Upgrading/updating an old PC

[rockybalboa]

Evening all,

I've got an old computer sitting in the corner of my room which I'd like to do up, just to see if I can. Never done anything like this before but ... why shouldn't I be able to? :lol:

I was wondering what specific order the components have to be replaced in, if any? And does anyone have some nice, clear websites that might give me some instructions?

Lorna

 

[SNGX1275]

It all depends on what is in it to begin with. More RAM is the easiest thing to upgrade but you have to know what type to use. Graphics card is next, again depends on type it is (PCI, AGP, PCIe). After that the CPU and once again that depends on the socket type and your motherboard.

Replacing CPU/Graphics card may well require an upgraded Power Supply Unit (PSU).

Sometimes old systems aren't worth upgrading, and would be better suited for doing a specific task or for playing around with. You could toss on a version of Linux and learn a new way of doing things, or you could just put Windows 2000 on it and use it as a server of sorts. You could turn it into a router/firewall/email server. All kinds of things...

 

[rockybalboa]

When I say old its not prehistoric or anything, LOL, its currently running win 98 with 128 RAM... thats all I can remember off the top of my head. It would be handy to have equipped with photoshop and dreamweaver as I'm finding my primary PC is being used more and more often by my other half... I wish I hadn't shown him how to turn it on

 

[halo71]

Win98 with 128mb ram.....well I guess its not the oldest dinosaur ever made. But pretty old. Photoshop is a very demanding program. I have an older laptop with 512mb of ram and it has a hard time running PS. I dont think that PC would be worth putting any money into personally.

 

[rockybalboa]

Nah? Better starting from scratch and trying my hand at building one from a clean slate...? I suppose thats what I'd end up doing anyway if I was replacing everything! Seems a bit more daunting though when you say it like that.

 

[halo71]

I would say yes start over new. Maybe if you have kids, they could use the old PC for homework, internet research or stuff like that. If I were you and decide to take the new build route. Figure out what your budget is and what you wanna do with the new PC then post it here. They are many people here that can recommend parts/prices and places to order from. Answer ANY question you have with a new build etc.....I wish some of the people at my job's IT department were are sharp as some of the people on this site!

 

[rockybalboa]

LOL cool, will do cheers. No kids, more like I would need it for homework and internet research myself!

 

[halo71]

You wont need it for that if you got a brand new PC just built!!

 

[rockybalboa]

I know! There would be far too much playing and footering to be done

 

[halo71]

lol...Is "footering" the same thing as goofing off??

 

[rockybalboa]

Yes... exactly the same thing!

 

[halo71]

I will have to rember that term! I think that will be lost in the translation by my redneck friends here in the South!! lol...

 

[rockybalboa]

LOL sorry, its probably a Scottish slang word... I forget I could be speaking to someone from the other side of the globe!

 

[halo71]

No problem! Good luck with your 1st PC build!

 

[Surkitz]

It all depends on what is in it to begin with. More RAM is the easiest thing to upgrade but you have to know what type to use. Graphics card is next, again depends on type it is (PCI, AGP, PCIe). After that the CPU and once again that depends on the socket type and your motherboard.

Replacing CPU/Graphics card may well require an upgraded Power Supply Unit (PSU).

Sometimes old systems aren't worth upgrading, and would be better suited for doing a specific task or for playing around with. You could toss on a version of Linux and learn a new way of doing things, or you could just put Windows 2000 on it and use it as a server of sorts. You could turn it into a router/firewall/email server. All kinds of things...

seconded on this answer. Ive got an old dell P3 Optiplex that i thought i could turn around and make something out of it, but i quickly learned that there wasnt much i could do to it. So i thought, well, ive been wanting to try linux for a while so maybe this will be my test machine. So my second computer is my linux system as my hobby on the side.

 

[rockybalboa]

seconded on this answer. Ive got an old dell P3 Optiplex that i thought i could turn around and make something out of it, but i quickly learned that there wasnt much i could do to it. So i thought, well, ive been wanting to try linux for a while so maybe this will be my test machine. So my second computer is my linux system as my hobby on the side.

That is a tempting idea... going to go off and do some research on it Thanks for the input