Desktop, Shutdown, Sleep Or Hibernate?

[Terrel L. Shields]

Sleep. Don't reboot for weeks at a time.

 

[Fargo1]

I replaced a hard drive in a computer, what a pita. The physical install is easy if you can operate a screwdriver. The software and drivers and all that was the hard part. It probably did not make it any easier that I decided to go cheap and not but Windows. Installed Ubuntu, which is free. It took a ridiculous amount of time.
...

Either your machine was 1) a very new build on the bleeding edge of technology that drivers were not available or 2) you must have had a bad copy of Ubuntu. The typical Ubuntu install takes about 5 clicks of the mouse and all your drivers and software will be installed and ready to run. Windows on the other hand is a PITA that requires about 20+/- restarts to get updated and then will required you to install all your drivers and software individually.

If you ever try it again, be sure to check your download and your dvd/usb media for errors before you do the install. Almost certainly you had a bad dvd if Ubuntu didn't just work out of the box.

I think it's great when folks have the ability to build their own computers....

Are the savings substantial?

It depends on how you count savings. The cost to build a system is about the same as the cost to purchase something on sale at a big box store. However, the quality of a DIY build is better. You have the option to choose better components that fit your needs. You also have the ability to update components. Most of the big computer companies, such as Dell, HP, etc, use proprietary motherboards and other components that may not be upgradeable. So with a DIY build, its often easier to swap out components or add additional memory and other things like that. Also if you do a re-build later down the road, you can also reuse items like the case and DVD drives and video cards and other periferals. So that may give you a bigger cost savings as well.