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Getting your PC up to scratch doesn't have to break the bank - in fact it needn't cost you a penny!

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OLD GUIDE Kit out a PC for free

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How-to Guide Tips 8 tips on this task  | 

1) Find a PC

First things first, you need to find a machine. You could of course check out your local tip, but other good places to look are Freecycle, Snaffleup or Gumtree - all of which are likely to have free offerings and they're likely to be in better shape than the ones at the dump!

2) Operating systems

You'll also need an Operating System (OS). If you're lucky, the PC you've found will have a recent OS already installed. However, if the hard drive has been wiped or the OS is out of date, don't panic! There's no need to spend hundreds of pounds on Microsoft Windows.

Instead, there are free alternatives. For example, the open sourced, linux based operating system Ubuntu comes highly recommended. It contains all the applications that come with Windows and is free to install.

It also comes with the Mozilla Firefox web browser which is a faster and more reliable alternative to Windows Explorer.

3) Browsers

If you're not using Ubuntu, you can download Mozilla's web browser Firefox for free, here.

4) Email application

You can obviously use web based email such as that offered by Google and Yahoo for free. Additionally, Mozilla offers its own, free Thunderbird 2 application.

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Tips on this task (8)

  • philippasutton
    Love rating 10
    philippasutton said

    It does need pointing out to people who are looking for a first PC, that if you get a linux OS, then you won't have quite such an easy ride if you want to use the software recommened here.

    You can use Windows software on Linux machines, but it takes a bit of managing. You can also, of course, use Linux software, where most of the standard stuff is free and very capable. You will not, however, find that setting up extra hardware etc is nearly as easy as with a Windows based machine.

    Of course, Macs are easier still, but "Mac" and "cheap" don't go together - and "free" is not in Apple's vocabulary.

    Report on 26 November 2009  |  Love thisLove  0 love
  • philippasutton
    Love rating 10
    philippasutton said

    Here is another point to remember about hardware. You may find that you can't get everything you need all in one go, unless you find a used laptop going free. For a desktop system it's a little more complicated

    What you need in the way of hardware is probably:

    1) A system box This is the beige or black box with all the crucial bits inside it - the "motherboard" (which is the bit everything plugs in to inside), which should have a processor ("CPU" or "chip") memory, "RAM", graphics capability and a hard drive. These days it will be of little use to you without "USB ports" - plugs on the outside which allow you to plug in a mouse and lots of other things. Things on freecycle may have had some of the internals removed - so check.

    If the internals have been removed, then a beginner should not try to replace them, unless you want to learn how it all goes together. Note that most of the instructions are on the internet - and you need a computer to access the internet! You will nearly always need an optical drive - CD or DVD. These have a fairly short life, and may be bust, so check again - they are not hard to replace, but it's not a job for a beginner on a zero budget.

    Make sure you have a power cable - but note that an old kettle lead will do the job just fine, so long as it is not fraying and unsafe.

    2) A keyboard and a mouse. The machine won't start without a keyboard, and most people find it difficult/impossible to manage without a mouse. If the box you've got off freecycle doesn't have these, then you will be able to find old ones from elsewhere. These just need plugging in - but make sure the pins aren't bent before you try. The bent pins may be why someone dumped an old mouse in the first place!

    3) A monitor - this is the screen which you need to plug into the system box. Many people are now throwing out their old CRT monitors (like old TV sets). Many of these are still quite servicable, if you have the desk space, and don't need to carry them up too many stairs. They are less energy efficient, but if you want a good monitor free, then that's the easy way to do it. Again, you must make sure that you have both a power cable for your monitor (again an old kettle lead will usually do) and a "graphics lead" which will link your monitor to your box - here you need to have the right sort of lead, though most of the time you can use a standard graphics lead.

    These are all the bits you need for a workable computer. Most people however find that they also want

    4) A printer. This is trickier to find free - and impossible to run free. Printers are cheap to buy, but the "consumables" - paper, and especially ink - are more costly. You'll just have to live with that one!

    5) A connection to the internet. Obviously you can do a lot with a computer without an internet connection, but downloading the free software, for example, requires an internet connection. You'll not get either the hardware or the access over your telephone lines for free, unless you can manage with visits to your local library. If you do use the library internet connection, you will also need something like a USB "flash drive" (the little sticks that you can plug in to the front or side of a modern computer) on which you can transport stuff you have downloaded. Your best bet here is to shell out for a new one - they are cheaper and hold more than the old ones.

    6) Often overlooked, this bit - but also findable on freecycle - you'll need a desk and a chair, for a desktop machine - especially if you've found an old monitor which takes up more space. Do find a space where you can sit fairly comfortably - RSI is a real hazzard, and needs handling by having a chair at the right height, and a keyboard you can use without straining your wrists or shoulders. 

    Report on 26 November 2009  |  Love thisLove  0 love
  • Justkeepgoing
    Love rating 28
    Justkeepgoing said

    A little harsh Phillipa concerning Unbuntu or linux software. Generally installing hardware on Ubuntu is simpler than with windows, because you rarely need to install any drivers, just plug and play, especially if usb connected. Also the distribution of linux you choose will include much of the software you need without having to install anything else. OpenOffice is better in my view than Microsoft Office and comes free. If there is something you need to add then the software manager will let you add it from huge source of free or cheap alternatives. Because of this you can try different ones for free and decide which you like.

    An internet connection will rarely be free unless you can agree with a neighbour to use their WiFi connection, however I use an O2 broadband connection that costs £7.34 per month including free WiFi router and I am sure that there are plenty of reasonably priced offers out there.

    You can try any linux distribution without installing it by running from a CD or USB stick or simply install it, try it and remove later, because it is free that will cost you nothing even if then you decide to buy Windows after all.

    Report on 07 December 2009  |  Love thisLove  0 love
  • Mike10613
    Love rating 599
    Mike10613 said

    The best tip is to seek out your local computer nerd. We just love showing off what we can do! I usually have bits and pieces as "spares"; that in reality I'll probably never use. I have recently given away a computer, a printer, a scanner that worked perfectly. I shall probably get rid of my desktop computer in the next year because my laptop is so much more convenient. I keep it now as a back up in case my laptop stops working, which it did a couple of months ago and I found switching to my desktop really frustrating. I had some plastering done in my office and the plaster had rotted the rubber rollers on the roller ball; I couldn't remember where i put the mouse. But I kept going until I had a new CPU in my laptop and everything fixed on it. The main problems with an old computer and my desktop is now 9 years old; is it's slow, especially the hard drive. the CRT monitor isn't great either. But for some things it's good like copying CD's because it has a DVD ROM and a DVD re-writer. 

    It also doesn't run on a battery and isn't portable! I can't watch TV on it in bed! Or take it with me where ever I want to demonstrate things without the need for the power supply. 

    Another tip is software, the latest isn't always the best. Some early software like Office 2003 is easier to use and adequate for most things. I use it and i used Word to write a 190,000 word novel and used a freeware program PrimoPDF to convert it to an eBook (PDF). A great eBook reader is Adobe Digital Editions and that's free from Adobe. 

    Report on 07 December 2009  |  Love thisLove  0 love
  • LastChip
    Love rating 92
    LastChip said

    Typical misleading comments about Linux.

    The reason people get into problems with Linux, is that they expect it to be Windows; IT'S NOT!

    It looks like Windows and as far as the end user is concerned, acts like Windows, except it doesn't suffer from the constant managing that Windows needs. But under the bonnet, they are worlds apart (for the better!).

    I've been using Linux now for almost three years in a production environment and it just goes and goes and goes. No more malware issues and no more virus issues. But yes, there is a learning curve, just like the first time you all used Windows. Particularly, if you want to "manage" the system yourself. However, once you know your way around, I would argue it's a damn sight easier and infinitely quicker than Windows.

    You want a new application? Go to your package manager, click to select the application and click install. Can it be any simpler?

    And for goodness sake, forget about using Windows applications in Linux. It not necessary or desirable.

    Report on 07 December 2009  |  Love thisLove  0 love
  • apb123
    Love rating 3
    apb123 said

    I think most average users would struggle with linux. I think I'm fairly advanced and I did.

    The best investment I ever made Is my 24 " iMac that I bought 4 years ago. Works perfectly, came with all the software i need preinstalled. No bother with antivirus. No wasted weekends trying to sort out the latest windows crash.

    Having a mac improves your personal productivity, is easy, and ultimately I think is the cheapest option in the long run

    (-they work for years and years, no antivirus cost, no days wasted trying to fix the latest windows crash, come with preinstalled software)

     

    Report on 25 December 2009  |  Love thisLove  0 love
  • mariarandazzo
    Love rating 0
    mariarandazzo said

    I use Ubuntu and it rocks!!! Not as good as Mac but way better than Windows

    Report on 15 July 2010  |  Love thisLove  0 love
  • zastani
    Love rating 0
    zastani said

    If you have no operating system, how do you get Ubuntu onto the computer?

    Report on 13 September 2010  |  Love thisLove  0 love

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