Computers for children, charities and good causes in Hua Hin
After muchos procrastination we begin again, this machine needed a replacement power supply, I also doubled the RAM and threw in a DVD drive to get it working.
We have three other half complete boxes here but they're all at least 6-7 years old and are only powerful enough to run Windows 98 so are essentially scrap-heap material (unless anyone wants a PIII).
Thanks to all who have donated parts, we have a printer and scanner to go with this next one though we still need a few bits such as PSU's and graphics cards.
Thanks to JD for managing the drop point and thanks to KD75 for the cash donation. Will keep you posted on delivery for this one.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Hey, I resemble that remark!We have three other half complete boxes here but they're all at least 6-7 years old and are only powerful enough to run Windows 98 so are essentially scrap-heap material (unless anyone wants a PIII).
I'm using a 9 1/2 year old Pentium III and running a dual boot system on it with ME (it's original operating system) and XP Professional. It works great most of the time...
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
The point was that we wanted to give the kids relatively recent software so 98/ME/2000 is definitely out of the question and XP can be cranky with less than 256 megs of RAM; finding SDRAM these days is not easy.
Additionally graphic intensive stuff like basic educational games or Encarta 2009 won't run on a machine that old without taking ten minutes to start up.
Additionally graphic intensive stuff like basic educational games or Encarta 2009 won't run on a machine that old without taking ten minutes to start up.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
You are correct sir!
Even though my machine runs well most of the time, it does take nearly 5 minutes to start (mainly because of all the antivirus, anti spyware, and firewall programs I run) and I don't use it for gaming. I don't think it would handle the graphics of most modern games.
Also, I have maxed out the RAM to 500 mb as it only came with 128.
It does run processor and memory intensive programs like Photoshop, and music and video editing programs, but they are sometimes slow.
I consider it a challenge to keep it running as well as I can (gives me something to do). I religiously maintain it by cleaning junk files out and running programs that search for problems. Some day maybe I'll come into enough cash to get a new laptop with all the bells and whistles, but from what I've heard, I'll wait until they stop putting Vista on them and work the early bugs out of Windows 7.
Even though my machine runs well most of the time, it does take nearly 5 minutes to start (mainly because of all the antivirus, anti spyware, and firewall programs I run) and I don't use it for gaming. I don't think it would handle the graphics of most modern games.
Also, I have maxed out the RAM to 500 mb as it only came with 128.
It does run processor and memory intensive programs like Photoshop, and music and video editing programs, but they are sometimes slow.
I consider it a challenge to keep it running as well as I can (gives me something to do). I religiously maintain it by cleaning junk files out and running programs that search for problems. Some day maybe I'll come into enough cash to get a new laptop with all the bells and whistles, but from what I've heard, I'll wait until they stop putting Vista on them and work the early bugs out of Windows 7.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
We now have a fully operational computer ready to go:
Pentium IV 2.4
512 MB DDR RAM
80 GB Hard Disk
CDRW + DVD ROM
Onboard Sound, Graphics, LAN
17" Monitor
HP Deskjet Printer
Canon Scanner
Speakers
Win XPSP3
If anyone wants to help with the delivery and setup at the other end please post here, I currently don't have the time to do it. It can also be dropped off at Barry's in Paknam if anyone is heading that way.
Pentium IV 2.4
512 MB DDR RAM
80 GB Hard Disk
CDRW + DVD ROM
Onboard Sound, Graphics, LAN
17" Monitor
HP Deskjet Printer
Canon Scanner
Speakers
Win XPSP3
If anyone wants to help with the delivery and setup at the other end please post here, I currently don't have the time to do it. It can also be dropped off at Barry's in Paknam if anyone is heading that way.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
- JimmyGreaves
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- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 5:06 am
- Location: HuaEireHin
- JimmyGreaves
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- Posts: 2913
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 5:06 am
- Location: HuaEireHin
- barrys
- Legend
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- Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2005 1:52 pm
- Location: Enjoying the sea air on a boat around Pak Nam Pran
Good to meet you today JG
We'll deliver the computer over the weekend when the kids are there - they were really excited about the first one and this one looks even better
We'll get some pics and send them to Buksi to arrange some publicity.
Also spoke to Buksi already that the orphanage has computers there that are no longer working for whatever reason - the gf will have alook at them (she has a degree in computer studies!!) and we'll bring them back to be used as parts for the next one.
Great work Buksi and everyone else involved - many thanks on behalf of the kids at Mercy House
We'll deliver the computer over the weekend when the kids are there - they were really excited about the first one and this one looks even better
We'll get some pics and send them to Buksi to arrange some publicity.
Also spoke to Buksi already that the orphanage has computers there that are no longer working for whatever reason - the gf will have alook at them (she has a degree in computer studies!!) and we'll bring them back to be used as parts for the next one.
Great work Buksi and everyone else involved - many thanks on behalf of the kids at Mercy House
Thanks to all who helped with the second machine, waiting for an update and a pic or two from Barry.
We are in need of a few bits before embarking on the third one so if anybody wants to donate we're especially in need of the following:
Power supply units and cases (must be P4 compatible)
Graphics cards
Thai keyboards
Computer speakers
Anything is welcome though however it should really be less than four years old and complete with power adapters.
Thanks again for helping to make a difference.
We are in need of a few bits before embarking on the third one so if anybody wants to donate we're especially in need of the following:
Power supply units and cases (must be P4 compatible)
Graphics cards
Thai keyboards
Computer speakers
Anything is welcome though however it should really be less than four years old and complete with power adapters.
Thanks again for helping to make a difference.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Here are a couple of pics Barry emailed over of the kids using our last donated computer:
As you can see we've made a little difference which is what its all about so please keep your hardware donations coming in.
They have two non-functioning machines there that need to be bought to us here in Hua Hin, they are currently at Barry's place in Paknam so if anyone wants to help and deliver them we'll try and get them running again and back in place.
As you can see we've made a little difference which is what its all about so please keep your hardware donations coming in.
They have two non-functioning machines there that need to be bought to us here in Hua Hin, they are currently at Barry's place in Paknam so if anyone wants to help and deliver them we'll try and get them running again and back in place.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson