Lets play a game "Help the Switcher"

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Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
So, I think I'm finally ready to make the big jump. But, I've got a couple of questions.



First, I'm looking to buy an Imac from the refurb store. Best value is to go ahead and go with the C2D over the Dual Core 17", right? I mean, who can't pass up extra ram and a little bit of processor for $100 bucks?

Secondly, bootcamp says that it needs a SP2 version of XP in order to run. Is this accurate? Anyone had any experiences either way with this?





That is All.



PS. Crap, why'd I put this in future hardware? I wish I could move it. I'll just make a new one in the right place!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    galleygalley Posts: 971member
    Core 2 Duo chips are 64-bit, and those models have 802.11n support.
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  • Reply 2 of 13
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sknittel646 View Post


    Secondly, bootcamp says that it needs a SP2 version of XP in order to run. Is this accurate?



    Yes, you need SP2. You can slipstream your non-SP2 CD of XP to create an SP2 one. This is a legal and well-documented process.



    Quote:

    PS. Crap, why'd I put this in future hardware? I wish I could move it. I'll just make a new one in the right place!



    Please don't make a duplicate thread. Wait for a moderator to move it.
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  • Reply 3 of 13
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chucker View Post


    Yes, you need SP2. You can slipstream your non-SP2 CD of XP to create an SP2 one. This is a legal and well-documented process.



    Awesome! Thanks for the tip. I checked it out and it seems fairly simple to do.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chucker View Post


    Please don't make a duplicate thread. Wait for a moderator to move it.



    Sorry, Sir!
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  • Reply 4 of 13
    guarthoguartho Posts: 1,208member
    I advise that you buy two. Then you'll have one as a backup. If you're limited on space because you live in smallish house or an apartment... maybe a duplex, you can probably get a friend or neighbor to keep the other iMac for you. As a bonus you could have one on one LAN parties.
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  • Reply 5 of 13
    Dear PC,



    Sorry to leave you. Its not you, its me. No wait its you! I've found a new love and am on my way to go pick her up in the big city. I shall return within 5 hours, but I'll be making my bed for my new baby. Pack your things. You can't live here any longer.



    All my Love.



    PS. Tell your mom I said hi! (Maybe you can move back in with her until you get a new job!)



    8)
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  • Reply 6 of 13
    If your considering bootcamp, I would consider using Parallels. It's relatively inexpensive and lets you run Win XP within a window in the OS X operating systems. Bootcamp, you have to reboot your machine everytime you want to switch from OS X to Win XP.



    Dave
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  • Reply 7 of 13
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dave9500 View Post


    If your considering bootcamp, I would consider using Parallels. It's relatively inexpensive and lets you run Win XP within a window in the OS X operating systems. Bootcamp, you have to reboot your machine everytime you want to switch from OS X to Win XP.



    Dave



    Dave, thanks for the reply. I now have my iMac and I've installed bootcamp on it so that my wife can play the Sims 2 (it was the only way I could get her to bite). I'm still waiting (with excitement) for Parallels to go so that they support fancy schmancy graphics. THEN my life will be easier and we'll no longer have to hold the option key when we reboot.



    Thanks again
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  • Reply 8 of 13
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sknittel646 View Post


    Dave, thanks for the reply. I now have my iMac and I've installed bootcamp on it so that my wife can play the Sims 2 (it was the only way I could get her to bite). I'm still waiting (with excitement) for Parallels to go so that they support fancy schmancy graphics. THEN my life will be easier and we'll no longer have to hold the option key when we reboot.



    Thanks again



    No problem, I did not realize you were thinking of games so in that case boot camp is definately the way to go.



    Dave
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  • Reply 9 of 13
    zandroszandros Posts: 537member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sknittel646 View Post


    Dave, thanks for the reply. I now have my iMac and I've installed bootcamp on it so that my wife can play the Sims 2 (it was the only way I could get her to bite). I'm still waiting (with excitement) for Parallels to go so that they support fancy schmancy graphics. THEN my life will be easier and we'll no longer have to hold the option key when we reboot.



    Thanks again



    But... the Sims 2 is available for MacOS X!
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  • Reply 10 of 13
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zandros View Post


    But... the Sims 2 is available for MacOS X!



    1.

    Ah yes... Get Sims2 for MacOSX. Sweet.



    2.

    Use Parallels to access the BootCamp partition. This way BootCamp or within MacOSX, you're accessing the same WindowsXP2 install.



    3.

    Core2Duo models as they are, are good. Get the 17" iMac Core2Duo with X1600 128mb video RAM.
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  • Reply 11 of 13
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Guartho View Post


    I advise that you buy two. Then you'll have one as a backup. If you're limited on space because you live in smallish house or an apartment... maybe a duplex, you can probably get a friend or neighbor to keep the other iMac for you. As a bonus you could have one on one LAN parties.



    Dear Switchers,

    This is not as silly as it might initially sound. Your Mac will become a key component of your life in general. Imagine one day if you did not have air to breathe.... That's what it is like when your Mac is down or in the shop for servicing. I f*k you not. You will look at getting a cheapo PC to tie you over if your Mac is down or being serviced, but you will look at Windows with revulsion, disgust, and wonder how you ever actually *used* it. And you will feel dirty for having used it.



    Seriously. If I was a web/graphic design contractor having to supply my own equipment and software I'd have to run two laptops dualie style... For redundancy purposes. There are hire options, but having two laptops set up similarly and also running different tasks at once, is sweet. The investment is covered because when it comes time to replace there's still *two* laptops to eBay and recoup some of your investment. In my 5 years of web design stuff I was glad to have the gear and software almost exclusively supplied at the places I worked/ contracted. My Mac was used for 1 or 2 small side jobs, but mostly life enjoyment, DVD watching, and DutchTranceMusik production/learning.
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  • Reply 12 of 13
    Sunil: If you dig Harry Lemon/Lemon8 peep my sig's 2nd URL.



    Original Poster: You're in for a treat. I am well versed in OS X, Linux and Windows, in that order, and I can tell you your expectations of performance, multitasking, graphics, grace and ease of use will need massive readjusting after ditching the 5 year old(?) XP for a modern OS.



    Every annoyance, from perpetual barrages of confirmation dialog boxes, to malware, to your computer freezing up while doing something intensive are all gone... forever.
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  • Reply 13 of 13
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 1337_5L4Xx0R View Post


    Sunil: If you dig Harry Lemon/Lemon8 peep my sig's 2nd URL.



    Original Poster: You're in for a treat. I am well versed in OS X, Linux and Windows, in that order, and I can tell you your expectations of performance, multitasking, graphics, grace and ease of use will need massive readjusting after ditching the 5 year old(?) XP for a modern OS.



    Every annoyance, from perpetual barrages of confirmation dialog boxes, to malware, to your computer freezing up while doing something intensive are all gone... forever.





    I've had my 17" iMac for two weeks now and let me tell you, its AWESOME not having to worry about it locking up, or crappy popup windows that I didn't ask for, or hearing the loud noise of a dying fan. My wife and I can actually sit in the same room and one of us watch tv and one of us play on the computer (the noise level is a lot better). I love you Steve Jobs!
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