EEEK! Laptop is apparently "toast" help!
 

Well on Friday morning I got on my laptop to check some stuff and it started acting all wierd. It froze up so I manually turned it off, and when I logged back on it said I had 24 viruses and needed to purchase this virus protection software so insert credit card info here. Um, no thanks.

I took it in and got a call back yesterday that it is done-zo and I need a new one :( Luckily, they were able to save all my pictures which is :D because my dumb-a$% sell didn't bother to back them up and all would have been lost!

Anyway, I know NOTHING about computers and don't know what to look for, what to pass on, what is good, bad and best. Can any of you yorkie-talk techies help me???? THANK YOU!!!!!

OMG DH and I just had the same problem!! How old was your comp? What kind was it. DH and I had an ACER it lasted for like 3 years and died! We bought another one just a week ago it was like 300$ but it was a piece of crap and took it back to Best Buy!!

It really depends on what you need a laptop for, and what you do with it.. Best Buy really has some good deals. We returned that Acer and we got a HP with Intel ( suppose to be REALLY GOOD) It's like G-70 or something I dont know I would have to look at it, its at home I am at work :D But for that comp it was like 500 and thats a smoking deal.. bc it is a HP and they are really good comp... and Windows 7 is coming out too!!

Get a Mac! :)
Leave the slow and annoying world of PCs behind you.

I have a HP laptop, and IMO, it is kinda crappy.

:eek: Mac's are sooooo $$$$ but I agree if you can afford it then I would get one.


DH's HP is really good, not all are crappy. It has to do with the internet service you have too!

P&P- its frusterating, huh!?!? I got mine right out of college 4 years ago for like $600 and I remember thinking that was so much money I hope it lasts! Mine was a Toshiba, won't be buying another of those ever! I have an HP laptop for work, but don't really have an opinion of it.

Crystal- not quite brave enough to go Mac. I have been to enough sites that say Mac won't work I don't really want to go there.

I guess my main question is do I get one on sale with Vista, or do I wait for the new system and take a chance with all the possible bugs that come from a newly released program? I'm not computer-literate enough to work through problems!

I'm so glad you're asking these questions, Amanda. I want to buy a laptop after the first of the year but I don't know what features to look for. All I know for certain is that I want another Dell.

Yes it is!! Best Buy is really helpful anytime DH and I go in there... but we did "back up " the comp that died and I dont think DH did it right so we had to take in our old laptop and have the geek squad do it!! :mad: It wasnt too bad only like 120$ but well worth it bc all my pics and itunes are on it!! My advice to you ( bc you sound like me and know nothing) haha go to best buy and tell them how much you want to spend and what you need a comp for and they will stear you in the right place! If you want the windows 7 you can get any pc now and they give you this form thing and you call and order the windows 7 cd and when you get it you just download on your comp, thats what we are doing!!

Too bad you aren't open to a Mac. I've loved them for 20 years, and even one laptop I got in 1998 still works (though I don't use it cause my newer ones are much better and faster). I use the internet a lot, and hardly ever find a site that doesn't work with Mac.

And with Mac, virus are almost non-existent, thank God.

Good luck with whatever you get, and for sure start doing backups, now that you have had the big scare.

What's the advantage of a mac over a pc? I've always been under the impression that pc and windows were so much better.

Viruses are very rare (partially because fewer people use Macs and the goal of a virus is to infect as many computer as possible, so it's kinda like a waste of time). We don't use a virus program or anything like that at all.

They tend to be faster.

They take some getting used to, but they are quite user friendly.

They seem to not have those "My computer is just being stupid today" days. lol

I rarely have a problem where I need to force quit (control, alt, delete for PC).

But they are expensive and not as many people work on them if there is a problem. I suppose it frustrates some people to try and learn how to use them after using PCs also.

And for internet sites, I almost never have a problem with Mac compatibility. If I do, I use the other computer. It really isn't a problem though. I have more of a problem with Firefox compatibility and internet sites, but that even seems to be getting better.

We have been through a few computers around here, mostly desktop (Gateway, HP, built by family) and I would rather not go back. That and IE...ugh.

I don't really know a thing about computers (lol), but for the operating system, can't somebody just replace it with XP (unless you want the most up-to-date..).

Thanks, Crystal. These are all points I wasn't aware of. I will need to use my laptop for work occasionally. If my work files (Excel) are pc windows based, can they be opened on a mac?

Did you get the 15.5" wide screen or the mini? I am seriously considering the Inspiron. Looks like there's some good deals out there on them!

I recently got my first Mac, an Imac. It's so much better than a PC. You should visit an Apple store & get them to show you one. I think they have PC to Mac classes too.

Thanks for all the advice! I always know I can count on my YT peeps for all my important decisions in life, you guys are so smart!

I appreciate the comments on Macs, and hopefully they will be helpful to others. The problem is, I am able to work from home and I need the programs to transfer from my personal computer to my work computer, which is a PC. They need to be compatible.

Considering that, which brands do you guys recommend? I like the looks of Dell cuz they're so CUTE but I am practical enough to know that cute doesn't always equal good. I have no experience with them. We use HP laptops at work but I haven't been especially impressed (neutral I guess) and I really don't know what else is out there. Any other thoughts?

Yes, you can use Open Office (Mac version of Office) and they should transfer.
I don't really think it's a great program though; but another option is to buy Microsoft Office for Macs.

I suppose there is always Dell. Never tried one. They are far from perfec though.

Whatever you get, get a good warranty, lol.

I LOVE my mac, I will NEVER use anything else...
they are super user friendly , no viruss , they are just awesome.

I have a new one but did purchase my daughter one off craigslist, it was a college students.... it works wonderful

I have had a dell and an acer they both were forever getting a virus or in the shop.

I installed Parallels Desktop on my iMac, & Windows XP. I can run Mac & Windows, at the same time.

I was a window user for years and 2 years ago, I became a Mac convert. I will never go back! I think they are very user friendly. I didn't have any trouble making the switch.

My advise to you and to anyone that is faced with a computer decision is this: before closing yourself off to macs completely, I urge you to go to an Apple store if one is near you and talk with them. Play around--you can use everything that is on display. This way you can make a well informed decision.

Macs are great!

Wow, great reviews on Macs. Enough so that I went to the Apple website to look at them. However, ohmygosh, they are very expensive. Sorry, not gonna happen :rolleyes:

Anyone else have any suggestions for an affortable laptop? I only use it to store photos and browse the internet.

I like Dell. I don't know what other brands would come close to their quality. I agree that they're far from perfect but they sure last longer than other brands I've had, include HP & Gateway.

Amanda, I'm sorry - I didn't mean to hijack your thread!

I really like our Gateway, it is my second one and I love it...but I will be getting a Macbook Pro. The only problem I have is that it has the feeling of an HP...meaning you have to buy Mac things for the Macs. They are getting better about it, but you can put almost any programs on this one. For school I got rid of my Mac and got Gateway because I couldn't put any of my nursing CDs on the Mac. But they have already made a program that runs the windows based programs. My dad has the Mac Pro and that is what he uses to put all his music stuff on it. He hated it at first, in fact I was going to buy it from him...but now he likes it. :) (He was frustrated because you have to purchase all kinds of things for the Mac to get it to do what his windows based computer just did. But know that he has done all that it is good. :D (Just more expensive in the long run)

Silly Bonny, I never post a thread for only my benefit! I love when everyone can get together and brainstorm, it helps everyone out in the long run!

Thanks for the input on the Dell, I will check them all out I guess!

Thanks Kim, I'll certainly check out the Gateway. I have always thought the Macs look great but I am cheap when it comes to stuff I don't really care about (like electronics). Now purses and shoes, well that's another story :D

A closed MacBook looks as good as any purse I've seen :).

We have both but prefer our Macs over the PC. Much more user friendly. You can run windows on a Mac using "Boot Camp", which is built into the Mac operating system. That would allow you to install any PC programs you need or already have right onto a Mac computer.

Amanda, thanks for being understanding of us Mac lovers that have hijacked your thread. Good luck in finding what you want in your budget.

And for the rest of you who haven't heard enough about Mac vs PC this recent thread also has a lot of good information (I love hearing who likes what and why):
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/off...ook-vs-pc.html

She's right ... I have a Macbook and have proudly been virus free for 2 years. They are a little more expensive, so worth the extra little bit in terms of how much longer they last.

Last week I was posting a message on YT and a noise came from the screen on my desktop. The wordsblew away as if they were an paper in the wind, and little fingers of smoke rose from the top! My computer guru said it was the age of the monitor but when he went to hook up a new one, He had to take the base home with him and clean it out. There was a virus, and if the monitor hadn't blown, I would have lost everything! I was very fortunate.
The point of my story is this. My birthday is next week and there is a box that arrived last week downstairs from Tiger Direct. You might want to check out this website. I don't know what it is, but I think it is going to be something Fantastic!!! I didn't choose it, the Fam did. I'll let you know on Tuesday!

I have the inspiron 1525 :thumbup: great puter and dell stands behind eveything, I got the 5 yr anti virus with mine as well, they have a great
sale going on now ;) and you can get a free color choice :p:p