The wife and I broke down and decided to replace our old system. I am looking at a Dell 2400 with upgrades. We are going to use it for the usual home stuff, wordprocessing, money management, spreadsheets (her work) and digital photos and stuff. We are looking at adding a DVD-RW and CD-RW, as we want to scan in old photos and save them to a CD as well as those from the digital camera. My biggest questions are about the software. It comes with XP Home and I think this will be fine, however, we may go with XP Professional. NOW, keep in mind, I know about as much about this stuff as I do about brain surgery so I am at a complete loss. When this happens, we will have internet at home and the wife wants e-mail at home (for her work). Since none of us at home are computer savy, what should I look for in the way of virus, spam, firewalls, etc. software? Which is the more cost effective and user friendly, DSL or RoadRunner? If knowledge is a ten, I am at ground zero. Any advice will be appreciated.

Had to break down last year and buy a new one. We went with an HP, one model down from the top of the line. It was a bit pricy I think but have not had any problems with it.
The only thing I know about Dell is that the guys in the IS department have mentioned they are made with cheapest parts available.

I would suggest buying at a lower performance mark and save money. Maybe a 2.4 or a 2.6 machine.

I do not know of many people who can actually tax the performance of a gig home machine. These things are running, what 3.6g now? Use the saved extra bucks for options to make it more versatle.

My 550mhz machine at home still does he job but it's time to upgrade it.

Codi,

I just bought a Dell 2400 about 2 weeks ago during thier 10% off special! I upgraded mine a little from the standard 2400 model to include a 2.80mhz Pentium 4 vs. a 2.66mhz P4 processor, upgraded to 256MB of ram, doubled my hard disk size to 80 gig.,added the upgraded Soundblaster card, upgraded speakers, 48X cd burner, etc.

It came standard with a 17" monitor, a free Dell color printer, etc. It also came with Windows XP home,trials of Norton Antivirus, Etc. I chose the free Earthlink internet option.

All of this cost just under $675.00 with FREE UPS shipping! So far I'm very pleased! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

- Mark P.

Thanks guys, keep the advice coming as I need to learn.

Mark.....Your configuration is similiar to what I am looking at from Dell.

As for Dell quality, my office has used Dell for the past three years and no problems. The system I am replacing is an HP from 1997. Never had a problem, just need to upgrade and the cost diff between upgrade and new is minimal. I am just not informed on software for virus, spam, firewll, etc. This is where I really need the help.

computers get outdated fast , I got mine three years ago just before I filed bankruptcy , my lawyer told me if I needed anything to charge it on a credit card and it would be deleted in the bankruptcy , my computer is all but antique now it is amazing how fast the stuff is being advanced ,, smile.gif

If you do decide to use programs that task the computer heavily, upgrade your memory. I would suggest that anyone running XP have at least 512K as XP alone is tying up 128K just sitting there.


Dells are nice and you get service with it if you need it.

I build my own but our work computers are Dells and hold up pretty good.

Codi, no need to spend the money on XP Pro you will gain nothing buy going to XP Pro

I also reccomend a minimum of 512MB of memory.

As far as DSL vs. Cable. Check out the forums at www.dslreports.com (http://www.dslreports.com) and see what others are saying about the services in your area. I am lucky and have both options, lots of people don't. Some DSL providers lock you into a year contract. Most cable services don't.

I have several clients using the 2400 series from Dell with good results.

Since you have a digital camera you might want to invest in a card reader.

As far as software, well, the MS Works package will suffice. It comes with a spreadsheet app and they now bundle a full version of MS Word with MS Works. Usually Norton AV is installed but you have to buy the app after 90 days.

All in all, 95% of the software you will need comes on the machine.

Good luck.

XP Pro is better than Home and has better network functionality but I would not pay what Dell charges for the upgrade or what stores charge for that matter.

If you want something better later just order it off the net. OEM Pro is around $130-163 online. But wait unitl you warranty expires.


If you can afford cable get it. DSL around here is nasty and slower. Plus Cable companies are upping transfer rates to compete with the Bell companies.

Here you go:

HOT, Expires TONIGHT! 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!

Their outrageous desktop Dimension 4600 is back to the $449 level thanks to an instant $280 discount & $150 rebate, and you even get a free upgrade to 512MB of DDR SDRAM ($60 value), 80GB HD ($20 value), CD-RW drive ($40 value), 128MB DDR nVidia Geforce FX 5200 AGP card with DVI & TV output ($60 value), Dell Gigabit Ethernet ($40 value), and a 2 year warranty (a $113 value); that`s a total of $333 worth of freebies! You`re getting this Dimension 4600 with a fast 2.8Ghz Pentium 4 processor, i865p chipset motherboard (8x AGP slot, 2 S-ATA ports, etc), integrated Dolby Digital capable 5.1 sound, and Windows XP Home. Shipping is free.

Start here through the following link to Dell Small Business Outrageous Desktops. Dell Small Business Outrageous Desktops (http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=37628499&siteid=38421795&bfpage=1591588&bfinfo=999)
Click on Customize It under Dimension 4600 $449
All of the options for the lowest possible cost should already be selected, including the rebate and freebies, and they`ve even already got rid of Norton, but double check.

Upgrade whatever options you may want, though they may raise the cost. Here`s a couple you may want to consider:
160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) [add $60 or $1/month]
Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 48x CD-RW Drive [add $19]
Scroll to the bottom and click on Continue
Scroll to the bottom and click on Continue
Scroll to the bottom and click on Add to cart
Finish checking out. Ground shipping for the computer is free. Send in the $150 rebate (expires TONIGHT, 8/11/04)

I would definitely grab the above deal. It is smokin. I bought 3 Dells in the last 6 months off of the refurbished site, same guarantee as new. When you pick them on line you only have 15 min. to order them. I opened up my Dells and the cheap parts that they use are the same ones that you would pay more for if you bought them without their mass ordering discount. I bought 2 Dell 2.6gig and 1 Celeron 2.4 gig. All of them had 512 meg of ram. Win XP loves ram, 512 is the minimum that I would run. I think it gives you the biggest performance increase for the buck. All 3 of my Dells run great, probably better than my big buck component home built AMD system. I have 3 XP home pcs and 1 XP pro, pro is better depending on the upgrade cost.

I am no expert on firewalls or security software, but our IT department at work recommends BlackICE PC Protection for a software firewall. I do have it on my computer. I also have PC-cillin 2000 Ati-virus software. One of the best softwares is Ad-Aware from Lavasoft. It removes a lot of junk files from your PC. It's a free download!
graemlins/beers.gif

Spybot blows Ad-Aware away and is free also. Get it here :

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Black Ice is a good software firewall but it is just another application running in the background slowing down your PC. I have a Linksys router with a built in firewall that is pretty sweet.

http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=34&scid=29&prid=433

Makes it nice if you have multiple PC's at home and I also work from home as well so everyone can be online at once.

Thanks for the info guys. No decisions have been made yet. I am leaning towards (based, in part, on your recommondations) either the Dell 2400 or 4600, 512MB Ram, 80GB drive, XP Pro, DVD+RW and CD+RW, a 3.5 floppy (to transfer stuff from old to new), AcAfee virus/firewall, spam, pop-up blocker, 15" flat screen, Sound Blaster with speaker upgrade, and the other stuff that goes with it. As well as a Dell 922 Printer for print, photo's, scanner, and copies. Keep in mind, this is for home use, some of the wifes school work (lesson plans and records), LB's school work (Encarta) and Ricochet's "Barbie" horse back CD's. I plan on getting the digital camera at the same time and scanning to a DVD all or most of the old photo's the wife has accumulated over the years. It is much easier to store a DVD than boxes of pics. I also plan on doing my banking on line as well as bill paying, so I know the safety/security features are very important.

How does this plan look to you in the know? I value your input since I only have a small idea of what I am doing with computers.
:confused:

Should be just fine for what you need.

I know my posts are a little on the extreme side but my wife and I both have to work from home quite a bit when we are on call so we need the flexibility.

Here's the next deal, this one doesn't have as good a video card, or as much base memory as yesterdays deal, but:

DellSB - Dimension 2400 with P4 2.8GHz,128MB RAM, 80GB HD, and 48x CD-RW for Only $320 after Rebate with FREE Shipping!

Great buy on a COMPLETE system that is perfect for work or as a 2nd computer for that den! The system comes with a fast 2.8Ghz Pentium 4 processor (up from 2.66Ghz), 128MB DDR SDRAM, an FREE upgrade to the 80GB HD, and a 48x CD-RW. It also comes with a 10/100 NIC, 56K modem, stereo speakers, Windows XP Home, and a FANTASTIC 2 year in-home warranty worth $113

Start here through the following link to Dell Small Business Outrageous Desktops. DELL SMALL BUSINESS OUTRAGEOUS DESKTOPS (http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=37628499&siteid=38421795&bfpage=1591588&bfinfo=993)
Click on Customize It under Dimension 2400 $320
All of the options for the lowest possible cost should already be selected, including the rebate and freebies, and they`ve even already got rid of Norton, but double check. Upgrade whatever options you may want, though they may raise the cost. Here`s one you may want to consider:
XP Proffesional: add $63
512 MB 333Mhz SDRAM add $72
Dual Drives: 48x DVD-ROM Drive + 48x CD-RW Drive [add $39]
Scroll to the bottom and click on Continue
Scroll to the bottom and click on Continue
Scroll to the bottom and click on Add To Cart
Finish checking out. Ground shipping for the computer is free. Send in the $150 rebate (expires 8/15/04)


Flat Panel monitors will add significantly to this price, Dells cheapest 15" montitor (which is to small) will be over 300 bucks. you canprobably do better at Circuit City, or Walmart, or anyplace that sells computers. don't shorchange youself with a small monitor though unless it's sitting in your kitchen of some other small space. I've got a 19" (CRT) and I'd like a 21 or so for CAD work.

Codi,

I still say you are blowing money with XP Pro.

It kind of surprises me that a bunch of folks that will wrench on a car, diving into unknown territories at times. With little more than inspiration and a will to go faster and cleaner. Can't simply buy parts and build a computor by themselves. It's cheaper and like that SB you built after rescuing the block from the junkyard and threw into your 68 that does 11 second 1/4s. You'd know whats in the box.

Originally posted by Nantooch:
It kind of surprises me that a bunch of folks that will wrench on a car, diving into unknown territories at times. With little more than inspiration and a will to go faster and cleaner. Can't simply buy parts and build a computor by themselves. It's cheaper and like that SB you built after rescuing the block from the junkyard and threw into your 68 that does 11 second 1/4s. You'd know whats in the box. It's definitely NOT cheaper because you can't cost match against a mass buyer. You do usually get higher quality parts but they cost more. The other issue with home builts is that at times you buy parts that aren't that compatable. It takes a while to trouble shooot these problems. You do get to know your pc better. Mass produced pcs are built with parts that are known to be compatable so the companies don't get all kinds of bad press. Lastly the O/S on a Dell type is abut a $5.00 issue compared to paying $150.00 and up retail for a home built which is a major savings.

I build my own and it is not that hard to do. But you should do what you feel best you are the one buying it not the rest of us.

The Dell should be just fine for the home use you have described.

[ 08-12-2004, 10:35 PM: Message edited by: CA420 ]

For those of you who don't know, you can reduce the memory usage of XP by switching to the 'classic view', which is similar to the look and feel of Windows 2000. Not sure what the drop is, but it's significant.

CFunk....I'm not ignoring your input. I am just trying to determine if XP Home or XP Pro will be better suited for what the wife wants to do. I'm also looking at other "bundled" packages that will work with XP Home just as well. As for building my own computer? I also won't do my own appendectemy because, I just don't know how. I looked into "upgrading" what I have now and the cost between upgrade and new cpu is minimal. If you have noticed, I have learned new terminology i.e. bundled, configure, DVD+RW, CD+RW, flat screen, and the list goes on. It is mind boggling for a person who knows nothing to jump into this. When this post has run it's course, I will print it and use ALL of the information you guys have provided. Believe me, all of your input is appreciated and it is valued. I guess I will be setting up a new system within 30 days or so.

Codi, I know. I just didn't want that fact to get lost. OTherwise you are on the right track.

I would encourage you to look at LCD monitor's if the budget allows it. A 15" LCD has the same screen real estate as a 17" tube monitor and the 15's are affordable. My mom just bought an HP system with a 17" LCD monitor. Sweet monitor but it was close to the cost of the computer.

If you go with a CRT get nothing less than a 19" flat screen.

About the only difference people see between XP and XP Pro is the networking part. XP pro can have an administrator and users. Administrator can add and delete programs, make system changes restrict programs etc. Users can just use. The weird thing about XP Pro is there are only two categories of users, unlike NT where you could have adminsitrators, power users, users, guests and others. I run XP Pro, but can't tell you any other obvious differences because I don't have, and never have had XP Home. I do know that some of the high end CAD stuff I have has to be run on XP Pro and it won't run on XP Home.

Here is some good reading on the differences, maybe this will help you decide.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/whyupgrade/top10.mspx

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

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let me jump back into the fray a bit more. True parts can be expensive to build your own puter. Who here buys all their new engine parts at the same store? I shop around til I find a better price for the part I want. Like a motor, you have to know what you want the puter to be able to do be it a big overpriced calculator, or are you designing buildings with CAD. True Dell and a few others make several computers with newmerous options. I've not come across one of the mfgs that will build just what I want. Sure you can have the cdrw and a dvdr but you cant get it with a floppy and change the dvdr to a dvd/rw. So in simplist terms, decide what you want and try to find who makes it, or break down and piece it together. Since I built my first puter in 95. I've never run into compatibility issues with one exception. An AMD processor was too fast for windows 95 and kept freezing. I had to go to AMD's site and get a patch to slow the processor down.

FWIW,

I have the ability to build my own PC's also and I chose to go ahead and buy the Dell system because I couldn't build an equivalent system for $675.00 Some folks may disagree with me but, Dell is kinda like the Wal-Mart of the PC world. They use mass buying power to drive the costs down.

This is a little off topic but, I believe Dell employs what is known as the "discounter's paradox"...the more you discount,the more you sell. The more you sell, the cheaper your costs get. The cheaper your costs are,the more you can afford to discount....and the cycle continues.

THE DEED IS DONE! I ordered a Dell (dude). What I can remember is it is a 4600, 512 RAM, Pentium 4, 80G drive, DVD=RW and CD+ROM, 3.5 drive, video card, sound blaster, speakers (upgrades), 15" flat screen, XP Home (CFunk), a bundled software package the wife can use, a 922 printer (print, copy, scan, photo quality), and probably other stuff I have forgotten. It should be here in a week. The price was very good and I appreciated ALL of the input from this site. It helped greatly in the decision process. I'm so giddee waiting. I am sure there will be other questions when I try to set it up and do some installs and stuff.....so....don't go far from your computer. Thanks to all.

This is it. As we speak (write), I am doing it from the new home computer. Everything is still not all setup yet but I am on-line. This is a first from home. It was a bear running a new phone line as I got lost in my attic (don't ask). I am on the freebie 6 month AOL 9.0 and it seems slow compared to my office stuff. While we are working our way through this freebie, what do you guys recommend for on-line stuff.....DSL? Roadrunner? I am not in the mood to spend $50 a month, more like $20 to $30. I would appreciate any advice.

I believe DSL is cheaper, around $27.00 a month here in CT. Cable is faster usually. Either one will give you big smile factor over dial up. You're running an LS6 with a 2 barrel with your setup.

Dial up=set alarm when loaded. Time to study alternatives earnestly.

Congrats! and Enjoy!

Nice setup, should keep you happy for awhile. I bet you are digging that LCD monitor.

You couldn't pry my high speed Internet from my cold dead hands. Ditch the dialup.

agree with Funk, ditch the dial up, get cable, mine is 750mhz upload speed and 3meg download, it rocks. TV cable and internet cable total for me is $79 a month combined.

Most high speed providers have already upgraded their speed to 4MB and 5MB is on the way. I'm ready for residential fiber myself.

After watching my daughter (Ricochet) get frustrated over the download speed (slllooooowww) while playing on wonka.com (can't get into loompaland), it has been decided the dialup will go. Poor thing got tired and walked away. In checking, I can't get DSL as I am to far from a switching station(?) so I guess it will be Roadrunner. Got to talk it over with the wife. My son (LB) said he would donate his grass cutting "fee" to pay for Roadrunner. If he would do that, it must really be something. LB gives up nothing. The saga continues. As for the Dell, keeping in mind i don't know squat, it went together easily and the setup prompts were great. One or two mistakes, easily taken care of. However, the guy (Ralph) in India had no idea what I was talking about when I called for tech support. Come on now........Ralph? That's what you get for $3.00 per hour.

LOL!! Poor Ralph!! Give the kid a break man.... he's still practicing the English language.

Dial-up? I thought they outlawed that in the 90's? ;)

Funk said it all for me..... once you go broadband, you'll NEVER go back.

OH! BroadBAND! Now I know why I was getting funny looks when asking for broadJUMP. To much olympics.

Ok, as far as putting in a DVD-RW along with a CD-RW, most DVD-RW have a built-in CD-RW all in one drive, so you won't have to buy both. Keep in mind not all DVD-RW have this option, so check it out. XP Home edition is all you need for an operating system, it is 99% the same as XP Pro. I would go with at least a 40 gig HD and you shouldn't need anymore than an 80 gig. A good FREE firewall I use is called Zone Alarm Pro. You can download it at www.download.com. (http://www.download.com.) A good spybot/spam remover I use is Ad-Aware. Works great. If I were you, I would get the fastest machine I could afford (MHZ, RAM, etc.) because this stuff is getting outdated fast. I would recommend a 128 MB video card and at least 512 DDR RAM. Hope this helps.

http://securitytango.com/tango.php

Dance this guys Tango once a month (or more!) and you'll be good to go!

Get a simple, cheap cable router (with it's own firewall) and you can have multiple PC's on one cable connection. No need for Zone Alarm.

Dont know Joe, I've got my router and still use Zone Alarm. The hacks still work through the router. ZA has still caught and stopped nearly 300 attacks in the past year.

I'm sure nothing's gonna stop "pingers" from getting in totally.
I just don't worry about "pingers", or as some people call them... "attacks". As long as you don't have any open Shares and password protect the shares that you do have, you'll be fine.

It's all the Internet junk that really matters.

I disagree with the "Tango Dudes" suggestion to turn off System Restore forever. I would leave it on all the time and turn it off to do a full virus scan then turn it back on when the scan is done.

System Restore is way to valuable of a tool to leave off all the time.

Yo, Canuck dude, you are about 2 weeks to late. Codi ALREADY bought the system. :D . That's what happens when you spend to much time in Ontario.