OK, I've ordered the new machine - comments welcome

[Inactive]

£2711.02, plus new software, UPS etc... 

Inactive picks himself up off of the floor... .. Wipes his brow.. makes swear filter breaking comments under his breath..    something about travel and sex.. 

[Tanzanite]

I'll join you in the

[Inactive]

I'll join you in the

They are thudding in tandem...

[Rik]

Inactive picks himself up off of the floor... .. Wipes his brow.. makes swear filter breaking comments under his breath..    something about travel and sex.. 

I can't manage the travel, but...  8)

It's a serious investment, I appreciate. The monitor accounts for a good chunk of the price, and it is particularly good - in fact it's had me tweaking the ICM profile for this machine to try to get a match - without success.

Hopefully, it should last a few years, I've set the spec high in hopes. 1.6TB of storage for starters!!

[Inactive]

I know that Rik, just that I whinge if I have to spend £500 on my computer.

(Well £700 including my Dell Monitor.)

But I am just tight at the cheeks.



Sounds fantastic, keep us updated.

Oh I found a real nice smiley..

[Tanzanite]

Tight at the cheeks never heard that phrase before.

[Rik]

I know that Rik, just that I whinge if I have to spend £500 on my computer.

Well, part of the spec for me is about making Photoshop go fast while working on six images at a time, and playing music from iTunes. The rest is pure extravagance, but for an extra £700 over the Evesham machine, I gained better cooling, an extra 2GB of RAM, an extra DVD burner, 1TB of storage and a better build, so, for me, it was probably worth it. I shall let you know in the coming days!

Sounds fantastic, keep us updated.

Most major apps now in place, I will set up the backup routines tomorrow (getting a bit cross-eyed tonight), then when I am satisfied that it's ready to move to the #1 slot, I will have to do a bit of woodwork on the desk, the case is a lot bigger than the present machine. Once everything is in place, the final stage will be the switching of printers from this machine to the new one, shared for the network, then changing the other machines to the new share... That's half-a-day I reckon.

Oh I found a real nice smiley.

I love the smiley!

[Rik]

All the major apps are installed and configured. Lots of defragging and Acronis backups along the way. It was a delight, after the Evesham machine needing 69 critical updates, to find this one needed nothing until I installed Office. Scan had configured the machine as I'd asked, an 80GB system drive, an 80GB apps drive, a 750GB data drive (plenty of slack for the time being! ), and a 750GB internal backup drive. I'm now just 'equalising' menus between the machines, and setting up the backup routines (internal HD, two external USB HDs, with subsets to DVD-RW and flash drive daily, weekly an extra backup to a third USB HD). I should finish all of that today.

Then tomorrow, it will be a case of stripping both machines down, doing a little woodwork to accommodate the new case, then switching them over. Final job will be to install the printers on the new machine (5!), and then set up the shared network connections for the other machines.

By Thursday, this should be my full-time machine!!!

The w/s monitor is great for reading two pages, side by side, btw.

[Tanzanite]

You could run the country on that beast!

[Lance]

Do you take backups of your backups?

[Rik]

You could run the country on that beast!

I'm planning to... 

[Rik]

Do you take backups of your backups?

Yes, in a way, as I back up my Acronis backups, and the full copies to internal and external HDs are replicating the other routines. OTOH, I've only lost one set of data in 17 years - and I actually still have it, it's just on a tape cartridge for which I no longer have a drive. Slight oversight on my part.

[Inactive]

Do you take backups of your backups?

That thought crossed my mind as well Lance..

I feel really guilty about my back - up system now.

[Lance]

I know - all I do is a Acronis full disk back-up every few days or so!

[Tanzanite]

I've made backups of backups in the past  Mostly when I had my online shop, think I had 3 just incase lol

[Inactive]

I know - all I do is a Acronis full disk back-up every few days or so!

Every couple of weeks here.. 

[ReDGryphoN]

Very nice Rik,

I can recommend Scan have used them for my last 3 machines and will use them again. Very good build quality and very helpful.

Great spec too but mine would have to be more more gaming biased which of course you dont need so my motherboard and graphics needs would be greater.

I also have used Viewsonic monitors for 4 years and have only had one problem with one of them and they delivered a new one in 6 days !! No quibble no probems

So great choices overall, you may not need to specify Firewaire as most modern boards have them fitted anyway.

ReD

MAABOF

[Rik]

Hi ReD

I was very pleased with the overall performance of Scan, they advised me against spending money I didn't need to for my needs, but targeted where I could best invest. Generally, communication was good, though they did leave me hanging rather as to whether the machine was being despatched on Friday. The calls I have made to tech support have been answered quickly, and with knowledge.

There is Firewire on the mobo, it just took a while to find it amongst all the other sockets, which include 2 x gigabit ethernet and an eSATA. With my liking for backups, I can see that coming in handy!

This is my third Viewsonic monitor, and the best so far. I have never needed to call on their warranty, but have heard good things about it, thanks for the added reassurance.

Now, can someone tell me how I can persuade Sue to let me buy a second w/s monitor, to go on the old machine... 

[Kheldar]

wow wot a spec !

i'd be hung, drawn and quartered if i even suggested buying a pc like that.

and afterwards i'd probably be poked in the eye with a sharp stick 

makes the C64 and 1541 i've still got kicking around seem a bit old fashioned 

i assume this is a 'work' machine for you Rik ?

[Rik]

No, it's just to allow me to reply faster in here.

Seriously, I'm retired but I use Photoshop a lot, so like plenty of power, RAM and HD space. Hopefully, this one will last me for a few years, I've only bought it so that I could avoid Vista. At least that's what I told Sue.

[Kheldar]

No, it's just to allow me to reply faster in here.

Seriously, I'm retired but I use Photoshop a lot, so like plenty of power, RAM and HD space. Hopefully, this one will last me for a few years, I've only bought it so that I could avoid Vista. At least that's what I told Sue.

ahha i see.

no wonder i'm so slow at posting on this average to low spec HP lappy !

i've managed to buy 2 new pc's in the last 3 years and i dont think i'll be allowed another !

[Inactive]

i assume this is a 'work' machine for you Rik ?

It is his latest " BoyzToyz ".. If truth be known.. 

[Rik]

ahha i see.

no wonder i'm so slow at posting on this average to low spec HP lappy !

That and my fingers reflect my avatar - or vice versa! 

i've managed to buy 2 new pc's in the last 3 years and i dont think i'll be allowed another !

Well, I replaced the laptop last October, and my 'retiring' P4D 3.4GHz desktop is a tad under 32 months old. It helps to have a wife who is keen on digital photography and likes to surf, of course...

[Rik]

I've moved the two desktop machines (new and old) into their permanent locations, and have connected all the printers without major incident (the Dymo Labelwriter did offer a little resistance, but it usually does ). I've also shared the printer across the network, and tested everything. IOW, I think I'm done and normal forum service will be resumed.

[Tanzanite]

I hadn't noticed any difference to forum service lol