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Need specific help upgrading CPU, Video Card, RAM and Hard Drives

Forum CPU & Components : CPUs - Need specific help upgrading CPU, Video Card, RAM and Hard Drives

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ahskrenaim   12-14-2007 at 11:12:35 PM

Hello, I am trying to find some cheap upgrades. I already found the Video card I want (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3101648&CatId=2234) but I dont know what CPU i can get CHEAP that would work for me and beter than what I've got. The problem is I'm not sure how soon I can get the money I am curently in some College classs and not working so.... Max for CPU is prob pretty low! This is what I've got now:

Processer:
800 megahertz AMD Athlon
128 kilobyte primary memory cache
256 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Motherboard:
Board: Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd. 7ZX 1.0
Bus Clock: 100 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 62710 07/15/97

Drives:
20.48 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
1.52 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

Ram:
512 Megabytes Installed Memory
Slot '0' has 256 MB
Slot '1' has 256 MB
Slot '2' is Empty

Display:
Tul Corporation, RADEON 9200SE [Display adapter]
COMPAQ Presario MV500 Color Monitor (14.1"vis, August 1998)
NEC XV17+ [Monitor] (15.7"vis, s/n 7107074LA, January 1997)

PLEASE HELP!

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g-paw   12-15-2007 at 02:12:18 AM
- 0 +

I wouldn't put any more money in that machine than I had to, you really need to save for a new machine. The only 2 things I'd do would be to get 1GB of RAM, 2 x 512 and replace the old ram and an 80GB Seagate hdd, SATA if you board has a SATA connection. You can use the new hdd in a new build regardless of whether it's a SATA or ATA. I don't think a new CPU would be worth the money. RAM will do more than anything else to increase speed for the money I've rebuilt a number of old machines for grandkids and this always worked to speed them up and bit and keep them working.


Message edited by g-paw on 12-15-2007 at 02:13:14 AM
Reply to g-paw
someguy7   12-15-2007 at 05:24:27 PM
- 0 +

Yeah What g-paw said. Do not spend much money or any money at all on that machine. People usually give away systems like that if they can now a days. Even though money is tight i would just start saving up for a new machine.

Reply to someguy7
3Ball   12-15-2007 at 05:47:01 PM
- 0 +

Yea, without a new motherboard there is really no since in upgrade. Plus finding parts for that system would be difficult and probably not to cheap since everything has been discontinued. Ebay is probably your best bet.

Best,

3Ball

------------------------------ ASUS P5Q Pro P45 Motherboard
Intel C2Q Q9550 @ 3.40ghz w/ (8.5x400mhz, 1.2125v, Zalman 9500 & 24+ Hours Prime95 Stable)
6gb G. Skill DDR2 6400 @ 800mhz w/ (5-5-5-15: 2T, 2.04v)
EVGA GTX275 @ 660mhz/1550mhz/2400mhz
 Reply to 3Ball
Scotteq   12-15-2007 at 06:11:48 PM
- 0 +

Agreed - a $500 off the shelf system would be the best bet, I think. If it isn't too late, maybe you could talk the family in to pooling Christmas (Hannukah, Kwanzaa, whatever) into the thing. Network the two so you can grab your old data.

------------------------------ Which Chip? Well, it depends on which set of thieving b@stardz you choose to support: The ones who use insider trading to enrich themselves while running their company into the ground, or the ones who illegally pay vendors to not support the first group.
 Reply to Scotteq
jitpublisher   12-15-2007 at 07:14:06 PM
- 0 +

Your board uses standard PC100 or PC133 3.3 volt SDRAM, which does not need to be installed in pairs. It supports up to 512 meg in each slot, for a total of 1.5 gig. You could buy another 512 meg dimm, depending on whether you have PC100 or PC133 memory now, try to match what type you already have. This is the only money I would invest in this rig....period.

 

Your board was manufactured long before SATA came out, you have ATA-33/66/100 IDE connections for your drives.

 

That old 800mhz CPU is not going to give you much power at all to match your new video card you are thinking about. Trying to find an upgrade CPU for that old socket A motherboard is also going to be a tall task. Most likely will have to search Ebay for a used one. I think you can probably go up to about an XP 1800+?, however it has been a while and I don't remember where the old XP line moved above the 133/266mhz front side buss you are limited to.

 

I am not sure what programs or games you are planning on running, but,
IMHO, I am going to have to agree with most others here, don't waste money on trying to upgrade this rig, no matter what you do it will still be really, really slow by todays standards -just save up for something new.

 

For what you are going to spend on memory/CPU/video card, you can do a complete platform change to an AM2 system and be lightyears ahead. Look example at this. It is way, way ahead of where you are. Do some shopping around.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] 9-1236%20E


Message edited by jitpublisher on 12-15-2007 at 07:16:36 PM
Reply to jitpublisher
ahskrenaim   12-16-2007 at 09:43:29 PM
- 0 +

WOW! Thank you guys. I wasn't expecting such a fast reply being as this is the first time I've used a Forum to solve my tech problems. I'm looking into that PC on Tiger Direct you mentioned jitpublish er. I might go for that instead being as I'm only using this for Guild Wars, and other similar games right now (yes that old hunk-o-junk supports GW. LAGS like crazy tho). Well, thanks again guys. I will probubly get a system similar to the one sugested. Can't wait to get it!
--Ahskrenaim.


Message edited by ahskrenaim on 12-17-2007 at 11:48:42 PM
Reply to ahskrenaim
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