my cheepo computer (need suggestions)

[chitocobo]

ok this is what i have.

dell slot 1 motherboard
P3 450Mhz (overclocked to 500 i think)
kingston 128mb ram
intergrated 4mb ATI rage pro
Crystal Intergrated Sound
Windows 98
some 7GB hard drive

im thinking that i need a PCI video card. Maybe get another 128mb stick of ram. Im really poor and cant afford much. (i hvae $100 canadian right now)

I use my computer for gaming... this is what i think

1.2G celron for socket 1
64mb GeForce4
128mb Kingston Sd-ram

Also if anyobne has any spare parts that would work with my piece of cra... err computer. You could e-mail me and send me it through mail or something .. since im too poor to buy most stuff. (maybe ill get a job when i turn 16)

chitocobo@epals.com

PYROSPHERE GAMES .. GREAT FREE ONLINE GAMES
Eternia Revival - Free Mmorpg

 

[Unseen]

Are you getting new MB??? You said the celeron was for socket 1 and you just said you had slot one MB? Also if you aren't chaning MB, are you sure it will suport 1.2 ghz celeron? I really don't know about it myself, but if you go look it up in the dell website it should tell you.

If you are using the same MB (or somehow get free socket 1 MB), would recommand you get a PIII instead of celeron, even if it is lower clock. They should out perform celeron in games at lower clock even.

If you are getting a new MB, I would suggest you get AMD athlon board and get yourself an athon or athlon xp. If you have low on cash to get those, getting duron would work.

 

[Spitfire_x86]

Your upgrade plan is not good. PCI video cards are expensive and slow. Celeron 1.2 GHz won't be usable in your mobo without expensive special slot->socket adapter.

I think you should sell your current PC and get a new cheap Athlon XP system

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[arthurh]

I also have a slot one mb. Went to powerleap and bought a slot adapter w/1.4celeron for about $160.00 US. Also have 512 ram, and then HAD to upgrade my power supply, then an agp graphics card(ati 9000 pro). Required many reformats and os installs to get everything working fairly well. BUT,....I am definently saving for a new build now. I will not sink another dollar in this system.
Spitfire is steering you in a good direction.

 

[lhgpoobaa]

hmmm. not a very modern system.
And there comes a point where upgrading doesnt really give you much, especially if gaming.

So you really should bite the bullet and do a full upgrade.
Get a job. save ya cash. Its the best way.

<b>Lead me not into temptation.
I know the way myself.
Regards,
Mr no integrity coward.</b>

 

[ChipDeath]

Gotta agree with the others really. If you really must upgrade it, then see if you can buy a PCI gfx card on eBay, and perhaps 128Mb more RAM too, but all those bits will be effectively wasted money if you then upgrade your motherboard in 4 months or something.

Plus, because It's an older Dell, it's fairly likely to be a proprietary (i.e. non-atx) motherboard & case, so you'll need to replace those probably.

For a fairly decent gaming rig, you're going to need $400-$500 really... So go get that job!

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[Crashman]

Why not use an AGP video card?

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[Guest]

You should probably be able to use a powerleap slot1->socket 1 convertor with a tualatin celeron. Adding memory shouldnt be a problem at all, and for your videocard, I see no reason why a AGP card wouldnt work (you do have an AGP slot, don't you ?). Wether you will be able to buy all that for $100 is questionable though, and there is always the risk your power supply will not be sufficient, in which case you are screwed, since Dell uses non standard ATX PSU's. Good luck finding another more powerfull PSU that works with your Dell

All in all, I have to agree with the others; especially if you don't have an AGP slot, forget about it; sell the dell, and get a cheapo (used ?) athlon or duron system. At least you'll have an upgrade path then.

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my wife. =

 

[shadus]

Start fresh with a new system. That's to old to bother, format the drive toss linux/winxp/win2k on it and use it as a firewall/router/toy/fileserver.

Goto www.pricewatch.com and goto "PC - No OS", you can pick up an AthXP 1800+ for $140 USD. Course it'll need a video card and make sure whatever one you decide on lists AGP in the specs. It won't be a *GOOD* computer but on the cheap its hard to beat.

Shadus

 

[Crashman]

Most Dells that oridinary people own that had PII's also had AGP slots. That is to say, the Dimmension series used the Intel 440BX-2 for nearly all 100MHz PII's and early PIII's. And the replacement for that board was an i815 board, which also supports an AGP slot.

Optiplex business PC's often didn't have AGP slots, but those aren't as common in the hands of private owners.

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[ChipDeath]

I assumed from his post that he doesn't have an AGP slot.
If he does, then an AGP card is the obvious choice...

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[Crashman]

I think people assume just because most of these newer OEM systems don't have an AGP slot that theirs doesn't, without looking! But previous to the i810, there was the BX and LX which both supported AGP slots. While some companies put an AGP solution directly on the board, most Dell's came with a card at that time.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
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[rob_murphy]

The tualatin celeron does not need much power. If the PSU copes with the existing slot1 CPU it will cope with the tualatin celeron. That CPU also has 256K L2 cache, and a 100 MGHz FSB. I have a 1.2GHZ tualatin celeron and run it at 120 MGHZ FSB and it is very stable, temp is 35 degrees C core CPU temp on a warm day.

The main problem will be the BIOS, and the cost of the slot1 to FCPGA2 socket 370 adapter. The CPU itself is quite cheap (mine cost 33 GBP).