My computer started going to Checkdisk when I started it instead of booting and running Windows. It happened aseveral times and finally it took checkdisk to get the drive cleaned and actually run windows. I lost files and apps that I did restore but then it happened again. Long story short , the C drive is going. Now I do have a backup drive and a bomb proof one in a cabinet drawer but I looked at all the info after running belarc and it seems the box itself is 7 years old and the youngest of my drives is 7 years old. Others are 10 or more!

Si I looked into fixing up what i have cause the pentium 4 and MB are fine but after thinking on it , it didn't make sense to spend $200 to spruce up a 7 year old computer so i went to dell outlet (bought all my computers there for years now and snagged a great deal on a core i3 with 6 gig ram and 1T HD and especially the video with the HDMI connection. After techbargains coupon and free shipping and $80 free Ram I ended up paying $400. That's pretty good.

Plugged everythng in and it ran like a charm. don't even know how but somehow it just picked up my internet cable connection and started working.

Biggest issue is the old IDE drives and the new SataII interfaces. I have some usb enclosures so I'll put the old drives in there and download what I need from the old system. i did manage to backup all critical stuff after the worst of the Checkdisk meltdowns so all in all , I got off easy.

I think I'll keep the old machine for tasks that tie up the computer for a long time. I may even revive my old days as a big newsgroup down loader. We'll see

new machine has windows 7 so I need to play with that a little. Only real issue so far is my MSOffice program. The new machine came with a 2010 starter office program but that's just word and excell basic stuff. If it had outlook I might just use it but it looks like I will have to reinstall my 2003 Office pro and finding that disc will be difficult. believe it or not I have the program key but I don't have the disc. I do have all my discs on a harddrive somehwhere but again , finding it is a lot of work.
The new computer is obviously a leap ahead from the 7 year old one. I hope it gives me 7 more good years like the last one!

congrats on the new rig.....as far as office you might want to look into this Microsoft Office 2007 Blue Single Link Single Link - HQ-Arena - Rapidhare Warez Downloads (http://hq-arena.com/applications/microsoft-office-2007-blue-single-link-single-link-44803.html) been using it for a while now (3years) it updates and runs fine and has been scanned and found to be clean by various programs.

just an option not too many are aware of

You also may wish to consider OpenOffice/LibreOffice instead of MSO.Evolution is by far better than Outlook.They are 100% compatible with each other and MSO/Outlook.The great thing is they're 100% free.

congrats on the new rig.....as far as office you might want to look into this Microsoft Office 2007 Blue Single Link Single Link - HQ-Arena - Rapidhare Warez Downloads (http://hq-arena.com/applications/microsoft-office-2007-blue-single-link-single-link-44803.html) been using it for a while now (3years) it updates and runs fine and has been scanned and found to be clean by various programs.

just an option not too many are aware of

The free download is gone. I guess you need to pay to be a member and then you can use the new "premium " download link?

Nice site. If I knew what they were talking about it looks like lots of good stuff there.

I would love to figure out what is going on there.

You also may wish to consider OpenOffice/LibreOffice instead of MSO.Evolution is by far better than Outlook.They are 100% compatible with each other and MSO/Outlook.The great thing is they're 100% free.

I have about 10 years of email backed up by EZ Email Backup and again by using the windows Export command. I want to be sure whatever program I get will be able to read those backup files. I had outlook so I know that will work.

I supose I could try it and then uninstall if I don't like it.

I would stay away form downloading Office from a warez site.

Go with OpenOffice if you need something like that.

You can get an adapter:

Newegg.com - Rosewill RCW-608 USB2.0 Adapter For IDE/SATA Device (Include Protection case) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119152&cm_re=ide_to_sata_adapter-_-12-119-152-_-Product)

I have about 10 years of email backed up by EZ Email Backup and again by using the windows Export command. I want to be sure whatever program I get will be able to read those backup files. I had outlook so I know that will work.

I supose I could try it and then uninstall if I don't like it.

Its worth a shot.Evolution is right up there with Outlook.

Same goes for Libre/Open Office,just as good if not better than MSO.

Like you said if it doesn't work for you can just uninstall it.

Its worth a shot.Evolution is right up there with Outlook.

Same goes for Libre/Open Office,just as good if not better than MSO.

Like you said if it doesn't work for you can just uninstall it.

I would stay away form downloading Office from a warez site.

Go with OpenOffice if you need something like that.

You can get an adapter:

Newegg.com - Rosewill RCW-608 USB2.0 Adapter For IDE/SATA Device (Include Protection case) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119152&cm_re=ide_to_sata_adapter-_-12-119-152-_-Product)



So what's a trusted Download site for these free office substitutes?

I looked at adapters but since I only have about 200 G total of important stuff on 3 seperate drives, I'll just load each in the USB enclosure one at a time and dump the 50 to 80 Gig on the new machine and sort it all as I have time. Even just the 200Gig total is backups and Dupes in a lot of cases.

I just got done moving the old system to a small table near my video center. After I get a wireless adapter (maybe less than $20 these days) it will be back up and running 100%. Then I'll get rid of the dying HD and just use one of the youngest (one is only 7 years old :) ) as the system drive. Plan is to Let the News Robot run and burn stuff on that system. I may get a cheap older (DDR2) video card with an HDMI connection to connect it to the whole A/V system I have. Any storage will go on an external book drive and after weeding through junk (big part of the job when using a News robot) I'll burn the good stuff to DVD's.

Anyway , it always takes longer than planned to do anything on the computer. I had to look for over an hour to find the AC adapter for my older MAG monitor , then another half hour to find multi plug extensions etc to allow me to have the box close enough to the TV to use an HDMI if I get the video card. The pressure is on when you have nothing working but once you have the main system up , the second one becomes hobby shop time.

Anyway thanks for the helpfull suggestions. Links to where the software may be would be appreciated.

Almost forgot , the new system is running a 30 day McAfee AV bundle. The cost to renew is pretty high though. I will say you wouldn't even know its running though. no slow downs and few update , realtime protection popups. I suppose since its part of the Dell base load it better not cause conflicts or people would complain all over the net. We'll see , maybe an "instant saving plus rebate deal = Free" may pop up somewhere for the McAfee.

Check out the Office Ultimate steal deals from MS, you might qualify..or at least think of a way to qualify :grins:

Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010 (http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/office/default.aspx)

Mike - be sure to backup the new system to an external HDD.

AV: Free AVG or Microsoft Security Essentials (been using on my work PC as an eval)

BE SURE TO UNINSTALL MCAFAEE COMPLETELY FIRST!!!!

Mike - be sure to backup the new system to an external HDD.

AV: Free AVG or Microsoft Security Essentials (been using on my work PC as an eval)

BE SURE TO UNINSTALL MCAFAEE COMPLETELY FIRST!!!!

Yes , but not so easy. Before I put Kaspersky on the old computer , I put a big effort into removing the Symantec Corp edition security suite. I downloaded the Symantec removal tool and ran it. I then did the normal uninstall using the control panel add/remove functions, I then went in manually and removed all I dared .

When the C drive started its meltdown , I backed up mail etc and I ran Belarc to capture all I could like keys , etc.

Even after all the effort to unistal the Symantec product , Belarc showed it was still present. believe it or not , it also showed the real time protection was still running!!! Unbelieveable.

Check out the Office Ultimate steal deals from MS, you might qualify..or at least think of a way to qualify :grins:

Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010 (http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/office/default.aspx)

thanks for the link! I may be able to do that! :)