Riley PC Solutions

09/01/2026

Like, thank heavens the Black Friday, Boxing Day and New Year's sales are over.

I bought new laptops for the girls for school this year, and looking at what was selling out there was a minefield.

Older generation hardware is everywhere. I went with 2 Dell laptops in the end which had the more recent tech in them and were good value. No sooner had I done so, than HP had an even better deal. Cest La Vie on that one.

Do your research, make a decision based on what you can afford, go through with it. There will ALWAYS be another special popping up.

The Girls are happy though with their new kit. That's all that matters in the end.

01/04/2025

Buying Second Hand Computers off Facebook Marketplace (and even retailers) may seem easy, because there are so many out there, and a lot of them are going for cheap, but you need to ask yourself, Why???

When buying a computer, you want it to run Windows 11. The current version of Windows 11 v24H2 has specific Hardware requirements.

You can check this page for the System requirements of Windows 11:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/windows-11-specifications

For the CPU / Processor, the requirements are listed here:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-24h2-supported-intel-processors

Then you have the Video Card which must support DirectX 12.

My dad has a Core i3-7600 CPU, which is not support by Win11 v24H2. The issue with this is that since Oct 2024, his computer can no longer receive the most up to date software, and leaves his computer vulnerable.

I have purchased him a second hand computer for $248 from Australian Computer Traders in Brisbane which meets the Windows 11 v24H2 requirements (CPU: Core i5-8500, Hard Drive: 256Gb SSD, Video Card: Onboard Intel UHD Graphics 630 (supports DirectX 12).

If you are looking to purchase another second hand computer or laptop, you need to do your homework and find one that supports the most current version of Windows.

Otherwise, if you need help, hit me up and we'll sort something out. :-)

Find an overview of Windows 11 specs and features from Microsoft. Learn about the device specifications, versions and languages available for Windows 11

02/12/2024

Looking forward to the Christmas break

21/01/2024

Another year down, and another starts.

12yo is off to high school this year. Went and hit up my supplier for a school laptop. For a simple $300 I picked up a 2nd hand Dell Latitude 5400 14" laptop with 16gb of memory and an upgraded battery. Now you can pick these things up all over the place for the same price. What I like about them is the size, portability, great screen and backlit keyboard for night time work.

This laptop was also 2.5yrs old as well, so looked new and had been well looked after.

You don't need to buy brand new. Laptops will generally last 3-5 years if looked after. I have a laptop which is over 8yrs and still going. I have replaced the battery and hard drive, but it runs like a champ and I'm happy with it.

Look around, find bargains. Buy new if you must, but there is a gluttony of good 2nd hand gear out there that still has lots of life in it. I'd much rather buy 2nd hand than see stuff go into and fill and just be discarded.

27/11/2023

I'll admit it, I'm not iPad, iMac nor iPhone savvy. I'm comfortable with Microsoft Windows and Android phones.

Over the weekend I had opportunity to do work for a gentleman who had the trifecta of Apple, an iPad, an iMac (Macintosh Laptop) and an iPhone. He was unable to print to his new Canon Pixma printer using his iPad.

On arrival, I was advised that his Macintosh Laptop was rarely used, and he liked to do everything with the iPad.

Before I visited him I did my research and found out what I needed to do and how to install software on the Macintosh Laptop.

After an inordinate amount of testing on the iPad, we discovered it would print only PDF files in A4, everything else was small card stock, and we could not change that. Coudn't print from E-Mails, word documents, etc.

I installed the Printer Driver software on his Mac Laptop, and he was then able to print everything on A4 paper with no issues.

This comes down to it being an issue with the App on the iPad, and nothing wrong with the iPad itself, or with the printer.

End result was positive, even though it was a compromise in having to use the Mac Laptop, but given that the reviews of the iPad App for Canon are not flattering, it is the only option available.

Not everything works out as you would like it sometimes, but so long as the client is happy with the end result, and understands its not something that can be fixed by a visiting technician, then I too am happy that I had the opportunity to help and assist.

13/08/2023

I don't post a lot. I don't see a need in just sprouting useless guff. If I have something that I think is useful for people to know, I'll post it up.

I will however say we are delivering flyers to Esk to promote the business. The Mrs made them and I thought they were kinda cool and very friendly and lighthearted. Kudos to her for doing that.

But, if you do need some computer work done, let me know. I am here to help.

06/07/2023

So just before EOFY I bought a new phone. The Motorola Edge 30 Neo 5G (No iPhones for me)

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/motorola-edge-30-neo-5g-128gb-very-peri from JB HiFi for $399 (33% off)

It replaces my fully functional Samsung Galaxy A51 but my new Motorola pretty much has the same specs (mostly better) with the following differences:

Cons:
Slightly smaller screen
Smaller battery
Camera not as good

Pros:
Dual Sim (Vodafone and Telstra)
Wireless Charging

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT

Fits in the hand just nicely. Easy to use. Wireless Charging is freaking fantastic. Dual Sim for personal and work.

And when you turn on the phone, there is still the "Hello Moto" which is kinda cool and retro.

Overall: 9 / 10 (Because of the camera)

Sporting such features as MOTOROLA has delivered the goods once again. Check out our bargain prices online at JB Hi-Fi

04/07/2023

Foggy today. There are big hills around here somewhere.

21/02/2023

New Computers can be expensive. If you are looking for something to replace an aging computer, there are plenty of options available to you, but which ones do you choose to buy?

I have a supplier in Toowoomba who sells great quality second hand computers without breaking the bank.

They have All In One PC's (simple terms: AIO - A Computer Monitor with an inbuilt Computer). This means no box on the ground and no cables stretching all over the place. They come in various screen sizes (24" or 27" usually).

They also have an assortment of Laptops if you are looking for something more portable, or something for the kids that work well and isn't overpriced.

The prices will vary depending on Quality and Specifications, but generally very decent prices.

If you are looking for an upgrade or need something that doesn't break the bank, let me know.

If you decide you need an upgrade and need assistance transferring data, I can help you with that also.😀

21/11/2022

New computers. We all love them, but there can be bloatware that is just not useful to us.

What is bloatware? It is software that is installed to 'supposedly' help you (ie: McAfee Antivirus, Microsoft Office 365, etc). Now usually McAfee will work for a short period before you have to spend money on it, and the same with Microsoft Office 365.

I have just recently visited a customer who had such bloatware installed on their new All In One HP computer. Their McAfee trial had ended, so they also installed AVG Antivirus. They wanted Microsoft Office installed, but MS Office 365 was already installed, just not paid for / activated.

So apart from 2 antivirus programs running at the same time (big no no) a new version of MS Office could not be installed without removing the other version.

Whenever you receive a new computer, go into Programs and Features and look for software that you may not want or use. There are alternatives to paying for McAfee (Bitdefender Free is one of my preferred choices) and you can buy MS Office off eBay for up to $50 (though I cannot verify the legitimacy of those products).

Bloatware may also use system resources like your CPU, RAM / Memory and Hard Drive space.

For this customer, I removed all the bloatware, installed the version of MS Office they wanted, and a few other useful programs (Open Shell and 7Zip). They were happy with the results, as the computer felt zippier upon boot up.