Replaced 640GB hard drive with SSD on Windows 8.1/Xubuntu 14.04 Dual boot with all programs, data.

Laptop: Toshiba R835-P94 Core i5
Old Drive:  640GB 5400rpm
Boot: 100MB
Windows 8.1: 300GB Used data was 90GB. Moved big data files to external drive
Xubuntu: The rest which is about 340GB. Used data was 10GB

New Drive: Samsung Electronics 840 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Single Unit Version Internal Solid State Drive MZ-7TE250BW

Step1: Prepare the partitions on the old drive to match the new smaller drive.

Used Gparted in Xubuntu and changed old drive to:

Boot: 100MB
Windows 8.1: Little less than 50GB
Xubuntu: Little less than 50GB
ntfs DATA: Remaining space

Did all the cleanup to make the move fast.

Step 2: Replace the old Toshiba drive with the SSD.

Required removing 2 screws on the memory cover and 2 screws to remove the hard drive cover, lift the old drive, remove ribbon cable, connect the ribbon cable to the new drive, place the new SSD in the slot, put back the screws. I should have removed the battery but forgot.

Step 3: Used Gparted boot CD to create device table and partition the new drive as follows

Boot: 100MB
Windows 8.1: Little more than 50GB
Xubuntu: Little more than 50GB
ntfs DATA: Remaining space

Step 4: Placed the 640GB drive in 2.5" Sabrent USB2 SATA enclosure.

Just needed to remove 2 screws, connect the SATA, put the screws back.

Step 5: Used Clonezilla boot CD to copy one partition at a time from the old drive to the SSD.

See example video on youtube.
It took me total 25min for about 40GB of data.

Step 6: Try booting the computer. If it does not work, you may have to fix the boot partition.

I would like to give credit to my son Harsha Kotcherlakota for finding this. It took all of 5 min to do it. Here is how to do it. Note that all he had to do was push one button "Recommended Repair"

Bingo! All done. Much faster startup and opening of programs on the local disk. I think the computer is not so warm. I think battery life improved. I will post some update here but I really don't want to put back the old drive just to do the numbers. Others posted such data already.

The battery life for internet browsing text and images and small video clips was about 3.5hrs on HDD and about 6hrs on Xubuntu as well as Windows 8.1.

My power setting on Windows 8.1:

My power setting on Xubuntu 14.04:

A final note. I used ext2fsd version 0.52 to mount my linux partion as L: on Windows 8.1. It worked fine. I am editing this blog from windows side. I was able to paste the screenshot from the /home/hari/Pictures folder in linux.

Roku 3 bad USB playback and terrible customer support. Refund 1 month after complaint to BBB for non-working App purchase.

I used Roku 3 with Dishworld. It worked great.

I tried CNET, Netflix, Youtube, News videos. Slingplayer with Slingbox 350 and Samsung Galaxy Note 2. All good.

I tried their media player app. Did not work for any of my mkv files created using makemkv. No sound or picture. Won't even show mkv files.

The I bought USB playback App for $3.99 which supposedly plays MKV. It did not play sound. Now I thought I will call tech support number supposedly open at this time Sunday 1:30pm US Pacific time June 8th. Wait time is 25min. They suggest I try their web page. There there is chat. Wait time is 31min. Then I tried Web request asking for refund.

Name:

Email:

Phone:

Order #:

Serial #

Problem Description:
Channel Play USB for which I paid $3.99 is not working as advertised for mkv playback. No audio on any file I checked. Please refund this. I was annoyed that it takes 48hrs to get reply.

Every App must have a trial period like Android, iPhone and ability to ask for refund. Shame on you Roku.

It took 48hrs for an email from Roku and my response below.
> Thank you for contacting Roku Customer Service.
> From your email I understand that you are experiencing issue with Play USB channel on Roku player.
> We apologize for the inconvenience and delay in responding to your email.
>
> Do not worry Srihari, we will help you to resolve this issue.
> In this case, We request you to remove and add the channel from the Roku
> player to resolve this issue.
> Kindly follow these steps to remove the channel:
>
> 1. From the Roku home screen
> 2. Select "My Channels"
> 3. Highlight the channel you wish to remove
> 4. Click the Star* button on Roku remote
> 5. Select remove channel
> 6. Confirm channel removal
>
> After removing the channels, unplug the power cable from the Roku player and after 30 seconds plug it back.
> Kindly add the Play USB channel and follow the on screen instructions.
>
> We appreciate your patience and understanding in this concern.
>
> Please feel free to contact us for further issues and we will be more than
> happy to assist you.

I did as you said. The result was same. NONE of the bluray movies I have with makemkv worked. In fact even video did not start on mkv files from DVD.

They all had the original audio track which plays on WDTV Media player and my laptop using VLC player.

Either your hardware does not support the audio codecs or software app is bad.

Please refund my account. I will delete this channel and use my WDTV media player as always.

Update 6/22 No response and no refund  12 days later. Total 14 days since purchase of the USB Media play App for $3.99. I will update this blog if at all I get a response or a refund. Take it as a warning not to buy paid apps on Roku folks.

Update 7/8 No fix to USB playback App, no refund. Wanted response to survey.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ROKU Technical Support
Date: Tue, Jul 8, 2014 at 12:20 AM
Subject: Roku would like your feedback
To: 
Dear Customer,

Thank you for using our support service.  We would like to know if we have
 met your expectations during the most recent support experience by inviting
 you to take the brief online survey below.

Update 7/17/14:

Filed a complaint with Better Business Bureau for what it is worth.

Update 7/28/14

BBB Processing

07/13/2014 web BBB Case Received by BBB

07/16/2014 RN BBB Case Reviewed by BBB - Member

07/16/2014 Otto EMAIL Send Acknowledgement to Consumer

07/16/2014 Otto EMAIL Notify Business of Dispute - Member

07/28/2014 WEB BBB RECEIVE BUSINESS RESPONSE : Hi Srihari,

Thanks for your message. I am sorry that it didn't work out, but not sure which file format didn't work for you. Typically we only refund when the app/channel does not work as stated in the description, but will make an exception in this case.

Thanks for trying it out, again, sorry that it didn't work out.

Vince

Roku, Inc Director, Customer Support vthai@roku.com

07/29/2014 RN EMAIL Forward Business response to Consumer

07/30/2014 WEB BBB BBB REVIEWS CONSUMER REBUTTAL TO BUSINESS RESPONSE : (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

They said that they will make an exception but I received no refund or email to that effect. Also, I clearly stated that.mkv format as advertised did not work and provided very clear feedback.

Update 8/15/04
Finally got email from Roku posting refund. I wish good luck to Roku. They should not make it this hard to get a refund. There MUST be a trial period like Android apps. For such few Apps offered by Roku, one expects them to work like consumer electronics devices. Much better user support is required. For now I would recommend Roku only based on streaming needs. They have lots of competition from Google, Apple, Western Digital, Netgear and of course PC, MAC, Linux...

Beware of calls from Windows Computer Maintenance department saying that your computer has virus.

Just got a call from 776-500-2921 claiming to be Windows Maintenance Department. The caller Annie Perira claims that she is based in Atlanta, GA and representing a company called Global Service Provider for Windows Operating system. They also do not want to give their phone number. They claimed that a computer registered to me just downloaded a virus. This is a scam. DO NOT FALL FOR IT. None of my computers is running windows at the moment. I plan to report this to Microsoft.

When I try to use caller ID to return the call, I get the message "Your call cannot be completed as dialed". I am sure that all the info I was given was fake.

I suspect that call originated from India. Listen to the youtube audio on this link.
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/98757/psa-the-computer-maintenance-department-scam-calls/

I reported this matter to FTC.
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov