Tom's Hardware Forums » Homebuilt Systems » General Homebuilt » Bought a computer for 80 bucks ! help me build it into a..
 

Bought a computer for 80 bucks ! help me build it into a..




Word :   Username :  
 
 Page : 1 2
Previous
Author
 Thread : Bought a computer for 80 bucks ! help me build it into a..
 
Profile: newbie
More Information

i was at a computer show recently and a man was selling refurbished computers from offices and i got one for 80 bucks :-) he are the specs

Compaq EVO D300
Intel Celeron 1.3GHz
256MB DDR Memory
20GB IDE Hard Drive
CD-ROM
10/100 LAN Ethernet
4 USB Ports
Floppy Drive
Windows XP Professional genuine disc ! :-)

PSU unit seems to be 250 watts.....

now i really want to turn this into a semi decent gaming rig just strong enough to play command and conquer 3 here is what im thinking

i have a spare 1 gig of ram i will throw in and get rid of the 256 megs
and a dvd rom drive

also

i want to upgrade the CPU to this CPU for 38 bucks

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819116035
Intel Celeron 2.5 Northwood 2.5GHz 128KB L2 Cache Socket 478 Processor - OEM

but i dont know if the motherboard will suport that cpu

and i will buy a 7600 GS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814125039

99.00

but i dont know if the PSU is strong enough for this graphics card

if anyone can answer my questions or recomend something please do :-) thank you

Related Product

Register or log in to remove.

Profile: addict
More Information

Sorry dude but you would be better of scrapping it and starting again, it looks about 7 years old. Celerons are pretty crap processors. I had a 6 year old Dell( 512Meg, 40gig, P4 2.4Ghz ) and it was crap for gaming and that was even higher spec'd that yours

i would have paid $5 for that rig or taken it for free seeing as it would cost money to get rid of it, lol, at least you got XP out of it :) ( unless its OEM 8O )

The reason i say scrap it is i had the same decision to make with my old dell and it worked out too expensive. It'll be a money pit, youll need an AGP card and thats more expensive than a PCI-E card. You could build a similar system around that that would allow for the latest processors,mem, gpu's for cheap, maybe $200

Profile: newbie
More Information

its a real genine version of windows xp pro cd and all it was still sealed when i got it lol

7 years old ???????? ! lol


so no way i should waste my time upgrading it huh :-(

Profile: addict
More Information

yeah, lol, im serious, it is from around 2000( maybe even 1999 ), sorry dude, you may be able to use the case if it takes ATX mobo's, floppy maybe, but theyre being extinguished with USB sticks, and i wouldnt trust a PSU that old with new components( you dont know if its 250W contineous or if it will crap out on anything over 250 and be unstable over 230w )

It is great that you got a genuine copy of XP Pro though, nice one, made a saving there :)

You might stick it in a museum :twisted: i think it would be fine to have it as a second PC for web browsing, throw linux on it and use that XP Pro on a new build/second hand comp( if thats what youre into ). Did you get a screen?

Profile: newbie
More Information

im using the PC now does everything except play games lol looks like 16 mb of video memory lol

Profile: addict
More Information

lmao, well itll be fine for messing around/surfing on, reminds me o fmy tecra laptop, i tried using it a ew months ago, 64mb ram, 16meg gpu, some form of P3, 8 gig harddrive. Im gonna try installing linux on it sometime as i think it would be cool to control music or control a server for streaming video or something like that( a glorified remote control lol )

Profile: nimble knuckle
More Information

Quote :

im using the PC now does everything except play games lol looks like 16 mb of video memory lol



you could build a rig to play Halflife, Counterstrike, and Quake II.

Great games... although I have only played Halflife and Quake 2.

Quake 2 was the first real video game that I played... I was like 9 :)
Civilization 2 is also SWEET!

Profile: newbie
More Information

the motherboard is 845 i didnt think it was that old dam i thought i could upgrade this thing lo

Profile: nimble knuckle
More Information

Quote :

the motherboard is 845 i didnt think it was that old dam i thought i could upgrade this thing lo



I think I have that chipset in my family's Dell Dimension 2400.

The graphics chipset is 82845G anyhow

Profile: addict
More Information

lol, lesson here, beware refurbished PC's :twisted:

As was said though, if youre ok running older games like CS/HL2 at lower settings you could get a new GPU etc. i personally think it would be a waste of cash that you wont get back, like trying to start converting an old ford into a ferrari, paint it pure white and you could use it as a huge mp3 player 8O youre new ipod mini!!!!!!!

Profile: newbie
More Information

what do you think about trying to run Unreal Tournament 2004 on it and i get my hands on a crappy GPU

Profile: nimble knuckle
More Information

Quote :

what do you think about trying to run Unreal Tournament 2004 on it and i get my hands on a crappy GPU



it sure as hell doesnt have pci express

does it have AGP? If not, you could get a PCI Video card based on the FX5200. Should run Unreal 04 fine.

Profile: addict
More Information

it says here http://h18002.www1.hp.com/products [...] Components
that it has a 4x AGP 8O
Im still with converting it into a huge mini ipod
I think looks wise its deadly, look away now if you scare easily http://h18002.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/10948_div/10948_OV_div.jpg[/img]

Profile: newbie
More Information

yes agp

Profile: addict
More Information

lol, sorry man i shouldnt be making fun of your hot system
You could stick in a semi decent GPU in it but it'll be bottlenecked at 4xAGP, maybe you could replace the mobo with an 865 one that will have 8xagp

Profile: nimble knuckle
More Information

Quote :

it says here http://h18002.www1.hp.com/products [...] Components
that it has a 4x AGP 8O
Im still with converting it into a huge mini ipod
I think looks wise its deadly, look away now if you scare easily http://h18002.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/10948_div/10948_OV_div.jpg[/img]



Stick with the 256megs of ram though. You dont need more than that to run old games like the ones I mentioned before. I would get a PCI vid card though. Cheaper than AGP, and you can use it on any PC

Profile: addict
More Information