recommendations for a stable computer setup

I'm looking for recommendations for a simple effective computer setup .


This is a multi-topic question really as it involves software, hardware and OS so I wasn't sure where to post it.

I'm getting really fed up with the wretched bloatware on my computer and laptops and all the spyware etc slowing my net connection and page refresh rates.

I don't like the way Google now insists on everything being linked together with google+ .( i don't want to tell the World everytime I buy some underwear on Amazon or post a video on youtube )
I detest social networking in all its forms but its being forced upon us every day !

I'd like to eliminate Google completely ...What are the alternatives to a Gmail account and google search etc ?

I'm fed up with 50+ processes running in the background for stuff I probably don't need. How can I install Windows7 64 ,drivers and software without adding lots of add-on rubbish I don't need and want ?

I'm mystified as to why 4Gb of Ram is apparently not enough to run everyday software and do some simple photo editing in Picasa or play a Video ? navigating Flickr is like trying to do a jigsaw in a diving suit under water !

OK rant over.

would it be best to run one computer exclusively for surfing and run another computer for everything else with no net connection? It would be a pita but if it means I can avoid the constant updating by HP and Google and Picassa and Flickr and all the other software I run then maybe thats the best solution ??

How about hardware solutions
Whats the best platform these days ? is it best to run the OS and software on a SSD card and store everything like video and photo images on a seperate hard drive ? is 3.5" or 2.5" best for a PC ?

I suppose what I am asking is what kind of system would you build today

There will be many opinions about this.
Personally, as a system builder, I try to use hardware that has a solid history of performance and reliability. The selection process for an offic desktop is somewhat different from a pure gaming machine. For that matter, people who do graphics and phot editing will need a few things that are different too. I happen to use AMD processors and 8 Gigs of RAM along with a dedicated video card. I have had good luck with basic Radeon and NVidia cards in several series , including the R5450 variety. This is not a high end card for a serious production environment, but works fine in an office where some picture editing may be needed. My preference fro drives remains with HDD versus SSD. The day will come when the SSD will be a great choice for loadinbg the OS and software, while storing data on a second drive. Form factor is not an issue.
As to "bloatware" issues. The only solution with a store bought machine is to gather up ALL of the drivers and other OS related software and do a "Clean factory install" This will remove the (HP, Dell, etc) offerings. By selecting your software and paying for it you should have virtually NO pop-ups or other annoyances. The exception will be for updates.
Not connecting to the WEB may be OK if and only if you are able to insure that the OS is stable after completing the setup of the machine. There are no guarantees that you will be completely safe whether you have a Firewall and Anti-Virus let alone purchase software via download. I do agree that several Social Networking sites have really gone full hog to get you and this is not how I like it either. Then again I maintain a G-Mail account as it is better for me than my Yahoo version for mail. BTW: Keep in mind that many online stores now linkl ad's to these sites as a result of your purchases-this is a form of targeting that works for the merchant but is invasive for all of us.

Hope all of this is useful to you.

Linux.

Several high quality version that revival Windows. Runs on 4gb and a 8 year old cpu.

nLite

Make your own OS install disk with just the programs and features you want.

thank you jc836 for your comprehensive reply

I appreciate that my question was a bit general and a huge subject to cover in a forum post .

Your answer is probably what I was expecting if the truth is known and I'll just have to knuckle down to doing fresh installs on my Shuttle SN68SG and my HPDV7 laptop and HP Mini 110 netbook. Its a pita and usually takes days to install all the software and drivers and get all the settings how I want them .

I suspect that a lot of my slow video issues stem from quicktime and Adobe software so I'm stuck with them if I wish to continue using youtube.

My broadband speed is not good either which is one of the main drawbacks of living out in the sticks away from the nearest telephone exchange. I'll have to find a way to extend my phone cable to the other side of the house so that I can hardwire to my router.

I'll install a new 3.5" Sata HDD and keep programs and files on separate HD drives which should speed things up a bit .

madcratebuilder said:

Linux.

Several high quality version that revival Windows. Runs on 4gb and a 8 year old cpu.

nLite

Make your own OS install disk with just the programs and features you want.

interesting proposition for some MCB but I'm stuck with Windows as all my expensive photo editing and media editing software is incompatible with Linux

Its just a complete pita to try get stuff to work with ubuntu ,linux and the rest .

Your suggestion about making my own OS is interesting.

I used to run XP and used a program called XPLITE to remove parts of Windows and make a cut down version of XP which was brilliant but I don't think anyone has produced anything similar for Win7 yet ?

Re: Google. I hear you. I gave them up a month ago. No more gmail. No more google docs. No more you tube. I now use Outlook.com mail and the associated sky drive for docs.

As for bloatware ... If that refers to software you don't want, then just uninstall it.

Or just leave it there. Most apps do nothing until you use them. (So don't use them!) Some few will run background services ... so just shut those down. Simple.

ThrashZone said:

Hi,
I've only got 4 gig's of ram ?
I seem to run fine and dandy

Fill in your systems spec's link above my signature picture.
Email wise,
outlook.com isn't terrible nor is Bing search or Internet explorer 10 as a browser,
Cheers.

In 1996 I used to run my Mesh computer on 64Mb of Ram with a 80Mb HDD and that worked fine too at the time

I did all my video and sound editing work for my business on that thing and it wouldn't run a gps nowadays lol

Yes I suspect you're right its not the amount of Ram and that the problems centre around my hard drive and software and driver conflict issues coupled with a poor WiFi connection speed but its really frustrating

Outlook was so frustratingly slow to load and such an appalling interface I uninstalled it pronto . Wish I could go back to Outlook Express .Why can't MS just leave stuff alone when it works grrrrr

xs650 said:

madcratebuilder said:

Linux.

Several high quality version that revival Windows. Runs on 4gb and a 8 year old cpu.

nLite

Make your own OS install disk with just the programs and features you want.

interesting proposition for some MCB but I'm stuck with Windows as all my expensive photo editing and media editing software is incompatible with Linux

Its just a complete pita to try get stuff to work with ubuntu ,linux and the rest .

Take a look at Zorin OS, it's based on Ubuntu and runs Microsoft Windows programs with the help of WINE and PlayOnLinux.

Your suggestion about making my own OS is interesting.

I used to run XP and used a program called XPLITE to remove parts of Windows and make a cut down version of XP which was brilliant but I don't think anyone has produced anything similar for Win7 yet ?

nLite is for W7.