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My puter finally died at the weekend. Any recommendations for a decent online retailer?
eBuyer
Got a sweet deal from the dell outlet store online. Check that out I would. Nearly 50% off the scratch and dent, there was only a 3inch scratch on the underside of the laptop!
Apple store
Died how? Beyond economical repair?
Scan, overclockers, ebuyer. All for new ones
For budget reconditioned machines morgan computers.
I've had a couple of Dells now and I've been very happy.
(although I didn't buy them from dell, but from ebay)
Mostly because they are very quiet compared to some other off-the-shelf PCs.
I've been looking at the Zoostorm PCs on Ebuyer and they seem good value, but reports of noise put me off.
If I wanted better, I would build it my myself. It's not very difficult and pretty satisfying, but also not an awful lot cheaper (maybe save £100 on a £700 computer).
If I wanted better, I would build it my myself. It's not very difficult and pretty satisfying, but also not an awful lot cheaper
Sometimes Scan do great [url= http://www.scan.co.uk/todayonly/index.aspx ]TODAY ONLY![/url] DIY combo deals that you stick together yourself.
I bought mine from Chillblast a few years ago. It is awesome and seemed very competitive at the time. I did one of those free benchmark testing thingies recently, and it compared very well to much newer mid range PCs so I can only assume that it must have had quite good bits in it. They also give their computers very silly names like dominator, battlefield and batwing which I thought was funny, and have loads of blue flashing lights and fans the size of helicopter blades.
Cougar - it's a Dell. It won't load up and says there is a hard drive failure.
Another vote for Scan; always had excellent service, and competitive prices - especially the "Today Only" section...
Edit - Why not just replace the HDD? They're reasonably inexpensive and easy to replace. Also, it's a good excuse to get rid of Windows 😉
Cougar - it's a Dell. It won't load up and says there is a hard drive failure.
So what you need there is a new hard drive. Much cheaper than a new computer.
Actually, it's running XP. Could I buy Windows 8 and a HDD from Scan and would it still work? Not sure what type of hdd I need to buy!
Any SATA 2 or SATA 3 HDD (3.5in) should work just fine. As for Windows 8, i'm unsure how your system would cope (I'm unfamiliar with both your PC and Windows 8, but i should imagine it will be too demanding for an older system to run)
You could, assuming W8 will run on your machine (it probably will). You could reinstall XP if you've got the discs, alternatively. Did your machine come with something akin to a 'rescue disc'?
There's two types of hard disk(*). The older IDE disks use a 2" wide ribbon data cable, modern SATA disks use a much thinner cable about half an inch across. You'll need to match up the correct interface. Other than that, they're all much of a muchness.
If it's an IDE drive, you might get lucky and find that removing and refitting the cable is enough to bring it back to life. Make sure the power's off though, or you'll blow the controller.
(* - there's more, but for all practical purposes this is what you need to know)
you can get an OEM licence with the new HDD. Go for W7 over W8 IMO. YMMV.
Depending on what you use your pc for, you could even treat yourself to a 64Gb SSD (For OS & Apps) and a 1TB HDD (for files and Porn) with an OEM licence for £50 + £80 + £65
The older IDE disks use a 2" wide ribbon data cable, modern SATA disks use a much thinner cable about half an inch across. You'll need to match up the correct interface.
I have one of these in my spares box
http://www.dynamode.net/english/pages/product/Datacom%20Products/Conversion%20Adapter/IDE-SATA-SI.html
[img] 
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£5 from PC WOrld
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/dynamode-ide-sata-si-bidirectional-ide-drive-to-sata-converter-02796375-pdt.html
Wow, that looks evil. (-:
I darent use it in case it opens up a Singularity 🙂
Arf. (-:
TBF, that does look to be the sort of thing that would "come in handy"(*) for random hackery, but I'm not sure as I'd want to commit to using it as a primary controller.
(* - sit in the bottom of my tool box and never get used)
(* - sit in the bottom of my tool box and never get used)
Mine's performed admirably as a paper weight on the top of my in tray for the last 2 years. I'd have ebay'd it if it wasnt so damn useful.
That'd be a geeky thread of it's own, wouldn't it? "What essential tool sits unused at the bottom of your toolbox?"
I've just looked, there's an AT to PS/2 keyboard adapter in the bottom of mine. I keep it in the vain hope that I might some day happen across a Model M.
Or one of these.
[img] 
[/img]
Mmmmm clickykeyboards...
So - where to buy hdd and windows 7?
I'd respectfully refer the honourable gentleman to the start of this thread. (-:
Where to buy a PC? The 1990s?
Seriously, I'm struggling to find a set of requirements these days for which the best solution is a computer build to the constraints of compatibility with a computer from the early 1980s, and probably running expensive, bloated and not that useful Microsoft products.
More importantly, where did that steampunk keyboard come from - I NEED one of those.
<Sent from my PC>
More importantly, where did that steampunk keyboard come from - I NEED one of those.
Here's a handy DIY guide.
http://steampunkworkshop.com/keyboard.shtml
Buy a keyboard here:
http://www.datamancer.com/cart/keyboards-c-65.html?zenid=X0PlZTASCSBSnWNE9fbLB0
(as long as you have at least £600)
Cougar
Are those for sale?
Just found the site... wow but not cheap...
[url= http://www.datamancer.com/cart/keyboards-c-65.html?page=2&sort=20a ]http://www.datamancer.com/cart/keyboards-c-65.html?page=2&sort=20a[/url]
If i may bring this thread back on topic, for a minute:
Depending on what the PC is to be used for, i might recommend not using Windows at all. Unless you specifically NEED Windows (for compatibility with work computers, for instance) then you might as well save yourself the extra £80 and use Linux.
For day-to-day use (web browsing, emails, word processing, etcetera) then something like Linux Mint will do everything you expect to do, and will be quicker on an older PC too.
Save yourself the money; burn yourself a Mint DVD, install your new HDD and breathe new life into your PC!