Budget build: Work pc - Low cost

[kennethk]

Alright guy's I'm looking for a good budget pc, I'm trying to convince my uncle that building your own is way better then buying one out. We're on tight financial costs so it needs to be cheap cheap cheap. He also don't know alot about computers so I'm thinking he'll want to stay on windows xp.

 

So list some parts, I'm not sure if possible but attempt to keep it in the $300-$400 +shipping/tax range.

 

I think we can still use his internal hdd we'd just need a adapter, but heres his current pc, anything that'll make the new build seem ace compared to this one: link

 

I'm thinking a mItx build...

[SpikeSoprano]

Only  problem staying with xp ,it's no longer supported for any security updates, won't run anything higher than ie8, and a lot of new mb manufactures do not supply drivers for it meaning no internet ,usb or audio working.

He should just go to a big box store and get a prebuilt in that price range, hopefully he can get a w7 os which is similar to xp.

Edited May 2, 2014 by SpikeSoprano

[kennethk]

Only  problem staying with xp ,it's no longer supported for any security updates, won't run anything higher than ie8, and a lot of new mb manufactures do not supply drivers for it meaning no internet ,usb or audio working.

He should just go to a big box store and get a prebuilt in that price range, hopefully he can get a w7 os which is similar to xp.

Appreciate your thoughts but we're sticking with xp and wanting to go the home built route. 

Edited May 2, 2014 by kennethk

[El_Capitan]

What does he do on his computer?

[ir_cow]

honestly spikes right . your kinda screwed at this point using xp and with the huge security issue they week with Internet explorer ( which will never be patched) Xp is looking like a bad idea .

 

You can however make windows 7 look. like xp if you turn off aeros and change some minor settings / features.

[l1il]

Wow, a D820 that could survive this long without self-burning? I'm impressed.

 

First I would say that the guys are right, there is no real reason to keep going with WinXP. My folks in the 50+ range are using Win 7 without any hurdle.

 

For mainstream, there is not many differences between Windows 7 and XP. My only bad experience into upgrading was that they keep their old webcam (so there are drivers that were never made for Vista/7) The other thing that someone who was using computer before might be problematic is if they kept 16 bit applications. Win 7 is not going to be playing along easily with those.  You can always google for a solution tho.

 

But the positive points far outweight the negative ones. New machine, new Windows : always a good idea. Plus XP is probably not gonna run on newer hardware. Just trying to install it on a APU was quite a pain. I had to do a lot of workarounds to make it work, and XP is not compatible with UEFI.

 

Getting newer Office suites : if it is going to be a working PC, the Office suite will be hard to run on XP pretty soon. Microsoft will "promote" newer OSes, and the suite will simply not work with older OSes. It will be as well for any media creation suites.

 

Viruses. If you want him complain again and again against hackers/viruses/malware, XP is a good idea. Otherwise, not so much. Sure having Firefox with a javascript block is one way, but who really likes to be asked to allow scripts again and again? Newer ativiruses won't work with XP, and using an older one is an obviously silly idea.

 

 

[kennethk]

Looks as if I'll have to ask some other place since no ones sticking to my main question.

[ir_cow]

well other than not being able to install XP lol. i suggest a prebuilt because it's going to be cheaper or just about the same price .

 

otherwise get a FM2 MB and CPU and call it good .

[kennethk]

well other than not being able to install XP lol. i suggest a prebuilt because it's going to be cheaper or just about the same price .

 

otherwise get a FM2 MB and CPU and call it good .

See this machine isn't going to be mine, I have a dual boot 8.1/7, the person that would be using this computer would be someone thats already use to what they have and don't want to take the time to learn a new os, they want to be comfortable with what they already know so if we could please stop bickering about going the windows 7/8 route that'd be great.

 

I was thinking apu, newegg had some bundles for around 300 but wanted to see if people here could of thrown together a part list.

[El_Capitan]

 

well other than not being able to install XP lol. i suggest a prebuilt because it's going to be cheaper or just about the same price .

 

otherwise get a FM2 MB and CPU and call it good .

See this machine isn't going to be mine, I have a dual boot 8.1/7, the person that would be using this computer would be someone thats already use to what they have and don't want to take the time to learn a new os, they want to be comfortable with what they already know so if we could please stop bickering about going the windows 7/8 route that'd be great.

 

I don't think people trying to help are bickering. All it takes is the person you're building the computer for clicking a link where the IE exploit would propagate to his computer, it being taken over, resulting in all his passwords stolen, along with whatever money's in his checking and savings account.

[kennethk]

 

 

well other than not being able to install XP lol. i suggest a prebuilt because it's going to be cheaper or just about the same price .

 

otherwise get a FM2 MB and CPU and call it good .

See this machine isn't going to be mine, I have a dual boot 8.1/7, the person that would be using this computer would be someone thats already use to what they have and don't want to take the time to learn a new os, they want to be comfortable with what they already know so if we could please stop bickering about going the windows 7/8 route that'd be great.

 

I don't think people trying to help are bickering. All it takes is the person you're building the computer for clicking a link where the IE exploit would propagate to his computer, it being taken over, resulting in all his passwords stolen, along with whatever money's in his checking and savings account.

 

I clearly said it's not my call, I can't force someone to buy a new os so please stop.

[El_Capitan]

 

 

 

well other than not being able to install XP lol. i suggest a prebuilt because it's going to be cheaper or just about the same price .

 

otherwise get a FM2 MB and CPU and call it good .

See this machine isn't going to be mine, I have a dual boot 8.1/7, the person that would be using this computer would be someone thats already use to what they have and don't want to take the time to learn a new os, they want to be comfortable with what they already know so if we could please stop bickering about going the windows 7/8 route that'd be great.

 

I don't think people trying to help are bickering. All it takes is the person you're building the computer for clicking a link where the IE exploit would propagate to his computer, it being taken over, resulting in all his passwords stolen, along with whatever money's in his checking and savings account.

 

I clearly said it's not my call, I can't force someone to buy a new os so please stop.

 

 

He also don't know alot about computers so I'm thinking he'll want to stay on windows xp.

 

From your original post, it is your call. You're the one saying you're thinking he'll want to stay on Windows XP. You didn't say he specifically stated that he wanted to stay on XP. If he's not good with computers, Windows 7 has a much better user interface than Windows XP, so someone who's not computer savvy, he'll actually use Windows 7 better.

 

Have him read this:

http://kwgn.com/2014/05/02/defense-energy-banks-hit-by-internet-explorer-bug/

 

If he doesn't care, then give him XP. I don't care anymore. Agreed, let's move on.

Edited May 2, 2014 by El_Capitan