What Should I Change?

[ReptiGuy]

I was given a computer recently because it had a virus on it and the owner couldn't use it any more (The computer is probably around 3-4 years old). I deleted everything off the hard drive (which took of the virus) and installed a new operating system on it.

It is still fairly slow and it freezes for a few seconds every few minutes.

Is there anything that I can change on it to make it go faster? I was thinking about changing the CPU and I would replace the old RAM with two new sticks of RAM.

The computer is a HP Pavilion a808x computer btw.

 

[Trotter]

s754 3200+
512MB RAM (max 2GB)
160Gb hard drive
SiS760 onboard graphics

Considering a new CPU would be extremely hard to get (not to mention expensive), you can go with RAM and graphics.

Newegg.com - Patriot 512MB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory (for 1GB)
$18

Newegg.com - G.SKILL Value 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory (for 1.5GB)
$29

Newegg.com - G.SKILL Value 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Desktop Memory (replace current ram for 2GB)
$58 w/free shipping

Newegg.com - POWERCOLOR X1650PRO 256/64 AGP Radeon X1650PRO 256MB 64-bit GDDR2 AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards (best bang for the buck AGP)
$45

I only found a few CPUs on eBay that would be an improvement:
3700+
3400+
3400+
3400+

 

[hikaricloud]

Only things worth upgrading would be the RAM or the HDD...I'm stuck in the same boat with a s754 3200+ and good ol' AGP.

 

[ReptiGuy]

Is that the only type of CPU I can get?

I'm definitely still a newb in computer building so I'm not too sure what would be compatible with the computer.

I need to figure out what motherboard the computer has.

 

[Hefemeister]

cpuz will tell you the motherboard.

CPUID

Trotter is correct about the cpus you can use a socket 754 has been obsolete for around 4 years now.

 

[Trotter]

Pavilion a808x specifications

K8S-LA (Salmon) motherboard specifications

There's your specs.

 

[ReptiGuy]

a socket 754 has been obsolete for around 4 years now.

Oh, so that's why. Thanks for letting me know!!!

Pavilion a808x specifications

K8S-LA (Salmon) motherboard specifications

There's your specs.

Thanks for the links!!!

 

[95BlackGA]

How did you delete everything off of the hard drive? I'm not so sure you actually got rid of the virus. Did you install the new OS from a burned copy, or from one that was bought? What anti-virus program did you use to verify that the virus was gone? I'd upgrade the RAM, and video card. The X1650Pro is a good choice, which was stated earlier, or you can get a HD2600XT. Although the X1650Pro is a great card, I wouldn't get the 64-bit version that was suggested, I would pick up a 128-bit version.

Diamond X1650Pro 256MB 128-bit $57 w/ free shipping.
Newegg.com - DIAMOND 1650AGP256T Radeon X1650PRO 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Powercolor X1650Pro 512MB 128-bit $50 ($40 after rebate)
Newegg.com - POWERCOLOR X1650PRO 512M AGP Radeon X1650PRO 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 AGP 8X Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Powercolor HD2600XT 512MB 128-bit $60 ($40 after rebate)
Newegg.com - POWERCOLOR HD2600XT 512M AGP Radeon HD 2600XT 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 AGP 4X/8X HDCP Ready Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

As for the ram that was suggested, I would take full advantage of the 2GB kit. With the RAM upgrade and the graphics card upgrade, you're looking at spending around $100, which isn't a bad price to keep a 'dead/out-dated' computer going strong. I'm still running socket A.