Blaaaaaargh.

[msmcknittington]

I'm in such a bad mood, folks. My computer problems continue. I was all set to buy a new power supply, which would be the cheapest solution, only now my CD tray no longer works, one of the USB ports isn't working, and I'm kind of waiting to see what else stops working.

I've been pricing new computers, and I can't find anything that's just the tower. I have a very nice monitor, nice speakers and a printer already. I do not need a completely new system. Just a tower! (Admittedly, I haven't looked for very long, because my computer overheats and then I have to wait an hour before I can start again.)

On top of that, I really don't want to upgrade to Vista, because I have a bunch of software that's not compatible with it. My Sims! My Photoshop! How am I supposed to live without The Sims 2 and Photoshop?

This is so frustrating. I sent two patterns today that people bought earlier this week, because today was the first day that my computer stayed cool enough long enough to upload the PDFs to Gmail. And I can't listen to music at all, because it heats my computer up too quickly.

I'm also cutting a wisdom tooth, which hurts like a son of a bitch. No wonder babies are so cranky when they're teething. I'm this close to chewing on a bag full of ice.

Does anyone have any experience with refurbished computers from Overstock.com? They have just towers and it looks like they might have computers that have XP and not Vista. I also need something that I can put a dial-up modem in.

Ugh. Looks like I'll be needing to send my Uncle Donnie, computer guru, an e-mail.

ETA: But wait! There's more! It's snowing like crazy and it's sticking. Chores are going to miserable tonight. So cold, so cold.

Bright side of all of this fail: I ordered some roving from Etsy, and I've been drop spindling. It's . . . um, what I'm making is woefully inconsistent. Laceweight in some spots, chunky in others, worsted, DK, sport. I think I've hit every yarn weight there is. But I'm making yarn! It's pretty cool. I also finished a shawl and I've got a couple of mitt designs in the works, both of which I like a lot. And today I deep cleaned my room, which needed it. My little bookcase is so tidy; it's amazing. Now I've just got the dresser and the desk and the other bookcase and the closet to clean. Ha!

Comments

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

I haven't bought a computer from Overstock but I've bought enough other things from them to believe that you shouldn't have a problem.

Have you checked out tigerdirect.com? They have some good deals and I think they still have some XP operating system computers.

If you need any help or have any questions about computers, please feel free to ask. I've built my past two computers and most of my past jobs have included me being the tech person. :-) People at work bring their computers to me to fix 'em.

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

Are there any computer brands that you would suggest I stay away from? I've already eliminated Acer and eMachines from my list, because of my experiences and friends'. I'm kind of iffy on Dell, too, as I seem to recall that all the little annoying programs they load their computers with are nearly impossible to get rid of.

I haven't looked at tigerdirect.com, but I'll take a look. I'd like to keep it under $200, if possible. The $2.95 shipping from Overstock is a beautiful thing.

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

I'm personally partial to HP's but that really is just me. Dell's are hit and miss. Never get a Dell laptop though. They are a PAIN. eMachines do have issues but Acer tends to be a hit and miss type company too.

This computer looked pretty good. It's an off-lease, refurbished HP for about $180. It has XP as an operating system and it has more than enough USB ports.

It looks like they have the same model on Overstock for about $10 more. I'm not sure what the shipping would be on Tigerdirct but I'd just go with whatever one would be cheaper.

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

My parents had an HP for their last computer, and it kept going strong for about 7 years, and then it just stopped. My current computer is an eMachines, except since I've had it (5 years), I've replaced the hard drive, the power supply, the monitor, the keyboard, the mouse, and the speakers. It's hardly the computer I started with.

About the processor speed on the HP you linked: My current computer has a 2.5 GHz processor. Is going down to a 2.0 GHz going to be a big step down? This one is pretty sluggish, but I'm not sure if it's because it's old or because I've got so much stuff loaded on it.

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

Typically, the sluggishness seems to be more to do with not cleaning out the temp files or defragmenting the hd every few months. Also, memory has a lot to do with it too and allocations of virtual memory. However, it might be a bit slower.

Maybe this one? It's 2.8 and has XP. I like the towers anyway because they are easier to take apart and add stuff too.... I'd automatically update the to a CD/DVD RD but other than that, it looks fine.

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

I think I only have 256 MB of memory in my computer. I might have upgraded to 512 when I replaced the power supply, but I can't remember and I'm too lazy to look.

What do you think of this one? It has a DVD/RW drive, though only a 2.6 GHz processor. But it is nearly $20 cheaper.

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

It's not bad. Like I said, I prefer HP above all. :-) It does have a lot of good features and, overall, looks pretty good. 6 USB ports is a pretty good deal. I'd say go for it.

I saw a computer that is about $40 over your budget that is very drool worthy. 3.2 processor, 120 MB HD, and a DVD RW? Drool...... Too bad my Dad just gave me my brother's old one to play with...

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

I saw a computer that is about $40 over your budget that is very drool worthy. 3.2 processor, 120 MB HD, and a DVD RW? Drool...... Too bad my Dad just gave me my brother's old one to play with...

Where was it at? I might be able to stretch my budget a bit, depending on how unbelievable it is.

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

It's at overstock and it's something you wouldn't have to upgrade for a long time.

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that is nice. I will have to do some soul-searching.

[h0taru.livejournal.com]

I've had fantastic luck with Systemax, a Tiger Direct house brand. Not sure if you can find any with XP still, but worth a shot.