Broken Computer

((( Poor darling! ))) Hugs and positive thoughts are being sent your way from the three states down! Take care of what needs to be taken care of!

Poor computer!

Still, an excellent computer doesn't need to cost $3000 now. You can get a very good Windows Vista-based computer, desktop or laptop, for under $1000, or a nice Mac for under $1500. I would avoid Dell... their tech support sucks and their computers tend to be trouble-prone at times. HP (and their sister "value brand" Compaq) are solid computers, though, and Gateway has good computers and service to back it up (though we'll see how it goes now that Acer is buying them).

If you're looking for a new computer, I suggest looking for one with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor (found in many popular PCs and all new Macs). They outperform the AMD Athlon 64 and Turion processors by a significant margin, and laptops with a Core 2 Duo have far better battery life than AMD Turion-based lappies. On desktops, look for an "Intel Core 2 Duo inside" or "Intel VIIV-Core 2 Duo inside" sticker, while you should look for an "Intel Centrino Duo-Core 2 Duo inside" sticker on laptops.

One final word: If you're a member, check out warehouse clubs such as Costco or Sam's Club. They typically have very good computer deals... I've seen very good computers at Sam's Club for under $1000.

I love it when you talk techy.

All my sympathies, Purp. I've spent more on computers in my lifetime than I have on automobiles (which tells you both how important computers are to me and how insignificant cars are). My first computer was an Atex/AKI (used expressly for typesetting) that was compatible with a local typography output source I needed for my business. That 2-ton word processor cost me nearly $10,000 in 1983!

As things stand now, I have a monitor I have to forcefully bitch-slap several times a day to bring back the picture. I called a repair shop that said the symptoms indicate it's on the brink of death, so it's not worth their even looking at it--they told me that 20 months ago.

Gosh it felt good to vent.

All those of us who can keep our systems running will await your inevitable return, dear. In the meantime, I'm sure your local library will enjoy your fragrant visits.

LMAO at the bitch slapping comment! We have a TV that we have to beat the hell out of because the screen disappears into a tiny line ( I call it our wide screen TV and did I mention my Hubby owns a very high end Audio Video business that does home automation, lighting control systems, home theaters etc. and his degrees are in computer science....he just refuses to replace this tv)

Purple,
Wow, what an awful story - I'm sorry to hear that.

I feel some of your pain - my current system is on its 3rd hard drive. Each dead drive was replaced free under warrantee, but was still a huge pain because I had to reinstall all software and reconstruct all sorts of info that I had lost.

I am a programmer, by the way, and I know all the admonitions to do regular backups, but I wasn't doing it. I think what stopped me was that I was doing backups on CD's, and it was tedious enough that I finally stopped doing it. This time I finally learned my lesson, and got a portable backup drive. Once or twice a week, I do a quick backup, not of the whole drive, but just important stuff, and it just takes about a minute. Now it's trivial, and almost fun(!), or maybe comforting is the right word.

If I have a meltdown, I just get a new drive, install Windows (if it's not there already), and get the data fresh off the backup drive.

As an aside - before meltdown number two, I had been messing around with fancy Windows settings for powering down the hard drive when the system was idle... good intentions for saving power and so on... but I'm pretty sure that's what trashed the drive.

On a positive note, MFFan is right, systems are cheaper than ever now. If you want some thoughts on backup drives, let me know. Short of that, many people get along fine going to a library and using their computers - you just get a Google mail account (or similar) for storing your email and other stuff.

Best of luck!
Dave

PS: I was bitch-slapping monitors too, but finally broke down and got new ones - my friend has an EMF (electromagnetic fields) measuring meter and he showed me the difference between his new thin LCD monitor and my old giant clunker. Absolutely frightening. I bought LCD's the next day! He also convinced me to get a new digital cellphone.

We have two five year old PowerSpec PC's, each purchased with the exact same configuration at the same time. My dad exclusively uses one, and I used the other before I got my Mac. He upgraded the RAM in his, and has three different spy sweeping programs on his. I simply set mine up to take care of itself. I blew one drive trying to dual boot Linux, but other than that, my PC runs five times faster. His, you click the start menu... wait five seconds... wait ten seconds... wait a minute... VOiLA! Windows XP demonstrates it's impressive multi tasking ability with a fantastic display of... well, display. The Mac don't give me shit, it doesn't ask me stupid questions, and it runs all the software I need it to (Including Windows XP, which I dual boot.). The best investment I've ever made.
- Rich