Old Computer: To Upgrade, or Not?

[Will]

I've had my current computer for, litterally, years. Its old, its nowhere near even approaching useable by generally accepted public standards. it won't run modern games, well most anyway. However it has been with me for the past seven years.


Original specs:
733mhz P3 processer
2mb onboard vram
64mb ram
10gb hard drive
4x CDrom drive
3.25 inch floppy drive
Windows 98SE

current Specs:
733mhz p3 Processer
128mb vram(radeon 9250)
384mb ram
20gb hard drive
10x dvd rom drive
3.25 inch floppy drive
External CDRW drive(unsure what its rated at, but it won't run at capacity given my computer uses usb 1.1)
Windows XP Home Edition(going to reinstall vector when I get the thing back. currently my brother is making use of the thing).

I know I could definatly use larger harddrives. However what worries me, and is the reason for this thread, is the processor. Would I get a noticable improvement switching to a 1ghz number? Given how chea pit is to buy new computers should I even bother given the risk involved if I mess up?

[hata_ph]

current Specs:
733mhz p3 Processer
128mb vram(radeon 9250)
384mb ram
20gb hard drive
10x dvd rom drive
3.25 inch floppy drive
External CDRW drive(unsure what its rated at, but it won't run at capacity given my computer uses usb 1.1)
Windows XP Home Edition(going to reinstall vector when I get the thing back. currently my brother is making use of the thing).

I will run fine with VL 5.8 STD Gold.........

[nightflier]

As you say, new computers are cheap, so I would not spend much money on upgrades for this one. Memory is more important than the CPU speed, and you have enough to run Vector.

[M0E-lnx]

not sure it will make too much of a difference. But i have a 1.3 celeron laying around here. Find out what type of socket yours is and in case it's a 370 and wu  you willing to pay for the shipping i can send it your way.

[Joe1962]

i have a 1.3 celeron laying around here.

Will has to make sure his motherboard supports the Tualatin technology, as that is not guaranteed. This ranged from the 1.0GHz A (the "A" is to differentiate it from the previous Coppermine 1.0GHz CPU), to the 1.4 GHz. Those CELERON Tualatins were the most "undercover" Intel CPUs, since they were sold as budget versions, yet had great performance and overclocking. I had a 1.2 GHz (still going strong), which easily oveclocked to 1.5 and would run rings around 1.6 or 1.8 GHz P4s, as well as 2.0 GHz CELERON P4s.

[M0E-lnx]

Wish i would have known that sooner. I ripped it out of my desktop machine and replaced it with a 1.5 p3 i could have probably just overclocked it and get the same results. Needless to say the difference was not all that great. I no longer own that machine but i did keep the processor so it's just sitting there now doing nothing.

[Will]

I know mine's a coopermine processer, so I'm going to have to do some digging around to see if mine can go that high or not(and how many fans I'd need to add to make sure heat isn't an issue).

I know it'll run 5.8, I've done it before back when I had an oldvanta for a video card. Its just a matter of making sure I've got everything tweaked out to the best I can get out of the box as other expenses take priority. Ebay being a fairly cheap scource for chips and the like if nothing else I could go there and have a look 'round. Might as well look into getting that 256mb ram stick just to top off on ram(its sad that 512 is the highest the board allows, at least that's what i had read the documentation as saying).


Still, seven years and only really NEEDING to replace the harddrive in that time.....amazing how reliable the old dell is.


Oh and in case anyone's wondering. the PS is stock and is rated at 145Watts. You know, in case power might be an issue here.

Edit: For the record I've used vector off and on since 4.2 so I'm rather happy with how my favorite little linux destro is turning out. Its even got my friend who's deeply entrenched in Vista's purdiness to stop and stare(and boggle at the effects I can manage off my seven year old machine SMOOTHLY that his top of the line number is having stuttering slowdowns with).

Edit2: From what i'm reading while mechanically compatible voltages on the Tualatin chips make it incompatible with my motherboard(still looking but that appears to be the case).