atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Computers & Programming Computers, Software, Accessories Upgrade my PC?

I would also make a minor suggestion that if you are wanting to stick with IBM compatible PC's running Windows XP that you do something soon. I have heard (source = semi-reliable) that Microsoft will release NO MORE OEM of XP after 1/1/08.

Well, I own a legitimate copy of XP , i guess I can always transfer it to a new PC if I have to.

This sucks. I'm just too busy now (and the stores are too crazy) to go through this before 1/1.

Sam

Well I got a Latitude laptop. It's at home and I am still at school so I have not even seen it yet. I'm hoping I never need to call tech support

Update: Got home, opened the laptop. It's beautiful and works fine. I customized it with my applications and so far, so good
Gotta love XP!

New Macs actually run Vista better than PCs....

Have you considered building a system?

It's really quite simple... and there are motherboards that still do serial and parallel ports. It does seem like the mainstreamers are discontinuing them.... One of my friends got a dell, and I tried to set it up for her, but the printer was parallel and the dell didn't have it. She ended up buying a new USB printer.

Checklist -
Motherboard
CPU/heatsink (retail package)
memory
hard drive
case

Your old hard drive can be added as a secondary drive. And you can salage the optical and floppy drives if they're still in good shape.

SCSI cards are still available, and if your existing system has one, it could probably be transferrd as well.

Transferring the XP license/activation might be the hardest step.....

Rob -

I always used to build my own systems. I stopped about 10 years ago, and I can't tell you why.

Another good option. This probably makes #9.

Thanks,

Sam

I have run nothing but Dell's the last several years, and no issues. Not even with tech support. People often forget that a PC requires maintenance. They load some third party software full of spyware and crap, and then wonder why their machine doesn't work, and don't want to hear the tech support guys tell them to reload the OS. So I would buy a Dell before I would buy any other machine. MAC's are out too, because of cost and proprietary software. You can simply ad a parallel or COM port to one of their machines if it doesn't come with it, just make sure you have enough PCI slots. You can get adapters to use PS2 connections on USB..but not all will work. You can pretty much have as many USB as you want..I think my dell came with 6 or 8 and I added another 4 and two firewire. I have been running Vista on both machines for almost a year. No issues from this end.

i've had a dell d600 for over 4-5 years now. I can't tell you how many times it has hit the floor in a crowded mfd rooms. It takes a likin keeps on tickin. Small Business Tech support has been great. I had one of the removable drives
go down. One call, a brief validation of the cause of the issue and they had a replacement in the mail. My next machine will probably from Dell. I would like to build one though.

I just helped a friend upgrade his system that died. I put in an AMD AM2 2.3 GHZ dual core, 2 gigs of RAM, a new motherboard, and a 500GB SATA drive. I think it only cost him about 300 bucks in parts. Plus he bought me lunch

This is probably too late, but if you get a C series Dell Latitude, you get the option for Dual Batteries, a REAL serial port and the "C/Dock II" I have has a real native SCSI port on the back. SCSI is fully supported on XP. I use mine with a HP ScanJet 4c.

I've seen these for around $300. Mine is a C610 PIII 1Ghz, the dock works with C600,C610,C840 for sure. I have not tried any of other C machines.