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Advice needed for new computer

Fantasticfourum
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Advice needed for new computer

Hi
I have decided that my Dell with max memory of 512k is not adequate any more so i wondered if anyone has any recommendations
I want just a base unit basically with motherboard and basics as i have good hard disk flat screen etc I want something that can swallow up most new games and be fast when doing any other work or using programmes etc I also want something that can be upgraded something Dell seem very restrictive about. My budget is around £300. Secondly can i transfer my hard disk and operating system to a new computer with a commercial programme i managed to transfer my current system onto a 500gig hard disk but wondered if that was possible to do this with a new computer with no operating system Any help would be greatly appreciated. PS I havent got the time to build my own although i would love to but being self employed etc etc
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shutter
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

Have a look on this site..... big firm, local to me, have been in showroom, and get monthly catalogue....
they build to your own requirements, or you can have "off the shelf" versions.... you need to add in the Operating System to the cost, as it is not part of the deal...
www.novatech.co.uk/
Oldjim
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

First question is easy - no you can't transfer your hard disk and expect it to work for two reasons
- first is that the windows license you have is OEM and won't transfer
- second is that the motherboard etc. will require a totally different driver set which will totally mess up windows.
Remainder of the questions are more difficult as £300 won't get you a computer which will play modern games such a Crysis.
Quick pricing
Intel dual core CPU £120
Motherboard £60
Memory £40
Graphics card £75
Case £30
Power supply £40
Total £365 and that won't play Crysis and doesn't include an operating system
penfold
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

Just a thought, but what Dell do you currently have. You may be able to save some money by adding more memory.  If its gaming you want, does it have a PCI-E x16 slot??, or at a push an AGP  if so, you can just get a relatively decent Graphics card. This also means you can keep your OS, and save cash.  Its just a thought Cheesy
samuria
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

Your O/S depends what you have and what your new pc is. I have got it to work a few times but its pot luck. if its the same basic startup ie if you are going from an Intel cpu to a Intel cpu you can sometimes get away with it. if you go from AMD to Intel or Intel to Amd it wont even boot. If you do get away wit hit windows will load lots of new devices the first time run.
If its a Dell with a Dell O/S often it checks its running on a Dell bios in which case it will fail. Its a suck it and see job with 50% chance of it working. You may be able to boot from the O/S cd and do a repair so you dont loose your settings etc but again if its one that check the bios this wont work.
The only think that may work is Acronis True image if you can take an image as they have an addon you can get which will restore to different hardware called Acronis Universal Restore® and as an addon its only £4  http://www.acronis.co.uk/smb/
Fantasticfourum
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

I cant increase memory any more have tried but my dell dimension 4300 will only go to 512  Thanks for the other replies plenty to think about, disapointed about
transfering hard disk as i have so many programmes that have been updated numerous times but i will only be able to load the original disks that will be a real
pain in the backside looks like i may have to increase budget to £400 -500..Thanks
7up
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

Quote from: Fantasticfourum
I have decided that my Dell with max memory of 512k is not adequate any more

Quote from: penfold
Just a thought, but what Dell do you currently have. You may be able to save some money by adding more memory.

Yeah I'd say he definately needs a memory upgrade  Grin Cheesy Wink
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Fantasticfourum
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

Just looked at the acronis site and if it does what it says on the box then it looks like that may work and save me a lot of time and effort Many Thanks for that
Fantasticfourum
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

I have looked into it and the Dell Dimension 4300 cannot take any more memory than 512 silly as that sounds.
if i had known how difficult it is to upgrade Dell i would never have bought it in the first place especially as i spent £1400 on it how times have changed price ways
7up
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

Yep they do cost a lot when new and from a brand manufacturer. No idea why. Thing is you pay through the nose for one and then get some awful support when you need it. Want to reinstall windows? It's a hacked up OEM version stored on the partition of the drive you just replaced because it died. Want to upgrade the memory? You can't because it won't take anymore. Want to speak to someone on the phone? Press options, 2, 1, 6, 4, 3, 5, 1 and then be told no-one is available and try again later etc.
I'd never buy another brand machine. The only good experience I had with one was a Packard Bell but the motherboard on that died after 3 years (all the capacitors started leaking badly).
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Oldjim
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

My first point has been missed.
Your XP license will not work on the new machine - fullstop
Fantasticfourum
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

Not sure if im reading this right but below are the installation instructions which state you do not have to re-install the os
so will this not have taken account of the license key problem otherwise it would be useless ?
You can restore an image to a new system in 5 easy steps.
Step 1:
Boot your replacement system with the bootable media you created and select recovery in the Acronis® True Image menu
Step 2:
Select the image to restore and the Acronis® Universal Restore option
Step 3:
Acronis® Universal Restore initiates the restore process
Step 4:
Acronis® Universal Restore detects the hardware and installs drivers
    * The product detects the machine type and installs appropriate drivers for Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)
    * The product detects hard disk controllers (SCSI and IDE)
    * or
    * The product prompts you for driver locations
Step 5:
The machine reboots
Once this process has completed, you have a working system to a replacement machine. No reinstallation of the operating system or applications are required. No re-configuration to join the network is required, as the product retains Security Identifier (SID) and network information of the system during recovery.
With Acronis Universal Restore, complete system recovery can be accomplished from an image, with no reinstallation of the operating system, applications or any reconfigurations or individual files and folders restored. Since Acronis True Image Echo Enterprise Server creates a transportable image that disassociates the data from the underlying hardware, recovery can be implemented to an existing system, to a new system with different hardware, or to a virtual server.
7up
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

Quote from: Oldjim
My first point has been missed.
Your XP license will not work on the new machine - fullstop

Just because it hasn't been acknowledged doesn't mean it has been missed. I read it and remembered you saying it. If that goes for me, imagine how many others it goes for. You stated a fact which didn't really need a response so none was given. Thats all. Don't take it personally  Wink
@Fantastic:
No idea as I've never used Acronis. Sorry! Someone else might be able to help. I did try using partition copying techniques years ago for backing up etc. It didn't work out so well with windows booting from one drive and then 1/2 way through switching to the other for services and other stuff. It was VERY mixed up and resulted in both partitions being wiped.
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Oldjim
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

@okrzynska
It wasn't pointed at you but at the OP who seemed to be continuing down the track of using Acronis to move it over to a new machine which wouldn't work with his existing license.
I wasn't taking it personally but I thought the OP was going down a route which wouldn't work. - hence the emphasis
7up
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Re: Advice needed for new computer

I have known it work though in the past which is odd. Typically the windows licence key is entered once and thats it. Some versions do use hardware detection, others don't (like the Volume licensed editions).
While windows is windows, it isn't always the same windows... if that makes any sense.
I don't dispute what you're saying as I would normally agree but sometimes it does work. I've done it myself using Partition Magic7. It didn't work so well the 3rd time but the first 2 it worked nicely.
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