Search results

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    Laptop Advice

    I've been looking for a laptop for college. I mostly just need it for research and writing papers, although watching movies and playing a few old games would be nice too. I've been looking at this Acer model from Circuit City. I'm fairly knowledgeable about desktops, but I don't have much...
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    Setting Up a Home Network

    I'm looking for a guide to setting up a home network between two computers, one of which is running Windows XP while the other is running Windows ME. Is it possible to set up file and printer sharing on computers running these two operating systems?
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    Scandisk

    Every time I start my computer, regardless of whether or not it's shut down properly or improperly, scandisk is running. Any idea what's causing this?
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    Customer Service

    I'm curious what companies you would consider reputable and reliable in the computer world. List any here that you trust according to what they produce (motherboards, memory, HDD's, graphics cards, etc.).
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    $600 Computer

    What brands should I be looking at in the $600 pricerange if I need a new PC and monitor? I'd like something with a PCI-express x16 slot, and I don't care if it comes with a videocard because I'd rather buy my own down the line. I'd especially appreciate links to specific sales.
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    Dell Packages

    I've got two questions about Dell--first, if I can get this computer for $500 dollars after coupons, would you consider it a good deal? Secondly, how can I tell what kind of slots the motherboard has? Down the road I might be interested in upgrading the graphics card, preferably to something...
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    Dell Upgrades

    If I bought a Dell (mostly because of the coupons and included monitor), would I be able to upgrade it on my own? Will normal memory and videocards fit into the system, or does Dell make their own sockets? Also, how respectable are Dells cases and powersupplies?
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    Good deal?

    I'm looking for a midrange computer bundle, and this one has caught my eye. What does everyone think of the price and company? Also, are Circuit City rebates reliable?
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    Looking for a Cheap Computer

    I'm looking for a computer for about $300 dollars or less, hopefully with potential to be upgraded. Can anyone point me in the right direction? So far I've just assumed that dell outlet or a similar service is my best bet. Also, I would be willing to pay a little more if there's any good...
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    MP3/Video Players

    So, I've been considering buying a HDD-based mp3 player for some time, and now I have a question: which mp3 players do you know of that will function simply as an external HDD, eliminating the need for special transfer software? My computer is stuck with Windows ME, so most new software that...
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    mp3 Software

    I'm curious how you all transfer your music from your computer to your MP3 player. Is it typical to have to use a specific program for your player (such as itunes with the ipod), or do most HDD-based players have some kind of removable disk function which allows them to be recognized as an...
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    Which Zen to choose?

    I'm having trouble deciding between the Zen Touch and the http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4183465">Zen Micro</a>, and I'm looking for any personal experience with either player to help me make my decision. It seems counter-intuitive to pay more for a player with less...
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    DVD RW Error

    When attempting to burn media onto DVD RW disk with an Iomega external DVD RW combo drive, I get error messages involving the drives innability to recognize the media disk, as well as windows failiure in recognizing the disk format. I know the drive speed and media speed are compatible, and the...
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    Outlook Web Access

    Is there any way to download my inbox from an online server using Outlook Web Access to my local harddrive?
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    Xbox Live Communicator

    After breaking the Xbox Live communicator headset that came with my subscription, I've been looking to upgrade to a more durable, quality headset. Does anybody know if I have to buy headsets made specifically for the Xbox, or if I can purchase computer ones and plug them in to the controller?
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    CD-RW Drive Not Recognized

    After my old CDRW drive burnt out, the computer store swapped in an Asus CRW-5232A3, but my burning software won't recognize it as a CDRW drive as opposed to a regular CD drive. Would this be a software error, or did they install the drive wrong? How exactly do you configure a CDRW drive in...
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    Xbox Live Lag

    I have an Xbox and computer hooked up to a wireless network, and whenever the computer is downloading something my brother complains that Xbox Live experiences unbearable lag. I think this is all in his head, but I'm curious if routers do actually slow down the individual computers they're...
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    Cheap Wireless

    I'm looking for the cheapest 802.11b router I can find--I've read that they should be available in the $5-$15 range, but have yet to find one. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Do good deals on networking equipment pop up quite frequently, similar to how they do with HDDs?
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    Wired/Wireless

    I have a computer and an Xbox that currently share an internet connection by means of Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing, which sucks. This is why I'm interested in purchasing a router, but I'm not sure what exactly to do--I'd like my computer to be hooked up wirelessly, but my xbox to use a...
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    Can't Decide

    This Modstream and this Bluestorm are about the same price for me after shipping. I'm planning on putting whatever one I get in an SLK3000B--any suggestions as to which one I should purchase?
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    Centurion 5 vs. Slk3000b

    If given the choice between a Coolermaster Centurion 5 and an Antec SLK3000B, which would you go with? I personally think the Centurion looks better, but its 80mm intake fan is less attractive than the Antecs 120mm fan. Would there be a signifigant difference in noise? Has anyone been able to...
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    HDD Price Changes

    I've noticed that prices on hard drives fluctuate more than just about any other component in a PC, due to large rebate offers and the like. While this is probably a good thing for frugal shoppers, it has me a slightly confused--when the prices can be so drastically different on similar drives...
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    New Seasonic Revision?

    Was there a time when the S12 model of Seasonic PSU's wasn't built around ATX12v V2.0? I've read in several old reviews that S12's don't have a 6 pin PCI-e line, but as I understand it, all ATX12v V2.0 power supplies are required to have this connector. Is this not correct, or have I simply...
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    Features

    If a motherboard comes with onboard LAN, does that mean that you don't have to install an ethernet card to get the internet working?
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    Forton vs. Seasonic

    In your opinion, will there be any big difference between this Bluestorm and this S12? From reading reviews and such, I've found them to both seem equally quiet and qualified, but I'm curious what your personal experiences have been with either PSU.
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    Hard Mounted Fan

    When talking about fans, what exactly does the term "hard-mounted" refer to? Does this mean the fan is unremovable?
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    OCZ Modstream

    I have a quesiton for anyone that owns an OCZ Modstream PSU--in your experience, have you found the cables to be too short and/or stiff? I've heard this can be an issue. Would it be better to go with a Noisetaker, Bluestorm or S-12 in the $75 range instead of the OCZ? So far it looks like the...
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    Income Tax

    I got my first full time job this summer, and I'm curious if anyone can answer my tax questions. Let's just say I make 2000 dollars net sallary, without any withholdings--the W-4 form I filled out doesn't seem to take into account how long you're going to be working, so I'd imagine that I'll be...
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    Cheap Graphics Cards

    I know not everyone likes reminiscing about old and obsolete hardware in these forums, but I have a question regarding cheap and outdated graphics cards that needs an answer. Basically, with a budget of $100 dollars max, which AGP card would you recommend?
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    ATX12V2.0

    What does everyone recommend in a reasonably priced--lets say under $75--ATX12V2.0 PSU? Websites such as newegg don't seem to offer the option to browse through only their ATX12V2.0 PSU's, so I'm hard-pressed to find some kind of organized list of them. Are they not catching on? Is it easier...
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    Your Choice

    To get a feel for what the average user currently likes in a mid-range to high-end card, I'm proposing the following question: If given $350 dollars to spend (plus or minus 25), what PCI-e graphics card would you purchase, and why? Pretend you're not planning on using SLI.
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    Spybot S&D Error

    Whenever I run Spybot: Search and Destroy, I get an error towards the end of the spy check that reads "Error During Check! Zwax( Ungultiger Datentyp fur") which stops the scan. Does anyone know how to fix this error, or even what it is?
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    Online Stores

    Browsing through the forums, I've noticed a lot discounted items listed in the Hot Deals forum as well as various other locations that come from places like Directron.com and Outpost.com. My question is this--are these sites just all purpose vendors, or do they work especially in overstocked...
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    Connectors

    Do components such as hard drives and CD drives plug directly into the PSU, or do the draw their power from the motherboard? If they do get it from the PSU, does it come from a molex connector? How many of these are typical on a mid-range(under $100) PSU?
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    How Would You Build?

    If you were looking to build a new computer, and time wasn't necessarily a concern, would you periodically order the parts you wanted when you saw great deals on them, or would you save up your money and buy them all at once? In other words, if I wanted a new computer by the end of this summer...
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    Warranties

    At one point I saw a link to another thread that had a list of reputable PSU manufacturers and the warranties they offer--if anyone can recall where this is, or simply recreate the list, I'd appreciate it. I've found some places (such as Fortron) have terrible websites, and I can't find out...
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    Motherboard/PSU

    How can you see what kind of PSU (24 or 20) pin is required for a certain motherboard, and what exactly is ATX vs ATX12V vs ATX12V 2.0? In other words, if I wanted to look on Newegg for PSU's that have 24 pins, what form factor would they be?
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    Motherboard Opinions

    Any opinions regarding either the Asus A8N-E or the LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D? From what I've seen, these seem to be reasonable options at this price range--am I missing any other nforce4 motherboards? Does anyone have an opinion/horror story/piece of advice regarding choosing one over the...
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    Most Amps?

    From what I've read, a new ATX12v board with a PCI-e card should get at least 20-25 amps on it's 12v rail. I've been searching for PSU's in the 350-400 watt range(anything more is overkill for me) that can supply that kind of amperage, but have been hard-pressed to find a unit. That said, are...
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    How much is Enough?

    How many fans are needed in a typical PC that won't be overclocked? I understand the PSU has one built into it, but are others required in the case? And when purchasing a case online, are these fans included? Also, are there different types of fans (are certain sizes quieter or more...