Need new computer advice ASAP

Mongo

Mongo

Joined
Nov 5, 2001
Messages
8,969
Greetings all,
My home computer has taken a fatal dump on me, and I need to replace it real soon! I am looking for all y'all's opinions and advice on my basic two choices: Mac vs. PC. I need the pros and cons of EACH.

My needs are pretty simple, I will be using it for recreational surfing. My wife basically only uses it for email communications from/about school and girl scout stuff. I have two kids who will eventually be using it for school stuff, whatever that may be. Right now, they do the Barbie and Polly Pockets kind of stuff. My 5 yr old unfortunately seems to like to download stuff even though I holler at her NOT to do so. Maybe someday I will learn how to do stuff with photos and music, but do NOT know how to do them at this time. :rolleyes:

I will require ease of use and SAFETY from viruses etc. I also will need to figure out how to get my important stuff (favorites list, saved photos and emails) out of my old pooter and transfer it to the new. Not sure how to do that yet...

I have done some preliminary scouting and it seems the iMac at $1100-ish and comprable PC's at about $300-400 less are in the running. HP and Dell seem to be the two better ones where I am looking.

What are your opinions and advice? I need pros and cons for each system.

Thank you in advance,
Mongo
 
They'll perform about the same on the same hardware and have comparable software. Macs cost more for the same or less performance.

It would probably be slightly easier to recover your data on a PC of the same OS, but it's not a big deal. Easiest would be put the old disk in an external hard drive case and hook it up to your new computer. You should be able to recover what you need. you could also hook it up in the new computer but there are potential conflicts and that's trickier for most as opposed to the external drive technique. If your disk itself crashed, that's much more hassle. Still, the external case is probably simplest, then purchase some data recovery software.

Security, many will tout the mac, but even Jobs recommends AV software for the mac. I think Windows is probably more secure in that it has a much more aggressive update system and is tested much more rigourously in the real world. It's more about how quickly exploits are patched than the number that have been found.

I'd pick a PC because I can make the PC do what I want to do and I have a much broader selection of hardware that isn't supported on the Mac side. But I build my own computers and am my own tech support.

The Macs I've used at work have all driven me bonkers. They don't work the way I do.
 
You might also try a live Ubuntu CD to boot the old system, then copy off the files you want to a flash drive. Not perfect, may not work depending what crashed in the old system but it's dirt cheap, virtually free.
 
So, what happened to the old system?

Hopefully, recovering your data is just a matter of installing the old hard drive as a second drive in the new system and the copying your data over.

I have personally had very bad luck with HP and bad experiences with HP tech support. Dell has been good for me.
 
Gollnick said:
So, what happened to the old system?

Hopefully, recovering your data is just a matter of installing the old hard drive as a second drive in the new system and the copying your data over.

I have personally had very bad luck with HP and bad experiences with HP tech support. Dell has been good for me.
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Gollnick, it seems that there is a faulty mother board... it runs a start up loop that will not allow it to boot up. I think that I have someone that knows how to extract my important stuff from the hard drive and can hopefully be put onto a zip drive or something like that. As of right now (i.e. not knowing much of anything) am leaning towards Mac. Things may change.

edited to add: I did take the computer to Best Buy's Geek squad guys. They advised me to get new.
 
I can't give you pro's & con's because the only home computer I have ever used is a MacBook - therefore, no basis for comparison.

I'm an old geezer and didn't buy ANY computer system for the longest time because I'd hear all this crap about viruses, computer lock-ups, etc. and thought that I don't want to mess with all that. I wanted a computer that I could use like a telephone - just pick it up and use it. The MacBook has met that need beautifully!

I'm not a heavy-duty user - pretty much email, surfing the web, and downloading pictures from my digital camera. That's it. And I'm certainly no expert even in any of those simple operations. ;) In fact, just yesterday I came to this sub-forum to ask advice on how to get pics from my computer to post on BladeForums.

I would think that if you're used to a PC, changing to a Mac would be harder than going from ZERO to a Mac - unlearning old habits, etc.

All I can say about Mac's is that I've had mine for a little over 3 years and have had ZERO problems with it. Your mileage may vary! :D
 
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I use a Mac. I have had only one problem with this one and Mac fixed it for free on three yr old Mac Book Pro. I love Mac, but I do graphic design. If I were an accountant, or a gamer I would get a PC. I have found the Mac OS to be more stable and eraser to use. Just remember that Steve Jobs hates buttons so you will need to get used to using the "apple" key. You can use a two button mouse on a Mac but I does not come with one. Also if you really want you can run windows on a Mac.

I guess the Mac vs PC is like the cat vs dog person. A Mac is like a cat, sleek, self grooming, low maintenance, but not for everybody. PCs are like dogs, many varieties, they do tricks, but they need to be walked, groomed, and they need a lot of attention.

Hope this helps.
 
If it's your motherboard that died, there is a very good chance that all of your data are still on your old hard drive just waiting to be accessed by a functional motherboard. In this case, if you get a new PC, it will be possible to install your old drive as a second drive in your new machine and -- presto! -- all of your data are saved! Pray that this is so. If it is so, take this as a wake-up call and backup those files ASAP. One of the best ways to back up your files is to have a removable hard drive installed in your PC. Just copy C: to D: and remove D: and put it in the safe.
 
BA_Colt said:
Just remember that Steve Jobs hates buttons so you will need to get used to using the "apple" key. You can use a two button mouse on a Mac but I does not come with one. Also if you really want you can run windows on a Mac.
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Macs have come with two button mice for a few years now. They just don't LOOK like two button mice. The new Magic mouse is really slick. If you have the older Mighty mouse with the scroll ball on top, you can turn on rt click in the system preferences. It's actually a four button mouse, even though it looks like a one button mouse.
 
Macs are more expensive and the software availability is somewhat limited. They run very well with minimal maintenance and work on behalf of the user. You can get Microsoft office for mac and continue to use work software that is familiar. excel is missing a few statistical options in the mac version, but I have not needed them.

PCs can be cheaper and have more software options available. They often require more active involvement in maintenance. There is more malicious software designed for pcs, but that could change as the mac market share continues to grow.


I have used both and now prefer the iMac and macbook combo I currently own. I like the aesthetics and the simple functionality.

The only thing I occasionally dislike about macs is other mac users. But, you find the same crowd on the pc side of things. They will be along soon to poop in your thread.

Good luck in your decision!
Ed T
 
phatch said:
I think Windows is probably more secure in that it has a much more aggressive update system and is tested much more rigourously in the real world. It's more about how quickly exploits are patched than the number that have been found.
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That's like wanting to be in the lead tank since it's armor has been tested by the most incoming shells! :D Give me the tank nobody's shootin' at!

I use both, and do occasional tech support for both. When given the choice for my work computer I picked a Mac without even hesitating. Mac OSX is built on UNIX, a time-tested, robust and practically bulletproof industrial-strength OS. Windows is built on...well, old versions of Windows.

I leave my Mac up and running for weeks at a time without a restart. I haven't met many Windows machines that didn't need a restart much more often.
 
For what you want to do, get yourself a pc and save some of money.

I bought a new pc (inexpensive Windows7 Toshiba) about 4 months ago (to replace my 7 year old Gateway). I've not had any issue with viruses, freeze-ups, etc.

But, if you do get a MAC, you'll be more popular with the crowd down at Starbucks. :D:D Not that anybody would buy one for that reason.

There's nothing wrong with MAC (other than the price). Very slick looking laptops. Good computer. I used to use one on my job when I was in marketing. But you can do the same thing, just as wel,l for a good bit less. jmho
 
elkins45 said:
That's like wanting to be in the lead tank since it's armor has been tested by the most incoming shells! :D Give me the tank nobody's shootin' at!

I use both, and do occasional tech support for both. When given the choice for my work computer I picked a Mac without even hesitating. Mac OSX is built on UNIX, a time-tested, robust and practically bulletproof industrial-strength OS. Windows is built on...well, old versions of Windows.

I leave my Mac up and running for weeks at a time without a restart. I haven't met many Windows machines that didn't need a restart much more often.
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I run lots of linux as well. Your analogy is pretty flawed though. Repeated attacks are the method for creating security in the software world. Unix/Linux and Mac are secure largely through obscurity. They have had much less analysis of their actual weaknesses. And Apple is historically unacceptably slow to patch.
 
Mongo said:
Gollnick, it seems that there is a faulty mother board... it runs a start up loop that will not allow it to boot up. I think that I have someone that knows how to extract my important stuff from the hard drive and can hopefully be put onto a zip drive or something like that. As of right now (i.e. not knowing much of anything) am leaning towards Mac. Things may change.

edited to add: I did take the computer to Best Buy's Geek squad guys. They advised me to get new.
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Mongo, if its a PC, there are three boot options on start up: From a CD, Floppy drive (yup! The old A drives!) then the internal hard drive. You can select which boots first from your BIOS. Typically, the system is set to boot in the order listed. Its done this way for troubleshooting purposes. Having built and repaired many of these things, I doubt it is a motherboard problem. Your computer might be searching for a CD or floppy to boot from, which indicates a problem in the BIOS. It refuses to look for the C drive. This isn't a problem with the motherboard. If the mb were faulty, you'd probably get nothing at all. The fact that it is in a boot loop tells me the problem lies in your BIOS settings, or your OS has dropped a command line somewhere.

As for the Geek Squad, its probably not worth their time to hunt down the problem. Are they located inside a Best Buy or similar store? You might want to ask then to re-flash the BIOS. That may fix the problem.

You didn't mention if it was a laptop or a desktop. Laptops are harder to mess with sometimes because the HD might be buried underneath everything else. Some have the HD accessible from the bottom, like the battery is, but popping out the hd is easy, and once you have it out do as was suggested above. Find a friend that uses the same OS as you, and connect it externally. See if their computer will recognize the drive. If it will, the problem is your BIOS or OS. I'd bet drinks on it.

As for Mac vs PC, I've messed with both, and I think its a personal preference. As coyote mentioned, if you go Mac, you'll have to retrain your brain. Since you asked my opinion, I'd go PC. The Sony Viao is a great laptop, and if you get a desktop, I'd find someone locally to build one for you. The cost will be about the same as store bought, you get to pick the type of innards you want, and you get the newest stuff to put in it.

As for security, www.kaspersky.com hasn't let me down in years. Basically bullet proof. Thank the breakup of the USSR. Them ex-KGB cyber spies are really great at making a product for capitalistic pigs! For an OS, XP Pro, SP3, and Microsoft Office full edition. Java, Adobe and all the other goodies are free downloads.

Once you get your new system up and running, for about $50 per year Carbonite offers a good off-site backup that works automatically. If you have problems in the future, your data files will be there.

Good luck, and if you have any questions shoot me a PM.
 
My personal preference would be for the iMac. Ease of use, the iLife software for photos, movie making, DVD creation that's included, lack of viruses, not needing anti-virus software, not constantly updating both the OS and anti-virus software, the lack of manufacturer installed "bloatware" all are definite pluses. The main downside would be the the higher initial price. If you do get the iMac, the AppleCare warranty is worth buying. Both my kids have MacBooks and its paid for itself.

I've owned both HP and Dell laptops, but not desktops. I'd recommend recommend Dell over HP if you decide to go the PC route. Dell's extended warranties have also come in very handy.
 
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Mongo said:
I did take the computer to Best Buy's Geek squad guys. They advised me to get new.
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A former Geek Squad employee works at my office. She has more knowledge about how to fix computers than Geek Squad policy would allow her to use. An independent repair service that isn't part of a retail operation might be more helpful getting your computer back in working order. If nothing else, they should be able to pull your hard drive and put it in an external drive enclosure so you can retrieve your personal files.
 
stay away from the Geek-squad. in fact, just don't bother walking into a futureshop, or bestbuy. They have been caught over and over ripping people off, and since you don't know computers, you are their "target market"
Look for a local computer shop, tell the guys there what you need, be polite, and get looked after. Its still no guarantee, but a smaller place has reputation, and maybe BBB standing to look after, Futureshop/Bestbuy (btw owned by the same parent) don't care, not that the people themselves are bad people, just that the system isn't there to protect you, its to sell stuff.

find some local guys, and sort it out that way. they can make it all better. besides then you have someone to call when you need a hand with it, or when your girls get to highschool and need bigger better rigs.
I haven't bought a Dell/HP/Gateway or whatever, but I have repaired a few of them fresh out of the box when all the added "free softwear" killed them off.

I just put a PC on paper for $400 including windows 7, and capable of running any program a normal person would have, and most recent games to a average level. They are cheap if you know how to look
 
You know if you build your own you can likely re-use many/most of the parts from your existing computer, parts that you already paid for.

My three-year-old built his own computer from parts I bought him for Christmas. He did need a little help here and there ;) , but was quite handy with the Phillips screwdriver. At $600 total, it's a budget machine obviously, but it's good quality and built with standard PC components that can be easily upgraded or replaced in the future (unlike Macs or off-the-shelf PCs). Plus we didn't have to deal with all of the "crapware" that comes crammed on off-the-shelf computers.

I really like Ed T's summary of Mac and PC pros and cons:
Macs are more expensive and the software availability is somewhat limited. They run very well with minimal maintenance and work on behalf of the user. You can get Microsoft office for mac and continue to use work software that is familiar. excel is missing a few statistical options in the mac version, but I have not needed them.

PCs can be cheaper and have more software options available. They often require more active involvement in maintenance. There is more malicious software designed for pcs, but that could change as the mac market share continues to grow.
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Since Apple switched to standard PC components a few years ago, the oft-repeated claim of "higher quality hardware" is now a myth (if it was ever true).

I'd add also a bit about the competing operating systems. I prefer Windows XP over Mac OSX. Haven't used 7 yet enough to either praise or condemn, but I didn't care for Vista. I am a huge fan of Mac OS9 too.

One thing I'd strongly suggest, do not buy a laptop unless you sincerely require the portability. Even if so, I'd buy a laptop for travel and a desktop for the kids at home. Laptops are more expensive to buy, upgrades and repairs are very expensive or not possible, they're less customizable than a 'real' computer, and they're not as durable.

Wish you lived closer. We could move the hard drive from your computer, snap it into one of mine, and at least get your personal files saved to a CD/DVD/flash drive right away. Any computer shop could do that for you too. Ease your mind and take the pressure off of buying - give you time to research before making a rash purchase.

Good Luck!
 
Thanks for all the responses, you'se guys and gals are all great. Well, it's a done deal. I am currently coming to you on my brand spankin' new iMac desktop. So far, even a computer idiot like me seems to be finding his way pretty well. I do have someone working on getting my old info out of my dead pooter's hard drive, so I can get back my pictures, hopefully my favorites list and saved emails if that applies.

Once again, thanks everybody... I appreciate all the help and your opinions.
 
Welcome to the Mac side!

Also fn +delete is delete ahead. The apple key+z will undo.
 
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