I need a new computer but I dont want to spend any money.

[Frosty]

Yup its about dead, 5 years old,-- Compac presario 2200, soooo slow especially now ive down loaded Microsofts flight simulator.

Everyone says I need this I need that, like 2 gig ram duo processor, video cards etc etc WTF.

Xp proffesional,-- linux? my head hurts.

I cant decide because there is too much. 3 floors of stalls selling computers.

Do I need more than 2 gig to run flight sim, some one told me I need 4?

Whats a duo? Should I go Mac, why?

Im just a simple man,-- e mail hotmail crap and a bit of surfing on the web.

[boat fan]

GOOD NEWS FROSTY >>>>NO YOU DON`T !!!!! (need a new computer that is ).....

Trouble is Frosty that bloody software is getting hungrier all the time.

More memory more Ram ...blah .......blah...You don`t need any of that crap....clean install your xp , save your important files on an external hard drive......BINGO..fast computer again.

If you want to play the latest games , simulators etc get an x box.

Then your computer will still do the job ....heck get a used x box for almost nix,,,,,,......

OR ...waste your money on THIS YEARS LATEST CRAP ...will be " obsolete in 6 months anyway..


Your Comp.is not dead...clean install windows or whatever your`e running ...you will think its a new machine . I do it every year.

[Manie B]

The reality is that if you aren't a computer fundie you basically have to buy a new computer every 5 years anyway. I am sitting with the same problem on my old PC here = slow. My son's newish HP Pavillion DV6000 laptop with Windows Vista runs like a dream, my old XP has slowed to a crawl. The answer is basically that you have to spend that kind of money on a regular basis, my wife works for a gaint pharmaceutical company and they also clean out every 4 to 5 years. The DIY home type of computer "expert" can build and assemble all day long, and when you get there they are forever working on "breakdowns" always just a little something here or there. That is all crap. I now only buy from the regular computer store that gives me a fetch and fix gaurantee for sometimes 2 years. For the past 5 years i have had NO NOTHING PROBLEMS, when something did go wrong i took it in and had it back the next day FREE. The programs and software grow and get improved all the time, and you have to grow with it. I know a lot of folks will want to hang me after this, but bottom line is i will never again buy from the "backyard" expert that runs all this wierd and wonderfull ****

right click on your bottom tool bar
a window will appear and click task manager
there you will see 2 tabs = processes and performance
on processes you can see what is slowing your computer down and try to eliminate some of them - games is a no no
the performance tab shows you your CPU usage and the page file history
CPU could be as low as 1% to 7% if you are only on DB.net
pagefile could be down to 476 mb if this is a "high" graph your computer will be slow

it's not greek - play around - you cant cause any damage - dont worry

[Frosty]

CPU usage is7% and PF is 371!!!!

It was ok till some one gave me the flight sim, its great fun but im not prepared to buy the computer that people say I need to run it. It was given to me for looking after a boat , it looks like it gonna cost me. It doesnt run very well on my comp at the moment.

They --the comp nerds --show me a computer --yeah this is ok for what you need, then I say I want to run a flight sim and they point to the one above,-- it is twice the price. The sim will have to do what it has to do,-- run or not.

Any way what is this duo processor thing, I don't need that do I.

Compac, Asusa, Toshiba, all similar at about 500 dollars. Some cheaper.

Yeah its 5 years old or more, never had any trouble with it, weighs a ton though.

So whats an x box? some kind of external hard drive? I use a Kingston stick for sensitive memory.

I still got a load of discs frm when I bought it, the self repair (re store) thing stopped working some time back.

[wardd]

im thinking about building a new computer from parts and im up to $1257 us

the cheapest way to increase an old computers performance is to add memory if it can be utilized by windows, which in xp seems to be 4 gig

for games a newer video card

next upgrade would be larger disks

after that its a new computer

in the mean time you can rid it of background process that you dont need, defrag your hard disk, empty the browser cache, ie do a general clean up of the system

[PAR]

Frosty, it's very likely you have a bunch of stuff wrong with your machine right now. Corrupt registry entries, malicious software, adware and in general a computer environment that is serious need of cleaning.

It's always wise to max out the RAM capabilities on any machine, if you want performance. It's also wise to turn off all the bells and whistles you XP loads as a default setup.

Hire a geek to clean up your registry, remove all the expired crap from your machine and "tune up" the environment. A few simple registry entries with a configuration editor can make a big difference. And get the RAM, flying games eat RAM for breakfast.

[Fanie]

Flight simulator on a boat That makes a lot of sense Sure sign of low performing Yanmar engines

[Manie B]

and just in case you dont do this often

should be done once a week

left click MY Computer
right click C Drive
left click properties
left click disk clean up - follow thru

then once a month

in that properties window
left click tools
error check and fix file systems errors
and Defragment
it may take a couple of hours initially or if you haven't done it recently

do this before you go to bed and let it run thru the night
tomorrow things are much better

[PAR]

Maine, those two functions will not help much. He needs a better grip on what he's doing or has to hire a geek.

[dskira]

You should look toward the brand "Happiness".
They make very good one
Daniel

[Frosty]

Im going to do what mannie says. I hope it blows up then the wife will let me A/ hire a geek , B/ buy a new computer.

I dont know any geeks, I know a Greek! will that do?

Why dont they just fit a ---clean my computer button--

[Manie B]

since i contracted the terminal disease 'Buildi Boatus" my missus watches my "medical bills" with a hawks eye
so i cant buy a new computer because i have spent my allowance on my sickness

so what i found works well with this computer nonsense is swear at it
i dont know if the stupid thing understands when i call it names - but it makes me feel much better

[masalai]

A piece of paper, pencil and abacus?

Otherwise, How much can you afford? flightsim needs lots of power and memory to do the calculations and good video drivers with its own RAM so as not to cramp the style of your processor.... I like Nvidia graphics driver chips and AMD Phenom quad 64 cpu with at least 4GB RAM and a fast 150GB+ HDD, (personal data is kept on an external terrabyte WD "Elements" HDD), as well as a DVD burner and a pair of LCD 1920 x 1080 screens (or three (3) if you like one screen in front and one for each side so you can see what you just missed (or didn't), Then a full "aircraft style" controls (twin throttles, pedals and all the other setting stuff, and whilst there get a fourth screen to show all the relevant instruments) - then offer "play time" to all the nut-cases at $50 / 30 minutes (gotta make a profit while you can?)...

If you can do without games, install XP (make sure you carefully look after the CD as support will cease soon) and de-fragment the HDD regularly... Buy a terrabyte external HDD that plugs into the USB2 port to put all your personal data files on - do not change/delete files on this as it will take about a week to de-fragment.... Else I will send you a CD with Linux Mint that will do most things you can with XP now except run windowsXP application packages unless you learn more about Linux and how to use "wine" which links windows executables to run under Linux.... Linux is not bothered by viruses and does not need to be de-fragmented and can read and write to all your old files on floppies, CD's and other removable media...

[Manie B]

Frosty one thing that you must always remember

you must always have an up to date modern fast computer

how else ya gonna search for crew

http://wickedweasel.com/en-za/ww_model_galleries/2149

beautifull white beaches, mild winds, torquose waters, plenty fresh air
heaven is a place on earth

if this doesn't get you going nothing ever will

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zvDmLnBgTs&feature=fvst



"the hills are alive with the sound of music"
do a dear oh deary me
ray a drop of golden sun
me i goin there sooooon



and no i haven't started drinking yet only 11h55
gotta wait 4,5 hours
then i can work on my boat

la di la la la

[Manie B]

oops sorry back to computers where were we again

oh **** i forgot