HowToFixComputers.com

Vineeth · Guest

I have an old Compaq 4400 Us with a cel 1.3; I have put in a 250 GB HDD
& the max RAM the board would take which is 512MB. I can browse the web
or do my basic word processing & stuff but other wise it can get real
slow. I mean even burning a CD can take forever at times. I am on a
budget so can't pick up a whole new system right now so was wondering
if anyone had suggestions as to how I could upgrade it further. To
upgrade the processor I'll need a new board & RAM I guess. Is it a
feasible task or will I end up spending more than maybe a new system
will cost ??? Any ideas welcome as I am at my wits end... Thanks in
advance
Vineeth

Ben Myers · Guest

I am not familiar with the chassis of your computer, but let's assume that the
motherboard is a microATX form factor. To replace it with a meaningful, i.e. a
lot faster, set of hardware would mean replacing the motherboard, CPU, memory,
cooling fan, power supply and possibly adding or replacing a video card. All
these parts can add up to a lot of money, and quickly. The processor would
need to be a Pentium 4, 2GHz or faster, or possibly a fast AMD Athlon chip.
Either one would require a power supply with a 12v motherboard connector which
your system does not presently have.

Instead of spending all the money on the parts, then expending the labor to
install them, why not consider a used Pentium 4 system from a reputable source?
You might get by for something in the $200 to $250 range.

Finally, you will still need to expend some effort on the software, whether you
buy a used system or upgrade your present system... Ben Myers

On 18 Dec 2006 19:33:53 -0800, "Vineeth" <vineeth.alex@gmail.com> wrote:

HH · Guest

The 4400US and other models in the series use very ho-hum onboard video but
do have a 4X capable AGP slot. If you are still using the onboard video, a
decent card would certainly help. It also would free the shared memory the
onboard video uses for your PC to use.
I otherwise agree with Ben. Do not put a lot of $$$ into that box. You
should be able to get a decent AGP video card for not much more than $50.

"Vineeth" <vineeth.alex@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1166499233.341765.218120@48g2000cwx.googlegroups.com...

Vineeth · Guest

Thanks, I also have come to a similar conclusion after looking at
component prices. I guess I'll just hang on to it for a while and buy a
faster system when the funds are ready & maybe pass this on to my kid
to play some play school games & stuff... wink

Vineeth

On Dec 19, 8:38 am, "HH" <hahun...@kgexpress.net> wrote: