Computer purchasing advice requested please.

[Riverkilt]

My first computer was a shop built rig back in 1997. It was sort of overpowered by 2003 and I sprung for a laptop - Dell Inspiron 8500 in 2003. Now the Dell has crashed and I've spent hours talking to level I techies in the Philipines and India.

Latest is that I need to reinstall the original Windows program which will lose all my data including genealogy work, pics, etc. I have the computer at a local shop to see if any of the data can be saved before the disc that Dell forgot to send me in 2003 arrives.

I've used computers since 1980...the ones at work don't seem to crash...mine at home do.

Question for anyone savy about these things is...after three years is this old Dell just gonna keep crashing, and should I dump it and buy something newer with current technology - or will reinstalling the original programing give it a new lease on life?

Guess I'm asking if they're like automobiles....

Thanks for any suggestions.

Ron

[The Supreme Canuck]

Well, it depends. They're telling you that it's probably a software problem (re-install Windows). So a wipe and reload will probably be fine. If it's a hardware thing, though, you might be better off dumping it. Unless it's an inexpensive widget, the best bang for your buck is buying new. Replacing a three-year-old motherboard is never fun or cheap.

[Retro Red]

First thing that comes to my mind when you say that your PC at work never crashes, but yours at home does is, what kind of protection does your home PC have? Is the security software on you home PC automatically kept up to date? Also, what Windows OS are you using at home & at work?

.

[MacWage]

If replace:

Go with a Mac.

I LOVE THEM!!!!

(Plus, Scottish name). Can say,

Even My computer is Scottish.

Too bad they don't come in cases/shells in the MacKintosh tartan!

[Ruanaidh]

First thing that comes to my mind when you say that your PC at work never crashes, but yours at home does is, what kind of protection does your home PC have? Is the security software on you home PC automatically kept up to date? Also, what Windows OS are you using at home & at work?

.

And always, always backup your data. Don't learn this lesson the hard way.

[cavscout]

Since you're not a computer geek like some of us , I'd say resusitate the one you have and save your hard earned cash for your kilts

Seriously though, computers are so cheap these days, getting a machine with windows XP on it won't set you back that much. Then keep the anti-virus and firewall software current and back everything up to CD once a week or more.

[pbpersson]

Ron -

I'm a computer guru through and through. I build them, service them, configure them, network them, and program them. Also, I'm in your neighborhood....sort of.....

Sometime if you have a home made desktop that is giving you problems you can bring your desktop to Flagstaff, I can bring all my parts and tools to Flagstaff and we can have a kilted computer dissection party.

Unfortunately, working on a laptop is like trying to fix a brick. It's just sort of there. SO if there is something wrong with the laptop then you just throw it out.

Quite often it CAN be a problem with Windows - I had a Windows XP desktop one day start acting up and as I tried to work on it after a while it would not even boot up in safe mode - it turned out that Spyware killed it. Once I reinstalled Windows XP and got the proper protective software on the machine all my problems were over.

Now that I told you that I know all about computers let me tell you that quite often there are no easy answers. One symptom can be caused by 100 different things. Diagnosing computer problems is not an exact science but anytime you want some advice with this stuff let me know.

Phil in Phoenix (your AZ neighbor to the south)

[Tattoo Bradley]

I have that same laptop, also purchased in '03. It's a dead duck somewhere in the coat closet! I've been told that I could simply have the windows reinstalled and it'd be fine. Actually... maybe I'll put it on Ebay and put that money towards 8 yards of tartan muwahahahahaa.

[auld argonian]

I myself am an inveterate Mac Head...but I have had some experience with Windows machines and my brother is a software engineer who has kept many Windows based machines running long after their time had come. The Windows machines that he has shown me that have been kept going have been what he calls "Frankensteined"...they've had so much stuff replaced inside of them that "Frankenstein" has become the verb for the process. Even my brother has finally surrendered to the idea that you just have to buy new every few years with Windows machines...it just becomes non-cost effective to keep switching in new components.

It seems like every time Windows is upgraded its operating speed flies on the newest machines but the older machines slow down. As PB and Canuck have suggested you might be able to get away with what Mac folks call a "clean install" of the operating system (don't know if there's a corresponding Windows term).

Macs do tend to last longer (years) with no hardware upgrades...it seems like it's financially crippling to even DO a hardware upgrade on a Mac...but there's the issue of initial cost and the recent trend toward Mac introducing a new operating system every year at about $100 a pop. Not that you have to upgrade every time...I have Macs here running several of the previous incarnations of OS X and one that still runs OS 9 and they all still perform well.

That aside, if you know Windows, it's probably to your advantage to stick with it...I expect that it all evens out in the end...and some of the package deals that I've seen on new systems look like great values. Don't know if you've gotten into the whole audio/video aspect of the computer world but they're now more like computer/stereo/dvd player/lcd TV systems and it's nice to snuggle up to the ol' computer and watch "Blade Runner" or "Room Service" once in a while. A new system with a decent size monitor is a pretty good investment these days.

Best

AA

[Kiltman]

Want a computer that works--buy a MAC. The new dual core one are really the best there is. By the way, I'm a Microsoft certified professional.