If I go Mac, will I want to go back?

[katestine]

I'm writing this on a Dell Dimension 8300. I can't find the original receipt, but I bet it's 7 years old. I know I keep saying I'll buy a new computer, but this time I mean it, I really do

Comments

[sgtkane]

I had a Dellware M17x R2 and its an experience I wouldn't care to repeat. Shipped with teh wrong drive configuration (which Dell eventually corrected), shipped with unstable drivers, had constant over heating problems, and it wasn't very couchable. Think of it as more of a portable desktop than a laptop.

When it was working, though it was nine shades of awesome. Did all my photo and video editing, played games, and was great. Then the case started splitting and Dell told me to piss off. Then the USB ports on the side where the case split stopped working.

The dual video cards died and Dell told me I was two days outside my warranty. I actually ordered an R3 from them as a replacement, but they kept screwing around with my ship date (originally it was supposed to arrive before Christmas, then first week in Jan, then last week in Jan, etc). I think I posted about it.

Ended up going with an ASUS 17" Republic of Gamers (ROG) with 16GB of RAM (more memory than my Dellware), 2 TB of SATA2 drives (more diskspace), faster processer, and two year manufactures warranty all for considerably less than the R3 would have been. It does lack the on-board video card the MX series laptops have (meaning I have to use the dual GTX460's all the time) and I can occasionally out type the keyboard.

And its still not a MAC. I hate MAC's with the burning passion of a thousand suns, but that's a story for another time.

[sgtkane]

Oh and I ordered it through Amazon and had it in two days. I really should go back and see if I can find the post I made on it.

[katestine]

What's with Amazon selling computers for Dell etc. these days??

Is tech support through ASUS or some benighted version of Amazon? I have to say, I just started clicking on ASUS and I'm impressed how much computing power you can get for <$1.5K with free shipping.

[sgtkane]

I haven't had to use ASUS tech support, but from everything thing I've found on the web it is very hit or miss. Which still places it above my experiences with Dell and their support.

My ROG rig, was not only cheaper than my M17x, but it was far more of a laptop, meaning I was more than happy to take it with me places, as opposed to lugging my Dellware brick around. And it was cheaper, though other than memory I don't think it was more bang for the buck than the M17X R3 would have been.

[katestine]

Did you have to buy a separate copy of Windows 7 with this machine? Several of the Amazon reviews seem to suggest I need one to make a recovery disk? Do I really need one of those?

[sgtkane]

I have a seperate copy of Windows 7 and I used it and the Windows Product code that came with my ASUS to put a fresh build on it right from the start. But I do this with every system because I tend to not like the bloatware that comes with manufacture builds. Of course that means I had to track down drivers and the like on my own, but to me its worth it.

Did I need to do this? No. The laptop came with recovery software and build disks, but once you get your system configured and running, you should make your own so that when/if you need to recover you recover your build rather than the stock ASUS build.

I'll have to check the reviews and see what the reviewers are talking about.

[katestine]

As one of my favorite IT pros, what should I do after I unwrap my new ROG laptop? Pongo was laughing at me bc I've never made a recovery disk. But he also kinda flinched when I told him I'd buy a Mac only if he maintained it for me.

[sgtkane]

Here's what I would do (or rather did):

1) Make note of your video drivers and network drivers (put a copy of the network drivers on a usb key)
2) Do a fresh install of Windows
3) Update your drivers from the ASUS website (do not download and install their driver manager, when i tried to use it, it was a bugg bit code that had me reaching for a claw hammer)
4) Install you AV software
5) Create a windows recovery disk
6) Install TruCrypt (not critical)
7) Install and update your software

If you don't want to do a fresh install you can also remove the bloatware by "hand". Here is a pretty good and comprehensive list of what will/did come pre-installed on the system and what you can remove and what you shouldn't. The entre reason that I do a fresh install is so I know exactly what is on my system. Note, that to do a fresh install its easier (but not required) to have a non-Asus Windows disk.

If you don't want to a clean install, the steps would be:

1) Create a windows recovery disk (or make sure you have the ASUS provided recovery disks handy)
2) Run Windows Update
3) Remove the bloateware
4) Run CCLeaner to clean your registery

[katestine]

Many, many thanks. I'm still working on this, but at least I know what I'm supposed to do!!