Okay some more stuff for computer guys...

[makenzie71]

I have a compaq S4100NX...it's old and, while it doesn't completely suck, it's not that great a computer.

I have $250 to spend, but I want to spend as much LESS, or dedicate that amount to the best parts I can get, that I can.

I would like to buy a new motherboard and a dual core processor.  Will it be possible to install the new motherboard/processor/s with my existing hard drive and XP operating system?

I will also like to buy a new video card.

Suggestions on motherboards and processors would be appreciated.  I would like to use as much as I can from my S4100NX as possible.

[annguyen1981]

Depending on the case, you might not be able to put an aftermarket MB into the case... depends on locations of holes and such.

But yes... you can use your current HD with a new MB.  It'll probably go through a NEW HARDWARE FOUND phase when you first turn it on.

[PachmanP]

My quick googling of S4100NX's says it's a celeron 2.4 ghz with an 80 gig hard drive and integrated graphics.  I don't know that there's any parts worth salvaging from the original box.

Typically compaq's and dells and computers of that nature use weird form factors so you can't just pop in a new motherboard and processor.  On top of that, usually the license for Windows that you get with when you buy from compaq etc (OEM licenses) are not transferable to a new machine and won't validate with Microsoft when you change motherboards.

You can get a new PC very stripped, but still better than what you have, for around $250. Another option would be to try and find a used computer a few years newer than yours, but that can be harder to do.  

Short of getting a new computer, your best bet is probably to try and add more memory.

[makenzie71]

The only things in it that I would like to keep are the RAM (single 1gb stick...can't remember type), hard drive, and my DVD writer.  Everything else be damned.

Is there a way to tell if my motherboard is exchangeable?  If not then I have an old generic case I'll use...I just like this one because it looks nicer.

If the OS doesn't pull over I'll get over it...there's a lot of people here in town who can load XP up for me for pretty cheap.

[makenzie71]

These two motherboards were suggested to me earlier because they're reletively inexpensive, but I have no idea what I'm looking at with them...I would appreciate opinions:

ECS G31T-M9 LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

Foxconn G31MV-K LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

[ohgood]

tigerdirect had a deal last week for a quad core blah blah blah for around $300. more cpu than you said you need, but hey...



now hten, there are barebones on tiger / pricewatch for around $300, with integrated graphics. integrated graphics suck, but decent video is a little over your pricerange.

as far as your harddrive, it's fine. the software on it SUCKS ASS, but we'll move beyound that, and say yes, you really want to have a fresh install of XP as opposed to the driver and dll hell you may/will suffer with a motherboard change.

install windows 7, and enjoy the new-er stuff. it's still no where near mac os, but hey, they're trying.

dual core systems are amazing. quad core, wowsers. the graphics card is where i would spend the cashola. simple dual core + nice card = really nice performance.

you're prolly going to have to buy new fans, and possibly a new style ram. i'll assume your current ram isn't ancient.

while you're getting ready to spend almost $300... think about a laptop. they have really, really, really nice displays, are quiet, portable, and very, very affordable now. the keyboards on them suck 1 million times less than they used to, and with bluetooth, hdmi, and etc's you can sit across the room (as i am now) and type while the display is stretched on a big screen tv across the room.

check out tiger, newegg, and watch woot.com also. woot just sold some laptops (craptops really) for the cheap today.

ebay too, craigslist is > *    in my experience.

post up whatcha get.

[makenzie71]

I can't find anything that even talks about integrated graphics...it sucked on my compact for not having enough oomph and only alloting 32mb of memory...in the end I just don't know what I'm looking at, I don't suppose.

I don't know what I'm looking for, really.  I want a PC that's capable of running XP.  What would you suggest I look at with the budget being in the $300-range?

Laptops are out...getting a 15" dual core laptop with a 256mb (at least) video card is going to cost around the same as just going to dell and buying a ready to go tower.  Plus, I could have just spent $200 and fixed my XPS M1710...a desktop is better for me.

[makenzie71]

And while a lot of motherboards I'm seeing have integrated graphics abilities, I have no intention of using them...I can get a dedicated 512mb card off eBay for like $50.  It's just having a PSU to handle it.

In the end that's what I was hoping to accomplish...get a new motherboard, get new RAM, get new video card, get new hard drive (if mine won't transfer), and get new optical (if mine won't transfer).

My current hard drive and DVD drives aren't SATA...they're slightly older...that would be PATA, right?  Is it possible to have a machine setup for both PATA and SATA drives/opticals?  How about PCI and PCI-E slots for video/sound?

[makenzie71]

Anyone know how I determine my motherboard's form factor?  Is it written on it somewher?

[jserio]

quick note about laptops : i bought an Acer Aspire One several months ago at walmart. paid in the $300 range for it. 2GB Ram and 250G Hard Drive. Only real downside is that it doesn't have a dedicated CD Drive but that isn't really an issue as I'm sure that I can purchase an external USB one if I really need one. It came with Vista Home Basic out of the box. Does ok for what I use it for.

[makenzie71]

There's a lot of 10.1" notbooks at walmart in the 300 range, but all are intel atom's.  They're barely an upgrade from my 5 year old Inspiron 8600.

I want a desktop that's an upgrade from my current desktop.

[makenzie71]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5692041&Sku=B69-0178

That's a complete computer setup, right?

I'm thinking I'll just get that and a IDE~SATA card to adapt my DVD drive to it.  That seems like a really, really great bargain to me...load up XP, WoW, and open office and I'm set.

[jserio]

the only thing i can see it's missing is a cooling fan. of course i only glanced over it so it may actually be there. i'm going to also guess that you'll have to assemble everthing yourself. not knocking the idea, just letting you know. looks like a good deal from what little i looked at it. 

[makenzie71]

nope...no fan...just saw that.  I've got a box of them, though, so that's not an issue.

I'm not afraid to put it together myself...I've never done is, so I'm eager to get into it.

I just hope it includes all the cables I'll need for basic assembly.

[makenzie71]

yay the setup even has an IDE connector so I can use some of my existing junk.

[makenzie71]

Anyone else have any opinions about that tigerdirect kit?

[makenzie71]

I think this is what I've settled on...I'll sleep on it and buy in the morning if I go with it.

2gb ram

500gb hard drive

The tower

That quad core/mobo/fan combo

That comes up $334.  I had to sell my Lockhart Oil cooler for my GS to get the extra money...hopefully that quad core is worth it...but either way I'd be spending nearly another $30 on a fan anyway.  It's all more than I wanted to spend, but I'll get over it somehow.  Maybe I can get $50 out of my compaq and kind of even thins out a bit more.

[Jay_wolf]

all about quad core , my pc has a windows experiance score off 7.2 out of 7.9

[manofthefield]

Your links to tigerdirect don't work, they seem to have excessive characters in them.

I built my pc last May and it was a good experience.  Never done it before, but I would do it again.  And now I feel like I know my system better, so it will be easier to upgrade and fool around with.

I bought my parts on newegg, they seemed to have the best prices for what I was looking for at the time.  The one thing you may need it extra SATA cables to connect things like the hard drive.

I used Ubuntu for a while, and it mostly worked well for me, but I had a couple little issues like sharing a printer and mp3 player compatibility that eventually turned me back to windows (got windows 7 for $30 since I have a .edu email address)

[makenzie71]

Yeah a friend of mine is hooking me up with 7 Pro...something like $40 for being an alumni lol.

The links were a result of a bad cut-n-paste...fixed now.