Noob alert! PC specs questions

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SonnyK

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My mom has a PC with very bad specs, which are only being used for Internet banking, browsing, downloading (not multi media), email and the odd Word doc. creating and editing

Specs:
XP Pro Version 2002
Service Pack 3 ( had to up from 2 due to issues after trying to install Trend Anti virus)
Celeron(R) D CPU 3.06 GHz
448 MB RAM

Computer was slow but after installing service pack 3 it's ultra slow.

Question: MUST she buy new tower or is there a cheaper solution?
 
Find out what socket that CPU is and pray its 775. If she's lucky you can look for a core2 CPU in the classifieds. That's if the motherboard supports core2/corequad CPU's
 
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/574737-PC-For-Sale-R1500-price-drop!

If she can afford ~r1000 she can get a 2ndhand PC like the one in that link that will be fine for her needs. I know it's a lot for some people, but her PC is long past the technology curve and it's a losing game to try to upgrade it. However, if she has no other option then find out the motherboard model and we can advise further.
 
YingYang said:
Find out what socket that CPU is and pray its 775. If she's lucky you can look for a core2 CPU in the classifieds. That's if the motherboard supports core2/corequad CPU's
Click to expand...
Will check this out on my next visit there.
 
No, that CPU is not fast enough to run much of anything. Well... if you could get it to 8ghz I suppose it could run Word.

I'm voting to shoot the horse here.
 
cerebus said:
No, that CPU is not fast enough to run much of anything. Well... if you could get it to 8ghz I suppose it could run Word.

I'm voting to shoot the horse here.
Click to expand...
I'm confused. The one up for sale in your post has a processor speed of 2.4 Ghz. This not slower?
 
SonnyK said:
I'm confused. The one up for sale in your post has a processor speed of 2.4 Ghz. This not slower?
Click to expand...
The one ohe linked to makes more efficient use of its cycles, its also newer technology and has more chache.
 
From what you are telling me it would be better if she dumbed this. I've been searching for PC towers for sale but all I get is the full house "all in one" deals. Does anyone sell these new or are they only available second hand?
 
SonnyK said:
I'm confused. The one up for sale in your post has a processor speed of 2.4 Ghz. This not slower?
Click to expand...

CPU speed is quite a bit more complicated than gigahertz. The G530 is also a Celeron but it's from a much newer fabrication as YingYang said so it will be faster. That PC I linked would be considered very low end even so, but your mother doesn't need more for her purposes.
 
You said she uses it for "office purposes" and not for multimedia? If thats the case, then the CPU is fine. I'd say your biggest issue is RAM and that PC is probably in desperate need of a format/reload, since its owned by an old lady (no offence). That being a Celeron D processor, my guess is it uses DDR400. If thats so, I got a spare 1GB module you can have for free and for nothing. PM me if you're interested.
 
It really depends on what your expectations are if you have the money then buy a new pc even the bottom of the line ones will be a vast improvement.
If she was fine with how it worked before and you dont want to spend money then buy 1 gig of Ram for +- R200 and add it to the existing ram.
 
Well, I chatted to a friend now whose son got the hand-me-down PC which is a Pentium D (not celeron) with 2gb ram. He says it's totally usable. So I guess more ram could be an adequate upgrade.
 
First come back to us with the following info,

1. Motherboard make and model
2. Existing DIMMS installed
3. Your location & possible budget for a new box/tower.

Someone here might be able to help out.
 
Ok, this is the card that's installed. There's two slots, one is empty.

RAM.jpg
 
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