Dell Hell

[HarveyH42]

Thanks for all the insight, just went from apprehensive to terrified. I would have preferred XP, it's been okay for Windows anyway, for the past 7 years. Vista sounds like Microsoft's biggest resource hog yet. Little curious about how much of th 400 gig hard drive is left for me. Probably pick up a monitor this weekend. Want an LCD this time to free up some desk space. Still a few things I need to get clear on before I lay some money down. Any suggestions on what to look for, and what to look out for?

 

[ericgibbs]

Thanks for all the insight, just went from apprehensive to terrified. I would have preferred XP, it's been okay for Windows anyway, for the past 7 years. Vista sounds like Microsoft's biggest resource hog yet. Little curious about how much of th 400 gig hard drive is left for me. Probably pick up a monitor this weekend. Want an LCD this time to free up some desk space. Still a few things I need to get clear on before I lay some money down. Any suggestions on what to look for, and what to look out for?

hi,
Confirm the HP video driver [maybe on the motherboard].

 

[Torben]

Thanks for all the insight, just went from apprehensive to terrified. I would have preferred XP, it's been okay for Windows anyway, for the past 7 years. Vista sounds like Microsoft's biggest resource hog yet. Little curious about how much of th 400 gig hard drive is left for me. Probably pick up a monitor this weekend. Want an LCD this time to free up some desk space. Still a few things I need to get clear on before I lay some money down. Any suggestions on what to look for, and what to look out for?

On the one hand, I don't mean to scare you. On the other hand, if I can save one soul from Vista. . .

What is it that you still need Windows for, anyway? [Edit: I mean this literally, not as a loaded question. I still have things that I keep XP around for, like studio software.]


Torben

 

[HarveyH42]

On the one hand, I don't mean to scare you. On the other hand, if I can save one soul from Vista. . .

What is it that you still need Windows for, anyway? [Edit: I mean this literally, not as a loaded question. I still have things that I keep XP around for, like studio software.]


Torben

Far as I know, NOBODY NEEDS WINDOWS, Vista or anything else. Unfortunately, it was preloaded, as XP was on my older PC. So, no install disk. I hate it, that the operating system uses as much, if not more resources then most applications.

Mostly just basic home computing. I do some video editing and photo work, few print jobs like flyers. Also use electronics design software. I occasionally still do some 3d renderings and simple animations, but it slow going, and tend to loose interest waiting.

If I had been given the choice, I would have still been using DOS. Unfortunately, they stopped producing the DOS versions of the 3D software I was using years ago, this will be my 4th Windows upgrade (?). I know that nothing is really being written for Vista specifically, but its here, and don't figure Microsoft will pull it, no matter how bad it is. They'll keep sending out quick fixes and service packs, until the next mistake is ready to be released for sale.

 

[arrie]

This month one of our reputable local computer publishings had a showdown between XP SP3 and Vista SP1.
They called it deathmatch, for obvious reasons.
I need to note there was not much difference between XP SP2 and SP3 in terms of performance, but XP took Vista to the cleaners.
The only thing Vista had going for it was how quickly it was able to load a game.

The reason why Windows is still so much bigger than Linux and MAC, people have conformed to such standards, too scared to use anything other than office, etc.
And obviously gaming. Your biggest releases in the gaming market is for console and PC only. Even I would not sacrifice that.

 

[futz]

Well Hank, now you know why I never have and never will buy a name brand package machine. Ever!

100% of my boxes are hand built from carefully selected components. Never had a problem yet, and if anything goes wrong it's probably my fault and I know how to fix it.

I do a fair number of repair/windoze-fix-up's on other people's computers. The package machines (especially Dell's) are the worst. They make a few ok machines, but too many are horribly designed and a nightmare to work on, not to mention badly obsolete considering the date purchased, and overpriced.

 

[Hero999]

HarveyH42,
I wouldn't agree with you about DOS, I found DOS pretty unstable. There was no security model, just one program crashing would always crash the whole system and there was no way to force quit a program without rebooting.

Multi-tasking was available with DOSShell but the above problems still existed.

I used to use DOS quite a lot on my old 386 as well as Windows 3.1 up until about 2000. The only good thing about DOS was that it didn't take very long to boot.

I sometimes think people look at things with rose tinted glasses.

 

[arrie]

Yip hero999, you're absolutely right, DOS would always fold with the app.
Also:
Keep in mind, back in those days you did not need a security model, DOS was still super quick, that's why people loved it, but the people that used it was small in numbers. You had to put quite a bit of energy and time in to get to know it, so a lot of people kept away.
Then came windows......

 

[HarveyH42]

Thing about DOS, was it only loaded what you needed to run your application, not a bunch of crap that just sits there for no apparent reason, on the off chance it might be useful. It was easy to modify. You could put common tasks into batch files. You didn't have a bunch of stuff running in the background, freeing up memory and CPU.

I think it was on my 486, when I was finally forced into using Windows, because they stopped releasing the DOS version of a graphics program I used a lot back in those days.
I guess my opinion comes from the price tag on those older computers, speed, memory, and storage were never enough. Windows just took a noticeable amount.

 

[Speakerguy]

I would like to return this to the "Dell Hell" roots of the thread.

I bought a 2408WFP 24" monitor. After the second week it started having an intermittent issue where I would get vertical lines every 1" or so across the screen that would make things look red or green on those lines.

So, I get a replacement monitor. I package the defective one back up to send to them, but I didn't receive any shipping label to stick on the box. I wrote customer support telling them, and they did not respond. I called and talked to someone, and he said he would send me a link and I could print out a label. I come home tonight, and I have a response (four days late) to my original email saying "the label was shipped with the package in the exterior plastic shipping information envelope.

The thing is, it wasn't. That was the first thing I ripped open to make sure they had sent me a brand new model and not a refurb (b/c my notification to them was maybe 5 days shy of the 21 day window for getting a new replacement vs. a refurb). Sure enough they sent me a new one, but nowhere in there was a return label and it wasn't anywhere in the box.

I am going to Austin next week to turn in the keys to my old apartment, and if the **** isn't resolved by then I am going to swing by Dell Building #1 up in Round Rock (north Austin) and deliver a ******* defective 2408WFP to Michael Dell himself.

(I am getting a little nutso, because if you don't return the old item within ten days of getting the new one, they charge you for both, and that supposedly happens Monday).

 

[HarveyH42]

Yeah, I've been feeling a little guilty. It wasn't my intention to hijack this thread, just have the same fears of getting a new computer. Thanks for the heads up on Dell monitors, even after the nightmare customer service posts, I was still a little tempted when looking over some up at Walmart. The Dell monitors were in the size/price range. Decide not rush into it, and look outside of town for something better.

 

[arrie]

Most of the time these "non-branded" monitors outperform any branded monitor in any case. Also saves you some bucks.
I bought a hanns.g 19" lcd when they just came onto the market some time back, dirt cheap compared to others. They have increased their prices in line with others though.
I've just had good times with it.
I also see benq are seriously kicking butt with their 24" monitors, they are also a bit cheaper than most others.
See, these are not your big brand models, and do a damn good job of what they have to.

 

[Mikebits]

Yeah, I've been feeling a little guilty. It wasn't my intention to hijack this thread, just have the same fears of getting a new computer. Thanks for the heads up on Dell monitors, even after the nightmare customer service posts, I was still a little tempted when looking over some up at Walmart. The Dell monitors were in the size/price range. Decide not rush into it, and look outside of town for something better.

If my vote counts any. I would go for a DIY computer.

That way you can pick the mother of all mother boards, the premo of power supplies, and RAM that will not forget long after you do

 

[arrie]

Mikebits, you have it spot on.

Look at your needs, get the required hardware/software, and put it together to suit yourself. Not the way others force you to.
Although, being not really proficient at computers would be a bit of a stumble block. I know of people with way too advanced system requirements for their savy.
Needless to say, that can be a pain in the neck for power users.

I will not touch a dell/packard bell/hp/ibm/whatever complete system as far as I can see it.

 

[3v0]

It is unfair to blame Dell, HP, Gateway for providing the machines and service the public is willing to buy.

If you want a good machine stay away from the consumer models where low cost is the driving factor. Every dime is squeezed from these machines to make them cheap and profitable.

I agree that the best result can most often by had by building or having a system built from good parts.

 

[HarveyH42]

I stopped building after my first Pentium. Just got be too many things to match up. Maybe they've gotten past the 'standards-race' and version compatibilities. This Vista computer is my second ready-built system, my fifth 'IBM compatible'. All I did to the XP HP was add a gig of RAM, and its been good for about 7 years now.

Wonder what happened to Dell computers. I remember in the early days, they were considered the best buy on the market, but a little pricey. Did the get bought out by E-Machine or something?

 

[3v0]

Wonder what happened to Dell computers. I remember in the early days, they were considered the best buy on the market, but a little pricey. Did the get bought out by E-Machine or something?

To stay in business they are forced to produce competitively priced computers with minimum acceptable support.

It is easy to match the uC with the MB. If you do not game get onboard video. If not research to ensure the video card works with the MB. To keep things simple I spend a bit extra on memory. If you are using a picky MB or are clueless about what memory to use buy memory from a memory vendor that guarantees that the memory you buy will work. Make sure you are using a modern power supply large enough to drive the system.

 

[HarveyH42]

I think I get lost in the technology because I don't keep up with it. Usually either run the computer until it fails, or can no longer run the software I want to use. Quite a few years pass, and it's all changed. With Windows, max memory is always the best, otherwise it uses the hard drive, much slower.

 

[3v0]

I think I get lost in the technology because I don't keep up with it. Usually either run the computer until it fails, or can no longer run the software I want to use. Quite a few years pass, and it's all changed. With Windows, max memory is always the best, otherwise it uses the hard drive, much slower.

When I replaces my computer in January I was in about the same boat. I was running a 750MHz box and had not built one from parts in over 10 years. A little reasearch and help here and there was enough to make it happen. It is not as daunting as it looks.

 

[arrie]

A good idea is to start with PC magazines, and visit some PC sites on the web that has good advice, try something like tomshardware.com, they provide good advice, benchmarks, the lot.
Always buy components made by reputable brands that have been around, like asus, gigabyte and the many there are.
But be aware, there are some funny chinese jobbies flying around that is not good.
If you really want to get your hands dirty see what chipset are on the mobo for example and see how they compare to others. Good sites/magazines will always report if they've had trouble with a given chipset. Remember these guys make their living off computers, they test just about everything
That approach goes also with memory, graphics cards, PSU's, etc. Seagate barracuda rules the roost when talking hard drive at this point.
It's also rather easy to put everything together these days too. The hardware manuals have been improved a lot, especially the established brands, far cry from the japanese-english it used to be.
I tend to replace my PC around every three to four years, mainly for performance reasons, and still uses the old one afterwords for a very long time.
Although at this point I have such a lot, all functional, but in storage, and a bit slow.