Computer/Storage Solution Advice
 

I need to pick some brains -

I have a laptop and a desktop running XP. Both are in need of replacement (yes, one person needs 2 computers). I'm having trouble deciding how I want to do this and could use some input.

My current laptop has a small HD - about 150GB. My desktop has an even smaller HD, it's a low end machine purchased to write papers on. Due to some utter stupidity on my part, the machine is fried.

My music (about 110GB) and photos are stored on an external drive (120GB drive). My end goal is to be able to manage all my music through iTunes and photos on one machine.

So, my options (as I see them, please suggest better ones if you have them) are:

1) New laptop with a large HD (500GB seems standard). Manage everything on the machine, use external drive as back up & secondary storage. No new desktop.

2) New laptop & new desktop both running the same OS - use desktop as file server to manage music and photos. Use external drive as back-up only.

3) New laptop & new desktop using some version of Windows home server. Which of course I'd have to confirm that iTunes actually works with it.

If I go with option 1 I'll need to buy a new external drive, which I'll probably have to do anyway for redundancy.

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Second quandary - do I wait for 7 to be released? I'm half tempted to just buy it with Vista then toss XP on it instead. I don't really want to deal with the "7 upgrade" that the machines will be "eligible for". I don't care how they are marketing 7, anything coming from Microsoft worries me until it's been around for awhile.

And no, buying Apple is not an option at this time.

Budget?

And yes, at this point I would wait for Windows 7 to be released if you are planning on a new PC.

The laptops I am looking at are about $1100. I currently have a Dell 700m and I want a small (13in or so) one again which will increase the price. I do get a nice discount on Dell's and HPs so that's what I am looking at. The desktops are about $300-$400.

I don't have to get them both at once. Just want to do one with plans to do the other.

Too bad they don't have a "buy a laptop get a desktop for free" deal. That would be awesometastic.

Absolutely, positively, no question about it, wait for Windows 7—it's only 9 days away from release.

As for the other issue, I've heard good things about the new version of Windows Home Server from Paul Thurrott, so based on his experiences, I'd say go with that.

Some of the new stuff coming out for Windows 7 is pretty nifty.

Depending on how "nice" of a discount you get, I would look at:

Desktop: HP Touchsmart 600

Laptop: Perhaps the Dell Adamo XPS although it might be a tad too small for your needs.

If you have the two PC system, I would look at setting up ORB on your homebound PC to live stream your iTunes and Photos to your Laptop. (Assuming you have followed GD's lead and freed yourself from Apple's DRM)


If your discounts are not quite that "nice" I can suggest some more budget friendly systems. If they are, How many PC's can your purchase? :D

Another option is what I've done at home which is house all you rmedia on the desktop with the desktop connected to a good stereo system. Then you can login to the desktop from the laptop using Windows Remote Desktop and launch music from there. That way you have the flexibility of being able to control the music from the laptop while not having to either play your music on crappy laptop speakers or tie your laptop to a stereo.

Orb is for when you are away from home. Assuming you have Internet access your laptop can stream all your iTunes/photos or in my case, all 300+ Fios cable TV stations (ok, not the HD ones but you get the idea....) from your home PC to pretty much anywhere. It also works via an iPhone or (with some difficultly) an Android phone.

I'm already DRM free. Desktop is in my bedroom and unless someone wants to come and run wires for me it won't be able to be plugged into my stereo. I do run my iPod off my stereo though, so there is that. I will look at ORB too.

I'm not really concerned about running music off of either machine at this time - if I ever get a house or a place with a different set up (no, I am not moving any time soon ;) ) then that would be an option. So I'm not looking to buy a machine with that purpose, though having it as an option would be nice. I was thinking if I do go with the laptop/desktop option then I'd get a low end desktop just to manage everything.

So are we leaning towards the laptop/desktop vote vs. just the laptop for everything?

I really hate being a techie sometimes. It gets expensive.

Discount is about 7%, stackable with coupons. Moonie, they have an education discount that is the same, you should use your kid to buy your computers for you. dell.com/epp I believe.

I'll wait for 7 (and then for the holidays... man I want a lot of fancy toys this holiday season).

I know one person running 7 at this point and their initial reviews are good.

I know this person as well, very well in fact, and they are so damn happy that their laptop is no longer running Vista. VAST improvement in boot speeds. Do not buy a laptop with Vista!