So I guess I wasn't meant to buy a new computer today

[LynneSin]

You have to realize, the last couple of computers I've owned I bought off of Ebay and installed it with the software I aquired after years of working desktop support.

I just thought it would be nice to buy a damn computer and have it all setup. Hell the only thing I do with my computer is play music and post on DU - not like I need a processor capable of splitting an atom or something like that.

So I bought computer #1 - an HP with some nice features but it was an open box buy. Got it home, removed the AOL installed my verizon and the computer would not boot.

Figured it was because it was an open box buy so I decided to get a Compaq (which is like Mercury to HP's Ford), got it home and went to setup it. Didn't install the AOL or Norton AntiVirus (I use Zone Alarm and AVG). IT DID THE SAME EXACT FUCKING THING.

So back to Circuit City a FOURTH TIME (had to make a 3rd trip to retrieve my damn DSL disk I left in the first computer). On the way home I swung by Best Buy and they had the Sony that I really wanted as another open box buy for a great price. I go to ring it up - CREDIT DENIED!!! :grr:

Turns out it takes 3-5 days for the return credit from the first two computers to clear through and for some bizarre reason my credit card company will allow me to purchase well over my credit limit provided I was still at least $1 under at the time of purchase :grr:

So now not only is my credit card maxed but I could feasibly get hit with over limit charges and an increase on my finance charges.

:grr:

So I guess I'm just meant to stick with this crappy compaq with the 20gig HD and PentIII for the rest of my damn life. I wouldn't care about the speed or processor but I'm running out of space for my music (down to 2.2 but that's only because I've compressed the hell out of everything).

As for the credit card company, I talked to them and she said that once the credits come through (which when I called Circuit City they said it's usually 3-5 days) that I should call them back and they'll fix it so I don't get hit the fees & changes in my APR (which is suppose to be 0% for a year). Hell I work for the company they better not screw me over. And oh, if there is a moral to this story - call your credit card company and ask them to remove the feature that allows you to go over your limit as long as you were under when the charge was made. Because that feature might seem handy until you see an increase in APR & penalty fee for going over. Had I known I had it I would have declined it.

Thing is, I really wasn't going to buy a computer today

[Maestro]

1. Please don't buy any computer at a store.

You seem knowledgeable of computer. Go to www.newegg.com and buy the parts you need and assemble it or go to www.monarchcomputer.com and buy a barebones system plus WinXP Pro with SP2. Load it up and voilá. You are done.

[LynneSin]

3. But I'm not that knowledgeable anymore

and I'm just tired of "do-it-yourself". My last couple of computers were off-leases that I got with nothing more than a "C:>" prompt and I worked it from there. I just wanted a damn no-brainer.

Last time I did desktop support was over 5 years ago. Hell I didn't know what was standard for processors and other equipment these days and honestly I'm kinda glad I reclaimed that space in my brains again. It really wasn't knowledge that was serving me any purpose today!

:cry:

[ET Awful]

8. Hell, if you were closer to me, I'd tell you to buy the parts

and I'd build it for you. I do it for friends at least once a month or so.

[Maestro]

20. Well check out the Monarch Computer site.

Get a barebones system add a hard drive with the OS of your choice, a vid card, memory and some optical drives. I have dealt with them before on several occasions including just this past December when I bought a barebones system from them and I have always been satisfied with price and service. I don't know their politics, but they seem to be customer oriented.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

2. WHOA! Where's the fire! First, what computers do you have?

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[LynneSin]

4. I still have a computer - it's just getting old and running out of space

:cry:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

6. Want me to research it for you?

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[LynneSin]

10. Not really

Not sure where this line of questioning is going or why you keep popcorning me. It's been a long day and my brain is fried

:cry:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

12. PM me. BTW, the popcorn is just so me ............

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[LSK]

5. usb external hard drives

Just get one of these and your storage problems are solved.



http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=332732&pfp=cat3

[LynneSin]

7. Ok, but can I store and play all my music on it?

with a decrease in the sound quality?

Because that's what I was thinking of getting next although I did tell my friend that I would give her daughters my current computer - oops!!! :cry:

[LSK]

9. yeah, its just like adding another hard drive

[Crazy Guggenheim]

11. No that's only for backup.

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[LSK]

13. but it works like another hard drive, mr flamewar

:popcorn:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

14. Get lost ............

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[LSK]

16. still not working...

:popcorn:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

17. What are you a shrink?

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[LSK]

18. ok, that was borderline...

But still not GD worthy.

:popcorn:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

19. I could start one in GD but I don't have the energy for it right now.

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[LynneSin]

15. BTW Abbott has been sulking since I got home

He thought that Compaq Box was a new toy for him and he was having so much fun playing Hide & Seek with Evita!

[RebelOne]

21. I had a Gateway that I bought from my sister for $100.

It finally died after two years. So since I only use my computer at home for surfing the Web, I bought a cheap emachine for only $399. It has a 40-gig hard drive. I've had for 3 years now and it's still working perfectly.

[KatyaR]

22. I've been having that same computer problem--

a four-year-old computer with 126mg of memory and a 20g hard drive running Windows 98. It works really well except for the memory being almost shot and the hard drive being maxed out, and that's with me burning stuff to disk all the time.

Last week I started to buy a stand-along hard drive for $180, but I also need more memory, a new monitor, and a Windows upgrade. I found a Compaq V2000 for $769 with $180 in rebates, total price $579. I figured it was better than spending that much on upgrades, not that I won't probably do it anyway farther down the line--I can use the desktop to run my wifi network on, etc. It was definitely worth it--I've never had a laptop of my own before, and I'm really enjoying the wifi part of it. Of course, now I want a new computer desk and a new printer to replace my dead one, so it will end up costing a lot more than I original spent, but oh, well . . . .

Hang in there--just be patient, and it'll be worth it.