Best Buy Sucks

[isiolia]

Diablo is known to have that issue, there are a number of workarounds that I can see on Google (not at home, so I can't just mess with it myself).

The more "seamless" fixes, such as this one kill Explorer, launch Diablo, and then relaunch Explorer. Some say that running certain themes or even leaving the monitor control panel up can allow it to work correctly as well.

NWN I think just needs to be patched. People reported it working fine under XP3 compatibility, run as Administrator, with 1.69.

Hexen I'm not sure. I know Quake 2 has an issue with the installer, but runs just fine if you copy the game folder from the CD manually. If it works off the CD, you could probably do that.
Alternatively, Hexen, like other DOOM engine games, has a selection of more modern ports of the engine - some instructions.

[deathsled]

A quick look at best buy's website shows 4 Compaq desktops (I didnt even think Compaq was still in business lol) and two of those have PCI-e x16 slots. One other has an x4 slot and the other only has an x1. All 4 would accept any modern video card (only the x16 ones would be able to fully utilize the most modern cards though). However, those Athlon II processors would have been the real limiter lol.

All 4 systems were upgradable as far as RAM went too. They all just took ddr3. Since you appeared to be coming from a much older system your ram was likely ddr2 or less.

Did you get some mystery un-upgradeable Compaq that is not on their website or is it one of those models?

....


What is the most funny thing is that after all this you're still just trying to play Diablo or Hexen.

I mean hell. I would have given you a computer that can do that for free...

[isiolia]

HP bought Compaq years ago. They still use the brand name for certain product lines, such as their business laptop line at one point - though the ones I've seen of those are labeled as HP Compaq.

[BurningDoom]

A quick look at best buy's website shows 4 Compaq desktops (I didnt even think Compaq was still in business lol) and two of those have PCI-e x16 slots. One other has an x4 slot and the other only has an x1. All 4 would accept any modern video card (only the x16 ones would be able to fully utilize the most modern cards though). However, those Athlon II processors would have been the real limiter lol.

All 4 systems were upgradable as far as RAM went too. They all just took ddr3. Since you appeared to be coming from a much older system your ram was likely ddr2 or less.

Did you get some mystery un-upgradeable Compaq that is not on their website or is it one of those models?

....


What is the most funny thing is that after all this you're still just trying to play Diablo or Hexen.

I mean hell. I would have given you a computer that can do that for free...

Don't know what to tell you. I saw it with my own eyes. No extra RAM slots, and no PCI slot for video card. It was a complete piece of crap. If I was PC retarded enough to not know what they are, then how would I have installed it into my new computer?

[ZenErik]

The RAM isn't soldered onto the board or integrated. Last time I checked it was fairly easy to pop out a few sticks of RAM and put new ones in.

[pakopako]

bluetext should be amended in the rules and guidelines

Wait. What?
(Oh. Nevermind. Thanks equalsign for explaining that blue=sarcasm.)
And it seems there is already an XKCD comic that mirrors my current world-weary ideas.

It was a Compaq Presario for those that were curious... I took it back last night and got a Dell Inspiron 570.

Oh.
Oh it's a Dell.

The RAM isn't soldered onto the board or integrated. Last time I checked it was fairly easy to pop out a few sticks of RAM and put new ones in.

I still use older desktops like that; they can have as little as one or two slots for RAM, both taken up by very small (32~64MB) DIMM SDRAM slots.

[D.D.D.]

I still use older desktops like that; they can have as little as one or two slots for RAM, both taken up by very small (32~64MB) DIMM SDRAM slots.

Curious, why do you use such old PCs and for what?? It's just weird to hear RAM in megabytes these days...

[pakopako]

Curious, why do you use such old PCs and for what?? It's just weird to hear RAM in megabytes these days...

I'm broke.
(Technically, the term might be "impoverished", but to me it just means I know how to scavenge better.)

I've upgraded them to 256MB of RAM (again, thanks Hobie!) so they can still run Win98 and Firefox 2.0; eventually I want to see if I can get Anti-X Linux loaded.

[isiolia]

Curious, why do you use such old PCs and for what?? It's just weird to hear RAM in megabytes these days...

I'm broke.
(Technically, the term might be "impoverished", but to me it just means I know how to scavenge better.)

I've upgraded them to 256MB of RAM (again, thanks Hobie!) so they can still run Win98 and Firefox 2.0; eventually I want to see if I can get Anti-X Linux loaded.

You're likely in the range of things probably costing more to ship than to buy, were you looking for an improvement. The G4 I bought a few weeks back has 1.5GB of memory (max for the model) and cost around $60 (but cost another $40 to ship ).

Are you able to use basic components (mobo/CPU/etc)?

[pakopako]

I've upgraded them to 256MB of RAM (again, thanks Hobie!) so they can still run Win98 and Firefox 2.0; eventually I want to see if I can get Anti-X Linux loaded.

You're likely in the range of things probably costing more to ship than to buy, were you looking for an improvement. The G4 I bought a few weeks back has 1.5GB of memory (max for the model) and cost around $60 (but cost another $40 to ship ).

Are you able to use basic components (mobo/CPU/etc)?

I'm not sure what that last part means. (Also, I seem to have trouble finding free time despite being, for all intents and purposes, a "Freeter".)