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Been Payalyzed And Out Of Society I Know Nothing


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#1
newbatman

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Greeting Studious Types!


I've been paralyzed and out of society for years...

I now have a Dell Optiplex GX240 I got refurbished for $200 in 2006...

(maybe not bad considering my income limmitations)

how can I make it Vista compatable?

or can I?
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#2
Essexboy

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First thing would be to check out the MS Vista Advisor this will let you know if your machine is good enough to take it and what changes/additions you will need to make
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#3
123Runner

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You will most likely fail the test. If your OS is 2000, your computer will be to old. Even newer computers with XP fail.

Check the following link on what is the minimum requirements. I mean absolute minimuum. And if you meet them, the computer will be slow. You will be waiting alot for things to happen.

The only "upgrade advisor test" is for the computers that have XP.

VISTA COMPATIBILITY CHART


EDIT: LINK TO YOUR MANUAL

Edited by 123Runner, 17 August 2008 - 06:33 AM.

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#4
newbatman

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thank you essexboy and 123runner...

I am going to read everything you refered me to...

I will be back in a few days after reading...



I am a little scared about this...I might not have the money for everything I want to do...I have about $500 I could throw together by October...but I also want to record music with my computer by October...(maybe sonar powerstudio is more important because)...but thank you again...time to read and look for cheap prices...I see from wikipedia I DO NOT have DDR...I have PC133 RAM type...now I have to figure out how much RAM I have though...be back after doing all the math and reading!
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#5
123Runner

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Belarc advisor (in signature) will tell you.
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#6
newbatman

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thanks...

I wrote down all the url's...

will type them in tommorrow...

I have to type in url's and not click on links that open new a new internet explorer browser because it takes my computer 5 to 15 minutes to open an internet explorer browser!

it started doing this about a month after getting it...

friend down the hall has same problem...
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#7
newbatman

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all right my reading results are:

...sonar power studio is all I can afford now and its XP only...



I think I should go with XP...

do I erase everything on my computer and put XP on?

how do I erase everything?

how cheap do I put XP on?


thank you everyone...you did good deeds by helping me
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#8
newbatman

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amazing community up here by the way
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#9
newbatman

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this is my computer description from my receipt:

Dell Optiplex GX240 Intel Pentium 4 1.8GHz / 256MB SDRAM / 20GB HDD / CD-RW / AGP Video Card / Integrated 10/100Mbps LAN / Windows 2000 / Refurbished Off-Lease Small Desktop PC


so what is my total GB for my RAM?
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#10
Essexboy

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256MB SDRAM 20GB HDD With these specs XP would run but you will be tight for HDD space if you decide to download music/videos etc

Optimum requirements would be

300 MHz CPU *
128 MB of RAM *
1.5 GB of available hard disk space *
Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution video adapter with at least 8 MB of video RAM and monitor
CD-ROM or DVD drive
Network adapter
Sound card and speakers
Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device


Price for XP is about £60.00 ($100.00) on Amazon, fully licensed

You will be given the option at install to erase everything

We have a tutorial here for a re-format and install. But it is basically the same for a fresh install
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#11
123Runner

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Post 3 has a link to your manual. You can upgrade ram to 1 gb. What you have is 256mb. That is 1/4 of a gb.

Run UPGRADE ADVISOR To see where you stand on upgradability.

Keep in mind you are on the low end of all specs and your computer will crawl.
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#12
newbatman

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256MB SDRAM 20GB HDD With these specs XP would run but you will be tight for HDD space if you decide to download music/videos etc

Optimum requirements would be

300 MHz CPU *
128 MB of RAM *
1.5 GB of available hard disk space *
Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution video adapter with at least 8 MB of video RAM and monitor
CD-ROM or DVD drive
Network adapter
Sound card and speakers
Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device


Price for XP is about £60.00 ($100.00) on Amazon, fully licensed

You will be given the option at install to erase everything

We have a tutorial here for a re-format and install. But it is basically the same for a fresh install


awesome post...

thank you...

sorry if my questions are sound stupid!

but I want to ask you guys some more:

When I erase everything will comcast cable have to come out again to set me up for my cable connection (they have software on my computer now and is this going to have to go to)?

I want to start all anew and get my computer completely erased because I think I have viruses but I don't want to pay $50 to have comcast come out again...

I will also need to get anti-spyware and anti-virus stuff immediately after erasing everything (what do I get and cheapest way anyone)?

XP office version is more expensive right? I need the graphing program I think for these grant reports for work and someone said I need the business or office XP for that and its $280 at Circuit City...true or false?

Edited by newbatman, 20 August 2008 - 12:42 PM.

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#13
newbatman

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123Runner wrote: "You can upgrade ram to 1 gb. What you have is 256mb. That is 1/4 of a gb."
thank you for this post 123Runner...

I am so far behind I need posts like this to catch me up...

one more stupid question please!

How do I upgrade to highest GB ram possible for my machine and cheapest way to do?

Edited by newbatman, 20 August 2008 - 12:47 PM.

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#14
newbatman

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you guys are so helpful...

thank you so much both of you...

I knew that I just had to talk to someone who is a computer hobbyist that enjoys computers...

hobbyists learn the most because they enjoy what they are learning and so they do more learning...

example: go to bodybuilding.com and ask a question about steroids and they will know more than a M.D. :)
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#15
Essexboy

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One quick way to find out how much RAM your system can take and what sort, plus a price (but with the information they give you, you may find cheaper)

Go to Crucial and run their system scanner that will give you all you need to know :)
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