Desktop Building/Upgrading

turbotalon1g · 04-10-2007

Ok, i know they are not the same thing, but here we go.
I wanted to originally build my own computer, but i picked up this desktop for $175 it is complete with everything but a printer so i felt, nice deal.
My question is can i use this thing to somewhat build my own setup but slowly.
It is a Compaq 5310US.
-Intel 1.2GHZ Celeron
-256 syncDRAM total system memory
-40GB UltraDMA Hard Drive
-12x max DVD ROM drive
-Windows XP
-10/100 Ethernet

um,. i think that my laptop is better than this thing by far, but this thing can actually run my 20" widescreen monitor.

Anywho i wanted to buy a bunch of memory for it, but i want to be able to use the memory in my new setup too.
If not a new case would be another first buy.

Thanks in advance.
Aaron

**JET** · 04-10-2007

You are really not going to be able to get it up to current specs. The power supply will be too small, the memory will be the wrong kind, as would a video card. Intel and AMD both just announced lowered CPU prices in the last month, so now is a good time to start looking.

I would start watching newegg for deals. I was going to start building a new desktop a couple of months ago, but we ended up getting another laptop and docking station. If you want a case and 500w power supply, I have them brand new and a good deal. That was the only thing I had bought for my buildup.

**Kracka** · 04-10-2007

That computer won't be a good base to build off of at all. The motherboard probably won't support a whole lot more than the current processor and at most you'll be able to add another 256mb stick of ram. Sounds like you bought a bargain basement budget computer from about 5 years ago.

**scheides** · 04-10-2007

If you plan on upgrading the case, I wouldn't even bother touching it. Once you upgrade the case, you'll end up transplanting everything from the old one into the new one. If the current setup takes DDR ram, you might be in luck, but I'd get more memory & just bite the bullet later.

When you go to upgrade other stuff, you'll have to do it all at once. A faster cpu will require a newer motherboard and a different heatsink/fan unit. Your existing video card may not be compatibile with your new motherboard, so you'll want a new one of those too. Then the memory may not be compatible, so you'll need new memory too, and to top it off, your old power supply might not be able to supply enough power for the whole new setup.

After all that, you'll end up re-installing windows because it can't deal with swapping out that much shit at once but then you'll say, 'gee, I wish I had a 300GB drive to go with all of this new stuff, since I'm re-installing anyways.

So just upgrade them in this box, and then later, go to newegg.com or mwave.com & pick out a nice barebones setup w/ a case that you like w/ a decent power supply, decent motherboard, cpu, 2Gb of ram, a nice video card, and a big phat hard drive & build the whole thing from scratch. This can be done for about $450-600 if you don't buy the latest-and-greatest.

92EvilTalon · 04-10-2007

I am surprized no one said this. But to really find out how far that MB will go.... Look up the specs on it. There should be a name on the board some were of what kinda brand and model of it. Thats if you want to do that.

My 2 cents. Like said before don't bother upgrading it. Just start over. Only thing I can see upgrading is the Hard drive. Like said go to newegg.com or this other site mwave.com or even pricewatch.com Look there price things out and good luck. Post the specs of your new machine and we say if its good or not.

**scheides** · 04-10-2007

You know, on the flip side of everything I said, you may want to just upgrade the memory and be done with it. What do you plan on using it for? Anything over 1Ghz with a decent amount of RAM will be able to handle *most* people's needs. If you plan on doing some bigtime gaming on it, then you'll need to upgrade, but if you wanna surf style, play in our arcade, analyze logs from your car, etc etc, you're set!