130 replies to this topic

[Ron.M]

Ztruker: Thank you , kind sir...

Later.....

[Ron.M]

OK , Fellas & gal(s) :: GOOD NEWS....I bought a "new" used ( <==oxymoron) computer at Ebay...It's a Dell GX280...Some of the specs are:

Item Specifics - PC Desktops
Condition: Refurbished
Brand: Dell
Operating System: Windows XP Professional
Processor Configuration: Single Core
Primary Drive: CD-ROM Memory (RAM): 1 GB
Bundled Items: Keyboard, Mouse, Network Card
Processor Type: Intel Pentium 4 HT
Processor Speed: 2.8 GHz
Processor Configuration: Single Core
Hard Drive Capacity: 40 GB

The price is $126.99...I'll be getting it sometime next week..
Here's a pix of it...



There's a LOT more to this that I can't & won't put here....
It also has a 30 day warranty..
IF you would like to see more , I've included a link to Ebay...
http://cgi.ebay.com/...ewI...y0=&fvi=1

This one will (I hope) be better than the one I'm on now...
I'm hopeing that it will solve the YouTube problem....

Your opinion WILL be GREATLY APPRECIATED.... .....THANK you VERY much....

[Ztruker]

Ron, you got the small mini-tower. Specs are here: http://support.dell..../ug/specs02.htm

Looks like a nice machine. Has two serial ATA controllers supporting one device each and one parallel Ultra ATA/100 IDE supporting two devices per channel with one channel. Uses 400 & 533 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory., max of 1GB.

Definitely much better than what you have now. Have fun.

[tallin]

Good luck Ron and have fun as Ztruker said.

[Abydos]

Hi Ron Yes, it is a good improvement for the money. I don't know the various prices where you live, but converted to Danish "Kroner", it is a bargain. Good luck with your new purchase, and let us know how it behaves when it arrives Regards

[Ron.M]

tallin , Abydos & Ztruker:..

tallin: Thank you for your comment...

Abydos: Thank you also for your comment & I will let you ALL know
how it behaves when it arrives...

Ztruker: Thank you VERY much for all the info...I went to the link you provided...In all honesty , most of what I read there is Greek to me...That's why I came here...
To a novice like me , it seems like a good unit loaded up with various programs at a very good price...& with a guarantee...
It will be a week or so until the "new" one is up & running...

tallin , Abydos & Ztruker:..THANK you VERY much for your kind help....... ..... ....

Later....

[Ron.M]

Dear Everybody: ..... I'm back...

Good news (sorta) ...The "new" comp arrived today...I'm very impressed....Very clean & seems to be working perfectly.....

However I can't go online just yet....As advertised , there's no modem in it...I'm trying to find one....Dell wants about $34 + s&h for theirs...Too much...I'm searching for a cheaper one....

That brings up a "new" problem....Here's the deal...The old Dell I'm on now has 20GB hard drive with 768MB RAM...
The "new" Dell GX280 has 40GB hard drive with 1 GB RAM....The hard drives are not interchangeable..... Nor is the modem ...

What I want to do is get all the programs & files off of the old Dell and onto the "new' Dell without buying a ton of CD-RW's etc to do it...I know it can be done...I just need help as to how....

Before we get too deep in this new situation , let me say this...
I realize this thread has gone waaaay beyond it's original topic...I'm perfectly willing to start a new thread for the above problem......Please advise me if I should or not.......

THANK you VERY much for your help........

[Doug]

Ron.M, What kind of modem are we talking about here? Do you subscribe to "dial-up" internet service, or DSL? As to the Hard Drive. I'm presuming that the older HD was ATA/IDE flat 40 wire ribbon cable? Is the new one SATA? You can always get an external enclosure to mount that older HD for attachment via USB for external backup and storage. (caveate: it's a pretty small and old HD but may still serve your needs.) (Most folks would want a 250gb, 500gb or 1TB external, even though few people ever use all that space) I haven't looked to see if you've already started a fresh thread. Sorry, if I missed it. You can continue here, or start fresh.... your choice. Best Regards

[Ron.M]

Doug:

What kind of modem are we talking about here?
Do you subscribe to "dial-up" internet service, or DSL?

I'm talking about an internal modem for dial-up...

I'm presuming that the older HD was ATA/IDE flat 40 wire ribbon cable?
Is the new one SATA?

Yes to both....

You can always get an external enclosure to mount that older HD for attachment via USB for external backup and storage. (caveate: it's a pretty small and old HD but may still serve your needs.) (Most folks would want a 250gb, 500gb or 1TB external, even though few people ever use all that space)

.In my Dell GX1 , I'm only useing 7.05 GB of space out of 20 GB...The "new" one has 40 GB.....Plenty for me for the foreseeable future...Altho 250 GB or more would be nice to have , I should be set for quite awhile...
Here's the link to the comp I bought at Ebay in case you'd like to have a looksee...You'll have to scroll half way down the page to get to the specs etc...===>

http://cgi.ebay.com/...ewI...y0=&fvi=1

I haven't started a new thread yet....Depends on what happens here....

Can you help with the data/files/programs transfer &/or the modem ???
I would certainly appreciate it
Thank you VERY much for your reply....

PS: My hotmail email is NOT working........ ...... It's the website...Won't load up...After I log in it keeps looping with a message that says "You are now entering a secure location"....I click OK , the screen goes all white , a few seconds the message reappears , I click again OK & it keeps doing that forever....So I'll check back here periodiacally for any other replies until that is fixed by MS Live...

Later...

[Doug]

So what is the issue with the dial-up modem. Size? Maybe it is the old type that requires the longer PCI slot? Do you have an open standard PCI slot available? You should be able to get one for under $15 new. Or a local computer shop may just give you one, since they are often removed. As to moving data, pictures, tunes, etc.... You should have them backed up to CD anyways. Do you. Do you have a CD Burner? Maybe not in your old machine, but yes in your new machine? If you need to, you can canabalize the CD-RW from the new machine. Install it temporarily in the old machine, long enough to save/burn to CD your documents and such. Then pop it back into your new machine to receive the information you just stored/saved to CD. "Programs" ordinarily don't "transfer" from machine to machine. That's because when you "install" the program, the installation wizard identifies the various hardware components of the current machine and sets up "addresses" that correspond to the current machine. So, in order to have the same programs on your new machine, you'll have to use the original "Installation Files". You may have downloaded and saved some of them. If so, good, but you may be able to download newer versions. Some of the programs, you may have installed from Floppy or CD. In those cases, you will need the original floppies or CDs. However, more than likely you can find good applications that will serve your purposes by browsing online. If you have difficulty finding specific utilities/applications/programs, you can post a list of what you need. Maybe some of our helpers will already know where to find them free. Or maybe some of our helpers will suggest an alternative or even better application. Give us a little more information about what your situation is regarding Burning CD's and about the programs you use. Best Regards

[Doug]

Darn. Looks like your new machine has only a CD - ROM (Read Only)
This would be the first and maybe only upgrade that I'd make to that machine.
If possible, purchase a DVD-RW.
If you plan to keep this machine for a few years, I think you'll find a movement away from CD and toward DVD.
DVD-RW can also Play/Read/display from CD.

Have a look, here: http://www.tigerdire...p;searchbtn.y=0
You'll probably be able to get a good one for under $30.
______________--

I see what you may mean about the modem.
That's a narrow box.
Measure with a ruler - how wide the back-plate is for the locations to install PCI cards.
Let us know.

[Doug]

On second thought, that opening is probably standard, and the problem is either "space inside the box" or that the modem from your old machine requires the older-longer PCI slot?

[Ron.M]

Doug:...
I got 3 of your posts to reply to...
Please bear with me as I'm an old fart with Alziemers...

1st post:...(the LONG one)

So what is the issue with the dial-up modem."I need one.."
Size? " I'm guessing 56KBps"..
Maybe it is the old type that requires the longer PCI slot?.."What is a PCI slot ??"
Do you have an open standard PCI slot available? .."There are 2 slots available for??"

Do you have a CD Burner?
Maybe not in your old machine, but yes in your new machine? "The old unit does , I'm not sure about the new one..

It has been a LONG time since I used the floppy...
As for the rest your post: I was hoping to use a USB port to transfer the files etc....I have some files burned on CD's...Not all...The programs that I use are Anti spyware , anti-virus , WM Player...Not very diverse at all...The rest are mostly Documents etc , nothing fancy...

2nd post:...

If possible, purchase a DVD-RW.

I'm up for it , but I'm a little confused...I read that DVD's & CD's record & playback useing different methods.... I'm concerned that if I get a DVD-RW & record a file or program , it may not work properly & vice versa....I'm not into watching or recording movies on DVD's from my computer....Just the downloaded clips...

Measure with a ruler - how wide the back-plate is for the locations to install PCI cards.

This is a SFF (Small Form Factor) version...We got 3 inches....I tried to use the one from this unit I'm on now , But the steel bracket is too long.....I did not notice if the amount of pins are the same for the "new" unit...

3rd post:....

On second thought, that opening is probably standard, and the problem is either "space inside the box" or that the modem from your old machine requires the older-longer PCI slot?

I think "space" is not a problem...I did not compare whether the the two slots are the same length...Will do that later & let you know...

Doug, THANK you VERY , VERY much...

Have to go & answer your message.....Later....

Edited by Ron.M, 17 March 2009 - 04:34 PM.

[Doug]

Ron.M, Please post the physical description of your present modem and particularly the part about the bracket being too high.

[Ron.M]

Doug:
The modem I'm useing now is a Diamond SupraMax LE....Model 56K PCI LE....
The bracket is the steel plate that the circuit board is attached to & is used to guide the modem into place...
.When I put the modem in the new Dell the steel sticks up so I can not close up the computer case...
There is an "L" shape on the top of it that has a small slot for a small screw to anchor it to the computer frame...
The new Dell needs a 3 inch steel plate to fit properly...
The old Dell measures about 5 inches...Too big.....

Hope this helps....

Later.....Ron..