few questions about new pc and moving old files

[briannaplaysbassyea]

If you have read my previous post about my CD-ROM drive from helsinki, Finland, you would probably understand that by now I am at my wits end with this piece of shark bait.

Between then and now, it downloaded a virus from IE7 (somehow, i use IE RARELY). My dad gave it the old system restore and my piece of shellfish is working just about the same, but nearly bi-weekly I have to re-boot for one reason or another. So, FINALLY, by the grace of Gollum my mother decided its about time for me to get a new computer!

Erghh! In your opinions are these good specs:

• Brand/Model - Dell Studio Hybrid 140G
• Processor - Intel Pentium Dual Core T2390 (1.86GHz,533 MHz,1M L2 Cache)
• Memory - 2GB DDR2, 667MHz (2 Dimm x 1GB)
• Hard Drive - 250G 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Video Card - Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 w/DVI & HDMI
• Audio Card - Sound Blaster Audigy MB Audio
• Drive - Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
• OS - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (my parents run Mic... Basic SP1)
• Modem - External 56K USB Modem
• Card Reader - 7-1 Media Card Reader Enhancement w/Icon Manager
• Acc. - Wireless Keyboard and Mouse (i'm not one for wireless mouse/keyboard though :/ ), 19 inch SE198WFP Widescreen Digital Flat Panel Monitor.
• Software - Roxio Creator 10 Dell Edition (?), MS Works 9.0, McAfee Security 9.0 30 day trial (EW!! I hate the fudge popsicles out of McAfee)

Oh and it has "Dell Wireless 1505 802.11n Mini Card" for wireless connectivity. But I have a wireless receiver that goes into the usb and its 802.11b/g (2Wire). Will these conflict?

Here's programs I run on a regular basis: FireFox (latest update, also modded*), Photoshop Elements 7, some OpenOffice programs (writer, and web), a few instant messengers (AIM, MSN/WLM, and Skype), Zune.
And I use Second Life Teen (a friend begged me to get it haha) occasionally, which pretty much devours my RAM. I actually can't use it on this computer :/

So I guess a better question is: based on the programs I use, would that be a good computer?

if you need any more specs, shout.

Also, Norton Anti-Virus, is there anyway I know I can get trial freeware, but how long will that last? Is there anyway I can make it stretch?






Part Two:

My dad has an external drive /warning: leet/ y4yzzzzz000rzzz!

So we can take out all the files from my computer now (Mr. Crapface* says I'm using 33.4/74.5 GB of Hard Drive), and move it to the external (350 GB), then move it to my brand new computer.

The questions now are, is that even right, first off? the method listed above. if not, what is the proper way to move old files from one computer to a new one? also, this computer is using a lot of older programs that are set back 3-4 years (i.e. Norton Anti-Virus 2005), plus the operating system on this son of a bisquit is Windows XP 2002 Home Edition SP3. are there any files i shouldn't move over to the new computer? if so what are they?

Lastly, and this is an optional question to answer, are there any better programs I should be running? Besides Mozilla Firefox, OpenOffice.org, etc.

Again sorry for the long post, and if this is in the wrong section, guide me to the correct one.



[*My FireFox mods - done in "about:config"
browser. cache. memory. capacity - 1000;
config. trim_on_minimize - true;
content. interrupt. parsing - true;
content. max. tokenizing. time - 2250000;
content. notify. backoffcount - 5;
content. notify. interval - 750000;
content. notify. ontimer - true;
content. switchthreshold - 750000;
network. dns. disableIPv6 - true;
network. http. pipelining - true;
network. http. pipeliningmaxrequests - 8;
network. prefetch-next - false;
nglayout. initialpaint .delay - 8;
add-ons - Flash Block ]

 

[95BlackGA]

The Dell with be fine, BUT the onboard video isn't the greatest, and it will not allow you to upgrade. This may not be a big deal to you, just stating that if it could cause a problem in the future. Get rid of Norton, it's a useless piece of garbage. It's an unreliable resource hog. You can look into free alternatives, such as Avast, AVG, or Avira. Personally, I do not think there is a 'proper' way of transferring old files. Before you move ANY files, boot the current computer into safe mode, and scan every file you may want to move. Once scanned, transfer to your external drive. You should be fine to transfer them to the new computer then. As far as optional, just look for Osiris' spyware/virus tutorial, and run most of them programs. Not on a daily basis, but every week to 2 weeks should be fine.

 

[Trotter]

Unless you have to have a small form factor, I would avoid the Studio. Integrated graphics and no way to add anything to it is a bad combination.

If you are going to do Dell, look at their Vostra line (small business). Pump up the RAM and add in a GFX card and you will be good to go.