One of those days....................

[Guest]

Doug,
In the late 90s, a mate & myself had a nice sideline - he was able to source PCs that were being replaced by more modern machines ( office upgrades ) we were able to pick up PCs & CRT monitors cheaply. We had to add hard drives ( always removed ), maybe add a CD player install Windows 95 ( legit! ) & free software, new keyboard & mouse, clean the cases & monitors & sell them on to co-workers at a pretty good profit. I used the profit to build my own bespoke PC. fancy case, graphics card, big hard drives ( 80Gb! ). I did build a few custom machines, but as the years went on, the profit gradually vanished & when flat screen panels appeared, the market for CRT monitors vanished. I ended up having to donate them for 3rd world charities! Prices for new PCs had dropped so much. we eventually gave up, but it was an educational period. I have looked at how much it would cost to build a new PC recently, but the figures don't add up, without adding the hassle of actually getting it to work....................
Dave

I used to download programs like Photoshop etc, then get the code hack.... £££££

[Guest]

I think we all wish we had time machines Dave. Hope your OA doesn't play up for too long.
As for the PC, eons ago I would have just knocked one up, decent mother board and then just slot in the bits you really need. I'm at that - can't be ar5ed mode thesedays. Only change my laptops when the OS stops being supported and only then when it develops a problem. Last Mac lasted about 11 years which I figured was a good return considering I usual hammer them.
PC's are for computing things and games machines are for gaming. The twain should never meet!!!!

If I had a time machine it would still end up in the back garden and a robot SWMBO standing there with a garden rake in her hand and a list of things for me to do on her readout monitor.....

[Dave Ward]

I used to download programs like Photoshop etc, then get the code hack.... £££££

I was always tempted, but selling on PCs to workmates, we decided to keep things legitimate, so there could be no comeback!!
Dave

[Waspie]

I used to download programs like Photoshop etc, then get the code hack.... £££££

Sounds familiar. Although I morphed to GIMP, identical to PS but open source software!! So no 'legal' issues!!!

[Waspie]

Doug,
In the late 90s, a mate & myself had a nice sideline - he was able to source PCs that were being replaced by more modern machines ( office upgrades ) we were able to pick up PCs & CRT monitors cheaply. We had to add hard drives ( always removed ), maybe add a CD player install Windows 95 ( legit! ) & free software, new keyboard & mouse, clean the cases & monitors & sell them on to co-workers at a pretty good profit. I used the profit to build my own bespoke PC. fancy case, graphics card, big hard drives ( 80Gb! ). I did build a few custom machines, but as the years went on, the profit gradually vanished & when flat screen panels appeared, the market for CRT monitors vanished. I ended up having to donate them for 3rd world charities! Prices for new PCs had dropped so much. we eventually gave up, but it was an educational period. I have looked at how much it would cost to build a new PC recently, but the figures don't add up, without adding the hassle of actually getting it to work....................
Dave

Very similar tale Dave, only I dabbled with a mate mid to late 80's. Windows 3.1 era!! HD's less than the average stick of RAM in the 90's.
When I built my own, I used the most expensive mother boards, graphic and sound cards, banks of HD's and used the cheapest case I could find!! Working on the premise of someone looked at my awful case they would think it not worth nicking!!!
It was a good time to learn. Banging phrased or terms like POST, autoexec.bat files, Epromms etc and other such jargon!! Thank goodness it's all done for us these days!!

[Dave Ward]

Very similar tale Dave, only I dabbled with a mate mid to late 80's. Windows 3.1 era!! HD's less than the average stick of RAM in the 90's.
When I built my own, I used the most expensive mother boards, graphic and sound cards, banks of HD's and used the cheapest case I could find!! Working on the premise of someone looked at my awful case they would think it not worth nicking!!!
It was a good time to learn. Banging phrased or terms like POST, autoexec.bat files, Epromms etc and other such jargon!! Thank goodness it's all done for us these days!!

I did a few installations of Windows 3.1 - with floppy disks! 10 or was it 12 - you had to sit and eject & insert disks at the screen prompts - it took ages - no short cuts. With internet connections as rare as hens' teeth, the serial numbers were used time & time again with no fear of being caught...........
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Computer was delivered - a day late - Parcelforce - that's where all the previous Hermes drivers went - ' couldn't find the address!!! '
PC is now up & running, but now I have to install all those little programmes I find so useful - which is going to take a while. No problems - plugged in & away, boots up in about 30 seconds from cold. OA is still with me - one handed living isn't much fun at the moment - everything takes much longer to do!
Dave

[The Smythe Meister]

Computer was delivered - a day late - Parcelforce - that's where all the previous Hermes drivers went - ' couldn't find the address!!! '
PC is now up & running, but now I have to install all those little programmes I find so useful - which is going to take a while. No problems - plugged in & away, boots up in about 30 seconds from cold. OA is still with me - one handed living isn't much fun at the moment - everything takes much longer to do!
Dave

Oh well Dave,at least you've got one ....
...yes,it may take some time to get it up and running,but, it's a positive :thumb2:I'm in a similar place at the moment.. my laptop is PAINFULLY slow:sad-face:

[boatman]

Oh well Dave,at least you've got one :smiling3: ....
...yes,it may take some time to get it up and running,but, it's a positive :thumb2:I'm in a similar place at the moment.. my laptop is PAINFULLY slow:sad-face:

DITTO for me to on my pc laptop
chrisb

[Dave Ward]

Oh well Dave,at least you've got one :smiling3: ....
...yes,it may take some time to get it up and running,but, it's a positive :thumb2:I'm in a similar place at the moment.. my laptop is PAINFULLY slow:sad-face:

Of course it also hinders things, that Windows 11 is subtly different to 10, but I'm getting there, I'ne managed to partition the ITb SSD into 3 bits, and migrated a whole load of music files from my old PC, using an external hard drive. I spent all afternoon updating the OS. I find it amazing that it boots up in under a minute. My old PC, I could go and boil the kettle, make a cup of tea, and still wait before it was up & running - I also notice that it makes virtually no noise!
Dave