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Thread ID: 65514 2006-01-20 21:22:00 i need help with upgrading a computer lucazader (9657) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
422947 2006-01-20 21:22:00 hi i am just receving a computer from my dads work and i wand to mod it

it has no graphis card
it has a pentium 4 2.66ghz
and 256 ram

and i am wanting to upgrade to (i have price spyed the prices)
AMD ATHLON 64 3500+ SKT939- $534.38

GALAXY NVIDIA 7800GT 256MB DDR3 DVI - VIVO - PCI EXPRESS $567.90
or
Sapphire ATI Radeon X800 GTO (ULTIMATE) 256MB DDR3 PCI-Express$450.00

Mushkin Extreme Performance REDLINE 1GB (2x512MB) DDR500 CL2-2-2 @ 3.3V $381.55(dual chanel i think)

Asus A8N SLI skt939 Motherboard- $175.47


tell me if i need anything else and if i dont need the processor and if not caould you recomend a new mother board because it dont have pci-e

oh and buy the way it is a ibm net vista that is about two years old
lucazader (9657)
422948 2006-01-20 21:28:00 I would get another case as well.

And you'll need another CPU since a 939 CPU, wont fit on a p4 mobo.

Cases you buy as part of a ready-made system maybe too small for other brands of mobo's.

The new mobo may not fit.
Speedy Gonzales (78)
422949 2006-01-20 21:36:00 In other words you are going build a new computer useing the old case.
You are spending about $2000 on parts.
Has the case enough fans and cooling?
I would make sure too, that the new M/B will fit. I'm not familiar with the case but IBM do things differently sometimes.
What about hard disk/s? Bet they are not Sata.
And PSU will probably be insufficient for your needs.
JJJJJ (528)
422950 2006-01-20 21:50:00 New case. New PSU as well with that.
If you want a new CPU AMD, then you need a compatible mobo, therefore new again. It won't fit on your current P4 mobo.

The RAm maybe diff as well so get that to 1GB at least or 2GB.

In otherwords you ARE getting a complete new compuer. The IBM Vista case prob won't fit new mobo's.

If you wanna go cheap then just add a AGP graphics card if you have a current AGP slot right now. Upgrade the Ram to 512MB or 1GB and leave it as is. At current there is not a real need to get PCI-E cards yet, best is get the right chipset for the card. Keep you current mobo and CPU and case.
Nomad (952)
422951 2006-01-20 22:06:00 thanks for replying so fast
i do have another case it is about 4 years old but it is a compaq presario 6000 and is prety big i was wondering if that would fit the new mobo
it is a 1800+athlon xp (1.53ghz) with 256 ram and a geforce 3 ti 200
should i upgrade that instead to be my good comp and upgrade the other one just for lan and stuf
so if i just got a new agp gpu for the net vistaand a bit more ram maybe a 512 dual chanel and just overclock the processor and graphics and get more fans for it could it handel bf2:sp
amd would the compaq need a new psu and fans and would i need to get a new hdd because i only have a standard 40g ide on both
lucazader (9657)
422952 2006-01-20 22:12:00 Generally the standard advice is to avoid trying to upgrade any branded name computer, they are usually not designed for that, and in many instances they use non-standard PSUs etc. If you are going to spend biggish bucks then start from scratch with a new decent case.

Otherwise, as others have said just consider more ram and/or new AGP cards.
Terry Porritt (14)
422953 2006-01-20 22:12:00 either way your buying a near complete box, don't try and reuse the cases, they won't be up to the job.

You will be able to salvage very little from either rig to transfer into a new one.
Metla (12)
422954 2006-01-20 22:13:00 thanks for replying so fast
i do have another case it is about 4 years old but it is a compaq presario 6000 and is prety big i was wondering if that would fit the new mobo
it is a 1800+athlon xp (1.53ghz) with 256 ram and a geforce 3 ti 200
should i upgrade that instead to be my good comp and upgrade the other one just for lan and stuf
so if i just got a new agp gpu for the net vistaand a bit more ram maybe a 512 dual chanel and just overclock the processor and graphics and get more fans for it could it handel bf2:sp
amd would the compaq need a new psu and fans and would i need to get a new hdd because i only have a standard 40g ide on both

Throw that case away.You would cook your new cpu.
Buy a new case. They are not that expensive.
JJJJJ (528)
422955 2006-01-20 22:14:00 not sure about that.
look at the back, does it have the I/O panel there in that rectangle thing - where the ports go on the mobo?

upgraade which pc - no idea.

that game of yours if you have a agp slot. get a good agp card and it should be ok, while not the best quality it should be above avg. the compaq's psu all i can say is try it out. if its crubbles then ya need a new one.

40GB IDE? Should be enof depends what you do with it. I don't play games, I have some graphic softwares and it takes up less than 10GB on mine.

if ya playing games i say get to 1GB min - RAM.

If it was me I would keep the other (2) PC as working condition or sell them. Get yourself a case and a good PSU. But that's me.

Do a search at antec.com and look at cases. That is what a good quality case is like. If its roomy you can reuse your old case if you wish. Make sure thou the psu is a std design so you can swap if need be and all the case wires are std as well so they can fit onto your new mobo. Then you can install some rear fans if you desire and front fans. Not sure about this as I don't have a dedicated GPU (yet).
Nomad (952)
422956 2006-01-20 22:25:00 hey thanks
so what you guys are saying is...

keep the net vista and get and agp gpu and some ram say 1gb

Q.should i over clock it(the graphics, the processor, both???)???

i should sell me compaq and use the money for the new one

Q.should i salvege the dvd player out of it and should i salvge anything else??
thanks
lucazader (9657)
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