For the Longest Time, I Tought it Woulda Been the Hard Drive...

[OracleofWuffing]

Well, the WuffyTank- the first computer I put together- probably bit it today. I haven't had more than a few minutes to check connections, but corrupted video card drivers followed by visible graphic corruption after a reinstall doesn't usually have too many causes or solutions to it. It shouldn't be too much of a concern to me, as I moved on to a different computer and recommissioned the tank to family use, but if mom doesn't have a Facebook and e-mail box, there's hell to hear.:smallfrown:

On one hand, I could pick up an old 8xAGP card to replace the ATI All-in-Wonder 9800 for a ballpark of $60-75. Sure, it's not going to have a TV Tuner, but my folks don't use that. But that Hard Drive's been a worry for the past year, and that'll take another hundred to get when that happens. Not to mention the downtime of reinstalling Windows XP and getting it up to date. So, just shy of $200 to keep an eight year old single-core machine running.

On the other hand, mother's made it clear that she wants her next computer to be a notebook, so she can take it with her and use it wherever she goes (read: Leave it at home and not use it at all). So, $400 to get a bottom-of-the-barrel 15-inch Inspiron that'll still compare favorably with what she was using, and it'll run Windows 7, which, while not foolproof, is slightly less to care about. Not a big fan of Inspirons, but I'm not getting something nice for her.

:smallyuk: So, does peace of mind warrant the $200 extra price tag? Maybe I can convince her to go halfsies on it, on behalf of a new computer not actually being my computer. Any other angles I'm missing here? I can't really salvage the RAM, PSU, Motherboard, and Processor while still being comparably under budget.

[Grinner]

If you need cheap parts, eBay is the way to go. Just check out the seller first.

I actually saw a Radeon 9800 going for about $20 total some time ago, though you may want to get a new hard drive anyway.

[factotum]

Have you considered getting her a netbook? They tend to be smaller and cheaper than full-blown notebooks, and if all she uses it for is Facebook and e-mail, it ought to do fine.

[Karen Lynn]

I'd second the netbook. Probably still more powerful than the old tank, and in the US, you can usually find one going for two hundred.

[OracleofWuffing]

:smallconfused: All of the Netbooks I've seen start at about $300. Maybe that $200 price point is for used/refurbished? Er, regardless, Netbooks have too small of a screen and too cramped of a keyboard for her, and no, she's not "savvy" enough to use external devices. :smallfrown:

Swell, I see that Dell's changed their lowest-level warranty work to 10-14 day mail-in. :smallyuk: There goes my brand loyalty. Anyone still do the thing where, if your RAM goes bad, they'll send you a replacement module with a return label to send back the bad stick?

[Drumbum42]

I'd only get the net book if you plug it into the monitor and keyboard from the old computer so it's easy to use (assuming the keyboard is not PS/2). The majority of people hate small keyboards, and small screens are a strain on the eyes. Also the majority of them do not have CD drives, so she either needs to part with that or you need to buy a USB DVD drive. (extra $40 or so)

If you were to buy one straight up, I'd say no. But since you have a screen, keyboard, and mouse, it's definitely an option.

[OracleofWuffing]

I'd only get the net book if you plug it into the monitor and keyboard from the old computer so it's easy to use (assuming the keyboard is not PS/2). The majority of people hate small keyboards, and small screens are a strain on the eyes. Also the majority of them do not have CD drives, so she either needs to part with that or you need to buy a USB DVD drive. (extra $40 or so)
Eh, good point, but like I said before, she's not too bright and can't figure out how to plug in/unplug external devices. The upside of that is that the CD/DVD drive isn't a concern, because she doesn't have any CDs or data DVDs. The keyboard is PS/2, however. Back when the thing was built, I went with PS/2 on the keyboard because USB support in BIOS was hit-or-miss. That, and I could only find a new wired ergo keyboard in PS/2. I miss that keyboard.

Tomorrow, I'll be able to check out what's available locally (go ahead and place bets that it's at least $100 more expensive than the equivalent online), maybe possibly dig up my brother's old tower and run XP on 128 MB of RAM until we get something new. :smallyuk:

When I say I thought the hard drive woulda been the cause, I mean it. That hard drive has tripped SMART on three occasions. So why haven't I switched the hard drive out? Because, after receiving that warning that SMART has been tripped, everything, including the thing that reported SMART has been tripped, states that SMART has not been tripped. Mystery to everyone.:smalltongue:

[OracleofWuffing]

For closure's sake, halfsies on the 15" notebook has been decided. I was able to dig up a $75 off coupon on small office-class refurbed Dells, and they had a few refurbished models in stock that hadn't ever been opened, so a $400 Vostro 1540's on its way with an i3-370M instead of the Celeron I thought she'd be getting, so that's a plus (3GB RAM, 250GB/5400RPM HD). I don't think it'll have Office Starter, which was kinda a draw for me because Word's all she needs, but she can just continue using Libre Office and not have to be introduced to the ribbon. I'm not particularly fond of the chassis compared to the 35xx series, but it's not my notebook and I trust that more than an Inspiron. On-site instead of mail-in service plan, too, in case something does go wrong.