New Dell Windows Vista Computer :-)

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Ambush Commander
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New Dell Windows Vista Computer :-)

Post by Ambush Commander »

Alright, alright, I know we all hate Dell and we all hate Microsoft, but at $700 I think I got a reasonably good price for a replacement for my 3+ year old current desktop. It's a fairly low-end Dell Inspiron 531: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+, Windows Vista Home Premium, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB space, 1 DVD-RW drive, 22 in wide LCD monitor, NVIDIA GeForce 6150 LE, and some other silly things that I don't really care about (not into gaming or intensive video editing, just 'dis programmer, oui?) These specs represent a fairly major upgrade from my current Dell Dimension 2400 with an Intel Pentium 4, Windows XP Home, 40 GB, 512 MB RAM, 1 DVD-RW drive, 17 in LCD monitor, and some video card I don't know the name of.

I intend on transferring all of my personal settings over to the new computer, and then repurposing my old system as a Linux box (after, of course, making a complete disk image and backing it up). Windows Vista, obviously, will give me the most grief. Anyone have any suggestions or helpful tips, having gone this way previously?
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feyd
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Post by feyd »

Sounds like a good upgrade for a good price.
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Kieran Huggins
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Post by Kieran Huggins »

Dell makes many fine machines, quiet too.

As for tips... here's one: use the XP license from your previous machine and install a fresh copy of XP on the new one. You're ditching the XP install on the old one anyway, no reason to be stuck with crappy Vista.

Also, I've found it's always best to do fresh installs of software, then overwrite the app's "Application Data" directory after the install with the one from your old machine.

Enjoy!
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Ambush Commander
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Post by Ambush Commander »

Sounds like a good upgrade for a good price.
Thanks. It was a two-day discount, so a bit of an impulse purchase, but a lot of others agreed it was a good price.
Dell makes many fine machines, quiet too.
Weeell, my first Dell didn't have any space for a second hard drive or memory expansion, which severely hampered by upgrade capabilities.
As for tips... here's one: use the XP license from your previous machine and install a fresh copy of XP on the new one. You're ditching the XP install on the old one anyway, no reason to be stuck with crappy Vista.

Also, I've found it's always best to do fresh installs of software, then overwrite the app's "Application Data" directory after the install with the one from your old machine.
For a regular transfer, this would be good. However,

1. From what little I've used it, I like Vista. The interface looks nice, the computer's powerful enough so that it's snappy, there's a number of small improvements that I like greatly (better search and a clickable path view). I'm sure when I actually try to use the computer I'll be cursing Vista's name, but right now I'm willing to put up with some problems

2. I seek to completely reconstruct my system configuration from scratch. I've botched a lot of things in my original computer that I'd like to get right this time. Starting from a clean slate, so to speak. Also will give me a chance to thoroughly document my configuration.
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Weirdan
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Post by Weirdan »

Nice price it seems. I recently upgraded to similar configuration (though I kept my old CRT monitor) for about 400USD. Vista works just fine most of the time (I haven't managed to set up ICS yet)
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Maugrim_The_Reaper
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Post by Maugrim_The_Reaper »

After using Vista I'd almost return to XP...almost. Developing on Vista isn't a huge change from XP, but it just has a annoying niggle where console commands when they are finished are reported as ended/failed programs with a popup. It's possible I'm just too lazy to go look for a solution ;). Otherwise no huge difference from XP.

I'd agree it's a good price - and it's not all that bad a system. Enjoy ;)
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Benjamin
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Post by Benjamin »

Although the specs are good, I would be concerned with the system buss speed and the heat sinks on either the north or south bridges (can't remember which one I'm thinking of). Reason I say this is because:

1. I have an old HP with a slow buss. Put 2gb ram, new (seagate) hard rives, crazy video card, new processor (P4 2.0), optimized and updated Windows XP and it's still a very slow box.

2. I have a new HP with one of the best AMD64 Dual Cores, 4gb ram, PCIe video card, 800MHz buss and it's a pretty fast PC, except when the bridge chip gets too hot and the PC locks up. I managed to stabilize the system by mounting a fan directly above the chip. It stopped locking up after I ensured that the bridge stayed cool. This thing wasn't even overclocked or in a hot environment. HP must have gone the way Sony did and decided that the longevity of their products is worth less than the tiny cost of decent heat sinks.

Anyway and regardless, I'm surprised you made this post. All the computers I have except my laptop have been built from scratch. When I bought my first PC back in 2000 I was reinstalling windows on a biweekly basis. I'm really in the dark about what you mean when you say "botched" pc. Software is a variable and the hardware is a constant. If the hardware works and you have drivers for it there really isn't much to botch.
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Post by DaveTheAve »

Congratulations!

Now in 7 days download Ubuntu Gusty and use that!

Note: I'm a Kubuntu fan but KDE seems too extreme a change for a new linux user.

Note #2: Once you get Gusty installed, install Compiz Fusion... You'll love the ability to map your four screens to a cube and spin around them to see everything along with the ability to watch a window wobble when you move it.
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Post by ReverendDexter »

DaveTheAve wrote:Note: I'm a Kubuntu fan but KDE seems too extreme a change for a new linux user.
Funny you say that, of the two major windowing managers, I always thought KDE to be the more MSWindows-like.
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DaveTheAve
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Post by DaveTheAve »

Really? I always thought KDE was too extreme for the "happy Windows users" requiring so many options; where-as gnome, assumes most of the options for you.

FYI: This is my opinion and it is made in general and not to be taken program-specificly.
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Ambush Commander
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Post by Ambush Commander »

Although the specs are good, I would be concerned with the system buss speed and the heat sinks on either the north or south bridges (can't remember which one I'm thinking of). Reason I say this is because:
That's something I haven't heard of before (which doesn't say much, since I do not do much hardware hacking). Is 800MHz considered a good speed for the system bus? Hopefully Dell's heat sinks are better... I really wouldn't know how to test for that.
Anyway and regardless, I'm surprised you made this post. All the computers I have except my laptop have been built from scratch.
As I mentioned before, I'm not really into the hardware side of things. It tends to be an expensive hobby with constant obsolescence. Yes, I probably could build my own PC, but why bother when you can get cheap, commodity hardware?
When I bought my first PC back in 2000 I was reinstalling windows on a biweekly basis. I'm really in the dark about what you mean when you say "botched" pc. Software is a variable and the hardware is a constant. If the hardware works and you have drivers for it there really isn't much to botch.
Yes, but given the complexity of Windows, cruft accumulates, and as you very well know Windows will often need to be reinstalled many times. I, quite simply, don't have that luxury: my setup works, and it is very complicated, so I absolutely need it around in case I'm trying to recreate something and I can't seem to do it. I.e., I need another PC. Also, considering I only have 1.5 GB space left on the original, it's difficult to find somewhere to put all this data.
Now in 7 days download Ubuntu Gusty and use that!

Note: I'm a Kubuntu fan but KDE seems too extreme a change for a new linux user.

Note #2: Once you get Gusty installed, install Compiz Fusion... You'll love the ability to map your four screens to a cube and spin around them to see everything along with the ability to watch a window wobble when you move it.
I remember seeing a demo of XGL, and being wowed, but also wondering, "So, how does this help me out?" A Windows to Linux transfer probably will be too disruptive for me, especially since some programs I use (Mathematica, Adobe Photoshop / InDesign, etc.) are only for Windows. I strongly suspect Wine will be a lot of trouble.

As for KDE versus Gnome, give me a fast windowing system. I'll be spending most of my time in command line anyway. ;-)
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Post by ReverendDexter »

Ambush Commander wrote:As for KDE versus Gnome, give me a fast windowing system. I'll be spending most of my time in command line anyway. ;-)
That's why I use Xubuntu, which uses XFCE instead of KDE or Gnome. Not as pretty, but a lot lighter.
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Benjamin
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Post by Benjamin »

800MHz buss speed is good yes. I'm not really a hardware guy either.
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Kieran Huggins
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Post by Kieran Huggins »

Install Gutsy on your old machine! Also, compiz-fusion comes installed/enabled by default now :-)

To get the cube, you'll have to install the compiz settings manager, which for some reason wasn't installed by default.

They've really toned down the "in your face / just because" 3d settings to a comfortable level, now it feels very natural.

I miss the cube in windows, it's especially good in a one-monitor setup. I find it easier to map the desktops in 3d.
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ReverendDexter
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Post by ReverendDexter »

I refuse to call it a cube until it has a top and bottom. Until then it's just a loop.
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