Do you Really Need a New Computer Everything

Do you Really Need a New Computer? Everything you need to know to decide. Hank Feinberg and Jim Anderson Rockland PC Users Group

Is your computer running very slow?

Are you thinking of buying a new computer for the holidays?

What do you really need today and what will you need 3 years from now?

How do you get the most computer for the least amount of money?

Get free software to tell you everything in your computer Including Hardware Memory Licenses, Software

Learn how easy it is to transfer your files from your old computer to the new one.

Have you considered what you will do with your old computer?

What will you do about your personal and confidential information on it?

Find out how to protect yourself from identity theft, how to properly and where to dispose of your old computer.

Step 1 What is in your computer?

To find out what is in your computer Download and use this Free Program SIW System Information for Windows "Everything you want to know about your PC". http: //www. gtopala. com/siw-download. html

Back up your data on to a portable hard drive. Back up programs Memeo http: //www. memeo. com/

What do you want to do with your computer 1. Personal use E-mail Word Processing Financials Spread Sheets Taxes Stock Trading, Research Picture Editing Internet - Research

2. Business Use 3. Graphics 4. Gaming

Have you done the following to tweak your computer and clean your hard drive and registry? Back up before you do anything

Registry cleaning – CCleaner Old program fragments De Frag Hard Drive Delete unused programs – Use control panel Clean up your start up menu Archive old files not used

Sources - Internet or Direct Fry’s- Outpost Geeks Tiger Direct Newegg Abes of Maine Comp u plus Dell Gateway

Wholesale Clubs Costco Sam’s Club BJ’s

Stores Circuit City Office Depot Staples Best Buy Micro Center Wal Mart

$199 Linux PC from Walmart http: //www. walmart. com/catalog/ product. do? product_id=7754614 It looks like their second batch has sold out

Minimum Specs from Microsoft for Windows XP 800 MHz CPU 512 MB RAM 10 -20 gig Hard Drive CD drive

Minimum Specs from Microsoft Windows Vista 2 GHz CPU 2 GB RAM DVD drive Add-in Direct. X 9, 256 MB RAM Aero-capable video card (to use Aero 3 -Ddesktop)

Minimum Specs for Linux (Ubuntu, SUSE, Red. Hat) 800 MHz CPU 512 RAM CD drive 10 - 20 Gig Hard Drive 10/100 Ethernet Network Card (broadband Internet service) current ATI or n. Vidia video card and drivers (for 3 D desktop effects)

Free Operating System and Software Ubuntu Linux http: //www. ubuntu. com/ Free Open Software for Windows http: //theopendisc. com/

Minimum Acceptable Better Intel Pentium III (or equivalent) 1. 5 GHz or faster Intel Pentium IV (or equivalent) 2. 5 GHz or faster 256 MB 512 MB 1 GB or 2 GB or more Free (Unused) Hard Disk Space: 1 20 GB 40 GB 80 GB or more Operating System: Windows 2000 Profession al Windows XP Home Microsoft Office 2000 Microsoft Office XP Processor: RAM: Office Software: 4 Best Intel Core 2 (or equivalent) 2. 5 GHz or faster Windows XP Professional Windows Vista 3 Microsoft Office 2007

You should have at least 120 GB of hard drive space as a minimum. If recording and/or editing digital video, you need at least 200 GB of hard drive space All Operating Systems should have all critical updates and security patches. .

Several Additional points • Clean out unused files • Update and run your virus and malware programs first • Back up before doing anything after steps 1&2 Buy from a long established business in case you have to return it. Be careful about service contracts. Not always what they seem to be. • If you dispose of your computer give it to PC Re. New so we can give it a second life with a needy Rockland family.

For Additional Information • Check our Website www. rpcug. org • Come down to our meetings the second Tuesday of each month at the Palisades Center Mall 4 th floor Rasso Room at 7: 00 PM • Go to our Windows workshop for expert advice

Available September 24, 2007 Buy a Laptop for a Child, Get Another 2 for $400 Linux OS http: //www. laptopgiving. org/en/ways-todonate. php

Happy Chanukah!

Merry Christmas!

Greetings of the Season to all and have a Great 2008!