Ok, I have 2 lap Tops and 3 desk tops all playing up one way or another, mostly old machines. I have $1000 available (gift cards) and want to buy a new machine.

I mainly use the comp for the Horse racing activities (3 screens) and e-mail, don't download movies or much of anything else though the kids probably would if they could.

A little advice as to what I should be looking at would be greatly appreciated,

at the same time I want to get rid of the USB type internet and probably go back to ADSL, so again any advice welcome. bearing in mind when it comes to comps "THRIFT" is very much in mind.

You nailed your pennon to the mast there party.

Not knowing what you currently have, makes it hard to give advise but if they work well enough on a USB stick they are recent enough to have a complete zapping of the old system and a system reinstall, if they are "playing up" as you say, and go for the ADSL, if available, it's a no brainer.

Where are the gift card for?

I will probably get crucified for this from the heavies here but here goes.....

Get yourself down to the nearest Apple store and sit in on one of the free lessons.

Buy a Mac.

No more troubles. No Viruses. No worms. No trojans. No more buying a "new" anti Virus program every 2 minutes. (more than likely from the very people who write the viruses).
No more worries.

I have had the same Mac for over 4 years and the only thing I have ever had to do with it is buy a new charger.

Bring on the sniping!

__________________
Jose'.

I won't say you are wrong, just Mac's are very different to PC i have not used a mac in about 20 years but would love to compare it to a PC.

Shaun, The gift cards are for Harvey Norman,

Jose, Mac, well, like most people just a bit afraid I think, but I have contact with several people who exactly the same as you.

Lomaca, er will have to work that out, hang on this one is note book, e thing, with xp installed ( a toy basically)

the desk top with problems is ......minute by todays standards i.e. Celeron2.4GHz, (YES that was 2 POINT 4) 224MB of ram.

System, XP Pro 2002, service pack 3

Like I said a bit old, but when you stop laughing, I would appreciate any tips as what I should buy. I'm just wanting to up-grade to something appropriate but within budget?

your main issue is ram 224 is nothing and will struggle to run even a web browser, running service pack 3 will be slowing it down, is there any chance you can pull out the ram and have a look at what is written on it, i have a lot of different ram modals around here and you are welcome to what ever you need as it is of no use to me anymore.