| Author |
Message |
    
Jim Murphy
Citizen
Username: Jimmurphy
Post Number: 147
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 9:49 am: | 
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Hi all,
Computer neophyte here.
We have an old home computer (1999 - Toshiba non-Pentium processor) that is principally used by my wife to check e-mail, store digital photos, do some light duty web-browsing, and for the kid's computer games.
The CD-ROM drive has up-and-quit on us. The computer recognizes that the drive is there and the file manager can recognize the contents of the CDs, but it can't open or execute anything on a CD placed in the drive.
My wife wants the ability to "burn" CDs of the photos so we're in the market to swap out the old non-working CD-ROM drive.
Given the uses described above, does anyone have a recommendation as to what to buy and where to get it from at a good price? It has to be able to play the kids' games and also burn photo CDs.
Thanks in advance, Jim |
magmasystems
Citizen
Username: Magmasystems
Post Number: 168
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 9:58 am: |
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My favorite place to order stuff from is CDW.com. I have order CD players and burners in the past from there, without any problem.
I have also recently started ordering computer equipment from Amazon, which may be cheaper than CDW.
Once you get it, you have to open up your computer, pull out the old CD-ROM, and install the new one (a matter of screwing it in and attaching the cable to the back of the player). You may also need to install some drivers (they usually come on 3-1/2 diskette).
I do this kind of computer stuff professionally, so if you have any questions, feel free to holler.
Marc
www.millburnweb.com
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Jim Murphy
Citizen
Username: Jimmurphy
Post Number: 148
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 10:14 am: |
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Thanks for the response.
So what do I want - a CD-RW drive? Any recommended brands? Any to avoid? Any performance recommendations?
Jim |
magmasystems
Citizen
Username: Magmasystems
Post Number: 169
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 12:24 pm: |
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CD burners are so prevelant now that almost any name brand will do. Sony or Creative Labs are usually a good bet. What I would do is go on Amazon, look up CD Burners, and see which ones are rated the highest. Also read the user reviews, as some of the reviews might tell you ceratin things to watch out for.
For instance, here is a URL for a $50 Sony CDRW drive up on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000068CLT/qid=1073668954/br=1-14/ ref=br_lf_e_14//104-4375721-2028759?v=glance&s=electronics&n=565306
Marc
www.millburnweb.com} |
Jim Murphy
Citizen
Username: Jimmurphy
Post Number: 149
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 1:04 pm: |
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Thanks Marc.
I'll check it out. |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 4243
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 1:23 pm: |
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Since you have an older machine just make sure that whatever you buy is compatible with whatever version of Windows you have. We found out that Windows98 and Windows98SE are not the same operating system when we purchased a cable modem and had to use a network card instead of the USB. |
magmasystems
Citizen
Username: Magmasystems
Post Number: 170
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 2:05 pm: |
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If he has a 1999 Toshiba, he hopefully has the Win98 SE installed. But Bobk makes a good point. Take note of whether you have Windows 98 or Windows 98 Second Edition installed, and then check the compatibility of your new drive. |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 4246
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 2:39 pm: |
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Ours is a Dell and I am 90% certain we bought it in the spring of 2000 and it had regular Windows98 on it. Just thought I would mention this. |
monster
Citizen
Username: Monster
Post Number: 78
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 5:11 pm: |
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Just go here, http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore/
buy a Mac that comes with a Superdrive, or look around the web for some Apple refurbs.
The Superdrive reads and writes CDs & DVDs.
You also get all the software you need to get started, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, & now GarageBand, all included when you buy a new Mac, for an explanation of the apps go here, http://www.apple.com/ilife/
If you don't want to buy new there are other places to buy, but whatever you do don't go to eBay, there is way to many scammers putting non existant Macs up for sale.
the aformentioned CDW sells Macs, http://www.cdw.com/
here are a few more places where you can find a good deal,
http://www.macmall.com/
http://www.smalldog.com/ preffered site
http://www.megamacs.com/v1/
http://www.powermax.com/
In case you are wondering, I don't use just Macs, I have Winduds and Linux also, I just find that I like Macs better, much easier to use, more stable, haven't really ever needed to worry much about getting a virus (I download and view all my mail on my Macs, don't even need virus software), far far less updates and patches needed, NO REGISTRY or REGISTRY HACKS, overall a Mac will work out to be cheaper (after all the money you have to spend on your pc, not to mention the frustration), less chance of pulling out your hair—kicking the machine and breaking your foot—yelling at your sig. other &/or kids after spending all night, all day, all weekend or more trying to fix your pc (only to have too take it and pay someone else to fix what was wrong with it, not to mention whatever damage you inflicted.
Macs can also run a Windows or Linux operating system simultaneously with only a modest additional investment, essentially providing two+ computers for the price of one.
Much, much easier for young ones to learn how to use a Mac.
A Mac will last a lot longer than a pc, and the resell value will be greater.
You can open, read, and save all those pesky Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and etc. etc. documents that you bring home from work.
Arthur D. Little reported that ...Compared to their Windows counterparts, Mac users needed 68% less time to manage files, 33% less time to edit a document and 57% less time to print a document to different printers. Overall, Mac users completed 85% of their tasks correctly, while Windows users completed theirs only 58% correctly.
see the report here, http://web.archive.org/web/19990423205524/www.macscitech.org/oswars/oswars4.html
Blah-blah, woof-woof
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Jim Murphy
Citizen
Username: Jimmurphy
Post Number: 150
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2004 - 11:33 am: |
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Thanks for the follow-ups. I'm pretty sure we're running Windows 98 and that certainly seems to limit our choices. More investigation. |
Yonti2323
Citizen
Username: Yonti2323
Post Number: 13
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 - 2:27 pm: |
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Can someone explain all of the differences between the different kinds of computer CD and DVD players, burners, etc. I'm going to buy a new computer and not sure what technology to get (DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, etc.). Also, what is the difference between 4x, 8x, 16x, 48x, etc.? Thanks! |
monster
Citizen
Username: Monster
Post Number: 85
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 10:37 am: |
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http://www.directron.com/faqcd.html |
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