Computer Buying Help

[rogue]

I recently purchased a new computer. My old one's (4+ years and was a base model Compaq then) hard drive is failing. It's no longer booting....99% of the time, it won't move past the "Compaq" start screen. As far as we can tell, the motherboard is fine since we traded out hard drives to see if it would work.

My kids need their own computer. They drive me nuts with the three of us trying to share one when we're all computer/internet junkies.

Even as old as the Compaq is, it's still a good computer and would be for them. It will do what they need it do...what it's always done: get online, store pictures and music. I can't decide if it would be best to get just another hard drive for the old one or just look for a basic tower since I have the other components. Where can I go besides brand sites, Tiger Direct, Buy.com, ebay for one?

Also, I'm looking for an external hard drive to back both up (I'll use one for both since they won't have much saved), a USB hub, and a couple more small computer components.

Any good places for those that may have some kick ass deals?

Any help would be appreciated! The kiddos are at their dads until next week and I'd really like to get their on computer going by then or very shortly after (I don't really want them on the new one either I want mine to myself! )

Thanks!

[RACER X]

www.newegg.com

[derf]

What he said, but you can also find a cheapie internet computer for like $399 through dells refurbish program, and while it wont be top of the line it will work for most things your kids can come up with, except for maybe WoW

[azoomm]

I got a Dell Laptop for my daughters for $300 from www.mrnotebook.com

[tlstreak]

You can get a standard HD at freaking walmart now pretty cheap. Hell you can probably just get one gae to you. I have 3 im my box now that ill be tossing as soon as I start the upgrades and installing a new sata drive. Ill probably build a new mini tower for me and the wife and upgrade this one for the kids. I built this 7 years ago I guess. Used qualty pieces at the time and only had to replace a power supply and 1 video card over the time period.

I know you can get cheap boxes now, but for not too much more and a decent screw driver you can piece a box together that will last a long time for a little more.

[rogue]

I saw some refurbs on overstock.com for cheap. Has anyone had any experience with them and/or their refurbs?

[Lucky3623]

You can find a 250GB drive for around $100 (don't know how many GB your motherboard can support)... Easiest (and cheapest) to find an oem hard drive (usually around 60 - 120GB) and reinstall windows.

[rogue]

Originally Posted by Lucky3623

You can find a 250GB drive for around $100 (don't know how many GB your motherboard can support)... Easiest (and cheapest) to find an oem hard drive (usually around 60 - 120GB) and reinstall windows.

But...I'm not for sure how much longer the motherboard is going to last. The battery looks kinda funky and, to me, it's getting much hotter than what it should.

For the kids, if I can find something cheap that they can get online with and play a few games (mainly emulator crap & a couple of other games...not like WOW, etc), I think that would work best than me having to replace shit later. I just put it's 3rd power supply in. It keeps blowing them....

[OneSickPsycho]

If you've never done any routine drive maintenance, there's a change all you need to do is reformat and start over... If that doesn't work, a new HDD is cheat and would do the trick.

I wouldn't worry about motherboard failure in general... I have motherboards that are 10+ years old and still function 100%... I would recommend cleaning the inside out with some compressed air... doing that every so often can add years to your PC...

[rogue]

I did that. I'm going to have one other person check it. He seems to think it's the hard drive. If so, I'm just going to get another hard drive and start all over.

I've already found another computer for cheap and it's on it's way. If the hard drive is the only thing wrong with the other one, then I'll have 3 computers: one for each of us.