~1500 bucks for a new PC

[jefboyardee]

ORDER CONFIRMATION Thank you for ordering from Newegg.com. Order Date: 8/2/2014

Well, it showed up Friday but I wasn't there, so picking it up tomorrow morning. Right now I have but one 64bit question:

Coming from Firefox 31.0, do I want Waterfox or Pale Moon for a 64bit equivalent? I'm reading that Waterfox is more tightly aligned with Firefox, but haven't had the opportunity to confirm that.

Certain to have more 64b questions...

 

[palmtree5]

Well, it showed up Friday but I wasn't there, so picking it up tomorrow morning. Right now I have but one 64bit question:

Coming from Firefox 31.0, do I want Waterfox or Pale Moon for a 64bit equivalent? I'm reading that Waterfox is more tightly aligned with Firefox, but haven't had the opportunity to confirm that.

Certain to have more 64b questions...

Or you could use the 32 bit version of Firefox

 

[jefboyardee]

Or you could use the 32 bit version of Firefox

Yes, I sure could and I just might, but right now I have a hankerin' for trying the fastest possible things on my new toy.

 

[jefboyardee]

Spoiler

String of unprintable expletives

The video adapter port does not fit my video cable. My cable came with an HP Media Center m7160n Desktop PC

HP Media Center m7160n Desktop PC | HP

 

[lunatic59]

Does it look like one of these?

That would be a DVI connector. Big improvement over VGA.

The adapter is only a few bucks, but you have to make sure which type DVI connector you have.

http://www.amazon.com/KingWin-DVI-D-Female-Adapter-ADP-04A/dp/B009MPB2M4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407806807&sr=8-2&keywords=dvi-d+to+vga+adaptor

 

[jefboyardee]

Yes, rather like the DVI-I. In fact, it also came with a splitter, half the pins on each side. So I guess I want a DVI-VGA adapter? Either that or a new cable or a new monitor or...

 

[lunatic59]

You could go with the adapter, but you have to make sure the pins match up. Could you post a picture of the connector?

 

[jefboyardee]

I think I'll just go to wlmrt tomorrow, and if they don't have such an adapter right now, I'll then make sure one of its monitors has that DVI connection, get that and a cheap keyboard and be done with it. That way, my ancient beast can be donated with its ancient arms and legs... hard to crawl out of the past bit by bit.

 

[lunatic59]

All DVI connections are not compatible. Make sure you get the one that fits yours.

 

[jefboyardee]

I expected something would change VGA when I was hiding under a rock for ten years, but I didn't expect it to blossom into seven different connections, as your diagram shows.

 

[lunatic59]

It's actually only 3 ... DVI-A (analog only), DVI-D (digital only) and DVI-I (both)

The adapters use only the pins they need so the connectors would fit. The only one that a DVI-A to VGA adapter wouldn't fit is a DVI-D which is missing the pins for the analog signal.

 

[jefboyardee]

Port on back of PC:



Included splitter:



Free end of splitter:



I'm about to go to wlmrt and see if the ends match...

 

[lunatic59]

That's a DVI-I connector.

Get a DVI-A to VGA adapter and you should be fine as long as they followed the standard pinout. Did they tell you the make and model of the video adapter in the documents?

 

[jefboyardee]

The only mention of the video card on that page is NVIDIA NVS 290.

Anyway, just got a a DVI-A to VGA adapter, only thing Best Buy had, Wlmrt had nothing except online. Shutting down to try it, results later...

 

[lunatic59]

Okay, now I get it. The splitter thing had me confused.

The NVS-290 DUAL supports two monitors through one port.

256MB NVIDIA Quadro NVS 290 Dual-VGA or Dual-DVI Graphics Card - Overview - Lenovo Support (US)

It looks like you can switch brackets and use it in a slim case that requires half-height cards. That explains the single connector.

Too bad they didn't supply the VGA splitter instead of the DVI one.

 

[jefboyardee]

Well, with that fifteen-dollar (three if I felt like more waiting) DVI-A adapter from Best Buy, I am writing this from my new box. So it and the pewter works, although there's a bunch of video crap hanging out the back now. And the pewter is 64-bit and it is quiet and...



So far, I (a) did right in choosing a good box that is much more future-ready but (b) I really didn't need to escape the past... just had to do something to put my internal argument to bed.

 

[lunatic59]

That "Windows Experience" score is better spread on your garden than taken as an indicator of your performance. FWIW, those are pretty much the same numbers I see. Never had an issue with any aspect of performance.

 

[jefboyardee]

I (a) did right in choosing a good box that is much more future-ready but (b) I really didn't need to escape the past... just had to do something to put my internal argument to bed.

Candidate (b) wins. The new one works okay, certainly boots faster but otherwise not much different. And what it is capable of is beyond what I ever needed

 

[Joelgp83]

Sigh.... that's the point. Who said it needed to be a wildly different experience than what you already have? This is exactly what you wanted -- an evolution, not a revolution in tech.

That whole so much more than you ever need to do is a good thing.They say that software will expand to fill whatever capacity (processor speed, RAM, hard disk space, etc.) is there, so eventually you'll have software that will justify needing the power anyway, and you'll be back here looking for the same stuff again later if you send it back now.

Keep it, and migrate everything over. You'll benefit from saved time in the long run.

 

[jefboyardee]

They say that software will expand to fill whatever capacity (processor speed, RAM, hard disk space, etc.) is there, so eventually you'll have software that will justify needing the power anyway, and you'll be back here looking for the same stuff again later if you send it back now.

Got me there. Gotta ponder that for a couple days... thanx.

 

[jefboyardee]

I stopped pondering and sent it back. It was stupid of me to order it in the first place, especially at a time like this when I'm juggling checkbooks online and can't risk messing up my trusty but pokey system.

Thanks again to all who helped me and sorry I flaked. I know I'll be back when Win9 comes out... ;

 

[jefboyardee]

I know I'll be back when Win9 comes out... ;

Windows 9 Threshold public preview could be released as soon as next month

The clock is ticking on Windows 8, and Microsoft is working hard to usher in the next era of Windows-based computers. A new report says that a Windows 9 public preview could arrive sometime in late September, or early October. The public preview, once it arrives, will reportedly be available to use by anyone. Plus it doesn

 

[jefboyardee]

Explaining this to myself and anyone who's interested:

I titled this thread "~1500 bucks for a new PC." I meant it when I wrote it. I want something new, and I'm willing to spend fifteen hundred bucks for it. But it has to be very new and representative of the future of desktop computers.

This thing I just sent back was almost none of that. It was 64-bit and it did outpower mine, but otherwise it was the same thing. I would've had to perform endless tweaks just to make act like what I already have.

So I snapped, decided I had to get it out of my face and spent actual money to return it to sender. And now that's in the past and no matter how dopey all this was, I'm glad I ended it.

That thing is not what I wanted in the first place. Microsoft forced me to lead myself astray, offering nothing representative of the future of desktop computers with Win8.x. So I accidentally settled for the past.

I hope Microsoft gets it together and fast, or...

 

[sfbloodbrother]

Windows 9 Threshold public preview could be released as soon as next month

The clock is ticking on Windows 8, and Microsoft is working hard to usher in the next era of Windows-based computers. A new report says that a Windows 9 public preview could arrive sometime in late September, or early October. The public preview, once it arrives, will reportedly be available to use by anyone. Plus it doesn

 

[mikedt]

If they are going to give us a new windows 9, then they better give it to windows 8 users for free. I will not pay Microsoft $100 every year because they keep screwing up.

I actually like windows 8, and am one of the few that do. But already for Windows 9.

Microsoft needs to take a look at how Apple runs. Every year or so, Apple has a minor update for their OSX, and I like that. It's better than every 4 years for a major update.

They charge like $20 for the update, nothing to break the wallet. And they get millions of downloads every time. They make lots of money.

If Microsoft is going to Charge another $100 for this already, I may just move to OSX...

did I seriously just say that?

Yes you did say that ... LOL

Apple makes most of their money from selling you hardware of course, like $1,500 laptops, they can easily afford give away new versions of the OS. Microsoft doesn't make anything from computers, they only make money selling Windows, plus selling Office, Xbox, keyboards and mice. Microsoft has been selling Windows for a high price for almost 30 years now, don't think anything is going to change with them. Other thing with Apple, you might need to buy a new computer in order to use the new free OS version. OS X Mavericks won't install on a white Macbook I've got here that's running Snow Leopard, it still has services for MobileMe and iDisk in it, long discontinued. I've got to spend around $1,500 on a new Macbook. ...I won't bother, can't justify the expense. But then I don't buy $1,000 Gucci shoes either. And then when Mavericks eventually goes end of life and out of support, probably will have to buy a new Apple computer again.