With over 35 years of experience with computers (18 with PCs), I am fairly knowledgable with most computer problems.

If anybody has any questions or wants some advice, feel free to ask.  I have been doing this on Yahoo Answers for almost a year now, and have an average of 58% being chosen as the best answer.

I will answer any question, from how to protect your system, software to add-on, or advice in what kind of computer to get.

Alright, I'll play :)

Let's see...my computer was purchased in May of 2000, runs @ 650 MHz with about 256 MB of RAM (I forgot if I upgraded it, but I'm at lab now so I can't check :P ) which I guess are the specs you really need.  Oh yeah, I'm on WinXP.  I think it might be a spyware or adware or maybe even a virus I can't get rid of, but there are a few issues going on with the computer, feel free to address whichever one (or all of them if you'd like :) ):

Okay...

1.  Computer freezes whenever I play video.  Does not matter what kind of file, numerous attempts to format hard drive to clean out whatever bug might be causing this have failed.  Freezes anyway even if WMP or DivX is the only program running.

2.  Computer runs incredibly slowly upon startup.  Tried looking in the "Systems Processes" tab but nothing seems out of the ordinary.  The only things I want at startup are the essential files and WeatherBug.  Don't know what is causing this, either.

3.  I have a HP 1410v printer/scanner/copier and it's attached via USB to my computer.  There seems to be some miscommunication between the printer and the CPU, as the printer stalls every now and then and the print queue continues to think that something is printing, yet nothing prints.  I've resorted to printing one page at a time, directly to the printer instead of spooling.  Still freezes sometimes, to the point where (even though I can run other apps in the background) I must reboot several times to clear the print queue, because the print job mysteriously remains even after I purge it.  Weird.

I run Ad-Aware every week or so to clean up my computer.  What are your suggestions?  Thanks :)

Let's see...my computer was purchased in May of 2000, runs @ 650 MHz with about 256 MB of RAM (I forgot if I upgraded it, but I'm at lab now so I can't check :P ) which I guess are the specs you really need.  Oh yeah, I'm on WinXP.  I think it might be a spyware or adware or maybe even a virus I can't get rid of, but there are a few issues going on with the computer, feel free to address whichever one (or all of them if you'd like :) ):


To be honest, you are probably running against the end of the lifespan of the computer.

Most computers are built with an expected lifespan of 3-5 years.  After that, the wear and tear of useage tends to start causing problems.  Power Supplies and Hard Drives are the first things that you start to see failue in.  That was also an era where nobody was thinking about cooling, so increased heat just adds to those problems.

If you are having random lock-ups, I would first question the hard drive.  Check to see if it is making any unusual noises (clicking, loud whirring noise when it spins).  Also check the motherboard.  There should be a series of capaciters on it (those are the things that look like little barrels).  The tops of them should all either be flat, or slightly recessed.  If any of them are bulged outwards, then the board has gone bad.

Another problem is power supplies.  Your PS has 2 voltages, 12 volts and 5 volts.  Quite often what happens is the 5 volt part goes bad, and starts to send 12 volts down the 5 volt channel.  This can cause lockups and crashes, in addition to damaging the computer and other components.

You may also simply be running across the problem of software that exceeds the capability of the hardware.  The Recommended minimum for XP is 1 GHz, althought it will run on slower machines.  And modern videos have a much higher requirement for processor power then they did 5-10 years ago.  The compression rates of a modern copy of DIVX is much higher then that for an AVI of 10 years ago.  Not enough processor power can result in dropped frames, choppy playback, and even the sound falling out of sync of the video.

I often work with uncompressed raw video.  Unless you have a system over 3 GHz, you will not even get them to play at all.  They simply push through so much data at a time that any computer more then 1-2 years old can't keep up.

Crap, guess I gotta pony up some cash to get a new one then.  This one is working sorta well for the time being, except for the freezes.

Crap, guess I gotta pony up some cash to get a new one then.  This one is working sorta well for the time being, except for the freezes.


Well, that is kinda like "My car works sorta well, except when I try to start it because the battery is weak, and when I try to stop it because the brakes are failing".

I find a good way to guage if your computer is "over the hill" is to take a walk through the software isle of your major retail store (WalMart, K-Mart, Target, etc).  When you are unable to play more then 75% of the games because your computer does not meet the minimum specs, then it is time to upgrade.

With over 35 years of experience with computers (18 with PCs), I am fairly knowledgable with most computer problems.
Were your past 17 PCs just needed upgrades or did you picked viruses along the way?

where can i find a good resource online for teaching people that are completely computer-stupid?
the basics...email, basic database, the spacebar....


>:(

Were your past 17 PCs just needed upgrades or did you picked viruses along the way?


That is 18 years of experience with PCs.  Before that it was either Mainframes, Lisa, Macintosh, or Commodore Pet, Vic-20, C-64, or Amiga.  Also in there is experience with TRS-80, Atari (400, 800, and ST), Apple II and III, and a few others that are no longer with us.  I first started working with IBM PCs in 1988.

Computers I myself owned started with the Pet, Vic-20, Macintosh, C-64, and then at least 20 different IBM models over the years (from the 8086 to my current Athlon 64 3500).  I upgrade my home computer an average of once a year.  My computer before this (last year) was an AMD Athlon 3500 32 bit.  I am planning my current upgrade, which I will do in the next few months.  It will probably be a newer Athlon 64 bit, either a 4000 or 4200 dual core, I have not decided yet.

Luckily, I have only been hit by virus a handfull of times in all the years I worked on computers.  Most were of the nuisance variety, with only 1 bad hit, and that was actually from a trojan horse in 1998.  I am fanatical about antivirus software and antispyware programs, and update and run them on a weekly basis.  Since I do not go to porn, gambling, or hacker sites, that keeps my exposure to things like that to a minimum.

Well, that is kinda like "My car works sorta well, except when I try to start it because the battery is weak, and when I try to stop it because the brakes are failing".

Exactly ;D  My issue is that I can't really afford an upgrade right now, so I gave my wife the good computer and I'm going to milk every last drop of usefulness out of this one and then go Office Space on it :)



I find a good way to guage if your computer is "over the hill" is to take a walk through the software isle of your major retail store (WalMart, K-Mart, Target, etc).  When you are unable to play more then 75% of the games because your computer does not meet the minimum specs, then it is time to upgrade.


I don't use my computer to play games much anymore...rather, I use it mostly for word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, internet, and creating PowerPoint presentations.  So I really don't need anything too fancy, I just want the darned thing to work :P

Today I tried to print out something off the internet, set it to one page only, and now it won't print, it crashed the browser, and the little printer status thingy is still in my toolbar trying to delete the job, which probably means I have to reboot this thing several times before it'll go away.  Grr.

where can i find a good resource online for teaching people that are completely computer-stupid?
the basics...email, basic database, the spacebar....


I have nver found any good resources on-line, but I have long recommended the Dummies series of books.  I have used them myself many times when I am first exposed to something new, and have to learn how to use it fast (Windows NT, Palm OS, Brain Surgery).  They are inexpensive, and work good as both tutorial and reference.

I have nver found any good resources on-line, but I have long recommended the Dummies series of books.  I have used them myself many times when I am first exposed to something new, and have to learn how to use it fast (Windows NT, Palm OS, Brain Surgery).  They are inexpensive, and work good as both tutorial and reference.


fabulous. thanks.

I don't use my computer to play games much anymore...rather, I use it mostly for word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, internet, and creating PowerPoint presentations.  So I really don't need anything too fancy, I just want the darned thing to work :P


This is not just about useing your computer to play games.

In most cases, games are designed to work on the higher end computers of the era.  Games which seemed "high ended" at the time (Like The Sims 2) required computers that were almost new at the time.  However, that was 2 years ago.  The Sims 2 requires a 1 GHz with 256 megs RAM.  The issue starts to become "what are you capable of running on the machine.

Even programs like "Norton Antivirus" are requiring more and more power.  If you want to run the newest version, you had better have XP or 2000.  Anything lower, and it will install Norton 2005.  And many other programs are requiring 1.8 GHz and more to even work.

All to often, I see people trying to drag whatever life they can out of a computer.  This morning I had a gal that came in with a Gateway.  It was an antique, with a 400 MHz processor wunning Windows 98.  Her power supply and hard drive failed.  I told her that replaceing the power supply, hard drive, and reloading the system would run her about $125.  For $200 I could have sold her a system twice as fast, with 4 times as much RAM and Windows 2000.  But she saw no reason to do that, so I am in the process of fixing the old thing.  And I know that within a year or so, something else like the motherboard will die and she would basically be throwing it all away.

What I tell most people to do is to either get one built for you, or build it yourself if you can.  Then simply replace components as they get old.  In the long run, it is much cheaper that way.  And there are a lot of "cheap components" available to do this with.  Biostar makes a motherboard with a 1.6 GHz processor for around $70.  You might also check some of your local small computer stores.  They often have used parts they will sell cheap.  Where I work we have a $5 box, full of drives, processors, motherboards, and the like.  Our average price for a used 2 GHz motherboard and processor is around $50.

Yeah, I intend to replace this old thing when I can, just for the time being I have to find out how to make it last until that point.  If it's a hardware problem, though, then I guess it's a hit-and-miss and we'll see what happens.  I don't have too many important files on this computer anymore anyway.

I've seen some pretty good computers on Dell.com for less than $400 that I think I will shoot for.

It may be nothing, but every now and then my power supply also sounds like it shuts down and starts back up again (the fan and whirring shut down for like a fraction of a second) but not enough to actually turn the computer off.  I wonder if it's bad.

I've seen some pretty good computers on Dell.com for less than $400 that I think I will shoot for.


If I can give one word of advice about those inexpensive mass-market computers, it is stay the hell away!  And I am not kidding.  At the beginning of the year, we decided to try saving those that we had to totally rebuild.  Last week, I finally threw away over 40 of them, because they were simply taking up to much room.  All of them were less then 2 years old, and most were Dells.  The others were scattered between HP-Compaq, E-Machine, and Gateway.

All of the companies take shortcuts on the cheap models, but Dell seems to be the worst of the lot.  Now do not think this is anti-Dell (or anti-corporate computer).  Dell makes some of the best computers in the market, if you are willing to shell out $1,000+.  The sub-1k computers are really junk.  And even worse, they are propriatary as hell.  At least with an HP or Compaq, you can put it into a better case, which does wonders for the lifespan.  With a dell, you can't do that.  The screw holes are in the wrong place, and the way the buttons and everything hooks up are not standard.

And you will discover that while the $1k+ computers normally have a 1 year warranty, the cheaper ones have "1 year free technical support".  Do not think that is a warranty, the warranty is normally only 90 days, and you have to send it off to be repaired.  The technical support only means that you can call them for up to one year, and have them tell you that it is dead.  I have already rebuilt several of those this year, that were bought this year!  And the repair bill is normally around $350-400.


It may be nothing, but every now and then my power supply also sounds like it shuts down and starts back up again (the fan and whirring shut down for like a fraction of a second) but not enough to actually turn the computer off.  I wonder if it's bad.


That can be many things, most likely motherboard or power supply.  Check for blown capacitors on the motherboard.  That is where the power is processed, and if one or more is blown, then it is sending erratic power to the rest of the components.  It may also be that your power supply is under-wattage.  Make sure that it is at least a 350 watt supply.

I have had a few people ask me what to look for when buying a new computer.  So here is a list of things to look or ask for when you are shopping for a brand new computer:

64 bit processor: Unless it is at least a 64 bit processor, stay away, unless it is a real deal.  When Vista comes out next year, you will finally be able to use this to it's full advantage.  If you buy a 32 bit processor new now, you are simply buying somebodies old stock, so avoid unless it is a real deal.

CPU: If you are having a computer built for you (or building it yourself), make sure you are getting a "Retail Box" CPU.  This is one that comes in a manufacturers box (AMD, Intel, Via) and has a CPU cooler with it.  Avoid the OEM sets.  They may be cheaper, but they only have a 90 day warranty.  A Retail Box will have a 3 year warranty.  It is not worth the $10 saved to find it dies 6 months later, and you are stuck with it.

DDR or DDR-2 RAM:  Do not buy a computer that does not at least use DDR.  Avoid a system that uses PC-133 or RAMBUS, those are all old (3 years +) technology.

A case with good cooling:  Make sure that the case has good cooling.  Count the fans on the case, not including any fans on the power supply or CPU cooler, only fans on the case itself.  It should have as a minimum 1-2 80mm fans on the front (or a single 120mm fan), and be blowing across the hard drive.  This is to keep the drive cool, since heat is a major issue with the size and speed (7,200-12,000 RPM) is a major cause of hard drive failure.  Also look for at least 2 80MM (or 1 120mm) fan in the rear for cooling.  Fans on the side and top are a plus, but not needed.  If your case does not at least have that, look elsewhere, because components will start to die within 2 years.

Power supply:  As a minimum, make sure it at least has 350 watts of power.  If it has a lot of extras (2 CD drives, card readers, TV card, etc), make sure it has 400 watts or more.  To small of a power supply also is a way to guarantee your system will not last 2 years.

Hard Drive:  Make sure that it uses SATA hard drives, and not IDE.  Almost 2 years ago, SATA became the drive of choice among most custom builders, because of the increased speed and ease of use.  They are 35% faster then IDE, but cost on average only $5 more.  For a single builder, it is worth the expense, but for somebody like Dell, the $5 per computer saved turns into big bucks.  Also unless it is at least 120 gigs, you might want to look elsewhere.

Video card:  It is not nessicary that it have a video card installed, but make sure that it can handle one.  Unless the computer has a 16x PCI Express slot on board, keep looking.  Most of the cheap computers only have PCI slots, not even the older AGP.  That means that the capability of increasing the video at a later date is not even there.  In fact, if you look at the cheaper computers (Dell, HP-Compaq, etc) they often have the space on the board for an AGP to be soldered on, they simply have not done it.  This lets them sell the same motherboard with the slot as an "Upgrade", normally charging $75 extra for adding a $1 piece of plastic during manufacture.  And do not worry about an AGP slot, that is no longer used.

Bling-Bling:  There are a lot of extras you can add to your computer.  Here are some to consider:

Temperature/Fan controller:  There is really no need to controll your fans, but it is always nice to know how hot your computer is running.  Put the probe in the fins of the CPU heat sink, and keep an eye on it.  If it is running over 15 degrees (10c) over ambient room temperature, then it is to hot and something needs to be done to cool it off.

Card Reader:  More and more devices use "smart cards" to hold data, from cell phones and PDAs to hand held games and MP3 players.  Make sure the reader you get can handle all of the cards you plan on useing.  THere are over 30 different formats of cards.  Some devices available combine the floppy drive and card reader in one device.

Things you do not need:  Unless you have some need to use the following items, look cautiously if somebody offers to put one in.  These are all old technology, and generally no longer used:

ZIP Drive:  Went the way of the Dodo bird over 5 years ago.  Expensive and small compared to CDRW and DVDRW.

LS-120:  The "Super Floppy", it had this nasty habbit of eating disks.  Unless you use them, do not bother.

AGP:  The video standard of choice until last year, it is also extinct.  Unless you have a very expensive card you want to use, avoid it.  You can probably buy a newer-better card for less then $60.

Tape Backup:  Also extinct.  How good is a tape that lets you back-up 1 gig of data, when we have 100+ gig drives?  And witht he cost of tape, useing CDRW or DVD is much cheaper.


In closing:  I always encourage people to go to their small local computer store, and not the "Big Box" or online outlets.  For one, it keeps your money in your local community.  Also, you will find that having a computer built for you is often much better, and roughly around the same price.  Plus they tend to stick with the same brands of components, so they know the parts used and can make a knowledgeable recommendation based upon what you need.  Plus when it comes time to upgrade, you only have to replace components that are outdated, not the entire computer.  And when you have a problem, you simply go to them, you are not calling somebody in India, who is reading out of a book.

If you want to go local, ask your friends.  See who they go to, and why.  Go in yourself and shop the stores in your area.  Some things to look for are:

Are the computers clearly marked?  If they are not, then the price changes depending on what they think you can afford, stay away.

Are there repair and replacement parts clearly marked?  If there are no parts visible for sale (motherboards, CD drives, cases, etc), then they are only trying to sell complete units, not to customize systems.  Keep looking.

Are the parts priced?  I am often amazed when I go into a store, and see shelves full of parts with no price on them.  And I only see this in the computer industry.

Ask them about what parts they use, and which they avoid:  A good computer store will tell you why they use the particular brand of motherboards, cases, etc.  If prompted, they may tell you which ones they no longer use or stay away from because of poor quality.  If they push companies like "PC Chips", run away.  This is an uber-cheap manufacturer favored in fly-by-night repair shops.

I hope I did not confuse anybody, or scare them away.  But unless you are a company like Boeing that needs 25,000 identical computers, it is always better to buy local and custom.  Small computer shops tend to rely on word of mouth and later repeat business to stay alive.  They build good components, and are designed to last.

Companies like Dell, HP, and the like now build cheap junk for the consumers.  They factor in a 1

Hmmm... What would you suggest to those looking at laptops? Such as, say, me.  ;D People have been telling me completely different things (such as the "buy a  Dell" vs. "Dell's Suck!" debate  ::)), and I figure I might as well ask your opinion. I'm in the $700/800 price range.

Hmmm... What would you suggest to those looking at laptops? Such as, say, me.  ;D People have been telling me completely different things (such as the "buy a  Dell" vs. "Dell's Suck!" debate  ::)), and I figure I might as well ask your opinion. I'm in the $700/800 price range.


If that is your range, then you will not have much choice but to buy a low end Dell consumer model.  But do not expect to have any kind of warranty, battery life, or computer lifespan.

The biggest problem I have with Dell (and the other mass-market companies) is that they are lowering peoples expectations about what a computer should cost.  They roll out these cheap $300-600 computers, and people expect that all computers should cost that much.  Never mind that they are cheap computers, and do not last.  Good quality computers have cost in the $800-1,000 range for the last 15 years.  They still cost that much today, but people are starting to consider that to be "to expensive", because of the flood of $299 computers they see on TV.

Quality laptops still start in the $1,200+ range.  However, the same thing happens there as with desktops.  Dell runs tons of TV ads bragging on their $600 laptop, and people start to expect that to be the normal price.  But at that cost, you end up with a much smaller hard drive, a 30 minute battery, lower RAM, slower processor, and a 3 month warranty.  Even replaceing the low end battery to something that will last a couple of hours costs over $100.  Add in the cost for more RAM, warranty extension, and before you know it you are right back up at $1,000.  But instead of getting a good quality computer for that $1k, you upgraded a cheap computer until it reached that price.

If you want a computer in that range, look around on-line for refurbished corporate models.  You can sometimes find great deals that way.  We recently got some in that we are selling for $900, and they still have just under a year of full Dell warranty.  Try looking around for a Dell Latitude C610.  You can frequently find them on E-Bay and online retailers in the $400-600 range.  This was a very popular corporate lease model, and replacement parts are plentifull.  Larger batteries, DVD-CDRW drives, second hard drives, ZIP drive, even car & airplane rechargers.  Also look for Compaq Armadas or Evos, or Panasonic Toughbooks.  All are quality corporate laptops.

Myself, I use a Panasonic Toughbook 1.8 GHz that I bought off lease last year.  All told I paid around $400 for it, and it is damned near indestructible.  It came off of a military lease, and still had the unit's name on the cover when I bought it.

thanks! i have been checking the Dell outlet, but not lately.

what do you suggest if i were to, say, save up and get a $1,000 notebook? I was looking at an HP with the Centrino Duo...

So if I were to buy one from Dell anyway, should I go for the more expensive ones in the hopes that they last longer?

Or should I go to a place like Fry's Electronics or ask the Dell folks to build me one to spec?

I'm scared now :o  Computers break down so easily!  :\'(

thanks! i have been checking the Dell outlet, but not lately.

what do you suggest if i were to, say, save up and get a $1,000 notebook? I was looking at an HP with the Centrino Duo...


What matters is not the name of the company or the processor, it is the model that matters.  Think of it like this:

General Motors sells the Geo Metro.  They also sell the Cadillac DeVille.  But do not buy a Metro, thinking that you are getting a DeVille, just because they are both made by GM.

With computers, it is the same way.  Dell makes the Dimension, a cheap consumer piece of junk.  They also make the OptiPlex, a quality machine that is only available to large corporations and the Government.  Compaq makes the cheap Presario for consumers, but they also made the Deskpro, and now the Evo line of computers.  You simply can't compare the two of them, even though they are made by the same company.

Try looking at your local computer stores.  You might be surprised at what they sell.  We are a small local store, and we sell a fair amount of "White Books".  And they sell new (with warranty) in the $800-1,200 range.  A good one we sold a lot of this last year was the Acer.  They come with a 1 year warranty, DVDRW, Wi-Fi, 120 gig hard drive, and are less then $900.

It always amazes me how people will continue to buy on-line, thinking they will save a buck.  Quite often the same people who will scream against WalMart killing local business, will not go to a local computer store to see what they have to offer.  If they do go to a "Computer Store", it is often a big box store like Circus City.  Where the guy selling computers and laptops this week was selling car stereos last week, and knows less about them then my grandmother does.  They just push the most expensive one they can get away with, because they get a comission.

And here is another big secret:  Name brand "Computers" are not made by their companies.  Dell buys it's motherboards from Intel.  HP and Compaq buy most of their motherboards from Asus and Asrock (2 branches of the same company).  This year though, Compaq switched from Asus to MSI.  E-Machines uses DFI a lot, and most of the motherboards in Microns and Gateways are also Intel motherboards, unless it is an AMD chip, in which they use MSI.

And MSI and Asus make most of the laptops also.  Asus is actually the largest laptop maker in the world, selling to both Dell and HP-Compaq.  They are simply made to the specification of the end company, and they put their names on it.  10 years ago, it was the same way, only WinBook made most of the laptops.  Panasonic, Toshiba, and Sony are about the only companies that sell laptops that they themselves manufacturered.

In fact, if you are adventerous, you can build your own laptop!  Both Asus and MSI sell "Barebook" systems, where you install your own RAM, Processor, Hard Drive, and Optical drive.  You can normally get them through your local computer store, or on-line.  They come in models that can take either AMD or Intell processors, and that is the best way to be sure that you are getting exactly what you want.  The laptop is pre-assembled, you simply drop in the things I listed, load the OS, and away you go.

http://www.directron.com/laptopdiy.html

And do not think that Dell actually "Builds" your computer just as you want it.  80% of the Dimension computers are the same.  It only takes a few seconds for somebody on their assembly line to drop in 256 megs more RAM, a bigger hard drive, or a DVDRW.  And you might actually find it cheaper to order it without all that stuff, and have a local store put the items in for you after you get it.  For example, if you want to upgrade from the DVD-CDRW combo to a DVD burner, it costs an extra $40, and they keep the Combo.  However, the price difference between a Combo and DVD burner is retail only $10.  We do not even sell anything but DVDRWs where I work anymore, because the price has fallen so much.  We sell them for $65.  The same goes for their RAM, and most other items.  They actually make a vastly larger profit from "Upgrades", because they charge you the higher price, and keep the original item.  When you add that to the cost of the "Upgrade", you are actually comming out behind.

And if you price the $299 system with all the "Dell Recommended" options (like a Windows XP disk), the cost has suddenly jumped from $299 to $740.  But do not be fooled that you are getting a $740 computer, you are still getting the $299 computer, just a bunch of other stuff thrown in with it.  This is a classic example of a "Loss-Leader" add.  Dell actually sells very few $299 computers, most are closer to a grand by the time people walk out the door.

So if I were to buy one from Dell anyway, should I go for the more expensive ones in the hopes that they last longer?

Or should I go to a place like Fry's Electronics or ask the Dell folks to build me one to spec?

I'm scared now :o  Computers break down so easily!   :\'(


Well, I will say it again:  Check your local small owner-operated computer store.  Most of them can order you almost anything, if they do not have it in stock.

The problem with Big Box stores (Fry's for example) is that you are dealing with a company that does not specialize in computers.  Do not get me wrong, I love Fry's, as long as you know exactly what it is you want.  And beware of the dreaded "White Sticker" on the boxes, that is a customer return that was simply put back on the shelf.  Fry's policy is to restock a return 2-5 times before actually returning it to the manufacturer for replacement.  If you buy something with the white sticker, 75% chance it is dead, and you will have to return it again.

And read what I said above about having Dell (or any big company) "build you one".  It is like having one of the "Big 3" car companies build you a car.  That went out in the 1950's, with acres of chrome and tailfins.  They simply have somebody grab a car that matches the basics at the end of the assembly line, and put in a different option pack.  Any further changes are normally made by the local dealer in their own shop.

I used to work with a guy that worked at Dell.  They have warehouses full of pre-built computers.  The only things they are missing is hard drives and RAM.  When any order comes in, they simply drop in the drive and RAM needed.  It takes them no longer then doing it any other way.  The drives are already pre-loaded with Windows and all the other software.

One other thing you should consider when looking for a new computer: Can it run Microsoft VIsta?

I did some looking on Dell, wanting to find the cheapest system they had that could run Vista.  The cheapest was the Dimension E310, with a base price of $400.  Of course, when you finish adding on all the Dell additions that Vista would require, it is $1,085.  And even that does not include a video card, since the built-in Intel graphics are not on the requirement list for Vista.  So on top of that, add another $100 for a replacement video card.

Want a Vista capable laptop from Dell?  Hold on, cause the cheapest one starts at $1,824.  And that was with a laptop with a base price of $899.  You have to spend almost $1,000 extra to have the video, memory, and other things nessicary to run Vista.

And none of their cheaper computers can handle Vista at all.  I just ran the Dell Vista System Test on 3 of the systems we sell, 2 OptiPlex desktops and a Latitude C610 Laptop, and they all failed.  The Laptop was less then 6 months old, and it said all it needed was more memory.  The desktops all failed due to incompatability with the OS, so they will never run Vista.

If you plan on buying a computer in the near future, make sure it can handle Vista.  Otherwise, you will be like a lot of the people that bought new computers in 2000, only to find out they could not handle XP.

Did they release Vista already?  I thought MS was still working on it.

Why would somebody need an OS that uses such high graphics and the such? I'm fine with XP!

Did they release Vista already?  I thought MS was still working on it.


They are still working on it, expected release date is January 2007, 4 months from now.  And the next generation of a lot of programs are going to require Vista.  PhotoShop, Premiere, Avid, and AutoCAD are all awaiting Vista to release their newest versions, and all are going to require Vista and 64 bit processors.  Within 2 years, expect almost half of the new programs made to require it.


Why would somebody need an OS that uses such high graphics and the such? I'm fine with XP!


The major part of the industry that drives the requirements for graphics is games.

Every year now, we are being introduced to 2 or more newer generations of video card processors.  And when they come out, the game companies make changes to their programs, and stop support for the older ones.  VooDoo (which was the ultimate 5 years ago) is now a relic, and can't play anything more advanced then StarCraft.  In fact, GPUs (Graphics Processor Units) built into todays video cards are just as powerful as the CPU on the main computer.  And they started to use DDR2 RAM when the industry was just switching over to DDR1.  Most high end cards today already use DDR3 RAM.

One of the reason Microsoft built such high video requirements into Vista is to help curb the trend of the major computer manufacturers like Dell from building cheap boxes with crappy video.  The $300 Dimension is in no way, shape, or form Vista capable.  It fails the Vista requirements in many ways.  By forcing them to make their computers more upgradeable, it is a benefit to the consumer.  I can't tell you how many times I have had a customer come in with a low end Dell, HP-Compaq or Gateway, and they wanted to play something like The Sims 2.  I then have to tell them that the video can't handle the game, and there is no way it will ever handle it, because there is no AGP port to put a better video card in.

By requiring a 128 meg video card with high-end graphics rendering and Direct-X 10 support, it basically requires the manufacturers to include a PCI Express video slot.  This does not benefit Microsoft at all, but it does help protect the consumer from getting an un-upgradeable cheap box, which can not do much more then IE and Word because games require a much higher level of graphics.

But you could always just get a new video card?

But you could always just get a new video card?


Not if there is no Video Card slot on the motherboard.

Most of the sub-$800 units sold until very recently did not have anything but PCI slots.  Even the newest Dell Dimension B110 you buy today at Dell has nothing but PCI slots.

The highest PCI card I have seen had only 64 megs RAM, and was based on a Radeon 9250 engine.  If you want to go higher then that, you need either AGP or PCI Express.  There is no PCI or AGP card made that is 100% Vista compliant.  Vista will run on the newest AGP cards, as long as it is a G-Force 4 or Radeon 9550+, with at least 128 megs of RAM.  But you still will not get full useage, since none of them are Direct-X 10 compliant.

This is a question a friend of mine posed on another forum.

"Since installing our wireless network, i am kicked off the internet every night at midnight. I can easily reconnect, so there is no real probem. Does anybody know why this should happen exactly at midnight. The only thing that happens at midnight, in this house, is that my radio controlled watch goes into recieve mode, to get an update of the time. 
However, if i do this manually, i do not lose my internet connection. Could this be the cause of the problem. Does anyone else know of a problem with radio controlled watches causing problems with wireless connections"

you can read the rest of the discusion here.

well, you have proven yourself to be most knowledgeable and helpful! thanks!

another question: would you suggest going with a mobile 64-bit processor or the Centrino/Core Duo in a laptop?

well, you have proven yourself to be most knowledgeable and helpful! thanks!

another question: would you suggest going with a mobile 64-bit processor or the Centrino/Core Duo in a laptop?


Well, the Core Duo laptop chip is a 64 bit processor.  Intel recently started shipping it's 64 bit Centrino processors.  The problem if you buy a Centrino is to make sure you got a 64 bit and not one of the older 32 bit processors.

However, I always recommend getting an AMD processor if you have a choice.  They started the movement to 64 bit processors over 3 years ago, and for the last year have sold nothing but 64 bit desktop processors.  And the latest generation of laptop processors all have the capability to be upgraded to 64 bit.  Intel started 64 bit late in the game, finally moving earlier this year.

In addition, Intel chips have always been the more power hungry of the two.  When all things are as identical as possible, most AMD laptops run 10-20% longer on the same battery.  They also tend to run a bit cooler, because they run at lower core speeds.  This is done by having a more efficient processor, so they do not have to run as fast to give the same performance.

However, if you are looking at buying a new laptop (or desktop) now, I would consider nothing but a 64 bit system.  With Vista comming out in just a few months, 64 bit systems will finally get the software and operating system they deserve, and you will see a large performance boost.

This is a question a friend of mine posed on another forum.

"Since installing our wireless network, i am kicked off the internet every night at midnight. I can easily reconnect, so there is no real probem. Does anybody know why this should happen exactly at midnight. The only thing that happens at midnight, in this house, is that my radio controlled watch goes into recieve mode, to get an update of the time. 
However, if i do this manually, i do not lose my internet connection. Could this be the cause of the problem. Does anyone else know of a problem with radio controlled watches causing problems with wireless connections"


Two things come immediately to mind.

The lesser issue could be some kind of interference between the two wireless devices.  After all, there are only so many frequencies available, and there is always some kind of "bumping" between different devices.  Also they could simply be so close to each other that they are "bleeding through", reguardless of the frequencies used.  And CB user can tell you what happens when somebody with a 1,000+ watt amplifier gets on the mic, his voice bleeds over onto 2-3 frequencies above and below the one used.

It could also be an issue of the ISP.  Quite often, ISPs bump people off, to prevent their lines from being tied up.  I read several of the posts, and itseems that the person in question uses AOL.  AOL is long known for bumping people off at random times, especially if they show a pattern of being connected for hours at a time.

It could also be a misconfigured router.  Since this happens at Midnight, that may be the time his provider reverifies the username and password information.  If that is not stored in the router properly, then it will be kicked off.  But since that information can also be saved on the computer, the connection may be re-established when they try to access it again.

Network problems are one of the hardest to work on, since there is no way to see how it is really working other then by going to the location.

okay, so let's enumerate:

1. AMD is good
2. Vista compatible is good
3. High-end business models are good, even if they are used

i think i got it...

okay,another question:

what is your opinion of this computer? The amount of RAM is astounding to me (my desktop only has 384MB), but it's DDR1. Is it worth it? And how would the ATI Radeon Xpress 200M correspont to ordinary desktop graphics cards? Would a game that requires, say, a GeForce 78/68/66/6200 also run on the Xpress 200M?
(I'm not too worried about shared graphics RAM, since... 2GB is more than enough).

okay,another question:

what is your opinion of this computer? The amount of RAM is astounding to me (my desktop only has 384MB), but it's DDR1. Is it worth it? And how would the ATI Radeon Xpress 200M correspont to ordinary desktop graphics cards? Would a game that requires, say, a GeForce 78/68/66/6200 also run on the Xpress 200M?
(I'm not too worried about shared graphics RAM, since... 2GB is more than enough).


Well, the RAM is actually fairly typical for today.  Most new computers are comming with at least 1, if not 2 Gigs of RAM.

And the 200M video is comparable with the X300 video card.  The 200M and X300 are basically the same card, just that the 200M is the mobile version.  And with any laptop set, it will run a bit slower then the Radeon desktop model, but it will run anything that requires a Radeon (or GeForce).

If possible, I wouild recommend looking for an Evo model.  Presario is the Compaq consumer line, while the Evo is the Commercial line.  And this is based on the Socket 754 processor, so it will only work with DDR1 RAM.  However, in the world of AMD, the memmory controller is based on the processor (unlike Intel, which keeps it in the chipset).  In most tests, an AMD with DDR1 works just as fast as an Intel with DDR2, because the way that the memory is accesed is more efficient.  So a 2 GHz AMD with DDR1 is just as fast as an Intel 2 GHz with DDR2.  The improvement between DDR and DDR2 is compensated for in the difference in system design.

If you can wait a few months, I would wait though.  Both AMD and Intel are releasing the new generation of chips as we speak.  The AM2 series of chips (dekstop now, Laptop in about a month) work with DDR2, and are actually sheaper then the models that came before it.  Intel is rolling out it's newest generation of 64 bit processors for desktops now (Conroe), and laptop processors are coming out this month.  So if you can wait until December, you will be able to get a much better system then you can now, for around the same price.

Too bad I can't wait until december. I need a computer now, even with my limited funds.  :-\\

However, I am loking into building my own laptop. I've been building my own computers for a while now, s it shouldn't be too hard. But.. Would this actually save me any money?

However, I am loking into building my own laptop. I've been building my own computers for a while now, s it shouldn't be too hard. But.. Would this actually save me any money?


The biggest advantage of a DIY laptop is that you know what you get, and you get exactly what you want.

When you buy one from a name brand, you are getting whatever they think you want.  Hard drive to small?  Oh, they may offer an upgrade, for a price.  If you add the price of the upgrade to the cost of the first drive, you quickly realize that they are charging you much more for the upgrade.  Video not good enough?  Often a video upgrade is not even available until you reach the $1,200 price level.  And the same thing goes for most upfrages like that.

Overall, a DIY costs around the same as buying one from a major manufacturer of the same grade.  But you will not find a DIY at the low-ended level.  Most DIY kits I have seen start at around $500.  Once you add RAM, hard drive, processor, optical drive, and NIC/Modem/Wi-Fi, the cost is around $1,000.  But that $1,000 will be equal to a $1,200+ laptop from Dell, HP-Compaq, or Gateway.

And one last difference is in the OS.  When Dell sells a computer, it comes with a number locked version of XP.  That number can only be used on Dell computers, and no others.  And because Dell (and all the others) only have to buy the number, they pay a lot less for it, normally around $25 a license.  That  often accounts for at least $75 of the cost difference between one of the major manufacturers, and a custom built.  The retail price for an OEM version of XP home is $95.  But that OEM license can be transfered to any other computer in the future, no matter who made it.

Has there ever been an incident where a laptop's DVD/CD-ROM (I think it's also a recordable drive) functions in viewing DVDs but does not read CDs at all?  ???

Has there ever been an incident where a laptop's DVD/CD-ROM (I think it's also a recordable drive) functions in viewing DVDs but does not read CDs at all?   ???


That sometimes happens in both Desktops and Laptops.

In your DVD units, there are actually 2 different reading mechanisms.  One is used to decode DVD data, the other to read the CD data.  Often times, one unit or the other will go out, resulting in either a DVD that will read DVDs and not CDs, or read CDs and not DVDs.  We recently sold for $25 a DVD burner that would read and write DVDs, but not CDs.  A few years ago I threw away a unit that would read CDs, but would not recognize a DVD disk.

In that case, you simply throw the unit away and buy a new one.

How good are you on the internet?

How good are you on the internet?


What do you mean?  That is kind of vague.  Kinda like asking "How are you in medicine?"  It may be something as simple as "What is good for a headache?", or "What is the best kind of incision to use for gastro-intestinal surgery?"

8)

What do you mean?  That is kind of vague.  Kinda like asking "How are you in medicine?"  It may be something as simple as "What is good for a headache?", or "What is the best kind of incision to use for gastro-intestinal surgery?"

8)



What websites are you familiar with?

What websites are you familiar with?


I am not quite sure what you mean.  I guess the sites that I go to most often are here, Wikipedia, and Google News.  I also go to ModTheSims2.Com fairly often, MajorGeeks, ExtremeTech, and a few others on at least a weekly basis.

That sometimes happens in both Desktops and Laptops.

In your DVD units, there are actually 2 different reading mechanisms.  One is used to decode DVD data, the other to read the CD data.  Often times, one unit or the other will go out, resulting in either a DVD that will read DVDs and not CDs, or read CDs and not DVDs.  We recently sold for $25 a DVD burner that would read and write DVDs, but not CDs.  A few years ago I threw away a unit that would read CDs, but would not recognize a DVD disk.

In that case, you simply throw the unit away and buy a new one.


I kinda figured that.  Just wanted to be sure.

What's a good deal on a replacement DVD/CD/reader-burner?  We have a Dell laptop...forgot the specs though.

I kinda figured that.  Just wanted to be sure.

What's a good deal on a replacement DVD/CD/reader-burner?  We have a Dell laptop...forgot the specs though.


YOu will have to look for what is available to fit your model.  For the most part, the drives in a Dell are easy to replace, normally requiring the removal of no more then one screw.  Simply remove the old drive, and put in a new one.  However, it has to match your laptop.  Dell has used at least 6 different designes for optical drives in the last few years.

There are lots of sources for the drives on-line.  We use one source for all of our Dell parts, but they are a wholesale only supplier.

I am not quite sure what you mean.  I guess the sites that I go to most often are here, Wikipedia, and Google News.  I also go to ModTheSims2.Com fairly often, MajorGeeks, ExtremeTech, and a few others on at least a weekly basis.



What about your favorite music website?

What about your favorite music website?


I don't really go to any.  I have a few I go to when I want loop files to use in Adobe Premiere, or to get MIDI files for background use, but I really do not go to "Music Sites".  I really have little interest in current "pop music", and have not for several years.

I am also against "P2P", so do not go to any sites involving the illegal sharing of music.  I know a lot of people in the Industry, and refuse to rob them of their royalties simply so I can get their music for free.

I was thinking of getting a flatscreen monitor so I can clear up room on my desk, and also a wireless keyboard/mouse set.  What would you suggest that I get that will last me a long time?

Also, a few of my friends have their multiple monitors set up so that they can drag a window from one monitor to another on the same computer.  What kind of program do I need to do that for myself?

Thanks :)

Do you know anything about error reports for Windows 2000? ???

Dang, the power supply on the computer my friend built for me crapped out.  How lame.

I was thinking of getting a flatscreen monitor so I can clear up room on my desk, and also a wireless keyboard/mouse set.  What would you suggest that I get that will last me a long time?

Also, a few of my friends have their multiple monitors set up so that they can drag a window from one monitor to another on the same computer.  What kind of program do I need to do that for myself?

Thanks :)


Flatscreens are all about the same.  Just find one that has a screen you are happy with.  The same with wireless keyboards and mice.  I had one a few years ago, but got tired of them and gave them away.  I got tired of having to re-sync them all the time, and constantly replacing batteries.

You do not need any special software, you simply need to install a video card that supports 2 monitors.

Most modern video cards have 2 connections out, a DVI and a VGA connector.  Simply get a DVI-to-VGA converter, they normally cost around $5-10.  I use an ATI 9550 video card, and I have 2 21" monitors hooked up to it.  Believe me, there is no way you are gonna get me to give up my 42" screen.  :D


Do you know anything about error reports for Windows 2000? ???


For the most part, the Error Codes in Windows are of little use, other then to programmers.  They are designed much more for them then they are for common users.  I have an MCSE, and even I rarely use them, other then to tell me what is wrong.

Most of the time, when the code says something like "Page file", that means it is a hard drive failure.  The majority of others tend to point to either bad drivers, bad ram, or a corrupt operating system.


Dang, the power supply on the computer my friend built for me crapped out.  How lame.


Well, a lot of times, people take shortcuts when it comes to the power supply.  I tell people that if they are having a new computer built, make sure it has at least a 400 watt supply.  Anything less is simply asking for problems.

We had one come into my shop today that left me feeling sick.  It was a brand new HP, AMD Athlon X2 4200, 2 CD drives, X800 video card.  I opened it up, and it had a 300 watt power supply.  I just can't understand how they can stay in business, selling such garbage.

Well, a lot of times, people take shortcuts when it comes to the power supply.  I tell people that if they are having a new computer built, make sure it has at least a 400 watt supply.  Anything less is simply asking for problems.

We had one come into my shop today that left me feeling sick.  It was a brand new HP, AMD Athlon X2 4200, 2 CD drives, X800 video card.  I opened it up, and it had a 300 watt power supply.  I just can't understand how they can stay in business, selling such garbage.


Thanks.  The computer guy at the U told me that the power supply my friend threw in, which he thought was enough, was rated for 250 W max, and when he tested it, confirmed that it had indeed blown out.  He's going to hunt down a 300 W supply for me since there's not too much stuff in there, just the 2 CD drives and a hard drive...pretty standard.  Hopefully this one works out too.

How long have you had your computer?

Thanks.  The computer guy at the U told me that the power supply my friend threw in, which he thought was enough, was rated for 250 W max, and when he tested it, confirmed that it had indeed blown out.  He's going to hunt down a 300 W supply for me since there's not too much stuff in there, just the 2 CD drives and a hard drive...pretty standard.  Hopefully this one works out too.


Do not even waste your time with a 300.

For the most part, a decent 400 watt supply will only set you back around $35 or so.  That is maybe $2-3 more then a 300 would cost you.  If your CPU is over 1 GHz, The minimum recommended by both AMD and Intel is 350 watt.

What kind of laptop brand can I buy for $1100?  ???

What is Mr. Mushroom's opinion on newegg.com?  My friend who is also a computer techie guy said it's the best place he knows of to get computer parts so I can just build my own computer :)  Which, as you said, will cost me as much as getting one from Dell :o

What kind of laptop brand can I buy for $1100?  ???


It all depends on what you want the laptop to do.

You can easily get a laptop for around $600.  But the graphics and processor are both going to be low end, making it useless for much more then typing Word documents and surfing the Internet.

If you want something to play games, then you have to get one with a video card by ATI or NVidia.  Those units will set you back a lot more, $1000+.  It really all depends on what you want to do with the laptop, and how long you expect it to last.  Remember, there is a difference in quality.  A $600 laptop generally does not last as longa s a $1000 one.


What is Mr. Mushroom's opinion on newegg.com?  My friend who is also a computer techie guy said it's the best place he knows of to get computer parts so I can just build my own computer :)  Which, as you said, will cost me as much as getting one from Dell :o


Well, to begin with, I always encourage people to shop locally.  And to check with your friends to see which place has the best reputation.

As for building your own, that is always the best choice.  A $600 box you build yourself (or have built for you) will always be of a much higher quality then one that comes from a mass-marketer like Dell.  To begin with, the low end units never come with video card slots.  So if you do not like the video on-board (or want to play games), you are basically stuck with it.  If you want AGP (or PCI Express), be prepared to start at the $1,000 price range at least.  When you add in the poor quality power supplies and poor cooling, it becomes an even more one-sided arguement in favor of a custom model.

As far as New Egg, I have never been impressed with them, and that goes all the way back to when they were a retail outlet called Egghead Software.  To begin with, they are infamous for selling OEM CPU chips in order to lower the price.  The difference between OEM and Retail box is that the OEM is just a chip, and has a 90 day warranty.  A retail box set comes with the cooling fan, and a 3 year warranty.  When you add into that the fact that the OEM is normally only $20-25 cheaper, you actually loose out once you add a CPU cooler ($20-30),

And New Egg simply wants to sell you something, and not see you again until you want to buy something else.  They sell parts of all quality, from uber-cheap $50 CPU-MB combos to the ultra-high end.  And if you ever have problems with it, you then have to box it all up and send it back to them for replacement.

If you buy local, you simply take it back to where you bought it from.  New Egg does not provide tech support, where most local retails will.  And most local stores will sell you components that they have worked with and trust.  The store I work at, we only stock motherboards from 2 different companies.  We sell boards by Asus-ASrock (2 different names - the same company), and MSI.  We stopped dealing with Biostar and Gigabyte because of poor quality controll and a high number of defective units.  We have a reputation to uphold, and refuse to compromise that, in order to make more saled with cheaper components.

And when I mean local, I mean the local mom and pop computer store.  Not the Big Box companies.  They are no different from New Egg when it comes to selling you quality.  The guy in the computer department probably has almost no hands-on experience, and was selling car stereos the week before.  He will simply try to sell you the most expensive item they have, because he makes a comission off of the sale.

And a last word on Dell.  I have a saying when people come in with $299 Dell's that they spent $900+ on.  "Dude, you got Delled".  Dell is a master of bait & switch and upselling.  They sell very few $299 desktops.  If you go to Dell and click on every recommended "upgrade", it quickly turns into an $800+ computer.  And the sad thing is, it is the exact same unit as the $299 unit.  Same motherboard, same case, same power supply.  They simply dropped in a faster processor, more RAM, and a bigger hard drive.  There is still not enough cooling, an under-wattage power supply, and no video expansion capability.  And it too will last as long as the $299 unit, about 12-18 months.  In August alone, we took in 15 Dell Dimension units.  Every one of them with a dead motherboard, caused by the power supply dying and overvolting the motherboard.  The cost to replace the crappy Dell components with quality components?  About $350.  So you can do it right from the beginning, or you can pay half to Dell, and have to somebody else when the Dell dies.

I actually did find several local computer stores that seem to do what you said.  I guess I could ask them what would be cheaper, getting the parts off Newegg (or maybe some other online site, dunno if you have a suggestion) and then having them build it using my parts, or having them order the parts themselves and then build it for us.  My wife is fairly confident she can build one for me, and if not, I have several computer-savvy friends who can help in the area. 

I would think that each part would come with a warranty...I was searching all over Newegg based on my friend's manufacturer recommendations (like Asus and Maxtor etc.) and there were all ranges of components.  I would assume that a local computer shop would be able to find the same range of components as well?

One more: what kind of case would you recommend?  I want a mid-tower, but I don't know what else the bare-bones case needs...

It all depends on what you want the laptop to do.

You can easily get a laptop for around $600.  But the graphics and processor are both going to be low end, making it useless for much more then typing Word documents and surfing the Internet.

If you want something to play games, then you have to get one with a video card by ATI or NVidia.  Those units will set you back a lot more, $1000+.  It really all depends on what you want to do with the laptop, and how long you expect it to last.  Remember, there is a difference in quality.  A $600 laptop generally does not last as longa s a $1000 one.

Well, to begin with, I always encourage people to shop locally.  And to check with your friends to see which place has the best reputation.

As for building your own, that is always the best choice.  A $600 box you build yourself (or have built for you) will always be of a much higher quality then one that comes from a mass-marketer like Dell.  To begin with, the low end units never come with video card slots.  So if you do not like the video on-board (or want to play games), you are basically stuck with it.  If you want AGP (or PCI Express), be prepared to start at the $1,000 price range at least.  When you add in the poor quality power supplies and poor cooling, it becomes an even more one-sided arguement in favor of a custom model.

As far as New Egg, I have never been impressed with them, and that goes all the way back to when they were a retail outlet called Egghead Software.  To begin with, they are infamous for selling OEM CPU chips in order to lower the price.  The difference between OEM and Retail box is that the OEM is just a chip, and has a 90 day warranty.  A retail box set comes with the cooling fan, and a 3 year warranty.  When you add into that the fact that the OEM is normally only $20-25 cheaper, you actually loose out once you add a CPU cooler ($20-30),

And New Egg simply wants to sell you something, and not see you again until you want to buy something else.  They sell parts of all quality, from uber-cheap $50 CPU-MB combos to the ultra-high end.  And if you ever have problems with it, you then have to box it all up and send it back to them for replacement.

If you buy local, you simply take it back to where you bought it from.  New Egg does not provide tech support, where most local retails will.  And most local stores will sell you components that they have worked with and trust.  The store I work at, we only stock motherboards from 2 different companies.  We sell boards by Asus-ASrock (2 different names - the same company), and MSI.  We stopped dealing with Biostar and Gigabyte because of poor quality controll and a high number of defective units.  We have a reputation to uphold, and refuse to compromise that, in order to make more saled with cheaper components.

And when I mean local, I mean the local mom and pop computer store.  Not the Big Box companies.  They are no different from New Egg when it comes to selling you quality.  The guy in the computer department probably has almost no hands-on experience, and was selling car stereos the week before.  He will simply try to sell you the most expensive item they have, because he makes a comission off of the sale.

And a last word on Dell.  I have a saying when people come in with $299 Dell's that they spent $900+ on.  "Dude, you got Delled".  Dell is a master of bait & switch and upselling.  They sell very few $299 desktops.  If you go to Dell and click on every recommended "upgrade", it quickly turns into an $800+ computer.  And the sad thing is, it is the exact same unit as the $299 unit.  Same motherboard, same case, same power supply.  They simply dropped in a faster processor, more RAM, and a bigger hard drive.  There is still not enough cooling, an under-wattage power supply, and no video expansion capability.  And it too will last as long as the $299 unit, about 12-18 months.  In August alone, we took in 15 Dell Dimension units.  Every one of them with a dead motherboard, caused by the power supply dying and overvolting the motherboard.  The cost to replace the crappy Dell components with quality components?  About $350.  So you can do it right from the beginning, or you can pay half to Dell, and have to somebody else when the Dell dies.



The laptop I have right now I've had since January 14th,2001 but over the past 5 years the pages either have came up slow or fast and I also want a laptop for browsing the internet and stuff and just about everything else of that matter,That's basically it.

I actually did find several local computer stores that seem to do what you said.  I guess I could ask them what would be cheaper, getting the parts off Newegg (or maybe some other online site, dunno if you have a suggestion) and then having them build it using my parts, or having them order the parts themselves and then build it for us.  My wife is fairly confident she can build one for me, and if not, I have several computer-savvy friends who can help in the area. 

I would think that each part would come with a warranty...I was searching all over Newegg based on my friend's manufacturer recommendations (like Asus and Maxtor etc.) and there were all ranges of components.  I would assume that a local computer shop would be able to find the same range of components as well?

One more: what kind of case would you recommend?  I want a mid-tower, but I don't know what else the bare-bones case needs...


They can normally get what you want, and sell it for around the same price that New Egg does.  When I check the prices of our components against them, we are within $3-10.  And when you factor in the fact that your support is local, it makes it well worth it.

Ask your local store what brands they prefer.  Every builder has their own preferences in what company to use for parts.  Myself, every computer but 1 I have owned in the last 6 years has always had an Asus motherboard.  The only one that did not, barely lasted a year.  I am willing to pay more for quality, because I do not want to constantly be tearing my own computer apart to fix it.

When it comes to a case, there are 2 major things to consider:  Power Supply and Cooling.  Make sure that it has at least a 400+ watt power supply in it.  And make sure that as  a minimum, it has either 2 80mm fans or 1 120mm fan in the front and rear.  And make sure that the fans in the front blow across the hard drive.  Fans on the top and side are also nice to have, but not a real requirement.  And the more fans, the better.  One of the cases we sell can hold 4 80mm fans in the front, 1 80mm fan on the top, 1 80mm in the side and 2 80mm in the rear.  Better cooling means a longer lifespan.

And do not confuse warranty with quality.  Sure PC Chips gives a 1 year warranty with their motherboards, but that is because they only expect them to last that long, not any longer.  And once you consider the hastle of removing the motherboard, getting an RMA, shipping it all off (you pay the postage), then you have to wait 2-6 weeks for them to get around to fix or replace it.  Is the $20 you saved really well really a good dal after that?

And building a computer really is pretty simple.  I can take the components and assemble them into a working unit in less then 15 minutes.  However, I then spend the next 4 hours installing the Operating System, installing updates and drivers, and installing all of the other software that is required (game pack, antivirus, antispyware, Acrobat, CD burning, DVD playing, and all the other software needed).  But when it is done, it is ready to go out the door.  And considering we custom build several hundred units a year, we have a very low return rate: less then 2 a year due to hardware failure.

If you are not sure, Que makes a very good book on how to build and repair your own computer.  And here are a few things to look for when you pick a motherboard:

Good name brand (Asus, ASRock, MSI, Tyan).  Avoid cheap companies like Mercury, PC Chips, AOpen, EliteGroup, Chaintech, and the like.  Biostar and Gigabyte may make some good stuff, but over the last 3 years they have had some serious Quality Control issues.  I still advise people to avoid those, until they are able to get their act together again.  Some companies I give a so-so rating, like Epox, Soyo, Shuttle, and the like.  These are not bad boards, but I am not as impressed with them as I am with the ones we use.  In the last 3 years, we have had to RMA 1 MSI board, 1 Asus board, and 0 ASRock boards.  That is a pretty impressive track record.



The laptop I have right now I've had since January 14th,2001 but over the past 5 years the pages either have came up slow or fast and I also want a laptop for browsing the internet and stuff and just about everything else of that matter,That's basically it.


You might want to consider looking for a used Dell Latitude C610.  These are not the cheap homeowner models, but well build Commercial models.  If you do some searching, you can find good quality used ones for $350-500, depending on what the speed and parts are.

I know I have knocked Dell in the past, but I tend to knock all "consumer model" computers.  No matter what company built them, their only goal is to outlive the warranty.  They take huge shortcuts in quality in order to sell them cheap.  However, this is not the case with the Commercial models.  These are designed and built to outlive 5 year corporate leases, trouble free.  These are often great values, and will work for many more years.  And because most of them were leased units, there is a large supply of both units and replacement parts.

We sell both new and used computers where I work.  95% of our used computers are off of Government Lease.  We buy them without hard drives, and fix them up for resale.  If you are considering one of these, be careful what you are getting.  When it comes to laptops, all of the Dell Corporate models are a slate grey colour.  If the laptop is blue or silver, it is a home model.

And the same thing goes with Desktops.  Dell Dimensions tend to be cheap junk, but there is nothing cheap or junky about the OptiPlex or Precision lines.  These are corporate models, that sell new for $1,200+.  Avoid Compaq Presarios, but the Compaq Deskpro or Evo is a good machine.  Avoid the HP Pavilion, but if you get a good deal on an HP Vectra, get it.  We have had Dell OptiPlex units we sold used 5 years ago comming back in that are still working fine.  Try to say that about the Dimension.

When it comes to a case, there are 2 major things to consider:  Power Supply and Cooling.  Make sure that it has at least a 400+ watt power supply in it.  And make sure that as  a minimum, it has either 2 80mm fans or 1 120mm fan in the front and rear.  And make sure that the fans in the front blow across the hard drive.  Fans on the top and side are also nice to have, but not a real requirement.  And the more fans, the better.  One of the cases we sell can hold 4 80mm fans in the front, 1 80mm fan on the top, 1 80mm in the side and 2 80mm in the rear.  Better cooling means a longer lifespan.


My friend said that power supplies that come packaged with the case you order are not very reliable.  Is that true?  If so, I hope the computer guy can give me a swap deal or something so I can get a more reliable power supply in there.

Methinks a more complete question would be:

I want a new computer, I do not play very many computer games on it, if at all, I want something that will support some form of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel etc.), my netsurfing habit, and won't crash every five minutes.  I would also like to rip and burn music and videos (CD or DVD).  What would you build for me, and how much would it cost for all the parts?

My friend suggested that I get an AMD processor, a 450W+ power supply, and that I probably don't need Vista or a high-end graphics card because I do not game.  I am open to suggestions, I'd like to research this completely (or as completely as possible) before I drop a load on this new project :D

And not a big deal, but if you could link me to the parts you speak of so I know what is going on, that'd be really cool 8)

Alright, I'm home...this is a bunch of stuff recommended to me:

Power supply: from either Enermax or Antec, 450W+

Motherboard:  from either Abit or Asus, AMD compatible

Processor:  AMD 3000+

Hard drive:  from either Maxtor or Western Digital

CD/DVD/RW:  from Lite-On (combo drive)

Video card:  Nvidia GEForce card (hopefully one that will support my would-be 19-21" flatscreen :D )

Case:  Standard ATX mid-tower

My friend said that power supplies that come packaged with the case you order are not very reliable.  Is that true?  If so, I hope the computer guy can give me a swap deal or something so I can get a more reliable power supply in there.


It all depends on the quality of the case.  Any time you find a case in the $75+ range, it should come with a decent power supply for most uses.  It is not going to be a supply like an Antec, but it should be good enough for your needs.

I want a new computer, I do not play very many computer games on it, if at all, I want something that will support some form of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel etc.), my netsurfing habit, and won't crash every five minutes.  I would also like to rip and burn music and videos (CD or DVD).  What would you build for me, and how much would it cost for all the parts?

My friend suggested that I get an AMD processor, a 450W+ power supply, and that I probably don't need Vista or a high-end graphics card because I do not game.  I am open to suggestions, I'd like to research this completely (or as completely as possible) before I drop a load on this new project :D


Any computer build today will be able to handle Word and XP.  However, it would be a mistake to buy a computer today without keeping VIsta compatibility in mind.  It would be like ordering a computer in 2000, and not caring if it ran XP.  Vista is the new OS, and within 2-3 years, XP will be as obsolete as Windows ME.  You may not need the video capability now, but it would be a huge mistake if you did not at least get a motherboard with a PCI Express slot on it (even if you do not use it).  This at least gives you the option to expand in the future if you choose.

I agree with the idea of AMD.  I have built several systems with the new AM2 socket, and am very impressed with them.  Installation was simple, and performance was excellent.  Right now, the "sweet spot" for AMD Processors is the Athlon 3200.  You can pick them up for around $110 in a retail box set.  They are super performers, and being single core, they run circles around an Intel of the same speed.

Quick word about the newest chips.  Intel has made the choice to make all of their chips "Dual Core".  What that means is that when you get a Pentium D 3 GHz, what you are really getting is 2 1.5 GHz processors on one chip.  Unless your software is specifically designed for dual cores (PhotoShop, Adobe Premier, AutoCAD), you will actually see a degredation of performance over a single core 3 GHz.  Intel is going to Dual Core for all chips, because of the problems they have been having with heat, and to keep the cost down.  AMD has much less issues with heat, so is keeping with single cores until they get to the 4 GHz range.


Power supply: from either Enermax or Antec, 450W+
Motherboard:  from either Abit or Asus, AMD compatible
Processor:  AMD 3000+
Hard drive:  from either Maxtor or Western Digital
CD/DVD/RW:  from Lite-On (combo drive)
Video card:  Nvidia GEForce card (hopefully one that will support my would-be 19-21" flatscreen :D )
Case:  Standard ATX mid-tower


I am not real impressed with ABit.  They are not a bad company, I am just not impressed with them.  Asus-ASRock is always my first choice.  If you are looking more for value, use ASRock.  It is simply the "Budget Line" os Asus.

As I said, look at the AM2 Athlon 3200 processor.  Spending $10-20 now for the speed is well worth it.  Not to mention you move from Sempron to Athlon, and get even more performance boost.

Hard drive name is not such a big deal.  But make sure it is a SATA drive.  IDE hard drives are now a thing of the past.

Same with Opticals.  But if you want to put on labels, consider a drive with LightScribe technology.  If you want to put on a lable, simply turn over the disk and burn it on the other side.  Makes a pretty professional looking disk.  The blanks cost a bit more, but you can use normal disks if you do not want to burn on a lable.  And the drives only cost $5-10 more.

For video, I have always prefered ATI.  I use a 2 year old ATI 9550, and it drives my 2 21" monitors just fine.  But since you already said you are not looking for high end video, make sure your board has either an NVidia or ATI chipset on board.  This will give you decent graphics for day-to-day use.  Make sure it has PCI Express, for future upgrade though.

My bias for video actually goes back many years, to the first ATI cards I worked with in 1991.  ATI always tried to make rock-stable video cards, with lots of features.  This goes all the way back to the first generation of "Wonder Cards", which had Monochrome-CGA-EGA-VGA all on one card.  You could buy one card, and upgrade monitors as you went, without having to replace your video card each time.

NVidia to me shows it's history when it used the VooDoo sales model.  I call it the "Video Card Of The Month Club".  It seems like every other month, they would come out with a new video card, the card you just had to have if you wanted the best.  And with SLI it just got worse, because you now had to buy 2 identicle video cards at once.

ATI has never gone that route the same way.  The generally would offer 2 flavors of their cards, a "high end" for the performance person, then a cheaper one for the normal people.  The Radeon 9800 was the best of it's generation, but they also released the 9550, which used the same processor, just clocked a little slower.  But it sold for about half as much, letting more people get the high-end graphics, without the high-end price.

And instead of SLI, they wetn to CrossFire.  You can buy 1 high end video card now, then buy any CrossFire card at any time to upgrade at a future date.  So you did not have to dump $400-800 at one shot if you wanted to go to dual video cards in the future.  Any Crossfire worked with any video card of the same chip series.

And I find it puzzling that NVidia is so popular, yet it still has constant problems with it's drivers.  I have been playing Guild Wars the last several weeks, and the forums I go to about the game are full of reports of buggy NVidia drivers.  NVidia has even had to remove several driver updates over the last 3 months because of various crashes and memory leaks. 

And if you are considering AMD, you may not know that last month, AMD bought ATI.  That may be something to consider when thinking about what chipset and video to choose.  It is kinda like that old Hair Club For Men commercial "I liked them so much, I bought the company."

^ That was educational.  I think I will keep the option of upgrading to Vista in mind.

^ That was educational.  I think I will keep the option of upgrading to Vista in mind.


YOu are very welcome.  :)

And if an Upgrade to Vista is planned, do not buy a high ended video card now.

At this time, there are no cards out that support Direct X 10.  Even the newest $500 NVidia and ATI cards are not DIrect X compliant.  So simply get something "good enough" for now, and save your money for the compliant cards.  They should start to be available in late November.

And avoid a new system with either Pentium 4 or AMD socket 754/939.  Consider nothing less then an LGA-775 or AM2 socket.  These all use DDR2 RAM, and should have PCI Express slots.  If you get something else, you are buying what is already old technology.  And the cost difference is often nothing.  3 GHz AM2 chips are actually cheaper then 2 GHz 754 or 939 chips.  And the price difference between DDR and DDR2 is now around $5 for a 512 Meg stick.

^ Very interesting.

What kind of video card would support a monitor that has 1600x1000 resolution (ballpark numbers, I'm sure the actual numbers are different but I'm a Luddite :D )? 

^ Very interesting.

What kind of video card would support a monitor that has 1600x1000 resolution (ballpark numbers, I'm sure the actual numbers are different but I'm a Luddite :D )? 


Any new card should be able to support that with no problem.

I use a 2 year old ATI 9550 256 MB, and run 2 21" monitors at 2048x1024, with no problems at all.  The only thing I am not able to use in some of my games is Anti-Aliasing, because of the limits of the throughput of the card (AGP).

^ Okay, tonight (DSL willing :D ) I will try to find some parts that I think should go into my new supercomputer and link them in this post, and you can tell me (at your leisure, I don't intend to get this until I have $$ :D ) whether I should upgrade or downgrade or if it's okay based on my needs.

Again, all I'm really looking for is something that I can do basic word processing, spreadsheets, powerpoint, e-mail, internet/chat, and the occasional online game.  Prefer to have a 19"+ monitor with 1600x1000ish resolution as well.

Stay tuned 8)

I have a little question about Microsoft Windows.

Why is it you can't have certain characters in a file name like "?, /,\)"?

I have a little question about Microsoft Windows.

Why is it you can't have certain characters in a file name like "?, /,\)"?


Because a lot of the characters are reserved for other uses.  For example, * is reserved as a symbol meaning "everything".  For those of us that used DOS, you could type "Del *.*" to delete everything in a directory.

? is reserved for another internal purpose.  When you delete a file, what actually happens is that the name is changed from (an example) NAME.DOC to ?AME.DOC.  The ? at the beginning tells the operating systme that the files is no longer used, and is safe to overwrite. 

\ is reserved for the directory structure.  Sub directories are expressed in DOS like this:  "C:\My Documents\User".  This useage prevents it's being used as a filename. 

/ is used as a default for useing "flags" in other programs.  If you go to DOS and type "FORMAT /?", you get a listing of all the subset commands that go along with the FORMAT command.  In oder versions of DOS, there was such an instruction for every program.

% is used as a variable in the BATCH scripting language.

Why does a computer freeze?  ???

I have a question for you Mushroom - not hardware or software though.

My question has to do with html/xhtml programming or codes.
And of course as it relates to "MySpace" mahaha!

Why does a computer freeze?  ???


That is kinda like saying "Why won't my car start?"  There can be so many causes, it is impossible to give a simple answer.


My question has to do with html/xhtml programming or codes.
And of course as it relates to "MySpace" mahaha!


That is a programming question.  And I readily admit, that I gave up programming over 20 years ago.  For the most part, I stopped programming in around 1982.  That was back in the days when I used COBOL, and entered my code onto 80 column keypunch cards.

When it comes to web page creation, I use Front Page, and stick to basic HTML editing for other features.  I have no interest into learning yet another language.

That is a programming question.  And I readily admit, that I gave up programming over 20 years ago.  For the most part, I stopped programming in around 1982.  That was back in the days when I used COBOL, and entered my code onto 80 column keypunch cards.

When it comes to web page creation, I use Front Page, and stick to basic HTML editing for other features.  I have no interest into learning yet another language.


It's all good. I thank you anyway! ;)

Power supply: Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500 ATX12V 500W Power Supply 115/230 V TUV, UL, CUL, CE, CB, FCC - Retail  $67.99 -- comes with 3-year limited warranty from manufacturer

Case:  Antec Solution SLK2650-BQE Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 350W Power Supply - Retail -- I will replace that power supply with the one above, it's $75.99, no warranty that I can see

Processor:  AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Orleans 2.0GHz 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail  $83.99  -- I assume this is the processor you are speaking of in your post.  It comes with a 3-year warranty.

Motherboard:  ASUS M2N Socket AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail  $84.99 -- it seems that ASUS AMD boards have some kind of deal with NVidia, would this preclude me from using ATI video cards?  It has both PCI x1 and PCI x16 slots, not sure what that means really but the ATI card I am listing next seems to have a PCI x16 connector

Video card:  ATI 100-714800 All-In-Wonder Radeon X1900 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 VIVO PCI Express x16 Video Card - OEM  -- $199.64, I THINK this is something like what you suggested, but again, not sure if it's compatible with the motherboard listed above.