Computer Hardware Upgrade & Managment Computer Hardware Upgrades What hardware should you have for your lab or computer? What are some of the best practices for storing information on your computer? Learn about these topics and more in this chapter. Workstation Refresh Program SJSU IT provides a program called Workstation Refresh. This program provides replacement workstations for employees (for devices 4 years or older). SJSU IT will cover the cost of a refresh purchase up to $1700, and the MLML IT department pays for any cost beyond that. Below are standard configurations. For more information, email mlml-helpdesktech@sjsu.edu. Budget User Windows Laptop:Dell Latitude 3420 $801 Intel Core i5-1135G7 quad-core CPU 8GB RAM Nvidia GeForce MX450 graphics processor 256GB SSD 14" 1366x768 screen 41 watt-hour battery Power User Windows Laptop: Dell latitude 7430 $1246 Intel Core i5-1245U 10-core CPU 16GB RAM Intel Iris XE graphics 256GB SSD 14" 1920x1080 screen 58 watt-hour battery Standard Windows Desktop: Dell OptiPlex 7090 Small-form-factor $944 Intel Core i7-10700 8-core processor 16GB RAM AMD Radeon 550 graphics processor 256GB SSD Standard Monitor: Dell P2422H 24" 1920x1080 monitor MacBook Air: MacBook Air $1099 Apple M2 8-core processor 8GB RAM 256GB SSD 13" 2560x1664 screen 53 watt-hour battery Standard User MacBook Pro: 14" MacBook Pro $1849 Apple M1 Pro 8-core processor 16GB RAM 512GB SSD 14" 3024x1964 120hz screen 70 watt-hour battery Power User MacBook Pro: 16" MacBook Pro$3399 Apple M10 Max 10-core processor 64GB RAM 1TB SSD 16" 3456x2234 120hz screen 100 watt-hour battery Mac Desktop: Mac mini $829 Apple M1 8-core processor 16GB RAM 256GB SSD Hardware Upgrades: RAM and SSD Memory Upgrades RAM: Random Access Memory Upgrading your RAM is the easiest way to get your computer running quicker and smoother. Your computer should have at least 8GB RAM to perform well with modern operating systems and programs. Mac Upgrades: The RAM on most newer Macs cannot be upgraded. Below is a list of Macs which cannot be upgraded: Mac mini (2014, 2020 and newer) MacBook Pro (Late 2012 and newer) MacBook Air (all models) MacBook 12" (all models) iMac (some 21" models 2015-2020, all models 2021 and newer) To check whether your Mac can be upgraded, enter your serial number into Everymac.com's serial lookup tool. How to upgrade your Mac’s RAM How to determine how much RAM you need: check your Activity Monitor for Memory Used to determine how much RAM you need. PC Upgrades: How to Install RAM on your PC How to determine how much RAM you need: check your memory usage and determine how much RAM you’ll need. Newegg Memory Configurator - Choose the right RAM for your computer SSD Upgrades A Solid-state-drive (SSD) is a storage device for your computer. It is much faster than a hard disk drive (HDD), which was traditionally used for storage in computers. It has no moving parts and its information is stored in microchips. Upgrading your computer from a HDD to a SSD will greatly increase the speed. More specifically, loading times and transfer times will speed up. (Copying and moving files). Crucial SSD Upgrade Tool - helps determine which upgrade you need. Mac Upgrades: The storage drive on most newer Macs cannot be upgraded. Below is a list of Macs which cannot be upgraded: Mac mini (2018 and newer) MacBook Pro (2016 and newer MacBook Air (2018 and newer) MacBook 12" (all models) iMac (2021 and newer) To check whether your Mac can be upgraded, enter your serial number into Everymac.com's serial lookup tool. Determine which SSD is compatible with your system with the Crucial link above or here. Find your Mac model and check out the buying options for SSD upgrades. To learn about SSD Upgrades for Macs click here. PC Upgrades: To determine what kind of drive your computer has click here. Use the Crucial link above for buying options. Memory Upgrade Compatibility Many online vendors have tools you can use to identify and purchase a memory upgrade for your computer. Both Crucial and NewEgg.com have reliable and easy to use tool that helps find memory that is compatible with your computer.PC Part Picker is also a great way to judge compatibility of components for any given hardware. Especially when putting together a new PC.(Be sure to check how many memory slots your computer has and the max capacity of each slot before ordering)Crucial MemoryNewEgg.com Memory ConfiguratorPC part PickerCheck your AppleCare Status You can quickly and easily check to see whether your Mac is still covered under your AppleCare warranty at Apple's Support website: https://checkcoverage.apple.com/Student Computer Recommendations Choosing a new computer is an important decision, and we would like to provide recommendations for minimum system requirements that might help you get the most out of your new computer. Please checkout our KB page for upgrading hardware in your computer to see if minor upgrades could save you the cost of buying a new computer. Minimum System Requirements RAM (Random Access Memory) At least 8GB of RAM is recommended It is important to have an adequate amount of RAM, because this allows you to run multiple programs and have multiple browser tabs open at the same time without bogging down your computer. If you foresee yourself working with more complicated software and having to multitask frequently, you may want to consider purchasing a computer with 16GB of RAM Internal Storage We recommend at least 512GB of internal storage This will give you enough local storage for the operating system, software programs, data files, pictures, etc. In addition, we highly recommend that you backup your computer. For different methods and best practices, visit our Computer Backup KB Page CPU (Internal Central Processing Unit) We recommend having at least a quad-core processor Although there is a tradeoff between energy efficiency, a quad-core processor allows you to multitask and run several programs at the same time without slowing you down Internal Drive Ensure that the device you are purchasing has a solid-state-drive (SSD) Having an SSD will greatly increase your computer’s loading and transfer speeds Additionally, if your current device has a hard disk drive, you may be able to upgrade it to a SSD. Check out our Hardware Upgrades KB page to learn more! Computer Management & Storage Helpful pages about how to manage, backup, and store data on your device. Also information about checking your computers performance. Computer Setup & Data Management Below are the steps you should take to purchase, setup, and manage a new workstation. Purchasing Computers & Hardware: When purchasing any computer hardware with SJSU, SJSURF, or Lab-specific funds, we recommend contacting the IT Group by submitting an IT Helpdesk Ticket, so IT can help you find the best hardware to fit your specific needs. Recommended Configurations Browse the workstation configurations available and recommended by IT through the SJSU Workstation Refresh program. Workstation Refresh (No-Cost) Workstation Refresh (Discounted) High Performance Configurations If you or your lab has a need for a high performance machine for a specific purpose, please contact IT by submitting an IT Helpdesk Ticket. The IT Group will work with you to decide what hardware will best suit your needs, whether it is a High Performance Desktop Workstation, a Virtual Machine in the on-premise environment, or a Cloud Compute Instance. Storage Devices External Hard Drive For backing up your workstation, IT recommends a portable external hard drive. Below are a few recommended drives. Seagate Backup Plus Slim Western Digital My Passport Network Attached Storage (NAS) For lab environments, where you may have lots of data that needs to be shared between many workstations, IT recommends purchasing a NAS. These are physical data storage servers, connected to the network, that allow you to keep your lab data in a centralized location and are accessible by whomever you give access. Be aware that any lab wanting to purchase a NAS must do so with their own funds. If you are thinking of purchasing a NAS for your lab, please submit an IT Helpdesk Ticket. The IT Group will advise and assist in the process of planning, purchasing hardware, and getting the NAS setup for use. Hardware Upgrades In some cases, a slow workstation's performance can be improved by an increase in memory or replacing a hard drive with a solid-state drive. If you are thinking about a hardware upgrade for your workstation, please submit an IT Helpdesk Ticket. For more information, see the Hardware Upgrades page. Operating System (OS) & Software Configuration: Operating Systems and Updates Install the latest operating system compatible with your device and perform regular updates to keep it running quickly and efficiently. For more information, visit the Recommended Operating Systems page. Software Installation To see what services and technologies you have access to at MLML, check out our Service Level Agreements. Basic software recommendations include: Microsoft Office, Adobe CC, and Google Chrome To learn about all software available through MLML and other recommended software visit our Software Page Software Installation Procedures can be found on our Knowledge Base Security: All State-Owned computers will need to meet certain security requirements set by SJSU that IT will install (e.g., Spirion), but a password manager will also need to be setup by you and is required. Password Management Learn how to keep your passwords robust, safe, and securely stored please visit our Password Storage & Management Page. Information Security IT strongly recommends thoroughly reading and implementing the advice on the Information Security Overview to keep you and your data safe online. Data Management: Computer Backup There are two methods you may use to backup a computer: 1) Backup User Files to Hard Drive Purchase an external hard drive to backup your workstation (recommended 1-2 TB) This hard drive should be dedicated for this purpose only Setup the following backup programs available on your device to backup to your external hard drive: Time Machine - Apple Mac File History (or equivalent) - Windows PC 2) Create a Disk Image Imaging your computer's disk creates a replica of the contents on your computer Using a differential setup creates one initial full image of your disk, then the proceeding images save only the content that has changed since the initial image Storage Management To keep your workstation working properly it is important to properly manage the files and data on the computer Backups should be routinely scheduled - can automatically set this up in the backup computer settings (see Backup section above and follow link) File Migration To successfully migrate folders and files from an old device to a new device, visit the File Migration Page. How to Migrate Files: Dropbox, Folder Sharing, External Hard Drives, Google Calendar Quick Tips: Create folders on each computer to keep track of things you will and will not migrate Name folders: “MIGRATED”, “DO NOT MIGRATE”, etc. Place folders on Desktop for easy access There are multiple reasons to migrate files, whether it be to have them on multiple devices or to move files to a new computer. Whatever the reason, to efficiently and seamlessly migrate files to your new computer follow reference the tools below: Dropbox: Dropbox is a great application because you can download it on multiple devices, then all you have to do is sign-in and you can access the files in your dropbox. Storage is limited with the free version, but you can upgrade by purchasing more storage space. To begin follow these steps: Create folder(s) with all files that need to be migrated in your Dropbox on old computer Download Dropbox on old (if not done already) and new computers and sign in on both devices Upload folder(s) from old computer into Dropbox For help on how to upload into Dropbox, follow this link. Open Dropbox on new computer Copy all files and folders on Dropbox onto your new computer Select the "..." symbol to right of the folder/file name you'd like to download Select Download Folder Sharing: It can be easy to share folders between devices, however, they must be on the same network. This can be done for both macOS and Windows, and there is no limit to how many folders you may share. Windows: Follow the instructions below, provided by Windows Central's Folder Sharing Page To Share a Folder: Create folder(s) with files you'd like to migrate to new computer Right-click the folder you'd like to migrate Select Give access too > Select Specific people... A Network Access window will pop-up to "Choose people to share with" Enter the name of the computer (how to find your computer's name) you would like to give access to Click Add Under "Permission Level" click Permissions and specify access privileges Select Share Right-click the shared folder path and select the Copy Link option Send link to computer/user you'd like to share folder with. You can do this via email. To Access Shared Folder: Open File Explorer Right-click and paste link of shared-folder pathway into address bar Hit Enter You should now have access to the shared folder macOS: Follow the instructions below, provided by Apple Support - Set Up File Sharing Set up File Sharing: Select the Apple menu  > System Preferences > Sharing Select File Sharing checkbox To share a specific folder, select the "+" button at the bottom of the "Shared Folders" list Locate & select the folder Click Add To configure advanced sharing options for your folder, see "Set advanced file sharing options" Select the folder in the "Shared Folders" list Click the "+" button in the "Users" list Add... Users or groups from all users of your Mac: Select Users & Groups > select desired users/groups > click Select Users or groups from everyone on your network: Select Network Users or Network Groups > select desired names > click Select Someone from your contacts: Select Contacts > select desired name > click Select > create password > click Create Account Specify access to users/groups: Select user > click triangles next to their name > choose desired access Access Shared Folder: Open Finder Scroll to Go tab on top of screen Select Go to Folder Type /Users > Enter You should see a Shared folder External Hard Drive If you are running regular backups to an external hard drive using File History (Windows 10 PC) or Time Machine (MacOS), you can restore files on your new computer without much hassle. For information about this method, check out our Computer Backup Guide. Another method is to just copy the files you would like to migrate to an external hard drive, and then copy them to your new computer. Migrating Calendars, Contacts, and Bookmarks Generally, if you use Google Chrome, Firefox, or any other modern web browser: If you sign in to the browser, and turn on "Sync", it will keep your user data saved in the cloud. But as a backup, and to make sure no data is lost, below are instructions for exporting these items as a file, which you can then migrate yourself, and import on the new computer. Calendars: Export from Google Calendar Import to Google Calendar Contacts: Google Contacts Outlook Bookmarks: Chrome Firefox: Export Bookmarks from Firefox Import Bookmarks to Firefox Computer Backup & Storage This is a copy of the Computer Backup page located in the Software book under Operating Systems. Quick Tips: How often should I backup my computer? It is recommended to keep the automatically backup function enabled, which defaults to once an hour. If you rather not have these programs automatically backup, you should be backing up at the very least once a week. NOTE: See our Image Management, Search, & Use Best Practices Page for image backup information. Which backup tool should I use? The backup tools listed below are free, built-in software provided by Mac OS and Windows. Also, there is a software program called Macrium Reflect, which allows you to clone or image your entire storage drive. Please see our KB Page Create a Disk Image with Macrium Reflect for information about this software. macOS: Time Machine Time Machine takes periodic snapshots of all your files and catalogs them on an external hard drive or a NAS on your network. NOTE: Make sure your external hard drive is connected to your computer or laptop. As the drive gets full, Time Machine will delete the oldest backups and replace them with newer versions. For more information visit Time Machine Support. To verify that Time Machine is periodically backing up your computer, open Time Machine Preferences to view the latest and upcoming backup statuses. Windows 10 and Newer: File History File History takes snapshots of versions of your files and stores them on an external hard drive and creates a library to restore previous. Enables restoration of lost, damaged, or deleted files. For more information visit File History Support. How do I backup my computer? Below are instructions on how to backup using the free, built-in software provided by Mac OS and Windows: macOS Time Machine: Connect your external hard drive You might be asked if you want to use the drive to backup with Time Machine: Select Encrypt Backup Disk (recommended) → Use as Backup Disk. An encrypted backup is accessible only to users with the password. If Time Machine doesn't ask you to choose a backup disk when you connect the drive to your Mac: System Preferences → Time Machine → ON Select which disk you’d like to use as a Time Machine backup Check the Backup Automatically box if you wish to automatically backup your Mac to the device Time Machine backups hourly, daily, and weekly as the drive gets full Windows File History: Settings → Update & Security → Backup Connect your external hard drive Select “+” in Settings next to “Add a drive” Choose your external hard drive from the list There is a slider to automatically backup your files File History automatically backups all folders in your User folder Select “More Options” under on/off slider then scroll down to “Back up these folders” to change these preferences How often should I backup my computer? It is recommended to keep the automatically backup function enabled, which defaults to once an hour. If you rather not have these programs automatically backup, you should be backing up at the very least once a week. However, if you work on your computer creating new files several days a week, it may be advantageous to backup at least everyday. In this way it is sometimes easier to default to “Automatically backup” in these programs. How do I restore my Files? Using the free, built-in software provided by Mac OS and Windows follow the instructions below: macOS Time Machine: Restoring Files System Preferences → Time Machine → Check box Show Time Machine in menu bar Click Time Machine icon in Menu bar → Select Enter Time Machine Find the file or folder you’d like to retrieve and select Restore Time Machine will copy that file back to its original location your hard drive Restoring Hard Drive Power on Mac and hold down the Command and R keys to enter the macOS Recovery Partition Your mac should boot to a screen that says macOS Utilities Select Restore from Time Machine Backup → Continue Read info on Restore Your Systems page → Continue Select your Time Machine Backup → Continue Select the most recent backup of your hard disk → Continue It will restore the backup and restart Windows File History: You can recover backed up versions of file(s) or folders by right-clicking on it in File Explorer → select Properties → select Previous Versions You can also access the files through your external hard drive in File Explorer Open File Explorer → open the folder that contains the item(s) you’d like to retrieve Select the Home tab on the Ribbon atop your folder → then select the History button Choose what you’d like to restore (i.e. folder, files, one file) Move forward or backward in time with the arrows at the bottom of the window to find the version you’d like to restore Click the Restore button to restore your desired version. It will place the item (folder, file(s)) back into the place it used to live If you have a newer file with the same name Windows will ask you to choose from the following options: Replace the File in the Destination Folder - old file being restored will replace the file currently in it’s destination Skip this File - will not restore this file/folder Compare Info for Both Files - compare file sizes and dates before choosing, this option also will let you keep both. Windows will add a number at the end of the restored file. Computer Performance This is a copy of the Computer Performance page located in the Software book under Operating Systems. macOS macOS is Apple’s operating system for all Mac devices. For more information about macOS visit the macOS Apple Page. About This Mac This dialog shows you basic information about the manufacture date and hardware of your Mac. Click the Apple icon at the top left of the screen on the menu bar. Click About This Mac. The dialog window with basic system information will pop up Click the System Report button for more detailed information for the advanced user. Activity Monitor Similar to Task Manager for PC, Activity Monitor displays every program running on your Mac. You can manage these running programs and identify how they are affecting your Mac’s performance. For more information visit Activity Monitor Support. Uninstall Unnecessary Applications One simple way to clear disk space and keep your computer running smoothly is to uninstall applications you don’t need or aren’t using. NOTE: Make sure you know what the application function is before you delete it, some applications are key to keeping your computer functioning properly. Find the list of applications: Open Finder → Applications (left side panel) How to Uninstall Applications on Mac Windows Windows is Microsoft’s operating system for PCs. For more information about Windows visit the Microsoft Windows Page. System Information Windows also has a basic system information dialog, similar to About This Mac (OS Version, Processor, Memory, 32/64bit info) Right click the This PC Icon on your Desktop and Click Properties. If it isn't there, search "This PC" in the Search Box on your Taskbar. This system information dialog should pop up For more detailed and advanced info, download a third-party system info utility program like CPU-Z. Task Manager Similar to Activity Monitor for Mac, Task Manager displays every program running on your computer. You can manage these open programs and identify how they are affecting your computer’s performance. You can access the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete (press all three keys at once). Once the screen changes color and a menu pops up, click Task Manager. For more information visit About Task Manager. Resource Monitor The Resource (and Performance) Monitor in Windows allows the user to monitor CPU and memory usage, and disk and network activity in real time. It’s a great resource if your computer or your software is running slow and you’d like to see what program is causing the slowdown. You can access the Resource Monitor by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete (press all three keys at once). Once the screen changes color and a menu pops up, click Task Manager. The Resource Monitor is a tab, Performance, within the Task Manager window. There is a more detailed Resource Monitor within the Performance tab. At the bottom of the dialog window, there is a button Open Resource Monitor, with a speedometer icon. Click on this for a resource monitor where you can find details on which programs are eating up resources. For more information visit PC World Resource Monitor. Event Viewer Log files such as security changes, administrative files, application files, etc. are all compiled for viewing in the Event Viewer. It can be very helpful in locating a source of a problem if your computer starts to have issues. For more information visit How to Use Event Viewer. To use Event Viewer to detect problems in your PC visit Microsoft Support - Event Viewer. Uninstall Unnecessary Applications One simple way to clear disk space and keep your computer running smoothly is to uninstall applications you don’t need/use. NOTE: Make sure you know what the application function is before you delete it, some applications are key to keeping your computer functioning properly. Find the list of applications by following these instructions. How to Uninstall Windows Applications 3rd Party Tools See the list of 3rd party tools below, or visit these websites: Mac 3rd Party Tools Etrecheck - Find serious problems on your Mac https://etrecheck.com/ https://etrecheck.com/faq MacKeeper - DO NOT USE THIS! (Uninstall if present) Uninstall Instructions - be sure to clean up bits that may be leftover PC 3rd Party Tools Mac OS Caffeine Quicksilver Spectacle Synergy iStat Menus Dropbox Spotify Google Chrome Sublime Text Windows Ninite Synergy 7-Zip VLC Media Player Spotify FileZilla WinDirStat CPU-Z GPU-Z Dropbox Google Chrome Notepad++ Sublime Text E-Waste E-Waste Procedures When throwing away any electronics, all data/information and any tags will need to be deleted/removed before discarding. Follow these E-Waste procedures outlined below: Check for MLML, SJSU, or SJSURF asset tags If present, remove the tag and stick it to a piece of paper. Write the Make, Model, and description of the device. Also include the serial number. Give the paper with this information to Ivano and a copy to IT. Remove the hard drive and label it with the group (e.g. MLML) and device info. Coordinate for the destruction of data or drive with IT via an IT Helpdesk Ticket. Check with IT to determine if any parts/components are still viable or useful. Dispose the device in e-waste bins located in the corner of the corp yard by the warehouse door. Make sure the bins are covered after you’re done. Battery Recycling Recycle batteries and printer cartridges: There are bins in the shop for recycling old batteries and printer cartridges.The following types of batteries are ok to recycle in the shop: AAA, AA, C, D 9V watch batteries, CMOS batteries laptop batteries UPS batteries IMPORTANT! For safety reasons, be sure to put tape on ALL battery contacts!