Need to upgrade an old dell

smdw912

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Aug 24, 2012
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Okay, so I need to upgrade this dell dimension E520. Its specs are... CPU-> Intel Pentium D 2.80 GHz 2.79GHz. RAM-> 1.00GB ( I don't know what ddr it is). OS-> Windows Vista Home Basic, 32-bit.

The task is to upgrade this computer to Windows 7 Professional Edition add more ram...overall make this computer much faster. I need some help however making the right decisions. I'm more familiar with newer computer (sandy bridge and higher) So with this older computer I might need some guidance.

Some of my main questions are...

What type of ram should I put into this?
How much ram to where it won't bottleneck. ( Basically I know that a 32bit system can't support more than 4gb of ram, this computer will be used as an excel/ accounting computer so there will be multiple windows opened)
Can this computer support Windows 7 Professional efficiently?
Can air dusting the inside of the computer make the computer run smoother?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help me out.

Steve

 

AZCompTech

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Apr 9, 2013
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Yes, this computer will run Windows 7 x86.

As far as the ram goes, your computer takes ddr2 pc-5300 / ddr2-667. You can put 2x2GB sticks in it.

No amount of air dusting will make the computer run smoother. It can help it stay cooler, but I wouldn't just start blowing air everywhere.
 

sharingan5

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Feb 19, 2013
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Run a scan here using the PC concerned to verify the RAM.

http://www.crucial.com/

You can add 2 to 3 GB RAM and bottleneck will not be an issue.

In general I believe that if a PC can run Vista, it can run Windows 7.
(Recommended requirement for 7 is 2 GB RAM)

Air dusting can make a computer smoother, as it removes dust sticking to the components and thus causing heating, reducing efficiency and future life.
(Be careful while doing the cleaning though, use a anti-static brush and/or a can of compressed air designed for the purpose.)