Upgrading Computer

[cgannon64]

My mother has finally come round to my point of view and agreed we need a new computer or to upgrade ours. However she wants to keep our case with all its components that we added ouselves - 250MB Zip drive, CD burner, and 384 MB or RAM. The only parts we want to upgrade are the processor (our PIII 800 Mhz doesn't cut it any more), hard drive (my iPod has double my HD ) and OS (ME sucks).

How easy would this be to do with a local nerd or repair shop? How expensive would it be? We can do some of it ourselves, like the HD - we'll probably dump the documents and misc. files on the iPod and put them on the new HD but reinstall programs - but there's no way we can put in a new processor or HD. How much would the parts cost (I'm thinking a new P4 processor, not extremely good but decent and new, an 80GB HD or so, and Windows XP)? How much does installation and stuff go for?

 

[Speedo]

How easy would this be to do with a local nerd or repair shop?

Depends on the knowledge of the nerd. The local comp store should have no trouble, but they're usually way overpriced for what they do.

How expensive would it be?

This depends entirely on what components you get.

You'll need:
Motherboard
Processor
RAM (even if your current RAM is compatible with the new motherboard, it will put a serious bottleneck in the system)
HDD
WinXp

You might need:
New power supply

Making a rough guesstimate for if you bought things yourself, I would say $500 or more. I don't know how much local guy would tack on. If you want to save money, consider going AMD; they're cheaper and just as good/better.

Also consider installing it yourself. It isn't hard at all.

 

[cgannon64]

Eek...that's more stuff than I thought.

Maybe we should just get a new computer. Most come with CD burners anyway.

BTW we're also considering buying a new Gateway and just takign out the drives and RAM and putting them in the new computer, if possible. I don't know if they are compatible with just this model or with all Gateway computers though.

 

[Turner]

The zip drive would be no problem. Me being the type of person I am, I would move over the CD burner too. Why? Why not?

The hard drive could be moved over, but I would make sure that it is the slave drive, and not bootable. Since the old HDD is configured for the old system, there could be all kinds of problems if that drive were to boot. This way you could move your HDD over and have immediate access to your old files. Probably better to back them up and move them that way, tho.

It would be easier and cheaper to just buy a new system, while keeping your old system handy just in case you forgot to move some file. A two port KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) switch is pretty cheap, (around $40) and will allow you to have both computers active and control them from the same keyboard, monitor and mouse. This does not network them.

As tempting as it is to move the ram, I wouldn't do it unless your new computer has the same type and speed of ram. Like Speedo said, that's going to be your biggest bottleneck.

 

[Speedo]

You may want to go that way. If you just get the computer (no monitor or anything else) you can probably get one good enough for your purposes for about the same price or a little more than upgrading would cost, at least if you go the P4 upgrade route.

If you do it though, read the fine print on your warranty before adding the old stuff to it. Sometimes they void your warranty if you open the case and/or don't use "approved" components (ones that you buy from them).

 

[Jeratain]

Buy a new computer and take your Zip Drive and CD Burner out of your old computer and put it in your new one. That's your best option.

 

[The Person]

In that case I'd jsut buy myself a new computer. If you use your old monitor the price wouldn't be that steep. I just did that myself not long ago. Didn't cost me more than about $350-400, (not sure of the exchange rate), and I got almost five times as quick processor and eight times the RAM.
BTW, 800Mhz should do it a year or two more. In your case I would just have bought a new HD and a new OS. But if you want the best of the best, consider buying new. The only advice from a mere computer nerd.

 

[Goober]

I would say buy a new Computer. Just add the old components to the new Computer. Seems like the best option, I have heard that trying to install the components yourself gets messy . . .

 

[Vancouver 2010]

If it were me, I'd buy the individual parts and install them myself. But it's not me. It's you. So I'd say buy a new computer and move the Zip drive over.

 

[DreadCthulhu]

I would head over to Newegg and check out the stuff there. You probably are going to want to get a new motherboard; the fastest CPU you could place in your current one wouldn't be much of an improvement - the fastest Pentium 3s are 1.4GHZ, but cost ~$180. If you go the AMD route, you could get a much faster processor AND a newmotherboard for that price.

Also, I would reccomend AMD processors over Intel ones; especially at the lower range the Intel Pentium4s just can't compete with AMD's AthlonXP's price per performance ratio.

You could do a serious upgrade - nforce2 motherboard, AthlonXP 2200 processor, 120GB hardrive, 512 megs of DDR RAM for around $300.

Or for a cheaper upgrade, - use a motherboard that has slots for your current SDRAM, and can expand to new DDR if you need it, AthlonXP 1800 processor, and a 80GB hardrive for $180.

Also, go with WindowsXP home for a new OS. It is vastly more stable than Windows ME, and I doubt you would need the features in the Pro version.

 

[bobgote]

What features are in pro that weren't in home?

 

[Turner]

bob - check out this thread for a discussion of the differences between Home and Pro.

 

[IglooDame]

Also, you might check out the "Dell Outlet" where Dell sells factory refurbs, the least expensive one I could find was a P-4 2.4GHz for US$300 plus $100 shipping, it includes a 1 yr warranty. I've gotten some terrific deals on that site.

http://outlet.us.dell.com/Dispatche...tion=page&pageNo=1&lob=DIM&sessionID=A1egVgP1!1928933318!-112147266!1077223008523&tgtSeg=I

 

[DreadCthulhu]

Originally posted by bobgote
What features are in pro that weren't in home?

Basically WinXP Pro offers some additional networking features that most people won't need in a home computer; also it supports dual processor use, which of course you only need if you have a computer with two processors. If you don't need those features, save yourself a $100 and get XP Home.