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Hardware spec for a new PC....


Irene
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Following on from HERE, where rong says, "Before you ask, decide if you want AMD or the other to save arguments".

I am stumped at the first post! AMD? or what other? :unsure:

What do I use my computer for?

  • Mostly amusement - Forums, photographs, movies etc. (Some of the movies and photos consume quite a lot of resource)
  • A few Excel spreadsheets
  • Word for correspondence
  • Occasionally Powerpoint for work
  • Outlook for emails and calendar reminders
  • I regularly use the internet for researching and always have multiple tabs open
  • A major irritation is when pages are slow loading
  • I don't do any on-line gaming (just forum quizzes and word games)

Peripherals:-

500gb external hard disc

Epson Stylus Photo RX 640 series

That's all I can think of at the moment. Is this sufficient information to make a start?

Any help would be most appreciated. :)

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It's up to you of course, but the following is what I posted in Artists thread.

If like me you don't fancy doing the job yourself, go to a local private shop who build to order. Most of the commercial brands do not supply a full installation disc. Insist on one. Also, most of the commercial brands use dedicated hardware and software, and load the computer with trial programs, and Norton or Mcaffee, and other junk that you don't want. They tell you it is free, but obviously it is included in the costing. The local shop in Brownhills supplied me with a replacement last year for the one he had supplied several years ago. I have been more that happy with it. :D

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Irene

Just buy one of these pre-built machines (no O/S installed) :-

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/176488

includes Pentium Dual Core E6300 2.8GHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, DVDRW

Plus a copy of Win 7 to install on it (decide on whether you want 32bit or 64bit)

For around £300 (in total) that should be quite adequate for your needs :)

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Thanks for the advice, andsome. I absolutely agree about the discs - I made that mistake in a previous purchase of an emachines pc. :rolleyes:

Boris, that looks like a good deal. :D

  1. To what, would the difference between 32bit or 64bit make?
  2. Would the DVDRW allow read/write for CD's too?
  3. I have a Zoom ADSL X6 modem. Would that be compatible? (Don't think there is an internal modem in the one in your link)

Considering the info below, would I notice a marked difference in performance?

Is there anything I currently have, which would not be present in the one in your link?

According to BELARC, this is spec of my present PC:-

Processor

2.53 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4

8 kilobyte primary memory cache

512 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Not hyper-threaded

Main Circuit Board

Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. P4S533VX REV 1.xx

Bus Clock: 133 megahertz

BIOS: Award Software, Inc. ACPI BIOS Revision 1001 08/20/2002

Drives

120.06 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity

72.34 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

HP DVD Writer 840d USB Device [CD-ROM drive] (External)

PIONEER DVD-ROM DVD-117R [CD-ROM drive]

SONY CD-RW CRX175E [CD-ROM drive]

3.5" format removable media [Floppy drive]

Memory Stick Slot [Hard drive] -- drive 1

SAMSUNG SV1204H [Hard drive] (120.06 GB) -- drive 0,

s/n 0504J1FT809141, rev RK100-10, SMART status: Healthy

Memory Modules

1536 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM 1' has 512 MB

Slot 'DIMM 2' has 512 MB

Slot 'DIMM 3' has 512 MB

Local Drive Volumes

c: (NTFS on drive 0) 60.12 GB 27.65 GB free

d: (NTFS on drive 0) 59.94 GB 44.69 GB free

Network Drives None detected

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Re. 1 64bit would make full use of the 64bit CPU. It will also use all of the available RAM, 32bit will only see 3.25 out of the 4GB

Re. 2 Yes

Re 3 Should be fine - this apparently doesn't need drivers ? - which exact model is it ? - see http://www.zoom.com/techsupport/adsl/adsl_x6.shtml

would I notice a marked difference in performance?
- definitely

anything I currently have, which would not be present in the one in your link?

- only the floppy drive + the built in memory stick card reader. However a multi-format card reader is only £6 and very simple to fit (one plug connector + 2 screws) - see http://www.ebuyer.com/product/108453

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Re. the RAM - it has more than twice the amount.

Your existing stuff is probably PC2100 DDR and this has infinitely faster PC6400 DDR2

Re. the H/D - yours is an ATA 100 drive, this has a much faster + bigger SATA II as standard.

Similarly the DVD/RW in the new one is SATA rather than your existing PATA HP DVD Writer - so faster.

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So you've been n gorn n dun it. Congratulations. I'm drawing my spec for my new one, subject to Santa coughing up the neccessary extra spondulas. 80% in the piggy bank already towards the ~£500 budget - thanks to the winter fuel allowance. Will have to wrap the missus in a blanket in her armchair in the evenings again this winter! Will start my own thread later. Using a friendly local PC shop.

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So you've been n gorn n dun it. Congratulations. I'm drawing my spec for my new one, subject to Santa coughing up the neccessary extra spondulas. 80% in the piggy bank already towards the ~£500 budget - thanks to the winter fuel allowance. Will have to wrap the missus in a blanket in her armchair in the evenings again this winter! Will start my own thread later. Using a friendly local PC shop.

Great stuff this Winter Fuel Allowance. ;)

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Should just work then - after you have set up your network connection in Windows 7

I dread that!

I had real problems with my current PC. I eventually took it back to the suplier in town because I just could not work out how the Bl**dy h**ll it worked to achieve a secure connection. However, I am sure that with the help of WF I will achieve it this time. ;)

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Better update your signature Irene, your calendar is running behind.

Not sure what you mean Doug. :unsure:

It is 20 days until Christmas Eve.

The 'ticker' shows 31 days (not sure why), but it correctly states that it is 20 days from today - 4th December.

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However, I am sure that with the help of WF I will achieve it this time. ;)

We await your command :D

Thank you, Boris.

I think I will need to make a list of all of the software which I currently use and check it's compatibility. e.g. Diskeeper, Colormailer Photo Manager, PIXresizer, Picasa, Studio 10, Nero Smartstart, etc., etc.

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Should just work then - after you have set up your network connection in Windows 7

I dread that!

I had real problems with my current PC. I eventually took it back to the suplier in town because I just could not work out how the Bl**dy h**ll it worked to achieve a secure connection. However, I am sure that with the help of WF I will achieve it this time. ;)

I bought this

http://www.computeractive-direct.co.uk/pro...=&channel=1

Tells you how in easy steps - I hve had Computer Active magazine for years - always something to learn - in easy language.

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