Upgrade my dimension

Hi all

I need to upgrade my Dell dimension 3000 at home. Running unbearably
slow when I use more than one application, having to crash out and
reboot constantly and the 80GB hard drive is over 90% full. Current
spec:

2.66Ghz Intel
80GB Hard drive
512 MB RAM
1 CD rewriter drive
1 DVD burner
Floppy drive
WIN XP ser pack 2
no spare sata ports

I'm looking at changing the internal hard drive to a 250GB and
upgrading to 1GB RAM.

Looking for advice as to what anyone else would do to upgrade for a
couple of hundred £'s?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: davea [mailto:alexanderd@tesco.net]
> Posted At: Monday, May 14, 2007 5:47 AM
> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
> Conversation: Upgrade my dimension
> Subject: Upgrade my dimension
>
> Hi all
>
> I need to upgrade my Dell dimension 3000 at home. Running unbearably
> slow when I use more than one application, having to crash out and
> reboot constantly and the 80GB hard drive is over 90% full. Current
> spec:
>
> 2.66Ghz Intel
> 80GB Hard drive
> 512 MB RAM
> 1 CD rewriter drive
> 1 DVD burner
> Floppy drive
> WIN XP ser pack 2
> no spare sata ports
>
> I'm looking at changing the internal hard drive to a 250GB and
> upgrading to 1GB RAM.
>
> Looking for advice as to what anyone else would do to upgrade for a
> couple of hundred £'s?


While a fine machine and still quite serviceable, I wouldn't put £200 in
it. Luckily, you don't need to.

It doesn't have any SATA ports, so none would be spare. It uses IDE/ATA
drives.

250Gb will be fine. Personally I like Seagate, but anything other than
Maxtor would be OK. It only has two memory slots, so you'll have to
remove the existing memory and replace it. They have to be installed in
matched pairs. You should be able to sell your existing memory. You can
likely find it cheaper, but at Crucial, it is £56.39 including VAT.

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/mpar...4F7561A5CA7304

If you ever think you'll want more than 1GB, then go to 2GB now, since
you'll have to take this out then. I wouldn't, as 1Gb is a nice sweet
spot.

In looking at www.pricegrabber.co.uk, it looks like you can get a nice
250Gb for around £50 including VAT. I don't know UK vendors, so I can't
suggest a specific one.

So, around £110 and you're all set.

Tom

Thanks, I was swaying towards 1GB rather than 2 and btw I meant PATA
ports! I was looking at hard drives at a local shop with that in mind
earlier, made sure I wasn't looking at the wrong type of drive, I did
check whether it was SATA/PATA. Good advice thanks and I think I will
order from crucial.

"Tom Scales" <tjscales@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:AE0F08A2B24248ECBD510C88ED6B7A81@T9200...
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: davea [mailto:alexanderd@tesco.net]
>> Posted At: Monday, May 14, 2007 5:47 AM
>> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
>> Conversation: Upgrade my dimension
>> Subject: Upgrade my dimension
>>
>> Hi all
>>
>> I need to upgrade my Dell dimension 3000 at home. Running unbearably
>> slow when I use more than one application, having to crash out and
>> reboot constantly and the 80GB hard drive is over 90% full. Current
>> spec:
>>
>> 2.66Ghz Intel
>> 80GB Hard drive
>> 512 MB RAM
>> 1 CD rewriter drive
>> 1 DVD burner
>> Floppy drive
>> WIN XP ser pack 2
>> no spare sata ports
>>
>> I'm looking at changing the internal hard drive to a 250GB and
>> upgrading to 1GB RAM.
>>
>> Looking for advice as to what anyone else would do to upgrade for a
>> couple of hundred £'s?
>
>
> While a fine machine and still quite serviceable, I wouldn't put £200 in
> it. Luckily, you don't need to.
>
> It doesn't have any SATA ports, so none would be spare. It uses IDE/ATA
> drives.
>
> 250Gb will be fine. Personally I like Seagate, but anything other than
> Maxtor would be OK. It only has two memory slots, so you'll have to
> remove the existing memory and replace it. They have to be installed in
> matched pairs. You should be able to sell your existing memory. You can
> likely find it cheaper, but at Crucial, it is £56.39 including VAT.
>
> http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/mpar...4F7561A5CA7304
>
> If you ever think you'll want more than 1GB, then go to 2GB now, since
> you'll have to take this out then. I wouldn't, as 1Gb is a nice sweet
> spot.
>
> In looking at www.pricegrabber.co.uk, it looks like you can get a nice
> 250Gb for around £50 including VAT. I don't know UK vendors, so I can't
> suggest a specific one.
>
> So, around £110 and you're all set.
>
> Tom
>
and you can easily add a second HD to the 3000...there are kits available
(google for the kit). That way you can still use your 80gb and add a second
for storage and large files

You didn't mention the video card. That could probably be upgraded. And just
doing a clean install of Windows would probably help. Over time, with the
addition and removal of software, the registry is probably full of invalid
shortcuts and no telling what else.


"davea" <alexanderd@tesco.net> wrote in message
news:1179136014.146322.176200@w5g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
Hi all

I need to upgrade my Dell dimension 3000 at home. Running unbearably
slow when I use more than one application, having to crash out and
reboot constantly and the 80GB hard drive is over 90% full. Current
spec:

2.66Ghz Intel
80GB Hard drive
512 MB RAM
1 CD rewriter drive
1 DVD burner
Floppy drive
WIN XP ser pack 2
no spare sata ports

I'm looking at changing the internal hard drive to a 250GB and
upgrading to 1GB RAM.

Looking for advice as to what anyone else would do to upgrade for a
couple of hundred £'s?

No way to upgrade the video on the 3000. Integrated video and no AGP or
PCI-e slot.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greg [mailto:greg@sbcglobal.net]
> Posted At: Monday, May 14, 2007 9:57 AM
> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
> Conversation: Upgrade my dimension
> Subject: Re: Upgrade my dimension
>
> You didn't mention the video card. That could probably be upgraded.
And
> just
> doing a clean install of Windows would probably help. Over time, with
> the
> addition and removal of software, the registry is probably full of
> invalid
> shortcuts and no telling what else.
>
>
> "davea" <alexanderd@tesco.net> wrote in message
> news:1179136014.146322.176200@w5g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
> Hi all
>
> I need to upgrade my Dell dimension 3000 at home. Running unbearably
> slow when I use more than one application, having to crash out and
> reboot constantly and the 80GB hard drive is over 90% full. Current
> spec:
>
> 2.66Ghz Intel
> 80GB Hard drive
> 512 MB RAM
> 1 CD rewriter drive
> 1 DVD burner
> Floppy drive
> WIN XP ser pack 2
> no spare sata ports
>
> I'm looking at changing the internal hard drive to a 250GB and
> upgrading to 1GB RAM.
>
> Looking for advice as to what anyone else would do to upgrade for a
> couple of hundred £'s?

Tom Scales wrote:
> No way to upgrade the video on the 3000. Integrated video and no AGP or
> PCI-e slot.

Well, you could put a PCI card in but what's the point? Spending all
this on an old machine? Dell's got some pretty good deals right now on
the E521 right now at least in the US.

Bob

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Levine [mailto:robjlevin@nospam.yahoo.com]
> Posted At: Monday, May 14, 2007 10:40 AM
> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
> Conversation: Upgrade my dimension
> Subject: Re: Upgrade my dimension
>
> Tom Scales wrote:
> > No way to upgrade the video on the 3000. Integrated video and no AGP
> or
> > PCI-e slot.
>
> Well, you could put a PCI card in but what's the point? Spending all
> this on an old machine? Dell's got some pretty good deals right now on
> the E521 right now at least in the US.
>
> Bob

Actually, the integrated video isn't bad. I believe it is the GMA950. I
use Optiplex GX620 with GMA950 to drive my HDTVs. Handles 1920x1080p
flawlessly.

so its basically a boat anchor

"Tom Scales" <tjscales@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7F014C79A2A64E259AD565AFFB9BDDE9@T9200...
> No way to upgrade the video on the 3000. Integrated video and no AGP or
> PCI-e slot.
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Greg [mailto:greg@sbcglobal.net]
>> Posted At: Monday, May 14, 2007 9:57 AM
>> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
>> Conversation: Upgrade my dimension
>> Subject: Re: Upgrade my dimension
>>
>> You didn't mention the video card. That could probably be upgraded.
> And
>> just
>> doing a clean install of Windows would probably help. Over time, with
>> the
>> addition and removal of software, the registry is probably full of
>> invalid
>> shortcuts and no telling what else.
>>
>>
>> "davea" <alexanderd@tesco.net> wrote in message
>> news:1179136014.146322.176200@w5g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
>> Hi all
>>
>> I need to upgrade my Dell dimension 3000 at home. Running unbearably
>> slow when I use more than one application, having to crash out and
>> reboot constantly and the 80GB hard drive is over 90% full. Current
>> spec:
>>
>> 2.66Ghz Intel
>> 80GB Hard drive
>> 512 MB RAM
>> 1 CD rewriter drive
>> 1 DVD burner
>> Floppy drive
>> WIN XP ser pack 2
>> no spare sata ports
>>
>> I'm looking at changing the internal hard drive to a 250GB and
>> upgrading to 1GB RAM.
>>
>> Looking for advice as to what anyone else would do to upgrade for a
>> couple of hundred £'s?
>
>

Actually it is a fine machine with significant useful life. Might be a
boat anchor for someone that wants a fast gaming machine, but that is
never what they were intended for.

It's a nice solid machine for someone doing email, word processing and
other basic work.

Heck, I have an older D2400 and used it for a year as my TV recording
server. 6 TV tuners with concurrent recordings. Worked flawlessly.
That machine is now our family backup server and drives several printers
and our network duplex scanner.

Tom

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greg [mailto:haysg@yahoo.com]
> Posted At: Monday, May 14, 2007 7:23 PM
> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
> Conversation: Upgrade my dimension
> Subject: Re: Upgrade my dimension
>
> so its basically a boat anchor
>
> "Tom Scales" <tjscales@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:7F014C79A2A64E259AD565AFFB9BDDE9@T9200...
> > No way to upgrade the video on the 3000. Integrated video and no AGP
> or
> > PCI-e slot.
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Greg [mailto:greg@sbcglobal.net]
> >> Posted At: Monday, May 14, 2007 9:57 AM
> >> Posted To: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell
> >> Conversation: Upgrade my dimension
> >> Subject: Re: Upgrade my dimension
> >>
> >> You didn't mention the video card. That could probably be upgraded.
> > And
> >> just
> >> doing a clean install of Windows would probably help. Over time,
> with
> >> the
> >> addition and removal of software, the registry is probably full of
> >> invalid
> >> shortcuts and no telling what else.
> >>
> >>
> >> "davea" <alexanderd@tesco.net> wrote in message
> >> news:1179136014.146322.176200@w5g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
> >> Hi all
> >>
> >> I need to upgrade my Dell dimension 3000 at home. Running
unbearably
> >> slow when I use more than one application, having to crash out and
> >> reboot constantly and the 80GB hard drive is over 90% full. Current
> >> spec:
> >>
> >> 2.66Ghz Intel
> >> 80GB Hard drive
> >> 512 MB RAM
> >> 1 CD rewriter drive
> >> 1 DVD burner
> >> Floppy drive
> >> WIN XP ser pack 2
> >> no spare sata ports
> >>
> >> I'm looking at changing the internal hard drive to a 250GB and
> >> upgrading to 1GB RAM.
> >>
> >> Looking for advice as to what anyone else would do to upgrade for a
> >> couple of hundred £'s?
> >
> >