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Author Topic: Help in Replacing my Computer  (Read 7561 times)

dodgy geezer

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #25 on: September 07, 2010, 01:38:39 pm »


..If you're reasonably happy with your presant set up, there's always the external drive storage option...
 

Everybody should have an external drive. Best place to back up photos and do transfers...


Even with all the "modern" energy saving electronics, 450 Watts for a PSU is a bit frugal.

Very good point. If you want W7 presumably you want the Aero facility? This will require a powerful graphics card, even though you have said you don't want one. And this will require a minimum 600w PSU...?


  Good that you had a favourable response from CCL Dodgy, 5 miles from me and things are fine until you try to get things replaced in the warranty period, knotting smoke sometimes and NOT an isolated incident.

Last time I used CCL customer service was several years ago. Are you saying that they are now worse? If so I will revise my opinion...
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matphoto

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #26 on: September 07, 2010, 01:39:25 pm »

I can also recommend Medion desktops, I have purchased two of them over six years and never an ounce of trouble with them  :-) they also come with a three year warranty   :-))
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The long Build

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #27 on: September 07, 2010, 01:52:05 pm »

Everybody should have an external drive. Best place to back up photos and do transfers...
Very good point. If you want W7 presumably you want the Aero facility? This will require a powerful graphics card, even though you have said you don't want one. And this will require a minimum 600w PSU...?

? I have w7 . ie8, Office 2010 & Norton (well nobodys perfect) but my psu is less than 600 and I have no problems ?
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The long Build

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #28 on: September 07, 2010, 01:56:27 pm »

I bet you are so glad you asked this question now Colin  :} :}

Larry
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #29 on: September 07, 2010, 01:57:23 pm »

Quote
Very good point. If you want W7 presumably you want the Aero facility? This will require a powerful graphics card, even though you have said you don't want one. And this will require a minimum 600w PSU...?

My present setup has a 250w PSU and ran Vista Aero fine through the integrated graphics until they threw some sort of wobbly and I put a cheap graphics card in. That runs Aero fine too.

Quote
Everybody should have an external drive. Best place to back up photos and do transfers...

I have four external drives for backup purposes of which two are always connected. The others are stored away from the PC. One of them is simply used to take regular snapshots of my data folders.

Important files such as holiday photos are also archived to CD/DVD.

Larry, see my earlier comment re propshaft greasing!  :}

Colin
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dreadnought72

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #30 on: September 07, 2010, 04:50:59 pm »

On the Mesh front: I got six years out of mine, never had any trouble - apart from the fans started getting noisy. I could have changed them, but by this point processor speeds and more hungry software meant an upgrade was necessary.

I'm Dell-ing now, and - while this machine's fantastic (and expensive!) - if you're a single indie web designer, and not a company putting in an order for 100's of them, you'll get treated like muck.  >>:-(

I wouldn't diss the Tesco/Aldi PCs. At worst, if an item (other than a hard-drive!) fails after warranty, you can swop it out without too much hassle.

Best advice (to everyone using a PC!) is to get an external hard-drive and Back Things Up. Monthly. You know you ought to.  O0

Andy
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sailorboy61

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #31 on: September 07, 2010, 08:14:42 pm »

Thanks but I've already got a laptop, it's the desktop I want to replace.

I also want quality components so a bit doubtful of Aldi.

Colin


Can recommend ALDI PCs.... not only great value, but also quality..... I have two, a desktop and laptop, both for 4/5 years without any problems....the parts are 'the real deal', not cheap stuff, but 3 years warranty in any case! You get a lot for your money, and usually the latest specs and huge harddrives. Also try the Dell shop on Ebay...refurbs...but you need to search out what you want on there.......
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #32 on: September 10, 2010, 05:54:43 pm »

Just found this site Colin ....
 
  http://www.lambda-tek.com/computing/index.htm
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #33 on: September 10, 2010, 06:15:16 pm »

Interesting Martin, sort of computerised Lego.

After much thought I may just settle for an Abacus, it doesn't pretend to be anything other than a lot of.... :o

Colin
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Prophet

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #34 on: September 10, 2010, 07:17:23 pm »

sorry for late reply .. had'nt read this post for a few days, to answer your questions....

1:- im with ORANGE

2 :- I have a 5 gig limit for £30pcm ( i find that more then enough for the normal surfing, youtube watching etc, if you go over your limit, the rate is pretty reasonable largest bill i had was for £39 and i was 3 gig over the limit ( left it on over night on a download ) the speed of download varies to the signal i average get 7.2mbs (you can setup warnings at 80% of limit reached and again at 90%, you can also set the dongle to stop all connections at the full limit reached so not to cost you more untill the bill is paid but its up to you i just use the 90% warning as a guide im going over.

3:- network coverage is awsome i have found no where i can't get a signal, the download speed is slower then the normal landline connection but thats due to the GSM signal it runs off but after a few days you get used to it and honestly its good enough for normal net use, i have used the dongle on the train, in a car, i even took the laptop fishing on a beach where my mobile can't get a decent signal but this thing still managed to pick one up.

check the orange website for the latest deals, but do not go with 3 !!! there a ********* nigthmare to deal with!

orange gives you the dongle & laptop, laptop has a 1 year warrenty as well dongle is self installing plug and play littraly 1 click start up my 5 year old daugher can start up the net in the mornings to play on the cbeebies website its that easy  :-))
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Popeye

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #35 on: September 10, 2010, 09:27:15 pm »

Thanks for comments Prophet.

I'll have to think seriously about your option  coz it's time for me to changer my current lap top for something state of the art (and faster) which will also rneed to be for use on 'walkabout'.

Regards :-))
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #36 on: October 13, 2010, 10:05:51 pm »

After much agonizing I bought a HP Pavilion Tower direct from HP with the spec I wanted (with a 750GD HD). HP's price was better than PC World and others plus I found a voucher code which got me another £27 off. I bought the monitor separately online from PC World (collect at store) and have ordered a second 500GB hard disk from the web.

So far setup is going fine!

Colin
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Popeye

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #37 on: October 14, 2010, 04:04:00 pm »

Thanks for comments Prophet.

I'll have to think seriously about your option  coz it's time for me to changer my current lap top for something state of the art (and faster) which will also rneed to be for use on 'walkabout'.

Regards :-))

I needed Internet access at our weekend retreat and opted for a 3g deal  comprising a Samsung R530 Intel Dual core laptop with all the latest gizmos (I needed a new one in any event)) plus  a broadband dongle providing up to 7400Kbps and 5Gb download per month.  Regrettably speed fell far short of what I could reasonably hope for - ranging from as low as 74Kbps to a pitifull 975Kbps away from home and up to only 4750Kbps at Chez Nous .

Needless to say this was nothing like what I signed up for and the whole package was returned FOC under 3g's 2 weeks  trial period, though I did offer, unsuccessfully,  to buy the laptop


Moral of the story ..... performance of these dongles isn't necessarily as good as trumpeted and very much depends on the signal strength of the service providers local coverage - in my case Suffolk and outer London.

Looks like I'll have to continue using the local Suffolk library's INet service until something better comes along and continue with my 20Mbps (actual) cable Broadband at home
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Bryan Young

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #38 on: October 14, 2010, 04:30:55 pm »

See what I mean about having a dedicated computer heading?
For myself, I'd love the challenge of building my own machine, but not knowing which bits would be "best buys", the computer I use now was built by a trustworthy private outfit and has been one of my better choices in this life. Pricey though. BY.
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Circlip

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #39 on: October 14, 2010, 04:53:23 pm »

1 Terror bite hard drive, 40 pictures of HRH

  Regards  Ian.
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dodgy geezer

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #40 on: October 15, 2010, 01:36:53 am »

See what I mean about having a dedicated computer heading?
For myself, I'd love the challenge of building my own machine, but not knowing which bits would be "best buys"...

After more than 30 years of operating personal computers, I have found that:

1) There is little initial difference between a machine you build for yourself and a ready-built one that you specify, either in cost or facilities.

2) If you actually want the software which is usually bundled with the ready-built one then the 'savings' on this make the ready-built one more attractive.

3) But nowadays a lot of the bundled software is crippleware or time-limited, and so of less value...


4) The one advantage of a build-it-yourself is usually that the system you put together is more upgradeable, while the ready-built one is at its limits already.

5) But in a rapidly-changing technology environment you are less likely to upgrade, and more likely to do a complete motherboard/processor replacement....
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tigertiger

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Re: Help in Replacing my Computer
« Reply #41 on: October 15, 2010, 02:26:02 am »

I found Staples to be cheaper than PC World, Curry's, or Dixons; last time I bought.

I usually buy low spec, as todays low spec is 3 years ago's top notch, and for me it is enough (I am not a specialised user). This saves a bundle of dosh.
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