Stupidish computer questions

[musical74]

Stupidish because I really SHOULD know the answer to these questions but I don't

I'm getting a new computer next weekend It's not state of the art but it's a pretty big upgrade from what I have now, and looking forwards to it. There's just a couple of questions that I don't the answers to regarding the upgrade...

Question 1: Will I have to transfer the IM stuff from one computer to the other or does the fact that it's password based mean I can just delete the stuff from this computer and reinstall it (with later versions) on the new computer? I have both MSN IM and Yahoo IM <friend complained that she didn't use MSN IM soooooooooo) and wondering if it's OK to scrap them and then install fresh on the new computer or if I NEED to transfer the stuff from one computer to the other.

Question 2: Where do I go to get rid of the old computer when I've got everything I need off of it? I imagine there's places around that do accept computers for recycle but I'll be darned if I know where.

Thanks for any help =)

[Jake]

Question 1: Will I have to transfer the IM stuff from one computer to the other or does the fact that it's password based mean I can just delete the stuff from this computer and reinstall it (with later versions) on the new computer? I have both MSN IM and Yahoo IM <friend complained that she didn't use MSN IM soooooooooo) and wondering if it's OK to scrap them and then install fresh on the new computer or if I NEED to transfer the stuff from one computer to the other.

I can't speak for Yahoo, since I don't use it, but I imagine it's probably exactly the same situation as MSN.

With MSN, you don't need to copy anything over. If you don't, and just type in your user Id and password on your new computer, it'll pick up your contacts list and categories from your account - you may need to re-set your avatar picture and/or display name, I can't quite remember.

What you will definitely lose is message history, so if you care about those (for MSN only), go to 'My Documents', then 'My Received Files', open the folder the name of which contains part of your login Id and copy the 'History' directory. I believe you can copy it into the equivalent folder on your new PC and Messenger will just read the files with no problems, but I've not moved PC in ages, myself...

[Twar3Draconis]

Why not donate your old box to a good cause? Like for some 3rd world country. You might want to check at a local high school, cause I know mine has an organization called the CTEE that takes in old computers and refurbishes them to send to schools in Cameroon.

[Der Tor]

i also got a stupid question. Some 1 gave me a computer, an graphic card an memory seems all ok, but when i switch it on, it doesn't do anything and just beeps. What do i do ? (-:

[NetGenSuperstar]

when i switch it on, it doesn't do anything and just beeps.

Those beeps usually mean RAM failure. What is the beep sequence? How many beeps are there and about how long is each beep? This page may help you find out what the problem is, if not memory.

[Der Tor]

thanks... it's endlessly repeating long beeps. If i understood the Wikipedia Article correctly, that means it's the power supply.

It has a power Output for the monitor, but i ain't got the cable, so i powered the monitor independantly. Could that be it?

[NetGenSuperstar]

thanks... it's endlessly repeating long beeps. If i understood the Wikipedia Article correctly, that means it's the power supply.

It has a power Output for the monitor, but i ain't got the cable, so i powered the monitor independantly. Could that be it?

Chances are that it's the power supply, based on the POST sequence you mentioned (the constant beeps). Replacing it would be a good idea, whether that's the problem or not. You can never be too safe when it comes to electricity.

[PyTom]

Of course, if it's old enough to have a power output for the monitor, you need to question if it's worth thowing money at.

[Jake]

Of course, if it's old enough to have a power output for the monitor, you need to question if it's worth thowing money at.

I don't know, I bought a new PSU about three years ago and it had an output socket for chaining a monitor onto.

I've not actually used one of those sockets in about five years, if nothing else 'cause I've had an LCD with a different socket on the transformer, but it's still there. Three years is still within the 'repairable' range for computer equipment for most people...

[Der Tor]

okay thanks guys, it was the power supply, an i managed to fix it.

BTW. if any of ya need like a 3 year old PC with chinese windows installed on it, give me a call (-:

[NetGenSuperstar]

if any of ya need like a 3 year old PC with chinese windows installed on it, give me a call (-:

I certainly don't need a three-year-old PC; I already have seven- and ten-year-old PC's, plus an iMac G3 (the first iMac model ever made), and now a 20" iMac G4 that's been replaced with a dual-core, 64-bit iMac with a sexy-as-all-hell 24" screen. However, I wouldn't mind having a Chinese version of Windows. That sounds pretty cool.

Anyway, you should give that computer to someone who really needs it. When 20th Century Fox filmed part of the movie Borat in Kazakhstan, they donated computers to the local schools. Do something like that; lots of people in the world need computers, but can't get them.