How to speed up old Pentium 4 Windows XP 32 bit HP computer?

[Dumbass_Too]

I have been trying to speed up my 8 year old computer that was used for Autocad back in the day with hundreds of files that I need to keep. The computer has a P4 2.93Ghz on a RC410 mobo mATX. I have installed 2GB Crucial ram, new TIM, cleaned it and it did speed up logon from ~6 min down to ~4 min. It also takes 20-30 seconds to load web pages. Very slow...

I was thinking there must be a way to speed it up by either cloning the HDD with a SSD and/or installing a GPU. I have a Radeon HD5670 that was in my i3 before upgrading it to a 560, so I could use that if you think it will help.

Thanks

 

[Paul NZ]

SSd may help dont think another GPU will.

 

[Dumbass_Too]

Right now it does not have a GPU and I could add the 5670? Has anybody tried speeding up a similar computer with the SSD?

 

[jitpublisher]

Does it even have SATA drive connections? Or is it still using old PATA interface?

 

[Dumbass_Too]

Yes it has SATA.

 

[sparestuff]

I would just buy a new computer, just backup your files, you can build a decent build for $600 or $750, depends on your budget, I have also seen some builds which are for $550 or even as low as $450 (But I suggest at least $600 because the OS can take a chunk out of your budget). If you can't buy a new pc I suggest upgrading your gpu if you can, try putting the Radeon HD 5670 but that won't really help that much for speed, an ssd would speed it up or a full motherboard/cpu upgrade would probably do the trick.

 

[jitpublisher]

The bad thing about a PC this old, no matter what you spend on it, it still going to be old and slow. Its not just the drive, or the memory, or the motherboard, its a combination of it all. If you can find a SSD for a few dollars, and maybe a newer GPU, you can try them out, but I WOULD NOT put much money into it. You are just going to be disappointed if you do. Seen this happen too many times.

 

[homiezheadsup]

two things that will make it fast:
1. Memory. At only 2GB's its holding you down. I suggest 4GB because you're using 32bit xp. 8GB if you would switch to 64 bit.
2. SSD get a 128GB SSD or 250GB if you can afford it.

with these two upgrades you'll see a huge difference even with your old hardware.

 

[Dumbass_Too]

Max for the board is 2GB. I will toss the GPU in there and order an SSD. If it doesn't make a difference, can the SSD be wiped and installed in my i3 computer?

 

[Dumbass_Too]

I would just buy a new computer, just backup your files, you can build a decent build for $600 or $750, depends on your budget,

If I build a new computer I will bring a cc and go all out with a i7-5930k, 6-cores, 40 pci lanes, X99 mobo---YAY!!.
About 3 years ago I built a 2500k for my wife's Photoshop, and when I offered to trade my i3 for the 2500k, she will not let me touch it - go figure.LOL

 

[dhamiltongrey]

I have been trying to speed up my 8 year old computer that was used for Autocad back in the day with hundreds of files that I need to keep. The computer has a P4 2.93Ghz on a RC410 mobo mATX. I have installed 2GB Crucial ram, new TIM, cleaned it and it did speed up logon from ~6 min down to ~4 min. It also takes 20-30 seconds to load web pages. Very slow...

I was thinking there must be a way to speed it up by either cloning the HDD with a SSD and/or installing a GPU. I have a Radeon HD5670 that was in my i3 before upgrading it to a 560, so I could use that if you think it will help.

Thanks

i have a p4 2.93ghz with the same mobo.. its a load of crap compared to the system i have today.. but i love it none the less.. its painfully slow, it struggles to load youtube videos and play them full screen on the integrated graphics card.. so i put a cheapo ssd in it and an nvidia 7600gt i had laying around and wow.. performance wise and this is no joke.. boot up time is comparable to my i5-2500k using an ssd, and loading youtube videos is the same.. there is no actual difference in performance when browsing the internet and watching youtube videos.. so yeah, get an SSD thats the biggest speed difference, and the graphics card will make a mega difference too... but its only performance increasing the loading and browsing and youtubing... cpu intensive applications wont be improved upon.

i use my old system for the kids.. ive got my amiga emulator with 4,000 games on it, i have my msx emulator so i can play chuckie egg and boulder dash, i have the SNES emulator and bbc micro, archimedes and couple of others.. they fly along quite happily even without the 7600gt..

hope this helps you decide

 

[nostall]

Max for the board is 2GB. I will toss the GPU in there and order an SSD. If it doesn't make a difference, can the SSD be wiped and installed in my i3 computer?

Something to consider: The minimum recommended power for the GPU is 400Watt with 24amps of current on the +12V rail for a system (total system) running one (1) 5650 GPU.
Will the power supply in that old unit support that?

 

[Dumbass_Too]

Max for the board is 2GB. I will toss the GPU in there and order an SSD. If it doesn't make a difference, can the SSD be wiped and installed in my i3 computer?

Something to consider: The minimum recommended power for the GPU is 400Watt with 24amps of current on the +12V rail for a system (total system) running one (1) 5650 GPU.
Will the power supply in that old unit support that?

Yes it has a basic 250-300w psu, what size should I get?

 

[Dumbass_Too]

I have been trying to speed up my 8 year old computer that was used for Autocad back in the day with hundreds of files that I need to keep. The computer has a P4 2.93Ghz on a RC410 mobo mATX. I have installed 2GB Crucial ram, new TIM, cleaned it and it did speed up logon from ~6 min down to ~4 min. It also takes 20-30 seconds to load web pages. Very slow...

I was thinking there must be a way to speed it up by either cloning the HDD with a SSD and/or installing a GPU. I have a Radeon HD5670 that was in my i3 before upgrading it to a 560, so I could use that if you think it will help.

Thanks

i have a p4 2.93ghz with the same mobo.. its a load of crap compared to the system i have today.. but i love it none the less.. its painfully slow, it struggles to load youtube videos and play them full screen on the integrated graphics card.. so i put a cheapo ssd in it and an nvidia 7600gt i had laying around and wow.. performance wise and this is no joke.. boot up time is comparable to my i5-2500k

Do you still have the same OS or did you upgrade it?

 

[nostall]

Max for the board is 2GB. I will toss the GPU in there and order an SSD. If it doesn't make a difference, can the SSD be wiped and installed in my i3 computer?

Something to consider: The minimum recommended power for the GPU is 400Watt with 24amps of current on the +12V rail for a system (total system) running one (1) 5650 GPU.
Will the power supply in that old unit support that?

Yes it has a basic 250-300w psu, what size should I get?

For your purposes and in that computer, this Corsair CX500 would work well:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027
CORSAIR CX series CX500 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
$49.99
Save: $20.00 (29%)
$29.99 after $20.00 rebate card

 

[dhamiltongrey]

I have been trying to speed up my 8 year old computer that was used for Autocad back in the day with hundreds of files that I need to keep. The computer has a P4 2.93Ghz on a RC410 mobo mATX. I have installed 2GB Crucial ram, new TIM, cleaned it and it did speed up logon from ~6 min down to ~4 min. It also takes 20-30 seconds to load web pages. Very slow...

I was thinking there must be a way to speed it up by either cloning the HDD with a SSD and/or installing a GPU. I have a Radeon HD5670 that was in my i3 before upgrading it to a 560, so I could use that if you think it will help.

Thanks

i have a p4 2.93ghz with the same mobo.. its a load of crap compared to the system i have today.. but i love it none the less.. its painfully slow, it struggles to load youtube videos and play them full screen on the integrated graphics card.. so i put a cheapo ssd in it and an nvidia 7600gt i had laying around and wow.. performance wise and this is no joke.. boot up time is comparable to my i5-2500k

Do you still have the same OS or did you upgrade it?

kept it on windows xp.. as a web browsin computer cant fault it.. it wont play games of any decent spec and wont run 3d studio max.. but as a basic computer its ok..

 

[Dumbass_Too]

[/quotemsg]
kept it on windows xp.. as a web browsin computer cant fault it.. it wont play games of any decent spec and wont run 3d studio max.. but as a basic computer its ok..
[/quotemsg]

Well then that's it, I'll get an SSD.
I tried the 5670 gpu and it didn't have any effect and so now I am gonna look for a cheap SSD, many thanks.