I've been using KeePass for many years now.
Can't live without it ... or can I?

I know there are countless threads about password management, but I need something different.

| Title | User Name | URL | Password | Notes |

Those are the only column choices available. Aside from Creation/Modified Time, etc.
I need some little program to store more information.
Essentially the above columns, but customizable perhaps, so I could add or remove columns?!

While I was searching for a replacement password manager, but then I started to think maybe I need a general purpose PIM?
But I've not come across any that also have a password generator with strength meter.

About two weeks ago, my 3 months old Gateway Vista laptop took a dive towards its grave.
While I was at work, my wife used it in the morning to check her email. Then later around noon, it would not power on, and when it did, it was a BSOD.
She took a camera phone pic of it, sent it to me at work, then left it as it was. I got home from work (terrible day) and didn't bother tinkering with it.
She powered it off and successfully powered it on the following day, while I was at work. Then again, it stopped working. This time, it appears to be stuck on a black screen while booting up.
She left it that way, and called Gateway Support. Their tech guys must be terrible. She says they offered to repair it, after not much trouble shooting, and they said they would send a packing box to have her send the laptop to them via DHL Shipping - paid both ways by them. hhmm, nice, eh?!
After the third day of malfunctioning, it seemed to be okay! Well, it seemed to be.
I decided that sending the laptop to them would not work well for me.

I had to reinstall most of my software that I downloaded (I had backup URLs and stuff saved to a TiddlyWiki file, so that was no trouble, just time-wasting), including FF and all extensions, DonationCoder apps, etc.
Then when I tried to use my Cruzer Mini 2GB stick, it wouldn't pick up.
And my wireless mouse was not working either. I checked both the mouse and USB stick on my XP desktop, and they are fine.

My question:
1. my wife mentioned she read some article about Vista PCs worldwide suffering Windows Update errors ... ya think this affected mine?
2. how can I get my cruzer mini and mouse to work again?

I've never built my own PC, though looked forward to it for many yyeeaarrss.
I came across this article the other day on ComputerShopper.com

Their total bill came to $242.46 (after a $20 bundle discount and a $15 mail-in rebate).


So can I just share below what I am considering? I want to make absolute certain everything is compatible :)
This is just a budget PC, no gaming, mostly internet surfing, web development, scripting, minimal stuff. Preferred 2GB RAM so I can safely run VMWARE+Ubuntu :)

I'll use the same processor as the article, but a different motherboard, so I can get some bundle pricing.
(all TinyUrl links are to NewEgg.com)

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3400+ 2.2GHz (http://tinyurl.com/26gkx6 ) = $35.99
Mobo: BIOSTAR GEFORCE 6100-M9 Socket 939 (http://tinyurl.com/3yg284) = $59.99
($20 discount for bundle @ $75.98)
<< max RAM = 4GB >>

RAMx2: Crucial Ballistix 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM (http://tinyurl.com/3bhwng) = $72.49
(after $40 mail-in rebate = $32.49 x 2 = $64.98)

Hard drive: Western Digital 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 160GB (http://tinyurl.com/2tokk5) = $48.99

Question about CD/DVD reader/writer: can I just use my old ones?
Lookig at device manager and front of tower it says:
DVDRW/R IDE 16x / CD-ReWritable
GoldStar CD-ROM CRD-8482B

CPU cooler: COOLER MASTER DK8-8ID2A-0L-GP 80mm Rifle CPU Cooler (http://tinyurl.com/yu5cz4) = $4.99
case: Foxconn Black/ Silver Steel MicroATX Mini Tower 300W PSU (http://tinyurl.com/25d3c3) = $39.50

Looks like my total, if i can use my old CDROM and DVD burner, plus with the $20 CPU+MOBO bundle and $40 RAM mail-in rebate = $234.41
<< i know the rebates and bundle pricing end soon, but I'm just getting an estimate for a budget PC. >>

If I can't use my old devices, then I can do with 1GB RAM for $32.49 and get an affordable device, but I need DVDRW for data backups (I'm pretty OCD about backing stuff up, haha. no movies, no music).