|
Newbie trying to Upgrade to XP Pro (XP Home Currently)
|
|
Senior Member
|
18. July 2007 @ 06:33 |
Link to this message
|
Well I am a bit worried.
One of the two jumpers that came with the new 250GB Seagate HDD was a capacity limiting jumper. My Dad accidentally broke one of them and I'm afraid that might have been the one we needed (I'm not sure how to tell the difference between the 2 jumpers).
We pulled the piece of metal/gold/w/e that was in the rubber jumper cover off the HDD, my question is: Can we just put the piece of metal/gold/w/e back into the rubber cover and it will work or is it broken?
DDP said to put the jumper from the old HDD onto the new one, which we will try when my Dad is ready to (I can't pull the jumpers off myself, needle nose pliers are too big and I guess I'm not skilled enough, if there is a better way, please tell me).
To plan ahead, I'm running on 256MB RAM while most of my peers run on 2GB RAM. I want to buy more RAM along with putting in the new HDD, but I am worried because I don't know:
1. How to tell what kind of RAM I have (Isn't there 3 kinds like DDR or something)?
2. How to tell how much more room for RAM I have (motherboard and bios or whatever limits your max amount of RAM)?
3. Where I stick RAM on the motherboard?
4. What is the best company to get RAM from?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
|
|
Advertisement
|
 |
|
|
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
|
18. July 2007 @ 06:42 |
Link to this message
|
1. Find out what you already have by using CPUZ. Even if it's not able to tell you what sort of RAM you have, we can tell by what motherboard you use.
2. That depends on which motherboard it is. With DDR1 motherboard, it's usually 1GB per slot you have. DDR2 more like 2GB per slot.
3. Next to what you have already (or preferably in place of it). It's a small circuit board that sticks out of the motherboard vertically, near the front of your case at the top, usually. It may have a label on it telling you it's 256MB, and who made it.
4. Corsair. You can buy their XMS or Value range from Newegg, both are good.
As for the Hard disks, most jumpers are the same, so you shouldn't have a problem, but I'd recommend not limiting the capacity. I'd be surprised if you need a jumper to turn that off, usually you need to put jumpers in to turn on limiting features like that.
|
Senior Member
|
18. July 2007 @ 06:45 |
Link to this message
|
What is CPUZ? Nevermind, I googled it and am using it now
If I have my computer sideways the RAM would be sideways also correct?
Well one jumper was regular and the other jumper limits the capacity of the HDD, so I hope we broke the capacity limiting one. I think they made it to trick computers that couldn't handle 250GB HDDs.
Is there anyway for me to take pictures of what CPUZ is telling me and post them up here?
CPU
Processor: AMD Athlon XP
Package: Socket A (462)
Clocks: Supposed to be 1.7, it is telling me 1662.43 MHz
Memory
Type: DDR
Size: 256 MB
Channels #: Single
Mainboard
Manufacturer: Compaq
Model: O7D0h
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce Rev. B2
BIOS
Brand: Compaq
Date: 10/15/2002
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 18. July 2007 @ 07:00
|
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
|
18. July 2007 @ 06:59 |
Link to this message
|
Very possibly, Not even Windows XP could support Hard disks larger than 127GB before they made the service packs.
As for the RAM, if your PC sits on the floor or desk horizontally, rather than as a tower, then the RAM will be facing upwards, coming out of the motherboard at right-angles. I usually talk about components if the PC is lying down since that's usually how I work on them.
To take a picture of CPUZ, Press the Printscreen (Printscrn) key on your keyboard, open paint (start-programs-accessories) and then go paste. A picture whats on your computer screen will appear in paint. Save that image as a JPEG file (paint can save those in xp), then go to http://imageshack.us
Use their upload system and then post us the 'direct link to image' at the bottom.
UPDATE
CPUZ is telling you your CPU speed correctly, the salesman or Windows is just rounding the figure up. The correct speed for most Athlon XPs is a multiple of 166, so 1666 would be correct (10x).
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 18. July 2007 @ 07:04
|
Senior Member
|
18. July 2007 @ 07:05 |
Link to this message
|
|
You have to register with them to delete images, how annoying.
People can't harm my computer worse if they see the images of CPUZ right?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 18. July 2007 @ 07:06
|
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
|
18. July 2007 @ 07:07 |
Link to this message
|
|
Lol no, nobody can get acces to your PC just because they can see what components it has inside.
|
Senior Member
|
18. July 2007 @ 07:15 |
Link to this message
|
|
I'm going to take a shower then I'll join imageshack and host the images so you can take a peek.
WAIT, I CAN'T FIND MSPAINT ANYWHERE!
I looked in accessories and went to run, mspaint, and my comp can't find it, why am I missing files?!!!!
I did a search and mspaint was in a restore point folder, so I pasted it back into system32.
Anyway I can make a shortcut for it in accessories?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 18. July 2007 @ 08:28
|
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
|
18. July 2007 @ 07:28 |
Link to this message
|
You could try 'pbrush', that's its other name. If that doesn't work either, I could always send you the exe file! :-)
UPDATE
TO make a shortcut,
C:\Documents and settings\YOURUSERNAME\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories
Go right click-> New shortcut.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 18. July 2007 @ 07:38
|
Senior Member
|
18. July 2007 @ 09:02 |
Link to this message
|
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 18. July 2007 @ 09:07
|
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
|
18. July 2007 @ 11:13 |
Link to this message
|
Lol interesting Anime background...
Judging from those pics it looks like you want either PC2100 or PC2700 DDR1 RAM. Get whatever you can find.
|
|
ddp
Moderator
|
18. July 2007 @ 14:45 |
Link to this message
|
what is the make & model# of the compaq?
|
Senior Member
|
18. July 2007 @ 19:05 |
Link to this message
|
Isn't the make and model explained by CPUZ?
All I know is we had a custom built compaq presario 8000 series built about 4-5 years ago.
What do you mean by make and model number?
I apologize for my ignorance here.
How can you tell what RAM to get just from those pics? Are you sure?
What does the PC in the RAM mean?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 18. July 2007 @ 19:12
|
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
|
19. July 2007 @ 00:24 |
Link to this message
|
|
PC marks the speed, 266mhz is PC2100, 333mhz is PC2700 and 400mhz is PC3200. The reason I say you should get PC2100 or PC2700 is that your CAS latency is 2.5 - from the clocks page, most DDR memory I've seen has been CAS2 for PC2100, CAS2.5 for PC2700 and CAS3 for PC3200. Given that, you might have PC2700, so I suggested that or lower.
|
|
ddp
Moderator
|
19. July 2007 @ 08:25 |
Link to this message
|
|
|
Senior Member
|
12. August 2007 @ 09:40 |
Link to this message
|
|
How am I supposed to know which one is mine?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
|
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
|
12. August 2007 @ 09:41 |
Link to this message
|
|
Do you have any documentation? Is there a sticker on the back of it?
|
Senior Member
|
3. September 2007 @ 23:09 |
Link to this message
|
|
The need for me to get USB 2.0 ports has escalated, I must find out my MOBO info.
Best Buy built this computer for me so hopefully they have the information (I'll call and ask), I'll have to look through all of my documentation at a later time.
Any good places to go to get good cheap PCI cards?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
|
|
ddp
Moderator
|
4. September 2007 @ 08:27 |
Link to this message
|
|
that list i posted of the 8000 series, which 1 is yours. look at the front or back of your case to see which 8000 series you have.
|
Senior Member
|
6. September 2007 @ 17:24 |
Link to this message
|
I honestly checked all of the documentation I have on my comp and didn't see stickers anywhere on it.
Best I could find was a best buy part list:
ATBred 1.667-2000ZZSG ALL (I assume this is the Motherboard)
256MB DDR PC2100(1) ALL (I assume this is the RAM I need)
Mdm Patriot ALL
NV17 DDR 64MB w/TV ALL
And there is a custom built computer # to call Compaq, so I'm going to call Compaq and Best Buy tomorrow to see if they can tell me.
I hope they can since the computer is about 4-6 years old.
Where would it say in the documentation what the MOBO is?
EDIT
Okay, I found a sticker that had the serial number and another number that I am assuming is the product number. This information points me to this one:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/produ...&lang=en&cc=ca#
Lets dig deeper
Here is the link to my Computer Specifications:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/docum...=240406&lang=en
I still don't see what the MOBO is on here or how to know if a PCI Card with USB 2.0 ports is compatible or not.
Can you install more RAM than the max amount if you update the BIOS?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 6. September 2007 @ 18:50
|
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
|
7. September 2007 @ 04:49 |
Link to this message
|
I wouldn't expect the board could support more than the stated amount if you update the BIOS. It might, but another problem you may come across is the fact that most PCs by compaq don't have any other BIOS versions to download and use.
|
Senior Member
|
7. September 2007 @ 08:22 |
Link to this message
|
|
Guess that means I can only use up to 1GB of RAM.
They don't make 768MB DDR PC2100 RAM do they?
Guess I'll just buy 1GB DDR PC2100 RAM then?
How am I supposed to find out what the MOBO is though?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 7. September 2007 @ 08:23
|
|
ddp
Moderator
|
7. September 2007 @ 09:07 |
Link to this message
|
|
any pci usb2 card can be used on your computer. can max out at 1gig total in ram as in 2x 512meg ddr sticks not ddr2 sticks.
|
Senior Member
|
7. September 2007 @ 09:29 |
Link to this message
|
|
Are you sure about that?
Everyone I have talked to in person said the PCI USB2.0 Card and the new RAM had to be compatible with my MOBO.
1. Am I safe to buy these things without knowing what my MOBO is?
2. Any suggestions for a good company to get the RAM and PCI Card from or do they all perform good?
3. From looking at my MOBO, it seems there is room for one more RAM card/slot/stick. I already have 256MB on the other one, would it be safe just to buy a 1GB RAM stick and put that in the free slot?
I realize it will waste 256MB of RAM, but so be it ya know.
4. Or would it be wiser to remove the 256MB of RAM already inside and replace it with two 512MB RAM sticks?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 7. September 2007 @ 09:32
|
|
ddp
Moderator
|
7. September 2007 @ 10:01 |
Link to this message
|
|
any pci card will fit into any pci slot as that is standard. can't put a single 1gig stick in as each slot only sees 512meg max.
|
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
Senior Member
|
7. September 2007 @ 10:09 |
Link to this message
|
|
How do you know each slot can only see 512MB?
I'm not sure if I know all of the details of the RAM to buy more. Here is the info I have:
RAM
256MB 266MHz PC2100 DDR DRAM (this doesn't tell me how many pins on it)
- Max Capacity: 1.0 GB
- 2 DIMMs total (256MB = 1 DIMM installed; 512MB, 1.0GB = 2 DIMMs installed)
What is this DIMM stuff? Is it important?
Also, I am able to rip out the current PCI card and replace it right?
Thanks to everyone for enlightening me!
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 7. September 2007 @ 10:12
|
