Question New open box computer power on counts 75, Reads 571 Gb, writes 688 Gb , return or keep?

[Kayron07]

I bought this as an open box, Pawn shop on Ebay, he says it was sold to him that way, never used, Very clean machine. I have been using it for 2 weeks testing it to see if I should return, all tests ok for system, seems to run well - ELite book I5,256 SSD, 16 GB ram, crystal disk info show 75 power on counts, Reads 571 Gb, writes 688 Gb , return or keep?

 

[Eximo]

Two complete writes, plus some usage. I would say that represents the original OS install, the wipe to sell, and then whatever you have done to it. 75 power on counts is not a lot.

Probably fine for a few more years.

Drives are replaceable, and you should have a backup anyway in case something does happen.

 

[USAFRet]

I bought this as an open box, Pawn shop on Ebay, he says it was sold to him that way, never used, Very clean machine. I have been using it for 2 weeks testing it to see if I should return, all tests ok for system, seems to run well - ELite book I5,256 SSD, 16 GB ram, crystal disk info show 75 power on counts, Reads 571 Gb, writes 688 Gb , return or keep?

Open box, from fleabay, at a pawn shop?
Of course it was used before.

688GB written to the drive? Chump change.
That is easily done in a week after opening the box by the first owner.

Now that you have this fleabay/pawnshop thing....did you personally do a full wipe and reinstall of the OS and everything else?
If not, do that now.
Not tomorrow, not "I'll get to it".
Now.
The very next thing you need to do is wipe it clean.

Leaving it as is, you're trusting every single person who ever touched it.
Full wipe and reinstall.

What OS is on this thing?

 

[Kayron07]

Two complete writes, plus some usage. I would say that represents the original OS install, the wipe to sell, and then whatever you have done to it. 75 power on counts is not a lot.

Probably fine for a few more years.

Drives are replaceable, and you should have a backup anyway in case something does happen.

Thank you, not sure what you mean by 2 complete writes it says 690gb writes and 571 reads on a 256 gb hard drive? As for back up, I am going crazy trying to figure out where to use ssd, nvmi or old HDD (slower but perhaps more reliable) or to have portable ssd and HDD at home? Need it as secondary back up for phone as well ;-) My OLD netbook from ACER was used for 10 years, a few more years doesnt sound great. DOesnt 75 power on counts mean it was powered on 75 times>\? THis is supposed ot be new open box?

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you, not sure what you mean by 2 complete writes it says 690gb writes and 571 reads on a 256 gb hard drive? As for back up, I am going crazy trying to figure out where to use ssd, nvmi or old HDD (slower but perhaps more reliable) or to have portable ssd and HDD at home? Need it as secondary back up for phone as well ;-) My OLD netbook from ACER was used for 10 years, a few more years doesnt sound great. DOesnt 75 power on counts mean it was powered on 75 times>\? THis is supposed ot be new open box?

75 power cycles is absolutely NOT unusual for the first few weeks of a system.

Don't worry about the "2 complete writes".
As said, 688GB written si a trivial amount, easily done by the original owner.

Now....if they said it was "New, never used", that is a lie.
"Like new" is what it is.

Was the price of this less than what it costs in the store? If it was 'less', it is a used system.
In this case, very slightly used.

 

[Kayron07]

Open box, from fleabay, at a pawn shop?
Of course it was used before.

688GB written to the drive? Chump change.
That is easily done in a week after opening the box by the first owner.

Now that you have this fleabay/pawnshop thing....did you personally do a full wipe and reinstall of the OS and everything else?
If not, do that now.
Not tomorrow, not "I'll get to it".
Now.
The very next thing you need to do is wipe it clean.

Leaving it as is, you're trusting every single person who ever touched it.
Full wipe and reinstall.

What OS is on this thing?

Thank you! Why reinstall? it is an HP elitebook business computer with 2.5 years warranty *if I remove their OS that will void it all. It is Windows 10 but with HP install, it is clean of malware and crapware from what I see. 688GB write is not a lot on 256 GB drive on a new machine and 75 power counts? I have tested components with HP software not sure what else to test to see if I should keep it

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you! Why reinstall? it is an HP elitebook business computer with 2.5 years warranty *if I remove their OS that will void it all. It is Windows 10 but with HP install, it is clean of malware and crapware from what I see. 688GB write is not a lot on 256 GB drive on a new machine and 75 power counts? I have tested components with HP software not sure what else to test to see if I should keep it

You do a full reinstall, because you have exactly zero idea of what any and all of the previous owners did.
Pirated software, or worse. Sometimes, much worse.

Like buying a used car.
You look in the glove box, ashtray, under the seats, etc, etc.
If you don't, and a cop happens to search (for whatever reason), and they find a crackpipe....they are going to assume it is yours.

An OS reinstall will not kill the warranty. If indeed you have a warranty at all. You are not the original purchaser, and warranties are often not transferable.

 

[Kayron07]

You do a full reinstall, because you have exactly zero idea of what any and all of the previous owners did.
Pirated software, or worse. Sometimes, much worse.

Like buying a used car.
You look in the glove box, ashtray, under the seats, etc, etc.
If you don't, and a cop happens to search (for whatever reason), and they find a crackpipe....they are going to assume it is yours.

An OS reinstall will not kill the warranty. If indeed you have a warranty at all. You are not the original purchaser, and warranties are often not transferable.

I have checked with HP warranty is indeed good til dec 2025 and it is a business model and they said they dont advise me to do new install as then it wipes out HPsoftware that ensures good performance. THanks wanted to know how else to test system and how used this seems ;-)

 

[USAFRet]

I have checked with HP warranty is indeed good til dec 2025 and it is a business model and they said they dont advise me to do new install as then it wipes out HPsoftware that ensures good performance. THanks wanted to know how else to test system and how used this seems ;-)

Of COURSE HP is going to say that. They want their (mostly unneeded) software on it.

And you can almost certainly download that software package from HP.

I personally do not use ANY 'used system' without a full wipe and reinstall.


Again, that level of use is trivial, and very much in line with a week or two of use by the original owner.
It is fine.

 

[Blackink]

I used an HP laptop once for a friend and it had many problems.
I found to do a clean install right from their directions with everything on the included hard drive!

I didn't download anything, if I'm remembering correctly, and when it was done, it was just like turning it on for the first time.

 

[Kayron07]

I used an HP laptop once for a friend and it had many problems.
I found to do a clean install right from their directions with everything on the included hard drive!

I didn't download anything, if I'm remembering correctly, and when it was done, it was just like turning it on for the first time.

This seems to be very clean, I checked with them and took off 2 HP software, they advised against installing a different version of Windows. It is an Elite book. How did you reinstall without downloading? THank you!

 

[Blackink]

This seems to be very clean, I checked with them and took off 2 HP software, they advised against installing a different version of Windows. It is an Elite book. How did you reinstall without downloading? THank you!

It was many years ago. I seem to think the choices were right on the hard drive but getting to it by pressing certain keys (maybe during a re-start?) was how I seem to remember. What those keys were is what I don't remember.
Once I got to that window though, there was more than one choice: clean, repair, re-install, etc... things like that.

You should try a google search and see what you find. There may be something in the owner's manual.

Good Luck...