Advice please on buying a PC?

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moonjiver
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Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby moonjiver » Mon Dec 07, 2015 1:45 pm

Well, Geoff, I think I have to take up your offer and beg for helpful advice on this, since it's a big step forward with my technology.

I bought a good HP laptop well over a year ago but couldn't set up broadband because the landline was problematic - interference which got steadily worse over many months and eventually obliterated numerous incoming calls. PO Phones called in the BT Openreach guys and, after two visits, they finally replaced some old connections at the exchange. Problem solved - but it took eight months!

I then found myself slapped with a £140 charge - because the BT guys coudn't find the fault first time round! Fortunately I knew something about BT's dubious practices and sent two rude letters, refusing to pay for replacing their aging equipment and threatening to cut the line off.

All ok now, they have given in, but it has wasted me a whole year and now I am switching to another provider - I'm quite impressed by the reputation of Plusnet, though I'd consider paying for fibre-optic if it was available in this locality - not so apparently.

But I'm also switching to a middle-range PC - I'm much more comfortable with a large screen, full-size keyboard etc. especially for work with images, I also need to install good photo-editing software. I have so far been advised that it's early days for the "all-in-one" PCs, more prone to faults and harder to repair, so I'm looking at the traditional tower computers. I know little about brands although I have seen a couple of HPs I liked, Lenovo and Asus seem to attract more criticism.

The other main issue is that I can't decide whether to buy a PC with Windows 10 already installed. There has been a storm of complaints about bugs etc. - although maybe problems arose more when people upgraded their computers from Windows 7 or 8 rather than a comletely new installation?

I also don't really have time just now to do a lot of learning on a new OS - how big and painful a jump is it from Windows 7 to 10?!

If anyone has the time to chip in, it would be much appreciated

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Richard
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Re: Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby Richard » Mon Dec 07, 2015 6:47 pm

Hi MJ,
My old computer was trashed by win 10 and I cut my losses.
I bought 2nd hand computer on eBay (231125416327) if you paste it in you will see it.
It works very well on the win 7 prof., it came with, I already had a monitor, so that was ok without.
I installed 'adblockplus' and all was fine and dandy!!

Stupidly I accepted an invitation from Msoft to upgrade (free) to win 10 and it quickly became a rats-nest of virus attacks and pop-ups and multiple web pages opening each time I launched Explorer.
Adblockplus did not work and Msoft 'Edge' seems unnecessary.
Quickly reverted to win 7 and everything is back to normal, I can't believe it should have been called win 10, more like Pandora on speed, they can stick it where monkeys put their nuts!!

I do like the mobile phone style of boxes which can be shuffled around at the start menu and the right-click on the windows button, but I can do without for now.

Not sure why some people think it's wonderful, my experience says otherwise.

Good Luck!!

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moonjiver
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Re: Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby moonjiver » Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:57 pm

Richard, thanks very much, that's just the sort of anecdotal information I need, to tell me what things I should watch out for. From what I can gather, one of the big issues people are coming up against is non-compatibility between W10 and installed programs etc.

I will be sèeking some IT help when I start setting things up, but I suppose the thing to find out is whether MS are issuing patches and updates (or in the near future) to deal with these problems. I'm hoping tp pick up a PC in the sales (they fit in nicely with my schedule!) but I don't have to rush to actually order broadband thereafter. Might be better to wait a while.

I wonder also whether buying a PC with W10 already installed would make a big difference? Currys are making lots of assurances and promises to me (at a price) on that but it could well be all sales talk!

KC Computers in London Road have a good reputation but again they will want to push a PC with W10 on it. When I talk to these shops, they just downplay all the problems in a very cocky way of course!

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Geoff
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Re: Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby Geoff » Tue Dec 08, 2015 12:54 am

Brand is not so much of a concern, a PC is a collection of modular components that are put together in a branded box. The important thing is making sure the components are of reputable quality and match your usage needs.

So, the big question has to be... what are you going to use the computer for? What software has it got to run?

I generally build my own computers as that way I get to choose exactly what goes inside, but if you need to buy a pre-configured box then take a good look at the specs (both for initial performance and upgradability when the time comes). Free memory slots, spare hard drive connectors etc etc.

If the PC comes with windows 10 from the outset then it should be fine. Seems to be upgrades that cause the problems (in my experience anyway).

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moonjiver
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Re: Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby moonjiver » Tue Dec 08, 2015 3:42 pm

Thanks Geoff, that's rather what I was thinking, that maybe starting afresh with a new PC with W10 installed might be less problematic than upgrading an existing system.

I think a computer built by myself probably wouldn't even boot up .. it has to be a pre-configured system, but from a good shop where I can get decent advice. However I'm aware of the need to get the biggest RAM and hard drive, fastest speed etc. that I can afford, as well as spare capacity for upgrading later, all to stave off obsolescence ..

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Richard
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Re: Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby Richard » Tue Dec 08, 2015 6:38 pm


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Derek Jempson
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Re: Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby Derek Jempson » Wed Dec 09, 2015 6:18 am

Yes - God Mode was available in Windows 7, but I'm not sure about earlier versions of Windows. Creating the God Mode folder is rather magical and within are dozens of tempting tweaks. The temptation is to try a few to "see what they do", but it requires a methodical approach otherwise you will forget what settings you have changed and might not be able to get back to what you had. Best left alone in my opinion unless you need to do something specific.

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moonjiver
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Re: Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby moonjiver » Wed Dec 09, 2015 12:53 pm

I read the article, still not quite sure whether this is a MS approved thing or a sort of hack ..

I don't think I want to play God with a computer just yet - with my limited knowledge there might be the Devil to pay afterwards ..

I get a lot of useful tricks from the computer mags, usually straightforward tweeks and fairly trustworthy!

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Derek Jempson
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Re: Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby Derek Jempson » Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:18 pm

It's an MS approved feature, but still risky in the wrong hands.

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Richard
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Re: Advice please on buying a PC?

Postby Richard » Wed Dec 09, 2015 6:26 pm

does not work on XP.


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