Author Topic: Building a Computer From An Old One (Read 4470 times)

TeamXtreemer · « **on:** January 11, 2012, 12:27:18 PM »

Hey guys, I've recently been working on something, I have an 8 year old Fijitsu PC and want to upgrade it to today's standards of gaming PC, here are some pictures of the current machine:

It currently has 512mb of ram, but recently today I purchased 4gb of ram from ebay, and 2 monitors, I have to get:

Windows 7
New motherboard
New processor
Gaming keyboard, with lights and s**t.
Gaming mouse, also with lights and s**t.
Light up case
DVD-RW drive.

HurricaneAndrew · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2012, 10:03:10 PM »

Oddly enough, I was just thinking about upgrading my PC, which is roughly the same age...

I called up my computer guy and asked him what it would take. He told me that with the PC I was wanting to do the upgrade on was pretty much a lost cause.

IDE, single core processor, 512 mb of RAM tolerance... Yeah...

So he told me that he was currently working on a PC that sounded like what I was wanting to do to mine. Here's the specs...

- Windows XP or Vista (whatever I chose)
- 3 gb RAM
- 1.8 gH dual-core processor
- Nvidia GeForce graphics card

He told me $150 and it was mine.

I ended up with a very nice PC for a fairly decent price.

Moral: Sometimes you're better off to start out new...

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #2 on:** January 12, 2012, 03:59:26 PM »

Quote from: HurricaneAndrew on January 11, 2012, 10:03:10 PM

Oddly enough, I was just thinking about upgrading my PC, which is roughly the same age...

I called up my computer guy and asked him what it would take. He told me that with the PC I was wanting to do the upgrade on was pretty much a lost cause.

IDE, single core processor, 512 mb of RAM tolerance... Yeah...

So he told me that he was currently working on a PC that sounded like what I was wanting to do to mine. Here's the specs...

- Windows XP or Vista (whatever I chose)
- 3 gb RAM
- 1.8 gH dual-core processor
- Nvidia GeForce graphics card

He told me $150 and it was mine.

I ended up with a very nice PC for a fairly decent price.

Moral: Sometimes you're better off to start out new...

(buy new motherboard)
≠
buy new pc
+
buy all new parts
+
monitor
+
speakers
+
flashy led mouse sh*t
+
etc
=
New PC

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #3 on:** January 20, 2012, 01:50:55 PM »

Just got this

Now I need a motherboard and processor, anyone know a really good MB/CPU mundle I can get for 200 Pounds? DDR3 and good performance.

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2012, 08:19:32 AM »

DP:

Monitor & Mouse, CTX 15" monitor.

I'm getting the AMD Bulldozer FX-6 Processor, any ideas of compatible Motherboards?

Nate Tech · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2012, 08:33:39 AM »

Here's a good one:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-460-AS

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2012, 08:37:50 AM »

Quote from: Nate Tech on January 21, 2012, 08:33:39 AM

Here's a good one:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-460-AS

Beast, thanks, just found this one
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/280801861270?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

Not sure which one to pick.

Nate Tech · « **Reply #7 on:** January 21, 2012, 08:47:29 AM »

Quote from: TeamXtreemer on January 21, 2012, 08:37:50 AM

Quote from: Nate Tech on January 21, 2012, 08:33:39 AM
Here's a good one:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-460-AS
Beast, thanks, just found this one
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/280801861270?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

Not sure which one to pick.

Nice one. It really just comes down to how much you want to spend on it, though.

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2012, 08:47:48 AM »

Quote from: Nate Tech on January 21, 2012, 08:47:29 AM

Quote from: TeamXtreemer on January 21, 2012, 08:37:50 AM
Quote from: Nate Tech on January 21, 2012, 08:33:39 AM
Here's a good one:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-460-AS
Beast, thanks, just found this one
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/280801861270?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

Not sure which one to pick.
Nice one. It really just comes down to how much you want to spend on it, though.

under 100

Nate Tech · « **Reply #9 on:** January 21, 2012, 08:53:33 AM »

If you keep looking you might find a better one for the same price or cheaper, so just keep looking.

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #10 on:** January 21, 2012, 08:57:14 AM »

Quote from: Nate Tech on January 21, 2012, 08:53:33 AM

If you keep looking you might find a better one for the same price or cheaper, so just keep looking.

Thanks

HurricaneAndrew · « **Reply #11 on:** January 22, 2012, 09:29:56 AM »

Terrible monitor and mouse...

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #12 on:** January 22, 2012, 09:42:58 AM »

Quote from: HurricaneAndrew on January 22, 2012, 09:29:56 AM

Terrible monitor and mouse...

I can see what happens. And the mouse works. So it's not that bad.

Jack Daniels · « **Reply #13 on:** January 22, 2012, 11:22:37 AM »

Both of those motherboards do not appear to support IDE Hard drives or AGP Video cards.

Both of those are not in your list of things to buy... So I am presuming you are hoping to carry those items over to the new build. If this is the case, you will be disappointed and you will have to save up some more money.

Honestly, there isn't anything in that old fuji that is worth carrying over. The drives are all IDE (and most mobos are going with SATA support instead) The graphics card is AGP... and mobos are using PCIexpress now. Heck, even that FSP Powersupply isn't really good for anything... but it might be the only thing that could possibly carry over to the new build other than the case.

My recommendation: Pick a Mobo... and start buying components that are compatible with the mobo to build a new machine entirely. Otherwise, you are going to be in a frustrating world of pain trying to salvage stuff from the fuji.

I don't mean to shoot you down. Just trying to save you time and pain.

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #14 on:** January 22, 2012, 11:39:12 AM »

Quote from: Jack Daniels on January 22, 2012, 11:22:37 AM

Both of those motherboards do not appear to support IDE Hard drives or AGP Video cards.

Both of those are not in your list of things to buy... So I am presuming you are hoping to carry those items over to the new build. If this is the case, you will be disappointed and you will have to save up some more money.

Honestly, there isn't anything in that old fuji that is worth carrying over. The drives are all IDE (and most mobos are going with SATA support instead) The graphics card is AGP... and mobos are using PCIexpress now. Heck, even that FSP Powersupply isn't really good for anything... but it might be the only thing that could possibly carry over to the new build other than the case.

My recommendation: Pick a Mobo... and start buying components that are compatible with the mobo to build a new machine entirely. Otherwise, you are going to be in a frustrating world of pain trying to salvage stuff from the fuji.

I don't mean to shoot you down. Just trying to save you time and pain.

I was doing that, but I don't know what a video card is. :/

Jack Daniels · « **Reply #15 on:** January 22, 2012, 01:17:25 PM »

O.k. then... Here is a quick lesson of Video Cards 101.

There is a very good chance that your new motherboard will have onboard video included with it. Meaning, that it will have a port for you to plug your monitor into and it will provide very basic (at best) video performance. It would be fine for web browsing and older games, but unacceptable for most newer games and graphics applications. The onboard video drivers on a motherboard will SHARE ram with the rest of the system. If you are just planning on using that 4 gig chip that you bought... then it will have to be shared with the video and other demands from the computer.

A dedicated Video card has its own resources and memory to dedicate for video (mostly gaming) and it allows your motherboard and ram to better focus on performing better with other aspects of your computer. In simpler terms. When you buy and install a video card it takes a bunch of stress of the rest of your computer. Also, because it is specifically tailored for just video, it will perform waaaaay better than the motherboards onboard video will.

Because you are pretty new to computer modding/building. I would recommend that you stick with the onboard video that will come with your new motherboard at first. Build your machine and learn how to put it all together. When you get it all up and running, then consider getting a video card and dive into installing that. It will probably be easier for you that way and help ease your learning curve.

If you want to use that old CTX monitor make sure your new motherboard has VGA video out. That is the only port supported by that monitor. It will not support HDMI or DVI. Newer motherboards are starting to exclude VGA ports because they are getting outdated... so be careful.

If you buy a motherboard without VGA output you can get a basic videocard that will support VGA and HDMI outputs though. But that will thrust you into buying a video card right off the bat. So, just be sure you know what you are getting into.

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #16 on:** January 22, 2012, 04:44:29 PM »

Thanks a lot scrap, really helped me there, I'll be sure to look into them, are they the same as Graphics cards? or are they different tingS?

Nate Tech · « **Reply #17 on:** January 22, 2012, 05:48:19 PM »

They are the same.

TeamXtreemer · « **Reply #18 on:** January 23, 2012, 03:11:57 AM »

Quote from: Nate Tech on January 22, 2012, 05:48:19 PM

They are the same.

Oh thank lord.

Nate Tech · « **Reply #19 on:** January 24, 2012, 03:37:40 PM »

And make sure that you get a power supply that supports pci-e power to the video card, if you need to.