Dell 4550 Upgrade

[dakotagts]

I have one of these ancient machines, but it still runs pretty fast. However, I wanted to know what mobo and processor i could do that would be around 100 bucks total as an upgrade.

The system is
p4 2.53
1gig ram pc 2700
Radeon x700 agp card
Soundblaster 5.1 card
2 (pissy) harddrives

So what are some of the compadable mobo's and proccessors that you all would recommend?

edit* After some of my own looking, I dont think I can get anything much better processor wise and still stay at that price. So maybe this is not worth looking into?

 

[cmrmrc]

what does pissy stand for?

 

[morkman100]

That's asking for alot. Your best bet would be a Fry's/Outpost combo for an AMD Athlon64 939 3200+ and motherboard. Those are usually around the $100 mark. Plus you can still use the same memory as you have now.

Do this or save your money to make a more substantial upgrade.

 

[dakotagts]

Pissy, means that I cannot have one hard drive without the other. They like to cause fits for me. This is an upgrade that my wife would benefit from because I am giving her this one to use and I am building a Dual Processor machine in about 3 months. Maybe with the conroe, something will come down to that range and be a big upgrade compared to the dell setup.

 

[dexvx]

Harddrive sounds like a jumper issue.

Best proc on the 4550 is the 3.06HT.

 

[996GT2]

I had a 4550 (still do, but HDD is now in my current comp in sig) with similar specs as yours (2.66 P4/1GB DDR333/GeForce MX420) and it ran well. Kinda slow under serious multitasking, but worked fine for general use. For your computer, there really isn't an easy way to upgrade by getting a new mobo, etc. The Foxconn PSU on that is only 250 watts, and I don't think it would hold up for a new mobo with a heavily OC'd AMD CPU. Your best bet is probably to do what I did; build a completely new computer. The system in my sig cost about $800 to build, and you can probably do better if you seek out good deals.

Also on a side note, I was able to find 2 people to buy the RAM in my 4550. The DIMMS in there are based on high quality Micron chips and are CL 2.5. I got about $25 per DIMM, so I made about $50 that way. You can also sell the HDD and other parts, down to the nice NMB 92MM fan in there

 

[dakotagts]

Thats all great to hear, and I know about the power issue, so I was not wanting to OC this. I wanted to Maybe speed it up a little. Make it a little more future proof with the AMD maybe.

As for the jumper issue, I have had a nightmare with these HD's I have the 30gig (came with the 4550) and a 160gig. I installed XP onto the 160 so now I have two operating systems. However, I wanted to just move the 160 into the primary position and not change anything, well it was not that easy.
Both hd's are on the CS jumper, that is the only way I can boot them. If I take out the 160 the 30 still runs, if I take out the 30 the 160 does not run, even in the primary spot!!!

Maybe someone can point me to a quick fix so I can remove the 30 without messing up the 160. I would like to make the 30 an external picture harddrive...


Dexvx, can that be added with the current mobo, and not have to do any re-bios?
THis one here? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819116175

 

[thecoolnessrune]

I have a 4550 as well (2.533 P4, 512MB DDR333, GeForce 4 MX420). The biggest chip you can get is a 3.06Ghz chip which just aint worth the money. Save up and scrap your current system is probably your best bet.

EDIT: No, the chip you linked to is a Prescott. That would most definitely require a BIOS update and this just isn't a change Dell would support. You'll have to stick to the 3.06Ghz 533FSB Hyperthreading Northwood Pentium 4. Plus thats an 800 Mhz FSB chip. The mobo most likely doesn't support that high a speed. Probably have to stick with 533 or 400 Mhz FSB chips, hence sticking with older Northwoods.

 

[dakotagts]

thanks for the reply, so mite wanna just give the computer over to her WITHOUT touching it. It runs fine now, but dont want her to feel I am just dropping it on her, when I get my AM2 or Conroe!!! and she see the speeds I get things done. Plus it will have that pretty Lian Li 7b plus II case...

 

[morkman100]

Just do a reformat/reinstall. The specs sound like it should have plenty of power for an internet/email/Office computer (my wife's computer is an old Athlon 900 Duron that I scrapped together). It should work fine and the reinstall will make it seem like a brand new computer to her!

 

[redfox]

I also have the Dell 4550 P4 2.6 about to be 1X1Gig and 1X512 Ram. I have a 32mb ATI Rage 128 ultra Video card. What would be a good video card to upgrade this system with. I got a Viewsonic VA1912WB monitor as a gift and would like to get 1440X900, if possible. Highest I can get currently is 1152X864. Can this MOBO support a sound blaster Audigy card?

Advice and direction greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[dakotagts]

I have both a Sound blaster Audigy card and a 9700TX card in my dell (acctually it is now an x700) but I still have the Radeon 700TX card. It ran all of my gaming fine, but the X700 was a big improvement. I would look at doing at least that or somthing a little higher. I think the Memory will choke you on this, if I remember, it only supports 1 gig ram

So you cap out in the memory which is what is hurting me.


Do this card, it is a step up from mine, and I can play BF2 and COD2 on medium.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=321332

 

[Bibble]

I'm still using my 4550!! I put a 9800 pro, antec trupower 430, audigy 2 zs, and a 512 stick of RAM in it, but those are the only new parts. I can't wait for my conroe build to be finished so I can play oblivion.