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Bare Bones Setup


johnwhorfin

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johnwhorfin

I am, by default, the IT person at my office. I have been charged with replacing our current computers (all Compaq Presarios, the fastest with a 350 Mhz Pentium II). My budget is extremely limited (under $350 a unit). I am thinking that I want to purchase bare bones setups with 1.7-2.0 Mhz AMD processors, 20-40 Gb/5400 hard drives, 48/24/48 CD-RW drives and 10/100 NIC cards installed. I can harvest the floppy drives, the current hard drives (to use as slaves, after I've pulled the data off of them), the CD-ROM drives and the Zip drives from the current machines. I am not so worried about sound and video cards, as what comes on the motherboard will probably suffice (the only gaming that goes on in the office is Solitaire). I will network the computers so I can back-up nightly. We can distribute the DSL internet through our current router.My question to put forth in the forum is: Does anybody know of a reputable retailer for such a bare bones type of setup? Those that I've found in my price range so far don't rate so well when I've looked at the rating sites. Any help would be appreciated.

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Welcome. Did a minor search and managed to come up with nada. :lol: Only thing I can think of, is to contact a reputable dealer/supplier, and try to squeeze a lower price out of them on a quantity basis - of course I don't know how many upgrades you need. Good luck searching. Even though PC's right now are relatively inexpensive, your budget is not very comfortable.

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Cluttermagnet
I am, by default, the IT person at my office.  I have been charged with replacing our current computers (all Compaq Presarios, the fastest with a 350 Mhz Pentium II).  My budget is extremely limited (under $350 a unit).  I am thinking that I want to purchase bare bones setups with 1.7-2.0 Mhz AMD processors, 20-40 Gb/5400 hard drives, 48/24/48 CD-RW drives and 10/100 NIC cards installed.  I can harvest the floppy drives, the current hard drives (to use as slaves, after I've pulled the data off of them), the CD-ROM drives and the Zip drives from the current machines.  I am not so worried about sound and video cards, as what comes on the motherboard will probably suffice (the only gaming that goes on in the office is Solitaire).  I will network the computers so I can back-up nightly.  We can distribute the DSL internet through our current router.My question to put forth in the forum is:  Does anybody know of a reputable retailer for such a bare bones type of setup?  Those that I've found in my price range so far don't rate so well when I've looked at the rating sites.  Any help would be appreciated.
You might take a look at these Bare Bones Computers from Internet Ishop They have, just for example, a bare bones 2.4GHz P4 package for 269.00 plus 35.00 shipping. Does not include an OS, however- that would be about 100.00 additional from them.I have built two systems from their bare bones packages and would do it again. I think they were a good buy for the money. You definitely can save some money by moving various drives over to a new machine. I think you are getting down to the bottom end for new systems. 350.00 is a bit lean for a budget. If it were me, I could do a heck of a lot more if I had 400. - 500. to play around with. BTW these listings are on Ebay, but if you comb through carefully, you will find that some of the items offered are fixed price ('dutch') auctions so you know what it is going to cost you up front. The example I gave here is such an auction. You can also click on "View sellers other items" from any of their auction pages to see a large number of items in all price ranges. It has been my experience that the best bargains are offered by them on Ebay, and that items sold through their internet website tend to be a bit pricier. :blink: Note that the particular unit here is also going to need a video card- it has integrated audio, as I remember, but not video. This seller often has good buys on video cards at way below the discount store prices. I have bought two of them also. You would also need to get some DDR266 RAM, but these have been dirt cheap lately. I have seen 256M going for around 20 dollars on sale at Best Buy. 30-35 dollars any day of the month.
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John -- It might be helpful if we knew where you are located geographically -- one good reason to complete your user profile -- as I am sure that there are many members who can recommend good reliable local suppliers in various locations.Just as an example, in my area there is a very reputable shop that will sell a "School Special" system for $349 (USD) equipped as follows:

  • Mid-tower case with front USB and 350W ATX-12V PSU, (4) 5.25" (external)bays, (2) 3.5" external bays, (3) 3.5" internal bays, auxiliary cooling front lower and rear upper
  • Socket "A" mainboard with integrated video, NIC, and sound
  • AMD Duron 1100MHz CPU
  • 128MB PC133 SDRAM
  • 1.44MB Floppy Disk Drive
  • 40 GB 5400RPM Hard Disk Drive
  • 52X CD-ROM Reader
  • 56K PCI Voice/FAX Modem
  • PS/2 Mouse
  • PS/2 Keyboard (104-key)
  • 120W (amplified) desktop speakers

Of course, the above specs do not include either the monitor or the operating system, but if you were planning to part out the old Compaqs, that would not be a problem. And... granted this system is not a gamer's wet dream, but it will certainly handle the daily operations encountered in most offices.I am sure that there are numerous shops with packages like this to be found, and the advantages of buying locally really should not need to be explained... but just consider the convenience if anything should go wrong -- no shipping, no extended down time, and a living person to talk to... :)We have become so used to buying on the web that we tend to forget about the local small businessman, who will often offer very competitive deals simply as a survival technique.

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Cluttermagnet
(snip)I am sure that there are numerous shops with packages like this to be found, and the advantages of buying locally really should not need to be explained... but just consider the convenience if anything should go wrong -- no shipping, no extended down time, and a living person to talk to... :)We have become so used to buying on the web that we tend to forget about the local small businessman, who will often offer very competitive deals simply as a survival technique.
I know when I'm being subtly undercut...Life is a series of choices. Pay your money, take your choice. I have bought computers both locally and 'mail order'. All my experiences have been good. BTW there is a downside to buying locally- a lot of those guys are really struggling and some are not going to make it in this tough economy. If you buy from a local company and they go out of business, how much is their guarantee worth? There is nothing intrinsically 'evil' about out of state vendors. Some are good, others are not. I happen to have found one that has dealt fairly with me and that offers some pretty good price points if you know how to shop carefully. One advantage I've found is that a larger size operation seems to be able to offer 'this year's' parts and systems at very competitive prices, even considering the additional cost of shipping. Shipping is, BTW, at least partially offset by not having to pay your local state sales tax on out of state items.Some of the local mom & pop operations have a lot less capital to play around with, and I've noticed this reflected in their typical offerings seen at local computer shows. Sometimes their 'budget' systems seem to be built around a lot of 'last year's' parts. Further, what guarantee do you have that you might not occasionally be sold a system with one or more components that were pulled from other systems and already have a goodly number of hours on them, i.e. a 'new' system with some used content, sold as new. A local is just as capable of being dishonest as a larger national firm, as I see it. I trust my gut and I am cautious before trading with any firms, local or national. I have seen examples of both types that I would not touch with a ten foot pole. Usually, their reputation proceeds them, at least if you take the time to do a little research. There is nothing intrinsically 'good' about all locals any more than all national firms are intrinsically 'evil'. As always, it is best to do your own research and reach your own conclusions. Be your own 'expert'! B)
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I know when I'm being subtly undercut...
Whoa there -- down boy! Nothing was posted that was meant, either subtly or overtly, to undercut anyone or denigrate any vendor. In fact, if truth be told, the particular system whose specs I posted is nowhere near an even comparison to the barebones system already referenced.My point, plain and simple, is exactly the same as yours -- and to quote you, "be your own expert."I agree completely that local businesses can fail at any time -- just as can "web" businesses. However, it is also true that many reputable local businesses are supported by other local entities -- school systems, municipal governements, and a healty portion of B-to-B volume.In my particular area, many school systems have gone away from the web vendors and from the big boys -- Dell and Gateway -- after having some not-so-comfortable experiences with them. Further, it should be noted that at no point did I offer to sell the OP a system at any price! I simply pointed out that there are other alternatives to pursue, and that by knowing the OP's locale, a reader here might be able to steer the OP to a reputable local shop in his area.We have all gotten used to buying via mail order and/or the web. There is really nothing wrong with doing so, just so long as the buyer does the requisite homework prior to placing an order. Of course the same holds true for local businesses as well. But there is at least one good reason to support local businesses... they're the ones who we all need and expect to be there -- in place and open for business -- when the unexpected happens and we need a replacement whateveritis immediately.When was the last time that you were able to go to a Best Buy or CompUSA and pick up a Socket 7 mainboard or an ISA NIC for that emergency repair job for a client? Sure -- you can easily find both of them online, but normally not in any way that you can have the item immediately...
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Well Mail order is your best bet for that price range. I doubt that a local shop can get a runable PC at that price range with out skipping a few items.I pulled up a page Soyo K7VEM Pro Barebone w/ Athlon 1800+ for $185 after rebate at Tiger Direct. It has onboard Video and Audio and comes in a case, has 128MB RAM,. You will need a few parts to make it run like the hard drives, CD, Floppy and OS but it is a start. You can also get a more complete kit like this Soyo K7VEM W/ Duron 1.3. There are other retailera out there but Right onw the $350 each is running you the most problems finding a good system. Remember the OS is going to run you $100 or so each. You cannot use the Compaq's OS in a new PC that would be a violation of the EULA. Tax and/or Shipping will cose you the remainder $50 each. $500 can build a better starter system and $600 is even better yet. You should reuse the NIC from the old PC's. In order to save the most money I would only buy 1 additional hard drive that is a little bigger so you can put all the other PC's data on it after you build 1 PC then format and reuse the old Hard drives in the 2 remaining new PC's this should save $80. CDRW's are nice but do you really need 3? I would reuse the old monitor's if you can but buy new mice and keyboards is this is in an office enviroment to amke the new PC's a bit more fresh looking and feeling than the old system. Sure would be nice to be able to run one $1000 machine and 2 dummy terminals off of it. If you were using Unix you could that is what we do with the Maxspeed equipment. I don't know the retail on the equipment though and Unix is a nighmare to administer. Another option is try to find off lease PC's or PC's that at a business closing auction. You might be able to score 3 good PC's for under $1000.Oops almost forgot you can save the OS cost by using a good downloadable Linux distribution. and then there is always the $199 PC you can get at Walmartbut they are OS-less from what I see right now.Chris

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johnwhorfin

My thanks to everyone who has posted so far. I did check out the various links, and will most likely be trying out the Internet Ishop site suggested by Cluttermagnet.As far as my geographical location, our office is located in the Detroit, Michigan "greater metropolitan area," specifically Farmington, MI. I have checked out various brick & mortar stores in the area, but all are overpriced for what I want, most likely due to the high overhead they bear with regard to rental rates around the area. Plus, I have yet to find a positive reference regarding any of these outlets. If ChrisP or anyone else is familiar with my area, and can point me in the direction of a good, dependable local shop, I will certainly explore that option.I am going forward with this project, and will post as it develops, in the event anyone continues to be interested.Again, thank you all for your assistance.

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There are a few good local shops in your area. The CBW on Orchard Lake Road has parts that are priced fairly. There is also Micro Center at the Oakland Mall that has decent pricing. If you are willing to drive to Ann Arbor there is a good shop Amtech I think is the name. There is also Crazy PC in Walled Lake that is online at CrazyPC.com. There is a good small shop on Orchard Lake Road in Keego Harbor that I have purchased quie a bit from and Scott (owner) might be able to get you a volume discount or a B2B discount. Might be worth checking out.Chris (Waterford, Mi)

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Guest genaldar

I'm telling everyone I know who wants an upgrade to go to cheapass comp. Their cheapest system is about $350 with shipping sans os. But you could salvage the os and software from the old systems. It's a pretty well rounded setup and since its an nforce 1 mobo you could even pick up faster cpu's if you liked from another source. The system is fittingly named cheapass.

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  • 4 weeks later...
johnwhorfin

Don't know if anyone is interested at this point, but here are the results. First, the problems:1. Compaq floppies would not transfer over nicely, so I was forced to purchase 4 new floppy drives.2. Had not figured on the cost the extra ethernet cabling or the switch.3. Two users wanted new wireless keyboard/mouse setups. My new unit is built with a 1.93 AMD chip bare bones box from the Internet Ishop suggested by Cluttermagnet. Arrived as promised within 4 days from placing the order. Had to install 512 MB RAM, a CD/RW drive, new 30 GB Western Digital HD and a new floppy drive. Harvested the CD-ROM from the old Compaq as well as the 8 GB HD. Had to install a video card that I had at home, as the system only came with onboard audio. Cost: $490.00. Other three units were bare bones boxes purchased from CBW in my neighborhood, as suggested by FuzzButt. I was walking by the store after taking my son for a haircut, stoped in for a glance, and was impressed by the way the salesperson, Patrick, answered my questions. Installed new 60 GB Western Digital drives (with rebate, around $60.00 each), new CD/RW drives (purchased over two weeks with rebates bringing price to $40.00 each), units came with 256 MB RAM, onboard audio and video. Harvested CD-ROM or Zip drive, with the prior HD from the old Presario units, and they were up and running. All units were set up with Windows 2000 Pro. Bottom line: exceeded my initial budget of $350.00 each unit by $150.00 or so. We now have, however, a fully networked system, all units with internet access (no more asking me to download a program, document form, etc; now I just direct them to the appropriate website.) and we have a much speedier set of computers to work with everyday. Total cost: $2200.00. More than I figured to start, but I had not figured in the cost of the floppy drives, the ethernet cables and switch, the wireless keyboard and mice, or the video card. The reactions: 1. This unit is too big for my desk. Where can you move it to? (Fair enough. The Compaq units were about 1/2 the size of the new units. They had to go from the desktop to floor-hello, compressed air every 3-4 months to get rid of the dust. Unfortunately, the move to the floor meant mouse and keyboard cables were stretched to the limit, thus the wireless combos.) 2. These computers have more than one partition. What do I do? (Dont touch C, put your progams on E, store your documents on F so I can back them up easily, and realize that if you can't find something you had before, it is probably located on D). 3. This new OS is different (no acknowledgement that there is no need to reboot several times a day, as there was with Windows 95/98). 4. Why do we need this anti-virus program and firewall to run all the time? (One user had been relying on her Norton AV without an update since 2000 to protect her computer; I was surprised to only find one resident virus when I ran the updated AV program). Everyone seems happy, and settling in with a small adjustment period. I must confess, though, that no one has actually expressed appreciation for what I did over about a 10 day period, while still trying to produce billable hours. I have been reimbursed for all my out-of-pocket expenses, so I guess I am even in the game. Plus, I learned alot (or maybe just remembered what I had forgotten since I last did this, albeit at home on a couple of units). Thank you again to everyone who posted with advice. Maybe next time, I can come in under budget?

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Cluttermagnet
Don't know if anyone is interested at this point, but here are the results.    My new unit is built with a 1.93 AMD chip bare bones box from the Internet Ishop suggested by Cluttermagnet.  Arrived as promised within 4 days from placing the order.  Had to install 512 MB RAM, a CD/RW drive, new 30 GB Western Digital HD and a new floppy drive.  Harvested the CD-ROM from the old Compaq as well as the 8 GB HD.  Had to install a video card that I had at home, as the system only came with onboard audio.  Cost: $490.00.  Other three units were bare bones boxes purchased from CBW in my neighborhood, as suggested by FuzzButt.  I was walking by the store after taking my son for a haircut, stoped in for a glance, and was impressed by the way the salesperson, Patrick, answered my questions.  Installed new 60 GB Western Digital drives (with rebate, around $60.00 each), new CD/RW drives (purchased over two weeks with rebates bringing price to $40.00 each), units came with 256 MB RAM, onboard audio and video.  Harvested CD-ROM or Zip drive, with the prior HD from the old Presario units, and they were up and running.  All units were set up with Windows 2000 Pro.  Bottom line:  exceeded my initial budget of $350.00 each unit by $150.00 or so.  We now have, however, a fully networked system, all units with internet access (no more asking me to download a program, document form, etc; now I just direct them to the appropriate website.) and we have a much speedier set of computers to work with everyday.  Total cost:  $2200.00.  More than I figured to start, but I had not figured in the cost of the floppy drives, the ethernet cables and switch, the wireless keyboard and mice, or the video card.    Everyone seems happy, and settling in with a small adjustment period.  I must confess, though, that no one has actually expressed appreciation for what I did over about a 10 day period, while still trying to produce billable hours.  I have been reimbursed for all my out-of-pocket expenses, so I guess I am even in the game.  Plus, I learned alot (or maybe just remembered what I had forgotten since I last did this, albeit at home on a couple of units).    Thank you again to everyone who posted with advice.  Maybe next time, I can come in under budget?
Hi, johnwhorfin-Thanks very much for taking the time to let us know your results. Sounds like you did a stellar job for your shop. Isn't that _so_ human for folks to never even realize how much legwork went into a seemingly 'simple' job! :blink: Anyone in this forum who has ever built computers and done software installations knows well that the job is, if nothing else, tedious. Sometimes it blows up on us and we are scrambling to consult with our Windows gurus to figure out how to make everything play nice together. :lol: Sounds like you are rapidly moving towards guru status yourself, and folks are going to be consulting with you. :lol: I'm not surprised about your having gone overbudget. I had guessed 500. as a price point. Sounds like you got a great network system at a good price. To me, it all suggests a delightful balance, with part of your system originating from a national importer/ discounter and part from a local merchant. A fascinating exercise overall- I found it very interesting to hear the wrapup. Well done! ;)
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