desktop replacement for $250 each including software upgrades

[babysteps]

So, for folks who are semi-literate in technology (you can download programs, you can find stuff on your machine, you don't write code), you *can* upgrade your desktop for very little money.

The end of any security updates for XP finally got us to replace our aging (8 and 12 yo, physically failing once in a while but re-seating cards internally kept us limping along) PCs.  We are FI and work from home.  I was worried about software expense, since in a prior life we had an outside IT guy who kept most of our software disks...

We followed IPDaily's instructions and got refurbished machines from newegg with Win7 already installed.  So far we haven't had to buy *any* software.  YAY.  We did have to re-install the driver for the graphics card to avoid momentary screen black-outs when web sites updated (once figured out the issue with machine #1 via online search, was easy to do for both machines)

Feel free to search & find your own free alternatives!  So far we've used Kingsoft (for "office").  PDFtk (some of Adobe Writer, critically re-arranging existing pdf documents), Inkscape (for Adobe Illustrator).  And we haven't needed to replace any other non-free software (3 weeks and counting).

So, post-MMM that's $250/pc.  Pre-MMM would have been $750 for a new PC, close to $500 for new software, and who knows what all else we would have spent!  I'm counting it as $2,000 in avoided expenses :)

[LibrarIan]

Way to go! My laptop is beginning to show its age and I was starting to think about a replacement. I have been wary of refurbs for a while, but perhaps I'll give it a shot when I go computer hunting next time.

[abuzzyisawesome]

OMG. I just went to check NewEgg's refurbs. Board is going out in our media server tower. Those prices are unreal.

[skunkfunk]

Try ubuntu or mint. Those operating systems will do anything an old windows machine can do, but better. More secure too. Never pay for software again.

And they run just fine on my pc from 2002.

[RetiredAt63]

It is certainly doable.  I just replaced my aging PC (not only XP, but USB ports going) and am now using a refurbished Lenovo, with Windows 7 Pro, Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E 8400 at 3 Ghz, 64 bit operating system, 2.00 GB memory, 250 Gb hard drive, 8 USB 2 ports, DVD drive.  I did buy a new keyboard, am using the original monitor and mouse, printers, speakers, and software.

Cost under $250, including the new keyboard, not counting my time backing up data and transferring it, and installing software again.

My old computer more than met my needs, so as you can imagine, this one is in luxury territory.

[babysteps]

Try ubuntu or mint. Those operating systems will do anything an old windows machine can do, but better. More secure too. Never pay for software again.

And they run just fine on my pc from 2002.

I hear you.   If I were more tech proficient we would already have linux...at this point I know just enough to really mess things up ;)  Maybe linux (and more tech skills) can be my 2015 project!

...
My old computer more than met my needs, so as you can imagine, this one is in luxury territory.

Definitely!  We are enjoying much faster processing speeds and quicker start up (and down).

FYI our cpus from newegg each came with a new (if low end) keyboard & mouse.  Might have to sell or freecycle some of my old mice and keyboards, I had some extras even before this (our office was much larger once upon a time).

[skunkfunk]

Try ubuntu or mint. Those operating systems will do anything an old windows machine can do, but better. More secure too. Never pay for software again.

And they run just fine on my pc from 2002.

I hear you.   If I were more tech proficient we would already have linux...at this point I know just enough to really mess things up ;)  Maybe linux (and more tech skills) can be my 2015 project!

Hey, my 50+ year old mother tech-illiterate mother can use ubuntu. The key to using it if you don't know what you're doing is to just not look behind the curtain.

[scapegote]

Just a thought, if you absolutely "need" a program (MS Office is a great example) you can sometimes get it free/insanely cheap through your school/work. Also, if you are upgrading an existing computer, there is often a way to port the software that you need from that computer to the new one, even without install media. 

For instance you can find your existing office product key by running Produkey by Nirsoft, and download a (legal) installer from Digital River. It doesn't work with all copies/licenses, but I end up doing it all the time for client's. Quicken and Adobe are often both linked to an online account.

That said, the number of people who actually need name brand software is a lot lower than those that buy it. Most people I install MS Office for only use it for writing letters or to-do lists and could easily get away with LibreOffice or OpenOffice.

[sleepyguy]

Good Job.  My recommendations for freebie software for all your PCs.

Antivirus: MS Security Essentials
Adware/Trojan remover scanner: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Office: OpenOffice or LibreOffice, I prefer LibreOffice
PDF: CutePDF Writer, basically awesome for outputting PDF files from any program
Photo/Imaging: Paint.Net, very good photoshop wannebe but less learning curve
Video: VLC or MediaPlayerClassic, both awesome but VLC is better for newbies

Other Apps for more specific task
Torrent: Deluge , WAY better than utorrent and doesn't have the vulnerabilities and stability issues
Video Editing: Freemake or AnyVideoConverter, both very very good... freemake better for newbies
MP3: foobar2000 , tons out there but I still prefer this over all else

basically covers what I use.

[Paul der Krake]

OMG. I just went to check NewEgg's refurbs. Board is going out in our media server tower. Those prices are unreal.

Check TigerDirect too. And Ebay if you're into uber loud server room racks with 8 cores for under $200.

[msnln7]

I just recently upgraded one of my XP to Windows 7 from NeweggFlash for $100.  All four PCs in our household are from my office that would have been discarded due to age and various virus issues.  They were all purchased by the company in 2004.  I brought them home, reinstalled Windows XP and MS Office 2003 which was going to be thrown out as well.  When Microsoft stopped XP support, I figured I needed at least one PC that would survive if XP apocalypse came along (even though I back up essential files to free Google Drive & Dropbox) and noticed Neweggflash.com having sale on refurbished Lenovo Dualcore 2.33GHz 2GB 160GB HDD with Win7 Home Premium for $99.99.  Windows 7 OS sometimes goes on sale for around $70 so I basically ended up with the PC for $30! 

They usually have ultra cheap machines on sale all the time.  I see that they have single core P4 Win7 for $88 right now.  Since most I do on PC are internet and spreadsheet, low end machines work fine for me.  One plus with getting dual core is that son has been complaining none of machines at home were fast enough for Minecraft game and now he can play the game on the new PC.

[hybrid]

Do these refurbs come with new hard drives or do they recycle the old ones? That is my only concern with older PCs, because I have replaced enough bad hard drives over time to know they all have a shelf life. A five year old hard drive is a ticking time bomb.

Other than that, I agree wholeheartedly. Win7 machines can be had for dirt cheap refurbed. Even new from Dell I just bought one for $360 for a client.

The Office through work program another poster mentioned is the Microsoft Home Use Program. In a nutshell, many companies that license Microsoft products have this option, but it is not always widely advertised. It lets you purchase a 3 user copy of Office for about $10 or $15 depending on whether you want a physical DVD or can live with just a download. Check with your IT department to see if you participate.

I highly recommend this for any office worker as you get to play with the latest version of Office before your IT staff rolls it out. Less learning curve for you, and Microsoft Office proficiency always looks good on a resume (often a prerequisite for some jobs).

http://www.microsofthup.com/hupus/chooser.aspx?culture=en-US     

[CarDude]

Try ubuntu or mint. Those operating systems will do anything an old windows machine can do, but better. More secure too. Never pay for software again.

And they run just fine on my pc from 2002.

Yup. Been using Ubuntu on and off for...woo, a long time now. Also look into its relatives, Xubuntu and Lubuntu for lower powered machines; it's like a new lease on life!

[skunkfunk]

Try ubuntu or mint. Those operating systems will do anything an old windows machine can do, but better. More secure too. Never pay for software again.

And they run just fine on my pc from 2002.

Yup. Been using Ubuntu on and off for...woo, a long time now. Also look into its relatives, Xubuntu and Lubuntu for lower powered machines; it's like a new lease on life!

Yep, I have an old netbook that my cousin retired. He said it barely works because it is too slow. Lubuntu woke it right up for me.

[GuitarStv]

Try ubuntu or mint. Those operating systems will do anything an old windows machine can do, but better. More secure too. Never pay for software again.

And they run just fine on my pc from 2002.

+1

Our XP boxes have become ubuntu boxes, and we're considering dropping windows in the house altogether.

[Paul der Krake]

Do these refurbs come with new hard drives or do they recycle the old ones? That is my only concern with older PCs, because I have replaced enough bad hard drives over time to know they all have a shelf life. A five year old hard drive is a ticking time bomb.

Run a SMART diagnostic tool on the drive upon reception, and complain if it shows up as about to fail. They should send you a new one.

[RetiredAt63]

Never heard of this, so could you give more info? Reliable free software?  I don't need commercial, I will only do this once.  Thanks!

Run a SMART diagnostic tool on the drive upon reception, and complain if it shows up as about to fail. They should send you a new one.

[Paul der Krake]

Never heard of this, so could you give more info? Reliable free software?  I don't need commercial, I will only do this once.  Thanks!

Run a SMART diagnostic tool on the drive upon reception, and complain if it shows up as about to fail. They should send you a new one.

I'm a unix guy and so I can't recommend a particular utility for Windows, but this list should be enough to get you started. Just pick one with graphical interface.

[Daley]

Never heard of this, so could you give more info? Reliable free software?  I don't need commercial, I will only do this once.  Thanks!

Run a SMART diagnostic tool on the drive upon reception, and complain if it shows up as about to fail. They should send you a new one.

I'm a unix guy and so I can't recommend a particular utility for Windows, but this list should be enough to get you started. Just pick one with graphical interface.

Ultimate Boot CD includes a SMART utility (SMARTUDM). Refurbs are amazing, but you should always do due diligence on any used hardware purchase (on who the refurb outfit is, their quality of work, and a final check on the hardware itself once you have it). I've done business with Aventis with my job, and they do a great job with their machines (well, cosmetically they tend to frequently be B grade, but hardware's always top notch), but I still run each system through a personal hardware check before deploying it.

What's that entail? First, a physical inspection:

-I check for physically damaged capacitors and MOSFETs. (bulging, leaks, scorching, dents, chips, etc.)
-I check to ensure all cards (RAM, video cards) and cables (drive, power, fan) are all well seated and clean.

From there, enter Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) where I:

-Check SMART hard drive status
-Run the HDD diagnostic utilities for the hard drive manufacturer
-Run three-five passes of Memtest86+
-Let Mersenne Prime run a few hours to check CPU stability

Finally, I boot into Windows where I:

-Test all the peripheral ports (USB, audio, video, network, etc.)
-Check Device Manager for any hardware errors
-Run FurMark for a few hours to check graphics chipset stability

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but physical hands-on effort outside of the waiting only takes maybe a half hour of keyboard time at most. Also, it may sound like a lot of work, but in my case I actually do this with new machines as well, both prebuilt and DIY. If there's hardware problems (new or used), it's best to try and catch them early in the ownership cycle so you can avoid dealing with a lemon.

[Daley]

Do these refurbs come with new hard drives or do they recycle the old ones? That is my only concern with older PCs, because I have replaced enough bad hard drives over time to know they all have a shelf life. A five year old hard drive is a ticking time bomb.

Some refurb outfits package new drives, some recycle used. Depends on who you're dealing with. I agree with your concerns, but I do hold an exception for the most part: Western Digital drives. Most time bomb drives I've found usually wind up being (listed by encounter frequency) Maxtor, Seagate, Fujitsu, Samsung and their ilk.