Advice?

[Sally]

Alright folks, a difficult decision is approaching me.

My girlfriend of nearly 4 years, myself, and another friend are all moving into an apartment together in a few months. It seems, however, that there won't be enough space for 2 desktops. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

This is a bit scary. Neither of us wants to be w/o a computer of our own. Here is what we have:

Her system:
AMD ATHLON XP 3000+
1GB OC SYSTEM PC3200
HP micro ATX board and case
80 GB ATA HD
250 GB ATA Maxtor HD
DVD+/-R/RW
CD-ROM
TAGAN PSU
17" HP LCD
HP 2175 AIO
XP PRO SP2

My rig
Intel P4 550 HT 3.4GHz
512MB Corsair Value DDR2
Intel 915PBL Board
Cooler Master Aluminum Case
36GB SATA WD RAPTOR 10K RPM
60GB ATA MAXTOR HD
NEC DVD+/-R/RW
FORTRON PSU
17" Samsung SyncMaster LCD TV/MONITOR
XP90c HEATPIPE
Antec Drive Cooler
Second Lan Card
Maxtor ATA Controler
nVidia Quadro 280 NVS 64MB PCI-e
CANON PIXMA IP4000
XP PRO SP2

Notes:

This is her first computer and it has a great degree of sentimental value. It also is home to our 200+GB music backup. She has had it for less than 2 years and doesn't feel that she should sell it or get rid of it.

Both systems are extremely stable and neither falls short of our performance needs.

KVM usuage of both systems is out of the question.

Possible solutions considered so far:
Sell my system and buy a laptop?
Convert mine to a media center and let it hang out by the TV.

SUGGESTIONS????
What are are either of these worth right now? Is anyone interested in either? Advice???
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[Google]

[sickofsoyo]

hmmm... thats a toughy... which is better for gaming? That is the one you should keep as a desktop, the other one make a media center. I'm guessing you should keep the intel as a desktop and hers as a MC.
_________________
P4 3.2ghz
lanparty pro875b
Enermax Liberty 500 Watt Modular PSU
Sony 52X CD-RW
Samsung 120gig SATA hdd
Maxtor 100gig SATA hdd
Powmax Demon case
ATI X800 XL AIW, 525 Core, 525 mem
Creative X-Fi Platinum
PDP systems Patriot Ram 2,3,2,5 timings

[[KoG]^mamabunni9904]

[ToggleHead]

Can you make a "server in the closet" and just terminal services or VNC into yours while hers is diplayed?

Why no KVM?

What is preventing you from putting two machines in there? Desk space?

Maybe with a wireless mb and mouse....and the s-video out into your tv.....and the machine in the clo.....well you get me.....

im great with spacial stuff.....and concepualizing things to build......try me
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[sickofsoyo]

[Sally]

It has alot to do with space and logic. There isn't space on the desk we have for 2 systems. If either were to become a media unit, it would be the intel.

I guess I wouln't mind using the intel as just a network machine that is always on and always crunching....but I am not sure how she would feel about that.

Any idea about the reasale of a system like mine? I would keep the monitor b/c its a TV too...and still under warranty ofor 2 more years....and I love it.
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[Hoedizzy]

I could always adopt one for you.

[fussnfeathers]

What's preventing you from putting one on the floor? Or even on small riser under the desk, and one on top? I'm sure you could find room for them, and use a KVM. Heck, you could even run extension cables, and stick one behind the couch or something. I'm sure her mATX case would fit fine under the desk, though, and with yours on top of the desk, or on the floor near it.......

Honestly, what I would do is take your media backup drive out of her machine, and put it in yours. I only suggest that because yours is the better performer, and you'll have room for an extra drive. Or, for that matter, put both her drives in your rig, do a "repair" install of XP on her boot drive, and dual-boot two copies of XP. That way, you have your rig set up the way your want, and when she wants to use it, she can boot onto her own drive, and do whatever she wants.
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Big enough to scare you

[Sally]

As goes for the KVM or other remote desktop usage, only one person could use each system at a time. That sorta defeats the purpose. Dual booting the same exact Windows XP Pro installation with BASICALLY the same applications would also seem a bit frivelous as the same could be accomplished w/ different users in one system.

We are fortunate, however, that the third person who will be living w/ us will be moving in a few months later than we do, so that does buy some extra time to figure things out. A laptop would be nice as both of us are in school and what-not.

As goes for gaming, she plays the Sims, Zoo Tycoon, and The Movies...and the most I play on mine is networked Halo, Quake 3, and occasionally games from the mid 90's. Neither of us do this often.
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[fussnfeathers]

Hmm........well, then, if you have a regular TV, I would ditch that, and use your system as a media center, like you suggested. Pick up a wireless keyboard and mouse for gaming. I had basically the same issue for awhile, with my ex. Our first apartment was tiny (less than 400 square feet), so I got TV tuners for both PC's, put mine in the living room (bigger monitor) and hers in the bedroom with a Gyration mouse and keyboard. She'd sit in bed and surf, watch TV, or whatever, and I used mine as the main PVR/gaming rig. Once we moved into the bigger apartment, we actually had room for two desks in the living room, but not for a TV, so we stuck the TV in the bedroom, and kept using my rig as the main media center.
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Big enough to scare you

[ToggleHead]

*cheers for media center*

and dammit...lol..i meant keyboard.....although....a Wireless mobo....hmmm .....i could use some of those metal triangle thingies in my closet for the antennae .....i like where this is goin.....;D

if it was a small closet...yeah..bad idea.....but FnF got the idea....hide it somewhere with extentsions....
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[2young2care]

[JayDubya]

I vote for the media center.

Is there any way you could build a shelf?

Laptops are very nice too, especially being in school. Great for note taking.
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JayDubya aka JW Jay JD ^> ﺵ

[sickofsoyo]

or... if you have a mic... record your notes. (no typing or work required )
_________________
P4 3.2ghz
lanparty pro875b
Enermax Liberty 500 Watt Modular PSU
Sony 52X CD-RW
Samsung 120gig SATA hdd
Maxtor 100gig SATA hdd
Powmax Demon case
ATI X800 XL AIW, 525 Core, 525 mem
Creative X-Fi Platinum
PDP systems Patriot Ram 2,3,2,5 timings

[JayDubya]