Lazy Susans & Blockbusters
Aug. 16th, 2005 08:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alfvaenMy computer's been obsolescing for close to six years now, but somehow it's never been quite the right time to lay out the cash for a new one. So doing it a little bit at a time seems to be the way to go. The 80-gig hard drive was probably the first step of that, though I can see wanting another one--with Windows XP on it, I think, because 98 is just a little too flaky. Probably more so because I've never done that "format and reinstall" thing that so many people recommend doing on a regular basis.
I suppose I do also have an optical mouse and a CD-writer, neither of which was original equipment either. This silly HP case is too small for two CD drives, so I had to take out the original one.
Now I may have an opportunity to upgrade my motherboard and CPU, from a former coworker of a new coworker. I'd be going up from 433 MHz to 2.4 GHz, which sounds about right. I've only got 256 megs RAM, but if it's compatible with the motherboard I can maybe put both chips in. No clue about that, personally. Couldn't even tell you what kind I have right now. Anyway, that's upgradable, too.
So I'd be getting a new case with CD and floppy drives, but no hard drives. I'm fairly sure I can put them into the case myself, but this does, of course, make it an excellent time for backup up my hard drives again. Bit of a daunting task, but I've done it before. Oh, I suppose I'll have to move the network card over, too.
A new keyboard wouldn't go amiss, though this one is mostly just grungy...well, and several of the keytops are nearly blank. "L" is the worst, though "a" and "s" are fairly faded, and the shift keys. It'd have to have volume control keys, but I never got into the habit of using the Kwik Internet buttons that came on this one, so they're not essential.
The monitor can survive for a little bit longer. It's still a big huge 17" CRT, on my fairly small desk, and I'd love to have a flat screen, so I could have some more desk space. This one always seems to take a minute or two to snap into focus when it starts up, though up to now it's always managed it.
Of course, I could easily bollix everything up. I never claimed to a computer hardware expert. But I did managed to swap the CD drives, and I've done hard drives before, and even memory once or twice. I prefer to buy all at once, but I hate paying on installments.
I suppose I do also have an optical mouse and a CD-writer, neither of which was original equipment either. This silly HP case is too small for two CD drives, so I had to take out the original one.
Now I may have an opportunity to upgrade my motherboard and CPU, from a former coworker of a new coworker. I'd be going up from 433 MHz to 2.4 GHz, which sounds about right. I've only got 256 megs RAM, but if it's compatible with the motherboard I can maybe put both chips in. No clue about that, personally. Couldn't even tell you what kind I have right now. Anyway, that's upgradable, too.
So I'd be getting a new case with CD and floppy drives, but no hard drives. I'm fairly sure I can put them into the case myself, but this does, of course, make it an excellent time for backup up my hard drives again. Bit of a daunting task, but I've done it before. Oh, I suppose I'll have to move the network card over, too.
A new keyboard wouldn't go amiss, though this one is mostly just grungy...well, and several of the keytops are nearly blank. "L" is the worst, though "a" and "s" are fairly faded, and the shift keys. It'd have to have volume control keys, but I never got into the habit of using the Kwik Internet buttons that came on this one, so they're not essential.
The monitor can survive for a little bit longer. It's still a big huge 17" CRT, on my fairly small desk, and I'd love to have a flat screen, so I could have some more desk space. This one always seems to take a minute or two to snap into focus when it starts up, though up to now it's always managed it.
Of course, I could easily bollix everything up. I never claimed to a computer hardware expert. But I did managed to swap the CD drives, and I've done hard drives before, and even memory once or twice. I prefer to buy all at once, but I hate paying on installments.
