Input on a Computer replacement for the parents.

[Peelback79]

My mom is complaining that her computer is slowing down and she thinks it's failing. We're not getting BSOD's but we are talking about an old 2800+/512sdram/Geforce MX 4 rig. The more info for I can give you the better, this was in the sticky up top, so here ya go.

PLEASE when you POST threads asking for input on system builds tell us...
1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
-Basic Internet, d/l'ing watching movies (mom likes hulu.com). No major video editing and no gaming outside of the occasional flash games or browser based games. It needs to be able to play videos well on our old 17" flat panel that the new computer will inherit.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
-Trying my best to keep it in and around the $350.

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
-Los Estadas Unidos

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture.
-Nope. Looking for the most cost-effective replacement for the next 5 years. When light duty and regular cleanings are involved, it's amazing how long computers last. I think the aforementioned rig is chugging into it's nearly 6th year of service!

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
-No swap meets involved. Just a straight up system replacement.

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
I try to stay as active as I can at this site as this is where I popped my 'builder's cherry' if you will and through the guidance and coaching of many of you here built my first system myself.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Nope. From the time we plug it in longevity and stabillity will be the key.

8. Is space an issue (I added this on)
I'm looking at purchasing (not building, unfortunately) an 'all in one' desktop or a microATX format computer. She's seen them on the web and absolutely loves them because of the space and cable management bonuses. Oh, and it has to come with Windows XP installed. It's imperative that she be able to transition all of her software as smoothly as possible because the old rig houses the vast majority of our financial software. I want to avoid any 32-64bit coversions. She still uses the old version of quicken books, 03 I think. She doens't want to change because she doesn't want to risk losing any of the info on anything she takes care of. She has her own business, so does my dad, they manage my Gma's finances, and she also does taxwork for the regional munincipal and state goverment. And I'm sorry for all the peripheral info, but that is the single most reason she never upgrades because she's scared of losing any of the massive amounts of business and tax accounts she has to grieviously maintain. She has a USB backup HD that she backs up to.

I always harp on her because she has all that major info connected to the internet, so also, any info on a decent firewall would help. We have a firewalled router, and we use AVG security. Anything beyond that that would not be too user intensive is a welcome recommendation.

Thank you all for your input.
-peelback


EDIT: Speelcheck and deleted content.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

New Dell Vostro with XP? When discounted, you can get one for under $350.

Personally, I use the built-in firewall in Windows XP, but ZoneAlarm is another good choice. The Software for Windows forum will have other suggestions.

 

[polarbear6]

lemme see
intel 5200
with g31 board or 610i
2 ~ 4 gb ram
a 350 watt generic psu
a 17" monitor
and integrated graphics
and u do the maths
arnd 500$ bucks i guess

 

[nerp]

For a family situation, just get a slim dell or HP, de-crapify it, lock it down and you're good to go. They're quiet, will do the job for the vast majority of tasks just fine and you can't beat the price, especially when it comes to complete systems including monitor, etc. This also gives you a warranty and relieves you of having to play the role of troubleshooter, fixer and RMA middleman if something goes wrong. It's a lot easier to call Dell, or even pay for the on-site service for $40, and let them handle all the annoyance instead of you. If you build a machine for them, be prepared to address every issue and fix every problem on your own. And, if any of the parts arrive DOA, you could spend hours before figuring out what is wrong. Not that this happens regularly, but it is a possibility.

If your family does any serious gaming, consider outfitting one of those slim dell or HPs with an ATI 4670. You can find fanless, low profile versions of similar cards that will provide adequate gameplay performance with low power consumption. This is important for OEM machines with sometimes underpowered PSUs. With a 4670, you can feel confident that it won't blow up the PSU or cause heat and stability problems due to an underpowered PSU. It also means you don't have to worry about PCIe power connectors or anything like that. For an average person, this card is more than enough power for light gaming (sims, rollercoaster tycoon, etc) and can even play new games with medium settings quite capably, especially with lower resolution monitors (1280x1024, etc).

 

[Denithor]

^^What he said.