Here’s the situation. I am presently using a 233MMX, 64 MB RAM computer which pretty much serves my needs for word processing, spreadsheet and Net surfing. I do not use it for games. I could use a bit more speed when working on images etc but I am not desperate. It has its quirks but I know them by now and I can live with them.
Now, I have this friend who is in debt with me because of work I have done for him but he is pressed for cash and I am not so I just let it go. He has a computer (or parts of one) he does not need and has offered to give them to me if I want them. The price is right since it is zero but I am afraid of getting myself into a lot of trouble which maybe is not worth the while. The proverbial white elephant. This is what I would get from him:
Mini tower case w/ 250 W power supply
Motherboard: Jetway VIA 663AS with 128 MB PC133 RAM (audio on MOBO)
Processor: AMD K7 DURON 800 w/ generic fan & heatsink
AGP Video Card: Power Color Gforce2 MX 32MB (VANTA?)
HDD: 20 GB Seagate ST320413A
CD-ROM drive: LG CRD-8522B (cheapo)
1.44 FDD, Keyboard, Mouse (generic)
NO Monitor, modem, OS, speakers
While it is a step up from what I have, it is not a configuration I would choose myself if I were buying a computer. He is offering it to me because it was giving him problems freezing very often, so I would have to be ready to troubleshoot any problems. I would want to have it stand alone and separate from my present systems so I would need to buy a monitor, modem, speakers, WIN98SE, and anything else missing. I am afraid I may put good money to feed the white elephant and after a while find I have wasted time and money.
The OS presents a special problem because I want it in English and I am in Spain right now. I can easily get it in English when I return to Washington DC but then I will not want to assemble and troubleshoot this computer. This would be an immediate project to pass time in the next few weeks and see if I can get a better system up and running while keeping my old system as my base system. So I would have to see if I can order WIN98SE, which is what I want, from the US and have it shipped to Spain… which may arrive after I have left… (anyone have a better idea?)
I dunno. On the one hand I enjoy tinkering but, on the other, I may put some time and money into this project and end up with a pile of unusable junk. And believe me, I do not need more junk.
So my question to you is: Do you think it is worth the investment in time and money? Or pass on the offer and upgrade directly to a better system later on when I am forced to upgrade? All advice, observations and opinions are welcome.