Chuck it or upgrade it?

[Dylanj123]

Hey guys our home computer is getting to the stage were it can't do even the most simple jobs anymore without waiting 10 minutes or more for them to load and my dad is getting fed up with it. He can't understand why it wont open up his emails the same way it did almost 4 years ago. So he has decided to face the facts and get something new in it. But doesn't know if we should upgrade what is in there now or give it to my little brother and start afresh. The computers stats are as follows

OS: Windows XP Home
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHz
RAM: 512MB (Unknown speed or such)
HDD: 80GB (Unknown cache or RPM)
GPU: nVidia GeForce 4 420MX 32MB
PSU: Unknown
Optical: DVD reader/CD Burner
Screen: 15" LCD

Now all that cost close to AU$4500 from HP at Harvey Normans almost 4 years ago, so as you can guess it is starting to get really buged down.

All my dad does on the computer is read his emails through Outlook Express and occasionaly surf the net looking at car sites and such. So is it worth keeping it and putting another 512 of RAM in there and an extra 300GB HDD or just starting again?

He said he didn't want to spend more then AU$1000 but i could posible talkk him to an extra 500. He also said if he spent that much he would expect a 19" LCD to go with it (Doesn't care about the speed of it). Now I was hoping I could turn this into a gaming rig kind of because gaming on my laptop is a lost cause so I would probally buy a nVidia 7900GS or 9600GT with my own money to do that, would those cards be able to handle Battle Field 2 and Guild Wars?

Thanks alot
Bartman

 

[TEKKA]

Why don't you format it and put xp back on it and see how it goes.

have you done that since you got it? and then just buy a 19" lcd.

specs aren't that bad.
OS: Windows XP Home
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHz
RAM: 512MB (Unknown speed or such)
HDD: 80GB (Unknown cache or RPM)
GPU: nVidia GeForce 4 420MX 32MB
PSU: Unknown
Optical: DVD reader/CD Burner
Screen: 15" LCD

 

[Dylanj123]

We've had it reformated twice since we've had it the first time about a year ago and the second just a couple of months.

 

[Shane]

Try getting more ram...

It could be your internet connection also why its slow opening up emails.

I wouldnt realy go out and splash more money on a new computer just for reading emails & surfing the net.

That system should be fine for that.

 

[ryf]

upgrade the video card (also recommend 7600GT) and toss in some RAM

my 1.3 P3 tulatin played the demo acceptably with a gig of pc133 ram.

the minimum specs for BF2 deluxe are 1.7ghz processor 512meg ram and 3.5 gig of available hard drive and directx 9 compatible video card.

I wouldn't recommend wasting the $10 on deluxe version if your into online playing, usually only one or two servers running on Special forces expansion (included in deluxe version)

my new (finished 1 week break in yesterday) AMD xp 3800 with geforce 7600 gt and 1 gig ddr2 800 ram plays it easily with all settings on HIGH

 

[tractorboy]

If it is the PC you have listed, there is nothing wrong with that one. I think it is onr of three things.
1. It is rare, I have seen a few HDs that go bad in a way that they run slow., verey rare though.
2. infected,
3. you could have bad ram
DL this program, there is one that will make a bootable diskette that you boot your pc from, if you do not have a floppy there is an iso image file.
http://www.memtest86.com/

 

[Dylanj123]

Good news my Dad decided to just bite the bullet and buy a new system.
So the old one is going to my brother and the new system will be built in the next week. Stats are as following.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo e6300
RAM: 2x512mb PC4200
MOBO: Unknown yet but is ASUS
Monitor: 19" LCD
OS: Windows XP Home
GPU: We paid for an nVidia 7300GS but he is looking into some prices of other and might change to them.
HDD: 250GB
Optical: DVD Burner
Mouse: Logitech G5
Keyboard: Logitech G15

All up AUD$1789 excluding the keyboard and mouse which I am buying seperatly and including a total reboot of the other computer.
Is there anything from that that you would recommend I change?
Also with those specs and say an nVidia GeForce 7600GS what kind of performance and settings should I expect on BF2 and GW?

Thanks for all our help I'm stoked about this computer.
Bartman

 

[computermaineack]

I have a 7600GS...I haven't really played many games with it yet, but it's pretty decent....around average settings. Nothing super-high, though.

 

[Dylanj123]

What about a 7600GT then or a 7900GS What is better?