[rshaffer61]

OK I guess I will wait then. I don't understand how you wouldn't know at least the programs you use the most as those would be the easiest to get now.
Not being sarcastic but I know whenever I do a fresh install I have to have the following.

• FireFox
• Open Office
• Avast Anti Virus
• Malwarebytes
• VLC Media Player
• Winamp
• Foxit PDF Reader
• ICQ
• MSN
• Winrar

Those are the base programs I have to have on my system for me to get up and running correctly. After that anything else is secondary and not essential to me being able to at least function at some point of normal.
Again I'm not being sarcastic or degrading but in all actuality trying to give you maybe hints to what you might have had installed.

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just ignore me.

Edited by mkau, 27 December 2010 - 02:17 PM.

[mkau]

just ignore me.

Edited by mkau, 27 December 2010 - 02:17 PM.

[hospitaldoctor]

the computer arrived... it is a chicony power supply unit... model CPB09-001B
max output power 350watt
also i see two ddr3 ram slots filled... i thought it was four?
so what is my first step? thanks

Edited by hospitaldoctor, 29 December 2010 - 01:13 PM.

[mkau]

I can't find anything on that PSU... looks sketchy. I'd grab a Seasonic S12II 430w as a replacement.
Your RAM is in 2 sticks of 2 GB each. It's a pretty standard way to set it up, actually.

Edited by mkau, 29 December 2010 - 01:26 PM.

[phillpower2]

It looks like Chicanery would be a better name for them, swap it as a matter of urgency, Acer, Dell and HP and some of the other brand names have replaced the rubbish that was the Bestec PSU with the likes of these to keep costs down, it defies logic, they have given you a decent computer there but it has a timebomb for a power supply fitted.

[hospitaldoctor]

what do you mean time bomb? its really that urgent? should i be scared? haha
you guys have given me a lot of options to choose from for a PSU... which one should i definitely go with? i have never done a replacement before... should i have a professional replace the PSU?
dell said it is a good PSU and they checked it and everything... and they wouldnt have installed it if it wasnt compatible with the system
thanks

Edited by hospitaldoctor, 29 December 2010 - 02:24 PM.

[hospitaldoctor]

also, my computer shows that there is only 670GB free out of 689GB
the computer is installed with a 750GB hard drive though...

[phillpower2]

Im glad to see youv`e kept your sense of humour despite the hassle
Here is a simple guide showing how to swap out a PSU + there is always someone at the forum to assist you; http://tech.blorge.c...-with-pictures/
Measure the PSU that is fitted and also check if there is any available room should you choose a PSU that may be a quarter to a half an inch bigger than the present one, post the size of the present PSU and we will find then make some suggestions.

dell said it is a good PSU and they checked it and everything...

Got to love the bull salespeople come out with, are they going to admit they use cheap and nasty PSUs to a customer!

and they wouldnt have installed it if it wasnt compatible with the system

Im not sure where compatibility comes into the quality and performance of a PSU!
If Dell had not used an inferior quality generic PSU in your computer it would not have let you down like it did, its not just Dell most of the big brands if not all of them are guilty of it.

[hospitaldoctor]

ok i will post that
so how do i transfer my data from my old hard drive to the new computer? what do i do exactly?
thanks

[rshaffer61]

also, my computer shows that there is only 670GB free out of 689GB
the computer is installed with a 750GB hard drive though...

This is because it will never show the complete 750 because of the way the capacity is actually measured.
After partition and format you would get the 689gb total.
Now add in your OS and all the programs included from Dell and you are now down to 670 gb of free space left.
Nothing unusual about that so far.

[hospitaldoctor]

that makes sense, thank you
so what steps do i take to transfer the data from my old hd to the new computer? what do i do exactly?
is there anything else that should be done with the new computer?

[rshaffer61]

Now the options are to either purchase a external enclosure for your old hd and connect it to your computer via the USB connections.
The second option is to open the system up and connect the old hd up inside and have it mounted as the second hd in the system permanently.
Which way would you prefer to go with?

[hospitaldoctor]

why does it have to be mounted permamently? why cant i remove it after we transfer the data? does the data get deleted on the old hd doing it this way?

[123Runner]

You can remove the drive when you get done. A lot will just leave it in as a backup drive.
After all the data is moved over and verified it is good then you can format it and use it as a backup.
You could use a program such as SYNCBACK to automatically back the new drive up. It becomes extra insurance if a drive crashes.
The data on the drive does not get deleted till you delete it.

[hospitaldoctor]

sorry, i am confused, why was i told it would be permamently mounted then? it doesnt have to be permamently mounted? i can remove it after the transfer?
if i format the hd, then everything will get deleted, how can i use it as a back up then?
what does SYNCBACK do exactly? how does it work? it backs up the new hd to the old hd? but the old hd already has all the data...