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Thread: What’s your thoughts on a new used computer?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Carkston,Washington
    Posts
    9

    Default What’s your thoughts on a new used computer?

    Seems my computer died today, virus I suppose.
    It was a Dell desktop 2003 with Microsoft XP. I used it running the 2007 PRS standard I bought in 2007 and run part works version 1.0.

    My question is what are your thoughts on the type of computer I should look at for running it again? I was thinking still running XP and as much as I’d like to, I can’t see the jump for something to run Aspire.
    Is a laptop any better than a desktop? How is XP with the last version upgrade for parts works and shopbot control software. I think my version was a 3.5.3 or something very small..

    Shoot me some ideas. Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Lenox High School, Lenox MA
    Posts
    964

    Default

    I bought a refurbished Laptop about a year ago, a Lenovo Thinkpad. It came with Windows 10 and a 500 gig solid state hard drive, 8 gig ram. 2.6 gigahertz processor for $300. It runs Aspire and my Shopbot fine.

    Phil

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Garland Tx
    Posts
    2,334

    Default

    Ron…

    I would caution you regarding using a laptop… they typically have extensive power saving features built in that could suspend some or all functions during a file run… I’ve been using a NUC for several years now. I originally bought it because I was told it was “fan-less” and hoped that meant it would perform better in a dusty environment… it does have a CPU fan though…

    https://www.intel.com/content/www/us...-kits/nuc.html

    SG

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Memphis TN
    Posts
    1,014

    Default

    When my SB computer died last year, I bought a "custom" used computer off eBay with a solid state harddrive and Windows 7 for a grand total of $150. It's so small it fits on a book shelf. Works great.
    ShopBot Details:
    2013 PRS 96x60x12 (Centroid upgrade)
    4hp Spindle
    12" indexer
    Aspire
    Rhino
    Fusion 360
    Ferrari 360
    Prusa MK3S+
    Prusa XL multi-tool

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hobby-Tronics, Chiloquin Oregon
    Posts
    1,356

    Default

    So a while ago the local school district was having a 'get rid of stuff' yard sale. They had some ancient PC towers for $25 ea. I bought 4! Put in a new HD in the first one, loaded XP and it's still chugging away. I have nothing other SB on that machine. I do the file loads using a thumb drive. The cnc machine requires very little in the way of computer power. Good luck. Russ
    AKA: Da Train Guy

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Victoriaville, QC, Canada
    Posts
    64

    Default

    I have a refurbished desktop lenovo with windows 10, nothing fancy. I added an SSD and transfered windows on it - kept the standard hard drive. The SSD makes it boot in around 10-15 secondes which is something I wanted in the shop. Its a good addition.

    I used to run a laptop from HP but I had problems. Lenovo is very reliable i think.

    Poeple want to stay away form recent windows OS but windows 10 works perfectly fine. You can disable automatic updates (and check manually often) to be safe. Keeping an up-to-date PC is important for software compatibility. One benefit is being compatible with my home computer: that way, I can work on projects from my home computer (using vcarve or Fusion 360 which I use more and more) and save my files to the cloud (OneDrive) then go in the shop and access the project files from the cloud... very convenient. Other advantage of a recent OS is I can, for example, load the driver required for the small usb camera I installed on my router in order to allign the zero X and Y for some projects. With an older OS, none of the new hardware works properly.

    BTW, viruses can't break the computer hardware.

    It's just my humble opinion.

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