virgin post

[budman455]

This is my first time at this,so please be gentle. I acquired a Packard Bell Legend 106 CDT Supreme that was used twice and not even allowed to get dirty. It has Windows 95 on it now. I am taking classes on repairing/building computers and would like to use this as my first victim/project. I am very new at this and know almost nothing. Would it be possible or even advisable to gut this thing and start over. We are very limited on funds here due to my not working for the last year due to an injury and surgery. Any help would be most appreciated

[tomtoon]

How much is your budget?

[glc]

Sure, tear it apart and put it back together. Don't spend any money on upgrading it. It's not a viable computer to use for anything productive, so play to your heart's content!

[Spools]

Yeah it's not worth upgrading if that's what you're thinking but it should be fine for tinkering. Should be a great way to remove and install parts (CPU, RAM, etc) without the worry of damaging valuable components.

[budman455]

I was not planning on spending too much...$500.00? I just hate to throw anything away. Could the case and fans etc. be used with a different mobo etc or is it just not worth the effort?( this is what I am beginning to suspect). Thanks for the replies.

[glc]

Not worth the effort, every component in there is seriously obsolete without exception, and a lot of it is proprietary. For $500 you can build a brand spanking new computer with current technology components. Use it for practice, then order the parts to build a new one.

[MrDravenX]

You could try selling the Packard Bell for spare parts. You never know who would want old stuff. For $500 you could build a decent machine.

[glc]

Another option for the Packard Bell after you build a new system - if it still works after tearing it apart and putting it back together, put a lightweight Linux distribution on it, use it to learn Linux - you can even use it as a home router and firewall.

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by budman455 Could the case be used with a different mobo.

Originally Posted by glc and a lot of it is proprietary.

If the idea of putting another mobo in that case gets you crazy and you want to give it a try be very careful.
I had a Packard Bell many years ago and the mobo went on it so I bought a Soyo replacement. The machine ran great with the new mobo but it was always troublesome to start it up, eventually that mobo went out as well and was replaced with another Soyo mobo. Again the machine ran sweet but it was also troublesome getting it to boot. The front on/off switch on a computer case is what's known as a momentary switch, it makes a momentary connection in a wire that has basically been interupted by the switch, you press the switch and make the wire complete again and via the mobo this tells the power supply to start everything up.
The original Packard Bell mobo was without doubt proprietary because that on/off switch was also connected to the case and would send a negative polarity signal to the power supply. Until I figured out that the switch was mounted on a tiny circuit board which inturn was mounted directly onto the chassis of the case, that switch busted two perfectly good Soyo mobo's.
Do yourself a favour and before you put anything non-Packard Bell into the case have a real good look at what it connects to. Ask plenty of questions here if anything concerns you, there are plenty of people here who will be more than willing to help guide you through any changes you want to make or just general experimentation

[glc]

Packard Bell was very proprietary in those days - don't even try to put a current motherboard in that case. New cases are cheap, and you would have to replace the power supply anyway.

[budman455]

for sale-boat anchor-cheap...

[rjfvillarosa]

The problem with the switch being connected to the case on my old Packard Bell caused me lots of problems, it even killed a few power supplies and had me running crazy.
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...852#post787852

[budman455]

Originally Posted by glc Another option for the Packard Bell after you build a new system - if it still works after tearing it apart and putting it back together, put a lightweight Linux distribution on it, use it to learn Linux - you can even use it as a home router and firewall.

GLC you are going to make my head explode,Linux,router?....but could you elaborate or send me somewhere a beginner may learn more?

[budman455]

Well...I took the thing apart and a few weeks later
i put it back together and so far everything seems to work fine! I have a suck....er...favorite brother-in-law that may be willing to purchase this piece of s...fine piece of technology if I can put an ethernet card in it and make it work with dsl. Is this going to be possible? (He has more money than he needs so I`m just trying to help him out)..he really is a swell feller.

[glc]

If it has an open slot and you can get a nic that has Win95 drivers available, it will work. However, with DSL you will need to connect it to a router, Win95 doesn't have PPPoE.

[budman455]

I believe they will have dsl through att (2wire) like I do, would this card work? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833114006

[glc]

That will only work if your PCI slots are half height.

I hate to recommend Netgear, but this old POS will work in anything.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833122109

[budman455]

Thank you sir!...POS?..Polish operating system?

[Clement_95]

POS- Piece of Crap (Polite version)

[AMGrbaowska]

And just to let you know budman, building a PC can be very simple as long as you just be careful, you can learn everything from websites such as this one, check out the link in this thread PC build tutorial for first time builders This is a pretty good guide. Also, you can build a really good home PC for under $500 dollars, if you do a lot of shopping around you can build a lot of great PCs.

[budman455]

Thank you for the link Mr.Grabassski (sp?)...I have indeed learned a lot from this site.Inquiring minds may wonder,does your heritage run along the lines of Czar Nicholas and Anastasia and THAT crew or...my own name is somewhat vague..Osborn or Osburn?...I think someone in the past may have been illiterate and spelled it like it sounds...uuuhhh....Oz burn...it`s been a problem all of my life, that`s why I go by BUD.
As to the `puter....Houston,... we have ,a power supply and, lots of blue lights, and we are watching paint dry...more to follow, THANKS everyone. Bud.,

[budman455]

Where does the mouse plug in....anybody?....

[AMGrbaowska]

There should be two ports in the back of your comp, like a green and a purple (they should be color coded with the cord of your mouse), one is for the mouse, one for the Keyboard unless you are using a usb mouse or something else.

[budman455]

We have net!!!! USB mouse..one of MANY details I may have overlooked! At the moment I`m using father-in-laws mini mouse (Minnie mouse?)...anyway I am as happy as a puppy with two tails, so far this has been relatively painless ( ignorance is bliss)...momma had to put in my COA number for me ( I can`t tell an 8 from a B, I must be colorblind or sumpin`), lots of neat new stuff here to discover! see list below

Case:__RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case
PSU: __OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7
Mobo: __ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard Xtreme Phase for AM3 CPU w/ DDR3 support, TurboV
CPU: _AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor
HDD: __Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
RAM: __G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ
Video Card: __SAPPHIRE 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
Monitor: __ASUS VW192T+ 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 ASCR 4000:1(1000:1) Built in Speakers
Extras: _NEC Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive Model FD1231M

[budman455]

I got me a laser mouse so I am almost a Jedi! Can anyone tell by looking at the components I used, if there is a reason/conflict as to the cd/dvd/blue ray thingy ma bob, it may just be the learning curve (very steep) but I`ve not had much success in using it....

[Spools]

I don't see the model of the drive you're trying to use but what exactly is the problem you're having with it?

Did it work when you installed the OS?

[budman455]

ooops..LG Black 6X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 6X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA Internal Blu-ray Burner 6X Blu-ray Disc Burner & HD DVD-ROM Drive Model GGW-H20L - this is it, I am probably the problem,just wondered if there was any obvious conflict

[glc]

What is the problem, please? What OS?

[budman455]

it`s xp home, I really think I am the problem, the program to burn is soooo complicated, everything else works, Dwight sangs while I type etc. just wondered if there were obvious conflicts with component choices?
At this point the only `puter I have that works is this one, that I built, I have pretty much managed to make doorstops of the other two...

[Spools]

It feels a bit like we're missing half the conversation here bud. Is there some specific problem that you need help with? Are you having trouble burning cd's? Is there a software program that you're trying to use that you need help with?

To answer your first question: no, there shouldn't be any hardware conflicts with your components.