Old computer needed for online games

[core2kid]

I aqquired an old HP Pavilion 8760c with a 733MHz processor, 384MB RAM and 40GB HDD. I need it in my brothers room who will use it for games on websites such as addictinggames.com, nick.com, cartoonnetwork.com and other sites that have flash based games. As of now I use Google Chrome and whenever I access any of those websites my CPU jumps to 100%. Is it worth upgrading the processor and RAM and working on the system or should I just give Windows 2000 a try? Currently I am running Windows XP Professional.

 

[SonicIce]

I don't think changing the OS will make the flash games any faster by much. Although maybe it will because 384mb is low (for xp). Flash games just thrash the CPU. You could try maybe a few differant browsers. Sometimes one is a little faster than another. I'm guessing the games are playable, but run in slow motion. I have a 933 P3 with 256mb ram on win98 and it plays most flash games nicely excpet when theyres alot of sprites or physics.

 

[Modelworks]

It isn't worth upgrading the processor and ram. Not with the pc like below selling for so cheap.

Ecost has this for $98
P4 1.8Ghz
512MB ram
40GB HD
ATI Radeon video 32MB
CDrom
winxp installed
mouse & keyboard
http://www.ecost.com/Detail/De...1.aspx?navid=155438718



Or pay $149 and get this:
P4 2.8Ghz
1GB ram
40GB HD
Intel 865 graphics
DVDrom
Winxp installed
Mouse & keyboard
http://www.ecost.com/Detail/De...6.aspx?navid=155438718

 

[core2kid]

I've seen deals like what you posted but I really didn't want to pick up another computer. I have a P4 1.3 GHz with 128 RD-RAM. I might use that with Windows 2000. RD-RAM is hard to find. I also have some AMD laying around. I'll figure out the specs and post it. A 500MHz AMD should be sufficient to run flash games with it's high BUS speeds.

 

[Porter21]

The older P3 550's were actually good enough for me to run some games such as Battefield 1942. Seems suprising, but when I equipped it with a 32mb video card and 256mb of Ram it ran fine. The only true upgrade that would really even be ideal at all is memory. You said it has RD-RAM?

 

[core2kid]

yes, RD-RAM. It makes it hard to upgrade and in a way not worth it. Or is it worth it?

 

[Porter21]

I would say wait. These days a computer can easily be built/found for a few hundred dollars if that. If that is not obtainable for you, then you could try RAM. The problem with the older RAM is that often times it is very hard to find and very expensive. At work, we purchased some PC133 GB sticks and they were much more expensive then DDR2 memory and the selection was very limited.

Hope this helps.

Regards

 

[core2kid]

I've given up on upgrading it but instead I tried to install Windows 2000. The problem is Windows 2000 doesn't include a wireless configuration utility. I have a DWL-G150 wireless card that only supports WPA security through Windows XPs Wireless configuration. The D-Link software doesn't support it. Are there any 3rd party wireless configuration utilities I could use to get WPA to work on my wireless card?

 

[Porter21]

It looks as if the only way wireless will work within Windows 2000 is with the software that came with the card. Supposedly there really isn't any 3rd party software available for that OS. XP was the first to introduce the wireless configuration utility. So let me get this right, your card will not support WPA, but that is what your router has?

I had this problem before with my Xbox adaptor. I was using the older xbox adaptor on the 360 and it could not authenticate with WPA networks. I'm not sure if there was some update for it, but I always had to turn off the security in order to connect.

 

[core2kid]

No Porter21, The card supports WPA but only through Windwos XP's Wireless configuration utility.
"D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G510 PCI Adapter is a wireless PCI adapter featuring the very latest in advanced wireless silicon chip technology to deliver incredibly fast data transfer in the 2.4GHz frequency. The DWL-G510 also works with 802.11b standard wireless devices and when used with other D-Link AirPlus G products delivers throughput speeds capable of handling heavy data payloads.
-Product Feature List
Up to 54Mbps*
802.11g Standard, 802.11b Compatible
Great for Video Streaming
Increased Security with 802.1x and WPA**
-Product Detail
D-Link, the industry pioneer in wireless networking, introduces another performance breakthrough in wireless connectivity?the D-Link AirPlus? G series of high-speed devices.
The D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G510 PCI Adapter is a Wireless PCI Adapter featuring the very latest in advanced wireless silicon chip technology to deliver a maximum wireless signal rate of up to 54Mbps* in the 2.4GHz frequency. The DWL-G510 also works with 802.11b standard wireless devices and when used with other D-Link AirPlus G products delivers throughput speeds capable of handling heavy data payloads.

The D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G510 also includes a configuration utility to discover available wireless networks and create and save detailed connectivity profiles for those networks most often accessed.

The DWL-G510 is a powerful 32-bit PCI adapter that installs quickly and easily into desktop PCs and when used with other D-Link AirPlus G products automatically connects to the network. Like all D-Link wireless adapters, the DWL-G510 can be used in Ad-Hoc mode to connect directly with other 2.4GHz wireless computers for peer-to-peer file sharing or in Infrastructure mode to connect with a wireless access point or wireless router for access to the Internet in your office or home network. The DWL-G510 is an ideal solution enabling wireless networking capabilities on desktops PCs for the home or office.

* Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11g specifications. Actual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate. Environmental factors will adversely affect wireless signal range.
** WPA and 802.1x require use of Windows® XP Zero Configuration Utility."

 

[InflatableBuddha]

That model comes with integrated graphics - perhaps a discrete AGP card would help the performance? I've seen some in the FS/FT forum for $25-30.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
That model comes with integrated graphics - perhaps a discrete AGP card would help the performance? I've seen some in the FS/FT forum for $25-30.

I don't see how having a discrete card is going to help much with Flash games.

Flash unfortunately has become this incredibly bloated experience that requires far more processing power than it rightfully should. Upping the RAM (if it can be had for cheap) would be one way to help, but at the end of the day, flash is still very CPU intensive. I would second the recommendation to try other modern browsers, Firefox 3.x, Chrome 2, and the latest IE that you can run, see what works best.

I already know that Flash works best in Windows, heck the very fact that I can run a VMed OS for Flash stuff and see less CPU utilization than if I was trying to run it natively in OS X proves this point. However, I am not sure what, if any, browser it might work best in.

 

[brblx]

the fact is that at this point, flash programmers know most people probably have a P4 or better with at least a half a gig of ram. and they're probably not worried about accounting for anyone with anything less.

in this case i would point to the processor for performance problems. if you have a clean install of XP, you should still have about 2/3 of that 384mb of ram free at startup. now, with lots of crap loaded, visual effects, et al turned on, it could easily be upwards of 200mb. if that's the case, fix it first. and also make sure the page file is properly set. if it's still bad, maybe look at a budget cpu/mobo/ram upgrade. a modern c2d based celeron would be plenty. you'd probably have to do the psu and case, as well, though.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Originally posted by: TheStu

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
That model comes with integrated graphics - perhaps a discrete AGP card would help the performance? I've seen some in the FS/FT forum for $25-30.

I don't see how having a discrete card is going to help much with Flash games.

Flash unfortunately has become this incredibly bloated experience that requires far more processing power than it rightfully should. Upping the RAM (if it can be had for cheap) would be one way to help, but at the end of the day, flash is still very CPU intensive. I would second the recommendation to try other modern browsers, Firefox 3.x, Chrome 2, and the latest IE that you can run, see what works best.

I already know that Flash works best in Windows, heck the very fact that I can run a VMed OS for Flash stuff and see less CPU utilization than if I was trying to run it natively in OS X proves this point. However, I am not sure what, if any, browser it might work best in.

Yea, I know that Flash is quite CPU-intensive but I didn't know that the GPU has little impact on performance.

Trying different browsers is a good idea as Flash is probably more optimized on newer browsers.