swash finally gets own PC!!!!!!!

[swashplate]

Hello All!

Yes, its true, after 10 months PPrUNing at work/library/internet cafe etc I have FINALLY got my own PC. http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/eek.gif
Work cast off, so free. Just need Monitor/Keyboard etc.

Is Dell Pentium 90, 2 HD (2GB & 1GB) windows 95 loaded, no modem though......

Will need loads advice from my fellow PPRuNer's (and sarcasm as well) but let me get it home first!

Anyway, WOO-HOOO!!!!!!! :) :)

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Live long and Prosper.....

[mutt]

Swash,

Congrats, first thing that you need to do is get yourself a good Anti-Virus software and then install your modem!

Good Luck

Mutt. :)

[ExSimGuy]

Swash,

My laptop is an old Dell P130, 24Mb RAM, 2Gb Hard drive. It PPRuNes quite well on Win 98 (95 would probably be a bit faster but I have all my machines "standardised" on 98 release 2) but would probably perform better with a bit of extra RAM (if prices weren't so steep for laptop RAM and I didn't have to throw away the existing RAM to fit something bigger!)

So keep with the P90, add a bit of RAM if you can, and it should give you several years of surfing if all you need is that and a bit of email.

(my office machine is a Celeron 800MHz and the desktop at home is a P100 - the power at the office is for big graphics and stuff - not needed for email and surfing!)

[swashplate]

Hello everyone!!

ExSim - PC has 40MB ram.

Went to Bletchley computer fair - got monitor/mouse/keyboard/cables/modem for 120 beer tokens.
Slight prob though - computer recognises the 2 scsi hard drives, but will not map the cd rom drive. Says 'functioning OK' but does not recognise it a drive 'E'. Is plugged in correctly.

Any suggestions anyone?

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Live long and Prosper.....

[This message has been edited by swashplate (edited 02 July 2001).]

[WhiteSail]

If you right click My Computer; select, "Properties"; "Device Manager", what does it say when you select "CDROM" ?

It should show the type of CD Drive installed in your computer.

If you then right click the "CDROM" and select "Properties", "General", it should tell you if Windows believes the Device is working properly. Then check "Settings", in particular, the drive letter assigned to the device.

You can also check "Driver", but there may not necessarily be a driver loaded. Sometimes, Windows works better with the generic driver in its system rather than the specific driver for the device. However, there is an option there to update the driver if necessary.

[swashplate]

Yep, tried that, says 'device working properly'.

Opened it up - there's no tray for CD. Seems to be some sort of cartridge device. Never seen that before.

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Live long and Prosper.....

[WhiteSail]

Sorry Mate.

I haven't come across that either!

What drive letter has been allocated? (under settings)

[Sensible]

Swash, that cartridge thingy is probably a back up tape drive. Not much use for reading cd's tho.

[OzPax1]

Swash, Yup, a tape drive it must be considering you have SCSI cards. SCSI is a pre USB & Firewire way of moving info between devices. See the attached link for a basic drescription of SCSI Drives SCSI Info (http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2770597,00.html)

Tape is a good back-up medium if you can afford it. The tapes, drives and SCISI cards ain't cheap for home use!! Lucky sod!! :)

OzPax1 http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/cool.gif

[Squiddley]

Swash

It could actually be an older type of CD-ROM, which loads like a cassette. It's not unlike a CD case, but with a sliding plate on the bottom that opens when inserted. (Ala floppy disc).

You should be able to pick up some of these cassettes, only one is needed and you can interchange the CDs.

Good luck.

[swashplate]

Thanks for replies chaps.

Its def CD Rom - has the 'Class 3 laser product' sticker. No caddies at work - can anyone point me in the right direction?

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Live long and Prosper.....

[Tinstaafl]

Swash, try buying 'Micro Mart' magazine. It comes out every Thurs or Fri.

Basically it's full of ads for 2nd hand PC bits as well as companies that cater to the non-PC World/Dixons end of the market.

[Flyswift]

Swash

I have an old 'caddi' if you want it. Let me know & I'll send it on.

:)

[swashplate]

Flyswift:

many thanks - would love to take up kind offer!!!

Please e-mail me at:

[email protected]


don't use my pprune address that much....

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Live long and Prosper.....

[Squiddley]

Caddy! that's the thingymajig-doodad I was thinking of.