EVERY1 SAYS MY RIG IS GOOD BUT I DONT THINK SO NEED UPGRADE!

Omid

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Hi there. Ok I am running a Compaq Presario SR1280 System

SPEC IS AS FOLLOWS

MOTHERBOARD: ASUS PTGD1-LA (CANT CHANGE THIS)

CPU: INTEL PENTIUM 550 3.4 GHz 1MB CACHE 775

HARD DRIVES: 2 x 250GB WESTERN DIGITAL CAVIAR SPECIAL ED SATA-150 (CANT RAID WITH MY CURRENT MB)

VIDEO CARD: ASUS ATI RADEON X600 PCI-E 256MB

PSU: 300/350W

OPTICAL : DVD+/- RW and DVD ROM

ONBOARD 5.1 SOUND (NOT BOTHERED ABOUT SOUND)

COOLERS : 1 92MM Exhaust fan. 1 92MM CPU FAN IN ALUMINIUM WITH HEATPIPES

NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS DOING? WHAT IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE UPGRADE?
 
Hi there. Ok I am running a Compaq Presario SR1280 System

SPEC IS AS FOLLOWS

MOTHERBOARD: ASUS PTGD1-LA (CANT CHANGE THIS)

CPU: INTEL PENTIUM 550 3.4 GHz 1MB CACHE 775

HARD DRIVES: 2 x 250GB WESTERN DIGITAL CAVIAR SPECIAL ED SATA-150 (CANT RAID WITH MY CURRENT MB)

VIDEO CARD: ASUS ATI RADEON X600 PCI-E 256MB

PSU: 300/350W

OPTICAL : DVD+/- RW and DVD ROM

ONBOARD 5.1 SOUND (NOT BOTHERED ABOUT SOUND)

COOLERS : 1 92MM Exhaust fan. 1 92MM CPU FAN IN ALUMINIUM WITH HEATPIPES

NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS DOING? WHAT IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE UPGRADE?

You didn't mention your RAM. The easiest, most effective upgrade would be your RAM. Your video card is weak. My suggestion is more RAM and a more effective video card.
 

Fursecul

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change your video card and take that x600 to it's grave(get a 7600GT or some ATI for the same miney and performance x1800xl or GTO),the cpu is ok and thats about it,and what RAM do you have?
 
Oh yea lol. I have

MEMORY: 2GB 4*512MB Infineon DDR 400

Your system looks all right except you might upgrade the video card. You have a lot of storage, a fast processor and you solved the CAP lock problem and found 2 gigs of Infineon RAM. I'd say your doing well for a guy who uses an HP.
 

Omid

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Lol Yea the Video Card is a major let down. As well as the now too high cpu temps since i removed the heatsink. Would you recommend a 6600?
 
Lol Yea the Video Card is a major let down. As well as the now too high cpu temps since i removed the heatsink. Would you recommend a 6600?

Those socket 775 heatsinks can be tricky. Especially if you don't have one and are running a socket 775.

Yeah 6600GT's are going for like a hundred skins. A 7600GT would be much better and they are under two hundred. I'd suggest an ATI x1900xtx, but you'd probably have to alter the HP case you have. Like cut a big hole out the front to fit it in there.
 

Omid

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lol i put it back on after i took it off. Need some alcohol. I didnt know cpus drank alcohol but apparently it makes them cooler too! I will have to do that
 

JeanLuc

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CPU: INTEL PENTIUM 550 3.4 GHz 1MB CACHE 775


Lol Yea the Video Card is a major let down. As well as the now too high cpu temps since i removed the heatsink. Would you recommend a 6600?


You removed the heatsink on P4 550 8O .......everbody stand back..

mohawk_350_KT_nuke.jpg
 

Detson

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Clean off the old thermal paste using isopropyl alcohol, and replace it with a thin coating of Arctic Silver 5. You can probably find some at your local Micro-Center/ Fry's (depending where you live).
 

Omid

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we dont have one of those in the UK lol. errmm. In regards to the Arctic Silver. I have Manhattan thermal paste it is some metal thing what difference will there be?? I am using a Compaq Stock cooler. It is aluminium and has 3 heat pipes
 

JeanLuc

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Any advice on how to get optimum low temps by cleaning the heatsink?

This is a bit old hat, but have you heard of a technique called lapping? Lapping your heatsink gives it prefect flat base for optimum heat transfer.

If you interested do a google search for Lapping Heatsinks. If that’s a bit extreme for you, then you could clean the bottom of the heatsink with alcohol or white sprits and apply Artic Premium thermal paste.

we dont have one of those in the UK lol. errmm. In regards to the Arctic Silver. I have Manhattan thermal paste it is some metal thing what difference will there be?? I am using a Compaq Stock cooler. It is aluminium and has 3 heat pipes

You can buy artic from places like overclock.co.uk . :)
 

htredneck

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Jul 12, 2006
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I am confused. You have a Compaq Presario with Asus mother board?

Anyway, I built a system a year ago and it is very similar to yours:

Asus P5GD2 Deluxe (hardware controler for RAID)
P4 Prescott 3.0 GHZ
Aftermarket fan for cpu (GIGABYTE)
Artic Silver
2 Gig DDR2 533 Kingston Ram
ATI Radeon X600 Pro
1 120mm fan and 2 80mm fans (case)
400 wat power supply
3 sata segate hardrives (2 80 gig, 1 200 gig)

This chip has history of being hot but with common sense it is no problem. I have temps of mid 30s idle and mid 40s load

The graphics card was nothing special at the time and it is crap today. I bought it because at the time I had to pay for all of these parts at once. My plan is in a few weeks I will get a new graphics card and a few bigger Hard drives (they are very cheep now).

Next summer I will up grade the motherboard and chip.

I hope this helps
 

htredneck

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I don´t now when you got this or what your buget is:

1. I would buy a good quality, roomy, well ventilated case.
2. Then I would buy a good quality (spend the money) power supply.
3. Then, depending on buget and what happens with tecnology I would start to change over the components.

OR

I would not do anything


The reason is that Compaq, Dell etc. are good computers for people who don´t want to change things.

For example, If you buy a better graphics card you may not have enough room in your case and your 350 psu will probably not be enough.

Start with the case.......
 

Omid

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I have had this machine since March 05 and it cost me 690 pounds sterling.

I can get a different card in but i dontk now if the psu will take it. I have a 450 w psu cooler master but havent put it in. Is that any good? It is brand new. It all runs good and fast. Its jut i dont get good gaming graphics and im idling 60c now lol