when that laptop was my main computer, I remember having more problems with CPU performance than disk performance. Now that it has much lower demands as a simple web browsing machine running modern lightweight Linux, CPU performance isn't as important.

Now I just need to clean up the old drive and prepare it for cloning. It's dual-booting modern Linux and Windows 7, and both partitions have a lot of stuff on them.

Yeah, I wouldn't even consider using a hard drive for OS\applications these days for anything made after Windows XP. And even then, I have been using solid state on my XP and Windows 9x systems for years because it was noticeably better there too. You will be amazed at the difference, even if the processor is underwhelming.

If you think you'll have a need for more drives eventually, sometimes it's nice to keep an eye out for dirt cheap SSD lots on ebay. Like, a pile of 10 year old Samsung SSDs pulled out of workstations for recycling. Sometimes they go for half the price (each) of a new bottom of the barrel drive from a retailer.

I have pulled SSDs from e-waste workstations myself and bought big piles of them second (third?) hand, and so far the vast vast majority of them have barely even been used. I'd say 90% of the time they have less than 1TB written in their lifetime, which is nothing. I even had some that only had ~30GB written... likely the OS and a few major updates, some text documents and maybe some temporary files from web browsing. Most people just do not write much data to their PCs these days, especially at work, so used SSDs are usually a great buy.

EDIT: Also, not saying this is what you're experiencing, but I have run into lots of machines that are massively bogged down by 100% (HDD) disk usage because of some seemingly broken background process. I will usually start the system up with an msconfig "diagnostic startup" (safemode usually doesn't work) to temporarily stop these processes and then install Macrium to clone the drive to an SSD. Upon booting with the exact same cloned setup on an SSD, the system is operating fine. The SSD has the throughput to finish whatever the HDD was incapable of handling (sometimes after many days of 100% usage), while still providing a responsive experience. In the case that things are still "off", the issues can finally be addressed in a reasonable amount of time because the system isn't repeatedly locking up or killing processes while waiting for the HDD.

SSDs are absolutely the best piece of hardware to put in any system. You could put one of those "100% thrashing" HDDs in a system with 256TB of RAM and dual bazillion-thread Epyc processors and it'd still be unusable until you cloned it to an SSD.

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-02-18, 08:14:

SSDs are absolutely the best piece of hardware to put in any system. You could put one of those "100% thrashing" HDDs in a system with 256TB of RAM and dual bazillion-thread Epyc processors and it'd still be unusable until you cloned it to an SSD.

Agreed! I would go so far as to say that SSD is the single piece of hardware, that has had the biggest positive impact on speed for the last 10-15 years or so.

H3nrik V! wrote on 2025-02-18, 08:54:

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-02-18, 08:14:

SSDs are absolutely the best piece of hardware to put in any system. You could put one of those "100% thrashing" HDDs in a system with 256TB of RAM and dual bazillion-thread Epyc processors and it'd still be unusable until you cloned it to an SSD.

Agreed! I would go so far as to say that SSD is the single piece of hardware, that has had the biggest positive impact on speed for the last 10-15 years or so.

Yep! It's funny because when I bought my first one ($150 64GB C300 mentioned earlier), I was underwhelmed. With a fresh install of Windows 7 on my overclocked Q9550 build, it didn't feel like that huge of a difference coming from a really good hard drive (1TB Samsung F1? I think...). It was quick and responsive, but a fresh install tended to be that way on good hardware anyway.

But, the more I did with it, the more I realized that I didn't have to wait for anything anymore. After going for a year or two on the same install and having no performance degradation, I was convinced. Also, it really helped years later when capacity increased and I could get more games\programs installed to an SSD.

One time I cloned my SSD with a 5+ year old Windows 7 install to a laptop hard drive as a backup, but I forgot to pull the hard drive out of my SATA dock (straight SATA, no USB). When I rebooted the system it took like 15 minutes to finish loading everything and was barely usable! Oops, it had booted from the laptop drive...

Didn't matter that it was a 4.2Ghz 2500K with 8GB OF DDR3 and a GTX 970. Slow storage killed the whole machine.

Now, with 2x 2TB NVMe drives in my main PC and no internal SATA drives at all, I feel like the need to upgrade storage for speed or capacity has basically ended. I doubt I will need to do so for 5+ years.

Best Value Budget Bluetooth Speaker.

Guys, this Bluetooth Speaker is Very Good.
Definitely a Best Value Quality Product.

It is Only Bluetooth connectivity so NO 3.5mm input port.
Water Proof IPX7
24hour battery.
USB-C charging

But Best of All the Audio Quality is Very Good.
It has Good Treble, Voice, Bass, EQ.
Just install the App on your Tablet or Phone.

You won’t be Sorry.
It’s Great for Music and Movies.
I did NOT hear any Distortion at High Volumes.
In fact I had to turn it down because the Treble Boost , Voice boost, and Bass Boost was to High.
I just had to adjust the EQ Settings.

Comes in a Sealed like NEW original packaging from Anker eBay Store.
Makes a great gift for Peoples on the Move.

I don't know why my post resulted in such a long SSD discussion, but ddrescue already convinced me to get rid of that HDD. This must have been the slowest hard drive available in 2012 (the laptop was made in 2011, but the drive failed under warranty).

Got an XYZPrinting Da Vinci Jr 1.0 at a thrift store for $24.99

I'll give it a whirl in my basement after work by printing a cigar ashtray and see how it comes out and order some better filament for it.

It needs a good cleaning, but for $24.99, I can't complain.

H3nrik V! wrote on 2025-02-17, 22:04:

Waiting for an i7 9700K, which will be shipped tomorrow. Really crossing my fingers that this is not a dud like the last one I bought, which only worked on 4 cores. Luckily that seller refunded.
Upgrading from a non-K with the solemn purpose of getting 100000+ 3DMarks in 3DMark2001 on my daily driver with a GTX980Ti 🤣

Totally anti-climactic ... :'( It runs, it runs good, it runs at 5.0 GHz at all 8 cores at least for a 30 minute session of CineBench (at 5.1 it crashes very early) at standard VCore ... But ... Only 95xxx in 3DMark2001. I really need to find performance elsewhere 🤣

At 5.0 GHz it only runs at ~82 deg C, at 5.1 and standard VCore, it peaked at 92 before terminating CineBench. It doesn't leave a lot of room for overvolting, as at 100 deg C it will start to thermal throttle.

Whelp, off to optimize memory settings and maybe give that 980Ti some "love" 😉

Well, not today, but some time ago bought one QTJ0 and two QTJ1, everyone worked at 4,7ghz 8 cores with 1,3v. Maybe in the future these LGA 1151 mutant CPUs will be very intrestring. I think that they are coffe lake refresh cores, but the QTJ0 is detected as Comet lake by more tools intead of coffe lake. All of then are ES CPUs.
They are totally unlocked in every aspect, multipliers and power limits.

Hoping wrote on 2025-02-21, 11:12:

Well, not today, but some time ago bought one QTJ0 and two QTJ1, everyone worked at 4,7ghz 8 cores with 1,3v. Maybe in the future these LGA 1151 mutant CPUs will be very intrestring. I think that they are coffe lake refresh cores, but the QTJ0 is detected as Comet lake by more tools intead of coffe lake. All of then are ES CPUs.
They are totally unlocked in every aspect, multipliers and power limits.

Very interesting indeed. Did you test them in a Coffee Lake motherboard? Then it's really interesting if they are in fact Comet Lakes.

H3nrik V! wrote on 2025-02-21, 11:54:

Very interesting indeed. Did you test them in a Coffee Lake motherboard? Then it's really interesting if they are in fact Comet Lakes.

ASUS Strix Z270F gaming.
I don't dare to say that the QTJ0 is really Comet Lake just because Hwinfo says so, CPU-Z recognizes it as Coffe Lake, but it is possible, Comet Lake-H is the notebook version and these processors are BGA1440.
What has given me more headaches has been the memory frequency, it seems that the IMC of these CPUs is designed for DDR4 2400 and from there is all overclock, I'm still not sure that the 2666mhz are stable on this motherboard with this processor. On a Gigabyte z270x ultra gaming, the QTJ1 has no problems with 2666mhz. Or maybe the CPU is not stable, in the end, it is an ES CPU.

This is a shot in the dark, but is there any chance you have any Dell Optiplex xx40 or xx50 series systems around? They are normally very restrictive on which CPUs you can use (6th gen only, or 6th and 7th gen at best), but I'm more than a little curious to know whether these wonky ES chips will work in them just out of a sheer weirdness overload for the board... 😀

I just mention it because I see that your board only has official support up to 7th gen. Unless you're running a modded BIOS of course... then that would explain the extended compatibility.

EDIT: Oh wow, I just read that people are flashing a modded BIOS sent to them from the sellers of these chips?

That sounds super sketchy to me.

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-02-21, 15:44:

This is a shot in the dark, but is there any chance you have any Dell Optiplex xx40 or xx50 series systems around? They are norm […]
Show full quote

This is a shot in the dark, but is there any chance you have any Dell Optiplex xx40 or xx50 series systems around? They are normally very restrictive on which CPUs you can use (6th gen only, or 6th and 7th gen at best), but I'm more than a little curious to know whether these wonky ES chips will work in them just out of a sheer weirdness overload for the board... 😀

I just mention it because I see that your board only has official support up to 7th gen. Unless you're running a modded BIOS of course... then that would explain the extended compatibility.

EDIT: Oh wow, I just read that people are flashing a modded BIOS sent to them from the sellers of these chips?

That sounds super sketchy to me.

The BIOS can be modified with CoffeTime and add the microcodes and other patches, I think it is the same procedure that uses who uses a ninth generation processor on a seventh generation board, but it is more comfortable and easier, ask the seller for the BIOS file and it has never failed me. The biggest problem with these CPUs is that although they are notebook CPUs and have an original TDP of 45W, being totally unlocked, they end up consuming the same as a desktop CPU, the first QTJ1 I used, I used it in a Gigabyte Z270 D3 that has a VRM not very powerful, and did not last long motherboard, and worse, I think it took the processor with it. Testing that processor is something I will do when I feel like it, I have a Z170 motherboard that should work. As for brand name computers, DELL/HP/etc... the sellers always say that they are not compatible.
What is the problem of using the BIOS that the vendor sends?
Edit:
What seems sketchy to me, is Intel intentionally blocking processor upgrades, because if the QTJ0 is really Comet Lake and can run on an 1151 motherboard with an adapter, it means that Intel could have sold 10th generation processors for 6th generation motherboard. The motherboard manufacturers were more honest. For example, in the BIOS of the gigabyte Z270 motherboards I used, you can control the eight-core multiplier, although Intel never sold eight-core processors for those motherboards, while in the case of ASUS only four cores are shown in the BIOS but the general configuration works for the eight cores.

Hoping wrote on 2025-02-21, 18:30:

The BIOS can be modified with CoffeTime and add the microcodes and other patches, I think it is the same procedure that uses who uses a ninth generation processor on a seventh generation board, but it is more comfortable and easier, ask the seller for the BIOS file and it has never failed me. The biggest problem with these CPUs is that although they are notebook CPUs and have an original TDP of 45W, being totally unlocked, they end up consuming the same as a desktop CPU, the first QTJ1 I used, I used it in a Gigabyte Z270 D3 that has a VRM not very powerful, and did not last long motherboard, and worse, I think it took the processor with it. Testing that processor is something I will do when I feel like it, I have a Z170 motherboard that should work. As for brand name computers, DELL/HP/etc... the sellers always say that they are not compatible.

Wow, the power issue is surprising and a bit disappointing. With the low 45W and 65W TDP advertised, I was hoping they'd just work in anything.

Hoping wrote on 2025-02-21, 18:30:

What is the problem of using the BIOS that the vendor sends?

I'm not a cybersecurity fanatic or "the-Chinese-are-spying-on-us-all" alarmist, but I have always felt some moderate sense of security knowing that at least the UEFI\BIOS of my main PC came from the manufacturer and that a million other people are using the same firmware from the same source with no reported signs of anything nefarious. I know some things have happened even with reputable brands (I believe Lenovo had some not-so-good stuff going on a while back), and there's no telling what is lying dormant in official multi-megabyte .bin files that we set loose onto the most compromising level of our system... but... yeah.

Personally, I would have to draw the line at installing a hacked BIOS file that I received from, for example, a random Aliexpress seller. A lot of these sellers leave out tons of important information, sell items that are clearly scams or outright lie on listings. I buy stuff on there from time to time, but I don't I wouldn't put unverified code from one of these guys directly into my motherboard.

Compared to an official BIOS there is probably less than .001% of the userbase for these files to get checked properly... a bad actor could even conceivably just send compromised files to some people, but not all of them. This is the kind of thing that could take years for anyone to realize has been compromised because there just aren't enough people using them.

I'd sooner trust a modded BIOS from a forum or website I frequented because at least those generally would have some kind of reputation, and usually multiple people can comment on their experience with the files and the person making them.

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-02-21, 18:50:

I'm not a cybersecurity fanatic or "the-Chinese-are-spying-on-us-all" alarmist, but I have always felt some moderate sense of se […]
Show full quote

I'm not a cybersecurity fanatic or "the-Chinese-are-spying-on-us-all" alarmist, but I have always felt some moderate sense of security knowing that at least the UEFI\BIOS of my main PC came from the manufacturer and that a million other people are using the same firmware from the same source with no reported signs of anything nefarious. I know some things have happened even with reputable brands (I believe Lenovo had some not-so-good stuff going on a while back), and there's no telling what is lying dormant in official multi-megabyte .bin files that we set loose onto the most compromising level of our system... but... yeah.

Personally, I would have to draw the line at installing a hacked BIOS file that I received from, for example, a random Aliexpress seller. A lot of these sellers leave out tons of important information, sell items that are clearly scams or outright lie on listings. I buy stuff on there from time to time, but I don't I wouldn't put unverified code from one of these guys directly into my motherboard.

Compared to an official BIOS there is probably less than .001% of the userbase for these files to get checked properly... a bad actor could even conceivably just send compromised files to some people, but not all of them. This is the kind of thing that could take years for anyone to realize has been compromised because there just aren't enough people using them.

I'd sooner trust a modded BIOS from a forum or website I frequented because at least those generally would have some kind of reputation, and usually multiple people can comment on their experience with the files and the person making them.

If you do not modify anything but the voltage, I say voltage because by default these processors ask the VRM a fairly high voltage, the TDP of 45W is true, I checked playing some games it just stay at lower frequencies, the QTJ0 did not exceed 4300mhz on a core and much less when multiple cores were loaded. If you modify the multiplier and other things, the power consumption skyrockets. Some people have used these processors on simple H110 boards.
As for the modified BIOS, I imagine you will be one of those people who do not use social networks, who check and reject cookies while browsing the internet and do not believe that WhatsApp is safe. 😉
And, you can modify your own BIOS if you want to do it, there are tools out there, and like you said, forums. But this is at your own risk.

Hoping wrote on 2025-02-21, 19:12:

If you do not modify anything but the voltage, I say voltage because by default these processors ask the VRM a fairly high volta […]
Show full quote

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-02-21, 18:50:

I'm not a cybersecurity fanatic or "the-Chinese-are-spying-on-us-all" alarmist, but I have always felt some moderate sense of se […]
Show full quote

I'm not a cybersecurity fanatic or "the-Chinese-are-spying-on-us-all" alarmist, but I have always felt some moderate sense of security knowing that at least the UEFI\BIOS of my main PC came from the manufacturer and that a million other people are using the same firmware from the same source with no reported signs of anything nefarious. I know some things have happened even with reputable brands (I believe Lenovo had some not-so-good stuff going on a while back), and there's no telling what is lying dormant in official multi-megabyte .bin files that we set loose onto the most compromising level of our system... but... yeah.

Personally, I would have to draw the line at installing a hacked BIOS file that I received from, for example, a random Aliexpress seller. A lot of these sellers leave out tons of important information, sell items that are clearly scams or outright lie on listings. I buy stuff on there from time to time, but I don't I wouldn't put unverified code from one of these guys directly into my motherboard.

Compared to an official BIOS there is probably less than .001% of the userbase for these files to get checked properly... a bad actor could even conceivably just send compromised files to some people, but not all of them. This is the kind of thing that could take years for anyone to realize has been compromised because there just aren't enough people using them.

I'd sooner trust a modded BIOS from a forum or website I frequented because at least those generally would have some kind of reputation, and usually multiple people can comment on their experience with the files and the person making them.

If you do not modify anything but the voltage, I say voltage because by default these processors ask the VRM a fairly high voltage, the TDP of 45W is true, I checked playing some games it just stay at lower frequencies, the QTJ0 did not exceed 4300mhz on a core and much less when multiple cores were loaded. If you modify the multiplier and other things, the power consumption skyrockets. Some people have used these processors on simple H110 boards.
As for the modified BIOS, I imagine you will be one of those people who do not use social networks, who check and reject cookies while browsing the internet and do not believe that WhatsApp is safe. 😉
And, you can modify your own BIOS if you want to do it, there are tools out there, and like you said, forums. But this is at your own risk.

If you think that accessing a website has the same level of risk as flashing a motherboard BIOS that was modified by some unknown person (we don't know who) and provided to you by an Aliexpress seller, I won't try to change your mind. 😁

Personally, I would opt to mod the BIOS myself or download it from a place with some kind of lasting presence (reputable forum, dedicated BIOS modding site, etc.).

At the very least I would suggest checking on the WPBT situation with your board using that BIOS if you haven't already. It's doubtful that anyone would do something nefarious with a feature as obvious as that, but it's still worth checking.

EDIT: BTW, I'm not trying to tell you the BIOS you are using has a virus. I'm just explaining why I would not use one that I received that way, because you asked me why.

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-02-21, 19:34:

If you think that accessing a website has the same level of risk as flashing a motherboard BIOS that was modified by some unknow […]
Show full quote

Hoping wrote on 2025-02-21, 19:12:

If you do not modify anything but the voltage, I say voltage because by default these processors ask the VRM a fairly high volta […]
Show full quote

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-02-21, 18:50:

I'm not a cybersecurity fanatic or "the-Chinese-are-spying-on-us-all" alarmist, but I have always felt some moderate sense of se […]
Show full quote

I'm not a cybersecurity fanatic or "the-Chinese-are-spying-on-us-all" alarmist, but I have always felt some moderate sense of security knowing that at least the UEFI\BIOS of my main PC came from the manufacturer and that a million other people are using the same firmware from the same source with no reported signs of anything nefarious. I know some things have happened even with reputable brands (I believe Lenovo had some not-so-good stuff going on a while back), and there's no telling what is lying dormant in official multi-megabyte .bin files that we set loose onto the most compromising level of our system... but... yeah.

Personally, I would have to draw the line at installing a hacked BIOS file that I received from, for example, a random Aliexpress seller. A lot of these sellers leave out tons of important information, sell items that are clearly scams or outright lie on listings. I buy stuff on there from time to time, but I don't I wouldn't put unverified code from one of these guys directly into my motherboard.

Compared to an official BIOS there is probably less than .001% of the userbase for these files to get checked properly... a bad actor could even conceivably just send compromised files to some people, but not all of them. This is the kind of thing that could take years for anyone to realize has been compromised because there just aren't enough people using them.

I'd sooner trust a modded BIOS from a forum or website I frequented because at least those generally would have some kind of reputation, and usually multiple people can comment on their experience with the files and the person making them.

If you do not modify anything but the voltage, I say voltage because by default these processors ask the VRM a fairly high voltage, the TDP of 45W is true, I checked playing some games it just stay at lower frequencies, the QTJ0 did not exceed 4300mhz on a core and much less when multiple cores were loaded. If you modify the multiplier and other things, the power consumption skyrockets. Some people have used these processors on simple H110 boards.
As for the modified BIOS, I imagine you will be one of those people who do not use social networks, who check and reject cookies while browsing the internet and do not believe that WhatsApp is safe. 😉
And, you can modify your own BIOS if you want to do it, there are tools out there, and like you said, forums. But this is at your own risk.

If you think that accessing a website has the same level of risk as flashing a motherboard BIOS that was modified by some unknown person (we don't know who) and provided to you by an Aliexpress seller, I won't try to change your mind. 😁

Personally, I would opt to mod the BIOS myself or download it from a place with some kind of lasting presence (reputable forum, dedicated BIOS modding site, etc.).

At the very least I would suggest checking on the WPBT situation with your board using that BIOS if you haven't already. It's doubtful that anyone would do something nefarious with a feature as obvious as that, but it's still worth checking.

EDIT: BTW, I'm not trying to tell you the BIOS you are using has a virus. I'm just explaining why I would not use one that I received that way, because you asked me why.

Accessing the web conceivably has a much higher risk, I mean ransomware and other nefarious bullshit generally infects you from websites or rubbish advertisements a BIOS though for a system that isn't being used for anything even remotely sensitive ...well that's an exceptionally low risk. (BIOS modding sites are also generally run out of Russia or China or the files themselves are from Russian or Chinese modders ...still pretty damn sketchy if you want something to spread FUD about)

But hey, you get the choice of picking your poison here

Me I'm going with the vendor BIOS over some shady as shit web site with hacked BIOS files from Russia or hacking it myself and fucking it up. I mean what is the vendor going to achieve here by sending you a bad BIOS ? if anything it'll only get them refunds and shut down once reports come in. I have found most highly rated Chinese sellers to be exceptionally knowledgeable about their products and modded gear, I have personally never had any issues with "hacked" hardware so long as you avoid the sketchy too good to be true sellers with low ratings.

All this aside if you have enough knowledge to mod the BIOS yourself then you have enough knowledge to view said vendor BIOS and check it for anything nefarious so again the risk is exceptionally low.

Overclock of GPU, and raising cache speed from 43x to 45x and success!

Trashbytes wrote on 2025-02-22, 10:09:

Accessing the web conceivably has a much higher risk, I mean ransomware and other nefarious bullshit generally infects you from […]
Show full quote

Ozzuneoj wrote on 2025-02-21, 19:34:

If you think that accessing a website has the same level of risk as flashing a motherboard BIOS that was modified by some unknow […]
Show full quote

Hoping wrote on 2025-02-21, 19:12:

If you do not modify anything but the voltage, I say voltage because by default these processors ask the VRM a fairly high voltage, the TDP of 45W is true, I checked playing some games it just stay at lower frequencies, the QTJ0 did not exceed 4300mhz on a core and much less when multiple cores were loaded. If you modify the multiplier and other things, the power consumption skyrockets. Some people have used these processors on simple H110 boards.
As for the modified BIOS, I imagine you will be one of those people who do not use social networks, who check and reject cookies while browsing the internet and do not believe that WhatsApp is safe. 😉
And, you can modify your own BIOS if you want to do it, there are tools out there, and like you said, forums. But this is at your own risk.

If you think that accessing a website has the same level of risk as flashing a motherboard BIOS that was modified by some unknown person (we don't know who) and provided to you by an Aliexpress seller, I won't try to change your mind. 😁

Personally, I would opt to mod the BIOS myself or download it from a place with some kind of lasting presence (reputable forum, dedicated BIOS modding site, etc.).

At the very least I would suggest checking on the WPBT situation with your board using that BIOS if you haven't already. It's doubtful that anyone would do something nefarious with a feature as obvious as that, but it's still worth checking.

EDIT: BTW, I'm not trying to tell you the BIOS you are using has a virus. I'm just explaining why I would not use one that I received that way, because you asked me why.

Accessing the web conceivably has a much higher risk, I mean ransomware and other nefarious bullshit generally infects you from websites or rubbish advertisements a BIOS though for a system that isn't being used for anything even remotely sensitive ...well that's an exceptionally low risk. (BIOS modding sites are also generally run out of Russia or China or the files themselves are from Russian or Chinese modders ...still pretty damn sketchy if you want something to spread FUD about)

But hey, you get the choice of picking your poison here

Me I'm going with the vendor BIOS over some shady as shit web site with hacked BIOS files from Russia or hacking it myself and fucking it up. I mean what is the vendor going to achieve here by sending you a bad BIOS ? if anything it'll only get them refunds and shut down once reports come in. I have found most highly rated Chinese sellers to be exceptionally knowledgeable about their products and modded gear, I have personally never had any issues with "hacked" hardware so long as you avoid the sketchy too good to be true sellers with low ratings.

All this aside if you have enough knowledge to mod the BIOS yourself then you have enough knowledge to view said vendor BIOS and check it for anything nefarious so again the risk is exceptionally low.

I feel like what I'm saying is being intentionally misrepresented just to have something to argue about, so I'll just say "okay" and leave it at that.

ZellSF wrote on 2020-05-19, 13:18:

Bought a few new HDDs, because well: […]
Show full quote

Bought a few new HDDs, because well:

The attachment aaa.png is no longer available

This thing is obviously not reliable. Despite showing no other signs of failure. Not sure what I want to do with it. It would be a shame to throw away a working drive but I can't think of anything I want to rely on it for.

In addition my WD20SPZX failed me (entirely, it just died). I've had two WD20SPZX drives fail both within a year (one was a warranty replacement), so I'm not exactly going to trust the new warranty replacement to survive much use either. That one I'll just store some static backup files on.

I ordered a WD My Passport 4TB to replace the WD20SPZX. I'm guessing it's just a two platter variant of the unreliable WDS20SPZX, but it's got a three year warranty so I can use if for moving stuff around. Options for 2.5" HDDs seem terrible, there's three manufacturers, but Toshiba/WD doesn't want to sell SATA variants and Seagate reliability is from my experience even worse than WD.

I ordered a WD40EZRZ to replace the failing desktop drive. Might reduce noise some too to replace a black with a blue (which is actually a rebranded green) and I don't need speed anyway.

I also bought a WD40EZRZ last week. It seems to be working well though I admit I'm too lazy to do a extended s.m.a.r.t test for new drives even though I know I should. At least I have... 2 years to do it. HDD manufacturers really are slashing warranty lengths (yes I know reds would have 3 year warranties, still bad).

In what conditions Your WD20SPZX operated?
What about the temperature,load(non-stop daily usage,or average,acting:idle ratio,system or data drive,what OS U had on it/used with,how had U set motor power down,was they installed near CPU or PSU,or other heat sources,or so)?
I wish to know,because I have 3 of these in use & 2 others staffed for next projects,so U make me worried about my drives.

Saw a deal today for Asrock B550M Pro 4 + 5600X for $240 AUD and well its one of them too good to be true but really is true deals.

The 5600X still retails for 350 AUD and the board is still 200 AUD so both for 240 is a steal.

Not a bad budget setup with a 3060Ti or 2070 Super.