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Should I buy a new Mac?
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Mez
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7. December 2009 @ 15:10 |
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My 5 yr old Mac is running slow should I buy a new one? Is it worth all the pain of switching computers? How much do they run now?
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7. December 2009 @ 22:46 |
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Wish I could help, but I don't know. The new security and family protection features are nice; I just can't cope with its Yuppie desktop (showing off its latest 3D additions to OpenGL). So, I've not been browsing in the MacBook section. It's frustrating that each time Apple finally gets the bugs out of its OS, it releases an all new version!
However, the biased claim is that the MacBook hasn't logic boards with 2-year lifespans, as the iBooks & PowerBooks have. (That's nice, since I advised my family to buy Apple in 2002 because of the quality of their hardware.) Don't know if their keyboards yet mix well with cats. The Intel Macs will boot from USB (this means Flash Drives), and Firewire appears to be phasing out. (One needs to buy a MacBook Pro to get Firewire, I'm told.)
Upgrading
Everyone is moving to SATA. Lots of posts in the Apple Discussions on 'My old Mac won't boot from my new SATA drive'. Consequently I'm now upgrading my 7-year old desktop with two huge ATA/100 PATA drives & new memory. These drives are being 'dumped' by retailers, it would appear.
Downgrading
However, because of heating problems, I've not encouraged laptop owners to upgrade their hardware at all (other than buy a good, external, DVD writer, if they have a G4 processor).
I've made many friends at Apple by encouraging people with slow, older Macs to not upgrade but downgrade using the disc that came with their computer, then upgrade to the highest release within that version. MacOSX 10.3 was a good vintage: it was still Unix, with all the little adjustable files in /etc. Runs Firefox well.
Slipping Sideways
However, if you really want Leopard on your iBook G3, I recommend this:
Leopard for the iBook
When I fix my iBook G3's logic board, I'll likely run the latest Debian or Fedora Linux for the PPC processor. However, I'll also dual-boot MacOSX 10.2, which had a great World Book Encyclopedia! (It will be for my granddaughter.) With a script from World Book, the encyclopedia will run on 10.3 as well. Debian Linux has a little icon that tells you to click it for security patches & bug fixes; but there's no bloat!
Should you need an extra car to drive to the mechanic
So, in addition to getting a new Mac, you may wish to resuscitate your old friend; especially if you've no backup computer. It may need a new keyboard, however. :-)
Happy shopping!
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Mez
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8. December 2009 @ 09:33 |
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Thanks for the reply. The owner is my sister in law. We are about your age. If it were my computer I have more time and expertise than money and I keep the OS CDs. I would put in a new bigger drive and start over. I have a PC like that and have large disks collecting dust.
They have more money than time or skill. I am figuring the advances in technology might produce a great powerful computer and Intel based to boot. If you had a few grand what would buy today? A Mac Pro?
I like the idea to 'resuscitate your old friend'. Why would they need a new keyboard? I have a Mac tech friend that lives near them (less than an hour away). He might over haul her computer and do a great job but they will be without a computer. They only use the computer for survival needs. We have 4 networked computers at out home so I find it hard to relate.
The drives are not being dumped, they are all made in China so they are cheaper and the public is not hungrey for drives these days so there are price wars.
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8. December 2009 @ 12:50 |
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Ah, that's different. First of all, no one is my age. Be thankful.
I've not used Microsoft since Apple dragged them from the dark ages, but one can't go wrong with an Apple. It's quite a feat to make a computer that is best for both engineers & scientists, and best for those who know nothing of computing. I'm particularly fond the the OOUI (used by few), which greatly simplifies computing (IMO) for the average user.
MacBook or MacBook Pro
Yes, the MacBook Pro seems very popular. I'm not sure why. The MacBook has no Firewire port; but I see that as no problem, if one has no devices (such as a digital camcorder) that requires one.
Intel Processor
Apple appears to not wish to further support the PowerPC processor, so an Intel that will boot from USB is important, for software is and will be for that processor alone.
Compare the Detailed Technical Specifications
Whether the MacBook is sold as a MacBook Pro with fewer features is important. Earlier, at least, Apple discouraged the purchase of lower-end computers by hobbling them slightly. For example, the early Mac Pros came with one of three processing speeds; but the lower also had its L3 cache removed (!), causing an additional 30% loss in processing speed. How the different OSes and hardware affects the 'feel' can only be determined by visiting an Apple Store, I should imagine.
A Computing System is a Gestalt of Devices
When I did consult (between real jobs), I first examined what one needed the computer for, now & three years from now; then what one might enjoy using it for (but hadn't thought of - video chat, for example). Having chosen the software, I chose the best OS to run it.
Personal Choices
For personal use by a computer-frightened relative in 2002, I recommended a 12" iBook G3 running MacOSX 10.2 with double the recommended memory. (Internet cafés were starting, but I hadn't researched the failure of WEP security.) I hadn't anticipated the need for a G4 to burn DVDs in the future.
She bumped her laptop up to 14" three years later, and didn't carry it around much. So, I had unanticipated her wishes when choosing the model. Her preference was for Aluminum, DVD creation & backup, so she later switched to an Al PowerBook G4 and an external DVD writer.
Future Needs
Also, I'm the type who would run GNU/Linux as well. (In fact, I bought the 800 MHz Quicksilver 2002 used, as a good platform for GNU/BSD Unix, because early MacOSXes were variants of Unix.)
However, for those who like the latest, a computer is obsolete the day it is bought; so extra resources, if affordable, are probably desirable for the standard user. I tried to plan three years ahead.
Advantages of a Mac
If her computer is similar to yours, you can give advice. Also, you can advise on software needs & problems, and her tech friend on hardware problems. A new Mac should have no problem running snort and clavXav sentry in the background, to help assure safe internet shopping and banking locally. There's a great, free program that throws up warnings; but I've forgotten its name.
Advice you could offer
Backup media, devices, & strategies are very hard for people. I like to keep photos and other permanent items on optical media, freeing more space. Up to v.10.4, at least, MacOSX had only a swap partition and 'the rest', so freeing contiguous space for DVDs requires a slow defragmenter or quick file-by-file, full backup and restore.
Peripheral devices are a personal choice
One good reason to spend no more money than necessary is to save enough for peripheral devices. One interest of mine is reading old, scientific books. Many are rare enough to find only on Google books or the Internet Archive; so, I have an inexpensive printer with a duplex mechanism that prints double-sided pages. Another choice was an iPod to use for music, backups of selected folders, and to empty my digital camera after each 'shoot', while on a trip.
More than the sum of its parts
My Quicksilver serves two purposes. To speed up the laptops further, I installed a LAN and boot Linux on the Quicksilver, armed to the teeth with security. It serves as proxy server, and throws warnings upon laptop screens. It also serves the printers and stores the print queues, IMAP mail, &c. When few are using the internet, I can do my scientific computing. So, I use a big desktop and laptops in tandem.
This post is not to answer your question. It is instead, to give you an idea of some considerations in addition to the computer itself that I used to take into account when buying a computer for someone. I should consider aspects like those described, then check the specs for models with appropriate hardware. The rest is her personal choice.
PS. Keys on the laptops popped off if something were dropped on them, or if a cat or child walked over them. Usually, the only repair was to replace the whole keyboard. Heat radiates through the keyboard, so I don't know of a solution other than partly closing the case.
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8. December 2009 @ 13:15 |
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Oh,
Though a generic review isn't nearly as important as a personal one, when I have little time, I search '"coffee grinders" AND reviews' in a search engine.
One of my favorite sites for computing appliances is here:
http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/
Check the detailed specs yourself, however!
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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8. December 2009 @ 13:26 |
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Thanks! Even though they are cheap they make tons of money. A dual core and a SATA drive are musts. I am a PC guy. I do fix their Mac when I visit. Neither are skilled enough to plug a camera or ipod into the computer. They wait for a kid to come home. The kids will tell them what software to order.
Backup is no problem since there is nothing but kids stuff on the computer. The parents only use it for email and surfing. My brother does not even surf. He has been dragged into the computer world because some business contact will only take emails.
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8. December 2009 @ 23:24 |
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Sounds like the average American family. I've always believed one need not know any more than that. (Most people phone the wrecker to change a tire.) Technology can consume one's life, otherwise.
Apple sells hardware, so the company needs to build newer operating systems that consume it. New Macs should be great game machines. There is a button the the CNET review for 'game machine' that likely takes one to larger graphics processors.
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9. December 2009 @ 10:02 |
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For more speed, you should def. consider getting a new Mac. The hardware and software have been streamlined for speed and less power consumption.
If both machines have firewire and running 10.2.8 or higher, migrating to a new mac is really easy using the built in migration assistant. Makes the transition almost seamless
Price wise you're looking around $999-$2000 for most base model MacBooks, MBP or iMacs new. Toss another $200-$350 on for AppleCare because it's worth paying $200 to get a $1000 logic board replaced in an iMac 2 years in if needed.
My reasoning is that Apple (in 49 of the 50 states) will only service a machine for up to 5 years from date of purchase. After that it may be considered Vintage and would not be able to be serviced at an Apple Store. Apple 3rd party service providers might be able to service the machine but depending on the problem, you may be better off just getting a new machine anyways.
If you want speed, space and a machine that can be serviced by Apple: get a new mac.
No Reason to Live But We Like it That Way
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Mez
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9. December 2009 @ 12:19 |
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bass_hit, obviously a computer with almost an order of magnitude more power will be faster. They were happy with to old speed when it was running right.
They don't want to get rid of their 'old friend'. That is why I concurred with Gneiss1. Have them buy a new one then get the old one a bigger hard drive. They will stop using their old friend because the new one is so much faster. This way they do not feel any pressure. I say you can never have enough computers.
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9. December 2009 @ 13:07 |
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Originally posted by bass_hit:
If both machines have firewire and running 10.2.8 or higher, migrating to a new mac is really easy using the built in migration assistant. Makes the transition almost seamless
Bass_hit makes a good argument for Firewire that I hadn't thought about. Whether one can boot a new Intel Mac laptop, even with Firewire, into 'Firewire Disk Mode' (or whatever) and use the simple Migration Assistant is a good question. Migrating is a one-time event, which a Mac Tech might do; but does the MacBook (without Firewire) support such a convenient way of accessing the hard disk? I understand only the MacBook Pro now supports Firewire. But, I greatly prefer Aluminum anyway. (The 'unibody' with motion sensor sounds rugged.)
Many 3d-party internet repair services are excellent. I have a list.
iMacs are very elegant, and their monitors would be great for games. However, they earlier clashed with either NTSC or PAL or HDTV frequencies (or resolutions). That is likely no longer the case, but you'd want to check this elsewhere here. One can certainly (I'm guessing) attach a laptop to HDTVs, either in analog and probably digital formats; and also use an external keyboard & mouse with laptops.
With children, you may wish to show them iPods, iLife software, and the iInternet or whatever (US$100 or so a year). The latter augments the mailboxes & website space offered by their ISP. One can sync the 'KeyChain' of passwords, share photos with users of any computer, and create a website easily using the software in iLife. (Its ease of use is its only value, though its owner can quickly create & delete mail aliases to avoid SPAM after internet purchases.)
I never recommended buying extended warranties. However, if I knew then what I do now about iBook & PowerBook logic boards, I would have. Your tech friend would know whether this has been fixed on the MacBook series, as claimed.
BTW, when one of our Macs initially showed a mysterious problem, my first diagnostic step was to observe messages coming into the Apple Discussion Board. Often they were pleas for help with the same problem, immediately after a patch was installed. Diagnosis complete. :-) I just switched to Linux until Apple (slowly) repaired their repair.
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9. December 2009 @ 13:19 |
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Originally posted by Gneiss1:
Originally posted by bass_hit:
If both machines have firewire and running 10.2.8 or higher, migrating to a new mac is really easy using the built in migration assistant. Makes the transition almost seamless
Bass_hit makes a good argument for Firewire that I hadn't thought about. Whether one can boot a new Intel Mac laptop, even with Firewire, into 'Firewire Disk Mode' (or whatever) and use the simple Migration Assistant is a good question. Migrating is a one-time event, which a Mac Tech might do; but does the MacBook (without Firewire) support such a convenient way of accessing the hard disk?
I never recommended buying extended warranties. However, if I knew then what I do now about iBook & PowerBook logic boards, I would have. Your tech friend would know whether this has been fixed on the MacBook series, as claimed.
The Unibody white MacBooks (sans firewire) can do a migration assistant via ethernet as long as the other machine boots and is running 10.4.11 with the latest version of migration assistant installed.
I have never bought the extended warranty and lucked out but Apple's repair options for OOW machines vs. in warranty machines are very different. most In warranty laptops and all desktops stay in house if the problem is a logic board, Hard drive, superdirve, etc. and quoted 3-5 days. OOW one time repair for a laptop is $280-$310 depending on the model so Apple Care starts looking pretty good right about then. Not to mention unlimited phone support.
AppleCare is the one Warranty I DO recommend unless you plan on beating the crap out of your portable.
No Reason to Live But We Like it That Way
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9. December 2009 @ 15:44 |
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Originally posted by bass_hit:
Originally posted by Gneiss1:
Originally posted by bass_hit:
The Unibody white MacBooks (sans firewire) can do a migration assistant via ethernet as long as the other machine boots and is running 10.4.11 with the latest version of migration assistant installed.
Are you joking? What happened to USB? I remember misplacing my Firewire cable, and believe I used Migration Assistant over a piece of ethernet using AppleTalk. Neither was running 10.4.11. The above sounds more like 'No' to me, with a token service thrown in by the sales department.
So, there is, in general, no equivalent service added to replace 'Firewire Disk Mode'?
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10. December 2009 @ 05:09 |
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Modern computers always have a variety of ports. Though it would appear that, at the moment, all Macs sold have Firewire ports, it's clear one must check. Yes, as bass_hit says, the only way of connecting one Mac's hard drive from another Mac is by using 'Firewire Target Disk Mode' or networking them, if one has no Firewire port.
Though USB has the same theoretical capabilities as Firewire, Apple has implemented only Firewire 400 & 800 as a synchronous bus. It has implemented USB 2.0 asynchronously, which may explain why I've usually had to (hot) plug my USB 2.0 peripherals twice in succession to have the 'bridge' recognize them.
Had some time, so I visited not the Apple Store, but the latest posts on the Apple Discussion Board. First, some specs.
100base-X ethernet = 100 Mpbs = 11 MB/sec
1000base-X ethernet = 1000 Mpbs = 110 MB/sec
WiFi IEEE 802.11g = 140 Mbps = 18 MB/sec
WiFi IEEE 802.11n = 300 Mbps = 38 MB/sec
USB 2.0 = 480 Mbps or 60 MB/sec (6 pin connector)
USB 3.0 = 4800 Mbps or 600 MB/sec (not yet supported)
Firewire 400 = ~400 Mbps or 50 MB/sec (6 pin connector)
Firewire 800 = ~800 Mbps or 100 MB/sec (9 pin connector)
Problems with ethernet port (or lack thereof)
It would appear that the MacBooks with no Firewire port came as a rude surprise, so brand new ones do have one. The MacBook Air would appear to still have no Firewire port, nor even an ethernet port. (Using its USB 2.0 port for networking would cap its speed at 480 Mpbs. Netflix requires a minimum of 300 Mbps for streaming movies at DVD quality.)
Problems with USB ports
Macs have always had problems with their implementation of USB 2.0, and that hasn't changed. Some people have to (hot) plug their USB flash drives as the computer itself boots in order to boot from the flash drive. Sounds frenetic. USB 3.0 (10x faster) is about to be introduced in the personal computing industry.
Problems with Firewire ports
There appears to me a problem with some of the Firewire 800 ports. Either they aren't recognized when their computer should mount in 'Firewire Target Disk Mode', or they communicate at a speed less than 1/10 of what one would expect, whether using Firewire 400 or 800 on the other end.
Conclusion
My conclusion is to go over the specs carefully. The better, paranoid advice, is to visit a store and buy a computer off the shelf. If so, take the old computer, a bootable USB flash drive, and a Firewire video camera. Test its communication with each of these peripherals. (Buy a Firewire 400 to Firewire 800 cable, which adapts from 6 pins to 9 pins.)
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kq0b
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11. December 2009 @ 12:52 |
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Just for information. I have always been a PC user. I bought an MACBOOK at MicroCenter in St. Louis in November. I AM SO impressed with the MAC that I will upgrade to a IMAC 7 or perhaps a Mac PRO next year. I have 6 PCs running either XP Pro or Vista in my network but will keep one or two PCs but give the others to charity. BTW MicroCenter in Brentwood MO is selling the MACBOOK here for $999-$200 visa rebate - so $799 for the latest MACBook is outstanding!! You cant order it online cause it is a in-store special with the grand-openning. I have a small learning curve with the MAC but it is not difficult since I bought the One-To-One training from Apple at $99 for a year. BTW Apple will move your PC files over to the MAC !! Check it out !!!
KQ0B
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11. December 2009 @ 14:38 |
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kq0b,
Because this thread's title is answered by your post, I should like knowing why your prefer the Mac over the PC. I've never seen Vista or Windows 7: I bought Apple because of its making computing simple, it Unix engine beneath, and its stunning graphics with MacOSX 10.2.
It would be nice to know what differences between the Mac and PC you find attractive. Also, I can't picture a simpler interface for connecting a computer to a LAN. Did you find the uniform interface, ability to turn services (protocols) on & off with a button, and firewall editor different? (I don't know.)
How do they compare?
Only if you have time. BTW, MacOSX has always had an OOUI interface.
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kq0b
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11. December 2009 @ 15:44 |
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Let me start of by saying I have been a PC user all my life.
Here is what I like about the MAC: Remember this is my take and my subjective point of view---
1. No Blue Screen of death
2. MAC software is stable: seldom if ever crashes or if you have a prob u restart that application without rebooting the machine
3. Display and graphics out of the box are awesome
4. Price diff for the options I got were about 10% more for MAC which was not an issue with me
5. One-to_one training for an hour session is fantastic $99 per year nd if you are working on a project you can schedule a block of time.
6. I now prefer the MAC system of storing data and applications
7. I have a dual core machine that is fast -
8. Software updates are great and fast -- and it does shut my machine down to do a restart unless it is a major software change
9. I can run Iwork instead of the Microsoft Office Tools and convert my docs, spread sheets, Power Point etc over -- lower cost and for me same things I use
10. I DON NOT need antivirus, anti-malware/spyware, identity-theft protection - this is major for me. I get tired of having to renew these each year or keep up with them.
11. My MAC came with bluetooth capability built in so I use a blue tooth mouse and keyboard. Yeah you can get it on PCs but that's more of an option.
12. I like the Time Machine which allows an easy way to back up my hard-drive.
13. Ya don't have to worry about defrags and such.
14. My MAC boots up faster - hands down over a PC
15. The MAC recognizes a huge list of drivers so I just plug in a printer or device and I am set to go
16. Easy to add applications - now there are some products that are not MAC compatible but I will keep them on one of the machines I will retain.
17. THe led display is awesome on a IMAC 7 - 27inch You can get much better even with a Sansung LED 800 series TV
18. I deal with APPLE not the Hienz 57 varities of salesmen
19. I have two stores in St. Louis and I get one on one attention and no hassle with returns
20. ITS a MAC and it is going to be around !
what did I miss??
OH Yeah MAC prices do not go up on upgrades -- check their model prics
I had to get over the cost factor that a PC is cheaper than a MAC. I generally upgrade about every 3 years.
KQ0B
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11. December 2009 @ 16:56 |
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Wow! I'm convinced.
Windows XP, I think, was the last Microsoft product I saw, but I appreciated some other aspects of MacOSX (as well as #10 above, which dominates).
1. The uniformity and friendliness of its interface.
2. Its object-oriented user interface.
My folders I class by object: application, books, photos, movies, &c. But on my desktop I like to create folders containing aliases of objects needed for my current projects: 'Restoring Quicksilver', 'Paper on Zoned Minerals', &c. I can place everything I need in such a temporary folder. Printers, colleagues' computers, &c, are devices that appear simply as folders. They mount as little icons on the desktop. When done with a draft, I can just drag a TeX document from a folder on the desktop to one of these devices (folders) to have it print or sent to a friend.
2. The 'Help' menu really provides help.
3. The simplicity of its network settings.
4. The ability to shop securely using an internet bank.
5. The ease of using virtual network computing.
Using this, I can have a window of a laboratory workstation (a folder containing its mounted filesystem, and showing its desktop), and another windows of the desktop of another computer in another country. I just switch windows to switch computers, or drag a file from one desktop to the other.
6. The Unix beneath allows me to find Unix or Linux programs for X, recompiled for MacOSX and use free software courtesy of the Linux community.
7. The CUPS printing system.
8. The simplicity of interfacing peripheral devices. I download audio stories from the Internet Archive for my granddaughter, and place them on an iPod, which also serves a a backup device, a storage device for my digital camera when on trips, &c.
9. The way the old, aluminum interface matched our Aluminum PowerBook. Apple has a great advantage in making hardware systems (computers) that continually change, but each has an operating system and either business or home software that is designed specifically for that hardware. Apple one of the last companies to retain this old paradigm. It gives them great control over quality, though they're still gaining control over that.
10. Apple supports standard protocols and formats. This allows me to share files with friends, and allows me to dual boot a large Linux distribution. KDE has the same philosophy and resembles MacOSX a bit. If I can't do it with MacOSX, I can boot GNU/Linux and do it with one of their 25,000 free applications.
As an example, one free application lets me buy a box of 8 1/2 x 11" photo paper and print part of a fine color photo on each, gluing them on a board to make one poster-sized photo of any size. I could cover a wall.
When distributing software to the academic community and elsewhere, I use only GNU/Linux and distribute it freely, according to a GPL license.
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11. December 2009 @ 20:47 |
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Sorry, I forgot the end of my previous post. The Mac is of unique value to programmers.
1. Darwin is a variety of Unix. All a programmer's favorite tools can be compiled for it, offering the best platform for programming. Apple gives away its own kit.
2. New Macs and older servers have error-correcting (ECC) memory, as scientific workstations do.
3. MacOSX 10.2 and later versions run increasing amounts of Silicon Graphics' OpenGL code in hardware, as graphical workstations do.
4. Apple integrates into MacOSX its own version of X, so tens of thousands of free applications on Sourceforge can be compiled and run on MacOSX.
5. GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, and other *ix operating systems run natively on Macs, and GNU/Linux reads & writes files on Apple's HFS+ filesystem. This gives the Mac owner access to less-common, free applications not yet ported.
For the academic who would like to augment freely distributed programs for faster graphics, a Mac would appear a necessity. (This is a Unix machine. I know this. -Jurassic Park :-)
Fixed a grammar error.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 11. December 2009 @ 20:49
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wonx1312
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14. December 2009 @ 21:28 |
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I think the best way for you is to completely exam your mac and find out what is the main problem.And there are so many mac products for free trial,so you can download some,and maybe you can easily find something both useful and worth suits you.Better done than words,isn't it?
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14. December 2009 @ 22:44 |
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Wonx1312,
You're exactly right. A definitive diagnosis is always the way to start. I just assumed the original poster's mistake was that he followed Apple's instructions.
So, consequently, he proudly owns a MacOSX 10.5 operating system and software written for a pair of 2.26 GHz processors with a 1066 MHz memory bus to 2 GB of memory shared with the 256 MB of memory on an integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphic processor, paged to a 256 GB SATA hard drive along a 128-bit bus. But, he would be running this on his laptop likely running a single (core) 933 Mhz processor with 133 MHz bus to 512 MB of memory, paged to a 40 GB PATA hard drive along a 32-bit bus. But, hey: ran MacOSX 10.3 just great!
If this is the case, downgrading and switching to GNU/Linux was mentioned. But you're absolutely correct. The first thing I assume if my computer slows suddenly is malware, and I pull the network cord.
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Mez
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15. December 2009 @ 08:53 |
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No it was a hardware issue. The hard disk finally failed last weekend. Lucky for them (I was asking for my sister in law - I am a PC man) a new used computer was already in the mail. A dual core with a SATA drive. They had backed up their HD as I insisted.
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15. December 2009 @ 16:20 |
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Though I backup daily and don't worry, the S.M.A.R.T. monitoring attributes of ATA & SATA drives can be read periodically and compared, using a popular program on Sourceforge.
S.M.A.R.T. Monitoring Tools
They will run on both Windows and MacOSX (though best for Linux). Google and others don't think they're very useful. Although about 200 attributes are defined, a drive manufacturer will implement less than a dozen. From this, they determine by magic formula whether your disk is 'OK' or not.
My feeling is that S.M.A.R.T. is only useful in detecting 'diseased' drives: manufacturing defects, physical trauma, &c. It is less useful for drives that die of old age. Someone I was communicating with on the Apple Boards recommends replacing 2 1/2-inch hard drives every 5 years.
In any case, you can have it send a polite e-mail message when the value of a particular attribute has changed from its last reading. In the case of a sick drive, you can adjust it to poll the values every 30 minutes or so, though I don't know why one would. Well, you might want to order a new one before bad clusters start appearing in your backups, I suppose; and it could diagnose a problem definitively, as suggested above.
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