Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: pembquist on March 24, 2014, 01:52:59 PM
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Started messing around with this inspiron 531s that I got for free a few years ago and used to play ah with before I got the laptop I have now. Looking for some answers to basic questions that I'm having a hard time understanding on my web search, appreciate any help.
Got 500 watt PS to replace oem 250 watt that fit in small case but had to jump with paper clip. Figure I can always use new PS on a newer setup. Success. PS sits outside of case and looks handsome.
Got 36 dollar g210 video card, success the slide show is up to 55 fps except when it isn't which is most of the time.
According to dell manual from their site CPU socket is 939 I think. Other research indicates mobo is Asus M2N61-AX OEM. Trying to understand what eBay used CPU I can buy in the less than 30 dollar range leaves me confused, current CPU is a sempron, want an athlon 64x2 but I can't tell which one or how to identify/specify it. The dell forum insists on low power but it is unclear to me if that is because of the power supply or mobo. Can someone tell me? Can someone point and say "that one?"
Memory, it's Vista basic 32, I'm going to add 2 gig to bring it up to an awesome 3 gig, 2 1 gig 2 512g. If I can scrounge another 2 1gig should I try to get vista 64?, can I do that for next to free? The manual says 3 gig is the max vista 32 can use.
The video slot is pcie version 1. If I got a hundredish dollar video card is it going to be irrelevant cause of the old bios, slot, bus speed whatever else I don't know the details about?
I just want to dink around with this box for ah and MSFS and xplane. Can somebody point me to a place that will teach me how to get rid of everything else without messing everything up. Several years ago I did a reinstall from the hard disc (no DVD or cd) which was a chore and I think had a bunch of bloat ware, would like to avoid doing that again.
Thanks for any help. When I search forums etc. I feel a little like somebody who doesn't know what a mouse is trying to find out what right click means.
PS: am I entitled to get vista on a cd? More to the point, can I get it on a cd?
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As for the PSU, Dell has been known to organize the cables in a non-standard way. Comparing if the colours match in the big motherboard connector and switching if needed might help. If the PSU will have a new life in a standard setup, resetting the wiring to original should be the first thing to do.
G210 is a very low end video card. It's much better than any built-in Intel video chip, but still low end. Good thing is it can draw the game correctly, but as you've noticed the frame rate drops easily.
As for the CPU this thread seems to have valid information: http://en.community.dell.com/what-do-i-buy/for_enterprise/f/4516/t/19001903.aspx (http://en.community.dell.com/what-do-i-buy/for_enterprise/f/4516/t/19001903.aspx). A nice tool to find out the socket and much more is CPU-Z: http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html (http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html). Knowing the right socket will help to find available processors.
Theoretically any 32 bit OS including Vista will support 4 gigs of memory. Theoretically, that is. Graphics memory is included in that number, and some 500 megs gets lost to who knows where. Having identical values in similarly coloured slots will enable Dual Channel for better performance. Don't bother getting the 64 bit Vista with only 4 gigs of RAM, you wouldn't notice any difference other than difficulties in finding drivers.
It doesn't really matter whether the pci-e is version 1 or newer. The video cards are interchangeable within versions and the bottleneck would most likely case be somewhere else.
For cleaning unnecessary programs and services BlackViper has a very good reputation: http://www.blackviper.com/ (http://www.blackviper.com/). Basically anything starting with "Dell" is not an originally needed Windows essential. You're right about the hard disk reinstall package being bloated. Fortunately any OEM Vista DVD will work as long as you can read the installation license on the sticker. Borrowing or even copying one from a friend is totally acceptable, the license code is the private part. I've even managed to get a copy from a local repair shop for the cost of the disk even before I started my business.
PS Vista doesn't fit on a CD, but a DVD will work similarly.
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Thanks for the info, I looked on the setup menu and the info on the CPU was: Current CPU sempron 3600+ 2000mhz 256k cache 4095m frame buffer
Looking on Wikipedia that seems to make it socket Am2 unless its mobile and doesn't say so. I'll take a look a the utilities you mentioned. I tried the cheapy card just to see what it would do compared to on board, and to see what an hdmi connector would do.
Would a better card make a difference or would there be a bottle neck somewhere else anyway?
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CPUs says socket am2, thanks again
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I'm thinking about this little gem http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-Athlon-64-X2-6000-3-0GHz-Dual-Core-Socket-AM2-ADX6000IAA6CZ-Desktop-CPU-/281293977576 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-Athlon-64-X2-6000-3-0GHz-Dual-Core-Socket-AM2-ADX6000IAA6CZ-Desktop-CPU-/281293977576)
My question is has anybody bought used cpu's off ebay with good results? Its cheap enough but I don't want to be stupid and just throw money away. Also I am operating under the assumption that the heat sink fan that I have now will work, is this right?
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My last rig ran on one of these that I snagged on Ebay for like $30. [url]http://www.cpu-world.com/sspec/Q5/Q59U.html/[url]
I guess I got a good one. Unlocked 3.4ghz P4. It served me well :salute
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I'm thinking about this little gem http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-Athlon-64-X2-6000-3-0GHz-Dual-Core-Socket-AM2-ADX6000IAA6CZ-Desktop-CPU-/281293977576 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-Athlon-64-X2-6000-3-0GHz-Dual-Core-Socket-AM2-ADX6000IAA6CZ-Desktop-CPU-/281293977576)
My question is has anybody bought used cpu's off ebay with good results? Its cheap enough but I don't want to be stupid and just throw money away. Also I am operating under the assumption that the heat sink fan that I have now will work, is this right?
heya pembquist,
those 6000 / 6400 AMD Athlon x2 processors came from the factory with a beefier CPU heatsink and cooler fan...... much bigger and better than what you probably have
the AMD 6000 3.0 GHz dualcore you are thinking of buying really puts off the heat!!
they are awesome little cpu's, but use a lot of power and build a lot of heat.... so you will need at least the Factory beefed up CPU heatsink/fan combo they shipped with, or you will need to buy an aftermarket......
I had an AMD Black Edition 6400 athlonII x2 3.2GHz and loved it..... it is still being used to this day in another AH member's computer....
just got to get rid of the heat!
I'll look and see if I have 1 or 2 of those factory original heatsink/coolers........... I seem to remember I had a brand new one still in the box.......if I still have it, it's yours for free!
I'll PM you to let you know......... that is if you buy this CPU from ebay
Good Luck
TC
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Damn...I thought the topic said DRINKING around computer......
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Damn...I thought the topic said DRINKING around computer......
lol same here I was about to recommend a waterproof logitech keyboard :)
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Damn...I thought the topic said DRINKING around computer......
Being a non-English speaker I had to read at least four times before I could drop the 'r' off...
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Damn...I thought the topic said DRINKING around computer......
lol same here I was about to recommend a waterproof logitech keyboard :)
Being a non-English speaker I had to read at least four times before I could drop the 'r' off...
:rofl
my "advice" was gonna be one word...."dont"
it wasn't until I read the comments...... that I noticed it wasn't "drinking"
:lol
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:rofl
my "advice" was gonna be one word...."dont"
it wasn't until I read the comments...... that I noticed it wasn't "drinking"
:lol
Of all people I thought you wouldn't fall for that! Come on, think about it: D'inking... Haven't you ever had a customer wanting to get a tattoo de-inked? :bolt:
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:rofl :rofl
I have :D
cover ups are a huge part of the business
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Damn...I thought the topic said DRINKING around computer......
:rofl That's what I first thought too. I was going to suggest it's ok to chug but be careful not to spew.
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I think it's awesome that you are wringing the last drops of life from the machine and getting creative with upgrading it at low cost. :aok