I want to replace my computer
 

I don't think we are going the laptop route.

Here's what I want to do.


I like my monitor. It's just fine. It's from Hewlett Packard.

I like my keyboard (It's a Keys-u-see big key keyboard.

I DO NOT LIKE MY HARD DRIVE, so when I say COMPUTER, please know that I am referring to the TOWER, okay??

I have a HP MEDIA CENTER PC, 3700+ AMD Athlon 64 Processor, Windows XP, 1.0 GB memory, 200 GB HAR DRIVE With Integated ATI RADEON XPRESS 200 GRAPHICS.

There are all sorts of slots in this thing that I can hook up cameras to (I never have by the way). I have various USB ports and PS2 ports, and serial ports. etc. etc.

Can I do the following?


Can I bring this TOWER to the guy a few blocks from here and request him to MAKE THIS A NEWER COMPUTER? Can he re-format my hard drive and then install Vista (or whatever is newer on the market today?", Can he give me more RAM, MORE HARD DRIVE, and whatever comes with the new computers.

See, I don't need a new keyboard, monitor, printer, THEY ALL WORK JUST FINE.

But a long time a go, I got hit with a virus and this darn thing has never really been right ever since. Sometimes it freezes, it's slow to get online, and I just said "Why on earth can't I just bring in the tower and have him give me NEWER STUFF?? That way, I still get my computer, I know how to use it. I know where the two cd roms are. I have a Light Scribe DVD plus,minus writer./CD writer. The other rom drive just says CD ROM

SO CAN I DO THIS??

Oh, and if I do this, then I gather all I have to do is unplug the stuff from the back of the tower, and replug all connections, (i.e. monitor, printer, logitech mouse, logitech camera, etc), when I get it back from the computer guy? Can I do this?

And here's my really good question. Do I have to re-install the modem software? I remember that Verizon told me that software IS IN THE MODEM, so if I can just re-plug everything from the tower, and then re-plug everything again, WELL, CAN I DO THIS?

Thanks much.

P.S. The only other alternative is to buy a completely new desktop and this way sounds MUCH cheaper, no???

Melody

Hi Melody, I believe you can do all the things you want to do. The only thing you might want to do is price the items you want to change, and then ask the guy down the street how much the labor will be to do this upgrade.

Once you find out how much this upgrade is going to be, then go look around at some of the new computers. Here lately the prices have been coming down on computers, and you might be surprised to find that buying a new one wont be all that much more than upgrading your old one.

I was wondering if you know if your hard drive and DVD are SATA or not? I am guessing it probably isnt. SATA makes programs, picture editing, video editing, and DVD burning a bit more snappy than what you would be used to, and if you add a core 2 duo processor it will be quite a bit faster than what you have. Especially if your computer speed has been slowed by a virus, or just plain old clutter in the registery.

You can look on newegg.com, or tigerdirect.com for just the tower prices. The prices are very reasonable, and wont break the bank like they used to.

You will love how much faster your computer will be no matter which way you go I can guarantee that :winky:

P.S. Your new or old computer should be able to see your internet connection without any software

Hi Allen:

You said:

"I was wondering if you know if your hard drive and DVD are SATA or not? I am guessing it probably isnt. SATA makes programs, picture editing, video editing, and DVD burning a bit more snappy than what you would be used to, and if you add a core 2 duo processor it will be quite a bit faster than what you have. Especially if your computer speed has been slowed by a virus, or just plain old clutter in the registery"

lol lol I'm hysterical. I wouldn't know a SATA FROM A SOTA!! How can I find out if my hard drive has this SATA?? I don't do picture editing, or video editing. I just make my videos and upload them on youtube. I do sprouting and my sprouting friends seem to like viewing my latest sprout videos. And I've never burned any DVD's but I do have the lightscribe writer thingee so I gather I could if I wanted to. I STILL USE VCR's by the way. lol

I would guess this media center that I have can do ALL THOSE FANCY EDITING stuff, but that's not my thing. I have no idea why I even got the media center edition of XP.

If I go the Vista Route, is there any particular kind I shoudl get?

Oh, one more thing. I can replug my modem into the back of the tower right (I mean if I upgrade), and even if I get a brand new computer, all I have to do is plug the modem in the back of the tower right?

I can't find my modem software and I remember when I got Verizon dsl, the cd didn't even work right and the lady at Verizon had to walk me through the whole installation.

Do I have to DO THIS ALL OVER AGAIN? or is the software already on the modem.

See, I have lots of questions and very few answers. And you're going to LOVE what happened earlier today.

I am SUPPOSEDLY the COMPUTER GURU in my neighborhood!!! ME!!!! Can you believe that?? All of my neighbors are well into their 70's and some are over 100. Very few have computers and if they do, it belongs to one of their kids or grandkids.

Well, earlier today my doorbell rings and it's the lady who lives on another block. I know her but not well. She said "I heard you are a computer expert". I responded "I am????" I laughed and said "What's wrong?"

She said "You have to come home with me, something is wrong with my computer". I just looked at her because believe me, she wouldn't know how to use a computer or go online if her life depended on it." I then said "you use the computer?" She said 'yes, for my music".

So I'm thinking "this lady has music files and she knows computers??"

So we go down into her basement and there's this BEAUTIFUL DELL WITH A WIDE SCREEN MONITOR AND WINDOWS VISTA and all neat stuff and she can't do anything with her mouse.

I saw a pop up on her monitor that said "you are unprotected, go and check your McAfee".

so I said "oh, you have no virus protection right now". Well, she had no clue what I was talking about and she's running around the house yelling "I have no virus protection, I have no virus protection, oh my goodness"

I said "take it easy", let's just reboot" and I did.

Everything came back up perfect;. I then said "how do you listen to your music". And she said "Put me online". I saw the AOL icon and clicked on it, and her name came up and she put her password in and BINGO, some radio thing came on and she was running around the house calling me a genius, clapping her hands, and asking me if I wanted a drink".

I never laughed so hard in all my life. I gather her son programmed the computer that all she had to go was click on AOL and the home page was some radio thing. That's all she did. Then she could go about her housework and listen to the music.

So I am the neighborhood computer geek, and I'm on this message board asking about modems and computers.

You gotta love this.

Melody

weigh the cost,,and check out the tech,,,and yes ,they can soup up anything,,,good thing about the new ones,,their fastand cheaper now,,starting under 300,,,, i still have my old dinasar hp,,i like it alot,,my pc before that i had it worked on several times,,it wasnt the same even after a complete wipe and reinstall,,only bought me another yr out of it ,but it wasnt the same,,,weigh the cost,,you may be disapointed,,,or maybe not,,if you like your machine,,soup it up,,i still have mine as a backup,,,

Maybe all you need is a new hard drive??

Have someone install it, copy over the OS files- or did you ever make those back up/ restore cds?
they could be used to set up a fresh system on the new drive and keep all the old stuff on the old drive as your back up files.

I don't know if HP is still proprietary , meaning they have to use HP stuff /operating system to repair/rebuild...:(
unless you do a full rebuild motherboard and many internals.

a good tech guy should be able to estimate what you have, vs new, vs replacing a few things to help you figure out the best way to go from here.

here's some places to compare prices- new pc or various parts..
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...EW.asp?CatId=6
http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCateg...me=Desktop-PCs

http://www.pcdirectsource.com/parts.cfm?Cat=53

Okay. I have two more questions. Actually one, because NO ONE ANSWERED MY MODEM QUESTION. Can I just unplug what I have now connected and just re-plug the modem and IT WILL WORK??? Or do I have to install modem stuff?

And now here's my other question. Suppose I don't want to keep my tower. Seems more trouble than anything now that I think of it.

Can't I just go to the computer store and say "I want to keep my monitor, and keyboard and mouse, all I need is a NEW COMPUTER!!

Then he shows me what is on the market today, and I say "okay" and I buy it for WHATEVER, because I have no idea how much they cost today. Then I bring it home, (and I have all cd's for all my peripherals by the way).

So let's say I buy a new computer (just the tower), and it comes with Windows Vista (what else do they come when you get a bundle??). Can I bring it home and hook my monitor and keyboard and mouse? Will I have to use the cds that came with the monitor, keyboard and mouse?

Or are these things plug and play?

AND SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTION ABOUT THE MODEM.

lol
Melody

LOL Melody you are a riot!! :D

Any computer you get should detect your DSL modem and put you online without doing much of anything. The only time you would need software is if your DSL provider has a place where you need to put some kind of password, but I havent seen this for quite a while.

The links that Jo have here are a great place to shop around for just a tower. You should be able to buy just the tower, and your monitor and keyboard will be plug and play, no drivers or software required. Things are getting easier and easier for computer users. Just hook up your monitor, keyboard, mouse and internet connection and you will be surfin the net in minutes! :winky:

To beef up your current computer look at getting a SATA hard drive, and some new memory. You can up grade to vista also, or if you have a win xp disc you can continue to use that OS.

Something I have been recommending is a good thorough cleaning of the inside of the computer every year. What I do is take the side off and take a can off air and blow all the dust out of every nook and cranny, taking extra care in making sure the cpu fan and cooling fans are all blown out real good.

Then a clean install of the OS is in order bringing the registery to that new first time user feeling. It will feel like your computer is brand new. Just remember to back up all files you dont want to lose, because a fresh install wipes everything out.

If you want this done to your computer, find out how much it will be. It may not be worth it to fix up an old one, after buying the new parts and paying the guy to clean up and upgrade your computer, it might be the same price as buying a new tower. Just make sure you compare the two before you decide which way to go :winky:

We have Verizon DSL and modem, but we have a wireless router hooked to our modem also.
With a plug in dsl connection you should be fine.

I only had to install & set up our modem the very first time we started using it. probably to get it online and registered etc. It's been years now so I don't recall the details.

We have totally rebuilt computers, and done testing on other computers and they all see the connection with no setup or hassle.


Prices are coming down on all this stuff so quickly , you should be able to find a nice deal.

I suggest going to a store and trying Vista to see if you really like it or not.
Some online or smaller local stores will have XP as the operating system still available.
or the new Windows7 is coming out sometime soon
I haven't looked at it at all though.

I saw one of those links had a free upgrade from vista to 7.

to JoMar and Allen:

Thanks to you both for your nice EASY answers.

what the heck does one do with an operating system??. With Windows XP, well, it didn't matter if it was 98, XP, CZ OR OX.

I just went on line or I went into word pad and typed some documents, or I went into my logitech camera thingee and did some videos and then went online and uploaded to YOUTUBE.

See, I know how to do LOADS OF STUFF, NOW DON'T I??? lol lol lol

But I can't for the love of me, figure out what is the difference between vista and other operating systems. (My first one had DOS by the waY)

For example, yesterday I was at the lady across the street's house and she has Vista. I just made her type in her password, and then got her online. So what is the big difference between VISTA and XP??

What the heck does one do with an operating system, other than go into your other applications, or go online.

I know how to do word processing, and I've played games, but I can't figure out what the difference between VISTA and XP, (probably because I have XP. When I got this one, I had previously had Windows 98.

so I got this HP media center with XP (5 years ago), and I didn't use the XP, I just used my wordpad, and went online, and did my logitech videos, and played games on my computer.

Is there something else that XP, or VISTA can do? Or is it just the operating system?

So if you can clear me up on THAT QUESTION, that would be great.

so here's what I know for now.

Okay, here's what I know so far. Just say YAY!!! or NAY!!! if I got anything wrong or right.


I go to the computer store, tell the guy there that all I want is the tower. I take a look at VISTA (hopefully he'll explain stuff to me but I doubt it). I then buy the computer and go home and simply unplug the stuff from the back of MY tower, and replug the stuff into the back of the NEW tower, and everything should light up, sing songs, my modem will be in sync and I'll lg on and go online, only with the new one, EVERYTHING WILL BE FASTER???

Oh, right now I have an Athlon, 1.0 gb memory, and 200 GB hardrive. What do I look for in the NEW one. 3 gigs of ram. A million hard drive GB???lol

So let me hear a YAY or a NAY!!!!

Oh, and this is funny!!

You see, the computer guys around here are all 20, and when they see a 60 year old walk in, they walk the other way. I've tried this and it HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. They think we are complete idiots.

Only once (and this happened in the phone store), when the guy was explaining the phone to me, and I said "I am thinking of buying a new computer and he looked at me with amazement and said "YOU KNOW HOW TO USE A COMPUTER???" and I looked him dead in the eye and said:

"My dear, almost 35 years ago, my company picked ME OUT OF ALL THE EMPLOYEES, and sent me to IBM computer school where I learned the first desktop system. I had a dot matrix and I did Multi Mate Advantage software."

The look on his face was priceless. I then really jabbed it home when I said "Oh by the way, I know that URL means Universal Resource Locator, and HTML means Hypertext markup language".

He nearly fell over the counter (I get some good ones in now don't I).

That's when he began answering some of my computer questions, but then this was a SPRINT PHONE STORE and not a computer store.

I can just imagine when I walk into one of those today and the guy takes one look at me and walks away. What the heck do I do, run after him and say:


"Hold on there young-un, I'm here to buy a Computer".

this should be VERY interesting.

See, I'm like a boy scout. I like to BE PREPARED.

Alan (my hubby), just wants to sit down and start typing. He knows NOTHING about software, hardware or anything. He won't even carry a cell phone (sigh).

So my dear Allen and Jomar

THANKS SO MUCH!! Couldn't do any of this without you!!!

Oh, one more thing. Right now I have Verizon Internet Security Suite. I know that any new computer will come with it's own anti-virus thingee.

And I know that you can't have TWO anti-virus thingees on a computer.

So I gather than when I get the new one (if I ever do that I mean), I bring it home, I then call up Verizon and they will help me download a version for the new computer. And then I uninstall the McAffee or Norton, or whatever is on the new one? Or do I do this first, BEFORE I DOWNLOAD VERIZON INTERNET SECURITY SUITE. I love the Internet Security suite because every time I had a problem, I just called up Verizon, and they helped me EVERY TIME. I pay an extra 5 bucks a month but the peace of mind is really good.

so any opinions on this one would be welcome.

Thanks much

Melody

Mainly they just look different and and switching from XP to Vista is more of a visual change and the layout of some areas will be different.
The computers I worked on with Vista took an extra click to OK some actions.
I didn't care for that with my rsi, but it is a safety thing I guess, so people don't accidentally delete or remove something by mistake.

For the basic things of going online, making a video or typing a document it would be pretty much the same.

[Is there something else that XP, or VISTA can do? Or is it just the operating system?]
as soon as you pc boots up you are using the operating system.

Operating Systems {OS} general info
Win 98/XP /Vista are what makes the computer do things like the brains.
If you had no Operating System you would have a pile of parts that does nothing.

Linux is also an OS - and has many distro's and is free. Generally they use less system resources that the Windows OS and are less susceptible to viruses. But Microsoft got the mainstream in sales and back then Linux was more for geeks. But now they have some distros' that are very comparable to the Microsoft OS.

And there's Apple/ Mac which has it's own OS & hardware system.
you can't put a Mac OS on a pc and you can't put MS OS or Linus on a MAC computer.

unless you use a program to allow the conversion/emulation - but that's getting pretty deep into things LOL

[I go to the computer store, tell the guy there that all I want is the tower. I take a look at VISTA (hopefully he'll explain stuff to me but I doubt it). I then buy the computer and go home and simply unplug the stuff from the back of MY tower, and replug the stuff into the back of the NEW tower, and everything should light up, sing songs, my modem will be in sync and I'll lg on and go online, only with the new one, EVERYTHING WILL BE FASTER???]

Yes = faster more details below-
It should recognize everything for you, if not you can go online to get what you need.

I suggest playing around on one of the laptops at the store to "test drive" Vista - to see if you like how it looks compared to your XP. Around here they always have the darn things on all the time at the big stores .
do that before a salesperson is hanging over you. LOL

I think many of the big box stores have a keyboard & mouse along with the actual computer , if so you'll just have spares. Usually the monitor is sold separately.

You might even be able set up Vista to look more like XP if that is what you want to do. control panel /appearance/themes etc.


With a new computer you will not have any bookmarks/favorites/pictures/passwords etc...

so any of those that you want to have to put onto the new pc you will have to save as files and copy to a cd, flash drive or something so you can load them on to the new one.

BUT if you are concerned about possible viruses/Trojans/spyware on the old pc do full scans of those files before transferring to the new pc.

or you could write out all your passwords & websites and add them in manually.
same for any emails/ settings/ saved messages

anything on the old pc that you want to save to add onto the new one.
Of course you'll still have the old one around to get the info off of if you need to. I wouldn't toss it out if it still works.
Keep it around for awhile as a back up in case you need to get files off of it.

Most new pc come with 30/60/90 days free security on it.
I didn't care for the Norton layout so I removed it from parent's system and installed Zone Alarm sine I had a license/key for 3 pc's.

So you can do that too and put on what you prefer.

For what you use your pc for- you don't have to max out the memory/ram same with the hard drive size {is yours full now?} - just look in your price range and see what they come with.

I'm using an 80G hd and only 1/3 full, but I have a back up 200G and a USB 250 G external for long term backups and in case of major crashes.
Of course it all depends on how much and what you save and how often you clean it out.
my Ram is 1.5G so anything above that should work fine for you.

basically the more windows or programs you have running at one time the more ram you will need.
Gaming & intensive video/photo editing stuff are what requires more horsepower LOL

Okay, !!!! I THINK I GET IT.

Now one more question. (actually 2).

Aren't favorite places on the server side (I have mozilla).

do you mean we have to take a cd rom and put it in the lightscribe thing and copy the favorites to the cd? I have no idea how to do this. ALAN has so many favorites I cannot copy them all by hand and write them down.

I thought if we got a new computer and signed into Mozilla (now how stupid do I sound, who wigns into mozilla firefox?).

I guess I just answered my own question.

So how does one copy favorite places.??

Thanks much

Melody

Oh, one more question. If we decide to get a laptop, then I gather all I do is unplug the computer I have now, remove it from the desk (monitor too), and just place the laptop there and plug it in?

Is this right?

Thanks

Melody

Your bookmarks /favorites are on your computer only- nowhere else.
same with saved emails and your email address book {unless you sync'd/copied it with you online email address book}

Bookmarks-
you can save them to a file very easily on both FF & IE - if you have some there too. basically it about the same procedure.

Go to bookmarks / organize bookmarks
a new screen will come up & you should see Import & Backup near the top
click that for a drop down list and then click Backup
It should open a little window showing where to save the file - desktop, documents or what ever you choose.
and click the save button at the bottom and that's it.
of course you'll want to remember where you saved it so you can copy it to a CD.


here's a link with more info from Mozilla-
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/...ur+information

Have you ever burned {copied}any files to a cd yet?

after you get those files saved for the new computer, or in case of a crash or reinstall on the old one...

then you just copy them to the cd burner drive and burn them onto the cd.


yep with the laptop you could even use your larger monitor ,keyboard & mouse if you wanted to.
as long as it has plug ins for all those things.
I have connector to hook my laptop up to my TV if I wanted to & I prefer to use a mouse instead of the touch pad.

Thank you for this info...
 

I am going to replace my old laptop with a desktop. I don't know yet what to get. I need to have something that will edit video and I create a lot of illustrations and need a really good program for that... powerpoint video presentations... I need a lot of memory and whatever else. It will be an investment. But since I retired, I was spoiled with my computer at work and now have time to do some things at home... buy not with this laptop dinosaur.

I've looked a Dell..? They have a pretty fast copier/printer which I need something for publishing children's books Right now I"m printing everything on Hp and is really slow. My profits don't look to great if I figure the time put in...

Well I'm rambling a bit.... I may need to pick your brain later. I'm just doing a lot of reading and searching and taking notes now. I want to make a good decision.

Anyway, back to the thanks.... You've added to my notes!!!!:)

Okay!!! I have now saved my bookmarks to my desktop. It's there marked 'ALL MY BOOKMARKS".

So how do I burn this to a cd. I have MEMOREX 4X Rewrite speed CD-RW Rewritable Platinum 650mb x 74 mm ( I have no idea what this means)

So do I just pop in the cd in my lightscribe thing and go to my desktop and copy it to my cd in the lightscribe thing. I have 3 songs on this cd thing already.

I think I just might experiment and try to copy it.

can't hurt. I might even learn something.

be back later.

Melody

well, i think i did it. i did something, i know that!!!

I put the cd in the LIGHTSCRIBE CD-WRITER.

I then went to my desktop and saw the MY BOOKMARKS ICON.

I then clicked on that icon, and chose SEND TO-

I then chose the DRIVE E.

I gave me some problems at first telling me THERE IS NO WRITABLE CD IN THE DRIVE, OR THE DISC IS FULL".

I only had 4 or 5 songs on that disc so I deleted them all.

So essentially I had a blank disc.

so I started over, and Sent the BOOKMARKS FILE TO THE DISC IN DRIVE E.

It worked.

Now I wanted to see what I actually had on the disc, so I went to the Start menu, I clicked on EXPLORE, I cliced on Drive E and there was the file (or folder, or whatever it's called).

I double clicked on that and guess what happened next?

I get a message asking me 'HOW DO YOU WANT TO OPEN THIS.?

It gave me a long list of options, once of which is Firefox.

Do I click on Firefox to see what is on the disc in Drive E?

And if this is so, that I gather that once I buy my new computer, I put the Bookmarks CD in the cd rom thingee of the new computer, and

WHAT DO I DO NEXT?

So

1. How to I get to view what I just copied to this disc.

2. When and if I buy a new computer, how do I get the bookmarks for viewing when I go online? I gather I just copy them to the bookmarks folder in Firefox (???), I mean, when I get the new computer, and I am on Firefox, and I click on Bookmarks, will they be there?

Thanks much.

HEY I'M LEARNING, I'M LEARNING!!!

lol

Melody

yes you want to go ahead and check the cd files to make sure they copied .
I usually go to the My Computer icon clicl that to get all the drives listed and then right click the the cd drive icon and select explore.

but which ever way that you get to see what you have on the cd is fine - you can't hurt it.
Just don't hit delete or format it LOL

so once you verify the files & info
you label the cd - I just use a permanent marker , so i know what it is for

and then when you need to put it on a computer just pop in the cd and copy the files on to the new computer - where ever you can find it best
I put most things like this in My Documents folder.
then all you do is open FF and go to bookmarks and use the import --just the reverse of saving it.

Some programs use an end closing code to close a RW disc when you put music on. That is probably what happened.

When you wiped it, the code closing it was removed.
The program you used to download that music might have had a reopen command if you had looked for it.

NON RW discs cannot be modified ever.

I find this all very complicated myself!

YOU FIND IT COMPLICATED??? I'm just trying to comprehend end closing codes!!!!

lol

I shall try opening it with SOMETHING and we'll see what happens.

Tomorrow we shall be going out to see Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. Alan got his new custom molded shoes so FOR NOW, NO MORE BOOT!!!

Good Lord, I'm getting to go out and see a movie (and to Japanese for dinner).

LOVE THEIR CALIFORNIA ROLLS.

Thanks to all of you for all the good info.

As soon as I find out if I'm buying a new computer I shall come here forthwith.

Happy 4th of July to everybody.

Melody

just to give you an idea of costs for if you only added a new hard drive and another gig of Ram.

I don't know what the labor costs would be in NY though, or the exact cost of the parts.
but here is approximate costs in my area.

HD - depending on size of course - 80G -46.00 to 500 G - 64.00 and up

Memory - they would have to know the details of your system to get the correct kind and probably would be best to get a matched 2 G set - prices run from 32 - 99.00 here.

It is pretty simple to install a hard drive and memory so it shouldn't cost much by way of labor at all.

Looks like you can order them on the website too- plus lots more info about the whole recovery Cd process.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...cname=bph07143

if you go that route, next step, once those are installed

would be to decide if you want a new install of windows on the new drive and then keep the old HD and OS as spare { it can stay in the machine and stay connected, but you wouldn't use it, except to get or store files}

When I was working on a Compaq/hp I called and requested a replacement CD of their windows XP OS - in was only 18 bucks!
just had to have the serial number and answer a few questions.

If you don't have restore CDs or they don't work, that is what you will probably need to do.

actually that might be the thing to do anyway, just to have it already in case you decide to do it this way.

Wow, you most certainly know what you are doing don't you?? Thanks for all that great information.

Let me tell you what happened at Radio Shack on the 4th of July.

Alan and I went to Kings Plaza Mall to see Taking of Pelham 123.

We then took a walk to Radio Shack to look at Laptops.

WELL!! I never was so blown away at what they put into a laptop.

325 gigs of hard drive. 4 gigs of memory. Webcam's etc.

And they were on sale for $700 or so. They had less expensive ones also.

So I said to the guy "Would you please show me Vista".

He did, and there I was ...typing a document in Wordpad, and using the touch pad thingee and learning where all the USB ports were, and how to use Vista.

BOY WAS I GLAD TO GET THAT LESSON.

Then the guy takes me over to this laptop and it had FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE. My friend's husband and one of those things also and I told the guy.

And he said:

"Want to really be impressed?? watch this:

AND HE TAKES HIS THUMB AND MOVES IT ALONG THE SCREEN AND SAYS

"SEE!!! NO MORE PASSWORDS, IT JUST NEEDS YOUR THUMB PRINT".

I was ready to buy it right there and then but I knew I had to be cautious, so I thanked the guy, and went home with Alan (still thinking of thumbprints".

I then went home and knew I had to clean the cache in my computer.

How did I know I had to clean the cache?? Because I had told the guy at Radio Shack '"When I boot up my computer and I try to go online, it takes AT LEAST 4 MINUTES FOR FIREFOX TO LOAD UP".

I know it's not supposed to take 4 minutes, and the guy said "Oh, you have to clean your cache". I said "no, my husband always does it". Alan looks at me and said "I thought you were doing it'.

So it seems that NO ONE HAS BEEN CLEANING ANY CACHES IN THIS HOUSE.

So I went up to Tools, and clear private data and it took forever but I cleaned the cache.

I also went to google and typed in "How to clean the cache in Windows XP"

Well it seems that there is more than just doing the private data thing.

You go to START , and Run, and type some stuff in (I did all this, and followed the directions, but it wouldn't work'.

So what else can I do to get this computer to go online faster.

right now if I just go and sit on the computer and press the Firefox Icon, it takes 45 seconds. (a big step up from 4 minutes), but honestly, isn't it supposed to GO ON RIGHT AWAY??

Thanks to all of you.

Melody

Mel, I always feel good after reading your learning posts. It's so refreshing to read about some-one who faces each new challenge with enthusiasm. :D

I wanted to tell you that I'm using Vista on my new laptop after years of XP. I'd heard so many bad stories that I thought I'd never get it.... but I did. It was so much easier than I'd been led to believe, and I really don't mind it at all. I still have XP on my desk top computer, and I swap between XP on that and Vista on my laptop without any problems.

Good luck in whatever you choose, but the laptop with all that memory sure does sound good. I couldn't afford it when I bought this one but I must look at buying more memory soon.

There are free programs that will do "clean up" for you.
this is one I have been using for a year or so-
http://download.cnet.com/Glary-Utili...html?tag=mncol

just use the default settings one the 1-click maintenance tab

If you get brave you can explore other tabs too, it's pretty easy to understand.

Ccleaner is another good one -
http://download.cnet.com/ccleaner/?tag=mncol

I have them both installed and sometimes use one and sometimes the other .

Hi Jo:

Let me ask you a question. All I have to do is click on the first link in the post you wrote, and it will CLEAN MY COMPUTER??

What exactly will it do, and will that make my computer go online faster. That would be great. Thanks much

Melody

those are links to a safe website where you can download the program and then install it.
then after it is installed on your computer you click it to use it.

Also, if you click the link you can see the cnet editors & users ratings and more information about what the programs do.


If you want to try one just click the link, that takes you to a webpage with a "Download now" text click that and it will send the files to your computer pay attention to where it places that, because after the download is done .
you go to the file and click it to run the installation.
It might ask about adding Icons to desktop , I usually don't cause I don't like a cluttered desktop. - the program will be in the program list anyway.

once it is installed you just find it on your Start/Programs list and click it to open it, then just find the 1 click maintenance tab and click scan for issues.

when done it will have a " Fix issues"? near the bottom { i think that what it says..} I've used it so much I don't really read it anymore LOL
and click that and it will do it and then you are done.

I suppose there are online cleaners you can use but i guess don't feel comfortable using those types of things.

:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::

I DID IT!!

I clicked on the thing and I downloaded it and it went to town.

This is what it found:

Registry cleaner - 456 problems found ??????????what does this mean?
Short cut fixes - 17 problems found ???? same question
Startup Manager - 3 problems found (I'm being redundant here)

Temp File Cleaner 517.85 mb files found (THIS I UNDERSTAND, Lol).

I clicked on Repair. it did it's thing.

Then it says PROBLEMS SOLVED!!!

I then waited and wanted to see how long it would take me to get online.

It took me 13 seconds.

13 seconds. I haven't seen 13 seconds to go online IN YEARS!!!

again.

:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:
You gotta love you guys!!!

lol

Melody

the registry tends to get clogged up with junk
- like adding or removing files/programs leaves a little stuff behind
and it just bogs down the whole system

that my understanding anyway -I haven studied it deeply just skimmed the main topics on it what I was looking for info.

If you haven't defragged the hard drive lately now is a good time to see if that is needed also.

I'm off to defrag.

Thanks MUCHO!!!!

mel