New Computer

I have to agree with everything Draclver said. I said that I thought you would regret it because: Your Acer is an excellent laptop. Among gamers it is a highly rated gaming machine. The graphics, sound and play ability are excellent. You have said that you only play adventure games and print screens from the games. Your Acer is more than capable of doing that. I understand that you are a fan of win XP, I am too. But win7 will do anything winXP did and more. There is a long list of older games that will play on win7 with no problem. If you want to play on winXP find an old XP on ebay or at the thrift. But don't break an excellent laptop by trying to force it to do something it wasn't designed to do. The graphics cards on your laptop will use whichever card it needs for whatever you are doing at the time. I would really suggest you take all the winXP and other things like that off your laptop and let the laptop do what it was designed to do. For play ability and for all your needs I don't think you will find a better laptop than the one you have.
And once again I suggest that you get to know your laptop and learn what it will do for you. Don't try to fix what isn't broke. If you want to work on a computer get one that isn't new and work on it.

hatshepsut

Ok, Drac, Hat, you've convinced me. I told Mom what you said about keeping the Acer with Win 7 for running the latest games and looking for an older model laptop that runs XP and use both lsptops (but on different days) for adventure gaming, and Mom told me she'd allow me to keep the Acer and get a laptop that runs XP, Mom told me she'd advance me the money, and that I'm allowed to start looking for an XP laptop now, either on ebay or Amazon.com. And if you guys can find me an older model XP laptop, please post.


wanted specs in this XP laptop:

*15-inch screen;

*512 MB NVidia GeForce 9600M 3D graphics card only (no ATI Radeon/GMA/Intel HD graphics wanted);

*Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.xx (2.xx's in the upper range preferred);

*any name brand;

*must have XP (32-bit) drivers readily available for it;

*if laptop comes with Vista/Win 7, I'll wipe the HDD & install XP (32-bit) on it from a XP install CD I have;

*please, no optimus technology wanted, as there's no XP drivers for it.

*2009 model preferred;

*my budget is around $500.

You need to keep in mind that if you get a laptop new enough to have win7 on it then it probably won't support a winXP OS.

Your best bet for finding a laptop with XP would probably be ebay. You might check with your local computer stores. They may have some left over.

hatshepsut

I still fail to see what's wrong with your excellent Asus EEE netbook with XP for gaming you want to do on XP... But, maybe you and mom have waaaaay more money to spend than I do. I don't like to waste my money on things I already have. But, that's all up to you. And considering what's happened on other forums, I will not recommend any laptops for you. You're on your own.

And Hats is correct about getting anything new. I have no idea why you want yet another laptop with XP, but maybe you can find an old junker.

I guess I have missed something here. ABZ if you have an ASSUS netbook for gaming with XP why would you try to put XP and all that stuff on your new Acer? The ASSUS is another excellent machine. It's been my experience that the ASSUS will handle and do everything you throw at it. I'm kind of at a loss here.

hatshepsut

Hats, that's what's had us all scratching our heads over this obsession with ANOTHER laptop running XP. And why would one do their level best to ruin a beautiful new Acer laptop when you already have a netbook with XP? This ASUS EEE netbook even has a very nice 160 GB hard drive which is more than adequate for tons of things. I can't remember for sure, but I don't think it's much more than a year or so old. She even bought a small exterior optical drive to use for installing and playing games.

Like I said, I don't know how many laptops you need that are running XP, but this is starting to sound like a collection to me. Or an obsession. And that's not even counting the old Dell XP desktop with old hardware that would play any game that was picky about new hardware. I give up trying to figure it out.

As I said, I will not recommend anything again.

hatshepsut wrote:

I guess I have missed something here. ABZ if you have an ASSUS netbook for gaming with XP why would you try to put XP and all that stuff on your new Acer? The ASUS is another excellent machine. It's been my experience that the ASSUS will handle and do everything you throw at it. I'm kind of at a loss here.

B/c the Asus Eee PC is a netbook that doesn't have a true 3D graphics card, let alone a NVidia card. It only has a GMA - graphics media accelerator, and thus likely won't play such games as 80 Days and Perry Rodian Immortals of Terra.

So per this update (from Mom) I'm going to leave my Acer with Win 7 and not try to put XP on it, I'll start looking for an XP laptop - probably a 2007/2008 model?

@Drac - yes, Mom and I have just struck it rich. We're discovered an oil well in our backyard - courtesy of The Great IyIMeeMe.


My Dell is an ancient PC, I don't use it that often, btw I like to AG out and about at coffee shops and the like, instead of being tied to one spot when AG-img - these AG's make me want to travel! But not the other games such as the Thief games.

Draclvr wrote:

Hats, that's what's had us all scratching our heads over this obsession with ANOTHER laptop running XP. And why would one do their level best to ruin a beautiful new Acer laptop when you already have a netbook with XP? This ASUS EEE netbook even has a very nice 160 GB hard drive which is more than adequate for tons of things. I can't remember for sure, but I don't think it's much more than a year or so old. She even bought a small exterior optical drive to use for installing and playing games.

Like I said, I don't know how many laptops you need that are running XP,

Only 2 laptops running XP, Drac - 1 netbook (retired from gaming on/will only use this for DVD movies), and 1 15-inch laptop (with XP and NVida 3D card) for running 3D games on.

Draclvr wrote:

but this is starting to sound like a collection to me. Or an obsession.

Ok, ok, it's a "XP laptop" obsession - in fact, I have a friend with an obsession - she's not a gamer but she can't stop buying blow-up Easter bunnies and various props which she fills her whole property (and half of the neighbor's property) with every year for the Easter season. And immediately after Easter Sunday, she's in a hurry to take everything down, deflated, and packed away. So that makes 2 friends who have an obsession. And yes, she has a whole garage full's worth of inflatable rabbits, props in her collection - just as I do with the computers (and games).

Draclvr wrote:

And that's not even counting the old Dell XP desktop with old hardware that would play any game that was picky about new hardware. I give up trying to figure it out.

Hmmm, perhaps you can't figure it out b/c of the 2 different kinds of logic involved, Drac - your "human logic" and my "alien logic"? Go figure.

Ok, I'll blast off to Acca now but I'll drop in and visit you guys, ok?

I will recommend something If you're serious about becoming a computer tech, you need to go to school for it like everyone else who goes into that line of work. Otherwise you're never going to get anywhere. You can't learn computer tech from gaming forums, and so far you have not shown any aptitude for it. I'm sorry if this sounds unduly harsh, but you always look to other people to make all of your decisions for you, and then if their suggestions don't work out for whatever reason, you blame them for your own problems. You should change your name to Alienate.

Well said, Jen. And, ABZ, your Windows 7 laptop WILL most likely play those games. What the Asus won't, the Acer will. And if there is a game in between that neither will play, I guess you should go spend another big bunch of money on yet another laptop so you can play that 1 game.

Sheesh.... I hope that oil well is a deep one.

Draclvr wrote:

Sheesh.... I hope that oil well is a deep one.

Yes, it's a very, very, extremely deep oil well, Drac! In fact, I never realized we had it - until Mom discovered it this afternoon, that is.

Maybe it will all go away!!

ABZ if you really want to a computer tech and work on computers then you should take Jen's advise and take computer courses. You will never learn what you really need to know unless you do.

Have you actually tried playing the games you mentioned in the ASSUS ? As far as the graphics and graphic cards go. All three of the machines mentioned will play with beautiful graphics. And you won't be able to tell the difference to any great extent with or without a Nvidia card that you mentioned. With the advancements in technology these days there is always going to be something newer and better. It ends up being an endless quest for something that really isn't any better than what you have.

I think you are hung up on this graphic card and graphics when in all reality you have two machines that will deliver excellent graphics.

I think you have not taken into consideration that no matter how many laptops, desktops, graphic cards etc etc etc you buy there is always going to be a game that you just can't get to play or give you good graphics no matter what you do. We all have had those games that just won't play. It's not the fault of the computer, it is just a sad fact of the way things work sometimes.

hatshepsut

hatshepsut wrote:

ABZ if you really want to a computer tech and work on computers then you should take Jen's advise and take computer courses. You will never learn what you really need to know unless you do.

Have you actually tried playing the games you mentioned in the ASSUS ? As far as the graphics and graphic cards go. All three of the machines mentioned will play with beautiful graphics. And you won't be able to tell the difference to any great extent with or without a Nvidia card that you mentioned. With the advancements in technology these days there is always going to be something newer and better. It ends up being an endless quest for something that really isn't any better than what you have.

I think you are hung up on this graphic card and graphics when in all reality you have two machines that will deliver excellent graphics.

I think you have not taken into consideration that no matter how many laptops, desktops, graphic cards etc etc etc you buy there is always going to be a game that you just can't get to play or give you good graphics no matter what you do. We all have had those games that just won't play. It's not the fault of the computer, it is just a sad fact of the way things work sometimes.

hatshepsut

Agreed , Hats !

And I also don't understand this obsession with Nvidia graphics - it's 100% groundless. Granted, Intel graphics can be a problem for a few games, but how about AMD Raedons? Faust, don't you have AMD graphics cards? I remember you were thinking about going with the Fermi architecture.

Oh, well. I know I'm just wasting my breath.

Geesh...attack of the Dream Squashers

Draclvr wrote:

And I also don't understand this obsession with Nvidia graphics - it's 100% groundless. Granted, Intel graphics can be a problem for a few games, but how about AMD Raedons? Faust, don't you have AMD graphics cards? I remember you were thinking about going with the Fermi architecture.

Oh, well. I know I'm just wasting my breath.

Yes , Drac , I do(did) have an ATI HD 4890 . In it's day , it was a bruiser (very good graphics) , & today , it could still do fairly well . My Dad has it at the moment , along with my old parts (cpu , ram , video card) . I went back to Nvidia as a personal choice , nothing to do with incompatibility in games per se . Just wanted to return to Nvidia is all . I got my current card (BFG gtx 275 oc) as part of an upgrade I performed earlier this month . New cpu , ram , video , & psu . I did want to go with a Fermi card , but I didn't really have the budget for it . Although , the Fermi card(s) I want have dropped in price .

Quote :

Geesh...attack of the Dream Squashers

Greyfuss....Those that have been commenting on this thread aren't trying to squash any dreams. They are exasperated after offering more advice and assistance on this and other forums, that has been solicited...only to later be blamed when things haven't turned out ideally. Drac especially has spent a lot of time responding and advising. And by the way....this is over and over again.

Don't blame them at all for their frustrations and weariness.

Thanks, JK. And it's over and over and over for not just months, but a couple of years - on multiple forums. After awhile you just get worn down.

There has also been much advice given on PROPERLY becoming a AAA+ Certified Computer Technician - which correctly does not involve asking members of gaming forums who happen to have a little knowledge to train them.

But I appreciate your kindly thoughts, GreyFuss because I was there once myself. Like I said, I've just become frustrated and worn down.

Draclvr wrote:

Thanks, JK. And it's over and over and over for not just months, but a couple of years - on multiple forums. After awhile you just get worn down.

There has also been much advice given on PROPERLY becoming a AAA+ Certified Computer Technician - which correctly does not involve asking members of gaming forums who happen to have a little knowledge to train them.

But I appreciate your kindly thoughts, GreyFuss because I was there once myself. Like I said, I've just become frustrated and worn down.

Exactly...I am aware of what is going on in other forums. My question is why are you choosing to air your grievances here. Go complain at Mystery Manor, Game Boomers or JA+ where all this took place.

I have, GreyFuss, many times - well, not at JA; I'm not a member there.. Sorry, I wasn't aware that this one was off-limits. I thought some context and additional information might help Hats and the others. If it's not welcome, it's not a problem!

Draclvr wrote:

I have, GreyFuss - many times. Sorry, I wasn't aware that this one was off-limits. I thought some context and additional information might help Hats and the others.

Ditto my post(s). If not welcome here, mods please feel free to delete. I am not a member at GB or JA, but I've seen Draclvr and others suffer plenty at MM and have spoken up there as well. A sidenote, though, I would not like to see this forum become all artificial sweetness and light, because sometimes some genuine grievances need to be aired and it's nice to have the opportunity.

I agree Jen..If the grievances come from here and it is not aimed at embarrassing a member. Dirty laundry should stay in ones own hamper.

Jen wrote:

Ditto my post(s). If not welcome here, mods please feel free to delete. I am not a member at GB or JA, but I've seen Draclvr and others suffer plenty at MM and have spoken up there as well. A sidenote, though, I would not like to see this forum become all artificial sweetness and light, because sometimes some genuine grievances need to be aired and it's nice to have the opportunity.

I don't see that ever happening Jen , this forum becoming artificial sweetness & light . That has already happened on another forum , or forums .

Dungeon Master Greyfuss , I'm sure that nobody comes here with the intention of making others here embarassed or hurt in any way . I've seen it on MM & GB myself (I'm no longer a member there , but I have followed the threads) . It gets frustrating sometimes , when people try to help , expert or not , & it seems to go to waste . Dirty laundry should stay in the hamper , unless it's time to do the wash ! Smile GF !!

Draclver, all other AP members and guest you are all welcome here and your comments are welcome here also. Your comments help me enormously. And I don't want any of you to feel that your comments aren't welcome. I know that some of you are frustrated by this thread and threads like this on other forums. Everyone who has commented on this thread has helped me to understand this better. I believe it is in our nature to want to help each other and it's frustrating when it seems that we aren't able to help. Even though it seems that your help isn't being taken I believe your help is helping.

I reiterate that everyone here is welcome and a valuable member of our family. Like every family every one has a right to their comments and contributions and they are welcome. From time to time there will be grievances that need to be addressed hopefully in a satisfactory manner. I do not want this forum to become artificial like some whether it be sticky sweet or down right mean like some are. I hope that everyone feels they can speak their mind without repercussions. I will not delete anyones post unless it puts someones privacy at risk. If it is a personal matter I will talk with about it through PMs. I believe AP is one of the friendliest forums around where we really feel comfortable that we are accepted as friends and family.

hatshepsut