Dell Dimension XPS B PIII733r

[Owen55]

We have two old PCs here both in good conition and one still running.

One is a Dell XPS PIII B 733r. It still runs with its 32 MB graphics card
but one of its HDDs has died. My son left behind loads of software
(games... many classics) and it uses Win98 (still have a running
Commodore as well for that matter).

Now I have found that it can take up to a 250 Gb HDD but finding
anything bigger than 160 as a PATA seems impossible but even 160
is loads better than 30 & 37.5.
It already has its maximum RAM (512 ECC) so NPOs there.

But I want to know if I can !) Upgrade the video card to something
better(any suggestions would be appreciated) or whether i should just
bite the leather and add my backup 32 MB to it (there is a slot I am told
although i have yet to look.

Then, I come to the power issue: will the current 200W be able to handle
2 160 GB HDDs (if my 30GB blows as well) AND either 2x 32 MB Nvida 10
gForce 256s, or that possible better graphics card say a 128 or 256 AGP
card? And lastly :should I improve the fan also?

I have never opened the chassis of a PC until I retired and am finding it
fascinating whereas software problems drive me crazy.

I will put the next PC on separate Question : )

 

[rolli59]

The PSU will work fine with new HDD's. Upgrading the GPU would be waste of money on that old of system.

 

[Owen55]

Thank you for the reply

I don't intend to upgrade the processor as it is almost too fast for some of the software anyway
(we had to use a slowing program (? Name) for Wing Commandr IV & Privater II)) So it is quite
sufficient for that.

All that I am trying to do is to MAXIMISE its capacity to handle that software of its time
and to enhance the graphics and not any WinXP games.
The graphics in both of the above games were very good for their time and any enhancement
would be appreciated instantly. Some of the Windows * Win 95/98 games are now quiite valuable
as well as almost rare.
(I dug through his trunk and there must be over 100 games there.
No wonder he was always broke as a child but on Ebay someone wanted over 200$ for one of them apparently)


So I guess that I will have to ask Dell about the maximnal graphics card (ie >32MB) ands whether
it can handle 2 of the 32s.

I agree with you and think that the fan & PSU should be able to handle all bar a larger capacity graphics card
but as i am not sure that I can get one (and I have looked) it is academic. So, once again, thank yu.

 

[Owen55]

No limit on what you can try but Dell ahve finally com,e out and said that 1 TB is maximal for the HDD while 512 is max for the card . However that assumes a PSU upgrade.

It took me four dasys to get this running as there were were file problems on both old HDDs so I sed a 500gb PATA to reinstall win 98 and then tried very hard to slave the two original HDDs. I managed to enslave the original "slave" HDD but I CANNOT get the original master HDD to boot as a sl;ave as EVERYTIME I try it boot a sa slave but ignores totally the new master HDD(500gb) and nohting I do with jumpers on or off has any effect upon this: while terh original master in connected even as a slave, it overrides the new master.

I guess that Dell have a partition thing on this drive whiuch forces it to take teh reains.

Anyone know of how to beat this? And please no reformat as I want to rescue the data on it (by transferring it to the new HDD) not delete it.

 

[Owen55]

BTW I can spell but my spellcheck is only in french (FIIKW) and my eyesight is quite poor hence the multi typos..apols but nothing I can do...been like it for years and worse if lighting poor.