New PC queries

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric,

I buy 'off the shelf' PCs from Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc. The specs on your new PC look good to me. I think the price quoted (about $1,500) is higher than what I would pay here, but your warranty/support is better. PTE should benefit from the graphics card more than the cpu (except maybe video encoding).

i5

760

You might format the hard drive and re-install Windows (if you still have the install disc) to make sure it's not a virus causing the problems before buying a new PC. I know sometimes it's hard to resist buying a new PC. I have been there many times.

Tom

Thanks Tom, the plan at the moment is to buy new then work on the existing one, then maybe sell it on. I have only one current spec' LT as back up. I did think of connecting the monitor & keyboard to it & use that while the PC is investigated but I connect it to the net as infrequenly as possible & try to reserve it for my public shows. There's one at the end of this month so I'm loath to use it in case it catches something & starts playing up. I've had conversations with Dell in the past & wasn't impressed & their prices certainly aren't competitive although the civil services here seem to use them exclusively.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[tom95521]

I should buy a new PC. I don't need a new PC. Must avoid temptation.

Tom

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Tom

Last evening I looked in detail at the PCS quotation & was horrified at the size of the case I had selected. It would totallly dominate my work area & overhang my desk top by 35mm. So I went back to PCS & looked at their range of compact desktop pc's & found one that was more acceptable size wise. The internal spec' is very similar to that chosen for the previous machines.

Regards Eric.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

When I get my new PC I'm considering running it & and the current one to the same monitor. I'm still not convinced there isn't something nasty lurking in my current machine so I don't want to transfer my old files to the new machine until I can give each one a thorough clean before allowing them to inhabit the new system. This includes around 800gb of drives C D & 2 remote HD's, does anyone use an HDMI hub to feed 2 pc's into 1 monitor.

Yachtsman1

[tom95521]

I use a 5 port HDMI switch with remote to change inputs on my Sony Bravia (only 3 HDMI ports). One of the inputs is from my Lenovo laptop to watch web only TV shows and PTE slideshows. Works great. I am sure it would work with more PCs

Tom

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I use a 5 port HDMI switch with remote to change inputs on my Sony Bravia (only 3 HDMI ports). One of the inputs is from my Lenovo laptop to watch web only TV shows and PTE slideshows. Works great. I am sure it would work with more PCs

Tom

Thanks Tom, I couldn't think why it wouldn't work but I thought I'd check to see if someone was doing what I proposed.

Regards Eric

yachtsman1.

[nobeefstu]

Eric,

When I get my new PC I'm considering running it & and the current one to the same monitor.

If your Monitor has multiple connections (VGA/DVI/HDMI) ... it may be possible to connect multiple pc/cables. I use a single Asus monitor to connect two pcs. The monitor has a button/switch so as to select which incoming VGA/DVI/HDMI signal. Of course you cannot watch both pcs at the same time ... but you can have both pcs running and just toggle the connection back and forth if needed via the button/switch.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric,

If your Monitor has multiple connections (VGA/DVI/HDMI) ... it may be possible to connect multiple pc/cables. I use a single Asus monitor to connect two pcs. The monitor has a button/switch so as to select which incoming VGA/DVI/HDMI signal. Of course you cannot watch both pcs at the same time ... but you can have both pcs running and just toggle the connection back and forth if needed via the button/switch.

Hi Stu

No I don't intend to have both PC's running at the same time, at least not until I start transferring stuff from one to another, but at the moment the plan is to do that via a separate HD. Thanks for the suggestion.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[tom95521]

Eric,

This is the model I use. I don't change ports very often but it works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-501BN-Premium-wireless-adapter/dp/B0049SCB2Y/

Tom

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric,

This is the model I use. I don't change ports very often but it works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-501BN-Premium-wireless-adapter/dp/B0049SCB2Y/

Tom

Thanks Tom I'll check it out on Amazon UK.

Regards Eric

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Thanks Tom I'll check it out on Amazon UK.

Regards Eric

Hi Tom

Just checked it out on Amazon UK & got this "Kinivo HS120 Premium 2 Port High Speed HDMI Splitter - Supports 3D, 1080p (1*2 - One Input to Two Outputs)" which is the wrong way round for what I want? 2 PC's in 1 monitor out?

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Tom

Just went back to Amazon UK & found this.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Duronic-HDS3-Switch-output-Switcher/dp/B0020426AG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382303986&sr=8-1&keywords=hdmi+hub

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[cjdnzl]

Hi CJDNZL

Had a look at your suggestion, from what I can see running that programme leads you onto eventually changing components to check out what it finds, which I don't have the facilities or skill to do. I've up-graded laptop memories but the machine in question is a non standard format, a hybrid in a way. Thanks for the suggestion, if I do go down the repair route I'll pass that on to whoever I get to do it.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

Eric,

That's right if you find that memory errors are the problem. But to do a yes/no check as to whether memory IS the problem, an overnight run will either exonerate or prove the memory. If it finds a memory error, then of course you have to take further steps, like shuffling the memory cards around to isolate the problem one.

The reason I offered that program was simply to prove or exonerate the memory. After that, what you do is up to you.

Regards,

Colin

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Colin

I have taken the decision to buy a new PC, then work on the existing one. I have downloaded the programme & will do the necessary when time permits, just need to win the lottery or sell some more of my Kampro & Orchestral stuff.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

After struggling with my sick PC for almost 2 months & looking at all the options I have finalised the spec' of the custom build from PCS, for anyone interested the spec is below & unless my existing PC has a miracle recovery, I will be ordering tomorrow.

Case

BitFenix Prodigy Mini-ITX Case (Black)

Processor (CPU)

Intel® Core™i5 Quad Core Processor i5-4570 (3.2GHz) 6MB Cache

Motherboard

ASUS® MAXIMUS VI IMPACT: Mini-ITX, LG1150, USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs, WIFI

Memory (RAM)

16GB KINGSTON DUAL-DDR3 1600MHz (2 x 8GB)

Graphics Card

2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 760 - 2 DVI, HDMI, DP - 3D Vision Ready

Free Item

FREE ASSASSINS CREED BLACK FLAG & MORE with GTX 660 & 7 Series GPUs!

Memory - 1st Hard Disk

1TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD1002FAEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)

2nd Hard Disk

1TB 3.5" SATA-III 6GB/s HDD 7200RPM 32MB CACHE

1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive

24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM

Power Supply

CORSAIR 650W ENTHUSIAST SERIES™ MODULAR TXM-650 V2-80 PLUS® (£79)

Processor Cooling

INTEL STANDARD CPU COOLER

Sound Card

ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)

Wireless/Wired Networking

10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT - AS STANDARD ON ALL PCs

USB Options

MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS

Power Cable

1 x 2 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)

Operating System

Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD & Licence (£109)

Office Software

NO OFFICE SOFTWARE

Anti-Virus

NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE

DVI-D & HDMI Monitor Cables

1 x 2 METRE GOLD PLATED V1.4 HDMI CABLE (£8)

Keyboard & Mouse

LOGITECH® K120 USB KEYBOARD (£10)

Mouse

LOGITECH® OPTICAL USB MOUSE (£5)

Warranty

3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5)

Delivery

STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)

Build Time

Standard Build - Approximately 8 to 10 working days

Yachtsman1.

[Ken Cox]

maybe a little late but I have ssd's as the c drive on my 2 latest builds -- real fast -

just programs on the c drive - you have to re educate yourself to put data on the other drives

see

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1667928/buying-ssd-worth.html

ken

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Don't know if you remember Ken my existing PC has a 1TB HD, partitioned 50/50 C & D, the LAN case wouldn't fit a second HD which is why it was done this way & the C&D drives accomodate programmes & working files as yours. This case will take more than 1 HD & will be split as yours, C programmes, D work in progress.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Antbrewer]

Hi Eric,

I admit that I haven't been following your posts on this saga in too much detail but just picked on your spec list and noticed that you haven't included any Anti virus software.

What do you have in mind following your horrendous journey with your present set up?

We all have opinions as to the best and worst out there. I used AVG for years and found it good and never had a problem with viruses etc and for the last 18mths since my friend built a machine for me and put on Norton that has also performed well . I know it used to be known for giving problems but I have not found any at all.

I'm touching wood here.

I too had a laptop from PC specialists following Barry's recommendations and that lasted 7 yrs which was a very good innings.

Good Luck.

Anthony

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Ant

While this has been going on, I gave AVG another try after using MSE for at least 12 months. It gave me so many problems with reports of this that & the other, despite giving my system a thorough clean up with Malwarebytes CClean & MSE, I removed it & went back to MSE despite there being un-confirmed reports (not from MS) recently that it can't cope with current attacks. So I will be re-using MSE for the new machine for the time being.

I have had 2 laptops from PCS, to be honest I haven't been too impressed with either, the first I obtained for a colleague & although it operated OK there was no burning software & the manual was abysmal & the chap I obtained it for was not happy. The second & my current "show" LT had a problem with the keypad from day one, where it was practically impossible to type text without it jumping all over the place. I spoke to PCS about it & they said it was probably an over sensative mouse pad or something with the keyboard, I changed to an external mouse but the problem still persists today, I should have sent it back for them to sort, but what with one thing or another & only using it for shows & holidays, I haven't. So hopefully it will be third time lucky, if things aren't to my likeing this time I will ensure it is corrected.

To conclude, I think it is a component failure not an invasion causing my current problems, with suggestions such as change the HD, Ram, Power supply, motherboard & video card, which would have led me on a very expensive journey & even if it was fixable, I would still have ended up with a 3.5 year old PC & possibly a few hundred £'s lighter. So the plan is as soon as soon as the new machine is up & running OK, I will investigate further with the old machine as far as economically possible.

Thanks for asking, sorry it's a long winded answer.

BTW I've just done a quick calc' & estimate the current machine has been used for around 7500 hours, don't know what the average is before problems start to arise?. On all my LT's (5)it was somewhat less.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Barry Beckham]

So what are your plans for the old machine?

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Barry

There have been various suggestions regarding diagnostic software that once I have an alternative machine I can risk trying. The ultimate would be to format my HD & re-install W7, give it a pounding & if the problems are still there make a decision what to do next.

Incidentally, I did a further full clean up today & strangely, the daily lock-ups & blue screens haven't happened, despite running various programmes together, performing fast shut downs, which usually brought them on. If the formatting cures the problems I would then sell it on. Interested?

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1. ;)/>

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Update

Ordered the new PC 1st Nov'.

Last night after a relatively smooth week, switched on & black screen with a windows trying to repair message. Allowed to proceed & eventually it re-started but couldn't access the'net, message saying firefox had something missing. didn't have explorer so downloaded copies of explorer & ffox to a usb stick on my lt, then attemped to install on the dt,zilch. can't access the net via the dt, so i've connected the monitor to the lt but can't connect the k'pad,different plug. ordered a usb kpad until new pc arrives.

yachtsman1

[Barry Beckham]

Sorry, I missed you're reply. I would wait till you have the new one up and running then format and start from scratch. Use the old machine as a test bed, you might find a clean sweep clears the problems

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Sorry, I missed you're reply. I would wait till you have the new one up and running then format and start from scratch. Use the old machine as a test bed, you might find a clean sweep clears the problems

Hi Barry that's what I said "there have been various suggestions regarding diagnostic software that once I have an alternative machine I can risk trying".

Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

For those who have been following this thread, I took pictures of the error messages apart from the first which I couldn't get the camera out in time. If any of the experts have any incling what they mean, please let me know.

Yachtsman1

ps the final FAILURES WERE UPDATES were when I TRIED TO UPDATE IE9 & 10. sorry for the typing my lt kboard has mind of its own.