Klondike SASS Life #29713 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I am playing with the idea of a new CPU, I think I want a Intel Pentium Processor, is it really needed? Would a Intel Duo-Core work as well? What is the best processor? I want Windows 7 is that a neccessity? I know XP is stiill available. I need nothing fancy (it can be pink or purple), we don't do games or anything but get on line and forums or list stock in our store and keep it updated. I keep books through Quicken, I also keep spread sheets in excel and of course a word document now and again. I also pay Bills online. I need it to be fast and have plenty of memory. I would also like a 4 in 1 reader, but that can be external. Other than that it really does not need much more. The other programs we use I have discs for, I have several keyboards, 22" flatscreen and I use tracballs. So really I only need a CPU with graphics and volume to watch videos. I just need some guidance. I'm a little leary of Dell, I have a Dell now and have constantly had truble with Norton anti-virus programs. I just want programs to open fast and if I have several open it should still work fast. I am also considering cannabilizing my older units and max out on memory and probably install one of my floppy drive, which we still use. I could install a disc burner too. I do not like laptops, I want a Desktop. Can you help or guide me through this? Thanks Klondike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 The information you have given about the software you run. Windows 7 may or may not run your versions of the software or like Excel uses a newer format and you need to be careful when opening old Excel files and then saving them. Old Excel program will not read the newer version unless you remember to save in the old format. New = *.docx Old = *.doc Also the software you names really doesn't need a super fast processor. I run a tower with AMD 64 duel core and only 2 gig of Ram. I do a lot of graphics and only use about 30% of the processors ability. I do not do gaming. As for online, I don't know. I am still on dialup. I can open several windows and let them all load while working in any choose one. I did buy a laptop 3 weeks ago. It is Windows 7 64 bit with duel core Intel. It is fast but when I bought it I paid $39 to have all the trial software and commercial ads removed before I received it. The techie said that freed up about 40% of the ram and processor that was choked. I am wondering if you were to have your machine cleaned up, remove all temporary files and all programs you do not use and other items loaded on start up if you wouldn't be happy again. You wouldn't have to invest in new software. Your current software is most likely not 64 bit and will not run faster on a 64 bit machine. Windows 7 comes in two flavors. Home and Pro. Pro comes with the ability to run in XP mode where the home version does not. You can down load an add on for Home but it's too large for dialup downloading. So I don't know how it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Canyon Kid #43974 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 IMHO, Windows 7 is the best product MS has released lately. It does have a feature that allows programs designed for older MS operating systems to work with it. All my old software ran fine with Windows 7. Concerning CPUs, I always try to purchase the fastest CPU I can reasonable afford. That is usually what was the fastest about 6 months before. The latest is always too expensive for me. That way the price is OK and still has excellent speed. Get more memory and hard drive space than you think you will ever need. Get a good portable hard drive to back everything up including a copy of your complete hard drive. I do a complete back up of all my files every month. I back up my often used files daily on a flash drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kajun Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Kondike....what are the specs on what you are using now CPU Memory (RAM) Hard drive size Operating System From what you have described your needs for a really fast CPU and lots of memory are minimal. It may be that you can just add a little memory to what you have, clean off all the "nagware" and unnecessary junk and you'll be fine. Look at what is in the "STARTUP" folder and see if it really needs to be there. Most of the time you'll find junk that has been added over the years that can be removed. Examples would be the Faststart for Adobe, MS Office startup, graphic card monitoring programs and other junk. If you find something that does not need to be there just delete it....you'll actually be deleting a shortcut to the executable program so you won't be removing the program from your computer, it'll just be stopping it from running when you first boot your computer. If you right-click on the bottom of the screen a menu will pop up...click on Task Manager. In that program you can find what is running, how much memory is being used. You can also look at the Processes Tab and see if there is some "junkware" running. You have to know what you are looking at in the Processes Tab to make any determinations but that will be a good place to look. However, if you just want a newer desktop confuser Office Depot or Best Buy or some other brick and mortar store around you will have plenty of sales for Christmas. You can buy a pretty good desktop confuser for under $400. The link below shows a Compaq desktop on sale now for $269.00 plus junk fees (tax). http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Compaq+-+Desktop+/+AMD+E-Series+Processor+/+4GB+Memory+/+750GB+Hard+Drive/3651044.p?id=1218424166917&skuId=3651044 There are plenty of others as well....I just chose a low price model. Let us know what you decided to do!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Klondike, having just bought a couple of desktops, and working all day long developing software, let me toss in a few more tips. First, it is very likely that, if your old machine is only about 3 years old or less, you could have it re-loaded with Windows 7 Home Edition, 32 bit, and be able to keep going for a couple more years and be satisfied. I'd let a good computer shop do that operating system install. They will remove programs you don't run, simplify the list of things starting when the machine starts, etc. And they might add to the memory to get up to 4 gigabytes, which is all that a 32 bit operating system can use. Second, new machines are pretty darn cheap now, so it may be worth it to just get a new desktop box. I have been having better luck with HP boxes lately than with Dells and most other brands of "ibm/microsoft" flavor PCs. But, HP is most likely going to quit making personal computers, so if you want a new one of theirs, you will have to do it in the next couple of months. You don't need a super fast processor for what you are doing. An AMD or Intel dual core (two processors on a chip) that is moderately priced will probably do fine. You can go up to at least quad-cores (4 processors on a chip), but they don't make much difference unless you are running several big programs at once. The most important part of getting your computer to start and run programs quickly is to: 1) Keep junk programs off the computer - no extra toolbars in browsers, no extra little utilities, etc. If you buy a new computer, it will be FILTHY with extra programs that are installed at the factory, with the hopes of getting you to try and buy their full blown programs. Things like photo editors, label makers, etc. If you get your computer at a big store with a computer support staff, spend the extra money ($100) to have them clean out all those extra programs and streamline your startup! 2) Get as much memory as the operating system can use. Windows 7 comes in either a 32 bit or a 64 bit capability. 32 bit operating systems can use up to 4 gigabytes. 64 bit operating systems can handle up to about 32 gigabytes of memory. Even though the old programs you have are 32 bit programs, they will run the same on a 64 bit operating system, except you can have 4 of them running at the same time (like Excel and browser and Word and Quicken) without bogging down the machine. I'd suggest you think seriously about "Windows 7 Home Edition 64 bit" operating system, just for this capability in the future. For a good read, that does not get TOO technical, see this link: http://windows.micro...-64-bit-windows Good luck, GJ And, there are better, easier to use, and cheaper anti-virus and firewall programs than Norton. I use Bit Defender myself, and really like it, and it's cheaper, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal May Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I am playing with the idea of a new CPU, I think I want a Intel Pentium Processor, is it really needed? Would a Intel Duo-Core work as well? What is the best processor? I want Windows 7 is that a neccessity? I know XP is stiill available. I need nothing fancy (it can be pink or purple), we don't do games or anything but get on line and forums or list stock in our store and keep it updated. I keep books through Quicken, I also keep spread sheets in excel and of course a word document now and again. I also pay Bills online. I need it to be fast and have plenty of memory. I would also like a 4 in 1 reader, but that can be external. Other than that it really does not need much more. The other programs we use I have discs for, I have several keyboards, 22" flatscreen and I use tracballs. So really I only need a CPU with graphics and volume to watch videos. I just need some guidance. I'm a little leary of Dell, I have a Dell now and have constantly had truble with Norton anti-virus programs. I just want programs to open fast and if I have several open it should still work fast. I am also considering cannabilizing my older units and max out on memory and probably install one of my floppy drive, which we still use. I could install a disc burner too. I do not like laptops, I want a Desktop. Can you help or guide me through this? Thanks Klondike As you state above your needs are minimal. Any current desktop computer will more then meet your needs. However you dont state what operating system you have today or what versions of your current software you have today. This is important to consider. If you move to Windows 7 you may need to also upgrade your application softwares. Probably a good idea to get the latest release of Quicken and Microsft Office if your current releases are old. You say you dont like Dell but you really only dont like Norton Antivirus that was installed on the Dell. This is not a Dell product. Just remove Norton Antivirus and replace with another antivirus product. Maybe you will like Dell again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I see mention several times of cleaning up unneeded trash/programs. I hear advertisment of things like doubleyourspeed.com, etc., is that what these companies do to give your computer speed? Might be good companies but I often wonder if they may also "steal" data. I'm kindof in the same situation as you Klondike but do think mine computer just needs cleaning up. bb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 "Might be good companies but I often wonder if they may also "steal" data." ==== This is a real possibility. But before having any machine cleaned up by a techie or online access cleaner, you should back up all your data and make sure you have disks for all your programs. Then before having someone clean your machine, delete all your personal data files. Then defragment your machine twice to remove all traces of your data. Once will protect some but not all. Two times will rewrite the disk sectors. Deleting files only changes one bit at the front of the file so it is not read. The data is still there but can be written over. Until it is written over it can be recovered but specialty software. De fragmenting the disk lifts all the files up and places them else where on the disk closing up the spaces where deleted files live. Once your machine system has been cleaned up, put your personal data back on. If any of your programs have been deleted or corrupted, your can reload them as needed. Time consuming. Yes. Loss of boot legged programs. Most likely. But if you have disks you can reload them. No disk. Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 My son is rough on computers, but in the end, he has what GJ suggests, and it does just fine, even running several programs at once. Windows 7 64 bit Intel core i3 processor 6 GB ram 500 GB hard drive the multireader is built in. His is an HP we bought through Best Buy a year and a half ago. It replaced a Dell that was dead at birth, and another Dell before that which was never right. We only bought the box (ya get keyboard with it) already had a good monitor. It plays office (excel etc) '03 version just fine. Myself I am about given up on desktops. My laptop, a Toshiba, (middle of the road version of their Satellite line) has all of the above specs too, and was about $600 6 mos ago. It kicks butt. If you go laptop, get LED backit display, it will run a lot cooler and battery live longer. Hint, with a lappie, yer not chained to one place, and it will still run yer big monitor if ya want. I can take my "office" on the road, running the lappie out of my truck or any McDonald's parking lot, or even get "tethered" online via my Droid. phone..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I see mention several times of cleaning up unneeded trash/programs. I hear advertisment of things like doubleyourspeed.com, etc., is that what these companies do to give your computer speed? Might be good companies but I often wonder if they may also "steal" data. I'm kindof in the same situation as you Klondike but do think mine computer just needs cleaning up. bb They make money because people have all sorts of trash THEY DOWNLOADED raising the devil in their machines. Weatherbug, groupon, and all that "tool bar" junk is no no. Microsoft has a free suite of antivirus stuff that works as well as Norton 360 (which I still have, until it runs out) and ya don't need anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shoer 27979 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I see mention several times of cleaning up unneeded trash/programs. I hear advertisment of things like doubleyourspeed.com, etc., is that what these companies do to give your computer speed? Might be good companies but I often wonder if they may also "steal" data. I'm kindof in the same situation as you Klondike but do think mine computer just needs cleaning up. bb I would like to know how do you know what a trash program is as compared to something that needs to be running ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kajun Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I would like to know how do you know what a trash program is as compared to something that needs to be running ?? Ah grasshopper....that is where the knowledge lies!! It takes some experience to pick through the bunches of processes running to know what every little program is. This website is a good place to research the function of the programs running in the Processes tab (www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/) (I tried to insert a web link but for some reason the Wire is not saving the link) To get the list of programs that are running....right click on the Task Bar at the bottom of the screen...then click on "Task Manager"...then click on the "Processes" tab and you'll see a list of all of the programs that are running. If you click on "Image Name" at the top of the list of files it will put them in alphabetical order (easier to search that way) You can see the name of the program and use the website above to see what the program does. There is another tab in that window called "Applications"....this shows the applications that you click to run like Word or Excel or Internet Explorer. This is not the place to look for "nagware"....they are programs that you clicked on to run. You can also click on "Mem Usage" in the Processes tab and this will sort them in order of the amount of memory they use. If you are looking for memory hogs this is a good way to find them. It gets a little tedious doing the detective work to sort out the "nagware and trashware" but in the end it will free up some memory resources to allow your computer to run a bit faster. Of course the easy way is to just throw in as much memory as you can and it cures a lot of ills. Fact is memory is pretty cheap nowadays and it is the easiest way to make your computer run faster without all of the other expensive stuff like buying a new computer and installing a faster processor. Hope this helps.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I would like to know how do you know what a trash program is as compared to something that needs to be running ?? Unless ya do a good bit of research, often times ya can't. My old laptop, running Vista, would open all sorts of stuff and leave it running even after it wasn't needed. Drove me nuts when the CPU was maxed out and the fan running wide open for no good reason. Windows 7, 64 bit is much cleaner. One point to be made is like a truck, yer better off with a big motor in yer computer running 40% of it's potential than a small motor running wide open. Today that means Intel "core" i3 or better, and 4 to 6 gb of ram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Graham, # 26112 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Klondike, I hate Norton, too. I use something called Fix-It Utilities by Avanquest. It not only does the security thing, it also does a lot of the clean up and fixes to keep the PC running the way it's supposed to that is a PITA to do yourself. It's very easy to walk through the choices and set it up to fix registry errors, clean out old files, broken links, scan for viruses, run a backup, pretty much anything you need to have done gets put on a schedule (every day, once a week, whatever you want) and then it just does it. It will even select and turn off all those junk things that come alive on startup. It knows what ones to shut off so you don't have to try and figure it out on your own. You can get it online or at a Staples or other places they sell software. Upgrades for new virus stuff download whenever the hackers come out with new nasties. It doesn't get it the way and keep popping up and pestering you, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 I notice your stuck in MS/DOS land in a big way. Seriously consider giving up the PC and switching to MAC. There are even MS applications that will now run on MAC just fine Coffinmaker PS: Look at the iMAC. Seriously !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Damwright Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Start Run (if it isn't on the menu, type " run " in the search box above start and it will find it, click on it) type " msconfig " Click the tab at the top that says " Startup " Click the button for " Disable all " Put the check back in the box next to your antivirus program (in the list) click "Apply" then " Ok " Reboot and watch how much faster it boots up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Adams 3674 Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 I notice your stuck in MS/DOS land in a big way. Seriously consider giving up the PC and switching to MAC. There are even MS applications that will now run on MAC just fine Coffinmaker PS: Look at the iMAC. Seriously !! +1 Get a Mac and don't look back. After a week with the Mac you will be throwing rocks at PCs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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