Hello. I would like to upgrade my PC. I think I may have to do it in stages, but there is a possibility I can just get a bunch of new components in one or two shots.
Here are my answers to the pre-post questionnaire:
1. Budget: How much money are you willing to spend on the new build?
A: Around $1500
2. Brands: Are there any brands of components you want or don't want?
A: whatever tech people think is best. i've had hit and miss success with Maxtor and western digital HDD. and I've only used INtel for chips but can try other things.
3. Multitasking: Will you be multitasking with this computer and if so, how much?
A: Yes. Internet use (multiple windows), image (JPEG) tranferring, image scanning, DVD burning, downloading.photoshop
4. Gaming: Will you be gaming and if so, how much and how new are the games?
A: No
5. Calculations: Will you be doing any intense calculations or media encoding?
Converting between lossless music files, scanning images, using photoshop
6. Overclocking: Do you plan on overclocking and if so, how much?
A: No
7. Storage: How much storage will you need and what will you be storing?
A: I was looking at TB drives, but results seem mixed overall. I will be storing music (mp3, FLAC, SHN and lossless), pictures, movies (MPEG, AVI). I'd like over 1TB of extra storage.
8. Legacy Support: Will you need support for older hardware like parallel, serial, or PS/2 devices?
I want to look into upgrading all of my older hardware, and which of that hardware I can/should transfer to a new system
9. Operating System: Do you want Windows XP or Vista, or Linux compatibility?
XP
10. Case: Do you want help selecting a case and if so, how big do you want it?
depends on if tech supporters think I should get a new one
11. Accessories: Do you want a keyboard, mouse, or other items included?
No
12. Recycled Components: Will you be reusing any components you already have?
Yes, monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers
13. Monitor: If you want a monitor, what size do you want and should it be widescreen?
No
14. Stores: Do you have any online stores that you prefer to purchase from?
TigerDirect, Amazon, newegg
15. Location: What country do you live in?
USA
I'm also wondering what kind of cooling system I should get. My drives tend to reach around 48-50C, and I know that's not good, but I'm not sure what to do to keep them cool. I have two HDs right now, are there cheap, but good cooling systems I can get for these as well as any new drives I get? Thanks.
As for my hardware info:
Manufacturer : vpr Matrix ™
Mainboard : Intel D845PEBT2
Chipset : Intel i845PE
Processor : Intel Pentium 4 @ 2666 MHz
Physical Memory : 1024 MB (2 x 512 DDR-SDRAM )
Video Card : Nvidia Corp GeForce FX 5500 [NV34.6]
Hard Disk : Maxtor (251 GB)
Hard Disk : ST3160815A (160 GB)
DVD-Rom Drive : SONY DVD RW DRU-830A
DVD-Rom Drive : LITEON DVD-ROM LTD163D
Monitor Type : Samsung SyncMaster - 22 inches
Network Card : Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL (ICH4/ICH4-L) PRO/100 VE Network Connection
Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 5.01.2600 Service Pack 2
DirectX : Version 9.0c
I recently upgraded my graphics card, DVD-RW drive and monitor (going to get a newer one soon, but that's not a priority right now).
Most of this stuff are the same components that came with my computer when I got it in 2003 (or 2002. don't remember exactly).
What would be the most crucial parts to upgrade right now, if I only had a budget of $1500? I do want a new hard drive, and was wondering about another drive slot enclosure as well as different cooling fans, but the fans and enclosures are not a high priority right now, though the HDD is.
thanks :wave:
