[OPLINTECH] MSi All-in-One computers

[Chad Neeper]

I forgot about the power supply. That's a common failure point as well 
and would be non-standard in the MSi.

I think in the grand scheme of things, I'm going to drop the MSi 
All-in-One computers from my list of things to consider for use. Chalk 
another one up to "Good in theory (if it never fails); bad in practice."

Thanks, all!

Chad


-----------------------
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

--   Full LAN/WAN consulting services   --
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Nathan Eady wrote:
> Chad Neeper <cneeper at level9networks.com> writes:
>
>   
>> "you might be trading innovation and small footprint for increased
>> maintenance and service headache." 
>>     
>
> That would be consistent with all my experience of all-in-one units.
> They're almost *never* built from standard-form-factor off-the-shelf
> components.  
>
> Theoretically, they *could* be, at least mostly: only the case and the
> display would actually need to be custom.  If the case were made for
> it, everything else could be standard (well, reasonably so: laptop
> drives and MicroATX motherboards aren't the *most* common form factors
> for those components, but common enough that you can easily source a
> replacement part, which is the main issue really).
>
> But in practice all-in-one units are almost always a steaming heap of
> non-standard one-off components, just different enough that normal
> parts won't quite fit in the case or otherwise won't work.  Weird
> drive cables that combine power and data into a single proprietary
> connector; motherboards that offload core functionality onto daughter
> boards; L-shaped expansion cards; esoteric screws with non-standard
> threading and, in some cases, requiring exotic screwdriver heads;
> power supplies in non-standard dimensions with non-standard output
> configurations and cables, often including a non-standard motherboard
> power connector; special drivers in the OEM install that aren't on any
> of the CDs you're given, and without which the hardware won't work; in
> especially egregious cases even the keyboard and mouse connectors can
> be non-standard.  All of my experiences of working with all-in-one
> units have been steeped in frustration and annoyance.
>
>   
>> It looks like you add the 3.5" hard drive, RAM, CPU, and OS. 
>>     
>
> If so, that implies that the hard drive, RAM, CPU, and OS are, or at
> least can be, standard.  No promises about the other components, such
> as, for instance, the power supply.
>
> And yeah, if the display on an all-in-one fails, you're fresh out,
> obviously.
>
>   
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