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I'll add my two cents on this.

I had a major problem with my Dell last December when my monitor started acting up. I had a terrible time getting the thing replaced (due to an unusual circumstance that will probably not affect you at all), but in the end I think Dell did OK (particularly one of their customer service reps in Canada).

In the space of a week I went from, "I'll never buy another Dell for as long as I live" to "I'll never buy anything BUT a Dell for as long as I live."

Go figure. LOL.

Good advice, generally, in this thread. I, too, bought a Dell about a year and a half ago, before I learned how to fix PC's. I had no trouble putting an extra hard drive in it, even though, at the time, I ordered it with a CD burner because I didn't want the hassle of putting one in myself!

Since then, I have built and torn apart hundreds of computers, including many laptops. Dell machines are built as solidly as anything I've ever seen. Generally, they don't use el-cheapo parts, and right now, they are practically giving them away. Do yourself a favor and wait six more weeks, after Christmas, computer prices always take a big drop. I've used coupons from Ben's Bargains, www.bensbargains.net and often found the best deals that way.

The complaints about tech support are right on, you will get shifted by some sort of faulty Internet-based telephone system to India, where the jittery quality of the phone connection will make the Indian accent even harder to get through. I found this out only once, after that, I just gave up on them (maybe that's the point!) and found my own answers by Googling them up.

If you can find a knowledgeable friend, you can more easily make the transition from the old one to the new one. Networking the two together will require you to install and configure a network interface card, easy if you've done several, but a bit daunting if its your first time.

Something tells me you might not have such a friend, a knowledgeable friend would not have let you suffer three years with a broken CD-ROM. Maybe you can find someone at a local tech school or community college who would like to make a few bucks helping you. If there is a PC servicing class at the school, the instructor could refer you to a worthy student.