I Have outgrown my computer

[celia]

Although my computer Windows 98 is a bit tired ,it is in good working order it does not have the facilities that i now require.I have been into digital camera's for the last twelve months. I use it a lot, i download the photo's which i can do anything  with to the program that came with the camera. I have now outgrown the program   My Problem is that i have a lot of of photo's stored on the P.C. A lot of them are of no interest to me but i have to keep them. Just in case my computer Decides to suddenly take early retirement with no warning  i have to print them all out. this is costing me a fortune in Gloss photo paper.So i am thinking of upgrading.I do not have this thing called a D.V.D writer which an upgrade will give me.
I don't know anything about them though. What can i put on them? Can i put photo's on? I only want a new engine but no point in wasting money if i cant put my piccy's on disk. Advice please

Celia

[gennig]

Hi Celia

With a CDwriter/burner you can down load you photo's on to CDRom.  You don't have to go as far as a DVDburner unless you want to burn films.

Genni

[Ticker]

Celia

You should be able to get a CD Writer (which would allow you to save you pics on a CD) for uner £40, but you will probably need someone with some technical knowledge to install it.  You can get blank CDs for around 20p - so quite a cheap option.

Your message starts 'I have outgrown my computer' - are you considering a totally new PC?  I don't know what PC you have at the moment or what you are using it for (apart from RootsChat and Pics of course).  Let me know if I can help in any other way.

[celia]

Thank you Gennie, but i have no idea what a D.V.D burner is

Ticker
Yes as i said above i am thinking of upgrading,just the hightower. I have had a look at lots of computers of various prices. Some of them are stated as having CD RW others CD Rom. Thats just for music disks isn't it? I had thought a CD Writer's were now part of all computers.Then if i bought a new one i could save some Photo's on the C.D . I could put them on one of my many floppies but really want a disk. So In A nut shell if i buy a new computer with CD Rw can i store my photo's on it? and will it store anything else? I didn't know you could buy CD RW separately. Maybe I would be better with one of those It could go on the third floor I know  someone who can install it for me. He has loads of disks I use my computer mainly for research of all kinds I have never been a web wonderer

Celia

[RJ_Paton]

Installing a CD writer into an existing set up is relatively straight forward . One site that gives instructions in pictorial format is
http://www.helpwithpcs.com/upgrading/installing_cd_recorder.htm

Although as has been said with the title "I Have outgrown my computer" it sounds as if the seeds of doubt have already been sown.
But before dumping your machine make sure that you take everything into consideration before falling for the charms of that super duper shining new case model in the show room.
1. does your computer do everything you currently need
2. how much further will your work/leisure push your machine
3. can I get away with simply upgrading parts

[RJ_Paton]

Celia,

a CD RW (CD Writer) can be used to record any type of information which you currently have on your computer onto the CD.
There are two main types of CD both of which require a CD (or DVD)  writer to create
1. CD ROM's which can only be written to once (ie the information becomes "permanently" stored)
2. CD RW's which allow you to write several times to the same disc to allow all of the information to be read again.

Many ordinary CD players will read CD Rom discs ..... for example stored sound or music files ... some domestic dvd players will play slide shows created to cd on your TV.

Permanency in regard to CD storage is under debate at the moment with claim and couterclaim but generall you are talking 5 to 10 years minumum lifespan for a data CD stored in optimal conditions.

A CD rom on a computer is simply a cd reader it will only read or play the information from your discs a CD Writer is required to create the discs

[celia]

But before dumping your machine make sure that you take everything into consideration before falling for the charms of that super duper shining new case model in the show room.
1. does your computer do everything you currently need
2. how much further will your work/leisure push your machine
3. can I get away with simply upgrading parts

Hello Falkyrn, its not the super duper Models I would fall for but the super duper sales pitch answear to question 1 Yes. 2 can you rephrase that one? 3 Yes. I fix any problems that ac cure myself.so don't have any and my C disk memory 4.01 is less than half full. in fact yesterday i was cut off the net for hours. A few hours later i found something not me had messed my email number up i had a row of xxxxxxxxxxx instead. I had thought that been able to buy a separate DVDRW. I would just plug it in to the computer, Like a digie box to the T.V. seems not.
I have one here in the brochure of PC World. Emprex 16x Internal Duel Layer DVDRW drive. Its £69.99 with Vat. bit more than i was expecting. Is this the update i need?

Celia

[Welsh Jen]

Although my computer Windows 98 is a bit tired ,it is in good working order it does not have the facilities that i now require.I have been into digital camera's for the last twelve months. I use it a lot, i download the photo's which i can do anything  with to the program that came with the camera. I have now outgrown the program   My Problem is that i have a lot of of photo's stored on the P.C. A lot of them are of no interest to me but i have to keep them. Just in case my computer Decides to suddenly take early retirement with no warning  i have to print them all out. this is costing me a fortune in Gloss photo paper.So i am thinking of upgrading.I do not have this thing called a D.V.D writer which an upgrade will give me.
I don't know anything about them though. What can i put on them? Can i put photo's on? I only want a new engine but no point in wasting money if i cant put my piccy's on disk. Advice please

Celia

You could always try putting them all onto  floppy disks I had the same problem before I got a CD writer.  You wont fit as near as many as you can with a cd rom. but it is surely better than printing them all off and perhaps it is something you can do as a temporary solution. If ever you upgrade your computer to incorporate a CD Writer you can always send what is on your floppy disks onto a CD rom.

DVD/CD writers are more expensive than CD Rewriters.

[celia]

Hello Jen, Yes i love my floppies, I found a Place years ago where they upgrade the computers colleges and  schools have finished with.They sell high capacity cleaned floppies 10 for a pound.I can also get new ones by the bag. so i have all my important not to be lost family tree info on them.  Never seen L.C. in the shops they wound never hold all the animation's i have on them or the Photo's. I even have smilies on them.  So i think i will spend some time moving them onto the floppy for now .till i decide what to do. Do Floppies have a shelf life some of the stuff on them have been on 4 three years. They are in thier own little box with a lock so safe i think.

Celia