Well my beloved 4 years old Windows XP has died...
First Dell said it was the HD (which I ordered; that didn;t work; returned it) then they decided it was the motherboard which isn't sold anymore. So time to get a new one.
I can't even go through all the ?s I have but how is Windows 7 for gaming as compared to Vista? They have both available but I heard Vista was a pain (unless the kinks have been worked out. And I'm not sure I'm going with Dell. WHAT has happened to their tech support in the past 4 years. I was transferred 12 times for a simple question. No exaggeration here.
And for graphics is Nvidia better than ATI Radeon or vice-versa?
Love to hear anyone's stories.
Thanks, caz

Cazzie my gaming computer has Vista Ultima on it and I've had no trouble playing games so far.

Cazziejoe -- if you stop by the Glitches forum, there's a thread listing other gamer's experiences with Win 7 and getting games to run.

You might want to post this question in Glitches, as those with tech experience tend to hang out there.

So far, most of the games I've played in Win 7 have been fine -- Azada and Real Myst are two exceptions. The biggest adjustment has been elsewhere -- getting used to the new version of Word, the new email feature (which I've been too chicken to attempt), months of random crashes while surfing the web when Flash seemed to cause problems with my new OS (those crashes are mostly history now, though every time Flash is updated, I hold my breath again).

I bought my new Dell partly because I had a Dell printer and didn't want to lose my mind getting a new computer to talk to my old printer. Well, Dell with Win 7 refused to support my old Dell printer! So I had to buy a new printer anyway.

Thanks for the information everyone. I have a Dell system sitting in my online shopping cart as we speak and this has not exactly been a very good commercial for them. I might have to re-think my choice.

My Dell XPS is a gaming beast Space. On the other hand my 3 times as expensive Alienware was a doorstop from day one that was broken down more often than it was running.

Just adding a comment on customer support with Dell. I have a Dell XPS I have had terrible customer support from them. The latest being my A/C adapter (it's a laptop) stopped working. I ordered a new one from them on 11-26-10 the promise date changed about 12 times... around 1-15-11 I started to email them and ask what was going on!!! I received an automated response about 2 weeks later stating they would get back to me.... finally on 1-24-11 my adapter shipped.... a few days later I received an email saying sorry they could not respond to my question.... I will not get another Dell.

I've been quite pleased with Windows 7 (Vista never presented too much of an issue either).

Of the two choices for Video, I'd probably opt for nVidia, but that's just a personal choice, both are equally good.

Dell has had its ups and downs and I agree, Tech support is a pain these days. They're almost up there with the Geek Squad in terms of their technical ability.

My turning point for Dell was the admission that they were selling damaged goods to business, and crossing their fingers that the PC would actually continue to work throughout the warrantee period. One does not mention the D word in my place of business without raising eyebrows.

Thanks everyone!
Anyone had any luck with HP support.
Let's face it ,it's either Dell or HP unless anyone has any other suggestions.
Also are all versions of Win7 XP compatible? I thought I remember there was a DL from Microsoft for compatability but it only worked for some of the versions (home, professional etc.)
Thanks, caz

Wow! Hadn't heard that.
But it matches the information on ***this site***.


ecollegepc.com


I think you're confused about what XP mode is. It's a download for Win7 Professional and Ultimate that integrates an XP virtual machine into Windows 7. It's not necessary for playing games in Virtual PC (as long as you have a legitimate copy of Windows XP). And XP Mode does not include a 3D video card. Just like with VirtualPC, no matter what video card is in your computer, if you're using XP mode the game will only see an old S3 Trio that can't do 3D acceleration. So no games that require 3D acceleration will work in XP mode, whether they're made for XP or not.

Cazzie, check out the Windows 7 and Games thread stickied at the top of the Glitches forum. We've been quite pleasantly surprised at how well Window 7 is playing our older games. There is an extensive list there.

Not sure what you mean about Windows 7 XP? Microsoft has a download that will check your system specs to see if a computer is capable of running Windows 7. But that is if you were going to upgrade an existing computer to Windows 7. For the most part, users who don't need business applications need only the Windows 7 Home Premium. You can read about the different versions ***here***. Keep in mind that the "XP Mode" in Professional and Ultimate is meant for business applications and does not support 3D for gaming.

My experience is that customer support is pretty bad for all of them. The one place where I have experienced the best customer support is ecollegePC. They will build a computer for you with the components you want. A friend I've been working with was having some boot-up issues on her PC they built for her last summer. They immediately offered to replace her hard drive with no questions asked. We were able to resolve the problem without doing that, but I was pretty amazed. They also now offer a 3-year parts and labor warranty for no extra charge. Try to find THAT at Dell or HP.

So, there are some other options out there and I'm sure you could get plenty of help on picking out a new PC no matter which route you decide on.

The first computer we bought was a DTK, which we bought from a local computer store. Support went out the window when the store closed.

Our next computer was a Dell, which work fine for many years. We wanted to get another computer because the HD in the Dell was small and running out of room. And because MS stopped supporting Win XP. And because we started having problems turning on the computer.

Our son had built himself a new system so we decided to ask him to price a wish list we gave him. The result was a system much better than we had.

A very large HD, a better GFORCE graphic card, newer DVD drive, a motherboard better equipped to handle future upgrades, a updated sound card, a 22" flat screen monitor, larger power supply, a better CPU, and a better ventilated tower case. Add to it Office 2010, a Logitech keyboard and Win 7 Ultimate and we paid about the same or less than a brand name.

One nice thing about having this system built by our son we can go to him if we encounter a problem. No more being put on hold, waiting for e-mails to be answered, or excuses why they can't help fix the problem.

So far, this system has worked great. It's much faster than the system we had, plus, so far, Win 7 Ultimate has been fantastic. But because it's almost been a month since the system has been running I figure it's still in the break in period. We'll see in a year's time if things are as good as they are right now.

Cazziejoe,

Saw your Question and I have to agree with Ana.

I just bought a Dell XPS in September and am Very happy with it and the service I received from Dell. This makes the 3rd XPS machine that I have bought over the last 5/6 years (my orginal, 1 for my wife in early 2009 and then my latest XPS Win 7 machine). My son bought an XPS from them in 2009 also. My entire family has had very good service. (I always buy the additional maintenance contract they offer so that may have something to do with the good service that I receive) Over the years have had to replace a 3 year old hard drive that crashed, 2 defective DVD r/w and with the the one I just bought (which was 2 1/2 weeks old at the time) the entire computer. They replaced all of them with no charge to me and no questions asked after attempts to repair via remote access and phone support.

As to Win7, have over 250 Big Fish games all of which have been running fine so far. Have also loaded Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, Icewind Dale 1 & 2, Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2, Oblivion, Morrowind, Diablo, Tourchlight to name just a few of my older games; and so far they have all run with very little tweaking. About what you would expect to do with a new operating system; mostly looking up what needed to be done for that game on the internet.

As to the video card. I have a GeForce 310 in my machine, but then I have always favored the Nvidia cards so that is the only ones I buy. I think that my son has a high end ATI card in his Dell XPS XP machine and likes it just fine.

Hope that my information is of some help to you. Based on my experience over the years I can do nothing but recommend the Dell XPS machines; though do recommend the 3 year maintenance contract they offer...the piece of mind is well worth the cost. Just one old computer tech's opinion.

I'm really surprised at how many people go for ready-made pcs rather than buy parts separately. My brother has a lot of experience in changing computer parts and thankfully i have never had the need to buy a new pc from one manufacturer, i just buy the parts and my brother just makes the changes. As for Windows 7, the problem i had the first time i tried it was with my old SB Audigy. Within an hour the pc started crashing so i went back to my functioning Win XP.

But i will have to make the move eventually by the end of the month. I bought a new sound card and hard drive which are currently sitting in their boxes until i finish my Final Year Project by the end of February. I am reluctant to switch to Win 7 just now as i have a lot of "garbage installed" on my current pc that i will no longer be requiring after the end of my project (cough Visual Studio 2008, cough cough). Personally, i know that i will have to make the change as more and more games are beginning to remove support for XP, it DOES NOT mean however that i must be happy about it. I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything will be working fine.

I have also been looking at the XPS systems but am being turned off by everything being wireless and dail up modems not included.

I'm still concerned about the gaming in Windows 7 even though everybody seems to be having success with it. The words "with very little tweaking" or similar phrases don't give me any hope as I am not a tweaker.

My biggest problem with Dell customer support has been the language barrier. Please, no offense to anybody intended, but I have trouble understanding them and they have trouble understanding me. Of course, I am not the most articulate person and often have trouble saying what I am trying to say!

I'll have to follow Jenny's link to see what Inland was talking about - sounds scary. Also, I think I need to check out ecollegepc.com - sounds good.

oldbroad, have you checked out our thread on Windows 7 and Gaming stickied at the top of the Glitches forum? I think you'll be surprised at the length of the list of games that are playing with no problems at all.

If you look at ecollegePC, you can leave out the wireless and have them install a dial-up modem. You would have to request it as virtually no one installs dial-up modems any more. Most all motherboards already have ethernet ports if you are using a wired internet connection.

Hi Draclvr,

Yes, I checked that thread out some time ago. It still seems like most things need tweaking though. At any rate, I know I have to move on at some time. I am just being stubborn about it I guess. I'm one of those people who don't like change! Also, don't really have the money for it since I've been on a "temporary" four day work week for almost three years now. (I like the extra day off though!)

That's the part that kills me: "virtually no one installs dial-up modems any more". I'm starting to be a special needs case. Jenny had told me in a different thread that I would be able to buy a modem and install it but I certainly wouldn't attempt it myself, I would have to request the special purchase and install.

I like new technology but only to a certain extent. I just don't seem to have the learning capacity anymore for this kind of thing and so I get frustrated (easily!). At work we just went through a computer conversion from Mac to Windows 7 with new accounting software that "does this and this and this". It just seems like more work to me!

I used to consider myself to be fairly smart but when it comes to all this new electronics I need an awful lot of hand holding. I don't get any of it! Well, you know - you've tried helping me with some seemingly easy things before.

I'm going to take a look at ecollege but if I know me, I'll end up back at Dell just because I'm more familiar with it.

I'm sure we could help you through a purchase at ecollege and I'm sure they would install that dial-up modem for you! Dial-up is just so hideously and painfully slow. I helped a 79 year-old friend move to DSL about a year ago and he is thrilled to be off dial-up. But he is like you and resisted for a long, long time. Now he would never go back!

Ooh boy. Just was looking on ecollege. I would need tons and tons of help! I am just in the early stages of convincing myself it's time and don't want to rely on everybody here doing all the work for me, so I will slowly try to research some things and am quite sure I will still end up asking about everything anyway.

I also have to figure out where I'm going to be able to put another computer as I will still want to have my xp handy and I still have my 98 handy although I rarely use it. I never did get that box thingy you helped me with to work because of the adaptor.

I actually was wanting to get high speed internet really badly for a while and then I lost interest in it again. I don't like the idea of my computer always having that open connection. Also, I think the only two available to me are AT&T and Comcast. Not sure I want either of those from things I hear from people who have them. RCN is new in the area and I looked into that but was not impressed. It's available to me but two blocks away it's not??

Anyway, it's great to know that there are such kindly helpful and knowledgeable people here when I'm more ready!!!

old, one bit of information if you do decide to get DSL.

As with all ATT services, your service is private from their central office to your home. No one else uses that line.

By contrast, Comcast uses coaxial cable as the main feeder down alleys for service to homes; unless you're lucky enough to have fiber to the home.

What you need to keep in mind is that with Comcast service you are not the only one using the main line. Everone's service is off the main coaxial cable that runs down the alley. So as more and more users get online, connect speed will slow. Those will DSL service through tv cable services all experience this when school lets out for the day.

Also, many cable tv providers have signal boosters mounted on poles usually at the beginning of an alley. These are powered by the main power lines that feed the homes. Now, you might have power at your home but the next block over looses their power and you your DSL because your cable tv services comes from that next block over.

ATT does not have this problem. Every central office has generator backup in case of power failure and because they don't use signal boosters you'll not loose your DSL service because the next block over lost power. Of course, all this assumes you haven't lost your electricity.

Oldbroad, I cannot encourage you enough to take the plunge to high speed internet, whether it be DSL or cable. You should not be concerned about the "always on" aspect of it. I've been on the internet since 1999, the first 6 years on dial-up and the last 5 years on wireless broadband (which is my only option out here in the country). I have never had a virus or an intrusion on my computers in all that time. The key to being safe is not your internet connection, but your internet practices. I'm using the free Microsoft Security Essentials and the free Malwarebytes on my Windows 7 computer and on my XP computer. Regular updates, scans and conscientious internet usage are what keep my computer clean and safe, not my wireless broadband.

GO FOR IT!

You can always unplug the computer from the Internet when you're not using it. Or you can turn the Internet connection off in software. Here's a 44 second Youtube video showing how to do it in Windows 7.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZTgwOHwzNM

oldbroad, until a couple of years ago, I was on dialup because I was in an area where I couldn't get anything else. When I moved and switched to AT&T DSL, it was like having the shackles taken off so instead of plodding along I could run. It used to take me all day to download a 50 MB file...that is, if I was lucky and my connection didn't fail about 2 kb before the download would have been complete. <g> Now I can get that same file in what seems like no time. So, go ahead, do it! I guarantee you will never regret it.

Gil.

Another aspect of having DSL, oldbroad, is that you're not tying up the phone line while on the internet; if you still have a land line.

If you go with a phone company DSL, and still have a land line, they place a splitter at your home which allows you to surf the internet and talk on the phone at the same time. If you desire. If you go with cable tv DSL then you free up your phone line altogether.

Which ever way you go you will really enjoy the speed at which you experience the internet, and how quickly files download and upload.

But as was mentioned, the key in using DSL is to make sure you have good internet security software that keeps to the background and monitors your DSL connection. Even when you're not using your DSL connection to surf the web.

I agree with Gil, try it, you'll not regret it.

This eCollegePC sounds intriguing. Has anyone else used them?
caz

Cazziejoe, I've not used them myself as I build my own, but I know two people who have had them build a computer. You can get some feedback on them at ResellerRatings.. ecollegePC Reseller Rating