7DaysinParadise
Welcome to Paradise => Help Section - how do I? => Topic started by: Bulldog on May 03, 2007, 02:03:24 PM
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I need to purchase a new PC, any suggestions..?
And is it better to leave your PC on all the time or shut it off every time you use it :icon_sunny:
:help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help:
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I'm going to advise you with all my wordly knowledge of computers. :ROFL:
Buy a laptop, it's much more convenient and just as good as a desktop.
Not sure about your second question, but I believe that a computer has a certain life span in hours so if you leave it on all the time I would think that it would die faster??
I'm sure that someone else will come along and advise you. :ROFL:
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Hey Bulldog,
there's no performance hit going to a laptop vs PC, however if you're looking to add in components to your unit, i.e. video card, specialty cards for audio, etc then a PC is the way to go. As Flopnfly said the convenience of the laptop is much better, as you're not stuck to one area with it, and with the processing power in the CPU's today it will be as fast as the PC. Video on laptops for the most part is not as good as some of the higher end cards that you can get for PC's for gaming and such, but, for most users it won't make that much of a difference, however if you're a purist, then it would be consideration.
A few things to look at either way:
1) memory is cheap today, and all software (especially Windows) is memory hungry. The more you can put into your machine, the better. My recommendation is to go with at least 1Gb now, 2 if you can get it for a good price. (from the top of my head a 1Gb upgrade today is about $170-$200 roughly).
2) disk space. Hard disk space is cheap today, so you can easily look at 100-150 Gb hard drives for laptops and upto 500Gb hard drives for PC's (even more if you want to be on the bleeding edge). The thing to remember here is that you want to back that up somehow. The easiest way, without springing for another system to act as a "server" or "backup machine" is to get an external USB hard drive, perferably at least the same size as the hard drive on your computer, more if possible. They are pretty inexpensive now, as future shop or bestbuy have the 250Gb External drives for about $170.
3) CD/DVD. DVD is pretty much the standard now, so getting a dvd player/writer will allow you to read and write both CD and DVD. (big change from 6 months ago!) If it's not in the base package, it shouldn't add anymore than about $100 to the price.
As for the question about leaving it on or off? well, turning it off ultimately is a better idea, for many reasons, (clearing memory so that it runs faster, power consumption, wear and tear, etc) but it won't do that much harm in leaving it on as well.
hope that helps a bit :icon_biggrin:
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Thank you both for you help :icon_thumleft:
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Can you recomend a good Laptop for around $1000.00 on the market today :help:
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For my 2 cents worth...
I prefer a desktop. I only use it in one place any ways at home and I find service is much quicker and cheaper with a desktop. If I have a problem and need an upgrade I just walk in with my PC and my tech guy does it while I wait. Our laptop always seems to need a specialized part that needs to be ordered. I also like my 21" monitor.
As for leaving it on or not, at work I turn my PC off every night but our server PC has been running flawlessly for 6 years only being restarted every once in a while. Both are still going strong. I would recommend turning off the monitor when you're not using it though.
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start here:
http://www-131.ibm.com/content/home/store_LNV_PublicCanada/en_CA/notebooks/index.html?re=home_notebooks_ca
Lenovo is the company that made the notebooks for IBM, then IBM decided to get out of the consumer market and concentrate on the servers and high end workstations, so they sold the rights to sell the product to Lenovo. We recommend the Lenovo's to all our clients, I've been using an IBM latop for years, and when I next upgrade, it will be Lenovo.
Others to look at are:
Compaq/HP
Toshiba
Fujitsu <-- more expensive
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I have a Dell and hate it. So many battery problems. But my neighbor just bought a Compaq and really likes it so far.
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I'm typing this on an HP Pavillion laptop, and I really like it.
The "big" computer, is still my "main machine" for games, and multi-tasking, since it has dual monitors.
As to the on/off thing, my main computer has only been shut off for longer than a reboot, five times... Cuba, Cuba, Cuba, Cozumel, and Cuba.... :ROFL: and I've never had a problem with it.
I'm not sure if it's realvent to computers, but have you ever noticed, that a lightbulb usually burns out, just as you are turning it on? :icon_sunny:
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:idea1: :idea1: :idea1:
Yes I have :ROFL:
Thanks Gambitt :icon_thumleft:
I'm not 100% one way or the other, as I like my Desktop :icon_thumleft: But it's on it's last legs so it will not be long before I need to decide :help:
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Is it hard to set up two mons on one PC..?
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No, not at all!
The video card in my computer, has two outputs (ATI Hydra), but you can also just add a second video card (PCI), to go with the usual AGP.
Right click on your desktop,select properties, and click on the display of the 2nd monitor, and select "Extend My desktop, onto this monitor".. Then just arrange the icons, to match the way you monitors are set up, and you are good to go.
You'll do most of your work, on the main monitor, but it's nice to have email, or a messenger on the 2nd.
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I love my laptop, but for games I prefer the bigger monitor.
You can buy duel monitors, we had a thread on it somewhere. At work we have the two monitors and it's great for dragging spreadsheets etc across.
I'm not sure if it's realvent to computers, but have you ever noticed, that a lightbulb usually burns out, just as you are turning it on?
I have noticed this and all of my hard drives that I've blown have all went when I try to boot it up!!
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I do the same with my laptop when I'm at the office, most laptops have a video port on the back so that you can attach a second monitor, and extend your screen to the two of them. Or you can buy one of these
(http://www.7daysinparadise.com/gallery/d/32130-1/cinerama_new_2.jpg) which only requires one input.
:icon_biggrin:
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Okay so I decided to go with the Desktop and spent a little more then I wanted but I should be good for a couple years :icon_pirat:
It was 1,399.00 for both the tower and the 22' W monitor, plus extra for FS waranty...
here is a link to the tower info
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0665000FS10086382&langid=EN&CMP=ILC-FS_Flyer_Tracking
One question I do need help with :icon_pirat: I have to make a system disk as it didn't come with a back up disk...so any help would be great :help: :icon_thumleft:
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Bulldog, go into "My computer" and check your drive configuration.
Lauren's new computer came with a partition in the hard drive, (a virtual D: drive) that contained all the recovery software, so maybe yours will to.
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I'm still on my old one, tomorrow I going to switch over and just wanted to see what to do right after, but I will be able to come and view your tip here and go from there tomorrow..
Thanks Gambitt :icon_pirat:
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unfortunately, every manufacturer does it a different way. :cussing:
it's a pet peeve of mine that they don't distribute the disks for recovery, though you can buy a recovery disk for about $25-$40. The ibm/lenovo brands have a "recovery partition", which if you need to rebuild, then you hit F11 during the startup before windows starts, and it rebuilds the computer back to the way it comes from the factory. Ok for that, but if the hard drives kacks, then you're SOL. :BangHead:
You'll find that the manufacturer loaded all sorts of specific "branded" shortcuts all over your desktop probably, one of those should have a shortcut to a utility to create your recovery disks. It will probably take a couple of CDs or a single DVD. It should be labeled something like "system disk utility" or "backup disks" or "create recovery disks".
If it's not on the desktop, then it should be under START --> PROGRAMS --> ALL PROGRAMS --> [manufacturer name] TOOLS (or UTILITIES).
Sorry, I know that's not much help, but I've only installed Vista off raw media so far, i haven't come across and preloaded systems.
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Thanks for you help John, every little bit helps and that was a whole bunch :icon_pirat:
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I went to the HP site and god love them they are willing to mail me one for around 50$ but I did find this info too..
Step 1: Create a set of recovery discs or a recovery DVD
To create the recovery disc set, Click Start, All Programs, PC Help & Tools (or similar), open HP or Compaq's Recovery CD-DVD Creation software, and follow the on-screen directions.
If you cannot create recovery discs or your discs have become damaged, continue to the next step.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph07143&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&os=2093&product=3377257&rule=42244&lang=en
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/documentSubCategory?rule=42244&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3377257&os=2093&lang=en ( info I may need tomorrow ) :icon_pirat:
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OKAY I'm done, had to go to FS to get the right disk to create my own set of recovery disk. FS wanted $80.00 to do this the other days and that
was a scam as it wan't that hard ( Thanks John ) and HP wanted $50.oo to mail me one :nk:
So now I can start to down load and my programs, MSN, Yahoo MSG, Google erath ect... And start making a super fast system run slower :icon_thumleft:
So if you do purchase a new PC with Vista they Do NOT come with recovery disk but there not hard to create on your own so don't
fall for the (scam)
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So I just hooked up the TV feature of my new PC, it's workks great has almost all the features of a PVR, and I can BURN DVD shows that I recorded :icon_thumright: