Gearhead3990
Solid State Member
- Messages
- 18
Hi everyone, just joined this forum, and hope to stick around. I posted this thread on another site (actually, in the off-topic section on J-Body. Org(an automotive site)), and all i got was a few guys telling me to look into buying a refurb computer, not listening to what i was saying or asking.
Anyway, here goes. I am looking to rebuild/uprgrade a very old computer. I am a broke a** college student, so el cheapo is the goal. This will be my first computer build short of adding memory and vid cards. I am looking to do this mostly for fun and learning, but i also hope to get a better computer in the process.
Original computer specs-
HP Pavilion a605x
AMD Athlon XP 2800/2.08Ghz
curently 1Gb DDR
currently onboard graphics although i have had two different vid cards in the past
Windows XP "2002" SP3 (originally SP1)
The computer was bought new in summer of 2004. This thing is just barely still running, in fact i dont know how it is running- Spontaneous rebooting, constant errors, processor temp approaching 80C (i saw it hit 83 last week
), not to mention slow as ****. Have run full system restore 4 times in last 3 months, even formatted hdd and did restore from disc, so it is not a software issue as someone on JBO tried to tell me. (thats what i get for posting a computer question on an automotive site
)
So I have been pricing out parts on Newegg.com, and i am planning on doing the build in two phases. I am figuring on a budget of 200$ or less for the first phase, that is- MOBO, CPU, Ram, PSU.(when i said cheap, i meant it. lol) My plan is to get a mobo w/ integrated graphics, basic dual core, as well as reusing the 80Gb PATA HDD, and the PATA DVD drive, to get by untill i can put out the cash for a new sata hdd, dvd drive, and video card
I have a few questions though.- 1. Can i run the HDD and the DVD drive at the same time on a single port?
2. Should i run DDR2, or DDR3?(how much more should i pay for a DDR3 setup?)
3.- this is the big one- I have read that if you change the mobo and/or HDD, you have to buy a new license of windows. I would like to stick with XP, but i refuse to pay half again as much for an OS as i am spending on the rest of the computer. So is this true, am i just sol?
P.S.- i would like to use AMD based components- the computer was originally AMD, and it lasted a good 5 years with no problems whatsoever.
Thanks a bunch!
Anyway, here goes. I am looking to rebuild/uprgrade a very old computer. I am a broke a** college student, so el cheapo is the goal. This will be my first computer build short of adding memory and vid cards. I am looking to do this mostly for fun and learning, but i also hope to get a better computer in the process.
Original computer specs-
HP Pavilion a605x
AMD Athlon XP 2800/2.08Ghz
curently 1Gb DDR
currently onboard graphics although i have had two different vid cards in the past
Windows XP "2002" SP3 (originally SP1)
The computer was bought new in summer of 2004. This thing is just barely still running, in fact i dont know how it is running- Spontaneous rebooting, constant errors, processor temp approaching 80C (i saw it hit 83 last week
), not to mention slow as ****. Have run full system restore 4 times in last 3 months, even formatted hdd and did restore from disc, so it is not a software issue as someone on JBO tried to tell me. (thats what i get for posting a computer question on an automotive site)So I have been pricing out parts on Newegg.com, and i am planning on doing the build in two phases. I am figuring on a budget of 200$ or less for the first phase, that is- MOBO, CPU, Ram, PSU.(when i said cheap, i meant it. lol) My plan is to get a mobo w/ integrated graphics, basic dual core, as well as reusing the 80Gb PATA HDD, and the PATA DVD drive, to get by untill i can put out the cash for a new sata hdd, dvd drive, and video card
I have a few questions though.- 1. Can i run the HDD and the DVD drive at the same time on a single port?
2. Should i run DDR2, or DDR3?(how much more should i pay for a DDR3 setup?)
3.- this is the big one- I have read that if you change the mobo and/or HDD, you have to buy a new license of windows. I would like to stick with XP, but i refuse to pay half again as much for an OS as i am spending on the rest of the computer. So is this true, am i just sol?
P.S.- i would like to use AMD based components- the computer was originally AMD, and it lasted a good 5 years with no problems whatsoever.
Thanks a bunch!
