$500.00 computer

[DarkClown12]

My friend has a really crappy old slow computer, and his mom told him he can spend $500.00 on the parts but has to include everything , i will be putting it together for him. I was wondering on what suggestions you guys have for this guy? when i say it needs to include everything that means this:
Monitor
Vid card
Harddrive
DVD-rom/Cd-burner
Floppy if needed
Mouse/Keyboard
Motherboard
Ram
CPU
Speakers
i mean everything but total prie including shipping can't exceed $500.00. i look foward to hearing all your awsome ideas, and thanx for helping my friend.

[{I}{K}{E}]

must be a second-hand pc then you cannot get a brand new one for 500 dollars (US)

[DarkClown12]

i was gona build it from scratch for him but i need the ideas on parts

[Peerzy]

Could not be done unless he used his old moniter.

[ilw]

My advice is keep EVERYTHING that you can from the old comp ie
monitor, keyboard, mouse, case, floppy, cd drive, hard drive (depending on size), speakers (if has them)

get a cheap dvd writer and replace motherboard, cpu, ram and video card.
May need to replace power supply and various other items depending on how old the previous comp is

[DarkClown12]

well they want to get a new one built for him and his mom wants to use the old one, i could prob give them one of my old monitors maybe but i duno

[Darth Sushi]

For $354, Dell is offering the following:

Intel® Celeron® Processor (2.40GHz, 400 FSB)
Integrated Video
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
256MB Shared DDR SDRAM at 333MHz
40GB Ultra ATA/100 7200RPM Hard Drive
48X CD-ROM Drive
Single Drive: 48X CD-ROM Drive
17 inch E773 (16 inch viewable) Conventional CRT
No Speaker/floppy

You can add a DVD burner with the savings. If your friend is not builder, you'll be tech support for life.

[DarkClown12]

thanx for the cool deal, is everything upgrade in that system and where the link?

[Darth Sushi]

thanx for the cool deal, is everything upgrade in that system and where the link?
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=D24F1&s=dhs

[Peerzy]

That PC will not play any games made in the last half a year and i doubt it will play any future games though down to the shyte ram and no existant inbuilt graphics card.

[DarkClown12]

that is a very good point than for sharing, ne more ideas on building from scratch??

[Peerzy]

Not really, if he needs a moniter i'd say its close to possible. What is his current spec? What does he expect, and what does he use a computer for (internet/email, games, movies, porn)?

[DarkClown12]

his current specs are this:

Microsoft® Windows® 98SE
Intel® Celeron™ 366MHz (w/128KB Cache) PPGA CPU
64MB SyncDRAM (up to 256 MB)
ATI Rage Pro Turbo 2X AGP with 4MB SGRAM
Crystal CS4280 3D PCI Audio
40x Max. CD-ROM Drive
4.3GB HDD (Ultra DMA EIDE)
3.5" 1.44MB FDD
Nic Card
PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse
Stereo Speakers
2 USB Ports (1 is on Front)
1 Serial / 1 Parallel / 3 Expansion Slot
Audio In & Out / Game Port on Front
Microsoft Office

He wants one that is fastest and wants to get into pc gaming, he also like porn sometimes i think and likes music downloads, if that helps ne.

[Snee]

For $354, Dell is offering the following:

Intel® Celeron® Processor (2.40GHz, 400 FSB)
Integrated Video
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
256MB Shared DDR SDRAM at 333MHz
40GB Ultra ATA/100 7200RPM Hard Drive
48X CD-ROM Drive
Single Drive: 48X CD-ROM Drive
17 inch E773 (16 inch viewable) Conventional CRT
No Speaker/floppy

You can add a DVD burner with the savings. If your friend is not builder, you'll be tech support for life.
That one has an agp port, right? I think he could get an agp card you can play better games with for the other $146, maybe.

And while 256 megs of ram isn't ideal, it's not completely shite. It'll be difficult to upgrade cheaply later on tho', what with dell's dodgy compability.


But it seems to me you can generally build systems with better performance than a dell at the same price.

[DarkClown12]

well give me some ideas here people, and no it doesn't hav a AGP slot

[Virtualbody1234]

15" Monitor: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=24-103-147&depa=0
Motherboard/2200+ Sempron CPU/Onboard Graphics: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-135-183&depa=0
512 MB DDR RAM: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-161-613&depa=1
80 GB WD Hard drive 8MB cache: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-144-122&depa=1
Midtower Case with 350w ATX: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-154-017&depa=1
52X Sony CD burner: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-106-822&depa=1
NEC floppy drive: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=21-152-001&depa=0
Liteon Keyboard: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=23-107-130&depa=0
Logitech optical mouse: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=26-104-176&depa=0
2.1 Speaker set: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=36-150-014&depa=0

So far... $380.00

Still no software.

[DarkClown12]

kool dude thanx i will check this stuff out

[Formula1]

Trust me , you will get a better pc than that shitty dell deal...
For 350$ alone on a pc, you can get hmm...

256mb ram 33$
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-223-010&depa=0

When it comes to amd, speed, just doesnt matter, performance does ;)
CPU 67$
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-104-210&depa=0

Good mobo for a sempron, with AGP ports....
Chaintech motherboard 48$
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-152-040&depa=1

Hard drive 40 GB 47$ , Maxtor has a good rep on hdd's
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-140-133&depa=1

or

a western digital 80 gb, if you have some extra money
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-144-102&depa=1

Radeon 9250 Video card $40, trust me, no matter what anyone on this board says, this card will be able to play the latest games on the lowest graphical/texture settings, but with a chance of little lag. I have a radeon 9000 that can play CS:Source and Half life 2 at low-medium settings :P

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-125-154&depa=1

NEC DVD Burner 59$
I have a dvd burner that’s almosr like this (has higher slightly higher speed) and works great too…
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-152-035&depa=1


All of this costs a total of 295$ , so you're pretty much gonna have to look for a monitor on your own (sorry but im a little tired right now :( ) You can find a good crt 17" monitor for around 110$ at newegg.com . As they always say, if you buy Dell you're going to hell. ;) :P

[Formula1]

15" Monitor: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=24-103-147&depa=0
Motherboard/2200+ Sempron CPU/Onboard Graphics: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-135-183&depa=0
512 MB DDR RAM: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-161-613&depa=1
80 GB WD Hard drive 8MB cache: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-144-122&depa=1
Midtower Case with 350w ATX: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-154-017&depa=1
52X Sony CD burner: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-106-822&depa=1
NEC floppy drive: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=21-152-001&depa=0
Liteon Keyboard: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=23-107-130&depa=0
Logitech optical mouse: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=26-104-176&depa=0
2.1 Speaker set: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=36-150-014&depa=0

So far... $380.00

Still no software.


crap lol, you posted before i did :( , it took me like 10 mins to post mine so thats why. But anyway the recommendations you posted ,are very good.

[DarkClown12]

i like all you ideads looking for more thought and virtuial body didn't include a vid card with his

[Virtualbody1234]

Great effort, Formula1.

Perhaps the DVD burner you mentioned would be better than my CD burner in my list.

NEC DVD Burner: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-152-035&depa=1

[Virtualbody1234]

i like all you ideads looking for more thought and virtuial body didn't include a vid card with his
The motherboard has onboard video and an AGP 8X/4X slot.

[peat moss]

Its amazing isn' it what you can do now days . I still find better deals from a whitebox store than some building their own. Were paying retail prices the Dealer 's paying wholesale. Whats the mark up,200 % ?

[DarkClown12]

you have a good point there, what kind of vid card do you recommend for ur setup virtuialbody? remember the limit.

[Formula1]

Its amazing isn' it what you can do now days . I still find better deals from a whitebox store than some building their own. Were paying retail prices the Dealer 's paying wholesale. Whats the mark up,200 % ?

I know, but when I see pc's like alienwares, selling at $2000 , that primarily comes with a 9550 video card, it just makes me hurl :sick:

[DarkClown12]

I agree with you dude

[Peerzy]

Stuff like Doom 3, Riddick, F.E.A.R, Battlefield 2 and others (2005 onwards) are all gonna crush this computer into about 5FPS. If he wants decent gaming he'll have to stretch his budget. My offer is still open for the XP disc.

[DarkClown12]

What XP Disc r u tlking about?

[Peerzy]

What XP Disc r u tlking about?


Wrong thread sorry :frusty:

But that reminds me where will you get your OS from?

[DarkClown12]

i duno dude, thats why i said include everything, what kinda offer you have for the winxp disc?

[Peerzy]

Ohh i said if your in the UK (Or are willing to pay for me to ship the disc to USA) I'll get you one that works, i offered it in another thread to someone who said they were gonna get XP from Kazaa which is asking for trouble.

[DarkClown12]

oic ,i have the dusc already, but thanx ne way

[Peerzy]

Make sure the cd key isnt a dodgy one or all your Windows Updates will be stopped soon. Little Billy's cracking down on piracy.

[DarkClown12]

how can u tell if it is or not?

[Peerzy]

You need to have a look and tell us what your PID number is (Providing the cd key your using is the same one you will be using for your friend) Also what version of XP is it? Home, Pro or Corp?

[DarkClown12]

is a PID number a cd-key, and no i won't use the same key for a friend

[Peerzy]

No, you would need to install the Windows copy using the cd key you will be using and go int START>>>CONTROL PANEL>>>SYSTEM and then under REGISTERED TO: It has a number, its the 3 digit part. So for example it could be 645. There is no way to get the PID without installing Windows with the cd key and checking.

Is it HOME, PRO or CORP copy?

[DarkClown12]

Corp and number is 641

[Formula1]

a PID key of -640- will make microsoft, that a cracked/pirate corporate version of window is a legit version, allowing that person to keep on reciving updates. I have a pirated version of windows with a pid of -640- and M$ thinks its legal :)

[Peerzy]

Corp and number is 641


I think 641 is going to be backlisted/blocked. Harsh, meaning your cd key will not allow you to update windows anymore soon.

[DarkClown12]

is there a list of PID #'s that are bad and good and what can i do to fix mine?

[Formula1]

There is a way to change it through DOS , but have no idea how. Simply use one of the VLK key gens , which is what i used.

[DarkClown12]

ok kool, so i need to use rockxp and change my key?

[Formula1]

Yeah i think, i dont know what rocxp is though...

[DarkClown12]

Should i worry about it????

[Peerzy]

Should i worry about it????


Yes, no more updates means massive secruity holes to virus's and other nasties. Even if you have a firewall and virus scanner because you won't be updated, Windows will have tons of holes for hackers and virus's to get in and have fun with your system.

[peat moss]

Should i worry about it????

This may help , so simple too. :)

http://filesharingtalk.com/vb3/t91576-.html

[DarkClown12]

i have rock xp dude, do i need to change the key tonight?

[Peerzy]

i have rock xp dude, do i need to change the key tonight?


I dunno, do i need to go to sleep now? Bit of a pointless question isnt it?

[DarkClown12]

yes very tru, how will i kno if i can't get updates will it say hey you can't get updates or what?

[Peerzy]

There gonna stop updating you in a few months. Its best to change your key now, like its best for me to sleep now and not in college tomorrow cause then i get fucked, and you get fucked for trying to update with a shyte cd key.

[Virtualbody1234]

No hurry to change your key. Just do it before the next time you update.

Edit: About your graphics card question... I suggest you try the onboard graphics and see if it is good enough. You can add a card at any later point.

[DarkClown12]

ok i will do that just make sure my PID number isn't 641 right?

[Virtualbody1234]

ok i will do that just make sure my PID number isn't 641 right?
Just make sure the PID is 640.

[DarkClown12]

well i changed mine and it now is, thanx so no worrys from now on right?

[Virtualbody1234]

well i changed mine and it now is, thanx so no worrys from now on right?
Right. Until Microsoft comes up with something else.

[DarkClown12]

what all os are effected by this?

[Virtualbody1234]

I think it's just the Corp Edition.

Btw. Did you notice my edit above? About the Graphics card.

[DarkClown12]

Yes i just now read that i will have o tell my friend about the parts tomm