I either need to install a new power supply for my computer or buy a new one. I told Allan, the boss, I was going to fix it and he said I was a dumb ________.
Life is interesting.
He thinks I should buy a referb iMac for $800 rather than fix my computer for $300.
Shawn wrote: Was that what the place in American Fork said?
Myrna wrote: Actually, Allan thinks that I am not dumb but that my decision is. He has patiently tried to explain that it is not wise. It reminds me of HTP when he was talking to me about cars and why some used cars were better than fixing some old cars.
I really know so little about computers that I have no idea what is the best. I know what LHT thinks but I don't know if we are right or not. I just can't figure that I can spend that amount of money right now. I just spent that much for property taxes. Then there is Christmas. I wonder why everything breaks down when I can't afford it to break down?
Shawn wrote: Have you ordered it already? There may be less expensive places to get replacement power supplies (they are not manufactured by Apple, so not under Apple Warranty, but your computer warranty is expired anyway):
Myrna wrote: The replacement will cost $271 for parts and labor. Of that, $75 is for labor. The part will have the apple warrantee. I would owe them $49 of that, at any rate, for the diagnostic. Of course, all of this depends on their being able to get an apple part.
A hard drive upgrade would cost another $99 for the part. That does not include labor or the fee for downloading my data.
Shawn wrote: Well, there is not much danger of them not being able to get the part.
Myrna wrote: That isn't what they said. They have to use apple. They said it is on the antiquated list.
Shawn wrote: I’ll copy Todd, so he can weigh in on this.
Maybe what Alan isn’t considering is that you still need data off your old hard-drive. If you buy an iMac, perhaps the best remaining option would be to remove the hard-drive from your G4 and put it in an external hard-drive enclosure and then attach it to the USB or Firewire connector on the iMac. But if you can get your former computer working, then you could use the external hard-drive you already have to do your backups, and to get the rest of your pictures off. With your other computer, we may also have the option of attaching your hard-drive from your even older computer, to try and retrieve information from it (since your floppy drive has gone out). Your G4 has room for two hard-drives, but they have to be Ultra ATA 66 or 100. So, the older computer’s drive may not move over. Perhaps we could just network the oldest computer with whichever you choose, and also get the data off that way. But still, if you got an iMac, we would need to get the data off the G4 also.
As for the iMac, the one thing I don’t like about it is that the drives are built in kind of the back of the monitor. So, if you have drive problems, or if the monitor has problems, they are kind of all one unit and it makes things more complicated. They are also more compact, I think, so the drive replacements will cost more. I believe they make it so you can open it to do the work, but it is not as easy. Kimberly said her father was working on the hard-drive on an iMac (he does data recovery) and it was all kinds of fun to get into. On the iMac, I know they are going for space savings, but there is a reason that the more open architectures have remained popular. The only drawbacks I can think of to more open architecture are space savings. But you already have a notebook, and those already are a little more closed in architecture, and the notebook is newer. So I don’t see the need to upgrade your main computer at the present. That would put both your computers at about the same age. I am not sure that seems wise, especially if you are pinching pennies. I would probably wait a bit.
I can understand Alan’s concern that your machine is quickly becoming obsolete, and that you are dumping money into it, and something else may go soon. Especially since the power-supply by itself costs so much. I still can’t believe that we cannot recover the power-supply from a used G4, or get an aftermarket one that wouldn’t work. But as for not buying and iMac, you still have the data recovery issues and you still have a newer notebook, so it is not like you will be down if another failure occurs. They are refurbished iMacs anyway, and I don’t know that we would know how many hours have been logged on the machine, since they do not have odometers or engine hour gauges like cars and tractors, and they usually only replace any part that is not in operating tolerances.
Myrna wrote: There is one other point to consider that LHT and I have given careful thought to--my printer will not work with an iMac and neither will my scanner. I did ask about upgrading my hard drive. The one they sell at Simply Mac is $90. That does not include installation nor downloading of data. It didn't sound like they add it to the computer but that they replace what you already have.
Todd wrote: In business, we upgrade every 3 years. We are not buying the top of the line when we make our initial investment, but after 3 years of 2,080 hours of use each year, they have literally been used up. Personally, I bought a computer in 1992. Added a little memory to it in 1998, bought a new one in 2001 and now a new one in 2009. I have always done a mid-life upgrade of memory and hard drive, since those are the items that change the fastest with the architecture (until the modern display changes).If you have the money and are ready for a new machine, then buy a new one (be it new, or refurbished). I don't use MACs. I know they have their place in the world, but I've never really had a need for one. If you go that route, it seems that you should be able to buy Shawn dinner in the yellow kitchen and he could harvest the information off your old drive for you. Distance makes that a little less of a possibility for me, but you know if I were there I would do it. Guaranteed, he won't cuss at you, that part is for sure and for certain. Love, T
Kirsten wrote: The only problem with refurb iMacs is that there is no warranty. I would probably fix and save up for a new/old iMac.
Myrna wrote: That's what we thought. Allan said, however, that the iMac he was looking at did have a one-year warranty.
Kirsten wrote: Interesting. I might do that, then. That's a lot cheaper than the $1800 - $2500 for a brand newbie one...
