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New Computer Purchase Advice
Topic Started: Sep 15 2013, 11:39 AM (796 Views)
Trotsky
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Big City Boy
Quote:
 
They have a Gateway DX4380 (8Gig, AMD10 -3.4 Gig processor ) for $400.


Good choice. I recommend it.

I bought the GATEWAY 4860 which is basically the same machine but with an Intel 1-5 processor at 3.3 gigs, hence about $99 more than your price.
You may find a wonky HDMI port from the Integrated video on the motherboard and need to upgrade with a $50 video card like I did. Mine shipped with 4 gigs of memory and I tossed in 4 more for about $45 bucks.

I have come to love this machine over the 10 months I've had it.
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dogleg
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Thanks to all. I am going to try to install Windows Live Mail this morning. Wish me luck,
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wildie
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dogleg
Sep 20 2013, 03:39 PM
OK thanks for all the help. It looks like I will need to forget about OUTLOOK and use Windows LIVE MAIL or etc. I went on MS chat and they said some IP outfits could get their email to work on OUTLOOK but mine is too incompetent I guess. Too bad because OUTLOOK seems really user friendly. I will have to work through the steps to do it in the morning when my poor brain recovers. BTW my internet service is Vianet.ca (Poor me) I talked to three of their tech persons but they seemed about as confused as I am.
I checked with Vianet to see if they have any info.

I found this link ( http://mailtools.vianet.ca/ ) Unfortunately access is limited to Vianet users so I couldn't get beyond this page.
Have you tried these tools?

Keep in mind, that all email programs must send exactly the same info to the mail server. So, its possible to set up one program, using instructions for another.
The programs may use different wording, but in the end, they are all much the same.
Edited by wildie, Sep 21 2013, 05:43 AM.
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Trotsky
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Big City Boy
dogleg
Sep 21 2013, 02:32 AM
Thanks to all. I am going to try to install Windows Live Mail this morning. Wish me luck,
It's a nice mail program but I think the CALENDAR is good for shyt. Easy to load and manage.
But the MAIL part looks very much like the old OUTLOOK EXPRESS, and the messages are easier to retrieve in case of disaster.
Edited by Trotsky, Sep 21 2013, 05:59 AM.
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dogleg
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Thanks to all for your valuable help. I downloaded Windows Essentials and used their Live Mail for my email which is working fine. The data from my old computer was all safely stored on my WD Elements 500GB hard drive. So I now have it transferred onto my new computer. Hopefully this one lasts for a long time. Cheers to all.
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Dialtone
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Good job Dogleg, glad it all worked out for you. You now are a lot smarter in the ways of email, Windows 8, and everything related. Windows 8 has lots to offer, just remember your biggest friend (imo) is the Windows key to toggle back and forth, and I work about 98% in the Windows environment, not the "app" environment. Dig in, lots to learn.
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wildie
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dogleg
Sep 21 2013, 01:01 PM
Thanks to all for your valuable help. I downloaded Windows Essentials and used their Live Mail for my email which is working fine. The data from my old computer was all safely stored on my WD Elements 500GB hard drive. So I now have it transferred onto my new computer. Hopefully this one lasts for a long time. Cheers to all.
Good for you! Enjoy your new computer!
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Delphi51
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A friend had big email trouble with her rural ISP when moving to a new computer that wouldn't run Outlook Express. The solution was to open a gmail account and set it to get the mail from the ISP mail server. I transferred her stored mail to Thunderbird and set it up with the Gmail account to get new mail.
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wildie
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Delphi51
Sep 22 2013, 05:33 AM
A friend had big email trouble with her rural ISP when moving to a new computer that wouldn't run Outlook Express. The solution was to open a gmail account and set it to get the mail from the ISP mail server. I transferred her stored mail to Thunderbird and set it up with the Gmail account to get new mail.
Good idea Delphi! It seems that you aren't just another pretty fqce after all ! bounce and jump045
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Daniel
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The next time I purchase a new computer, I'm going to perform all of these as soon as I take it home

1) install all my usual applications including firefox, google chrome, free anti-virus, free anti-malware etc;
2) learn where all the default download folders, browser and bookmark folders, and temp folder are and make sure I keep updated copies of important files and application data and settings in a removable storage;
3) take note of all the program that are installed so that in the future, I can recognize new programs that I don't recognize and feel comfortable removing them.

4) learn how to make my own recovery disk and make one;
5) make a restore point right away and make sure it doesn't get erased

When you decide to install a new application, first restore to the point you had saved. Update all the applications, including Windows and then install your application. You can then be sure your computer is as clean as when you brought it home. Then create another restore point and make another recovery disk.
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wildie
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Daniel
Sep 23 2013, 09:12 AM
The next time I purchase a new computer, I'm going to perform all of these as soon as I take it home

1) install all my usual applications including firefox, google chrome, free anti-virus, free anti-malware etc;
2) learn where all the default download folders, browser and bookmark folders, and temp folder are and make sure I keep updated copies of important files and application data and settings in a removable storage;
3) take note of all the program that are installed so that in the future, I can recognize new programs that I don't recognize and feel comfortable removing them.

4) learn how to make my own recovery disk and make one;
5) make a restore point right away and make sure it doesn't get erased

When you decide to install a new application, first restore to the point you had saved. Update all the applications, including Windows and then install your application. You can then be sure your computer is as clean as when you brought it home. Then create another restore point and make another recovery disk.
I think you will find that you are only allowed to make one set of restore DVDs. For HP computers thats the rule. If you lose your restore DVDs you must purchase a new set. Last time I checked these cost about $60 USD.

On my Win8 laptop a restore point is made automatically every 10 days. One is made before any Window updates are installed, also!
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Trotsky
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Big City Boy
wildie,

Partner has been diddling on his laptop for about 6 months now. I neglected to make a set of restore discs for the computer when it was new like I did with my new desktop.
I noticed there is something called a RESTORE PARTITION on his hard drive.

Can I still make a "Factory Restore" set of DVD's at this point for the laptop? It's a DELL with Windows 7. <Partner cannot do this kind of stuff.>
Edited by Trotsky, Sep 26 2013, 01:47 AM.
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dogleg
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I think I am going to get a price on having my old HP tower refurbished. It will be a good back-up and it has some things on it that I couldn't transfer (bootleg programs). I likely wouldn't bother if I thought I would get the 'life' on the new one that the old one gave but I hear the new stuff doesn't last. Big surprise!! Future Shop told me the failure rate on the new computers runs around 20% in first two years. Now that is sad. Hard to say what it will cost to clean up my old one but anything under $200. would be worth it I think. Ideas?
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wildie
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Trotsky
Sep 26 2013, 01:45 AM
wildie,

Partner has been diddling on his laptop for about 6 months now. I neglected to make a set of restore discs for the computer when it was new like I did with my new desktop.
I noticed there is something called a RESTORE PARTITION on his hard drive.

Can I still make a "Factory Restore" set of DVD's at this point for the laptop? It's a DELL with Windows 7. <Partner cannot do this kind of stuff.>
I'm not sure about the Dell product, as I have never set one of these up.

I do think that its likely that Dell would use a similar method, as does HP.

On the HP machines, you ARE allowed to make one set of repair DVDs. Any subsequent attempt to make more is blocked and the user is instructed to contact HP to buy a second set of repair disks.

It seems to me, that if no disks have been made yet, that this option would remain open. I would give it a try and see what happens. In the worse case, you would be denied and be instructed to buy a set of disks.
Rather than buy a set of these disks, I would spend the money on an external hard drive and backup to this.
When you make repair disks, the info comes from the RESTORE PARTITION.
When a computer starts, by choosing the repair option, you are accessing the repair partition.
However, in the case of a failed hard drive, this partition isn't available. In this case, you would buy a new hard drive and then use the REPAIR DVDs to reinstall the operating system onto the new hard drive.
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wildie
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dogleg
Sep 26 2013, 03:53 AM
I think I am going to get a price on having my old HP tower refurbished. It will be a good back-up and it has some things on it that I couldn't transfer (bootleg programs). I likely wouldn't bother if I thought I would get the 'life' on the new one that the old one gave but I hear the new stuff doesn't last. Big surprise!! Future Shop told me the failure rate on the new computers runs around 20% in first two years. Now that is sad. Hard to say what it will cost to clean up my old one but anything under $200. would be worth it I think. Ideas?
I did something of this nature when my old desktop failed. In my case, the CPU was good but the mother board died.
I was able to buy a replacement board, on sale at Tiger Direct for $50. I was able to reuse my old CPU in the new board.
I did this myself and it took me about half a day to do so!

I would estimate that with taxes it would have cost about $200 to have a shop do this and I would say it would be better to put the money towards a new desktop. (they come really cheap these days)
I advise my friends to buy a hard drive enclosure ($20???) and put your old drive in this, then you will still have access to all your old programs and files.

Regards, the salesman's estimate of the failure rate for new computers may be coloured by his desire to sell an extended warranty.
These stores increase their profit margin by a large amount by selling setups and extensions on their offerings.
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