Need to know this buy next tuesday;;;;;;What's a good upgradeable computer??Feel free to suggest more than one(Please give names, model numbers, e...

Well; started up my parents' old HP Pavilion 6630 computer; and I was wondering what you guys think I can do to it;;;

specs are:
Intel Celeron Processor 500 MHz
191 MB RAM
about 9 GB HDD space



???
anything i can do to upgrade it;; let me know;


--------------------
Here's my best case scenario (i know; it's a stretch):
I was thinkin' maybe boost up to a better video card; and put in a dvd burner and upgrade the RAM as much as possible.....maybe even get a bigger Hdd (like 80 GB 10,000 RPM) and eventually upgrade the proccessor to some type of solid AMD or even Intel (although i highly prefer an AMD);

-------------------
....Yes; I know all the things I mentioned are a big stretch for such an old computer; but if any of you have a good upgrade path for me; then I'm open to ANY AND ALL suggestions.....


P.S. I wanna upgrade the graphics mainly because when I emulate the Hydro Thunder game on N64 on this PC; I only get no more than a lousy 7 fps (and I get 30 if i'm lucky *) when it should be about 60 (i think; anyway)

Also:
this pc I'll mainly use for DVD Backups/Encoding/Burning; Some Gaming; (stuff like using emulators and games like doom and quake 3 arena); and other cpu intensive things like that.........mainly I just wanna turn this old thing into a 'workhorse powerhouse of a computer' (if possible at all)


**sorry if it's too much;or just a stupid question; but i'm a n00b w/ this upgrading stuff;;;so I thought i'd let the experts give me the diagnosis**

 

so what do I gotta do??? (i'm obviously noob w/ computer building as you see)

I read that the vid card's not upgradable; max Ram is 256 mb;;;

---------------------------
what do i have to do in order to get to where i wanna be??replace the motherboard??

 

Read here to see what this guy was able to do:http://www.cooltechzone.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5135#post5135


I know he didn't do as much as i want to; but it was still possible; (so i assume) so why can't i do the stuff he did??? is it the case that's holding me back; mobo; bios; ???

 

it'll cost u less just to buy a new/refurbished computer than it would to upgrade that one.
see what i mean?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1282026&Tab=2&NoMapp=0
-p4 1.8ghz
--256mb Sdram(with 2 open dimms)
---40gb hdd
----windows 2k
-----For 199.99usd
and you could add the sdram you already have and ur other hdd could be put in if you take the floppy out. it has a agp video card but doesnt say make or model of card but theres tons of cheap agp video cards available. however it has a small power supply(only 160watt) so video card choices are limited
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?Recs=10&Nav=|c:318|c:933|&Sort=3

 

minimum processor for most DVD burners is 800mhz

Bios needs to be flashed for higher processors if a bios upgrade can be found and even then the mother board has it's caps

one can only upgrade to a limit

like the other person said : cheaper and easier to get better from refurbished.

500 celeron runs at around 250-300 Mhz and only the processor core (cache) runs at 500

What I would do with it? Give it to some kid who doesnt have one and cant afford one.

Basically not worth putting putting $ or time into

only my opinion of course

 

What if I just bought one of these:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_tlc.asp?CatId=31


Do you think one of them would start me out to building my own computer?? If so; what do you reccomend??

 

What's your budget.

 

Do you...

A. Plan to redefine excessiveness.

B. Want to get the most value for your money.

C. Or a mixture of both

Price range?
A. 0 - 250
B. 250 - 500
C. 500 - 750
D. 750 - 1k
E. 1k - W/E

 

@tocool

Hey man! Yeah; anyway; as of now I'm not sure how much I wanna spend 'cause I'm debating whether I wanna save the money i got so far right now to put toward a surround sound or save up for a computer build....

I only got like $300 saved up right now
Overall though, I'm probably gonna use the money im makin' over the summer (I get paid to mow lawns<-----cheesy, i know, but hey, it's money) to get a surround sound system... Then; when I get a job next year I'll start saving a crapload of money to put towards a powerhouse computer....


But right now;;;I ain't ready to actually go out and get started;;;right now; I'm just getting in the know on all this stuff so when I am truly ready; I'll be able to take care of everything myself..(always w/ a little help from AD though!)

P.S. After reading the specs that ddp posted; it says that the video card on that HP Pavilion 6630 is not upgradable; but couldn't I just slide one in a PCI slot in the back of the computer?? Or is there some weird connection type thing that im missing on here??
Also; I'll crack open the case as you and the ad buddies on IRC mentioned so I can get a feel on how everything works;; cause I'm far from being a expert;; so I need all the info I can get (as cosmicgrl said)

Thanx tocool;
Halen5150

 

ALRIGHT!!!!!!!!So since I cant upgrade my old win98 comp; I've got something totally new for you guys to think about....


Okay guys;; I thought up a new plan; so here's the story;

Okay; my uncle has an 'in' with getting computers as he works in a business where people trash old ones their not using anymore regularly.....now; I know you have to pay money for someone to get rid of your computer; so i figured; why not call up my uncle to see if he can get me a computer no one uses anymore FOR FREE??

So; when I got on the phone with him; he told me he needs to know what kind of a computer he should be on the look out for for me;; so I need ur guys' help;;;;


I was thinking maybe a midrange computer that is easily upgradable. As you guys already told me; that old win98 w/ intel celeron I have isn't worth it;;; so I need a reccomendation on a variety of computers to choose from (and specs on them) so I know what to tell my uncle to get for me.....


So here goes;;;
what I want to eventually do with this computer is upgrade it enough to where I can fit at least 512 MB RAM (I'd like to boost it to 2 GB in the end); 80 or 160 GB 10,000 RPM gaming hard drive; a solid AMD (maybe 64 athlon dual core?) or Pentium processor (like a high speed p4); a real nice video card for that can handle games nice and smooth; a DVD Burner; and some other stuff; but that's what I mainly want in it....


It will mainly be used for cpu intensive tasks like:
-DVD Burning/Encoding
-Gaming
-N64 Emulation (i need a computer that can accurately play a ROM at at least 59-60 fps in order to play Hydro Thunder)
-Watching Movies
-General Uses like internet...

P.S. those specs i posted above pertaining to the hard drive, cpu, vid card, etc. and everything------------> those aren't REQUIREMENTS....
those are just the upgrade capabilities I want in the computer;;;;
my main question is what's a old-semi-crappy-yet-still-kind-of-good computer that I can turn eventually into what I described above????(a gaming/dvd backup/powerhouse computer)

THANK YOU AD!!!!!I'm crossing my fingers that you can point me in the right direction as to getting a decent upgradable computer for free....

 

ddp,

You mean ask my uncle, right???? Because I've already got that covered;; he's going to talk to one of the IT guys in his department to see what kind of a 'selection' they have as far as computers worth getting or not......hope that answers that for you


P.S. Thanx for your help so far;; I think I'm finally getting somewhere s/ this 'maxing out' thing....

 

what's a particular make you got in mind???

'cause it helps to have some model numbers or some kind of name so I know what to tell me uncle....

P.S. I'll remember to ask my uncle if they've got clones; because I'm not sure if they only carry around namebrand stuff or other...

 

actually ddp,

Do you have an example of a good 'clone' computer for upgrading?

Also; have you went the upgrade root before?? If so; let me know what model the computer was....

 

Also; I really need some replies guys;;;;!!!!!!!!

I gotta know what to get by next Tues.....

 

Will Do. There's a possibility that they've got some of those; but ill have to call him to make sure ('cause he lives way down in cali; and im in minnesota; so its not like i can just go to his house);;;;and also; i don't think the computers there would be [bold]too[/bold] old, because it's a business;so I'm sure the work they do there requires a good system; and he tells me upgrades happen there pretty often......because they have some type of program for employees where they'll upgrade you comp every year for free no questions asked.....so I'm thinking maybe there's still a lot of decent computers (hopefully upgradeable still) that they have and I could get one of those to start me out building a pc......