Time for a new desktop - Thoughts
Al
I was able to salvage the data to an external.
Price is a strong consideration here.
Do I take advantage of a great deal on an older system:
DellSB - Dimension 4600 with 2.8Ghz P4, 512MB DDR SDRAM, 80GB HD, CD-RW,
128MB GF FX5200, and 2 year Warranty for $449 after Rebate with FREE
Shipping!
Or spend a few more shekels and go for the new (untested):
DimensionTM 8400
NEW! Ultimate Performance
The desktop for businesses seeking top performance
All the technology of the 8300 and more - including PCIe graphics and DDR2
memory
Powered by Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor with HT Technology
From $899
Now from
$764
I would want to add (on my own) a dvd burner and a 2nd hard drive for back
up.
The new system will be used primarily for Office programs, surfin and some
games.
No hard core stuff.
I would probably stick with the 512 meg ram.
Any thoughts or input?
Quaoar
When you use the term "games" in the same specs as "PCI Express
graphics", then IMO you need to focus on more video adapter than the
typical business computer offers, or be prepared to purchase a video
card aftermarket. Gaming is hard core stuff with the newest releases.
No one ever complains about purchasing too much video capability.
Q
WSZsr
by optical drives. I have the 8400. However, the 4600 will meet your needs
nicely.
"Al" <vinoal...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:sapSc.84691$vN3....@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
Robert R Kircher, Jr.
Games is the key. What games. If they're simple non system demanding games
then the 4600 should be more then enough. If you think you may want to
seriously play Doom3 and the like then you need to weight the cost of the
8400.
As a bench mark: I have a 4550 P2.4 w/ 1G ram and the GF4 MX420. I run
business apps, development tools, WinTV, and do web browsing etc. My system
runs fine for my needs.
I have played some games but to be honest nothing really serious.
--
Rob
Al
Thanks for the comments so far.
"WSZsr" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:KOqSc.5440$ao....@newssvr23.news.prodigy.com...
Jason
> I would want to add (on my own) a dvd burner and a 2nd hard drive for back
> up.
> The new system will be used primarily for Office programs, surfin and some
> games.
> No hard core stuff.
> I would probably stick with the 512 meg ram.
> Any thoughts or input?
Buy the cheaper system. You'll be disillusioned with the uber system nearly
as quickly as it will depreciate. Always buy a generation down unless you
have some clear specific need for better hardware.
Tony
chips etc are so cheap these days.
ben_myers_spam_me_not
today's top-of-the-line models. But the fact is that one pays a premium for
buying the latest and greatest hardware. Much easier on the pocketbook to buy
something less than top-of-the-line. Unless there are serious SERIOUS needs for
computing power, the usual computer user would not see significant productivity
improvements or time savings moving, say, from a 2.8GHz P4 to a 3.4GHz model.
But some people like the bragging rights of saying they have the most badass
computer on their block... Ben Myers
WSZsr
"Al" <vinoal...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:O3wSc.87332$vN3....@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
WSZsr
systems.
"Tony" <poip...@poipoipoi.com> wrote in message
news:cfe7g3$s8a$1...@titan.btinternet.com...
Mr John C McCulloch
> My Gateway died - may it RIP.
> NEW! Ultimate Performance
> The desktop for businesses seeking top performance
The DELL 8400 is very impressive, Ive had mine a 3.0GHz P4 with 250GB SATA
harddrive, 128Mb PCI-Express Video Card, Creative Audigy2 Sound Card, 17"
TFT monitor, 512Mb DDR2 ram, DVD Rom Drive and DVD R/W drives & Windows XP
Pro SP1.
I am very impressed with :
1] The build quality, the case can be opened without a screw driver, it
looks very tidy inside;
2] The desktop performance, regularly running a 1280 x 1024 desktop;
3] The processor speed, and the quiet running of the system.
It should be noted that the last PC I had was a notebook, a Clevo 22,
badged as A Microdigital Alpha...... see www.microdigital.co.uk this was
running a Celeron 2.0 GHz with 14Gb HardDrive, 512Mb Dram, DVD/CD R/W Combo
Drive, Windows XP Pro SP1, 14.1 TFT Screen.
Hence the obvious improved desktop speed, note if you check out the
MicroDigital website, the reason for the purchase, was to be able to run a
RISC OS Desktop......My Laptop is running Virtual RiscPC SE, and RISC OS
4.0.
I am running Virtual RiscPC-Adjust on the DELL 8400 see
www.virtualacorn.co.uk if you are interested. This runs about 2x the speed
of the Laptop version.
And well faster in most situations than the MicroDigital Omega, using native
Intel StrongARM technology. Even the Iyonix600 by Castle see www.iyonix.com
I hope this has been of assistance, and brought your attention to some of
the technology happenings here in UK.
73 de John
WSZsr
BSODs with varying codes. Usually when I open my browser. It has happened
three times with three different messages. Never refers to a driver or file
name. The last time it was 0X00000024 which refers to a NTFS file system
issue. A previous one was 0X0000008E. Don't remember the first one.
I formatted and reinstalled the day I received it. I used the latest
drivers on Dell's website. I also tried the latest drivers on ATI's and
Intel's websites. When SP2 RTM arrived, I formatted and reinstalled a
slipstreamed copy of XP with SP2 and have experienced two BSODs since then.
I ran Dell diags and came up empty. However, I was not able to test my
video card (800SE) as Dell did not include diags for it on the resource CD
not do they have a video driver for it on their website. They do include
diags for the X300 SE and the X800 XT. I tried both of them but the diags
programs indicated they were not compatible with my video card and would not
run.
Today I plan to ask Dell for a replacement system. If they refuse I will
return it before my 21 days runs out. I really like the system and plan to
stay with the 8400 in spite of these issues. Dell will get it right -
eventually.
"Mr John C McCulloch" <jo...@jcmcc1srp.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:cfq4p1$a82$1...@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
Al Samuelson
For my uses, I probably should have got the 4600, but couldn't resist the
new mobo and vid card tech.
I was planning on doing a clean install as well.
Just a question, maybe you have a card that came loose during shipping?
That has happened to me before.
Good luck.
Thanks for all the input.
"WSZsr" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:mc1Uc.6414$tb2....@newssvr22.news.prodigy.com...
Tom Scales
Start with XP Sp1a and install everything slowly until you start getting the
failures.
I assume you built the slipstreamed Sp2 install yourself, since it isn't
available yet in that form.
Tom
"WSZsr" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:mc1Uc.6414$tb2....@newssvr22.news.prodigy.com...
WSZsr
"Al Samuelson" <AlSamuel...@KC.RR.Com> wrote in message
news:Rq1Uc.45553$ju6....@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
WSZsr
software such as Office XP, the latest version of Nero, Doom 3. I expect you
are correct and that it is an issue with the BIOS, or a video driver, etc.
However, I do not want to take the chance that it is a hardware issue that
will prove difficult to identify so I will opt for an exchange while still
in my 21 day customer satisfaction period.
"Tom Scales" <tom...@softhome.net> wrote in message
news:4fudnQDoioN...@comcast.com...
ben_myers_spam_me_not
engineering tasks argues very well for the model of computer you bought. It
also explains why you've seen a significant improvement in performance going
"only" from 2 to 3GHz processor speed. The large Pentium 4 cache and
hyper-threading undoubtedly contribute the most to the speed gains... Ben Myers
S.Lewis
>BSODs with varying codes. Usually when I open my browser. It has happened
>three times with three different messages. Never refers to a driver or
>file name. The last time it was 0X00000024 which refers to a NTFS file
>system issue. A previous one was 0X0000008E. Don't remember the first
>one.
>
> I formatted and reinstalled the day I received it. I used the latest
> drivers on Dell's website. I also tried the latest drivers on ATI's and
> Intel's websites. When SP2 RTM arrived, I formatted and reinstalled a
> slipstreamed copy of XP with SP2 and have experienced two BSODs since
> then.
>
<snip>
An SP2 issue, do you think?
Stew
S.Lewis
> Only a video card and it is tight.
>
<snip>
The 8400's I've seen with the x800 not only have an updated version of the
old Intel AGP slot clip/lock, but an added screw-down bracket to secure the
PCIx16 card to the system board.
It sure doesn't appear that those cards would or could go anywhere....
Stew
WSZsr
Management?? Open get BSODs when I open IE and only then one out of 50
times. Weird.
"WSZsr" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
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S.Lewis
When's your replacement due? In one sense it would be more helpful if IE
would predictably cause the BSOD....
It would also be interesting to see if the problem stopped with only XP SP1
installed.....
"WSZsr" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:8a1Vc.2241$vC5....@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com...
WSZsr
week I hope.
"S.Lewis" <stew...@cover.bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:gi1Vc.1678$UZ4....@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
>
> When's your replacement due? In one sense it would be more helpful if IE
> would predictably cause the BSOD....
>
> It would also be interesting to see if the problem stopped with only XP
> SP1 installed.....
>
>
>
>
> "WSZsr" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:8a1Vc.2241$vC5....@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com...
>> Another BSOD this AM. Open my browser and wham! 0X0000001A. Memory
>> Management?? Often get BSODs when I open IE and only then one out of 50