Computer performance check
 

It takes 7 seconds for the Spell Checker to load on my screen using DSL. I'd like more of an instant display. Am I kidding myself that a newer, faster computer will speed things up online?

Currently Win98II, 64 RAM (I hardly ever run multiple applications) and an early Celeron processor. (E Machines circa 1999)

Zeke.

It's a new Millenium. I was backing some stuff up on my post 2000 machine, and decided to back up an old similar no-longer-used machine while I was at it.

I could not believe how slow it was. Actually it was fast for it's time, but every 18 months speed about doubles with technology.

Join the new Millenium. There are lots of sale prices on the stuff they didn't sell for Xmas.

Uh, yeah Zeke.

That's a boat anchor. Time to upgrade.

Well, sure, easy for you to say. The big investment for me is throwing myself at the mercy of the Internet, viruses, etc. With all the garbage that can happen to a machine as I sit on the Net for hours is scary to me. I keep the good stuff off line.

But, it's all getting old. I just wondered if DSL was that much faster than what I'm on now, that's all.

Hey guys, we have some people here that are on dial up. Don't make fun. And, in my age group, fully a 3rd are 'puter illiterate. So I ain't doin' too bad, eh?

Hi speed is a must. Cable or DSL.

Your existing computer is worthless. Windows 98 is dead and was never worth having. XP for the average user is wonderful.

Get a new rig - the prices these days are very affordable.

Install virus protection with daily updates.
Install a spyware blocker and eliminator.
Install an adware remover.

You should have very few if any problems.

EDIT: Looks like Randy beat me to the punch...

Sorry friend. Internet anxietys aside, its time to dump that puppy.

No need to fear the internet on DSL. As long as you:

A) Have anti-virus software running and up to date
B) Turn the Windows Update Service on automatic
C) Don't download 'free' software from Russian porn sites

You think that because you are on a dial up you are somehow safer? Wrong. That Windows 98 box had more holes than swiss cheese.

I would not normally recommend this, but if you are not the most tech savy person around, you may want to look at purchasing through Best Buy and getting their replacement guarentee. Yes, they charge a bit, but if something goes to crap on you, you can have it repaired.

Also, if you don't plan on doing your own service, it would probably be a good idea to stick with know brands so that parts will be available. Dell, HP, Compaq.....

DSL is well worth it, but that is coming from a person who is on the internet 16 hours a day.

Have questions? Plenty of support available on your handy Pelican Parts BBS

You know until we got some new moderators, I always wondered why it took Zeke so long to remove all the really good pictures from OT.

Zeke;

Keep the present machine!

That's hilarious! I have never been a Pelican moderator, nor would I ever want to be. But yeah, I would have left the grid girls. I hope someone burned that on a CD. Send me one.

Holy crap, you're going to throw this guy to the Internet wolves?

Zeke, get a Mac. Seriously.

OMG, Zeke. You should donate that to a museum. Hahahah

You could probably speed things up a bit it if you could put more ram in the machine. The ram for a PC like that is probably much more costly than current RAM and the PC motherboard may not support much. Windows 98 is also a dog. It was much better than 95. For $500 you could get a pc that was much, much faster. The most important thing to remember if you get a new pc is to get enough RAM, 512MB RAM should be plenty for what you do if you've been getting by on your current PC.

DSL is much, much faster. Amazingly so, cable too. And with a good firewall, Trend Micro antivirus, XP's newest security features, and XP automatic update you can actually be pretty darn safe.

I have exactly that, firewall, trend micro, and I keep Trend Micro and XP updated all of the time. I never even see anything bad on my PC, and I keep my PC online 24x7x365, it's always connected to the internet.

Milt, for little $$$ you can buy more RAM for your box. That will give you a moderate bump in performance. Their may be other tricks but not worth the hassle. Going to cable my help as well.

For someone in your position, I can't think of a better system than the mac mini. $499 and you won't have to worry about any of the virus/spyware/adware/malware that you currently do.

You also don't need to worry about the thousands of software titles that are available, because you won't be using them.

Get used to the following phrase, "*Sigh*....time to go to the mac store.....again...."

:p

Do you really think someone running Win98 has been buying software? I recommended the Mac because for what he wants in a computer Macs do the best. Get off your OS soapbox.

You know, this coulda been over in Tech-Porsche content:
I read where a lot of the cost associated with running '80's race cars is that they spend huge $'s keeping 286 computers running, as that is what is compatible with the engine management systems.

Hah! That was a good one...! SHEESH! :rolleyes:

Randy

Actually Zeke, if you really want to do this, PM me and I'll help you out. There's several software based firewalls that will prevent a lot of the issues you're worried about. Remember, it's all about your needs, not what someone tells you - no need to overbuy unless you plan on becoming a hard core power user.

Besides, even if you never connect to the internet from the new machine, you'll still be amazed at how much faster it is.

Before spending any money on RAM, I would either go down to Fry's and get a complete system for $300 or so or wait until Dell has another $450 special on sale and get that.

Your 6 year old system is not worth spending anymore money on and its time to upgrade. Also I would stay away from XP but thats just me. W2000 is a good stable OS and still supported by MS. XP still has bugs. MAC, well, I like an OS and computer that is supported by the majority of the software companies and its not. Never will be but its good for graphics if thats all you do.

JoeA

Try again, my house has 3 XP machines, 1 Win 2k3 appliance running ISA 2004 on a Celestix MSA 2000, 1 Debian machine, 2 OS X machines, and an Cisco Catalyst 3524XL. I think that qualifies me to give an objective opinion. Do you guys ever think about who might be on the other end of a post?

Dude, my video card has more ram than your system... more ram == better. Like driving a Porsche in a parking lot - yeah, it'll go, but not that fast for that long.

Brandon. Speaking for me, if I EVER thought about who was on the other end of the post, I would NEVER post again.

Too many liberal maniacs (most with guns) with access to where I might be on a daily basis.

Michael.

While I can't argue with getting a new machine buying RAM for this machine will be dirt cheap. Ebay has a few good vendors that will nearly give it away.

I was also aprehensive about XP. I have several laptops and a desktop running with no problems here at home.

Rick,

Were this my machine and I was going to keep it, I would find some cheap RAM and install it. Then put a new 60-80 gig 7200 rpm hard drive in it as the "C" drive and install a new fresh OS on it. This way he could keep all the old data on the old drive, which just became "D."

This could be done for under $100-150 and keep it going for another year IMHO but its just a matter of time for a 5-6 year old computer.

Joe A

Expansion and upgrages are difficult on an E Machine. It has what you guys know as a "welded" motherboard. I'm not sure about exactly what that means, but I take it that it is short on slots and plug ins.

I'll go buy a machine. I had a nice PM about iMacs and since I want to do some mixed media stuff (videos and music), I'll need some much better stuff. I want to rip all my old vinyl onto CD's and usb memory. I don't want to wait a week for one song to be digitized. Or pour thru a video a frame at a time. ;)

If you know where to go for the software, you're set. CompUSA has Apple mini-stores that stock MS Office, various utilities, etc. Apple retail stores have games and more OS X software. They also have the distinction of tech support in person or while you shop elsewhere, not that you use it all that much. You can also order software online through Apple.

What do most people do with their PCs beyond browse the Net, type documents, and IM/email? Maybe a few play with home architect software and other specialty stuff, but that's about all I can see.

If you like the convenience of a Walmart for getting software, a Mac isn't good.

Brandon, dude! Did you forget to take your pill this today?

I was talking about your "soapbox" comment. Geeze, in two consecutive posts you spew the wonders of a Mac and then have the ballz to tell someone else to "get off their soapbox"?

Personally, I could give a rats a$$ how many computers with whatever Windows version, Linux, BeOS, or any other OS. Just having the OS doesn't make you an expert. He!!, I own a Porsche AND a Vette, but I know very VERY little about maintaining them.

"Lighten up, Frances!"

Randy

So your saying my Dell with Windows ME is outdated?

I think the main problem is that the kind of RAM that his machine takes is going to be hard to find and because it's hard to find, actually more expensive than much newer, faster RAM. I just bought another 256MB of RAM for 3 laptops, the RAM for the oldest laptop was the most expensive. At the time it was nothing special, but now it's not the norm. The two newer laptops were half the price of the older, and all three are much older than what he's got. I'm sure we're not even talking SDRAM here, probably not even DIMMS. It's the OLD stuff, so he'll probably need SIMMs that are 66MHz.

Actually, I take it back. With a little search I found some RAM cheap. We'd still have to know for sure what sort of RAM his motherboard would support, but even then he'd still have Win98. Ugh.

Point taken, but I won't get off my Microsoft soapbox...I like it up here.

ME is a terrible OS, pls go to W2000 or something else newer. Its so buggy that no one likes it and was a stopgap measure anyway.

JoeA

Early Windows PC.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1136704675.jpg

:) Just kidding.

I started with a CPM machine, then to DOS and Windows before I decided I had better things to do with my time allocating memory and spending days getting SCSI devices to work with a PC. I gave up and went to the MAC platform when Windows 3.11 was the rigeur.

Still, the three PCs in our household (kids and spouse) seem to be holding up fine (especially the XP versions); so I say, go with a current PC (they're cheap and seem to be faster on the internet) or a MAC (great interface). You won't lose with either one although fending off the latest Windoz viruses can take a toll on your patience.

MHO,
Sherwood

This is almost as much fun to watch as asking a couple attendees at a Star Trek convention if Jean Luc Picard or Kirk was the better captain.