Refurbished XP class computer- comments please

  I am in need of an XP class computer for home office use. Is this unit
worth the price?


http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/Dell-OptiPlex-745-3-GHz-2GB-500GB-Desktop-Computer-Refurbished/5281901/product.html


Also any comments about or experience with 'overstock.com' would be
appreciated.


I have a VGA monitor that still works well for now. When and if it goes
bad I'll add a modestly priced video card and LCD monitor.


Thanks,
John

 John wrote:

http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/Dell-OptiPlex-745-3-GHz-2GB-500GB-Desktop-Computer-Refurbished/5281901/product.html  

http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/direct2dell/b/direct2dell/archive/2010/07/01/dell-on-the-nichicon-capacitor-issue.aspx

    "If this is a problem with specific Capacitors then why do I have
     over 40% failure in my OptiPlex 745's all with Capacitor problems.
     I am not really interested in buying any more Dell computers.
     Our 745's replaced the 270's. ;( "

When the word Optiplex comes up, Google is your friend. They're undoubtedly
safe to buy now (new models), but for older gear, ask lots of
questions. Maybe a motherboard would be safe, it it had been
"re-capped", and all the bad caps were changed out. Perhaps then,
it would run forever. If the owner can't tell you what's been
done to work that issue, then don't buy it.

The thing is, if you buy one, and it turns out to be a turkey,
you can't even safely go to Ebay and buy a replacement motherboard,
because it too could be in the same shape. If nobody can tell
you it's been fixed, then you'll need somebody to recap it for
you, to be sure.

    Paul

  Paul wrote:

http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/Dell-OptiPlex-745-3-GHz-2GB-500GB-Desktop-Computer-Refurbished/5281901/product.html

http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/direct2dell/b/direct2dell/archive/2010/07/01/dell-on-the-nichicon-capacitor-issue.aspx

Thanks Paul.

I will look at other brands and since Overstock.com seems to have all
Dells in the XP timeframe, other places.

John

 

I don't know if this is true, but I think someone told me there was a
"scandal" involving Overstock.  Google and find out.   Just some sort
of overcharging, not sex.

Why not check out "bare bones" computers.  I don't know how bare they
all are.  I know that means no monitor (no keyboard, no mouse, no
speakers?, but I think it still has CD or DVD drives.  Don't know
about hard drives. It might vary.)  Newegg sells such things and I
think they are considered very reliable and not an overcharger.  Is
that right, guys?

You can take stuff from your current computer for whatever the
barebones doesn't have. Or you can buy from Newegg what isn't
included, like "bare drives".


Won't LCD monitors work with most video cards?  I really have no idea,
except I thought the improvement was not more exacting specs, but
thinness, less weight, and no warm-up time.

 wrote:


The problem might be that almost all new monitors are 9:16 or
10:16. A mode that may not be supported by older video adapters.

Replacing a video adapter may prove to be tricky too because
current models do support widescreen monitors, but demand a more
modern interface to the motherboard.

--
Kind regards,
Gerard Bok