which computer-help!!

loupott_2

Hi everyone, I could really do with some help please......

The problem is, I am online at home only with a laptop (split up with partner last year, he took the desktop) which isn't a bad idea as I can keep it away from my 2 young kids and although it is wired up, gives me some flexibility to sit and watch TV etc....

It is an ex council Dell latitude-XP 4-m CPU 1.8 GHz. 1.79GHz, 1.00 GB of RAM.

I got this info off the computer, i have no idea what it means!!

I figured i would be needing a new computer as this one is very 'clunky' and doesn't have a dvd drive which i need for my OU studies or a webcam for skype to keep in touch with Oz relatives. I only really use the machine for internet, audacity sound recording, OU study but will shortly be needing for admin in relation to my new job (work will not be providing a computer).

Can anyone point me in the right direction for what i might need? I am on a tight budget.

Many thanks in advance,

Louise.

dannyjebb

How old are your kids? Will they be wanting to play games etc on it in the near future? Do you want another laptop or would you use a desktop PC? (a desktop can be easily upgraded without the need to buy a whole new PC in the future) would you be happy to use open office? (a free version of microsoft word, excel etc) will you use it to watch videos and store music and other media on? also does your current router (the box you use to connect to the internet) have wireless capability? if not, would the place you set up a desktop be close enough to the router so that you didn't have wires trailing around the house.

loupott_2

hi, kids are 3 and 5 so i guess would be wanting to use for games sooner than later...I would use a desktop, makes sense i guess if easier to upgrade in the future. I do have wireless facility and wouldn't be watching videos etc but would be using to store music....Gosh, so much to think about!

Mickey247

Hi,

To be honest with you the type of machine you need really depends on what types of games the kids are wanting to play.

A machine like this Acer one at Tesco http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.206-7691.aspx would serve all your basic needs like internet browsing, email, word processing etc.

If you decide to let the kids play games, you more or less are going to need a machine with a dedicated graphics card and these can run at a lot higher prices than your basic laptops because they are more powerful. Also it may be worth considering a desktop too as these are normally a better bet when it comes to computers for gaming and can be cheaper than their laptop equivalents.

Hope this helps you a bit.

kaster

If you're on a tight budget, PC World's website sell refurbished (usually store returns) desktops and laptops. The desktops start at around £200 and laptops at around £280. Even though I personally prefer laptops because you can use them anywhere and they don't take up any room, desktops are better value for money and much easier to upgrade and repair.

The cheapest option of all would be to buy an external (or even internal) DVD drive for your current laptop. You could also try running a free program like Advanced System Care to clear the system of junk files that may be slowing the laptop down. Some more RAM might help, if you go to Crucial UK's website they have a system scanner that will tell you if the machine can take anymore RAM, what type you need and how much it'll cost.

dannyjebb

Hi if youe kids are only 3 and 5 then you won't need a super duper graphics card! The games that need these kind of graphics card are the shoot em up games and these won't be suitable for your kids for many years yet! Rather than pcworld I would suggest a shop called aria https://www.aria.co.uk. They sell anything to do with a pc and much cheaper than PC world! I havebuilt computers for years and never had a problem here and they also sell ready built systems which is what you would be needing! What is your budget at present?

closed

Which Dell latitude is it? You could get a webcam and dvd drive for a few quid.

loupott_2

hi, it says latitude C540 underneath.....guess this is the model no.?
I will have a look at an external dvd drive, may be the best option and to clean up the current one of stuff that maybe slowing it down. I guess the kids aren't going to be wanting any games that are too sophisticated for a while so that can be managed for now!

Thanks for all your help, i'll look at all the options again with the new info. Cheers, Louise.

closed

If you are sure you don't have a DVD drive (check the logo on the drive - if it says dvd, you might just need the software), the CD/DVD drive is modular, have a look on ebay etc for a latitude c series dvd-rom or dvd r/w module, it just pulls out/plugs in after releasing the latch on the bottom

if you want to cleanup your laptop, try

http://www.malwarebytes.org/startuplite.php
https://www.ccleaner.com
http://www.malwarebytes.org/

and if still slow, post a hijackthis log.

boliston

I don't think sharing a computer with kids is a good idea at all! One of my work colleagues lets her kids use her laptop and she often ends up with the thing slowing right down as they keep downloading and installing new things on it the whole time. Remember there is a good reason why "PC" stands for "Personal Computer".

loupott_2

thanks closed, i'll have a look on ebay. I can't see a logo on the drive but dvd's won't run on it and in my computer d drive just says cd drive.....does that sound right? Thanks again.