mookdog's upgrade

[mookdog]

Pentium 4 - 3Ghz processor
1024MB RAM
40MB hard drive
DVD ROM optical drive
OS - Windows XP Pro SP3
Integrated Sound
Integrated Video with VGA port
Total price from Overstock.com $150.82
This is a refurb

It's due here,Monday the 27th.I'm taking it to a computer shop to upgrade the video,before i even plug it in.I also bought a 17" Acer monitor($150.46 Amazon) in anticipation of getting a Matrox.
If this thing works right,my only pinch point will be my internet connection.

[Ghosth]

Pentium 4 - 3Ghz processor  Good choice if its the E8400 CPU
1024MB RAM  Not really enough, should probably have 2gig there.
40MB hard drive Very very small, but 50-80$ should get you a decent sized SATA HD. (need about 40 just for the OS
DVD ROM optical drive
OS - Windows XP Pro SP3  Good
Integrated Sound          Not so good
Integrated Video with VGA port   Terrible, but you are planning on fixing that at least.
Total price from Overstock.com $150.82

[mookdog]

Sorry,Ghosth.The hard drive is 40GB not 40MB.
It's an HP DC7100.It's small - 13.5" x 15.5" x 4".Looks like an old cassette deck.
 ps.How do I find out if the CPU is the E8400? I will also ask about the memory and sound at the 'puter store.
Thanks Ghosth.

[Ghosth]

40 gig is still small but it should do as long as you don't have a lot of stuff on the old computer.

You could always add an external harddrive down the road later.

Also see how much a sound card and another 1gig of ram would cost at your pc shop.

[mookdog]

 Ghosth,this is all I could find.Mine is the Small Form Factor.
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11948_div/11948_div.HTML#Standard Features - Select Models (localized by Regions)

[Drone]

Depending on the video card you're getting, a new PS may be in order, also.

Those specs show 240 W as top end..  Assuming your new video card is externally powered ( i.e. gets a feed from the PS ) I don't think it'll be enough.

[Ghosth]

Mook, it looks to me that by the time your done upgrading power supply, Ram, Hard Drive, etc that your going to have over 400$ invested in it.

Intel Pentium 4 531 Processor
(3.0-GHz, 1 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)

So no its not a rocking fast E8400.

I guess the analogy I used yesterday with wolfgang says it about as well as anything.


You can buy cheap, in which case you get a garden tractor. Which is fine if you just want to surf the net, do email, etc. In other words you can go out and play in your yard with it for an hour or 2 a day and it will do fine.

Or, if you need serious gaming horsepower, you buy parts or systems that are more like a John Deere 4440.
180 horsepower diesel engine full sized tractor. And that bad boy will go out and plow 50 or more acres pulling 5 bottoms, and the harder you make it pull the louder she gets. She'll take anything you can throw at it for years and just grunt and snort and beller till its thru.

Aces High takes a LOT of horsepower.
Sending a laptop or a priced down system like you just bought is like sending that lawn tractor out to try to plow 50 acres.  It simply is not possible for it to do the same job.

Whats worse company's deliberately build systems like this for people who want a computer, but can't afford a good one.  They put in a "fast" processor, hey its 3 Gigahertz, right?  Yeah, just like that 70's pinto wagon did 55 on the highway too, but you wouldn't compare it to a Mustang, or a Superbee, or a Charger, or a GTO now would you? They'll all do 55 on the highway, but will the Pinto do quarter miles in 4 seconds and change? Naeha, never.

Thats why I encouraged you mook to post specs BEFORE you bought.
So we can look it up and see what your getting.
The devils in the details.

Its your life, and your money, but you'd of saved yourself both time and money if you'd of let us help more.

[mookdog]

 Ghosth,a friend gave me 2 towers.He and his mother upgraded.I've spoken to the tech guy and if any components fit,he will install them,if not,maybe a trade.I had this in mind when I bought the computer.This one is upgradeable,my laptop was not.This new comp' is twice my old one at half the price.This new one is upgradable,my laptop is not.I might not be able to afford a screaming fast system,but now I can add on,and if it takes a little time...I'm patient.Besides,even at $ 550,I'll have a much better system than I got for $400.
 Sometimes the JD breaks down and if you have to, you get out the garden tractor.You just know that when the 4440 gets fixed, the little tractor goes back into the garage.
 Thanks for your input,G.

[Ghosth]

By all means, rob a hard drive off one of the old ones, setup 2 dvd drives if you've got them, maybe one has a sound card that will work.

[BigB]

" She thinks my tractors seeexxxxyyyyy !!.. " 

Sorry... couldn't resist... any other country music listners will understand...

Back to Bondo-ing the bullet holes in Dicho's plane now...

out... BigB..

[Dichodog]

don't worry about the bondo  I ate a mountain in it over the weekend... new plane is on back order so I have
to fly that left over 109 of Simarils

[daddog]

LOL BigB. Country fan here.

Mook I remember many years ago when Makarov help me build a new system. I remember how on my old system I would see a sprite hit or two at the most. Just figured that was the way it was. On my new rig I was shocked at the number of hit sprites. The would light up like a Christmas tree.

Glad your new system is working out for you.

[mookdog]

 I just installed an NVIDIA G-Force 8400 GS graphics card.(So that's what the ground looks like,very cool) And I now see everything I've been missing, daddog.Baumer,the clipboard maps come up in a fraction of a sec.Next is a sound card.
 So far,out of pocket,w/rebate,my cost= $215.

[Ghosth]

Looking good mook!

Sound card does not have to be expensive.
A 20-30$ SB Live or similar will work just fine.

Might want to see if any mongrels have a spare sound card gathering dust.

[mookdog]

 Ghosth,my unit only takes low profile cards.The comp' guy (he's young and well versed) is looking for a sound upgrade for me.I can pay for it next month,no prob.
ps. It's like having a new game...heeheehee