Cashmoney's PC Project:EXPERTS HELP NEEDED

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Fern9do

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Okay i figure its abt time i came clean, im not of you! i dont know much about pc's and i dont have ADSL.im posting via my cellphone but i figured its time i made a change.So i want to start a 6 month project of upgrading my PC.I have about R300-R500 available each month(Depending on how much overtime i work).Heres what i currently have:
COMPUTER- Intel Celeron CPU 2.40GHz 2.41GHz, 244 MB of Ram. 40G
Hz HD and 40GHz extra HD.
System: Microsoft windows XP PRO, version 2002, service Pack 2.

Dont know how to check what graphics card thingy i have.I baught this PC in 2004 and the only thing i've upgraded was the Hard drive and i baught a DVD writer.
Help me please guys,make me one of you,make me a pc boffin:)
On my way to make a learners appointment,will update thread with more details later if needed.
Thanks in advance!
 
Right from the beginning - stay with XP. :)

And good luck with the drivers! :D

You can also browse the FAQ in General Hardware and Software here for more information.
 
Thanx...damn cant believe i said i have a 40GHz hard drive.eish!meant gigabyte:)
Where do i start this project though,theres so many things that needs to be changed!
 
The first thing you need to tell us is what you want the PC for, and a little more detail about your current setup.

Do you know what socket the motherboard is (or even what chipset it is)?
How many RAM slots there are?
What are the rated front side bus speeds?
(all of this information should be available on the box or in the manual (or both)).

Do you know what the ratings on your power supply are? You can usually find this information on the side of the power supply, if you're willing to open the computer. There will be a wattage value, as well as Ampere values for each voltage rail (+/-12V, +/-5V, +/-3.3V).

Do you have any specialised hardware that you would like to integrate into this system?

What monitor do you have, and do you want to upgrade it?

Are you looking for value? Or Performance? Or looks?
 
Im not at home at the moment so the only thing i can tell you guys is what i want.
I want to have a nice PC, due to limited resources(Cash) i cant go out and by top of the line stuff, so im looking for good,well priced parts, so no Terabyte hardrives for me!
At the end of this 6 month period(September) i want to have a good looking(Blue lights etc etc) PC with ADSL,i will also want to use it for gaming but again nothing hectic.I also would like to store music/movies on it.
 
I think its a 16 inch monitor snerd,and yes i want to upgrade to an LCD screen but i think that should be the last item that i must buy.
 
First thing I'd do is add more RAM. You need at least 512mb to run XP comfortably.

In beanie's hardware FAQ there is a tool called SIW which can give you all the info about everything hardware wise required.

The problem with your approach is that upgrading is difficult to do in pieces. E.g. a moderns motherboard needs a different type of RAM (DDR2-800), different harddrive connectors (SATA), different CPU socket and different card interface (PCI-E). Its therefore problematic to upgrade the CPU this month and the motherboard a few months later.
 
HavocXphere said:
First thing I'd do is add more RAM. You need at least 512mb to run XP comfortably.

In beanie's hardware FAQ there is a tool called SIW which can give you all the info about everything hardware wise required.

The problem with your approach is that upgrading is difficult to do in pieces. E.g. a moderns motherboard needs a different type of RAM (DDR2-800), different harddrive connectors (SATA), different CPU socket and different card interface (PCI-E). Its therefore problematic to upgrade the CPU this month and the motherboard a few months later.
Click to expand...

Ya, I second that,

It is going to be easier to put that cash away each month, resist the urge to spend it, and then at the end of the six months spend it all on a nice, new machine :)
 
I agree... A decent motherboard and processor shouldn't set you back more than R1500-00. Just make sure you get a motherboard that will support a better processor (someday). Then a mid-range graphics card will set you back R1000 - R1500. RAM is dirt cheap at the moment, and what's nice is that most manufacturers are now offering a lifetime warranty, which means you could buy the RAM now, even if you only use it in 6 months.

You should try find out what motherboard it is, as if it is something good, you could continue using it, making the whole thing more cost-effective.
 
Thanks guys, i popped in at the computer shop earlier to check out some prices and generally it was
RAM-R250-R500
Casing-R350-R800
Graphics Card-R850-R1900

And thats just the basic stuff, i guess you guys are right,the buying it in bits and pieces wont work:(
Guess il have to open another savings account for this project and buy everything in september.
In the meantime i will try and learn more by reading these forums.
 
Check out the thread about buying a R5000 computer
 
cashmoney said:
Thanks guys, i popped in at the computer shop earlier to check out some prices and generally it was
RAM-R250-R500
Casing-R350-R800
Graphics Card-R850-R1900

And thats just the basic stuff, i guess you guys are right,the buying it in bits and pieces wont work:(
Guess il have to open another savings account for this project and buy everything in september.
In the meantime i will try and learn more by reading these forums.
Click to expand...

Good idea :)
 
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