Daft PC question

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

As long as the Microsoft disk has the relevant hardware drivers on it then yes, but as its Packard Smell then it probably wont and you'll then end up fannying around with drivers to get everything to work.

The OP said the machine was a few years old, so I'd figure that an XP disc (if the machine can even run XP - that depends on how many a "few years" is), would have 99% of drivers for an old machine.

But then, I'm a big fan of "give me an internet connection & 5mins, you'll have all the drivers on there."

Originally Posted by Baph

Ah, that's why then, you're Ghosting. That would format the disk before it does anything, then it would setup the disk for booting.

Anyway, I think this is bordering on a derail.

Fair enough. Guess it dont matter too much now... My last two computer builds dont have a floppy drive.

I only have the joy of those at work!

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Baph

But then, I'm a big fan of "give me an internet connection & 5mins, you'll have all the drivers on there."

Yes but thats no use if you have formatted your PC and done a fresh xp install but then you dont have the drivers to make your modem or ADSL route work isnt it.

Its one of the reasons I'd never buy a Packard Bell, they never use standard bits and pieces and everything is packard bell specific which can be a right royal PIA.

To be honest id never buy a pre built, I been building my own now fo 5 years. Cant go far wrong if you know exactly what you have!

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

To be honest id never buy a pre built, I been building my own now fo 5 years. Cant go far wrong if you know exactly what you have!

Well when you have been building PCs for 15 years and not just for yourself but for friends and family who all think that because you're a friend/family that it entitles them to FREE technical support FOR LIFE, you may reconsider, but until such time ... go for it LOL

Nowadays, I recommend pre-built's to friends and family simply so that IF/WHEN it breaks down or just goes slow I can just say "where did you buy it from? ask them!"

Its not that I don't try and be helpful (whenever I can), but sometimes it comes to a point where you just have to say "look, if it's that bad, take it back to where you bought it from and tell them".

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Pedro68

Nowadays, I recommend pre-built's to friends and family simply so that IF/WHEN it breaks down or just goes slow I can just say "where did you buy it from? ask them!" .

Thats my thinking to, theres not much I cant fix, but its nice to know that if it does go completely pete tong I can get them to ring the manufacturer and get it sorted out that way. Its nice to have that option in your back pocket I think.

Originally Posted by Pedro68

Well when you have been building PCs for 15 years and not just for yourself but for friends and family who all think that because you're a friend/family that it entitles them to FREE technical support FOR LIFE, you may reconsider, but until such time ... go for it LOL

Nowadays, I recommend pre-built's to friends and family simply so that IF/WHEN it breaks down or just goes slow I can just say "where did you buy it from? ask them!"

Its not that I don't try and be helpful (whenever I can), but sometimes it comes to a point where you just have to say "look, if it's that bad, take it back to where you bought it from and tell them".

Yea i dont plan on getting into that trap! I just build my own and the one for the imediate family.

I also dont rate pre builds because of the hardware they use. A typical pre built that compainies like Dell sell are usually kitted out with good numbers, by that i mean good CPU with a nice amount of RAM and HDD space, but then to keep cost down they put in a £20 special Graphics card (arguably the most important part of a computer) and Motherboard. These are really two items you shouldnt skimp on unless all you want to do with the computer is go on the internet...

Best thing i know of recently is companies selling Vista on compters with 1GB RAM or less, it takes more than 1 GB of RAM to run Vista properly, never mind programs. . Madness.

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

Yea i dont plan on getting into that trap! I just build my own and the one for the imediate family.

That's the very people I'm talking about ... family ... who think they can get away with phoning you up at the drop of a hat and telling you that they've just pushed their XD card into the SD slot, and it appears to now be rattling around inside the computer This is just the start LMAO

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

I also dont rate pre builds because of the hardware they use. A typical pre built that compainies like Dell sell are usually kitted out with good numbers, by that i mean good CPU with a nice amount of RAM and HDD space, but then to keep cost down they put in a £20 special Graphics card (arguably the most important part of a computer) and Motherboard. These are really two items you shouldnt skimp on unless all you want to do with the computer is go on the internet...

Yup ... you got that right LOL but I'm willing to buy a pre-built and upgrade it myself when I see fit

I remember some twit in PC World trying to sell my friend a PC with a DVD drive in it when she specifically said "I don't need one, I have a DVD player for that", the argument was fun, but pointless, and its always a laugh seeing the faces of the staff in PC World flumoxed by a simple argument

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

Best thing i know of recently is companies selling Vista on compters with 1GB RAM or less, it takes more than 1 GB of RAM to run Vista properly, never mind programs. . Madness.

This isn't just a recent phenomenon ... jeeez this one has been raging for years I remember companies flogging PC's with XP on and 256MB RAM

Software is always pushing hardware requirements ... its the way of the world (of IT). I remember buying "Need For Speed" for the PC thinking, 'This is gonna be fantastic driving around in cars that look and sound like the real things and it's gonna look great on my Pentium 120Mhz BEAST' ... what I failed to notice was the memory requirements which my PC fell well short of, and so my brand new game ran in a window the size of a postage stamp, at a resolution more akin to early 1970's home video console game systems, and at about 2 frames per second not quite "Need for Speed" and more like "Need to READ (the system requirements!)" LMAO

Originally Posted by Pedro68

Yup ... you got that right LOL but I'm willing to buy a pre-built and upgrade it myself when I see fit

I remember some twit in PC World trying to sell my friend a PC with a DVD drive in it when she specifically said "I don't need one, I have a DVD player for that", the argument was fun, but pointless, and its always a laugh seeing the faces of the staff in PC World flumoxed by a simple argument

Best PC world quote i have is "whats an hard drive?" the assistant said "One moment ill ask my manager".

That is no word of a lie. How on earth did they get a job?!?!?!?

Another one was with digital TV. Well you may or may not know that some arials needed upgrading to be able to get enough signal gain as to produce a good signal so the picture doesnt break down and go all pixelated.

Well a guy from PC world was explaining to a customer that they needed to get a arial with the right distance between the directors had to match the wavelength of the sqare waves which a digital signal uses....

What is the major problem with this statement? Well id guess its the fact that a digital signal still uses a analgue carrier with the digital signal modulated onto it. So the arial is still picking up a analgue signal...

(i know it isnt PC's but still, its a corker!

Haha classic ... my classics include:

Me: Do you have any "dumb" keyboards?
PCW staff: Are you taking the micky?!
Me: No, it's a MIDI keyboard!
PCW staff: What's one of those then? I don't think we do them.
Me: Oh right, it's ok I've found one here, anyone know anything about these?
PCW staff: Yeah, but he's gone home for the day now. Sorry m8 I ain't got the first clue about those.
Me (to self): No sh*t Sherlock!

That digital TV one is funny LOL but the hard drive one! Shocking!! LMAO