New PC's: 64-bit hardware/driver issues?

[(PeteCresswell)]

I've been anointed to provide a PC for somebody in the extended
family.

All they do is web mail and web page browsing... period, although
I'd think any solution I provide should also be capable of
rendering You-Tube videos.

My first thought was dumpster diving, a little extra memory, a
low-end LCD monitor and a cordless keyboard/mouse. Got an old
Compaq Celeron 1.1 ghz/500-meg that I rescued from the trash
sitting right next to me as my own spare PC which does all of the
above adequately.

Thinking, on second thought, that maybe a new box would be cheap
enough tb worth the lack of hassle, I went down to Circuit City
today and looked around.

A guy there pointed out that if I'm thinking about formatting the
drive on a new box and building a WinXP system, that there would
be driver issues because new PCs are engineered with Vista in
mind.

I suspect an over-generalization/simplification.... but can
anybody comment on that assertion?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I've been anointed to provide a PC for somebody in the extended
family.

All they do is web mail and web page browsing... period, although
I'd think any solution I provide should also be capable of
rendering You-Tube videos.

My first thought was dumpster diving, a little extra memory, a
low-end LCD monitor and a cordless keyboard/mouse. Got an old
Compaq Celeron 1.1 ghz/500-meg that I rescued from the trash
sitting right next to me as my own spare PC which does all of the
above adequately.

Thinking, on second thought, that maybe a new box would be cheap
enough tb worth the lack of hassle, I went down to Circuit City
today and looked around.

A guy there pointed out that if I'm thinking about formatting the
drive on a new box and building a WinXP system, that there would
be driver issues because new PCs are engineered with Vista in
mind.

I suspect an over-generalization/simplification.... but can
anybody comment on that assertion?

The 'guy' is generally correct *when* speaking of the larger OEM vendors.
However - for example - you can easily get Dell business computers with
Windows XP still.
Like Dimesions:
http://www.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/dimen?~ck=anav&c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04
Genuine Windows Vista® or Genuine Windows® XP operating systems

You could even go the 'refurbished' route and get a system with XP and
purchase an additional warranty for it (and still fall well below $400.)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...200&Hprice=499.99&Nav=|c:1815|&Sort=4&Recs=10

Personally - when getting systems for people I know will be coming to me - I
like to get something with some sort of warranty on the hardware - one less
worry for me later.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I've been anointed to provide a PC for somebody in the extended
family.

All they do is web mail and web page browsing... period, although
I'd think any solution I provide should also be capable of
rendering You-Tube videos.

My first thought was dumpster diving, a little extra memory, a
low-end LCD monitor and a cordless keyboard/mouse. Got an old
Compaq Celeron 1.1 ghz/500-meg that I rescued from the trash
sitting right next to me as my own spare PC which does all of the
above adequately.

Thinking, on second thought, that maybe a new box would be cheap
enough tb worth the lack of hassle, I went down to Circuit City
today and looked around.

A guy there pointed out that if I'm thinking about formatting the
drive on a new box and building a WinXP system, that there would
be driver issues because new PCs are engineered with Vista in
mind.

I suspect an over-generalization/simplification.... but can
anybody comment on that assertion?

Certainly, most PCs now sold come with Vista, at least they try to do that.
But if you look at sites like Lenovo (thinkpads) and HP, you'll find that XP
Pro is an option for most business machines. And that's because there are
still many custom apps that are not approved by corporate IT groups to run
with Vista. If they want to sell the systems at all, they have to have XP
as an option. As a hint of what I mean, just up the street from me is a
hospital with 10,000 people on staff. Many of their computers run windows
2000, not even XP.

Take the description of the system, and the components list (motherboard,
video, printer if applicable). Go to the manufacturer's support site and
see if there are XP drivers. If drivers are available, no problem.

On the other hand... I've recently purchased for clients a number of really
quite good, used, P4 /2.6 gHz systems, 512 meg ram, 40+gig hard disks, for
under CDN$230 - no keyboard, mouse or monitor, but WITH a legit, verifiable
XP Pro license and restore disk. ( HP D530 sff). These are far, far more
than what's required for the tasks you describe. As it happens, these
also run Linux quite well.

One note: the sff models use a non-standard slim power supply, which can be
a little hard to get in case of failure. That system also came in other
sizes that do use standard supplies, and are easy to replace. Those tower
models are around the same price, or cheaper, when you find them.

Finally. Cordless keyboards can be handy for desk clutter. But you will
very possibly find that they give you grief when setting up a system,
because the wireless takes too long to initialize. Have a wired keyboard
available.

HTH
-pk

 

[philo]

I've been anointed to provide a PC for somebody in the extended
family.

All they do is web mail and web page browsing... period, although
I'd think any solution I provide should also be capable of
rendering You-Tube videos.

My first thought was dumpster diving, a little extra memory, a
low-end LCD monitor and a cordless keyboard/mouse. Got an old
Compaq Celeron 1.1 ghz/500-meg that I rescued from the trash
sitting right next to me as my own spare PC which does all of the
above adequately.

Thinking, on second thought, that maybe a new box would be cheap
enough tb worth the lack of hassle, I went down to Circuit City
today and looked around.

A guy there pointed out that if I'm thinking about formatting the
drive on a new box and building a WinXP system, that there would
be driver issues because new PCs are engineered with Vista in
mind.

<snip>

Although new machines can be purchased for fairly low prices...
I find that discarded machines that are formatted and loaded with win2k
generally do a great job for 'general' use.

Though win2k can actually be installed on as little as a p-1

I recommend a 400mhz cpu with 128 megs of ram...
and a 6gig HD as a minimum

 

[Ian Betts]

I've been anointed to provide a PC for somebody in the extended
family.

All they do is web mail and web page browsing... period, although
I'd think any solution I provide should also be capable of
rendering You-Tube videos.

My first thought was dumpster diving, a little extra memory, a
low-end LCD monitor and a cordless keyboard/mouse. Got an old
Compaq Celeron 1.1 ghz/500-meg that I rescued from the trash
sitting right next to me as my own spare PC which does all of the
above adequately.

Thinking, on second thought, that maybe a new box would be cheap
enough tb worth the lack of hassle, I went down to Circuit City
today and looked around.

A guy there pointed out that if I'm thinking about formatting the
drive on a new box and building a WinXP system, that there would
be driver issues because new PCs are engineered with Vista in
mind.

I suspect an over-generalization/simplification.... but can
anybody comment on that assertion?

Yes and no is the answer.

You old pc is probably OK but will be a tad slow with XP loaded on a 1.1
processor.

I would ditch the new case idea cause it would have a 300+ power pack.
Unnecessary for your present motherboard that might not even fit the new
architecture. I would get hold of a Win 98 v2 CD and load that. It will run
sweet and do all needed as a starter kit.

Alternatively start from scratch and build the lot.



--
Ian

With patience there is aways a way.

Please Reply to Newsgroup so all can read.
Requests for assistance by email can not and will be deleted.

 

[Bob Knowlden]

I believe that most appliance PCs are sold with Vista 32 on them, whether
the hardware is 64 bit capable or not.

The main problem would be that the manufacturers of new PCs may not sell
them with XP, and not make XP drivers available for download for the
individual model. I'd expect you to be able to find drivers on the Web for
all of the pieces in the PC, but it would take more effort. (They may be on
the manufacturer's site, but for other models.)

Why not simply stay with Vista? Unless your relative needs software that
isn't compatible with Vista, it's not that different. (S/he may want to turn
off UAC and use something other than the default interface.)

I assemble my own systems, so I tend to a sort of black-and-white attitude:
if you want a good deal on a package, find an appliance PC that you like.
(If you want XP, Dell still sells systems with it installed, although you'll
have to search on "Windows XP" at their web site to find them. Circuit City
may not be able to oblige you .) If you want a custom system, build it.

HTH.

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