Upgrading a desktop
Discussion
I have just bought a new desktop which leaves me with my existing one to sell..or whatever.
Its basically a DELL Dimension 8100 1.7 hrz processer, 40GB, 250 RAM running on windows ME. I dont want to spend money adding RAM/GB etc. All I want to do is take windows ME off and put XP on. How easy is it to do this (that is me)...assuming I use my own XP disc?
Its basically a DELL Dimension 8100 1.7 hrz processer, 40GB, 250 RAM running on windows ME. I dont want to spend money adding RAM/GB etc. All I want to do is take windows ME off and put XP on. How easy is it to do this (that is me)...assuming I use my own XP disc?
I upgraded win 98' to XP on my mums machine last week and it was fairly painless - i backed up everything onto CDRs but it didn't actually delete anything other than stuff in C:Windows, so you could just bung your stuff into a folder on C drive. Should take <1 hour.
One problem i had was after the install the computer was randomly crashing/not starting. After lots of head scratching it was cured by lowering the RAM frequency and turning off Video Caching in the BIOS, although it had never been a problem before; odd.
Cheers,
Rob.
One problem i had was after the install the computer was randomly crashing/not starting. After lots of head scratching it was cured by lowering the RAM frequency and turning off Video Caching in the BIOS, although it had never been a problem before; odd.
Cheers,
Rob.
Boot from your XP disk and follow the instructions for a fresh install (don't do the upgrade).
However your license key for your XP can only be used on 1 PC at a time so if it's being used on your new PC you'll need to buy another copy of it.
Otherwise search the net for a prod Key or run Linux.
M.
However your license key for your XP can only be used on 1 PC at a time so if it's being used on your new PC you'll need to buy another copy of it.
Otherwise search the net for a prod Key or run Linux.
M.
PS i run a machine with 256mb of ram on windows XP and it's fine for internet/MS office etc although sometimes with loads of windows (especially if it's been on for a few hours) it can start to slow down a bit frustratingly. My computers loaded with crap mind! Most people would say you need 512mb minimum but you'll probably be alright without 
Cheers,
Rob.
Cheers,
Rob.
Rob_F said:
qube_TA said:
However your license key for your XP can only be used on 1 PC at a time so if it's being used on your new PC you'll need to buy another copy of it.
I've a friend who used his copy on 2 pcs and they both work fine.
Cheers,
Rob.
He was probably meant you can only use it *legally* on one pc. You can only get one online activation every 120 days or thereabouts, any more frequent than that and you have to do a telephone activation where they'l ask you questions, and then may or may not activate it for you depending on the answers you give... Unless you've got a corp disk & key which doesnt require activation (but then you won't pass WGA and/or be able to access MS downloads without a lot of faffing)
I dont want to spend more money on RAM, even though I know it needs it. I've forked out enough in the last few weeks on a new desktop, new laptop for daughter. I now need to buy a printer fot her, plus a good one for me, as the laser printer I use for work on the old desktop, doesnt fit my new one. (HP 1100 - doesnt use USB).
As for the new disc for XP, i'll have to look into it.
Cheers
As for the new disc for XP, i'll have to look into it.
Cheers
bez_uk said:
I also had that comp with the same spec (did u get the mighty geforce 3 upgrade?) was playing games on it untill about 2 months ago when we gave it to grandparents.... xp is fine. RAM upgrade would be good but good luck finding RAM under £200 (for 512Mb)
£200?? Can't you buy a complete desktop with 512 of Ram already fitted for not much more than that money?
King Herald said:
bez_uk said:
I also had that comp with the same spec (did u get the mighty geforce 3 upgrade?) was playing games on it untill about 2 months ago when we gave it to grandparents.... xp is fine. RAM upgrade would be good but good luck finding RAM under £200 (for 512Mb)
£200?? Can't you buy a complete desktop with 512 of Ram already fitted for not much more than that money?
I think there was some confusion there between 'ram' and 'diamond encrusted gold bars'
bez_uk said:
I also had that comp with the same spec (did u get the mighty geforce 3 upgrade?) was playing games on it untill about 2 months ago when we gave it to grandparents.... xp is fine. RAM upgrade would be good but good luck finding RAM under £200 (for 512Mb)
This machine would require DDR 266 or better memory (you can run DDR 400 on a slower machine, they'll just run at 266), 256MB would cost you about £10, 512 twice that and about £50 for 1GB.
Laptop memory is more expensive but desktop stuff is super cheap these days, no need to have less that a Gig of RAM, and if you're running Windows it really benefits from it.
Matthew.
Well if you correct about that, lucky for him. But I got the 8100 soon after it came out... when the pentium 4's used RDRAM (RAMBUS) and If you try and find the cost of that over than ebay its slightly costly.
Price has gone down since I last looked, but 512 MB Price: $239.00
(www.memorysuppliers.com)
Price has gone down since I last looked, but 512 MB Price: $239.00
(www.memorysuppliers.com)
bez_uk said:
Well if you correct about that, lucky for him. But I got the 8100 soon after it came out... when the pentium 4's used RDRAM (RAMBUS) and If you try and find the cost of that over than ebay its slightly costly.
Price has gone down since I last looked, but 512 MB Price: $239.00
(www.memorysuppliers.com)
Price has gone down since I last looked, but 512 MB Price: $239.00
(www.memorysuppliers.com)
Early P4's had RAMBUS... which is a sod to find... and expensive.
Best bet is actually eBay.
If you need blanking plates (all slots need to be filled IIRC) then I've got some lying about.
So just to confirm... With that machine you don't need 512 ram because that type of ram kindof makes up for it... I had XP running on it for about 4 years and only real problem was when HD packed in which is obviously not related. Runs even photoshop without to much problems just dont try and merge 30+ 2Mb pictures together at the same time... didn't like that.
That's not true, true RB memory was a bit quicker than DDR when it was new but if you want to hold more than 256MB's worth of data your computer has to use swap on the hard drive (bound to be a slow drive in this machine too).
256 is about the minimum you can get away with on XP, run any application and it'll spend all day swapping to the hard drive, doesn't matter if you have the fastest memory in the world it'll be dog slow as there's not enough of it.
My Windows machine has 1.25GB of RAM, just by typing this post I'm using half that!
M.
256 is about the minimum you can get away with on XP, run any application and it'll spend all day swapping to the hard drive, doesn't matter if you have the fastest memory in the world it'll be dog slow as there's not enough of it.
My Windows machine has 1.25GB of RAM, just by typing this post I'm using half that!
M.
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