can i fix up this old computer

[Sable Wanderer]

a while ago i got a computer from my grand parents it was a dell demension 2400 i was just wondering if there was anything to make it faster. Possibly uprgrading the ram? it only has 256 mb of ram would i see any improvement in performance. I will only be using this system flightly longer until i have enough money to build a new system

 

[Zenthar]

What is your operating system? What software do you use (+what versions?)? Any of them particularly slow? When was the last time you reinstalled your OS? Do you defrag regularly?

Memory couldn't hurt, and you could probably get 1GB for ~25$ (512MB is ~20$ so I don't see the point) but I just want to make sure you need it.

 

[Sable Wanderer]

well the system is pretty slow overall. I am using xp curently. I mostly just use it for firefox, aim, napster, and sony music studio. I used to play some games but they got to slow such as warcraft 3 it used to run but it would take a while. Warcraft 3 and sony music studio run slower than the rest but in general the system is slow. I defrag regularly however i have never reinstalled os because i dont have the disk but i wanted to do it.

 

[boulard83]

XP use more than 256mb ram .. Zenthar is right, look in newegg for sodim memory. cheap and good !

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim2400/en/sm_en/specs.htm

Maximum memory : 1 GB

Memory type : PC2100 (266-MHz) or PC2700 (333-MHz) DDR SDRAM (non-ECC)

Video controller : integrated Intel 3D Extreme Graphics

edit 1 : your best bet is to get 2x512mb

*************** edit 2 (sry bad memory post, didnt checked the amount.

1go : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820208015

512mb : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231037

For the video, its an onboard i thnik you cant change it. but some ram may help ALOT.

 

[Sable Wanderer]

ok so how much of a performance upgrade will i see

 

[Sable Wanderer]

and also in my bios it says something about like video buffer and it has 2mb and a 8mb option will i get an increased performance in games if i change it to 8mb and will it slow down rest of system

 

[croc]

a while ago i got a computer from my grand parents it was a dell demension 2400 i was just wondering if there was anything to make it faster. Possibly uprgrading the ram? it only has 256 mb of ram would i see any improvement in performance. I will only be using this system flightly longer until i have enough money to build a new system

Here's the link to Dell's support page, technical specs, for that model...

http://support.ap.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim2400/en/sm_en/specs.htm

(Funny, it took me all of half a minute to find this info.) DDR RAM is getting costly, and is of no use once you get a new PC. It will be very difficult (and probably very expensive) to upgrade that P4 / celeron. Doesn't look to me as if it even has an AGP slot, let alone a PCI-e, and the onboard graphics is pretty old and slow. But, its your money, and your trash can.

 

[boulard83]

Croc ... -1 look my post .... 14$ a 512 stick ... quite cheap for that old stuff.

and i already posted the same spec sheet ... gratz for you ...

 

[timaahhh]

ok so how much of a performance upgrade will i see

Rule of tumb I use, doubling your ram will give you a 20% increase in performance. So your system will be about 40% faster going to a gig.

and also in my bios it says something about like video buffer and it has 2mb and a 8mb option will i get an increased performance in games if i change it to 8mb and will it slow down rest of system

In flash games yea, in other games not really.

 

[Sable Wanderer]

ok thanks alot guys i was also thinking about doing a clean install but is there anyway to do this without a disk. I might be able to find a disk but not sure

 

[boulard83]

Hes right, i was playing WOW on my Dell Precision M60 whit a Gforce quadro mx700 512mb and was kinda slow.

Upgraded to 1g ram and became kinda ok....

But best is still a GOOD gpu .. and in a laptop its in most cas hard to swap.

 

[Sable Wanderer]

ok well thanks for the help i will probably get 1 gig of ram and see how that is until i get a new system

 

[boulard83]

just for XP, the ram will help ALOT

 

[Zenthar]

XP use more than 256mb ram .. Zenthar is right, look in newegg for sodim memory. cheap and good !

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim2400/en/sm_en/specs.htm

Maximum memory : 1 GB

Memory type : PC2100 (266-MHz) or PC2700 (333-MHz) DDR SDRAM (non-ECC)

Video controller : integrated Intel 3D Extreme Graphics

edit 1 : your best bet is to get 2x512mb

*************** edit 2 (sry bad memory post, didnt checked the amount.

1go : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820208015

512mb : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231037

For the video, its an onboard i thnik you cant change it. but some ram may help ALOT.

Why SODIM memory? Maybe I didn't see clearly, but the Dimension 2400 uses "standard" DDR, not laptop (SODIM) memory... no? For standard DDR memory, I think anything in that list will do.

 

[croc]

Croc ... -1 look my post .... 14$ a 512 stick ... quite cheap for that old stuff.

and i already posted the same spec sheet ... gratz for you ...

You don't live in aus....

And my post was basically about the fact that it took all of 30 seconds for me to find that information. Surely the OP could have done the same, then asked more relevant questions. Spoon-feeding noobs is getting old....

 

[boulard83]

sry my mistake about the sodim, but the mem i posted are fine !

 

[Zenthar]

sry my mistake about the sodim, but the mem i posted are fine !

Both links are to SO-DIMM RAM, laptop RAM. I just don't want the OP to get confused.

 

[Sable Wanderer]

You don't live in aus....

And my post was basically about the fact that it took all of 30 seconds for me to find that information. Surely the OP could have done the same, then asked more relevant questions. Spoon-feeding noobs is getting old....

umm if you would have acctually read my post i didnt ask what type of ram my system needed all i asked is how much of a performance boost i would see and if there was anything else i could do to boost speed of system. But umm ...thanks for your input next time i will try to make myself more clear

 

[Sable Wanderer]

Both links are to SO-DIMM RAM, laptop RAM. I just don't want the OP to get confused.

I understand so i need to get
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010170147%201052107965%201052407861&name=DDR%20266%20(PC%202100)

or: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010170147%201052107965%201052407860&name=DDR%20333%20(PC%202700)

 

[boulard83]

sry, tough it was a LAPTOP !

 

[Zenthar]

I understand so i need to get
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010170147%201052107965%201052407861&name=DDR%20266%20(PC%202100)

or: Exactly]http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010170147%201052107965%201052407860&name=DDR%20333%20(PC%202700)

Exactly.