Precision 360 Desktop Upgrade

[Trippy]

I'm getting back into refurbing and upgrading my kit after 10 or more years of simply buying new boxes.

 

First project is the system in the title above and I'm looking to install new hard drives, memory and graphics card.

 

Dell tell me that the system will accept up to 400GB SATA HDDs with the current (original) motherboard and BIOS, therfore I'm thinking to do the following:

 

HDDs 2x 320GB (Existing 2 x 40GB)

Memory 2x 1GB plus 2x original 512MB (existing 4 x 512mb)

Graphics 512MB PNYPCi card (existing 64Mb NVIDIA)

Upgrade OS from XP Pro SP1 to Vista Home Premium (clean install as I believe one can't upgrade Pro to home via the upgrade purchase?)

 

Any comments, suggestions or experience with upgrading theis Dell box would be most appreciated!

 

Oh, BTW the processor is P4 2.8GHZ/800MHZ.

 

Trippy :)

[Tootech]

Hi,

 

My personal feeling is that I wouldn't run Vista on a P4 2.8GHz - I think you will find it sluggish compared to XP.

 

I've done a quick price up of the price and reckon a tad over £200.

 

I think thats too much for an old box. The difference between a P4 2.8GHz CPU and something like a Dual Core E5200 or Core 2 Duo of similar spec is astonishing. The latter would run Vista or Windows 7 without any trouble.

 

I'd put my money into a new unit, or even a self build.

 

Hang around for others views, JB, Snow and Dalo Harkin are also system builders, see what they think.

[snow]

Hi Trippy,

 

I definately agree with Tootech here; that kind of money would be much better spent on a new build.

 

£200 alone won't be enough for a decent new computer though. You'd need a bit more, preferably around the £300 mark.

 

If you are reasonably confident, I'd reccomend building your own system. That way you know exactly what's inside it, and that each component is of decent quality.

[Trippy]

Hi Guys

 

Many thanks for the advice. For what this one is used for a RAM and HDD upgrade will suffice. I'll forget the new graphics card and Vista cs and stay with XP Pro to keep the cost reasonable.

 

I hadn't considered Vista being that much more processor hungry than Xp (Duh!). Like I mentioned elsewhere I'm not up to speed with the latest os requirements etc., hence my first (of many!) visit here and grateful appreciation of your advice!

 

Trippy

[Jelly Bean]

Jumps in.

 

I am running Vista Ultimate 32 bit on a P4 2.8GHZ with no lag issues at all.

 

I do have 1 gig RAM installed.

 

Running smooth on the computer in my bedroom.

[Trippy]

Thanks, JB That's interesting! As I'm going to put new drive(s) in the case I will need to reinstall an os anyway.

 

I will give the Vista install a go and see if it works OK. There will be 3 Gigs of memory when I do it.

 

If it's like a garden slug after that, I'll go back to XP Pro! :D

 

I'll be (literally) dusting off the case and doing the deed later this week. I'll let you folks know how well, or otherwise, it works.

 

Once again, many thanks to everyone for the advice.

 

Trippy

[Jelly Bean]

Your welcome Trippy.

 

As long as the system is clean with no hardware issues it should run Vista.

[Trippy]

Did I really say later this week? Half term (UK) and a swimming trip to Holland got in the way :D

 

Installed the extra 2GB of RAm 333MHz and all good so far. Next thing I realised was that the two (Massive!) 40GB drives are, of course, EIDE devices. The board does support SATA and, after looking at the miniscule diagram inside the box, I found the connectors.

 

Open the packing box with the new drive in and, of course no leads :rolleyes: Have ordered some today!

 

Whilst I had the box on the bench I thought I'd have a look at the new OS. I have an upgrade copy of VISTA so thought I'd run it up and have a look at the options. The DVD drive won't read the disc (works fine in my other systems) but will read a music CD.

 

I have read here about using an application to clear dross out of the registry file that may correct the problem. Should I give it a go?

 

My intention is then to remove the drive without the OS on and replace it with the SATA drive (when I get the leads!) and format it. When I get the upgrade DVD working will VISTA let me install the OS onto the new drive if I go the custom install route?

 

Sorry for so many questions, as i mentioned I'm pretty rusty!

 

Trippy

[Jelly Bean]

Hey Trippy the issue is possibly the DVD drive needs to have its little plastic jumper set to master and then set it to first boot device via the BIOS and pop in Vista disk and save and exit.

 

If you use the upgrade Vista disk on the new hard drive you will have to install an OS first such as XP.Then use the upgrade disk.

 

Possible the DVD drive is old and not reconised by Vista,do you have another you could fit and try?

[Trippy]

Thanks, JB. Hope you are keeping well. When I boot up the machine into XP and insert the upgrade disc into the drive it spins up but doesnt run. I can't browse the disc (error: insert a disc inti drive F:\) but it will recognise a music CD. Didn't get around to trying another data DVD tho.

 

Regarding the Vista install i was rather hoping I could use the XP OS already on the master EIDE drive and then custom install Vista to the new blank SATA unit rather than put XP on it first? I can then change the BIOS to boot from the new drive. Sounds too easy so I bet I can't do it!

 

Trippy :)

[Jelly Bean]

Hello there I am a little fuzzy headed today,I took a nap and woke fuzzied.

 

I hope you are well today?

 

Mmmmm ok have you tried the disk in another drive on another computer and see if it can be browsed?

 

Do you have the XP install disk and try that in the same drive?Does the drive read the XP disk or does that also just spin?

 

Is it a bought upgrade disk or a copy?

 

Do you mean you want to keep XP and dual boot the system with Vista so you can logon to either OS as you wish?

 

If you wish to dual boot I can certainly get you a good well know link to help you with that.

[Trippy]

Hi JB - Sorry just got in from the 'Day Job'

 

Yep - feeling good today - busy but good!

 

Disc works fine in my other systems can browse etc.

 

I'ts 100% bought, licensed and legal (I've grown up a little in the last 20 years ;) )

 

I do have the original Dell OEM XP disc. I'll try it later this evening if I get a chance.

 

No - I don't want a dual boot system. Sorry I may be using out of date terminology so be patient with me! I was hoping to use the original HDD and OS to install the Vista OS onto a new drive then ditch the original 40GB drive and just use the new SATA unit.

 

Hope I'm making sense? (It would make a change, however!)

 

Trippy

[Jelly Bean]

I've grown up a little in the last 20 years ;)

 

I have not,;)

 

I was not questioning your legit disk LOL.Just that some times when a disk is copied the burn speed can affect the software or it wasnt burnt as an ISO.

 

Well your disk is fine.

 

Ok if you took a DVD from your collection will it play in the drive?

 

Do you more than one rom drive?

[Trippy]

One should always have at least one legal copy of software, of course :D

 

Got to dash out for a few mins (Home Ec ingredients for No. 1 Daughter) I'll get the old system fired up when I get back.

 

TTFN

 

Trippy

[Jelly Bean]

Ok babe,no worries I will be here.

[Trippy]

Please click one of the Quick Reply icons in the posts above to activate Quick Reply.

[Jelly Bean]

Hey Trippy any luck with the drive?

[Trippy]

Right - so I know I'm a bit like the guy that goes out to get some tea bags and then comes back five years later..........

 

Sorry - got loads going on right now but have pretty much got it nailed.

 

The DVD drive (original TEAC with the box from Dell) was only +R/+RW compatible. Swapped it for a generic multi-format DVD-ROM unit and that's it sorted, reads the Vista media OK. i'll get an R/RW unit later if I need one.

 

Installed the new 300GB SATA disc and hardware manager sees it OK. Initialised and formatted the drive and followed the 'workaround' for a clean install of Vista with an upgrade media disc. All good.

 

System now asks whether to boot from Vista or older version (XP on the EIDE drive) when I switch it on. I'll ditch the 40GB drive when I have transfered any files I may need.

 

Couple of minor problems with drivers for the onboard sound and the wireless network PCI card but Vista pointed me straight to the right ones to download.

 

The system runs really well (I know it will slow down when I load it up with some Apps) but with 3GB of RAM its going well for an old box.

 

Last thing to do is install the new graphics card but that can wait till next week as the 64MB AGP is working fine for setting up.

 

Next project will be to upgrade all our family laptops and desktops to W7. Can't wait :D

 

Trippy

[Jelly Bean]

Yeay we are getting some were.

 

Once you removed the files from XP you can format the old IDE drive to rid yourself of XP.

 

I have had loads on to,plus being sickly for the past few days,then Tesco for food shop and the new trainers hunting for small child.

 

So please do not worry about time scales.

[Trippy]

Yep - Thanks JB I'll be fel ci efo dau gynffon (I think that's the polite version!) :o)

 

Trippy

[Jelly Bean]

Excellent.

 

as a dog with two tail

 

My welsh is very rusty so you could type anything realy LOL.

[Trippy]

Right - last post in this topic - I promise :rolleyes:

 

I'm using the box to post this now and its faster than a much higher spec machine downstairs running XP media centre. I realise that's mainly because this one is still 'squeaky clean' and the XP box, although well cleaned and maintained, hasn't had a reformat since I bought it in 2006.

 

New HDD is working fine and I now need to reformat the original EIDE drive (D:\) that was the primary boot. Vista won't (understandably) let you just right click the drive and format it as it has the old XP OS on it.

 

I'll get round that by running a command window as an administrator then! Oh no I won't! (hey it's nearly Panto season already :D ) Still no joy. Is there an easy way to get round the 'Nanny won't ley you' security in Vista?

 

If not; what do you folks recommend as the simplest way to format the drive. It's only 40gb and doesnt need multi partitions as it's going to be used for backup purposes.

 

I'm sure it was easier in DOS 3.3........ :)

 

Trippy

[Trippy]

Still struggling with this one :( I have created a super admin account and tried deleting the contents of the drive first but even at this 'elevated' level Vista tells me I don't have permission!

 

Now If I knew who to ask for permission that would be good but I thought it was my PC :D. Any ideas please folks?

 

Trippy

[Tootech]

Right click over My Computer

 

Select Manage

 

Go down to Disk Management

 

From there you can trash the old disk - just make sure you do the correct one!

[Trippy]

Hi Tootech - sorry tried that already but Vista won't let me format the drive or delete the partition. Tried similar with admin privs in the C:\ prompt but no joy.

 

Whilst I can see how novices (just like me) used to be able to trash a PC hard drive in DOS by using the wrong commands, I don't understand ( A Bear with very little brain....!) why, as a computer administrator, I can't nuke the flipping drive if I so wish!

 

Trippy:confused: