No new lens for a while :(

[JZaun]

Been having a problem with my Desktop PCfor a while. The Dreaded Blue Screen Errors. It gave up this week. Now I am gonna replace it with a

Dell
Microsoft XP Home
3ghz P4 800 Mhz front buss
1 gig mem
64 mb video
wireless KB and Mouse
160 gig HD
1.44 Floppy
RW DVD Dual layer
speakers
Includes a 4 year on site with week ends service. I am tired of working on PC's!! :):):):)
Norton Internet security
Free Shipping
No interest until Jan 2006
After a $60 rebate and a Prefered Customer $25 discount I ended up with a $963 computer. :( enough to get a Lens :(

From the old-- PC I will add a 80 gig internal HD and a additional External 160 gig USB HD, Second RW DVD dual layer.

Now finally, my Desk Top will be better than my lap top. :?

If I can pay it off quick enough maybe I will able to still get that lens I want this year! :)

JZ

[Grimnar]

Not to be rude or anything, but do you use a floppy very frequently?
Floppy < Card Reader

[JZaun]

Not to be rude or anything, but do you use a floppy very frequently?
Floppy < Card Reader
It'll go away one day but its still the cheapest backup I do. Only use it to back up Quicken and that is done weekly. Archived 3 times.I could use memory key's from Dell (cheapest) but still $39 for each 64k and I would need 3. I have a ton of old floppies so no cost there. O well one day I'll go to something else.

JZ

[Tom W]

I'm a little geeky, but I recommend XP Pro - it gives you some administrative controls that the Home version doesn't have. then again, if you're not a geek, XP Home is really the same package without the geek stuff.

[Belmondo]

It sounds very capable, Jerry. I'm still in pretty good shape with my own system, but when the time comes, it's heartening to know that you can buy so much system for relatively little money.

I built a system last year, and still haven't completely switched over to it; after all, the old one works okay. I guess I just dread the thoughts of installing all the software and setting it up (although I do have Photoshop loaded on it). The thought at the time was to have a dedicated system for my photography. That's why I put a Matrox graphics card in it. For some unexplained reason, it's just sitting there, and rarely gets turned on. I even have a KVM switch set up so I can switch back and forth between the CPUs. Just lazy, I guess.

[JZaun]

I built a system last year, and still haven't completely switched over to it; after all, the old one works okay. I guess I just dread the thoughts of installing all the software and setting it up (although I do have Photoshop loaded on it). The thought at the time was to have a dedicated system for my photography. That's why I put a Matrox graphics card in it. For some unexplained reason, it's just sitting there, and rarely gets turned on. I even have a KVM switch set up so I can switch back and forth between the CPUs. Just lazy, I guess.[/QUOTE]


I know where you are. I built a PC 10 years ago. Upgraded many times, 80 mhz, 300 mhz, 800 mhz, 2 ghz, now 3 ghz. My first PC was almost $2k and slooooow. :) :) I just couldn't stand to have a system sit there and not have it all working!!! I want everything finished yesterday!!! :) I thought about upgrading again but it would have cost $500-$600 and all I would have gotten was main board, processor and mem. That is if I did it myself. Hard to beat DELL prices.


JZ

[FlyingPete]

Includes a 4 year on site with week ends service. I am tired of working on PC's!! :):):):)

I feel your pain, I hate having to fix my own PC, something about working with them all day does it too me :rolleyes:

Nice machine though. I am tempted to buy a whole new machine pre built next time. My current P4 is the ultimate evolution of a 'white box' P133 I bought 8 or so years ago. A bit like the broom the guy had had for 50 years, it had just had 6 new handles , and 5 new heads ;)

[Wazza]

Nice system.
Mine needs an upgrade, but with the 20D only bought 3 months ago, I promised myself not to buy anything else.

My dad was building this dream machine, but is running bit short on cash, for his holiday coming up. So to be safe, he's selling this new part system, to cover the overseas trip.

Too bad I don't have the cash to buy it off him. It's very nice. Not even used.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/0002-0354-0019-/auction-26694583.htm

[froman98]

Just a thought, but you can get 512mb Sandisk USB keys from Amazon for a little less than $50 bucks. I got one and they ordered it through Circuit City. I just stopped by and picked it up later that day.

[mrclark321]

I baught the XPS from Dell and love it!! I would suggest a better video card for yourself, at least 128 and do you really need 4 year warranty? I have 2 Dells running now, the other is 3 years old and not one problem but I have upgraded it and as soon as you upgrade you lose your warranty.

Dan

[Jesper]

It'll go away one day but its still the cheapest backup I do. Only use it to back up Quicken and that is done weekly. Archived 3 times.I could use memory key's from Dell (cheapest) but still $39 for each 64k and I would need 3. I have a ton of old floppies so no cost there. O well one day I'll go to something else.

JZI guess you mean 64 MB, not 64 k for those memory keys. A normal floppy disk holds 1.44 MB, so one 64 MB memory key can contain more than 44 floppy disks.

And you say you would need three of those memory keys. That would be 192 MB, or more than 133 floppy disks.

Are you really using more than 100 floppy disks to do those weekly backups or am I missing something?

Anyway, have fun with your new computer! :)

[picture-this]

I would want to know if the 1gig of ram is a gig or two 512s. I got mine with out asking and well it's two 512s and my slots are now full and I have to try and sell one of them to buy and make room for more. I would like 1.5 - 2 gigs, PS is laggin a bit to much when editing big files.

[JZaun]

I guess you mean 64 MB, not 64 k for those memory keys. A normal floppy disk holds 1.44 MB, so one 64 MB memory key can contain more than 44 floppy disks.

And you say you would need three of those memory keys. That would be 192 MB, or more than 133 floppy disks.

Are you really using more than 100 floppy disks to do those weekly backups or am I missing something?

Anyway, have fun with your new computer! :)

The issue isn't size. The 1.44 is more than big enough. The issue is I want back up for these critical files on at least 3 backups. I back up every week and use a different floppy every week for 3 weeks. I would need 3 usb memory keys. Since I already have a bunch of floppies ( probably 100 new) left over from business years ago, its just cheaper to use them. I would only eed 1 if they were 100% dependable :)

There is no 100% dependable storage media. I have over the years had failures on Mag tape, 3 1/2 and 5 1/4" floppies, HD drives, Huge commercial disk units, cram units, IBM punch cards have ripped:) bad CD's, Bad DVD's bad casset tapes etc. So back up MUST be more than 1 copy. I prefer at least 3. The only dependable back up is "Chiselled in Stone" :) and I don't have enough stone to back up all I have :) :) :) Those same files also get backed up on internal HD's and 1 External. These are all my records for retirement, investments, savings and checking. I don't want to mess them up..:)

I doubt I will need the 4 year service but with the $60 rebate it was real cheap so why not! I have just gotten tired of building PC's :)


JZ

[mdm]

Sounds like a nice computer.

[cmM]

i spent waay too much money on my home made computer, and now am getting the blue screen of death more often than I ever have.... having some IDE / hard drive issues, have lost a month's worh of pics because of it.
I'm gonna make an attempt to figure it out, if not, I'll probably have a new one on the way soon

[CyberDyneSystems]

Sounds like a nice upgrade :)

My system has the following two problems.

1. It is a little long in the tooth (three years plus) and a little slow for the large 16 tiffs I work on now.

2. It is ROCK Solid stable, reliable, runs to perfection NEVER crashes never gives me any trouble. It is fine tuned within an inch of it's life and totally free of any annoying soft ware quirks.

How is #2 a problem?

It's the only system I have ever had that has been THIS perfect.. how can I possibly move on?

[mdm]

I have a 120 gig external hard drive. I backup the photos or any other thing that is important. If the computer screws up and is looking like it's going to give me problems I'll just format and reload windows. It's kinda a pain to get the updates and new drivers but it sures runs like a bat out of hell. Then I'll run the photos and other things back over to the main computer.