The debate is over on whether Windows 7 is good, bad or ugly. It has to be good, we have no other choice. Windows XP is long in the tooth and its owner seems intent on killing it. Vista needs to be put behind like another bad dream, Windows ME (and “Bob”, remember?).
So when you buy a new PC, the only thing that should really keep you from getting it loaded with Windows 7 is software you HAVE to have; very few people, percentage wise, need a device that has no support in W7.
And if your software will not run on Windows 7, then think again about what vendor you buy your software from and why.
I have clients who, in the past were victims of software that held them back; turned out it was just the vendor trying intentionally to hold us back for their own profit. It cost my client thousands of dollars before I finally “forced” the vendors hand.
Configuring a new PC for Windows 7
The key items to keep in mind for Windows 7 hardware are these:
RAM (memory): Windows has always been a hog, but finally, if you go 64 bit Windows 7, you can use more than 4GB, or more than 3 GB which is what many PC’s have been limited to with previous versions of Windows. I recommend buying 4 GB RAM even with 32 bit Windows, even if you can only use 3 GB. As Adrian Monk would say, “You’ll thank me later”.
Video: Don’t skimp on video. One of the benefits to Windows 7 is the way it looks. Onboard video is not the answer, I would get a 512 video card if the budget allows. Many corporate customers may feel 256 is adequate. Know your monitors, though, there are VGA, DVI and now DP (DataPort) monitor connections; adapters can be expensive and clunky.
Hard drive: Nothing less than 7200 rpm, not even in a laptop. 10,000 rpm SATA are out here, and if you want the best, go for SAS 10,000 rpm – but SAS will really up the price point, and likely increase cold boot times.
CPU: Multiple Cores. The Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0 Ghz from Intel is my “base” purchase. Windows 7 finally knows how to use cores, especially with 64 bit. Quad Core, i7 are better but pricier. If you go Quad Core, 2.66 Ghz should be the minimum.
Optical Drive: DVD +/-RW is both the minimum and the norm, Blue Ray for entertainment.
Floppy Drive: Laugh away, make sure that for $9 more you don’t wish you had one later. If it’s a server, think drivers, bios updates and support later. Dell Support will thank you if you have a floppy on the server you are working on together.
Power Supply: If a better one is offered as an option, you are typically better off taking it.
Dell Configuration
Here is the basic workstation I am ordering from Dell:
I buy almost everything online, here is a list of my favorite vendors.
Recently though, I have been very frustrated with all online vendors, big names, medium, whoever.
When they show a photo of the product, but it’s not the product specified, it can cause you to not buy the correct product or to buy the wrong one.
Recently I found this trying to buy a simple USB Keytronic keyboard. The picture was of a keyboard I did NOT want. But the part number was correct. Buy it anyway??
Today I saw pictures of video cards. I like fanless design, not only because they are quieter – both initially and over time, but because the fan is the first thing to fail. And forget warranty; if they ever ship you a new one, you will have more than paid for it in your time and shipping costs sending the old one back.
I saw several “fanless” video cards pictured with fans. I saw several video cards clearly pictured with a heat sink only, but in the technical specs it said “fan”. In one case, the description said “silent” – meaning no fan – yet the specs said fan.
Who to believe?
Note to vendors. Get with it. If you don’t have the right photo, don’t show any at all. And if the specs are wrong, you deserve all you get with regard to returns and unhappy customers.
NetBook’s are a hugely popular product for good reason, small package and packed with features. Unfortunately a DVD is not one of them.
If you want to install software, read a CD, DVD or watch a DVD on a NetBook, you need a USB external DVD drive; preferably one that is powered only by the USB bus. That means no extra power cords or bulky transformers.
Are you getting BSOD (Windows Blue Screen of Death)?
It could be that your PC is calling for help. Perhaps it sits on the floor, fans sucking in air, lint, dust and dirt, then exhausting only the air (leaving everything else inside it).
PC’s need airflow over clean components to maintain operating temperature within specifications. When the components overheat, you not only shorten their lifespan but you can trigger the safety mechanism in the PC that will shut it down.
Components that get too hot will often malfunction, sometimes causing Windows to go to a blue screen of death (BSOD).
Watch this video and see how you can clean out your PC, extend its life, and even save money (both on your power bill and by not having to buy a new computer).
This is how you can save some money on your computer – don’t buy a new one!
I see people every day spend money on a new PC and sometimes it is no more powerful – or EVEN LESS – than their old one. They just don’t understand the confusing specifications.
If you have a Pentium 4 2.2Ghz or above with less than 1GB of memory, chances are you could spend less than $50 and put maybe as much as 2GB of memory in the PC and see a significant improvement.
This video shows me upgrading the RAM in an older Dell Dimension 8200.
For regular memory upgrades, get some of the best memory and best prices here.
The Dell shown in the video needed RAMBUS memory which I found here.
Nokia has announced that a new cell phone can actually recharge itself based on radio waves bouncing around in the atmosphere.
Free electricity, really.
Currently the technology cannot power the cell phone during a call, but it can recharge the battery while sitting idle. Pretty Cool.
A friend of mine in the satellite business knows a company that claims to beam down electricity from a satellite to earth, and that has incredible ramifications (in a few years); this Nokia development appears to be working today.
Accessing the data from a hard drive via USB has never been easier. This USB hard drive adapter from Vantec handles SATA and IDE (2.5 inch, 3.5 inch and 5.25 inch) hard drives.
The separate power supply for the hard drive is included with the kit also.
This adapter is great for recovering data from a hard drive or just convenient access to a drive you don’t want to install or can’t install in your laptop.
The answers to both of those questions can be found in this new video:
The hard drive I was replacing in this video was junk; no data recovery possible. Emphasizes the importance of good backups, right?
You might also replace a hard drive if you are upgrading to a larger one. In that case, I would have used Acronis True Image to clone the hard drive to the newer unit.
Netbooks are the hottest thing in computer hardware right now, and the Asus Eee PC has been one of the most popular. The problem is that it comes in a wide variety of flavors. The only way to decide which one you want is with the comparison list.
Keep in mind that netbooks are made for people:
With good eyesight
Preferably small fingers
Folks with a high tolerance for touchpads, and not the best touchpad you’ve ever used either
