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Entry tags:
Computer stuff
My computer is dying fast. Windows has been coming up with major system errors that Microsoft apparently doesn't know how to fix. The CD drive fails more often than it works. The mouse has been spontaneously disconnecting and reconnecting every few minutes (and I've checked, the plug is firmly in place). Sometimes the cursor disappears completely. Strange system warnings have been appearing.
I've updated all my security software, but it didn't make a difference.
So I need more advice from computer-savvy people out there.
First: I am NOT insisting on any particular brand. All I want is a reliable system running Windows XP (any kind) that I can use for the usual computer stuff, plus running modern games like Guild Wars and Oblivion (but not necessarily the latest first-person shooters). I also want to be able to convert LPs to CDs and old VHS tapes into DVDs.
I'd like the vendor to be in business for a few years, so that if I have a problem they can fix it. Other than that, I don't care.
My understanding is that I'll need a TV card, probably a Hauppage. I'll also need a decent video card; unfortunately I don't know a lot about those.
As far as I know, I should get at least 2 GB of RAM.
Oh, and my budget is probably under $1,000.
Some questions:
What's a good CPU? Will a Dual-Core Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6750 2.66GHz 1333FSB 4MB Cache suffice?
For a video card, will a MSI nVidia GeForce 8400GS 512MB DDR2 PCI Express (1xDVI 1xVGA) be good enough? I really don't know much about video cards.
Is it worthwhile to get a card reader? They're pretty cheap, but I don't know what I'd use one for!
What's RAID? Should I get it?
Is there a meaningful difference between a Hauppauge Win TV-PVR-150 MCE (PCI), a Hauppauge Win TV-HVR-1600 MC (PCI), and a Hauppauge Win TV-HVR-1800 MC (PCI-Express)? I'm not planning on watching TV on my computer - or not much, anyway. I just want to be able to convert old videos!
Windows XP. Home? Professional? Professional 64-bit?
I've updated all my security software, but it didn't make a difference.
So I need more advice from computer-savvy people out there.
First: I am NOT insisting on any particular brand. All I want is a reliable system running Windows XP (any kind) that I can use for the usual computer stuff, plus running modern games like Guild Wars and Oblivion (but not necessarily the latest first-person shooters). I also want to be able to convert LPs to CDs and old VHS tapes into DVDs.
I'd like the vendor to be in business for a few years, so that if I have a problem they can fix it. Other than that, I don't care.
My understanding is that I'll need a TV card, probably a Hauppage. I'll also need a decent video card; unfortunately I don't know a lot about those.
As far as I know, I should get at least 2 GB of RAM.
Oh, and my budget is probably under $1,000.
Some questions:
What's a good CPU? Will a Dual-Core Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6750 2.66GHz 1333FSB 4MB Cache suffice?
For a video card, will a MSI nVidia GeForce 8400GS 512MB DDR2 PCI Express (1xDVI 1xVGA) be good enough? I really don't know much about video cards.
Is it worthwhile to get a card reader? They're pretty cheap, but I don't know what I'd use one for!
What's RAID? Should I get it?
Is there a meaningful difference between a Hauppauge Win TV-PVR-150 MCE (PCI), a Hauppauge Win TV-HVR-1600 MC (PCI), and a Hauppauge Win TV-HVR-1800 MC (PCI-Express)? I'm not planning on watching TV on my computer - or not much, anyway. I just want to be able to convert old videos!
Windows XP. Home? Professional? Professional 64-bit?
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It can solve a lot of problems.
Secondly.. do you play computer games and/or do you wish to? I don't mean simple games like Solitaire but ones that have graphics and some kick to them. Do you want to play Guild Wars or World of Warcraft? If you have a game you've always wanted to be able to play then say so now.
Do you do or realistically want to do video editing, or serious 3d art, or massive photo editing?
Is your monitor ok or does it need replacing?
I ask all of this since most hardware can do most things.. just need to know if you are a power user in some way.
I will then come back and tell you to buy a Mac.. want to know why?
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No, I haven't reinstalled Windows. I assume you mean that I should do a low-level format and then reinstall? Unfortunately I don't have a complete backup of the data on my drive, and since the system doesn't have USB 2.0 ports I can't do any sort of quick backup anyway.
I do play computer games. That's definitely one of the major purposes of my PC. I don't do fast-twitch games, but I like to play Diablo II, I have a copy of Fable that I really want to try, and I want to try Guild Wars and probably Oblivion. I won't be playing World of Warcraft because I can't afford the monthly fees, nor the time investment.
No, not really. It's imaginable that I might someday get into video editing, but I don't anticipate that happening soon.
It's functioning...but it's very old. I'm thinking of replacing it. But I was thinking that I might hold off for a while on that, and put that money into the computer instead.
Not at home. I'm a power user at work, but at home I just do writing, email, browsing, and games.
Sure, but I should tell you that I have a long-standing hatred of Macs, going back to the late 1980s.
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If you want to play games then you will want Windows. Vista is still untested and quirky, Windows 64bit has all sorts of driver issues.. so you're back to XP, and I'd get Professional.
Most duo cores will do what you want, and you will want 2Gb of Ram (XP doesn't use more than 2.5Gb).
The graphics card maybe where you want to up the spec.. future proofing yourself a little. But we are transitining between Direct X9 (XP) and Direct X 10 (Vista only) and in some ways it is a bad time to decide to buy a DX10 card. So maybe get the best DX9 card you can afford and accept that the very few DX10 games will be beyond you until you get Vista and a DX10 card in some years. It is also possible that Microsoft will capitulate and release DX10 for XP given Vista's slow takeup.
I'd not fuss about a huge hard-drive, 500Gb is easily achieved, but get an external one too and backup regularly.
I won't recommend a Mac, even though they are no more like a 1980s Mac than a Windows box is like a CPM machine of 1984..
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If he wants XP he needs to act before June, as that's when Microsoft is pulling it from the market from what I've read in Wired. (And Vista is a crippler for most things that I've seen, as well as a resource hog).
The Dell catalog I just got has no XP Boxes in his budget. HP has some on their site, but most are Vista machines.
It's a bad time for machine shopping a PC because of the various hardware and software changes going on right now in the industry.
Oh, and the external backup drive I'd say is essential these days for any system (and fairly cheap) but again, his budget is tight and that may cost him another $200-$300 for a 500 gb drive.
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I have a 2GB flash drive. It's slow as hell with the 1.1 (or maybe they're 1.0) USB ports on my old system, but at least it works. It would take a long time to transfer the data, of course.
Or perhaps I could use a USB cable to hook the two systems up to each other directly? I don't know.
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***Ok, here's a trick that us pro's use. If you think the optical drive is indeed going bad, swap it out with one from another system, or buy/borrow a plain old DVD-rom drive to use. Put in the XP cd and cancel the installation. Then go to Run, and type "cmd"(without quotes) to open a Dos window. With the XP cd in the drive, type the command "sfc /scannow"(without quotes), and hit Enter. Sfc is the System File Checker and compares what's on the cd against what on the harddrive and may prompt you if you want to replace the file inquestion if it is a damaged or incorrect file. The process will take a while.
Or... Boot from the XP cd, and go thru the install process like normal. Go past the Recovery Console option and continue the install as normal. When you get to the install screen you'll be either presented with the option of Formatting the drive, or installing, or(what you want to look for) the installer will "tell you" that it "detects an installation of XP already present". If it doesn't, that means there is a serious problem with your installation of XP. Eject the cd and restart the machine WITHOUT continuing the install. However if you do continue the install, your documents and programs may be lost.
***Security software doesn't protect or prevent damage. It's used against intrusions and extrusions such as hidden auto dialers and spyware.
***The standard 2x2 format should do. ie, 2ghz cpu and 2Gig of ram.
***I really recc' HP. Their site has a custom build option that you can use.
***I'm looking at the HVR-1600 because it'll receive the new digital signal that we will all be switching to in Feb 09' http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr1600.html That way you won't have to buy a converter box.
Some questions:
What's a good CPU? Will a Dual-Core Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6750 2.66GHz 1333FSB 4MB Cache suffice?
***Any +2Ghz cpu will do.
***Yeah, that card'll be good enough. I still use an AGP nVidia 7600 card and World of Warcraft plays really nice on it!
***Do you use any digital card media? If not, then no. It can always be bought later and added if you really need one.
***RAID is really not needed for the average user and is still only found in servers. Unless you're a serious power user, you won't find RAID in the average system. Basically RAID spans your software over several drives. Think barber shop pole. Instead of accessing one drive, you're really accessing 2 or 4 or whatever RAID config you have/want.
***I plan on making a media center Pc. But for simple input of media, the 150 should be fine.
***XP Pro is still tops on everyones list because MS is still refusing to release the Vista code to driver developers. Ergo wh everyone hates Vista so much.
***Jst my $0.02. Have fun!
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Lots of my friends do that sort of thing with no problem. But I seem to have some strange sort of curse. I'm NOT GOOD at hardware - maybe it's the nonverbal learning disorder, since that makes me rather clumsy.
I'm also nervous because if I fuck up the computer with an accidentally static discharge, for example, I will be totally screwed. I cannot afford to replace my computer. Whatever I buy, it will be my last computer for at least five years.
The only problem with that is that I'd have to go to a small business desktop; HP absolutely does not sell desktops with XP for home use. I got that straight from one of their reps.
Not sure what difference that makes, though.
Thanks for telling me! I'll make sure to go with that. As I said, I'm not planning on using the computer to watch much TV (unless it could act as a DVR, which would be cool; I might finally be able to watch The Daily Show again). Still, no point in crippling the system for the future.
Um...does the little card in my digital cameras count? Even if it does, I could always just plug the camera into a USB port, right? That's what I do now.
Thanks for the info about RAID; it does sound like overkill for me. As for Vista, Microsoft really seems to have screwed up monumentally with that one!
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Yeah, I know several people like that. They can't wear watches because they drain the batteries.
You can install XP on the system after you buy it. Just make sure you go to the products website and make sure the XP drivers are there before you do. I'm looking at buying an HP laptop and spent an hour talking with them yesterday to find out whether or not I can install XP on it. And I can.
Yes! The HVR-1600 can record your shows as you watch another channel. And/or, port out to a TV if you'd prefer watching your shows that way. It receives the 16 ATSC signals, which includes the 2 that will be broadcast here in the US. Heck, you could even use the card as a TV tuner if you choose. And the onboard FM radio receiver is a bonus!
I'm in the same boat. I have a 2Gb card in my camera and I use the USB port to just pull them across. USB-1 has a speed of about 11Mbps, USB-2 is about 54Mbps, definately faster.
Yeah, RAID's overkill, but some hardcore users do it because they say it helps increase system speed.
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Check Royaldiscount.com for XP pricing. It's where I got mine.
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Let me guess. It's a USB mouse? Microsoft still doesn't do USB properly. I find some small amusement by how my Microsoft USB mouse is instantly recognised by Linux and stays connected whereas I have the same problems as you when I go into a MS-Windows partition...
What's RAID? Should I get it?
You probably don't need it for home use. Basically it's a backup system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID
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