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Replacing an old Desktop

Se7en

Well-Known Member
Jun 27, 2010
4,573
223
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I have a I7 laptop that was purchased earlier this year.
It's time to throw this old clunker P4 HT desktop in the trash!
My spending limit is $450
Don't need a monitor , nor a mouse nor keyboard.
PC doesn't have to be new just as long as i can play COD, & run VB7.
Any ideas? Preferences? Experiences?
I'm a fan of Dell and IBM (Lenovo) only.
I know black Friday is just around the corner but i cant wait any more hi~
 

I'm not a fan of dell. I've had two of them one of which I'm typing on and I consider them substandard to a clone pc. This one has a video card on the motherboard that crashes the pc after 2 hours of warming up. IMO there is lackluster cooling on the processor. It is cooled on mine with a slow fan mounted on the back panel with a caul to guide the air to the processor heatsink. And it's hard to fit a replacement motherboard to them as some of them are slimline which the other was. None of the dells afaik has a working line in port.(this one has the port but it doesn't work) This was an attempt by dell to prevent music being pirated but it makes it dangerous to run your powered audio through the mic jack.
A ham operator should go for a soundcard that is full duplex so it could support audio dsp programs that give a beat cancel.
If I was in your position I would buy the parts from ebay to build one, and pull a pc build image from /g/ - Technology showing the economy hardware available and it's compatibility.
 
Seriously doc? haha you didnt even look at that old junker!

I really do need some advice on a desktop PC. I went around shopping for a new PC and well didnt see much i liked ..i was told at the minimum to try to get something with a I3 Processor.
 
I'm not a fan of dell. I've had two of them one of which I'm typing on and I consider them substandard to a clone pc. This one has a video card on the motherboard that crashes the pc after 2 hours of warming up. IMO there is lackluster cooling on the processor. It is cooled on mine with a slow fan mounted on the back panel with a caul to guide the air to the processor heatsink. And it's hard to fit a replacement motherboard to them as some of them are slimline which the other was. None of the dells afaik has a working line in port.(this one has the port but it doesn't work) This was an attempt by dell to prevent music being pirated but it makes it dangerous to run your powered audio through the mic jack.
A ham operator should go for a soundcard that is full duplex so it could support audio dsp programs that give a beat cancel.
If I was in your position I would buy the parts from ebay to build one, and pull a pc build image from /g/ - Technology showing the economy hardware available and it's compatibility.


Thanks for the reply!:)
I have considered a home brew build maybe shuttle XPC or something def want to stick with intel CPU and boards and stay with DDR2 (3 too $$$) dont know nothing about AMD:laugh:
 
I will never have another desktop once the computer in the den bites it. The wife uses it exclusively while I and the two boys each have our own laptops. They each have a 15 inch HP which serves all they want at the moment while I very much prefer my 17 inch Toshiba. No more clunky waste of space desktops for me.
 
I'm using a Dell now (desktop), got a Gateway lap and another (can't remember the brand for the life of me, ain't going to go look) laptop in the car. They all work okay, do what I want them to do (mostly). None of them are the latest and greatest. Each of them has it's own qwerks. Used to put my own together but gave up on that. If anyone ever 'lusts' after any of them they have got to be deprived/depraved to an unbelievable degree. They work though, that's the biggy.
- 'Doc
 
for poops and giggles you should try a Linux distro on your old computer. I think you will be very satisfied with it's new found performance. Linux also has many free open source education materials for HAM license tutoring and other sciences.

I suggest:

Mint
PC Linux OS
Fedora

I am not very happy with the newest version of Ubuntu. You may have better success than I.

It's very easy. find a live cd version ditro(bution) download the ISO file burn it to a cd or dvd. (if your old PC doesn't have a dvd drive find a cd version)

Live versions you can try without installing by booting from the disc and not your hard drive. If you like it you can start the install from the desktop of the version you picked
 
for poops and giggles you should try a Linux distro on your old computer. I think you will be very satisfied with it's new found performance. Linux also has many free open source education materials for HAM license tutoring and other sciences.

I suggest:

Mint
PC Linux OS
Fedora

I am not very happy with the newest version of Ubuntu. You may have better success than I.

It's very easy. find a live cd version ditro(bution) download the ISO file burn it to a cd or dvd. (if your old PC doesn't have a dvd drive find a cd version)

Live versions you can try without installing by booting from the disc and not your hard drive. If you like it you can start the install from the desktop of the version you picked

I'll try that tmrw afternoon, thanks!
 

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