New computer

[ballaratdragons]

A new shop has opened in Ballarat and I paid them a visit today.

They are the 'Infinity Computer Group'.

www.infinitycomputer.com.au

Saw this one in the shop:
<b>Infinity Basic Pro
Gigabyte Intel/K7 DDR-400 Mainboard
256MB Kingston Double Data RAM
80GB Seagate/WD Hard Drive 7200RPM
64MB 3D DDR Graphics Accelerator
52x Lite-on CDROM Drive
10/100 Network Port (Broadband Ready)
Tower Only - $399 </b>

No monitor, keyboard, mouse, windows etc. Just the tower.

$50 extra for the dial up modem and $150 extra for Windows XP.
It has no windows or anything in it.

Any Good? (I will probably get 20 conflicting answers)

[[1ponders]]

See your speaking the lingo already. You'll be a total geek in no time :) Consider what your dialup costs are including phone calls and think about broadband. If its just a CDROM drive I'd opt out of that and make sure you got a burner. If your going to run programs like Photoshop on it get at least 512 MB ram.

I'l let more experienced hands expound the benefit/negatives of the "working"stuff.

[RAJAH235]

Hi Ken, What NO DVD/CD burner? Just a CD! & 512 meg RAM is better with XP. Just make sure that you get ALL the original CD's. Ask about 'Nero Express' or similar prog. for burning DVD/CDs. Cheaper to get what you want installed at the shop, that way if anything goes wrong.......
$50 for the modem is way too high. Just replaced my sister's for $27.00.
HTH. :D L.

[ballaratdragons]

Suprise, suprise Paul! I don't speak the lingo.

That's why I wrote it all down from the ad. So you people could read it. I don't understand a single word of it!!!

It could be Martian for all I know.

p.s. No broadband yet where I live.

[[1ponders]]

Damn. You won't know yourself when it does get there. I know I don't now. Whooosh!!

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Laurie. They have this one with a thing called Nero.

<b>Business Essential!
Intel Celeron 2.6GHz
512 MB Kingston Double Data RAM
120GB Seagate/WD Hard Drive 7200RPM
64MB 3D DDR Graphics Accelerator
Lite-on DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive w/Nero
17" Philips Flat Screen CRT Monitor
$699
Upgrade to Dual Layer DVD Burner +$49
Upgrade to 17" Thin LCD Panel +$199</b>

It probably doesn't have Dial up or windows either!

[[1ponders]]

Much better deal Ken. Go for the 17" LCD as well. The extra desk room is great.

[ballaratdragons]

Paul,
Wayyyyyy out of my budget!

Thats why I was asking about the one for $399

[[1ponders]]

If you go for the first one will your existing monitor etc work with it. How old is your current one? What did the "shop guys"say?

[ballaratdragons]

He was Asian and didn't speak much English. Made it even harder to know what he was talking about.

My monitor is about 10 years old or more!
My Keyboard and mouse are 2 months old.

[[1ponders]]

I'd definately check the compatibility of the monitor then.

[RAJAH235]

Hi Ken, IF you have the room, mentioned by Paul R, I would stay with the 17" flat screen CRT monitor, (more reliable, & you can actually touch/clean the screen without damaging it)! The dual layer DVD/CD burner is good. As stated, $50.00 for a modem is high. Windows XP Home edition is O.K. Don't forget to get the ORIGINAL CD's.
Mouse & KBd O.K.
HTH. Wow, you won't know yourself when you get that one home!
:D L.

[ballaratdragons]

Can't afford that one Laurie.

Might get a quote to get mine changed to that Nero thing you said and a 512 M Ram. and sped up to about 2 ghz. (bloody lingo)

Mine is only 700 mhz.

This is what I currently have. Got it out of the computer.
Intel Celeron
GenuineIntel
x86 Family 6, Model 8, Stepping 6
112.0 MB RAM
Windows 98 2nd Edition
Virt Mem 32 bit
Disc compression - not installed
No PC card sockets installed
56k Modem

[Exfso]

If you go for the LCD 17" screen, ensure that there are no dead pixels (bright spots) before you accept it. I organised a computer system here for a mate in Darwin and he wanted a 17" LCD screen, I had 5 screens with dead pixels that I returned to the supplier, and decided to change the brand of screen from LG to Mistsubishi. That didnt have any on the first unit, so that is the one I sent to him. Apparenty the excuse was there was a "bad batch", more like poor QC in my opinion.

[syzygy]

Hi Ken,

Don't get distracted by everybody else's wish lists, a budget's a budget and you have to stick to yours. The $399 system with XP Home and a modem will suffice for your current needs.

Is your existing modem an external one? If so it will work fine on the new box as long as the latter has a serial port. Otherwise I wouldn't quibble about $50. Computers are complex twitchy things that like to play up, so it's best to buy local.

Your old monitor may be a problem but shouldn't be as long as it has the same connector as currently used. You could take it in to the shop and make certain, if they want the sale they'll humour you.

Regards,
Chris

[acropolite]

Ken, I have a philips flat screen 17 inch CRT monitor and they are good quality if your budget is tight and you want a new monitor. One advantage over the LCD screen is that CRT monitors yield sharp images at all resolutions wheras LCD monitors tend to be pin sharp at their native resolution, (usually 1024x768) and tend to be a bit fuzzy at other resolutions. Gigabyte motherboards are also a good reputable brand. Ram I would opt for 512Mb minimum; the cost difference will be small but if cost's an overriding factor you can add more Ram later. The video specified is fine for the type of use you will have. The "Nero" thing is merely software to drive the CD or DVD burner and usually comes bundled with the CD/DVD drive. If you don't want to burn movies or store very large amounts of data, forget the DVD burner.The DVD Burner can be added later as well at a cost of around $140 giving you an extra drive which will be useful for copyingCD's. If you have an existing external dial up modem use that. It's worth noting that hard drives can be purchased with either 1 year or 3 year warranty. Ask you dealer how much warranty the HDD has. I believe the Philips monitor still has 3 year warranty.

[Striker]

Ken what intel processor do you get with the $399 package.....because if its a celeron with only 256mg of ram running xp...it will perform badly......go for 512 minimum if your running XP.....

More more more Ram......

[ving]

hi ken. you first option is fine.
you only need to check that your monitor is compatible.

you current moden will fit in the new machine and you can use your windows 98 (if kyou have the cd for it) so you dont need to purchase XP and a modem if you dont want to.

another thing to check is how your mouse and keyboard currently connect. if its a round plug (that I believe is called ps2 connection) then you are fine as the new motherboard will have sockets for them, if they are USB then they are also fine... but if you have the old style flat plug then you will need to get an adapter.

so check these out and if all fits then go for it :)

[ballaratdragons]

My head is spinning.

Thanks everyone. Now I know how a newbie to astronomy feels when they come in here.

Modem is internal. No disc for windows 98. It was already installed in the pooter when I got it.

[ving]

we need a young priest and an old preist!http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/wuerg/vomit-smiley-020.gif

:confuse3:

[rowena]

ok i think everyone has gotten all excited about the PC and forgot about ken!

Ken, what do you want to use on the computer and what do you want to be able to do?

do you want to use photographic programs such as photoshop to edit photos, or are you just going to be viewing stuff?

are all you going to be doing is using the web, and looking at stuff on the web?

are you going to be playing games?

If you after a 'web machine' only, and all your going to be doing is looking at stuff on the internet, then the 256MB will be fine with windows 98. XP does like 512MB RAM but it can survive on 256MB RAM.

now the modem.... is the modem on your old machine an external modem (ie is it a small box outside of the computer you put your phone line into), or do you plug your phone line into the back of the computer? If it is an internal modem (plug into the back of the computer) then you will have to ask if the guys in the shop can add that from your old machine into your new one.

are you confused yet? :)

[ballaratdragons]

Huh? I don't get it David!

Rowena, internal modem.

I am contacting guys in Buninyong (near Ballarat) to see if they can upgrade my PC.

[ballaratdragons]

<b>UPDATE</b>

The Bloke out past Buninyong (about 1 hour away) has solved my PC problems.

<b>HOORAY!!!!</b> :cool:

It was exactly as Phil (acropolite) PM'd me about.

The little fan on the heat-sink has a stuffed bearing, hence the terrible noise and the over-heating. Also the heat-sink was crammed full of dust. I get the new fan tomorrow.

Total cost of repair - $15

To think that I have put up with this PC crashing every 10-15 minutes for months all for the sake of a $15 fan and dust. :P Amazing.

I am still going to get a better computer but now I can save for a few months to get one.

Thank you to everyone who tried to help. I certainly learnt a lot along the way.

[RAJAH235]

You're welcome. :D L.

[Striker]

Good to hear Ken.....but when you replace the fan get a fan that has heaps of Ram....lol...sorry to confuse you...

[ving]

yay ken!
on ya buddy.
so keep up updated on how ya go. :)

[ballaratdragons]

Hey, Hey. Pooter back on with new fan.

The Heat-sink is twice the size of the old one and the fan about 20% bigger. And it is so Quiet!

Hey Tony, this fan has heaps of Ram!!!