Computer suggestions?

naughtoj

naughtoj

Cathlete
Ok, now it looks like I need a new computer. Mine has all kinds of problems.

I want to have no problems surfing the net and want to be able to download music quickly and easily. I also want to be able to burn CD's. Other than that, I don't have any real requirements.

I am willing to spend about $1000, but would prefer to spend much less on last years technology (maybe??) Problem is, I know NOTHING about computers. Can anyone recommend a computer for me? If you know about computers or have one that has served you well, I would love to know!!

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Janice-
I'm giving your question to my DH who is a computer engineer. He will write his answer, and I'll paste it in in a few minutes.
-Nancy
 
How close do you live to a bestbuy? They have the "geek squad" to help out. I believe they'll help set it up in your home.

Another thought, if you believe Microsoft press releases, the next version of Windows, "Vista" should be out by the summer.

I don't know what type of problems your computer has but here are some easy tweaks that might improve the performance:

Start- all programs- accesories-System Tools - Defrag

My computer -right click on your hard drive - properties-tools- error checking

Download lavasoft's adaware and check for spyware.

I'd hate to see you shell out and then by summer your OS is old news.

let me know what probs you're having, maybe you could eke out until Vista comes out.

Dave
 
Janice, my DH writes as follows:

"Before answering, I feel I should point out that for most of what your friend wrote in her email, the factor which will limit her ability to easily surf the internet and download music quickly will be the speed of her connection to the internet and *not* the quality or speed of her computer. For what she wants to do, a DSL or Cablemodem connection is essential, with a minimum downstream speed of 512mb/s to 768mb/s ("mb/s" is "million bits per second"). If she is still using a dialup modem, any computer she purchases still won't be able to download any faster than the modem's maximum speed.

That being said, your friend does not need to spend anywhere near $1000 to get a computer that will do all that she writes in her email. Here are basic specifications she should look for (minimum):
- CPU: 2.0ghz (avoid Intel "Celeron" processors, look for "Pentium" processors)
- memory: 512mb
- disk: 80gb to 120gb
- Operating System: Windows XP Home (WinXP Professional if she thinks she will ever connect to any other computer or a home network)

My first choice would be Lenovo (formally IBM, and built to IBM specs), followed by Dell. Dell might be cheaper, but I feel that Lenovo uses higher quality components. Basically, you get what you pay for. Sony is another good brand, but I think they charge a premium for their high-tech styling. HP/Compaq and Toshiba are also good if she can get a good deal on a unit."

HTH,
Nancy
 
I thought of something else if you're really set on a new computer.

There are online stores (depending on where you live physical stores) that will sell you just the "box" with windows preloaded. You provide your own monitor.

check out http://www.tigerdirect.com the price drops to about $300 - 400. They also sell name brands.

Dave

Pls ask about upgrade compatibility to next version of windows!
 
I know a little .
I would buy at least a pentium 4 . I agree the celeron is garbage.
Pentium 6 's and 9's are out . My brother delivered a truck load a few months back(SAid they are holding them)
I like a gig of memory , for picture programs.
80 gig hdrive is enough, you will never fill.
cd +dvd + combo burner is a must( I have a program that decrypts dvd)
Sound card not integrated into the mother board. It eats up your exess memory. (IF YOU ARE INTO MUSIC)
If you are into games you need a good video card (many out there).
I am a gateway, or dell woman.
My gateways have ran great(support isn't same as it used to be)'
I have 2 dell now , laptop and desktop. Both run fine.
Anne
 
Great, I have some techies in here!! LOL LOTS OF QUESTIONS!!

Thank you so much for your responses. Nancy, say Thanks to your hubby!!


Ok...well, pressure to buy a new computer really comes from my husband. He has no clue about this stuff and everytime our computer does something he doesn't like (rather, doesn't UNDERSTAND) he throws stuff and says, "This damn computer sucks!!!!! We need a new one!!!". I am sure some here can relate to that frustration. Bear with my explanations below cuz like I said, I know NOTHING about computers, including right names for things..LOL

Specifically.....#1 prob, because I go to school and need a CD-ROM.........my CD ROM won't run a disk. You know when you stick a disc in and say "RUN", well, my computer makes noise but won't spin the disc. It is like it does not know it is there. It used to work, we have no clue what happened/why it stopped working. Now, to compound my prob, I tried to burn a CD the other night and it would not work. Musicmatch Jukebox said that "no drive could be detected" basically like there was nothing there to use for burning. I couldn't select my drive and move on. Couldn't figure out how to fix it. In addition, I can't get the burner CD ROM to open.I don't know if that has to do with the computer not recognizing it or what. I went off into "MY COMPUTER" and fiddled around, but like I said, I know NOTHING and couldn't really see what the prob was.


#2 Prob..... Have Windows ME which is a really bummer since it sucks. Don't know how much it would cost to get Windows XP, but I need it if I want to get an IPOD.
x(


Other various probs..........SPAM. I know this doesn't really have to do with the computer but I get about 50 emails a day JUST FROM SPAMMERS. In addition, hubby or I don't really know how to protect our computer. Hubby went off and purchased "Webroot" last year which is some sort of protection thingie, but does it work?? Dunno.


I want a SPAM free email, a computer that runs pretty fast (ours already does cuz it is high speed internet), that DOESN'T get locked up (ours does often for reasons we do not understand, LOL, to the point we have to shut it down with the OFF button cuz it is so messed up), and can download songs and burn CD's easily. I also need to run my CD Rom drive for school discs and such. We do purchase things on the net and sometimes I wonder about security for that. Can I do anything for extra security there??

The only thing I know about my current computer is that it says "Gateway" and "EV 700", other than that, totally cluless. It was purchased in 1999 or 2000 I believe, by my husband (we were not together then).

I would LOVE any tips!!! If you can figure out how to fix my computer and I can get Windows XP for cheap, maybe that is how to go.
 
My system has ME on it too and it does suck. It's also going on 6 years old, like yours and that is ancient for a computer.

There are some things you can do though to keep it running better. You should do a disk clean up, degrag your drives, and do a thorough scandisk once every few months. These are just maintenance things that need to be done. An easy way to find these things that you should be doing is to open "My Computer" and right-click on your C drive then click properties. Look under the tools tab for defrag and scandisk. It should tell you the last time these things were done. Disk cleanup is on the "general" tab. You should also clean out any temp files (you probably have thousands of them if you've never done it). Here is a link with instructions how to do that: http://www.personal-computer-tutor.com/deletingtempfiles.htm

You might need a new cd-rom drive. I would go to Gateway.com support and chat with tech support. Just click chat with tech or whatever. It can be very helpful. They can probably tell you some things to check, it might be as simple as needing to update a driver.

One thing you might consider too is re-installing Windows. This will return your system to the same place as new from the factory. Everything will be deleted that you've added since then but you can back things up (if you get your cd rom drive to work) by just copying what you want to keep on a disk and re-installing the things you want. Their is also a way save everything in your email, since we usually want to keep somethings like at least our addresses. I've reinstalled Windows 3 times since I've had my computer. When it gets too bogged down and I can't fix things with what I've mentioned I reinstall, and have a new computer.

Spam will come no matter what you have. A good antivirus program will have filters and catch a lot. I use Symantec Internet Security which has Norton Antivirus and a firewall for the internet. It creates a new folder in my mail that filters off the spam. I need to check it though because it grabs things I want sometimes too. You can should also download a spyware program like Lavasoft AdWare. It's a free download.

I'm not saying you (and me) aren't due for a new computer after 6 years, but you could hold off for a while if you wanted to. These maintenance things will help any computer to run at it's best and should be done even on relatively new computers.

Good luck! Ask away if you have more questions.

Pam
 
Janice-
My hubby says your computer is too old to try to salvage, and that a new one is definitely in order.
-Nancy
 
CD rom issue:

Can you open the case? (power off unit unplugged) locate the back of the cdrom unit. Unplug the 4 conductor cable and the data cable (flat)(make sure you plug the data cable in correctly, mark it with a marker). Now plug them back in them. Find the other end of the data cable, unplug it and plug it back in. Power the computer up see if it works now. Sometimes cables work their way out

If you have the disk for the cdrom driver or install disk you can try the following:

If not go to the device manager (control panel)and tell it to remove the drive. Turn computer off, turn it on. If it doesn't automatically notice the change and reinstall it, go back into the control panel, device manager and tell it to install the "new device".


ME issue:
yes it sucks (like most of Microsoft's products). WinXP is the best version yet but with all you've said about your unit, it's not worth the $110 or so the upgrade product is going to cost. Plus the next version of Windows is supposedly coming out this summer, which your current computer will probably not be compatible with. Win XP upgrade could probably be bought on Ebay or Amazon (used) but you'll risk buying pirated goods.

Spam issue:
I use Google's GMAIL and get none. Yahoo Mail is good as well. I can hook you up with Gmail if you want, it's still by invite only, I've got 100 invites left, PM me. Spam is controlled by you, the email program you use (outlook express is real bad, real vulnerable) and the sites that you visit may "backdoor" and retrieve data from you computer. You may also want to investigate if any spyware is running on your computer, there are a few free spyware removal tools out there.

If I were buying a new computer it would have an Intel pentium 4 or Athlon 64 bit processor. 512 meg ram. 80 g HD. A DVD/CD-r/CD-rw drive (I see no need to burn DVDs(yet)). USB ports on the front and back. Not the hottest video card, but not the cheapest either.
I would buy Dell, HP, Gateway, or Tigerdirect you can check their sites for remanufactures or refurbishes for further savings.

If you are using cable or dsl for the internet you'll need firewall and virus protection.

Dave
 
Gosh, this all is so so so confusing for me..........and I know you all are trying to put it in simple terms!! Dell is offering no interest for 18 months, so maybe I'll go that route. I will post a few of the computers I am thinking of and maybe I can get a "yeah" or "neah". LOL. Don't know any other way!!

Thank you so so much!!! I wouldn't have anyone to ask if it were'nt for you guys!!
 
OK, here:

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/compare.aspx/desktops?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn

Dimension E510 or XPS 200???


Dell XPS 200
The Dell XPS 200 delivers the latest mainstream technology in an attractive, space-saving chassis that will keep home and office users humming along at a productive clip. (10/04/2005). Specs: Intel Pentium D (2.80 GHz), 512 MB DDR SDRAM, 80 GB, 19 in, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

That one looks like it has everything????


Any other recommendations from Dell??? :)
 
This just in from hubby central:

"Based on the way she specified what her needs were, the E510 is definitely sufficient.

She and her husband need to realize that a computer, like an automobile, requires some care and maintenance, and preventative servicing. An anti-virus program with an active subscription to virus signature updates is an absolute must (Symantec or McAfee). If she is connecting directly to the internet via a high speed connection, she should also have a personal firewall installed. She should contact her DSL or cable internet service provider to download a copy. She will never have spam-free email. The one thing she must never ever do is click on or open any email attachments, no matter how innocent or innocuous they appear. In fact, before even opening any email she should scan the "From" and "Subject" fields, and if she doesn't recognize either, delete the email without opening. She should avoid installing anything she or her husband do not think they will use on an ongoing basis. SHe should never install anything that arrives unsolicited unless she absolutely knows and trust the source. The useful life of a computer in a business environment is 2-3 years, and even in her home environment, her's sounds like it is over 5 years old, so she is definitely a candidate for an upgrade. Finally purchasing the less expensive model will make the next upgrade a little less painful. :)"

HTH,
Nancy
 
Last year I got a Dell Inspiron 1000 laptop on e-bay for about $800.00, and I've been very happy with it. It has a CD burner and DVD player - so I, in essence, got a portable DVD player in the bargain. I have wireless internet, too. It's nice to drag it around the house and use it anywhere. I take it to work, too, sometimes.
Just Do It! :)
 
>This just in from hubby central:
>


"Hubby Central??" I LOVE it Nancy. Please thank him. I am leaning towards the Dimension as it is MUCH cheaper. Thank you so much!! :)
 
Janice, Hubby told me over dinner that the Dimension you are looking at is more than TWICE as powerful as my laptop, and I have a very powerful IBM laptop which is more than fine for all my needs. Therefore, the Dimension should be WAY more than enough for your needs. :D Absolutely no reason I can see why you would want to buy the more expensive model.

(Don't tell my hubby I said this, as you know how techies are about their puters, but I bet you could even come down a notch on the specs and pay even less if you're on a very tight budget. Of course, the less powerful the computer, the sooner you'll need to replace it.)
 
I'm very happy with my Dell, it came with McAfee security center which has the virus, firewall, spamguard and all that. I also have cox internet which also filters spam. So I get only one spam a month max, if that. You could talk to the Dell people and they would probably be able to walk you through the purchase of what you do and do not need. Dell is pretty customize-able in that regard. The media center one I think is oriented to people who do a lot of gaming. I don't think you need that much on it.
I talked to Dell and got their input on a model. They were excellent in that regard. You just need to tell them what you want your computer to do for you. The best deals are of course on the bundles that include your flat panel monitor (so worth it) and printer. But I just needed the PC so that's all I bought. They also can arrange for full install if you need that done. A word of warning-if your printer and scanner are old they may not work with XP and you may end up needing new ones. If everything is 5 years old I would definitely get the bundle with new monitor/printer so you don't have any compatibility issues.
Beth
 
Janice, just a few things I'd add to the great info you've gotten so far...

You mentioned you're in school- you can likely get software (including MS Office) for a bargain if you either purchase from your school bookstore or from a retailer like www.academicsuperstore.com. You'll need to fax them a copy of your school ID, then they ship it right out. We got a printer from them last year for a great price.

My parents can't stand the spam, and my dad has tried to solve it by creating 2 email addresses. He uses one for all the correspondence he wants to get, and the other for all purchases he makes. That way most of the spam goes into his "receipts" address, which he doesn't check very often.

We have an older iMac that I can't stand any more since it's so old (4 years I think by now) and a Dell Latitude laptop I got last year for school. Love the laptop, and can shop and post from bed! :p

In any case, have fun!!!
 
Thank you all again.


I have decided on the Dimension E510 from Dell. After I had to add everything....nothing too fancy, except for the monitor, it came to just under $1000. I went off onto the net searching for Dell Coupon Codes and found one if you spend $999 they would give you 30% off. I wanted to add that to the discount price already on Dell. So it got me curious. Maybe I could add a bunch of stuff and then take an additional 30%. Well, hubby and I added a 19" Digital Flat Screen Monitor just to see if the 30% discount would work with the other discounts (the monitor was over $200). Unfortunately, when we checked out I forgot (not so sure about hubby, he-he) that the monitor was still that 19" in my shopping cart. We get all done and hubby goes, "Wow!! A 19in monitor! That's gonna be HUGE". I was like, "Oh crap!! We didn't change it". I wanted to go back, cuz if I changed the monitor maybe we could get the whole shebang for under $800 (after all the discounts) but hubby was entranced and wanted to leave as is. I hope it is worth it. This is what I got:


Dimension E510

Intel Pent 4, 630 w/HT Tech (3.0 GHz)
Free upgrade on memory to 512 MB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
Dell Keyboard
19 in Ultrasharp 1905FP Digital Flat Panel Monitor
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 80GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM) w/data burst Cache
13 in 1 Media Card Reader and External Floppy Drive
Windows XP Media
Dell Optical Mouse
Integrated Intel Pro 10/100 ethernet card
56K PCI Data Fax Modem
Adobe Acrobat 6.0
CD ROM/DVD- Single drive: 48x CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive
Integrated Audio with Dolby Digital 7.1 Capability
Dell A525 30 watt2.1 Stereo Speakers with Subwoofer
No productivity suite..only Corel WordPerfect
McAfee Security Center with VirusScan, Firewall, Spyware Removal, 24mnths
1 yr warranty, at home warranty
PC Restore recovery system by Symantec
Starter Entertainment Pack-Basic Digital Music, photo, casual gaming
Dell All In One Inkjet 924, Dell Photo Printer
Cable for printer
1yr Hardware warranty


WHEW! It also came with free 3-5 day ground ship. I sort kick myself about the monitor, but I guess it is done. Oh well.

So............did I do good? Nancy...I used your husbands advice pretty much as far as min. requirements. Did I get a pretty good deal on it all?? Can't wait to get my IPOD now!! :)

Hubby and I are so thankful!! :)
 
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