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Upgrading -VERY- old PC, where to start?
Tox
I kill threadsthey/themRegistered User regular
I kill threadsthey/themRegistered User regular
So, I'm currently wielding a 6- or 7-year old Gateway PC. I love it, a lot. It's been very reliable, and none of the hardware has ever given me any problems, except the PSU, which died and was replaced about a year and a half ago.
That being said, it's time for a change. It's just too outdated to do what I really want it to do anymore. However, I don't want to go off all willy-nilly and dump cash that would be better saved until I can just afford a new rig. If it wouldn't really be worth it to invest anymore in this one (even if I plan to keep it around, and I do), I might as well just buy a new computer (which I intend to do, I just hope to put that off as long as possible, as my current budget is ~$60). As far as what I need the PC for, the most intensive thing is probably WoW, and some streaming videos. Here's where I'm standing:
Currently I have a Gateway 310S with a few light modifications. I was running WinXP until recently, when I made the switch to Ubuntu (Meerkat, 10.10).
The motherboard is an Intel D845GVSR (Socket 478).
The system currently has an Intel Celeron @ 2.4GHz (400 FSB).
1GB of DDR(1)333/PC2700 memory.
Two old IDE harddrives with a combined total of 71GBs (one factory, one from an HP)
...and onboard video & sound.
Video: I think this is the place to start, mainly because I currently have on-board video. It's....well, it's onboard, what more needs to be said? The biggest problem is that the mobo only has regular PCI slots, which means I'll have to either buy an older vid card, or a more specialized one, both of which become more expensive. I can get one with 256MB of video memory for ~$40. I picked the video card I picked because that way, when I do buy a new PC, this card will be able to do a decent job in that rig until I have the funds to upgrade the video again.
CPU: I can upgrade this to a P4 3.06GHz for ~$30. This is actually what got me started, since I'm finally reaching the point where the CPU is tapping out for long periods of time and I'm getting a lot of freezing.
Keep in mind, I do want to keep this thing around as long as I can. It's served me well, and I believe it will continue to do so. When I eventually buy a new PC, I want to be able to keep this one around for family use as a web-browser/word-processor.
So, advice? Thoughts? Anybody have any ideas I may not have thought of?
Thanks, in advance.
Update!: It's been advised to me to pick up a LGA775 mobo w/ DDR2 on the cheap. That's not a bad idea, but I'm not sure how affordable it will be as of right now. In the early stages of my research I found that a lot of people like to keep their 478 processors and upgrade their motherboards, using the old CPU in the new board (so much so, that this is a thing that exists.). That makes me wary about pricing a used 775 mobo, but I'm looking into.
Also, regarding the video card: The new system I'm looking at happens to have onboard 256MB video. Plan "A" is to get a PCI video card that will be good in my current system, and will also at least be better than onboard in my new system, so that I can use that while I'm saving up to invest in a more serious video card.
The mobo for the new rig I'm eyeing has onboard nVidia GeForce 7025 with a max of 256MB shared. The question is what's the minimum type of card I would need to still be better? Can I get away with a card with only 128MB, and still be better than onboard with 256MB shared? Or what? I'd like an answer to this question either way, I've pretty much always used onboard video, so I don't reallly know how they compare, even though I'm quite aware that card is way better than onboard, if only for the fact of having a separate GPU.
That being said, it's time for a change. It's just too outdated to do what I really want it to do anymore. However, I don't want to go off all willy-nilly and dump cash that would be better saved until I can just afford a new rig. If it wouldn't really be worth it to invest anymore in this one (even if I plan to keep it around, and I do), I might as well just buy a new computer (which I intend to do, I just hope to put that off as long as possible, as my current budget is ~$60). As far as what I need the PC for, the most intensive thing is probably WoW, and some streaming videos. Here's where I'm standing:
Currently I have a Gateway 310S with a few light modifications. I was running WinXP until recently, when I made the switch to Ubuntu (Meerkat, 10.10).
The motherboard is an Intel D845GVSR (Socket 478).
The system currently has an Intel Celeron @ 2.4GHz (400 FSB).
1GB of DDR(1)333/PC2700 memory.
Two old IDE harddrives with a combined total of 71GBs (one factory, one from an HP)
...and onboard video & sound.
Video: I think this is the place to start, mainly because I currently have on-board video. It's....well, it's onboard, what more needs to be said? The biggest problem is that the mobo only has regular PCI slots, which means I'll have to either buy an older vid card, or a more specialized one, both of which become more expensive. I can get one with 256MB of video memory for ~$40. I picked the video card I picked because that way, when I do buy a new PC, this card will be able to do a decent job in that rig until I have the funds to upgrade the video again.
CPU: I can upgrade this to a P4 3.06GHz for ~$30. This is actually what got me started, since I'm finally reaching the point where the CPU is tapping out for long periods of time and I'm getting a lot of freezing.
Keep in mind, I do want to keep this thing around as long as I can. It's served me well, and I believe it will continue to do so. When I eventually buy a new PC, I want to be able to keep this one around for family use as a web-browser/word-processor.
So, advice? Thoughts? Anybody have any ideas I may not have thought of?
Thanks, in advance.
Update!: It's been advised to me to pick up a LGA775 mobo w/ DDR2 on the cheap. That's not a bad idea, but I'm not sure how affordable it will be as of right now. In the early stages of my research I found that a lot of people like to keep their 478 processors and upgrade their motherboards, using the old CPU in the new board (so much so, that this is a thing that exists.). That makes me wary about pricing a used 775 mobo, but I'm looking into.
Also, regarding the video card: The new system I'm looking at happens to have onboard 256MB video. Plan "A" is to get a PCI video card that will be good in my current system, and will also at least be better than onboard in my new system, so that I can use that while I'm saving up to invest in a more serious video card.
The mobo for the new rig I'm eyeing has onboard nVidia GeForce 7025 with a max of 256MB shared. The question is what's the minimum type of card I would need to still be better? Can I get away with a card with only 128MB, and still be better than onboard with 256MB shared? Or what? I'd like an answer to this question either way, I've pretty much always used onboard video, so I don't reallly know how they compare, even though I'm quite aware that card is way better than onboard, if only for the fact of having a separate GPU.
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For non-gaming purposes, CPU and memory will give you the most "tangible" benefits. Hard drive is a convenience thing. 1GB memory is limiting, but it should be enough for most things, even games on lower settings.
I know how it is on a limited budget. Until a couple years ago I was running a system I bought in 2001. When you get ~$600, you should be able to build a nice powerful mid-range system.
Steam (Ansatz) || GW2 officer (Ansatz.6498)
The power supply is actually not a very big concern, as it's actually the youngest part in the rig. I had a failure about a year and a half ago, and replaced the Power Supply, and it worked. Since I was buying a new power supply anyway, I went ahead and got a pretty nice one (I let the guy upsell me explicitly for vid card reason).
The extent of my gaming is (rather, will be) World of Warcraft. I've never really been big into gaming, and certainly never enough to put that much money into a lot of games. World of Warcraft hooked me in, though, and I end up coming back to it from time to time. The last time I tried (a few weeks ago), I ended up not being able to even log in because of my system dragging so hard.
e: and I actually tried to load and log into World of Warcraft with that.
Since you're on Linux, I hear Nvidia is still better than ATI for that.
Really though, you could potentially build a completely new PC for $150 that would out-perform what you currently have.
Except $450 is quite a bit more than the (implied) budget of under $100.
This.
I can buy a new system with everything I need for <$150. Unfortunately I have....uhm, not very much.
I think I'm just going to save my pennies and go for a new video card. I'd all but decided that was the place to start, and everybody here's advice kind of pushed me over on that. So I'll start there. Especially because, as I said before, if I save up and just go for a ~256MB card, I shouldn't have to replace it when I buy a new system.
The system I'm currently eyeballing has onboard video with 256 shared, which is why that's my baseline. Now, would even a 64MB card be better than 256-onboard? How about 128? Because, if so, I may just go for that, which will save me even more money in the short run.
I know, and that is the plan. Sadly, I can't scrape that much up yet. I'm hoping I can just get a used P4 on the cheap, and set aside enough for a decent video card, and that will hold me off for another year or so, when my finances will be in a place where I can drop the $150-300 for a new, better system (one that will hopefully last much longer, incidentally, thanks to upgradeability.).
edit: I may also have a 512 stick of DDR1 or 2, sitting around at home. I'll have to dig around through my box'o'randomcrap. I just moved a month ago so I may have tossed it.
What would happen if I were to put something faster than PC2700 in the other slot? I'm under the impression it would still work, just wouldn't really be any faster than PC2700 would be.
edit: So just holler if you want a free 25% additional RAM. It's not double. But it's cheap.
Hard drive wise, $50 for 320GB seems terrible when I've been seeing lots of deals on 2TB drives for $99 or so since the christmas season started. Also, if the system can't support SATA, then just wait, don't buy a new drive that would just slow down a newer system or have to stay attached to a duck-taped old system.
So yea, I'd go:
New video card
HDD (if its SATA and will later be put into new machine with out slowing it down)
Memory (get your self up to 2GB if you can)
CPU (kinda a waste, I doubt you'll see more then 30% improvement over all, especially since your RAM might be fast enough for that P4's memory multiplyer, and then you have to underclock your new CPU to have a stable system).
Also, if your powersupply is crappy (300-400W) you might not have a good experiance with that new video card, even if it doesn't require additional power plugs, especially if you add another HDD also.
Hope that helps.
First of all, I love this. You, sir, rock.
If you're set on a cheap upgrade, you definitely should just be looking through the 'used/for sale' sections of hardware forums for memory and a CPU to couple with a PCI video card. If you're just getting used stuff, the memory and CPU will be next to nothing, meaning that your primary investment (a PCI video card) will at least be able to carry over to your next machine for multi-display goodness.
A CPU upgrade, another gig of memory, and a newer video card will definitely make your computer feel a lot faster. I think for you this would be the way to go.
Also an PCI-E x16 video card (8600 GTS 512 MB) I'll throw in for nix.
If anybody out there has a spare old socket 775 mobo and a gig or two of DDR2 RAM, we (the forums) might be able to Christmas your computer upgrade problem away...
for upgrades? I don't see spending more than about $50-60. Anything over that is pushing half the cost of a brand new system, and it wouldn't really be worth it.
I appreciate the offer, but my motherboard is socket 478 and only has old school PCI, not PCIe.
Video card question:
The new system I'm looking at happens to have onboard 256MB video. The plan is to get a PCI video card that will not only be great in my current system, but will also at least be better than onboard in my new system, so that I can use that while I'm saving up to invest in a more serious video card.
So, the question is, if the mobo has onboard nVidia GeForce 7025 with a max of 256MB shared, what's the minimum type of card I would need to still be better? Can I get away with a card with only 128MB, and still be better than onboard with 256MB shared? Or what?
Thank you, all, again, you're being extremely helpful.
psst, take that very nice offer than than just buy something like this:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157173 with some of this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220088
that will kick the ass out of any cpu/vid card upgrade you do on your current mobo.
and I bet you could go even cheaper if you just search for a used mobo, lots of people have upgraded past 775 and will have them. I bet you could find a mobo/ram for $30 if you look for a bit.
why do people say this? does a computer get to a certain age and a little gremlin comes to suck the usefulness out in the night?
bump the ram to 2GB, install linux, give it to charity. Then get a modern computer.
tl;dr?
That's the whole point of this thread. I'm trying to find the most inexpensive way to upgrade this machine so that it will still be good for what I want to do for another year or so, and then after that still be decent enough to be worth hanging onto, if only for web-browsing/word-processing.
All I can say is that I do not forget charity. I'm not asking anybody for anything other than advice, and I am humbled that the community is being so generous, especially since I do not usually frequent the Tavern.
Also, OP updated.
Well, the PSU I have is actually pretty new, only about a year and a half old. And it's rated 350W. I really don't want to replace anything I don't have to.
I don't need to turn this thing into a beast, I just need it to be good enough until I can get a new rig.
e: also, I'm not seeing any cheap 775 motherboards. Not even used/refurbs. Anybody got any leads on that angle?
Aaah. I thought you wanted to keep the old system for family members to use. This makes things a bit easier.
Apart from that, does anybody here have a Core2Duo stock Intel cooler they could fire off to Tox? I've got mine just sitting there, but it weighs enough to make me want to ship this stuff by sea rather than air...
USPS flat-rate shipping. You can probably fit everything into a $10 box.