Tell me if this rings any bells?
You have a house PC; a workhouse which serves for email, browsing, playing music and watching videos. You probably store pictures, music and other media on a hard drive somewhere between 80 and 250 gigbytes. Its a nice machine but you seldom get to use it because your children are seemingly camped out next to it using internet messenging, watching Youtube and even using it for their homework. The fact of the matter is you need a second PC.
Your choice.
In these cash strapped times shelling out £300 plus for a new machine is a non starter for most of us so if you have set your sights on a second PC then second-hand could be the answer. But before you head off to your local second-hand computer shop its time to sit down and give some thought to exactly what you want your new rig to do.
A quite basic specification can handle browsing the net, email and playing music. Any machine built in the last 10 years should be capable of handling that load. But it's worthwhile going to the armed with at least some idea of what you want! When buying your 'new' old rig the thing to look for is a decent processor - memory, storage and graphics can all be changed without putting a hole in your bank account. But the CPU is a crucial and potentially hard to change item. You should be able to find a PC with a reasonable processer for under £100 (details of suggested spec...) for that money expect 512mb of RAM and 10 gigs of storage as a minimum. The CPU will be a Pentium 2 or 3 or Duron. Better if you can get it, but this will handle your basic needs. It also provides a platform for potential upgrades.
Ram(ming) speed!
The more RAM your computer has the faster it is likely to work. With the exception of the latest DDR3 RAM prices have never been so cheap and you should be able to get a gigabyte for around £20. When you buy your rig make sure you know the type of RAM it takes. (types of RAM noted here.) Fitting it is simple but if you don't feel inclined to open the machine up, any competent repair shop could do the work in minutes. The people selling your rig may upgrade it but watch the price! Its always worth checking prices at places like Ebuyer www.ebuyer.com before starting. A little research can save you a lot of money.
Hard-up Drive.
The easiest way to add a hard drive to your rig is via your USB ports. Don't buy a machine at any price unless it has at least 2 USB ports. You can find USB hard drives that will plug straight into your rig in any decent PC shop. Internal drives are cheaper because they don't need an enclosure but again do need you to open the case. The majority of modern operating systems will recognise a USB immediately and away you go. These drives are more expensive than their internal equivalents but need no skill to install. Again Ebuyer and similar are your friends.
Network of the non-Facebook Kind.
If you are still on dial up, stop right now and sign up for a Broadband deal from one of the major providers. Dial up is tortoise slow compared to the most basic ADSL package. It is possible to share dial up but compared to broadband and a decent router its hard work and unless you are planning only the most occasional usage your phone bill is likely to go through the roof.
If you are planning to add your new rig to the network, and there is every reason you should, your option are to either hard wire (ethernet) or fit a wireless adaptor. Hardwiring is simply connecting your router to the phone line and your PC to the router. Follow the instructions on the router and you should be up and running in minutes. Wireless connections are slightly trickier. For one thing your router will need to be wireless capable. and success will depend on the type of wireless adapter you fit to the computer, the distance between the PC and the router. I could write reams on routers but the short version is buy the best router you can afford and if you are installing a second PC in another part of the house make sure you install a PCI card, internal to the PC rather than a USB device, you are likely to get better reception that way.
Need more detailed advice or want a custom build - email me
