My PC sucks!

[Zaxgod]

As stated above my PC really sucks bad. I need some advice. I am getting a laptop for when i go to uni but not til like september and wanted to speed up this one.

Now it's really old and crappy and i need some advice on whether i could just buy a few bits pretty cheap to speed things up or if it'll be pointless and i need a brand new one.

Now this sounds really stupid but i don't know my own pcs specs so i know it'll be difficult for you to advise me but i'm pretty sure the processor is summat like 1.3Ghz and the RAM is only 256Mb. No idea what the graphics card is but i've looked at it before and searched it on google and it's almost extinct lol. Any help would be appreciated.:D

[Pirate Balloon]

Yeah to be honest if it's that old its proberbly more worth it to completly overhaul. Usually you could just double you RAM for a quick fix, but if your system is really that old then it wont make much difference.

What kind of things do you use it for?

[Zaxgod]

yea well i'm kinda strapped fer cash atm so any cheap solutions? The reason i have recently become annoyed by it is because i'm trying to view and upload loadsa pics from a killer party and its just taking forever lol

[Pirate Balloon]

The reason i have recently become annoyed by it is because i'm trying to view and upload loadsa pics from a killer party and its just taking forever lolYour internet speed any good? That could be why it's taking ages. also, if you could find out a little bit more about your set up so we can see what the max spec is you can get with out a complete overhaul.

[Innes]

http://crucial.com/uk

go on that and run the specs tester then post up your specs mate.

then we'll see what we can do

[Zaxgod]

Ok cheers Innes. Here's me pitiful specs.

MS-6534 (845M) Motherboard.

# Maximum Memory Capacity: 2048MB
# Currently Installed Memory: 256MB
# Available Memory Slots: 1
# Number of Banks: 2
# Dual Channel Support: No
# CPU Manufacturer: GenuineIntel
# CPU Family: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1500MHz Model 0, Stepping 10
# CPU Speed: 1500 MHz

Hope this helps.

[Zaxgod]

Just found where it says about my graphics card. This is all it said :

We currently do not carry any guaranteed-compatible graphics cards for your AGP graphics slot.

I think we've got 2MB internet connection with virgin media.

[Pirate Balloon]

Well with that i guess you could upgrade your CPU all the way up to a Pentium 4 3.6Ghz (depending on the limit of your board), and throw a gig of ram (or 2x 512's) in that slot.

Although having said that, your computer is like 3 generations old, so it might just be as cheap to get a decent new setup :)

[sub]

http://www.msicomputer.com/product/detail_spec/MS6534.htm

^ Motherboard specs direct from MSI.

[kurosaki7]

lol that motherboard is pathetic, you may aswell just save your cash and put up with slowness for 5 or so more months.

[Innes]

dell.com is your best bet or if you know what you're doing, which i think you dont (no offense meant) you could buy your computer in parts, as it normally works out cheaper ;)

[Azure]

As long as you half some sense you can build your own like Innes suggested.

I hadn't ever built one before or seen one built in front of me and I got it right first time. The motherboard manual tells you where everything goes anyway, but if you do not know what a BIOS is for example then yeah, i'd steer clear.

[Innes]

jsut google for a PDF tut or something. unless you don't wanna risk it and just buy direct from dell or something.

up where i live my dad has a mate who makes them and hes making mine right now:

Intel Duel Core Processor
4GB DDR2 Ram
19" widescreen
Nvidia gfx card ( cant remember the spec)

and it only setting me back 290 without monitor or 420 with...

so i'd recomend talking to someone you know who is good on comps and get him to build it or something

EDIT:

when buying on Dell change the hardware support from 3 year to 1 year, for 2 reasons

1. it saves up to 250
2. do they expect it to brake ? if not why bother with extended support

[Zaxgod]

OK thanks for the help everyone. I'm strapped for cash and I reckon I'm either gonna get another stick of RAM (because if i have wmp, windows live messenger and firefox open at the same time it's ridiculously slow) or get a friend to build me summat but cos am short of the green stuff I may just have to settle with the RAM.

[Azure]

Depending on your age you could buy now pay later, im on a 9 month pay later thing for my components list.

I estimated that I have saved about 40% on my build through spending about 6 hours in total faffing with it.

[If I were to build the same machine again I could do it in less than 1 hour - I just spent ages making sure everything was right before I dared turn it on]

[Zaxgod]

Am 17. I was thinking about getting me laptop on interest free credit actually when i've got a bit more saved up in advance. Erm i know a fair bit about how to set up a pc cos am a computing student it's just the BIOS stuff I ain't good at. I've got a friend who could sort that out though.

Right I've changed my mind on upgrading my pc, it can stay crap and my bro can deal with it lol I'm gonna focus my cash on getting my laptop. I want to buy one now but need one on interest free cos i cant afford it all at once right now. Can anyone recommend me a certain laptop / company or anything. A friend of mine says i could get a good deal from eveshams ebay shop. Oh and before you all start suggesting these crazy amazing machines my budget is around ?450.

[Pirate Balloon]

What are you gonna use it for? Because you can get a pretty bog standard one that'll do everyday things for pretty cheap.

[Innes]

DELL does monthly/weekley payments i think.

[Zaxgod]

Erm i want it for pretty basic stuff. Listening to music, browsing web, uploading pics and playing non graphic intensive games like footy manager :) I don't want bog standard though i want like mediocre so i can watch vids without it lagging.

[Innes]

price range?

This One is 399 with 1 year hardware support, including VAT and shipping (http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?b=&c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&kc=FS00004&l=en&oc=N03645a&rbc=N03645a&s=dhs&sbc=ukdhsftdhpnotebook1)

Specs:

Dual-Core Processor (1.6GHz/533MHz/1MB)
OS Genuine Windows Vista™ Home Basic
LCD 15.4" Wide Screen WXGA (1280 x 800) Display
MEMORY 1024MB 533MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM (2x512)
HARD DRIVE 80GB (5,400rpm) Hard Drive
OPTICAL DRIVE Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Drive including software
GRAPHICS CARD Intel? Media Accelerator 950 Graphics Up to 256MB shared graphics memory

probably one of the best cheap laptops around IMO