upgrading old pc to useable function.

NiteSmoker17 · Aug 30, 2015

Ok was just asked by the ex-wife to upgrade her outdated and crappy pc to a useable function. It is an eMachines Desktop PC EL1333G-01W.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883114103

She is starting her RN classes this january so i need to get it in a useable fashion before then. I will be looking at our classifieds in the mean time to check for deals from our fellow OC'rs.

It is all stock parts atm. the best and cheapest route i think is doing a CPU, Memory, GPU, and if i can find it PSU.

The GPU and PSU will be dependent on if i can find a PSU that will fit that's not outrageous in price.
I was kinda hoping for something around a Geforce 740 or AMD equivalent. The PSU is a 220w SFF.

I have found memory and CPU that SHOULD run in it according to what i've read.

CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA63936F4953
Momory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146693

So i ask of you all if you know of anybody that has delt with this system or knows of any parts that i could get to upgrade this system???

bob4933 · Aug 30, 2015

Couple things to do before buying

1) make sure the CPU isn't soldered in the board

2) make sure there are actually 2 DIMM slots.

3) An SSD might be perfect for this to get rid of the sluggishness. You can probably find an older sata 2 SSD Floating around for dirt cheap.

For vid card, hard to recommend anything other than a 5450. Brand new for 20 bucks (after rebate, sometimes its hard sale for 19.99). Absolutely not ok for "gaming", but for the apparent uses, would be perfect.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...4131338&cm_re=amd_5450-_-14-131-338-_-Product

Finally, make it pretty clear she is polishing a turd and wasting her money. A new system will be a touch more, but not necessarily outlandishly expensive.

i.e. for 220$, an intel based system.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/rhWfzy

NiteSmoker17 · Aug 31, 2015

fully aware of the shiny turd. but non the less.

bob4933 · Aug 31, 2015

If you had more of a system to go on sure, but a cheap and old motherboard is hardly a decent backbone to start on. A build with that mobo will be only slightly less expensive than the intel build I showed

knoober · Aug 31, 2015

Make sure to cb check with the manufacturer as to what the highest supported processor is. I had one that supported the processor and it still wouldn't work (on a different t type of oem machine, but the lesson is valid) microcode updates and all that jazz make it tough to say what upgrades will work on oem machines. Oem manufacturers don't really build with a whole lot of upgradability in mind

If you don't know for yourself, I can attest to how much difference an SSD will make and fully deploying the ram slots will help as well. After that tuning in the OS is your best bet.

What does she even need to do anyway? Light surfing and email? Spreadsheet? I can't imagine needing too much power in a machine of that sort. She's not gaming or rendering video... Polish away good sir. I am a big fan of polished turds as a triumph over the money hungry industry.

As an afterthought I should add that the card bob was talking about is pretty alright for a light duty machine, but you probably will have to get a little more power for it to work.

bob4933 · Aug 31, 2015

knoober said:
Make sure to cb check with the manufacturer as to what the highest supported processor is. I had one that supported the processor and it still wouldn't work (on a different t type of oem machine, but the lesson is valid) microcode updates and all that jazz make it tough to say what upgrades will work on oem machines. Oem manufacturers don't really build with a whole lot of upgradability in mind

If you don't know for yourself, I can attest to how much difference an SSD will make and fully deploying the ram slots will help as well. After that tuning in the OS is your best bet.

What does she even need to do anyway? Light surfing and email? Spreadsheet? I can't imagine needing too much power in a machine of that sort. She's not gaming or rendering video... Polish away good sir. I am a big fan of polished turds as a triumph over the money hungry industry.

As an afterthought I should add that the card bob was talking about is pretty alright for a light duty machine, but you probably will have to get a little more power for it to work.

No haha, the 5450 has a 19w tdp at full load xD

knoober · Aug 31, 2015

bob4933 said:
No haha, the 5450 has a 19w tdp at full load xD

I had an hp with a 350w psu that couldn't run the monitors I had attached. The issue ended up being that there wasn't enough voltage on the 12v rail. I think the smaller oem psu aren't what they need to be I really don't know about this eMachines box though cuz I didn't look at the specs much just what was listed on the Newegg page :chair:

NiteSmoker17 · Aug 31, 2015

well going with the recommendation that you gave bob is that i would still need a vid card so im looking closer to $300 at that point.

But if i drop the WD and use the one that came with it i might have a chance. id need a case. ill look into that suggestion bob.

bob4933 · Sep 1, 2015

For the intel build? That has an internal gpu, no vid card required.

NiteSmoker17 · Sep 1, 2015

i see that now.

NiteSmoker17 · Sep 3, 2015

Does anybody have a recommendation for a microATX FM2+ board that they like for an A8-7600 CPU?
I've always like ASUS but looking to other options if anyone has an idea.
not quite sure on which chipset to get. not if it matters much. odds are none to mild oc. probably for graphics mostly.

for this build i'm leaning twards :

A8-7600
corsair cx-430
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 2133
Rosewill FBM-01- Dual-Fan Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case

Reusing the HD and DVD.

Currently with a $50+ mobo total cost is around $250.

caddi daddi · Sep 3, 2015

you do know that you can get a win 7 based refurb from microcenter or tiger direct for less than that and will do web classes just fine for 200 or less.

RJARRRPCGP · Sep 3, 2015

Heads up if getting the G3258: A Z-series chipset motherboard may be required from this point onwards, but, there's reported workarounds:

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/...for-parents)?p=7854031&viewfull=1#post7854031

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/...for-parents)?p=7854854&viewfull=1#post7854854

caddi daddi · Sep 3, 2015

check the bundles at microcenter>>>>> http://www.microcenter.com/site/products/amd_bundles.aspx
check the wifi board.

for surfing and just general stuff they are great and cheap.
for much else.... meh.

NiteSmoker17 · Sep 4, 2015

caddi. honestly i have never had good luck with refurbs. i dont even do ebay because of the "not new". been screwed over too many times. but i have been looking at tiger for some of there barebones kits.

also caddi im 3 hours from the nearest microcenter.

caddi daddi · Sep 4, 2015

I have had great luck with the hp 5700 refurbs, you can hurl them against the wall and they just keep going.
if thats not your bag my two apu rigs keep right on humming.
a6-6600 on the lowest end gigabyte board, has "0" features, a55 chipset, no usb 3.0 for the front.
look at the 88 chipset, i have an a8-6600 on an asrock board and it's just fine as a web surfer.
either one will do the web games, comcast games and the like just fine.

NiteSmoker17 · Sep 4, 2015

im running USB 3.0 on my pc and have several flash drives that i use between her system and mine so i was wanting usb 3.0. It is so much faster than 2.0.

Caddi what asrock board do you have? Ive never had an asrock board. how do you like it?

Just saw this one. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157571&cm_re=a88x-_-13-157-571-_-Product
Its a88x chipset and the price isn't bad either.

upgrading old pc to useable function.

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