How's my system?

Here's what I've got... (w/17" screen, scanner, printer, etc.)
Processor: 468 Mhz Intel "Family 6" (Stepping 5)
BIOS: Award Software 12/16/99
Bus Type: PCI, ISA, AGP, USB
Ports: 1 Parallel, 2 Serial
Memory; 192 MB (66% Utilized)
Floppy: 1.44 MB
Hard Disk: 19.08 GB (VERY FULL!)
Multimedia: Sound, Joystick, CD-ROM (32X Burner)
Video: 800X600 in 64K Colors, S3 Inc. savage4,
O.S.: 98SE
DOS: 7.10
Here's what I'd like:
80GB Hard Drive; DVD+-RW; XP; Faster Processor (?)

Question: Will it work on my current system? If not, what do I need to replace? Should I just buy new? BTW, I use my PC for music downloads, word processing, IT & e-mail. Very little gaming. I'd like to be able to run a good, Office program with invoice reconciling, billing, etc., as I'm a General Contractor. THANX!!!

 

Hi,
I take it you are refering to the Aopen AX3L.
Here are the motherboard specifications:
http://english.aopen.com.tw/products/mb/AX3L.htm
It is Pentium III with a 66mhz FSB.

Recommended maximum CPU size is a Celeron Socket 370 @ 533mzh here:
http://english.aopen.com.tw/tech/report/cpuref/skt370.htm

I see it states max HDD size as 32GB. (You could probably run an 80GB HDD using a Drive Overlay). If you got a 20 GB and kept your current drive as well, you would have around 40GB.

Maximum memory on that board is only 384mb. I think 256mb is the minimum recommended for Win XP.

You would have to check if DVD burner would run on those specs.

Conclusion: upgrade may be a lot of trouble to go to without much gain.

Matt

 

My system (cont'd)

Thanx Arie & Mattman, That's all I wanted to know.

Thanx again. Happy Holidays!

 

Initial poster said 486 MHZ, not a 486SX or 486DX. Huge difference as the 80486 family never got anywhere NEAR 486 Mhz!!!!!

I have to concur that XP's minimum system specs are way above what you have for a processor.

Partition Commander handles very large HDDS. Far larger than Windows 98 Fdisk can. I have an older version (pre XP), and it sees ALL of my 160 GB hdd, while even WinME fdisk only sees 29 GB of that 160 GB HDD.

I think Partition Commander/System Commander is better than Partition Magic/Boot Magic (ducking and dodging the incoming Flames).

IF you can ADD a hard disk, do so (on primary IDE channel), and you will need a dual drive IDE cable.

 

Thanx Again!

Sarrisi and all; Thanx Again! My original post was for one reason. To find out from "ya'll" what you thot about upgrading vs. new system. I got my answer and so now I'm looking at a Dell Dimension 2400: Pent. 4; 2.4G; 533 Mhz; XP Pro; 512MB Shared DDR SDRAM at 333Mhz; Office Small Business 2003; Norton 2003; 17" monitor; integrated Intel 3D extreme Graphics card; Integrated audio card; 120G Ultra ATA/100 7200RPM HD; Dual Drives: 48x CD-ROM & 4X DVD+RW; "Record Now! Deluxe "; Dell keyboard; 56K PCI Fax Modem; Dell Gigabit Ethernet card. Total cost: $ 1046.00. I use the machine primarily for data; Accts. Pay./Accts. Rec.; word processing and music and video downloads. I do very little gaming. I would like to be able to load a good CAD program for my remodeling business. Also, I want to be able to play burn CD's & DVD's. How does this sytem sound? I'd appreciate your thots.

 

That system will do what you want, and more, but it's not an AMD... It will still have "Intel Inside ", But, it's a fair price for what you are getting, and it will meet and exceed your needs.

Suggestions:
Give Open Office a try (it's free!) for your office software demands.

Partition that harddrive, at least 3 or 4 will do.

Since you're doing music and video, get another 512 stick of RAM

Make sure it's NIS, not NAV, alone

Insist on a full XP Pro cd (NOT a "recovery disk ")

Wise choice going with XP Pro

Johanna

 

Dell?...Dell?
Look good, good value, but down the track??? Upgrade will cost arms, legs and few other bits.

Why not custom build (get a retailer to put it together for you) with parts that are (a little bit) future-proof?

Tomorrow you may want to do Video Editing...today's high level processing challenge...what's tomorrows?....looks like total "entertainment "................

 

Mattman, I couldn't agree with you more on your views about upgrading.

Johanna brings up several good points too, an XP install disc is far better than a recovery disc and yes, another stick of 512 Megs of memory would be nice.

I run 1 Gig of PC2700 DDR here in my homebuilt 3 GHz machine because I do a lot of graphics and CAD work.

Miracleman should check to see if that machine has an AGP slot on the motherboard and how many unpopulated PCI slots are available for expansion.
The integrated video can hold no match to the current array of AGP video cards we have to choose from today.

Last but by no means least, if he were to build the new machine himself, he would save a bundle of "frog skins"

Daddad