NancyB, if you have any local friends that know about this stuff, heck even a local vocational school, there are kids out there that can purchase all the hardware and build the computer for you. You just have to foot the bill for hardware (case, power supply, motherboard, CPU, harddrive, memory, dvd/cd player, graphics card).
Give the person your OS disk, you may have to call microsoft to activate it, since all the new hardware will trigger a flag. Generally, I don't know of any company that sells prebuilt machines without OS's, unless they have a package program that consolidates what I proposed.
Good luck, if you were in northern Cali, i'd offer to help.

There are generally very good deals on what's called barebones systems that come with most of the main components included. Online anyway - or at a local Fry's store if there are any near you. Then the additional stuff gets installed.

Do a search for barebones system and you can see what they include.

Dell and IBM both sell systems without an OS. Not sure, though, if this is just servers, or workstations as well.

I've always built my own from a motherboard, case, powersupply, CPU, memory, etc. I used to save money this way. It's not easy to save money building your own any more, but you can get just what you want and potentially better quality by doing so.

(#1 hint: invest in a good power supply. PC Power & Cooling for me...)

I apologize to youfoundjake, Marcia and jtara. I forgot I posted this question and email notices of replies aren't working for me.

Thanks for the suggestions but it looks like I may not need a new system after all. I do wish I was in California! though and Marcia, "barebones" is the term that completely escaped me. jtara, it is only servers that Dell sells without installed OS.

Anyway, I came in here to post about a non-windows defragger I'm in love with. I do regular system maintenance and Windows usually tells me I don't need to defrag even though I know it needs it and I usually defrag anyway.

Today I was moaning and groaning about how slow this system was and decided to go to majorgeeks to get some help with a hijackthis log in case there was some malware hiding in some nook or cranny. I'd already done all the standard system clean-up but read their thread about maintenance and tried one of the non-windows defraggers they list.

Wow, hot damn, what a difference! This system is almost as fast as it was when new and the only difference in my standard clean-up was a diferent defragger.

So, if your system is slow even after you've:
1. removed unwanted programs
2. run ccleaner for file and registry cleanup
3. run various spyware and antivirus programs and
4. defragged
- then - try a non-windows defrag program.

I can't believe the difference! Now I can go spend those $'s on something frivolous :)

I suggest you to go Dell or IBM way they have without OS systems

Or lets try something better , buy everything from newegg and lets assemble your pc , just put us on conference with your webcam on and your system will be assembled within half hour and at the cost of cup of coffee for everyone :)

Or lets try something better , buy everything from newegg and lets assemble your pc , just put us on conference with your webcam on and your system will be assembled within half hour and at the cost of cup of coffee for everyone

I think that's a great idea.
How many webmaster's does it take to build a computer? 6... 1 to build it and 5 to sit around drinking coffee offering their opinion on how the hard drive should be partitioned.

heeh, glad it worked out for you. I'm kind of young so i'm showing my age, but I remember when defraging win 98 would sometimes hang and take down the whole system.

I'm kinda old and I remember when I used PCTools to defrag and watched the little blue, red and yellow squares jump around as it moved stuff. This defragger does that so I sat there watching and reminiscing :)

benevolent001, that is a fantastic idea! I'm flagging this thread so when I do have to get a new system I'll remember who to call on wink wink

<hey, email notices are suddenly working again>