BS: New Computer

Subject: BS: New Computer
From: Tam the man
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 02:49 PM

Hello my name is Tom Hamilton.

And for the first time in ten years I have a new computer, it's brillant. I still have my old one which I've given to my dad.

I wrote this in case anyone was interested that's all.

Tam frae Saltcoats Scotland

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 02:55 PM

Well, Tam the Man, enjoy it! In addition to the new out-of-the-box smell, I hope it has some bells-and-whistles to bring you years of computing pleasure. And if you hit a few bumps in the Internet Superhighway, remember that you can use the Mudcat filter and search on "TECH" threads to find lots of answers to your computing needs.

Get yourself a good firewall, antivirus program, and find programs like Spybot Search&Destroy and Ad Aware to keep the nasties at bay. If you are a PC Windows man, keep up with your Microsoft Windows Updates (go there right now and update what came with the computer--coming out of the box it can still be months out of date).

Good luck!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: jacqui.c
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 03:18 PM

Tam, I know what you mean - got my new pc a couple of weeks ago and am having fun finding out what I can do with it.

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 05:18 PM

Be wary of windows updates. Set a rollback point before each one (if in XP or ME). I put all the updates on my W95 machine and it has not been the same since - I think a format C is coming...

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 05:30 PM

tru nuff

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 06:13 PM

Richard, if you have a machine that is old enough to have run on a Windows95 OS then the chances are very good that it isn't up to running the newer operating systems and they shouldn't be installed. That's operator error, not the fault of the software. A new machine needs the updates as they come along.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 06:38 PM

Well not one to sing my own praises but I built and commsioned my own PC. (Dual boot of course) I still use the 4 yearold one to surf and administer my website (cresby.com - thanks for asking) and the reason I do all the web stuff with relatively old equipment is so that I know what it looks like on ancient browsers and slowish machines - there are still a lot of legacy systems out there and they are mostly in the folkie world. So enjoy the new PC Tam...... and sing us a song.

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Tam the man
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 08:37 AM

thankyou eveyone.

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: khandu
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 08:44 AM

Yo, Tam! Enjoy!! I am riding on my new one & it is smmoooooth!! It makes   
reading Mudcat (& everything else) much more funner!

k

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: DMcG
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 08:45 AM

A word on Windows updates, just as an example. My son has an MPIO DMG MP3 player, which worked fine. When XP Service pack 2 came out, it could no longer link to upload and download files, because the changes in security stopped the thing working. Eventually, the manufacturer brought out a new driver and everything worked fine again ... until quite recently when new Microsoft hotfixes came out and it doesn't work again.

As I say, this is just an example, but be aware that any updates could have similar effects on other equipment you own (digital cameras, etc)

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 01:47 PM

If you have a commercial firewall (like Symantec), you'll probably want to turn off the WinXP firewall that is by default in the "on" position once you've downloaded the XP SP2. It might help eliminate what DMcG describes. And if you are putting old equipment or software on your new computer, visit the home pages for the various devices and software and see if they offer free updates. Those can help a lot.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 08:04 PM

Service pack 2 did cause a lot of problems involving format C for a lot of users, but it has now been ironed out.

I changed from Win 98SE, to Win XP on my self built system, then manually downloaded SP2 about two months ago.

My expected crash rate (twice a month at least) is now Zero. I've not had a hiccup since I changed

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 07:08 PM

No SRS, updates to W95, not installations of new OSs.

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 07:16 PM

Microsoft hasn't supported Win 95 for a couple of years now at least. How can you update it? You can't put the new software on a Win95 machine, it wouldn't know what to do with it. I think we need more information about your system--there are clearly a few gaps in the story!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Mr Red
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 08:20 PM

XP SP2 switches-off a load of drivers by manufacturers names. Happauge WinTV and Norton AV being two rather notables.

BASICALLY don't load SP2 till you read the stories. Bit late I know. One of the reasons I am holding off on XP - the other is the other M$ trick of locking you in, and snooping on your system.

The next business model is software leasing, - if you accept XP you are already giving them the nod. You pay each year and you get updates. Like SP2 - isn't technology wonderful? Well the answer is yes, its the money men who have taken over (long since).

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 03:33 AM

Actually SRS, if you ask for a list of W 95 updates, there are still some available from Microsnot. Straightforward W 95 updates. But I suggest if one has a working W95 system, leaving W95 unupdated. Pretty much all my W95 machine does is impersonate an ansaphone, but I can retrieve the messages from anywhere on my network.

Subject: RE: BS: New Computer
From: hesperis
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 05:11 AM

I'm back on my new (last year anyway) computer. It's wonderful. My music program can have more than three tracks in it at once now! I haven't updated to SP2 but have SP1 and a lot of protections. I do need a larger hard drive now though, to hold all the music I'll be making!