Computer News

We took the plunge and bought a new computer! It's an HP 200 GB Hard Drive with 512 DDR SDRAM, DVD+RW/CD-RW drive, DVD ROM drive, 17" flat panel LCD moniter, and MS XP Home OS.

Now we want internet on both computers. To do that, I have to get them set up as a network, something I know nothing about. I think I'd like to go wireless. I don't think the old computer has a network card, so I'll have to do that. The little research I've done gives me the impression that I'll have to upgrade Windows on my old computer, which runs Windows 98, to at least Windows 98SE, or it won't be supported. So do I get a second license for the Windows XP, and use that? I thought I heard XP was problematic.

Then, can I even install a new OS without running into problems? I did some cleaning last week on the computer, and messed some stuff up. I moved stuff around and the computer can't find it. It's nothing major, just games, but I'm getting "fatal exception" every time I try to get into Explorer to clean things up. So, I think I'm going to have to resort to calling in a computer guy to fix it. I just have to decide whether to load a new OS first, or to wait and do it after. Could loading a new OS solve the problem with Explorer? Or could it make things worse?

Aargh! One more thing to do!

On the plus side, the girls are loving the games. Sims, Zoo Tycoon and Barbie Swan Lake are so much better on the new computer, and we got Age of Mythology, which Shelby is having fun with. Clint is very bummed, because he wants to use the new computer to get online, since the screen is so much better.