Computers? (sale, 2013, buy)

[momtothree]

Thanks Barosa! I am doing this on a budget so it has to be a desktop. But thanks for the tips. I will write down what I see tomorrow and compare online. I hadn't thought of amazon! I use them for everything else plus have their prime so it's like duh for me.

whispers-you mean there is a bad part in Charlotte? (just kidding! don't shoot!)

[krokus]

One thing, if you are going to trash your old PC, and you do not mind keeping your old OS, what ever it be, you can transfer the license to the new PC and save yourself the cost of a new OS.

Of course you may hanker after Windows 8 but, XP (and others) are still a very vaible OSs for home use if you are on a really tight budget.

[pgmommie]

Originally Posted by krokus

One thing, if you are going to trash your old PC, and you do not mind keeping your old OS, what ever it be, you can transfer the license to the new PC and save yourself the cost of a new OS.

Of course you may hanker after Windows 8 but, XP (and others) are still a very viable OSs for home use if you are on a really tight budget.

Agreed. I trashed an old computer but installed XP on it and used the license from the computer I trashed. I have ditched ditched that one and built a win 7 machine. Got my components from NewEgg.
remember that Microsoft is ending their support for XP very soon. That will be important as far as security issues going forward.

[momtothree]

Both computers unfortunately have windows 8. I am actively looking for win 7 for the new computers. I will probably put the older computers back to Vista before donating (original software for them) and use the win 8 on my laptops. Win 8 does well on them. Again thanks!

[paulosfm]

We have had three built by ATD Computers on the north side of Charlotte (they closed their store on Monroe Road where we had the PCs built. The consolidated two stores). Talk to Ryan and tell him your requirements.

[pgmommie]

I second ADT.

[krokus]

Originally Posted by pgmommie

remember that Microsoft is ending their support for XP very soon. That will be important as far as security issues going forward.

No really. Nearly all the improved security that MS have put into their newer OSs is to protect the user from themselves. I say this because a well setup PC is very hard to attack so long as you follow some simple rules.
- Set the firewalls on your home router and all your PCs to reject all request packets except on port 80
- have a decent anti-virus/malware program that is correctly set up and that you actually RUN on a regular basis. Mine runs 3 times daily and deep scans every week.
- Don't download (and run) from unknown/untrusted/unscanned sources.
- Don't open unknown/unscanned email attachments
- Stay clear of websites that are likely to try to execute "drive-by" scripts.
- Disable browser add-ins and unknown toolbars(Java is getting better).
- Use a heirarchy or passwords based on their importance. Change them regularly and do not use the same ones over and over.

I could go on and on here but all of the above is really just common sense.

Lastly, if "they" want to get you, they will. There is stuff out there that makes even my bald head of hair curl. However since you are not Uncle Sam or a place that contains profitable (any definition) they probably won't bother.

[Barфsa]

Originally Posted by krokus

....
- Set the firewalls on your home router and all your PCs to reject all request packets except on port 80

You should not allow any request (non ACK) packets on the untrusted side, and especially on port 80. On the home side it really doesn't matter that much as long as you have the wireless security nailed down.

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I got tired of constantly trying to keep ahead of the endless problems with Windows security. I recently spend 3 days cleaning a very nasty virus off my Mom's machine because of it. For my own personal use on machines where I'm not running software that absolutely requires Windows (games) then it's Arch Linux.

[krokus]

Originally Posted by Barфsa

You should not allow any request (non ACK) packets on the untrusted side, and especially on port 80. On the home side it really doesn't matter that much as long as you have the wireless security nailed down.

---------------

I got tired of constantly trying to keep ahead of the endless problems with Windows security. I recently spend 3 days cleaning a very nasty virus off my Mom's machine because of it. For my own personal use on machines where I'm not running software that absolutely requires Windows (games) then it's Arch Linux.

Errrmm. Every website load starts with an ACK packet (hi, here I am.). Port 80 has to be open on the PC.

[TJJT]

Haswell->DDR3-1xxx and Piledriver->DDR3-1xxx and SATA-600 is current, good luck getting that from a retailer or PC shop..