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#60955 - 02/13/03 02:47 AM Off topic - New PC
Andy_Z Offline
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Andy_Z
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I brought home a new laptop tonight, a Sony VAIO GRZ610. My 400MHz Dell is showing signs of age, limping along.

I just want to say that I feel sorry for anyone with a new computer and dial-up. The patches Microsoft issues have built up since this unit was produced. You need to apply these patches for security and functionality. Critical updates were 20.1MB, and there are still Windows XP patches to load.
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Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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General Discussion
#60956 - 02/13/03 03:53 AM Re: Off topic - New PC
Anonymous
Unregistered

While in Hawaii over the last week, I had only a dial-up connection. Even without the critical updates and all that jazz, I found trying to use the Internet painful because of the slow speed.

With 839 emails to download after the first two days, I decided spammers should be subjected to the worst type of torture because waiting for email to download was bad enough, but waiting for unwanted email to download was infuriating.

Happy security patching, Andy!

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#60957 - 02/13/03 12:37 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
Andy_Z Offline
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Well, if I was going to be frustrated with slow downloads, that would be the place to enjoy them.
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AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#60958 - 02/13/03 01:00 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
E.E.G.B Offline
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E.E.G.B
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the sandy shore
Andy, you don't build your own PCs????? Where's the fun in buying one someone ELSE put together?? (OK, not that I build my own either, but DH does and I get to 'help'.)
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#60959 - 02/13/03 02:01 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
DawgFan Offline
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DawgFan
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United States
Wait...you were downloading emails in Hawaii??
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#60960 - 02/13/03 02:30 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
StevenD Offline
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KY
Might want to order the Service Pack disk from Microsoft and wait a week. It does cost $10 to $12 but if you ever have to rebuild the hard drive for any reason you'll be miles ahead.
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#60961 - 02/13/03 02:35 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
Andy_Z Offline
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How many patches could be produced between the CD's being burned and your receipt? But there would be less downloading for sure.

ExGB - I don't have the time for that. Beside, building your own laptop would be tough. I'd also have to find someone else to turn it on for the first time with it on their lap. Wouldn't want to damage anything important. Hmmm. Maybe one of those Goober Peas who shorted my HMDA would test it
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AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#60962 - 02/13/03 02:43 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
StevenD Offline
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KY
I got a new Gateway laptop last November and the SP-1 disk was produced in October, I think. I've downloaded six or seven times since I installed the SP-1 disk. It seems like hardly a week goes by without a new update. I don't download the movie makers and the media players, just the security and critical updates. The reason I opted for the CD was because of the size of the updates, time involved in downloading and knowing that I would have to repeat the process if I ever had to re-install the system for any reason. I was surprised the operating system was that much out of date on an brand new PC. Since my internet visits include very little 'browsing' I felt the risk was very small.
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#60963 - 02/13/03 04:09 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
wlavoie Offline
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wlavoie
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Hell's Canyon
Gee - and I was just discussing whether we should get a new home PC...

Maybe limping along isn't such a bad idea. Still have Windows ME at home, but I will have to get a bigger hard drive to handle all those digital pics and mp3 files I'm collecting!
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#60964 - 02/13/03 05:46 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
Andy_Z Offline
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The thing is, making the switch won't get any easier. There are still fresh installs to do and tweaking the system to work the way you want it to.

You can always add a second drive to accept all your digital entertainment and bypass the new system setup work. But your collection will grow to meet your storage capabilities. So go big.

My first harddrive (external) was 20MB as I recall. And the salesman said "you'll never be able to fill that up". But back then you ran systems on floppy disks too.
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AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#60965 - 02/13/03 05:53 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
D2Xs Offline
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I've heard that zip disks now go up to 750mb. That is 50mb more than an average CD. Or you could burn photos on to DVD's if you have the equipment. That gives you 4.7gig per disk is cheaper than a 20 gig external hard drive. I'm working through this storage dilemma as I start my photography biz since everything is being shot digitally.
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#60966 - 02/13/03 06:50 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
HRH Dawnie Offline
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HRH Dawnie
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Anchorage Alaska
WOOOOSSSHHHHHH (the sound of this technical conversation racing right over my head!)

I have a new Dell on the way...you're scaring me!
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#60967 - 02/13/03 07:05 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
Anonymous
Unregistered

Sitting on the balcony, overlooking the ocean, feeling the gentle breeze. It was rough, I'll tell you.

Hawaii truly is paradise. That's the second time I've been and I don't know why anyone who lives there would ever leave.

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#60968 - 02/13/03 08:48 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
Dave M_TCA Offline
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Having just bought a new desktop for home, I can totally sympathize Andy. Dial-up and between the XP packs, the IE6 upgrades, I spent a lot of time watching the little bar (ok, I watched some TV too while waiting...).

The worst thing was, I had to do it TWICE! I had a problem and had to re-image my drive. Of course, that happened AFTER I had transferred data/emails, everything to the new PC, put in the dial-up connection, set up my 10 email accounts (not all mine personally, but as webmaster for the sites that I keep up to date, before anyone thinks that I have absolutely nothing to do while waiting for the baby in 5 weeks & 2 days), and trying to set up new software to boot.

Whew! I should probably back it up now...
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#60969 - 02/14/03 02:53 AM Re: Off topic - New PC
Andy_Z Offline
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Dave, congrats on the new PC. Oh, and on the baby too. Those midnight feedings are a great time to catch up on regulatory reading, but get a booklight.
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AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#60970 - 02/14/03 03:35 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
Dave M_TCA Offline
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I really do plan on bringing home my stack of unread info for my FMLA leave. I'm planning on 2 straight weeks and then home as needed. It's nice that I'm only 3 miles from the bank. Booklight, a great idea!
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#60971 - 02/14/03 03:37 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
Dave M_TCA Offline
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Wherever my most benevolent em...
Ooh! I could read the baby Reg Z & USAPA and have my own little resource when he/she gets older!
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David J Mulkerin, CRCM
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#60972 - 02/14/03 03:54 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
SJB Offline
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California
Hey Andy -

At least you HAVE a PC, mine was stolen out of locked, checked luggage on the way to Canada last week! Bummer.
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#60973 - 02/14/03 04:02 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
E.E.G.B Offline
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the sandy shore
Thus ensuring the new little one will sleep soundly through the night.... what a great idea! I may have to try that.
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I disbelieved what he was saying so hard, I probably created an alternate universe where it wasn't true.

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#60974 - 02/14/03 05:36 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
Andy_Z Offline
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Well if you are looking for a used Dell Inspiron 7000...

I've checked my digital camera, but never a laptop. I am sorry for your loss. Must have been sick to your stomach.
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AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#60975 - 02/14/03 06:07 PM Re: Off topic - New PC
SJB Offline
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SJB
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Posts: 1,210
California
I checked it thinking I was doing the right thing. The battery was dead and so the laptop would not boot up if security did that boot up routine when you take a laptop as carry-on. Silly me!

I locked the bag AFTER the TSA people went through my bag at the first airport, I thought that would be the last time anyone went through it. Not so, the lock was cut off so that probably happened at the second airport the bag went through.
Word to the wise - don't put anything of value in checked luggage, I learned the hard way.
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