Upgrading an ancient PC?

[Markeh]

My old desktop is too slow for my typical PC use (Habbo, Flash-based Facebook apps, listening to music), and I'm wondering how I can upgrade it.

I've got an AMD Sempron 2400+, running at 1.66Ghz, 256Mb RAM, a CD-ROM and a CD-rewriter drive, a 40Gb (IDE, I presume?) HDD, XP Home SP2 (am upgrading to SP3 soon), and a VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP on-board graphics chip (32Mb).

I'm looking at learning the basics of upgrading PC's on this machine, as if I screw up, this PC isn't essential (well, at least it isnt when my laptop isn't at the menders...), so, how can I upgrade it?

BTW, if I haven't given enough specs, just post what you need and how I can find it, and I will gladly get the info for you.

[Tomm]

It would be difficult to locate parts for that machine and any upgrading would be a waste of time to be honest.

[Lycan]

The Ram would be quite easy to upgrade however you'd have to know the maximum of the motherboard. a 1Gb stick of DDR (which i assume you're using because of the age of the computer) costs around £20.

Similar a hard drive would be very easy to replace but wouldn't speed up the computer really in any noticeable way.

If the motherboard has any kind of graphics port that would be another possible upgrade

each of the above being very easy to find.

You might have trouble with a newer processor and instead find it easier to replace the motherboard and CPU and continuing to use other components you have.

[Agnostic Bear]

Buy a new one. Problem solved.

[Markeh]

If I could afford a new one, I'd have one.

I'm looking into the possibility of graphics. How can I tell what type (if any) of port my PC has?

I believe the computer was made in 2000/2001, if that helps. It's in some horrid beige case.

I need RAM, but, can you just slot it in and go, and how can I find out what type I have and the mobo's maximum?

[N!ck]

You probably have SDRAM. 100MHz or 133MHz. Maximum probably around 512-1024MB. Graphics card is likely an AGP x2 or x4 port.

If anything upgrade the RAM.

[Lycan]

You probably have SDRAM. 100MHz or 133MHz. Maximum probably around 512-1024MB. Graphics card is likely an AGP x2 or x4 port.

If anything upgrade the RAM.

very likely,

Does the computer have a make/model/serial on the outside - i assume it wasn't built by you/family 10 years ago. This would provide alot more information for us to get results from.

[Mentor]

As people have said, easiest and most noticeble imporvment you'll get is probabaly going to come from upping your ram somthing like http://www.ebuyer.com/product/120640 (1gb for £9) would probably do the trick - this assumes your pc isnt too ainchent though (if your pc came with xp chances are 800mhz ram is fine :) )

[Markeh]

No make model or serial. I believe it was built by a family friend. Sorry I couldnt be more helpful. I have a feeling the motherboard is a VIA, for some reason.

Any decent compatible AGP cards? We've had an AGP 7600GS fitted in our main PC, but I think that was x8.

EDIT: I found some bits and bobs in Device Manager, all to do with VIA, could these help identify the mobo?

VIA CPU to AGP2.0/AGP3.0 Controller
VIA Bus Master IDE Controller
VIA Compatible Fast Ethernet Adapter.
VIA USB Enhanced Host Controller

This makes me believe I might have a VIA motherboard...

EDIT: The machine, when built, had Windows ME.

[Jordy]

Does it definitely support AGP? That 7600 AGP Card you have is about as good as AGP gets so you may as well use that.

Restart your computer and it should give you the motherboard manufacture and maybe more, it comes up right at the beginning.

[Markeh]

I shall boot up in the morning and snap a picture of the first boot screen with my camera, then upload it here.

There's something about CPU to AGP2.0/3.0 Controller in the Device manager (see my last post), so I think it might.

[AgnesIO]

I'll post tomorrow is a few ideas mate!

[N!ck]

Mentor, that is DDR2 RAM, he (probably) needs SDRAM.

If you have an x2 AGP port you need an x2 card. If you have an x4 port either an x4 or x8 card will work, but an x2 card will not.

[Markeh]

I'll post tomorrow is a few ideas mate!

To be fair, I'd post tonight but I've gotta wait till my camera's charged. Sorry :(

[Markeh]

Sorry to DP, but I've got the photo. Unfortunately. my camera isn't uploading it to the PC, so I will write down what it says.


Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG, An Energy Star Ally
Copyright (C) 1984-2003, Phoenix Technologies

W7061VMS V1.2 072804 15:18:19

Detecting IDE Drives... (it does eventually come up with the 2 CD drives, but I couldnt catch that on camera)

And then at the bottom...



Press DEL to enter SETUP

07/28/2004-KM400-8235-6A6LYM4BC-00 (when the IDE drives load, this changed to AMD Sempron 2400+, I think)


Hope that helps.

[AgnesIO]

To be fair, I'd post tonight but I've gotta wait till my camera's charged. Sorry :(


What? :P

I was saying I will contribute to the thread with how to make it faster? :P

[Markeh]

LOL. sorry Dom, didnt realise lol.

[Jordy]

Sorry to DP, but I've got the photo. Unfortunately. my camera isn't uploading it to the PC, so I will write down what it says.

And then at the bottom...

Hope that helps.After googling "W7061VMS" it seems pretty conclusive you have a MSI KM4AM-V.

http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=proddesc&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=&cat3_no=&prod_no=594

The good news is it supports AGP x8 and up to 2GB RAM :)

[Markeh]

Thats brilliant, thanks. So, I'm gonna get a 7600 GS, and pick up 2Gb of RAM. Would a DVD rewriter be a worthwhile investment? Are there some internal ones available in beige to match?

+REPs to all that have helped.

[Jordy]

Thats brilliant, thanks. So, I'm gonna get a 7600 GS, and pick up 2Gb of RAM. Would a DVD rewriter be a worthwhile investment? Are there some internal ones available in beige to match?

+REPs to all that have helped.Sounds good yeah, you can get internal beige DVD-RW rather easily, you can go for IDE or SATA it doesn't really matter, IDE has big fat cables and SATA is slightly faster and more expensive but either way it doesn't really matter.

As for it being a worthwhile investment that depends how likely you are to burn CDs/DVDs.

For RAM these look a pretty good deals: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/92006
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/11643/OCZ-RAM-Memory-2GB-Value-DDR-PC3200-memory-CAS-3

[Chippiewill]

Upgrading a really old computer would be more expensive (Usually) than buying a new one...

[Markeh]

Upgrading a really old computer would be more expensive (Usually) than buying a new one...

About 80-90 quid for graphics card, RAM and DVD drive. Plus I get experience or how to upgrade a PC

£250 for new desktop. I don't have that much. If I did, I'd get a netbook.

[Jam]

I just upgraded a similar spec PC (2.5GHz, 256MB RAM, 64MB Graphics) I got two 512MB RAM modules for £13 each and you can get a 256MB Graphics card for about £25 on Amazon (I didn't bother with one).

I imagine like mine your PC can only handle 1GB of SDRAM so that would be your best bet.

EDIT: Your wanting a CD/DVD Drive? I got a LG one for £20 in PC World, slow tray opening but rips music CD's very fast.

[Agnostic Bear]

I imagine like mine your PC can only handle 1GB of SDRAM so that would be your best bet.

First you didn't read the thread, then you edited and still didn't correct what you had wrong? (Hint: 2)

[Markeh]

I'm looking at the LG one you mentioned.

Currently I need my cash for a new laptop, but I'm going to upgrade at Christmas.