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This is from CNet’s Desktop Computers Buyers Guide.
General purpose user
These days, $500 to $1,500 will net you a desktop with a dual-core CPU and enough power to run productivity apps, view and edit vacation photos, manage MP3s and videos, and even play many of today’s games–the core activities most common to families, students, and the general purpose PC user. At $1,000 and up, you should easily be able to perform those tasks. Spend around $500, and in most cases you’ll still be able to run common tasks without delay, although 3D gaming becomes a stretch. You will definitely find a dual-core chip in a $500 PC (you should insist on a dual-core chip these days, unless your budget keeps you under the $500 mark), but Vista could still give you trouble. Be sure the PC is equipped with at least 1GB of memory, and it’s a good bet that you’ll be able to smoothly run Vista. Add in a 128MB graphics card, and you’ll get the Aero effects with little to no performance loss.
At PCS you can still get a new machine with Windows XP. (Home or Pro) The buyers guide no longer considers this possibility. All of our desktops come with a complete three year warranty. Additionally, unlike a big box store we don’t have 4-6 month old “new” computers on our shelves.
When, not if, but when, your computer gets infected after calling us at 563-388-1727 you need to call your bank and have them change your password. It is also advisable to do this for Paypal and also Ebay and any brokerage account you may access online.
A computer virus lying in wait for a few years is now stealing online banking log-in information around the world, but several major banks operating in central Ohio say it hasn’t hit their customers.
The Clampi malware — also called Ligats and Rscan — is a Trojan virus, which means that it infects a computer when a user visits an infected Web site.
While evidence exists that Clampi first surfaced in 2007, the latest uptick in online crimes began in July. The Washington Post reported three instances in which cyberthieves siphoned money during that month.
In the first case, a Kentucky county treasurer’s computer was infected with the malware, and the county lost $415,000 to cybercriminals, The Post reported. In the other two cases, online crooks took more than $700,000 from a public-school district near Pittsburgh and robbed an auto-parts store in Georgia of nearly $75,000.
Obviously running a lot of programs at the same time and also viruses. But most machines never perform like they did the first week you buy them. Here is one good reason:
Registry errors - a common problem
Every time you (or your kids) load a program, game or file, your PC’s software registery is updated with new instructions needed to operate that item.? However, when the item is removed, these instructions usually remain on your PC.?Every time you run your computer it tries to execute these instructions but, because the related program can’t be found, it causes a registry error. Your PC is doing a lot more work than it should be and the result is a significantly slower computer. We can fix this!
This morning while on WOC, the conversation turned to uninstalling an existing anti-virus software before installing any new one. If you are upgrading within the same brand, then you are fine. If you are switching brands then the old one must be uninstalled, because they don’t play well together.
Removing a program used to be easy, just use Windows Add/Remove. This is no longer the case with most current AV software. You will need to download the company’s removal tool in order to ensure you have correctly removed everything. Or instead, you can bring your machine in to our store, have us remove it, install the ONLY program we sell, all for $50.00
This is direct from Consumer Reports.
Here’s how to boost your PC’s performance:
Tidy up. Does your computer take a little longer than it used to to start up? It’s possible that too many programs are trying to start when you turn the machine on. To pare them down in Windows, go to the Start menu, click All Programs, and then Startup. Once in the menu, delete the programs you don’t need to see in the taskbar right from the get go, or just don’t use that often. If you don’t recognize a program, don’t delete it until you’ve determined what it’s used for. You should also clean up your hard drive: Delete temporary files by running Windows’ Disk Cleanup tool under Programs-Accessories-System tools. It’s usually safe to choose all the listed items except “Compress old files.”
Uninstall unnecessary programs. If your hard drive is more than 50 percent full, the computer will run more slowly. One way to free up space is to uninstall programs installed that you never use anymore. To do this in Windows, first go to the Control Panel. In XP, click on “Add/Remove programs.” In Vista, click on “Programs and Features.” Then scan the list of installed programs for those you don’t need and follow the instructions for uninstalling them. Temporary Internet files, cookies, and other downloaded items can also clog up your hard drive. Delete those in your browser by selecting the option under the Tools menu.
Add memory. This is an inexpensive way to speed up your computer, especially if you have less than 2GB installed. You should notice the difference instantly.
Defragment the hard drive. With frequent use, a computer’s hard drive can become less efficient at storing and retrieving files, a process known as fragmentation. To spiff up its performance, defragment it, either by using the operating system or a third-party software application. The process can take hours, or even a day or two, depending on the size of the hard drive. —Will Dilella
We take absolutely no responsibility for any inaccuracies in the story below. It is copied directly from the linked website. If we find we have been duped, we will remove this post immediately.
I took the computer (PC), restore CD and power cord to Best Buy (Geek Squad) on 8/28/09. The employee told me that they charge $69.99 to Diagnose the computer; the employee told me that the geek squad would call me when they were done. I received a voice mail message from the geek squad 4 days later on 8/31/09. I went to the store and talked to the employee about the (PC). I was told that the Hard Drive was bad. I asked the employee what needed to be done to get the (PC) working again. The employee said, “The Hard Drive in your computer needs to be replaced”. I asked “How much will that cost?” I was told, $129.99 + $49.99 + $69.99 + price of a new hard drive. I was told hard drive price was around $50.00. (Copy of service order included with this letter) I told the employee NO THANK YOU and that I was not ready to spend that much on the (PC). I paid the $69.99 for the diagnostics and took my NOT WORKING (PC) home. I was OK with the $69.99 diagnostics charge at that time. That same night my next-door neighbor and I were talking about the (PC) problem I was having and he told me that his teenage son fixes his computer when it stops working properly. I asked my neighbor to have his teenage son look at my (PC) to see what he can do. I gave him the computer, restore CD and power cord. The (PC) DID NOT work properly anyway. Two (2) hours later that teenager came to my door with my WORKING computer. I asked the teenager how he fixed it and he told me that he formatted the hard drive 2 times in a row. He also told me that he had to do the same thing to his friends (PC) he fixed a few weeks before. He formatted the (PC) then turned it off rite away, restarted the (PC) reformatted again then installed the operating system. I spent 20 minutes checking out the (PC) then I paid him the $50.00 he wanted for fixing it and Thank him over & over again.
Some of you may wonder why Microsoft has chosen to call the new version of Windows; Windows 7. I think that they know only six previous versions of their operating systems actually work.
Should you rush out and upgrade to Windows 7? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Unless you were the person who signed up for drug trials during college, there is no need to upgrade. Let Microsoft work out the problems that are inherent with all new operating systems. Windows XP will be supported until at least 2014 and there is no direct upgrade from XP to Windows 7.
Even if you are unfortunate enough to have Vista, we suggest you wait 10-12 months before upgrading. History has shown that this is typically the length of time until the first Service Pack is issued. User beware.