Computer Upgrade

[Maniacal]

... grrrrrrrrrrr. ANd when will I do this? *thinks*
I hate you. Die. *strangles local idiot*.
On topic: I'll do it later then, though that means UNPLUGGiNG everything so I can get me cpu out..
I hate god gates. A lot. More. Now. *sends virus*
*reads to much 8 bit theater*

 

[Speedo]

Post I wrote out last night:

Well, we'll do this item by item.

Gfx card:

Your selections sound fine, if your comp will support them. We need to determine that. Shut down your comp and open the case. Now, look on the back of the case for several slots that are about 1 cm wide and 4-5 cm long. On the board inside the case by those you will see several white slots. Look specifically at the top one (the one closest to the center of the case). Is it brownish, and not lined up with the white slots? If so, that's an AGP slot. You can look at this pic for reference. The bottom three are PCI slots, the top brown one is the AGP slot we're looking for.

If you *don't* have an AGP slot, you're basically out of luck. You would have to replace your motherboard to get one, but you'd also have to get a new case because Dell boards and cases don't conform to ATX specs. Then you'd have to buy another power supply because the Dell one probably wouldn't fit in the new case... so you might as well just get a new comp.

Hard drive:
Are you planning on replacing your current drive, or adding the new one in addition to it? If you want to add it in addition, you need to be sure that you have an open bay to mount the drive in, and a free power connector to power it. You may also have to buy a new IDE cable to get a connector for it.

RAM:
2GB is unecessary for you. There only a very few games that would see any advantage from it- The main thing that would make use of 2GB would be if you did a lot of Photoshop, 3D design, etc... I rarely see more than 700MB of my 2GB in use.

Now, while you have the case open, find the RAM. How many slots do you have total, and how many are currently being used?

Now comes the downside of trying to upgrade a Dell. Dell uses specific types of chips in their memory, so you're forced to buy upgrades either from them or from one of the few companies that make compatible memory. What you buy from newegg will not work in your dell.

I recommend buying it from Crucial. Go to this website http://www.crucial.com/store/listmfgr.asp?cat=RAM and go through selecting your computer. Under "Step 1" it should tell the maximum amount of memory that your computer supports. As long as it is 1GB or more, you're ok. Heck, just post what model Dell you have and I'll take a look at it to see what options you have.

I will warn you also, if your comp can support the AGP video card (and it should definetly have room for a sound card), you will have to go into the BIOS and disable the onboard sound and video before you can use the new cards that you bought. It's not difficult, but there is more to it than just plugging the cards in a playing.

 

[Speedo]

Id make sure yer hard drive is a high speed one, like a 7400rpm that will help.

Essentially any HDD purchased in the time of his comp *should* be 7400rpm and ATA100 (unless it happens to be a Maxtor drive, then it might be ATA133). I don't even think you can buy 5200rpm drives nowdays. There's really no point in looking it up.

Anyway, that's really just the standard for PATA HDDs. High speed now would be SATAII, NCQ, 16MB cache... and if we're lucky Western Digital will upgrade the Raptor line to support SATAII and a larger cache, so we can get all of that and add 10,000rpm to it.

should say something about your video card in the Device Manager....under display adapters i think.

Won't be listed under there since he's currently using integrated gfx.

Go to Start>Run and type devmgmt.msc, hit enter. Expand the "system devices" category, and see if you see something like what's in the pic below. It may or may not be there... I have two older comps both using AGP gfx cards, one (which the screenshot is from) shows an AGP controller, the other doesn't. If it's not listed, you'll just have to open the case to be sure.

 

[Maniacal]

.....
IF I don't have a AGP slot what gfx card should I get? As my dad will NOT get me a new comp. I am not gonig to get more harddrive or processor. I am gonig to get a gig of ram (well, 512+256) nad a gfx card. I think I already psoted the model type earleier in this thread.
K, I'll have a look in 20 mins.

 

[Maniacal]

Pentium 4 2.20ghz processor.
Motherborad:

on PCI bus...

 

[Speedo]

IF I don't have a AGP slot what gfx card should I get?

Well, it severely limits your choices, since you will have to get a PCI gfx card. AGP started replacing PCI for gfx card use by the end of the '90s (at least by 98-99). About the middle of last year, PCI Express (or PCIe) began to supercede AGP as the gfx interface of choice.

So, just doing a quick look, the best PCI gfx card I can find is a GF FX5700. It's most definetly better than integrated gfx, but it's... crap compared the the GF6800s and X800s you've been looking at.

 

[cidknee]

i dont think u need to go up to a gig of ram. get a 512 stick, depending on how many slots u have open. for many purposes going to a Gig is almost a waste of money. I think a 512 stick would do u just fine

one option. see if u can find out what socket yer processor is and get a mother board that has AGP. its an option.

and PCI video cards are crap, speedo I agree whole heartedly.

 

[Speedo]

one option. see if u can find out what socket yer processor is and get a mother board that has AGP. its an option.

That would be the best option, but he said the comp is a Dell, and Dell is notorious for using proprietary components. I would say it's very unlikely that a normal ATX board would fit in his case... which would mean he'd have to get a new case and probably a new PSU.

 

[Maniacal]

GF FX5700 + a 512 ram then?
*urge to destroy macd's with sledge hammer rising*

 

[cidknee]

That would be the best option, but he said the comp is a Dell, and Dell is notorious for using proprietary components. I would say it's very unlikely that a normal ATX board would fit in his case... which would mean he'd have to get a new case and probably a new PSU.

ive done it before... i have a Dell case thats about 9 months old, motherboard fried, put an asus one in and its been fine.

In total speedo u dont need more than 512 ram for normal operating purposes. Anymore is just an extravagance. UNLESS you are playing hard core games. then a video card is a must. What games do u want to play? what type? what age are you? what type of internet speed do u have, do u dload alot of music? These are all considerations to be taken into effect. If u spend more than 2 hours a day playing a video game on your computer u might need more ram, and a video card, again depending on the game. Look in the box the game came with( or the one u are looking at) theres specs on it. Itll tell you if u need a video card or video accelerator.

If you mainly play older games, homework, web surfing, and a bit of music dloading. Win XP Pro with 512 Ram , yer processor should be fine, hdd sounds like you got tons of extra storage space, so u dont need anymore. I would lookin to buying 1 512mb stick of ram. Now you might have to get some info from Dell as to Ram speeds. BUT you could also get it from them.

Ive had good luck just taking ram out and putting fresh sticks in. IF you can get the same speed of ram as you have in there now, and have an open slot, then you can purchase a 512 stick and add it to your 256mb stick. That should be fine.

 

[Speedo]

In total speedo u dont need more than 512 ram for normal operating purposes. Anymore is just an extravagance.

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree. On my old comp with 512MB, I could easily run it down and force him to start paging when I had multiple browsers open, email, editing documents, watching a movie, etc.

IMO 512MB is the minimum that you want to have in a comp today. 1GB is the happy place that most people will want to sit in so that they are good for the forseeable future.

ive done it before... i have a Dell case thats about 9 months old, motherboard fried, put an asus one in and its been fine.

Some are; my experience is that most aren't. Dell, HP, all the major ones do it. I don't mess with a lot of Dells since we use HP at work, but I don't think we use a single (modern) model which has a standard ATX motherboard and PSU.

Ive had good luck just taking ram out and putting fresh sticks in. IF you can get the same speed of ram as you have in there now, and have an open slot, then you can purchase a 512 stick and add it to your 256mb stick. That should be fine.

*shrug* Personally I learned the lesson after losing about $50 to restocking fees trying to add memory to a friend's Dell. You're certainly free to try it yourself.

 

[cidknee]

whoops, i meant that 512 would be good for basic users, and I meant it to Prince, not speedo. My apologies.

If u have more than 3 windows open, 512 might not be enough but yes 1G is probally better.

Ive been pretty lucky with Dells, but i hate them. Much rather go out and build one for cheaper... and its what I want.

btw, nice motto, to be rather to seem i think? and u dont happen to be anywhere Fayetteville do u?

 

[Maniacal]

What games do u want to play? what type? link in my 1st psot in this thread to my games.
what age are you? highschool, and I don't see how this matters, just send an adult in or buy online.
what type of internet speed do u have, do u dload alot of music? I have dial up until the TELUS strike is over and they get the highspeed hooked up. I do not download music as I have never gotten around to it and I use my other house's comp for that.
I also do not plan to many 'new' games on this comp. But running morrowind on more than 5fps would be nice.
So I think I will settle on the GF FX5700 and another 512 megabytes or 512 + 256? (added onto my current 256).

 

[Maniacal]

A local computer store staffed by gaming geeks gave me 3 choices:
1) install PCI graphics board and card plus 512 mb RAM won't let you
>play games such as 'Call of Duty' or any 1st person shooters. Maybe
>not even 'HomeWorld II'
>2) complete upgrade with a new CPU case, motherboard with video card
>and 512 RAM would cost about $800
>3) their Gamer System CPU: $1069.95 This gives the latest in gamer
>technology -- 120 GB hard drive, NVidia 6600GT 128 MB AGP 3D Video
>card, Asus A8N-E deluxe motherboard, 512 MB PC3200 DDR RAM,
>CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo, Microsoft Windos XP Home. Plus you keep your
>DELL CPU.

I think my dad meant a pci-e motherboard for #1... I don't like #2, #3, is a little out of my price range. My dad said he'd pay half but I don't have more than $50 that I am willing to spend.

 

[vbraun]

#3 is hardly the latest... I've had that same motherboard for a year now.

 

[Speedo]

#3 would hardly work anyway. I don't know what they're smoking, but you're not going to be able to use your Dell's CPU in that motherboard. The A8N-E is a Socket 939 board, which means it only supports AMD chips.

 

[vbraun]

I think they mean he can keep his current computer.

 

[CruddyLeper]

Are you sure you want to spend money on an X800XL over a 6600GT? Your CPU is going to be the limiting factor in most games anyway

Just not true. An average CPU and a good graphics card outperforms a good CPU and an average graphics card.

For 3D games anyway.

 

[CruddyLeper]

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree. On my old comp with 512MB, I could easily run it down and force him to start paging when I had multiple browsers open, email, editing documents, watching a movie, etc.

IMO 512MB is the minimum that you want to have in a comp today. 1GB is the happy place that most people will want to sit in so that they are good for the forseeable future.

Sort of. It's more what XP expects than anything else. Not really the games, it's Microsoft.

EDIT: Just thought I'd look over your posts Speedo, to see if I could improve any... Good work! Technically a bit off about SATA2 being fastest HD spec, but hey, for most people, it is anyway. Rest of it is spot on. :b

 

[CruddyLeper]

A local computer store staffed by gaming geeks gave me 3 choices:
1) install PCI graphics board and card plus 512 mb RAM won't let you
>play games such as 'Call of Duty' or any 1st person shooters. Maybe
>not even 'HomeWorld II'.

Absolute rubbish. I've had COD playing fine on a PCI TNT2 - that's a REALLY old GFX card. OK, it wasn't textured (all the characters looked like unpainted plastic soldiers) but it played very well on a 1.6GHz Athlon with 256Mb of memory. Adimitedly it was a special driver (Catalyst if I remember) but it was playable and actually quite fun.

They were just after money, mate. Well, what did you expect from a shop? They're hardly going to say "here's a $2 card you can use".

FX5700 is not a bad card (MILES better than TNT2). It will run all latest games, just not as fast as an AGP version.

The problem with finding information on a Dell system is that Dell don't post webguides to their system. They'd rather sell you a new one.

Tell you what... any chance you could post pictures of the case? Just the back would do, although a couple of snaps of the motherboard would help to determine if you can change that. Oh yeah, the power supply unit (PSU - where the main electricity supply goes in) would help, to see if that can be upgraded.

It probably can... but Dell don't want you to.