Ray's new PC

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Ned

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Am doing the emergency search for the next computer. Hate shopping for computers! Don't know what I'm doing!

Ray, check out the Toshiba Satellite notebook computers that Best Buy always has on sale.  In my opinion, they're about the best "bang for the buck" available.
[edit]Added quote from Ray's prior message in another topic.[/edit]
 
Ray

I'd also look at the HP models at Best Buy. When our computer went down for a few days last week, I came very close to buying a new one at Best Buy. My first choice was a Toshiba on sale but not in stock. My second choice was an HP also on sale but not in stock. By the time they found an HP that I liked (17" screen, 10 key pad built in, 160GB HD and 1GB RAM for $750. An additional 1GB of RAM was $42), my old computer was fixed. HP has had some excellent ratings in the PC World laptop ratings.
 
Ned, thanks. I have looked at Toshiba at Best Buy and at CompUSA. Pricey, for me, equipped as I want it. May go that way.

Bernie, I also looked at HP, at Best Buy. You said, "HP that I liked (17" screen, 10 key pad built in, 160GB HD and 1GB RAM for $750." Some of their sales promos must be store specific. I looked and did not find anything like that kind of power at that price, in the Boise store. I may go back and beat some heads, on that subject!

I also looked at Dell, on line. Anyone have any comments about Dell?  ??? I have never owned anything by them.

My son tells me I need to start looking pretty fast. He thinks my MPC will go down, pretty soon. Not sure from one boot to the next that it is going to boot. Sometimes, we really have to coax it!  :mad:  (Like Control/Alt/Delete, repeatedly, on start up. Mostly, I leave it on if I don't have to reboot for a specific reason.) New problems show up regularly. I'm backing up just about every day! I hate this!  :mad:

Going camping, first week in September and then as much as possible, till winter. I don't take the computer along, and consequently, don't get mad at it.

Speaking of which, I might change that. I bought Earthmate GPS LT-20 Deluxe, with both Topo USA and Street Atlas USA, a little over a year ago. I loaded it on the computer, (the dying one,) and crashed it. Got it up and running again, but had to uninstall the GPS program. Maybe I'll load it onto the new computer, and take it along.

That way, I can drive myself nuts, even while "getting away from it all!"  ::) Whadayathinkofthat?  ???

Ray D  ;D
 
Ray D said:
I also looked at Dell, on line. Anyone have any comments about Dell?  ??? I have never owned anything by them.


I had my exposure to Dell before I retired.  Since I cannot say anything positive about Dell I will just say I think you would be better off with either of the two other brands you mentioned.
 
BernieD said:
I'd also look at the HP models ....

Bernie, having had numerous HP products, I'd advise against buying a HP computer. Unless they've changed something, they wrap their proprietary shell around the Windows OS and, when it's time to re-install the OS, the only way to do it is using their proprietary recovery disks and that means reformatting the hard drive. Result = you lose everything.

I used to be a strong HP supporter until I went through this fiasco with several HP PCs. No more!
 
Ray,

I listen to several "tech" podcasts every week. One thing everyone on these shows agrees on......do not buy ANY computer unless you get an operating system disk with it. Don't settle for a "recovery" disk. The only thing you can do with a recovery disk is like Tom said, reformat the hard drive and you lose everything.
 
Alaskansnowbirds, I have MPC, now, and it's 4 years old. It has a recovery disk. The previous MPC had the OS disk. It is (or was) my understanding that they just don't come with an OS disk, anymore. I certainly would prefer that.

So, name me a brand or two or three, that I can buy with an OS disk included. May be a good idea to tell me where to get such a thing, as well. Where does one go, to do this, etc?

Thanks

Ray D.  ;D
 
Ray,

My Gateway, bought at Best Buy, came with an OS disk. I'll let others make this one into "a brand or three'. I don't normally buy three PCs at the same time.
 
Good point I have always had a OS disk with any computer I have bought.  Wouldn't buy a computer that didn't have the OS disk come with it.
 
Ray D said:
Bernie, I also looked at HP, at Best Buy. You said, "HP that I liked (17" screen, 10 key pad built in, 160GB HD and 1GB RAM for $750." Some of their sales promos must be store specific. I looked and did not find anything like that kind of power at that price, in the Boise store. I may go back and beat some heads, on that subject!

Ray

The store manager had just pulled the computer out of the stock room, none were on display, when he was going to call to tell me he couldn't get a 2GB RAM, 240 GB HD that I had been looking at. Don't remember the whole model number but it ended in 08, the other model had a x48 model number. Both had AMD processors.
 
Tom said:
Bernie, having had numerous HP products, I'd advise against buying a HP computer. Unless they've changed something, they wrap their proprietary shell around the Windows OS and, when it's time to re-install the OS, the only way to do it is using their proprietary recovery disks and that means reformatting the hard drive. Result = you lose everything.

I used to be a strong HP supporter until I went through this fiasco with several HP PCs. No more!

Tom

Good point, PC World doesn't cover that in it's ratings :-\ I'll try and remember that when I go looking again.
 
Tom, I didn't see any Gateways at the Boise Best Buy. However, I am going to go there, again, and I'll ask, if I don't see some. I take it you are happy with Gateway. ? ?

Bernie, I'll check with the clerk and see what they have in the back room.

I'll also be asking about the OS disk.

When I looked at Dell, one could get XP, still. (Optional on some computers.) All the others I have seen are Vista. I have had lousy reports on Vista. Is Vista fixed? Are the reports true or false? Who has Vista and how do you like it? Remember, a computer Geek, I'm not!  :-\

Boy, have we got a different thread going, here, and I'm the guy what did it!  ::)

Ray D  ;D
 
Ray D said:
Boy, have we got a different thread going, here, and I'm the guy what did it!

Not a problem Ray. I went ahead and split out these messages and moved them here into their own topic.

Thanks for starting this discussion.
 
Just for the record I would not buy a Dell even if they did provide a OS disk.  Toshiba or Gateway as long as a OS disk is provided.
 
Ron, I have never had a Dell, anything. What is wrong with them. Quality? Service? I have known two or three geeks, who liked them. That ain't me, but I thought if those guys like them, they must be good. However, I don't want something that takes a geek to appreciate it.

My appologies to any geeks. No intention to offend. As a Neanderthal, I can get a bit coarse.  ::)

Ray D  ;D
 
Ray D said:
My appologies to any geeks.

Ray, I don't think you owe anyone an apology.

FWIW Best Buy didn't set up their "Geek Squad" until 12-18 months after I emailed their head office suggesting they employ people who understood PCs.
 
Without going into details I strongly suspect that if you take the suggestions about not getting a PC that does not come with the OS disk a Dell will not be in your future anyway. ;)
 
If you can, get XP on the computer.  Most manufacturers are offering XP again as an option.  I can't recommend Vista at this time.

Although a computer may not come with an authentic Windows CD, insist that you be furnished one.  They are usually available from the manufacturer on demand if not from the dealer.
 

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