Upgrading my computer - The cheap way

[Norellicus]

I am just fine with using XP. My mother got a computer from Fry's and they loaded it with Vista and all she does is bitch about it lmao. But she isn't very computer savvy.

I know most everyone who reads this forum knows this, but this is why vista fails. If they can't even make it intuitive for the un-savvy, then what was the fucking point of all the changes in the first place?

Stop trying to innovate, Microsoft! Especially when it's already been done and you're just copying!

[Azalee]

Yeah, I agree. My mom knows some stuff, but she mostly uses her computer for updating websites and occasionally messing around with photoshop... But when something goes -wrong-, she really has no idea what to do.

[Amele]

I know most everyone who reads this forum knows this, but this is why vista fails. If they can't even make it intuitive for the un-savvy, then what was the fucking point of all the changes in the first place?

Stop trying to innovate, Microsoft! Especially when it's already been done and you're just copying!

the changes were mostly for people who aren't unsavvy. *shrugs* the real purpose of vista was to be able to fix some of the inherent security issues with XP's kernel and shell anyway - it's just unfortunate that most people disable the front line features (UAC, etc) because microsoft made them a little too intrusive.

honestly, part of vista's problem is they didn't make it different enough (under the hood) it's still NTFS, it's still the same memory architecture (just larger word size), it's still the same basic explorer shell. etc.

[levish]

If all you do is ffxi a step up to a better agp video card and a better cpu (craigslist or ebay and wait for a good deal) that fits in that motherboard is probably all that i'd bother with even though I don't personally like spending any money at all on a system that old.

[Azalee]

If all you do is ffxi a step up to a better agp video card and a better cpu (craigslist or ebay and wait for a good deal) that fits in that motherboard is probably all that i'd bother with even though I don't personally like spending any money at all on a system that old.

Well I am planning on upgrading the whole thing, so it wouldn't be old anymore.

[levish]

My point was that a full overhaul for ffxi specifically is pretty pointless if you'd rather save a few bucks and just go with a processor upgrade and a semi-current video card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102730

+ a ebay 30-50$ processor upgrade is about as good as ffxi will get

Heck the 3850 will even do a better than decent job playing current games

[Isiolia]

It's not just FFXI, just not other games. FFXI + other apps running, or perhaps doing general computing stuff too. My assumption would be more that the OP wants a better machine in general, just doesn't care about gaming on it outside of FFXI.

Though, hey, you never know, when you have a machine capable of gaming well, the possibility of picking up a new game is higher =P

[Amele]

My point was that a full overhaul for ffxi specifically is pretty pointless if you'd rather save a few bucks and just go with a processor upgrade and a semi-current video card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102730

+ a ebay 30-50$ processor upgrade is about as good as ffxi will get

Heck the 3850 will even do a better than decent job playing current games

at 190$ you're almost halfway to building a new box period that will both last 4 more years (rather than the 18 months if you're lucky that you could milk out of this upgrade) and perform worlds better.

[levish]

at 190$ you're almost halfway to building a new box period that will both last 4 more years (rather than the 18 months if you're lucky that you could milk out of this upgrade) and perform worlds better.

I don't have my amd's 100% straight but I believe a athlon xp 2600+ or better sould drop in and they go up past 2.2ghz which would be a big step up from the duron (celeron equivalent for AMD's line for that mobo iirc) and the 3850 is a very good card (for the money).

TBH you could probably snag a Athlon XP 3000+ off ebay (assuming the board would recognize it) for around 35$ or so with a tiny bit of patience.

About the only bad thing about it is that its not a dual core processor which would make the multi tasking the OP is doing a bit smoother but we are talking about spending ~135+ shipping for the card and ~35$ for the processor (and itd still do fine for current games at lower resolutions).

[Azalee]

It's not just FFXI, just not other games. FFXI + other apps running, or perhaps doing general computing stuff too. My assumption would be more that the OP wants a better machine in general, just doesn't care about gaming on it outside of FFXI.

Though, hey, you never know, when you have a machine capable of gaming well, the possibility of picking up a new game is higher =P

This.

It is just time for a new computer. This was the first computer I put together, and now it is time to put it to rest. =P

It even has a floppy drive. :/

And I doubt I will pick up more games, haha. If I do it would be for my DS or Gamecube.

[Isiolia]

I don't have my amd's 100% straight but I believe a athlon xp 2600+ or better sould drop in and they go up past 2.2ghz which would be a big step up from the duron (celeron equivalent for AMD's line for that mobo iirc) and the 3850 is a very good card (for the money).

TBH you could probably snag a Athlon XP 3000+ off ebay (assuming the board would recognize it) for around 35$ or so with a tiny bit of patience.

About the only bad thing about it is that its not a dual core processor which would make the multi tasking the OP is doing a bit smoother but we are talking about spending ~135+ shipping for the card and ~35$ for the processor (and itd still do fine for current games at lower resolutions).

It's not that it wouldn't be a step up, as it certainly would be.

Simply bumping the CPU and GPU just isn't as comprehensive an upgrade as building a new machine is.

Considering what can be built for $500 now, spending $170-200 just on a couple new components just isn't prudent. That extra cash wouldn't be going into components that could be reused. The system would simply be less out of date, and it wouldn't be long before an upgrade was desired again.
My main machine is faster than your end result there, and it's over two years old.

I think what you've suggested would be a fine upgrade path for someone with a different budget or needs. For someone with more cash flow, who was simply trying to push their aging system along until Nehalem drops, it'd be perfect.

For someone who seems to be scrimping just to get a budget box put together, I think it's wiser to save their money until they can put it all into a system that'll last them a few years. Saving that $170 means either being able to build earlier, or being able to build something a little nicer when the time comes.

[mootsfox]

Come back when you have 500 or 600 like Shuemue said.

[levish]

It's not that it wouldn't be a step up, as it certainly would be.

Simply bumping the CPU and GPU just isn't as comprehensive an upgrade as building a new machine is.

Considering what can be built for $500 now, spending $170-200 just on a couple new components just isn't prudent. That extra cash wouldn't be going into components that could be reused. The system would simply be less out of date, and it wouldn't be long before an upgrade was desired again.
My main machine is faster than your end result there, and it's over two years old.

I think what you've suggested would be a fine upgrade path for someone with a different budget or needs. For someone with more cash flow, who was simply trying to push their aging system along until Nehalem drops, it'd be perfect.

For someone who seems to be scrimping just to get a budget box put together, I think it's wiser to save their money until they can put it all into a system that'll last them a few years. Saving that $170 means either being able to build earlier, or being able to build something a little nicer when the time comes.

You are forgetting that for the intended purpose (ffxi) the 2 upgrades would last indefinitely.

I do agree with you that throwing money at a system this old is not a good move for most users (I've said it earlier in the thread).

[Isiolia]

You are forgetting that for the intended purpose (ffxi) the 2 upgrades would last indefinitely.

Perhaps, but the OP has reinforced that it's not just for FFXI. That's simply the only game they're concerned with running. Not all applications are games =P