Wife has/had an HP Pavillion a230n that I've been slowly upgrading over the last few years. The only gaming she does is play Sims 2, but with every expansion pack it's gotten a little more demanding each time.
Stock specs:
AMD Athlon XP 2800+ @2.08 GHz
512 MB/DDR 2700 (2 x 256)
120 GB 5400rpm HDD
DVD write: 4x, re-write 2.4x, read 8x
CD write: 16x, rewrite 10x, read 40x, 48x maximum
Integrated nVidia GeForce4 MX graphics with up to 64 MB allocated video memory
Integrated AC97 audio
XP Home
Changes over the last few years:
Kept the AMD Athlon XP 2800+ @2.08 GHz but added SI-97a cooler w/ 92mm Panaflo
2x512mb OCZ ValueRam PC-3200 (mobo only took max 1gb)
nV 6800nu AGP
Audigy 2
Antec 380w PSU
It finally started going into power save mode a little too often in 3d apps, checked out all the temps and they were fine, seemed like the processor just got old and tired. Fry's had a sale, e4300 + ECS P4M800PRO-M for $119. Picked that up, hoped for the best and went at it last night.
Now I'm trying to remember everything because well, I drank quite a bit as I was doing this.
1. Completely strip the case and components and clean the 4 years worth of dust from the undersides of the front panel.
2. Remove lame HP HDD mounting (vertical against the front) and zip-tie 100mm Kaze Jyu fan there for intake.
3. Mount Delta Triple Blade 92x38mm for exhaust.
4. Mount motherboard, just happened to get lucky that a) it was an mATX motherboard and case, and b) the front panel header was exactly the same as the stock mobo.
5. Dig out old 775 stock heatsink since I couldnt' figure out how to rig a Socket A cooler on there.
6. Mount new 300gb HDD in the 3.5" bay where I removed the card reader from that never worked anyway.
Everything from then on out was pretty standard. Kept the old HDD handy just in case I botched something badly and needed to put her old machine back together. This was one of the most bang for the buck upgrades I've ever done since the mobo takes AGP and DDR. It's using the same video card, I had 2gb OCZ Plat. sitting around, and the onboard sound is pretty decent. It's funny looking at an HP case and knowing there's nothing stock in there.
Oh, and spent 5 hours installing software...Vista Business (only unused OS I had handy, didn't want to strap her with XP Home again), Sims 2 with what, 6 expansion packs? And Office 2007. the thing hums compared to how it used to chug along.
SO, wife's new mini-rig...everything's at stock speeds...so far.
Intel e4300 @stock
ECS P4M800PRO-M
2x1gb OCZ Platinum El Rev. 2 DDR 400
XFX 6800nu AGP
300gb Seagate 7200.10
Antec 380w (TP? Can't remember)
Onboard sound (Vista doesn't like the Audigy 2)
Vista Business
Vista Performance Rating loves the video card (5.8 apps, 4.9 gaming), but the ram is coming in at a 3.0. Haven't seen anything brutal to tell me there's something wrong with it, but I'll use MemTest at some point and put it through it's paces. Eventually when I upgrade my machine she'll get my motherboard, ram, and maybe my video card, and she'll be all set for Spore.
Now, if I can just convice her that she needs my 19" monitor, and I need a 2407...
Maybe pics tomorrow, she's busy making her Sims talk to trees.
Also, check out the "fo sale" link in my sig for parts that used to be in there.
-z
Stock specs:
AMD Athlon XP 2800+ @2.08 GHz
512 MB/DDR 2700 (2 x 256)
120 GB 5400rpm HDD
DVD write: 4x, re-write 2.4x, read 8x
CD write: 16x, rewrite 10x, read 40x, 48x maximum
Integrated nVidia GeForce4 MX graphics with up to 64 MB allocated video memory
Integrated AC97 audio
XP Home
Changes over the last few years:
Kept the AMD Athlon XP 2800+ @2.08 GHz but added SI-97a cooler w/ 92mm Panaflo
2x512mb OCZ ValueRam PC-3200 (mobo only took max 1gb)
nV 6800nu AGP
Audigy 2
Antec 380w PSU
It finally started going into power save mode a little too often in 3d apps, checked out all the temps and they were fine, seemed like the processor just got old and tired. Fry's had a sale, e4300 + ECS P4M800PRO-M for $119. Picked that up, hoped for the best and went at it last night.
Now I'm trying to remember everything because well, I drank quite a bit as I was doing this.
1. Completely strip the case and components and clean the 4 years worth of dust from the undersides of the front panel.
2. Remove lame HP HDD mounting (vertical against the front) and zip-tie 100mm Kaze Jyu fan there for intake.
3. Mount Delta Triple Blade 92x38mm for exhaust.
4. Mount motherboard, just happened to get lucky that a) it was an mATX motherboard and case, and b) the front panel header was exactly the same as the stock mobo.
5. Dig out old 775 stock heatsink since I couldnt' figure out how to rig a Socket A cooler on there.
6. Mount new 300gb HDD in the 3.5" bay where I removed the card reader from that never worked anyway.
Everything from then on out was pretty standard. Kept the old HDD handy just in case I botched something badly and needed to put her old machine back together. This was one of the most bang for the buck upgrades I've ever done since the mobo takes AGP and DDR. It's using the same video card, I had 2gb OCZ Plat. sitting around, and the onboard sound is pretty decent. It's funny looking at an HP case and knowing there's nothing stock in there.
Oh, and spent 5 hours installing software...Vista Business (only unused OS I had handy, didn't want to strap her with XP Home again), Sims 2 with what, 6 expansion packs? And Office 2007. the thing hums compared to how it used to chug along.
SO, wife's new mini-rig...everything's at stock speeds...so far.
Intel e4300 @stock
ECS P4M800PRO-M
2x1gb OCZ Platinum El Rev. 2 DDR 400
XFX 6800nu AGP
300gb Seagate 7200.10
Antec 380w (TP? Can't remember)
Onboard sound (Vista doesn't like the Audigy 2)
Vista Business
Vista Performance Rating loves the video card (5.8 apps, 4.9 gaming), but the ram is coming in at a 3.0. Haven't seen anything brutal to tell me there's something wrong with it, but I'll use MemTest at some point and put it through it's paces. Eventually when I upgrade my machine she'll get my motherboard, ram, and maybe my video card, and she'll be all set for Spore.
Now, if I can just convice her that she needs my 19" monitor, and I need a 2407...
Maybe pics tomorrow, she's busy making her Sims talk to trees.
Also, check out the "fo sale" link in my sig for parts that used to be in there.
-z
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