Need to buy a new desk top PC --Advice please

[PEV]

Hi all.

Not sure if this is right place for this thread but can't see an appropriate 'home' for it so here goes.

I have Windows XP with IE8 I know XP is no longer supported and my whole system is starting to 'creak'

I am intending to buy a new home PC it will be low price range as I only use mostly for browsing but I do have some files and such programmes as Office Word and Excel and would like a similar content for my new PC.

My present unit is an HP Pavilion circa 2003 and also an hp psc 1110 all in one printer scanner and copier circa 2003 which is still great for all my needs and I really want to pair it up with my new PC so hope that's possible.

 

I'm dreading the change over as I know things will go wrong and it will be a hellish ordeal!

Some of the questions I have are can there be an email system which is not so basic as the Sky/Yahoo account I am having to make do with since my o2 email account was finished by o2. I used to use OE6 which was brilliant but it now don't work whatever I have tried even after hours on phone to Sky 'Broadband help' who truly have not a clue.

 

I keep seeing messages that my browser is out of date (which I understand) and when clicking on the offered advice I am getting sales pitch from Microsoft who can tell me 'the best replacement's and even a tool for transferring all the files etc from my old PC to the spanking brand new one they recommend.

 

I have been advised by some to give the big high street/online retailers a wide berth as their prices are keen but when you need support they are not so keen! is this true? what are my alternatives?

What I'm looking for from you guys is your personal experiences/expertise so I really hope you can help.

Thanks

Ray

[RandyL]

Maybe I can answer a couple questions.

 

I couldn't find drivers for the hp psc 1110 all-in-one printer for Windows 8. That's always a problem with hardware that old. I doubt you could use that printer.

 

Although newer versions of Windows do not come with a email client like Outlook Express you can download Windows Live Mail from Microsoft which is part of Windows Essentials. (Link is for US version) It's very similar to OE. You may want to export your OE address book so you can import it into Windows Live Mail. If you don't want all the essentials you can choose just the ones you want to install.

 

As far as Office Word and Excel goes you could install Open Office for free. Open Office has those functions and you can set Open Office to open your saved Word and Excel files. I've been using it for years.

[Ray1000]

I'm in a similar situation Ray,

 

I only recently changed from XP to Vista when my next door neighbour bought a new Windows 8.1 desktop and gave me his old tower.

 

I have an industrial sized 3 in 1 HP R45 printer and Microsoft Office 2007.

 

While I know Office will transfer to a new PC I doubt if the printer would.

 

As much as I've spent a bit of time setting his 8.1 machine up and helping him out occasionally it still seems a mystery to me each time I go on it.

 

I feel inclined to seek out a second hand Windows 7 machine to replace my Vista rather than buy a new Windows 8 one.

 

I use Hotmail for emailing.

 

Ray

[PEV]

Thanks Randy and Ray

I have saved the urls for the suggestions you gave me Randy also your comments appreciated Ray and wil take a good look before I go ahead with any purchase.

Thanks again

Ray

[Plastic Nev]

Rather than going out of your way now Ray, Windows 10 is going to be released some time early 2015.

 

However, I would also see if you can find a decent second hand one with Windows 7 on it as Windows 7 is not a big jump up from XP, and is much better and stable than Vista. I like it and dread even the new Windows 10, they still haven't fully got rid of those useless tile efforts on the desktop.

 

I agree with Randy also that the best is to download free from Microsoft the Windows Live Mail, I have it set to work with my original ISP address, and also my Hotmail, or what was once MSN all those years ago, which I know the most recent version Microsoft are now calling it Outlook. (Don't ask why, I doubt Microsoft know for sure :confused: )

 

Nev.

[PEV]

Thanks Nev I have copied your advice for future use.

Ray

[Woodworker]

I'm by no means an expert but, while agreeing with what has already said, I'd like to add a couple of suggestions which have greatly helped me.

 

If you do acquire a new PC which has Windows 8 / 8.1, you might do well to download a lovely free program called Classic Shell which only takes a few seconds and will make your desktop work like Windows 7.

 

Over the years, I've had a number of printers, none of which I was entirely happy with, largely because of their thirst for ink. A while ago and following much research, I bought a Brother all-in-one and can honestly say that I've been delighted with it. It uses four separate ink tanks which do a lot of printing and don't cost a fortune. Brother are more expensive than some but, in my experience, great machines.

 

David