Im back! and with a new scenario

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Hello, quick note to say that im back now, i'v been quite busy over the Xmas hols etc. With having 4 teeth, braces and buying my self a Xbox 360 and verious other things like school detetions (Doesn't seem much lol) I havent really had time to check mech'. Although i have visited a few times without logging on.

Now, getting a 360+ extras took quite a dent out of my budget so i need to save a bit more again (plus i want to set up some kind of wireless network, so thats gunna cost me too ), its after the christmas holidays and now i'v gotten my self a old school computer which they were chucking away. I was wondering what upgrades i could do to it/what new things i should get etc.

Its running Windows 98, its got the C.D and floppy disk for it still wrapped, mobo/ and a few other instruction manuals etc. Here is all the info i could pull out of it all so you could help me choose what to replace/ etc. (please)...(If i should at all)

Mo/bo: AOpen MX3W PRO SERIES; I'v tried looking it up but not had much luck
Some kind of bonus pack to help set it up or something(?)

A Drivers and documents C.d also.

An Intel Celeron Processor cant really find much out, i can plug it all back up again if there is any way of finding out the exact model, but i need to use a few parts from THIS Pc so its a bit of a pain :P (power cable, mouse & keybord etc)

1 Stick of RAM, i think 128 or 256, can remember now, will look it up if needs be... not sure what type it is so... No wait sorry....DIMM (there are 2 slots)

Not sure what the hard drive is SATA/etc but i think according to the manual the slots are IDE so i guess its that. But its not big....

No C.D drive as of yet, and one floppy drive. It also needs a new case, probably (very likely) a new PSU too. I need to get an O.S but that can wait. New monitor when i can afford it...

Here is the info i can pull out of the manuall of the mo/bo:

ATX power slot
SKT370 CPU
IDE 1 and IDE 2 slots
FAN 1 slot
3 PCI slots
IrDA slot
Floppy slot
AMR slot (?)
JP12 on board audio
SB link (?)
WOM
WOL

Under the key features page there is:

Floppy x1
Serial port x2
Parallel part x1
Ps/2 Keyboard x 1
Ps/2 Mouse x 1
PC97 audio on board AMR x1
0V wake on modem Wake on LAN
4Mb flash ROM
Multi lang BIOS
Virus protection
Wake on RTC timer
Wake on KB/MS
Intel 810 series chipset
AGP on chip
4MB display cache
ATA/66 IDE x 2
Suspend to HDD
PC100 Dimm x2
Suspend to DRAM
SKT370 CPU
CPU Jumper-less
Full-range CPU voltage
Resetable fuse
USB x2

This is most of it...

Sorry if i rambled on, repeated my self or gave you unessary junk, i couldn't find this particular mo/bo so i figured i'd give you as much info as possible.

I have a montor, getting keyboard and mouse soon. It has a network card and another card that goes to the montior besides the mo/bo one. (Or something like that)

Er, im looking to upgrade to run editing programs as im doing a bit of editing now... doesnt need to be too powerfull as it only need to NOT crash every so often, i can live with a bit of slowess when editing, surf the internet, and doesnt really need to game any more, as im staying on console's now. I will probably (most likely) to multi task too, or need a single core CPU that can handle running two programs at once without crashing! (I hope this makes sence)

Also, im going to try and upgrade as i go along, like bit by bit, i just need an outline and a bit of help please

Thanks in advanced, as i say, i hope it makes sence, bit tired at the moment. Also very sorry to ahve to ramble on like this.


P.s. I dont really have a budget as im going to try to do bit by bit. But that might change...


CRW1

EDIT: forgot to mention, most things may come form www.overclockers.co.uk

[freakitchen]

Chris, could you please remove the image from your signature? They're no longer permitted on the forums.

Without being too pessimistic, there's not much you're going to be able to do with that PC. It's too old to be upgraded. You could add a larger IDE hard drive, and a CD-ROM, but apart from that, any possible upgrade is going to be more expensive than the benefits you'll see are worth. Socket 370 processors aren't easy to find, and I'm betting it takes SD RAM - which is expensive.

Save your money and build yourself a brand new computer when you can afford to do so.

FK

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Wohaoaa! Soo sorry about that.

Okay though so.... I was thinking of saving up for a new motherboard, then leaving any bits in i can until i get around to upgrading them (such as the HDD) Although i see your point. Im just trying to save my self from saving up. I hate saving for too long. lol And im in no rush to use it yet, i can live with my family one for now (Also im not getting THAT much money, so it does take time to save...)

How about i save up for and get a case, PSU and other things like keybords O/S and stuff then buy each part seprate.... Yeah i like that idea.

I'll put a list together, then maybe come back to this thread every so often and update? Although i now have an old spare computer.... Thanks for your advice on the PC.

[freakitchen]

Thanks for sorting the signature - I imagine we changed our policies while you were away.

A new motherboard is fair enough - BUT, that's going to mean pretty much a new computer. Any new board will not accept the old processor or the RAM, so you'd be buying board, processor, RAM, case, power supply, hard drive. That IS a new computer!

FK

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Yeah, :P Buy what do i say to everyone now, that im scraping the old Pc. (I said i was upgrading) LOL! Anyway, it was free.....

Im getting together a list of everything cheap (case, keybord etc) (lol) and will post the list, that way i can buy them in one bunch, and stick with my plan, build bit by bit.

Thanks FK, i hear you are a new mod? Congrats if you are.... :P

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Got a small list together now.....

Case: Thermaltake VC3000BWS Armour Jr SuperMidi Tower - Black

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=CA-034-TT

O/S: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition inc. SP2 - OEM - 1Pk (N09-01528)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=OS-001-MS

C.D drive: LiteON LH-20A1P-487C 20x DVD±RW x12 Ram Dual Layer DVD-Writer - Retail

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=CD-064-LO

Now, im stuck on a keyboard and mouse...

Mice:

Xpro Silver Wireless Optical Mouse With Cradle - Mains ReChargable

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...uct_uid=119769

Extra Value 6 Button Wired 1600Dpi Black & Silver Gaming Mouse - USB

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=87255

And Keyboard:

Extra Value Silver Basic Keyboard With Black Keys - PS2

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...uct_uid=105052

Logitech Media Keyboard - Black

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...uct_uid=101360

How about that for a non- Component list? Any suggestion etc greatly appreciated!

[flanzig1]

That board takes standard PC100 ram. Should be able to find some of that.

[freakitchen]

Do you plan on using the innards of the socket 370 system with this new hardware? If so - find out whether the system is a brand name built system (compaq, advent etc. etc.) If it is, then you may have compatibility issues - the power supply being one (it may use a proprietary unit) and the front panel headers (switches and LEDs) being another.

With regard to your choices, the case you picked is out of stock. I'd also get logitech peripherals rather than ebuyer's own brand.

If you are going to build a new system, then buying peripherals now is fine - they're not going to change all that much. But I'd hold off on buying ANY internal components until you have the money for EVERYTHING. Buying parts one-at-a-time just doesn't work in the computer world - you might find the first part you buy is a bad match, obsolete, or at worst incompatible with the last part you buy!

...and yes, I'm a new moderator, along with rjfvillarosa and Kram 2.0

FK

[The_YongGrand]

Chris, is your 360 budget a $360 or 360 pounds? If 360 pounds, you can still give yourself a good PC upgrade, provided if you focus in changing the entire PC interiors first.

Since this budget is very limited if you add peripherals, in my opinion, you can choose to upgrade the PC first. Leave the peripherals until you have some more cash in your bank account.

My suggestion is you can get a cheap Dell set PC (you can top up another $100 or a few more pounds more).

Or, if you want some more flexibility, you can always buy a 965 chipset motherboard, or a cheaper 945 (please do get yourself a Asus or something of a reputable brand!) and stick a Celeron or a low-end Pentium 4 into it first. At least this thing can be upgraded to a Core 2 Duo later if you have the money. A stick of 512MB DDR2, and a normal 80GB SATA2 HDD will give you a cheap upgrade. Not sure about the power supply, but you can buy the Acbel or the Enlight. I'm sure it'll almost fit 360dollars or pounds budget. What do you think?

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Well, there is 2 stickers saying; Intel Celeron Inside and CSE in weird writing. It has a mo/bo manuall and win 98 floppy and C.D as stated so, i got nooo idea :P He (the IT man i forget the name of) stated that he re-built it back to its orgional condition? lol

Originally Posted by The_YongGrand Or, if you want some more flexibility, you can always buy a 965 chipset motherboard, or a cheaper 945 (please do get yourself a Asus or something of a reputable brand!) and stick a Celeron or a low-end Pentium 4 into it first. At least this thing can be upgraded to a Core 2 Duo later if you have the money. A stick of 512MB DDR2, and a normal 80GB SATA2 HDD will give you a cheap upgrade. Not sure about the power supply, but you can buy the Acbel or the Enlight. I'm sure it'll almost fit 360dollars or pounds budget. What do you think?

So, a 965 chipset motherboard (that would still fit this CPU i got now, right, at least until i can afford a C2D or defo buy a low end Pentium or what ever?) :P

Could you reccommend one (or an out line for when i'v saved a little more) either from ebuyer or O/C's Please?

Thanks for all your help, the reason i wanted to get the Peripherals first is cause i'll have to use this PC Peripherals, and if i need help from here while trying to set up the Pc, im a little stuck!

Thanks again, everyone.

Oh, yeah im in ££

[freakitchen]

So, a 965 chipset motherboard (that would still fit this CPU i got now, right, at least until i can afford a C2D or defo buy a low end Pentium or what ever?) :P

No such thing. See what I mean about that system being impossible to upgrade? I reckon the cheapest you'll be able to build a Core 2 Duo system for would be around £400.

FK

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Also, how about maybe this case? Got some good reviews...

Lian-Li PC-7 PLUS Aluminium Midi-Tower Case - Black

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...-054-LL&tool=3

If you reccommend any others, im happy to look at them.

Yeah, i see what you mean... lol

[glc]

Max ram in that motherboard is 512mb - 256mb per slot. It's old SDRAM, cannot be reused in anything modern later. The board is limited to 100 MHz FSB processors, no Tualatins, so 1 GHz is as far as you can go with it. If you are on a budget, the LAST thing you want to look at is a Lian-Li case.

Just run that old computer the way it is, it should websurf and do homework just fine. It's not worth putting any money into.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by glc Just run that old computer the way it is, it should websurf and do homework just fine. It's not worth putting any money into.

I agree...doesn't make much sense to put money into a system that old. Save up for a completely new build and just use that old one for minor things.

I have a PIII 800MHz computer that I use as a web surfer to do word processing and some minor photo editing with and I wouldn't put any more money into it at this point. If I need a more powerful computer for whatever reason, I'll just build a brand new one with up to date technologies.

Cricket

[Chris_Rootes_Wizard]

Yeah, okay then. Thanks everyone!

[The_YongGrand]

As glc and cricket said, it'll be very difficult to upgrade an old computer - new parts are getting cheaper.

If you are really in a tight budget, you can purchase a P5B, and a Pentium 4. You can still hold on with it until you have some more cash to buy a Core processor if you want. A 512MB will do temporarily if you are not using Vista.

[glc]

However, you will have an issue with the power supply and other components - mixing old and new seldom works well when old is THAT old.