OS & CPU for new computer?

15 years ago

We finally decided to buy a new computer and are bewildered by the different OS choices, and wonder whether there's any point owning more than Celeron type CPU's for us.

Our uses are primarily internet related- no gaming or heavy duty graphics applications are anticipated, although I would like to be able to do basic photo editing. I do a very small amount of online investing, so security does matter. I would like for both of us to be able to use the machine simultaneously.

It appears that there are at least two versions of Vista, and a "downgrade" to XP is available, along with Ubuntu.

Cost and privacy are relevant.

I doubt my wife would be happy with Ubuntu, 'cause it's not what she's used to, but I am intrigued by it. So far we've only used Windows 98. Is a dual boot system realistic?

Thanks very much,

Mark

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Comments (7)

mikie_gw
15 years ago
my 2Â¢'s on what you have written;

Sounds like you might buy any version of 32 bit Vista - ubuntu is free so you can add it as a dual boot and maybe you'll teach the wife.
Get as much memory as your comfortability price allows... 2gb should be minimum though with vista - it likes memory. Memory usually is quite cheap to diy add from the neweggs and such.

Fast cpu doesnt sound important to you but after you use a dual core processor, you'll appreciate it enough that you certainly would want it next time. Quad core even better but you dont need it.
Multi core's allow you to defrag and virus scans and other things you normally would want to walk away while running .. won't have that need to walk away until it finishes you can keep on surfing or whatever. Plus they always will boot faster.

Windows 7 is coming out fairly soon. Microsoft already has some of the support for the final release on their webpages.
owbist
15 years ago
I assume you intend to buy off the shelf Dell, Compaq or HP type computer. Hard to recommend a processor but perhaps the price point of each computer considered will give you an idea of which to avoid. The lowest priced machines will not perform like the more expensive obviously. As Mikie notes, 32 bit version is good.

Here is a breakdown of the various flavours of Vista. You would need vista Home Premium. Do not buy the 'basic', from my understanding basic is just too basic to be useful. Forget going backwards to XP, you have never had it so why start now when even Vista will be surpassed by Windows 7 allegedly by year end.

Regarding using Ubuntu why not install that on the current computer? Linux needs less power to run well and that would give you 2 computers to use simultaneously. Dual booting is alright but gets tedious after a while having to keep swapping back and forth. In fact it usually means just one OS gets used and the other almost forgotten. This week I loaded Ubuntu on a 2600 AMD computer, very little user input needed during the install and runs really nice.
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Current Hijackthis log Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4 Scan saved at 7:49:45 PM, on 1/20/2013 Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600) MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702) Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe C:\Program Files\IObit\Advanced SystemCare 6\ASCService.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\WLTRYSVC.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\bcmwltry.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\sched.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\netdde.exe C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASCORE.EXE C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avguard.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\iaantmon.exe C:\Program Files\Maxtor\OneTouch\Utils\SyncServices.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\New Boundary\PrismXL\PRISMXL.SYS C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avshadow.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\iaanotif.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxpers.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxsrvc.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\WLTRAY.exe C:\Program Files\Lexmark 8300 Series\lxcjmon.exe C:\Program Files\Lexmark 8300 Series\ezprint.exe C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Distillr\Acrotray.exe C:\Program Files\Motorola\SMSERIAL\sm56hlpr.exe C:\Program Files\MagicMus\MulMouse.exe C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lxcjcoms.exe C:\Program Files\Maxtor\OneTouch Status\maxmenumgr.exe C:\Program Files\MagicMus\MagicWl.exe C:\PROGRA~1\UCS\VIRTUA~1\CitiUCS.exe C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\ipoint.exe C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avgnt.exe C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe C:\Program Files\Maxtor\OneTouch\utils\Onetouch.exe c:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\dpupdchk.exe C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\OBroker.exe C:\Program Files\IObit\Advanced SystemCare 6\ASCTray.exe C:\Program Files\Eraser\Eraser.exe C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe C:\Program Files\Palm\Hotsync.exe C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.exe C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.bin C:\Program Files\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.gateway.com/g/sidepanel.html?Ch=Retail&Br=GTW&Loc=ENG_US&Sys=PTB&M=MX6216 R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.centurylink.net/ R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local O2 - BHO: Yahoo! 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marknmt
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks! Those are things I'd never have thought of. Appreciate the link, too.

One of the reasons we're leaving the old computer (PII 266) is that it's just not worth upgrading it to go on broadband- yup, we're still on dialup. So I imagine it wouldn't work to piggy-back the old computer on the new one's internet connection, but I don't know.

Thanks again to both of you for the help.

Best,

M
mikie_gw
15 years ago
I have home basic on Toshiba $450 laptop... Toshiba loaded softwares to essentially make it a mix of whats lacking from home-premium/multimedia without any trial ware type costs. Burns, networks, media encoder, does TV etc. Little tips on the web to activate or do everything imaginable so far in 1.5 yrs use.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
I personally would not get a celeron processor not when you can get much better faster ones now days for great prices.

I use linux 98% of the time and if I am online I am on linux, your old pc would be an excellent candidate for a linux distro, I am not a huge ubuntu fan, I do have it as a dual boot on my linux box but never use it, I use daily and LOVE Mepis linux, it is very easy to use and not that hard to transition to from windows, it uses KDE desktop which I find much more user friendly and more similar to windows.

I have several computers I have them all connected to a KVM switch so I use only one monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers it is the perfect set up, with the click of a button I can switch back and forth between machines and Operating systems.

The great thing about linux is you can try it with out installing or changing a thing on your pc. They have live cd which allows you to simply insert the cd into your pc reboot the pc to the cd and you can run it right off of the cd, when you want to go back to your regular OS take the cd out and reboot back to pc. That gives you a good feel for it and to see if all your "stuff" works well with linux, Mepis usually detects everything right out of the box unlike other distros.

You can either order a cd for a couple of bucks or you can burn your own ISO disc to use for your live cd. You can find most all distros including Mepis and Ubuntu at
DistroWatch.com

you can order the ubuntu and kubuntu discs from
Kubuntu
kubuntu is the version of ubuntu that uses KDE desktop which is my preferred.
you can also find the ubuntu cds available there for free too. It takes about 2 weeks to get them.
Feel free to ask what ever you need to know, plus there are excellent dedicated linux forums that are extremely helpful, I use mepislovers.
Mepis8 the newest version is available in regular 32 or 64 bit from here
MEPIS Linux
I am still on Mepis7 but that will change hopefully soon to 8.

to use on very very old computers there are very small versions like puppy linux, damn small linux and the mepis version AntiX. You can even carry some on a usb flash drive.
marknmt
Original Author
15 years ago
Ravencajun, thank you. I'll get the new machine, set up the CD, and try to get Herself to give it a try. And then I'll see about tying my old computer into the new one.

Thanks again to you all.

Mark
owbist
15 years ago
I'll see about tying my old computer into the new one.

That only requires a router and an extra CAT5 cable if both computers are in the same room.

OS & CPU for new computer?

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