My computer’s motherboard crapped out on my this month (or so the fellas over at the computer store tell me). Not having much cash, I need to buy something used. eBay seems to be the ticket, but looking over a few auctions, I’ve discovered I’m in completely over my head. I saw a nice auction, with all the specs that would be dandy, and then in fine print at the bottom it said “All it needs is a hard drive!”
Uh…it doesn’t have a hard drive? How is that a computer? Could I fill a pinata with vacuum tubes and call it a computer?
For those who are wealthy in spare time, I think my basic requirements would be along the lines of the following (trying to remember what my crapped-out computer has):
I don’t need a monitor/keyboard/mouse/speakers - I have all those. Memory is pretty unimportant - I can always back it up. I also have a Win 98SE installation disk, but I’m not sure if that will transfer to a different computer. I could probably also salvage my video card from the old computer, no?
What’s missing from my list that’s important to mention?
This is a great line. Thank you. I shall remember this next time I’m searching for eBay. It’s too true!
I got a used Dell about a year ago with similar specs, and it was $200. It’s been a good workhorse little machine.
I’m not a computer-savvy person (with either Mac or PC—I guess I should mention that I’m cross-platform with a leaning towards Macs), but I think you will regret not getting at least 256 megs of RAM. RAM is very important and you can never have enough. My old Dell has 256 megs and I wish it had more.
And you don’t mention the amount of hard drive you need. My used Dell had a 10 GB HD and I got a used 6 GB and had that added (I didn’t put it in myself—horrors!). So far the total of 16 GBs hasn’t been too bad for what I want from the computer. (It is a businessy/Microsoft Word/light surfing kind of computer. No games, no heavy-duty Photoshop work.)
How much video RAM does your old PC’s video card have? I would recommend at least 16 megs. (That’s how much the old Dell has. The eBay vendor put it in for me for a nominal cost, bless his heart.) I used Windows XP Pro in the old Dell, which installed with few hitches. However, installing Windows 98 was a bitch (I decided to do a dual-boot thing. Fun!). The drivers for the modem, video card, Ethernet and sound card just weren’t there. Searching for the video card driver was especially fun. (Took me a whole day, just about.)
Okay, I’m just drifting from the subject at hand here. Sorry. I would recommend getting more than 128 megs of RAM, and make sure your video card is up to snuff.
How tight is your budget? At this instant, there’s a Dell Dimension at the Dell Factory outlet for $300 - it’s got a 1.6MHz processor, Windows XP Home, 256 MB RAM, 20 GB hard drive, CD-ROM and basic video.
Or, for $375 after rebates, ($499 up-front) get a new 2.4 GHz system with 40 GB drive, 256 MB RAM and CD-RW drive. It takes a little adjusting to their “base” configuration, primarily by downgrading the processor and deleting the monitor (saves $50) to get this price, but it’s not terribly hard. Keep in mind that Dell charges $99 for shipping.
Even with that fairly high shipping charge, I’d be more comfy going this route than some unknown PC on eBay. “Just needs a hard drive!” - yeah, right! And, I have a hard enough time getting telephones and mixers shipped in one piece from eBay sellers. I just have visions of someone wrapping a PC in brown paper and putting a bunch of stamps on it.
Hey I’ve used several computers without a harddrive, it’s not impossible.
Please note that the harddrive is the internal (or in some cases external) magnetic drive that stores your data, it is not the big box that sits under your desk
Don’t you actually have a spare harddrive from your old computer that you could use then? It might not hold the ammount of data that a new one would and it is proberly also slower, but if you’ve been happy with it untill now, perhaps it’ll do untill you can spare the money for a new one?
Thanks for the advice, all. I’m currently asking around work (a 300 person e-mail bulletin board comes in handy!), and I think one of my old college friends may have a spare lying around. But let’s keep the thread open in case anyone else comes by.
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. But couldn’t I take my 128 and pair it with another 128? You can pair like-RAMs, no? (Please keep in mind that I am a moron, and may at times be speaking completely random syllables when it comes to computers.)
gotpasswords: Yeah, I was looking at Dell’s outlet. Great prices there, and I would be very tempted to go back. That’ll be a last resort though. Tuition is biting my ass right now.
Yes, but that would involve having to install a hard drive (or so I would guess). I’m usually lucky enough to successfully insert a floppy facing the correct direction! Is something like that hard to do?
Yes, and in fact, 2 128s are better than 1 256 according to my friends who know these things.
Do you have a friend who can install the parts for you? My friends help me put my pc together. They went to http://pcclub.com/ and got parts. I already had the case and the monitor. (you still have the case from the other computer? if not, you can get really nice ones for under $50) And we installed everything here.
I got (i think anyway, was built a bit ago)
AMD Athlon 2500+ <-motherboard
256 RAM Kingston DDR333 <-ram
NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X 64 <- video card, about $150
52x CDRW drive
16x Dvd drive
Logitech Keyboard and Optical mouse.
a 7,200 RPM w/ 8mb buffer Western Digital 40 gig <-hard drive
Really, everything for a computer but a case, monitor, speakers and software.
For about $470.
That’s WAY more than what you need. I can play video games, run photoshop, etc. But you have to find someone who knows what they are doing. If you can find someone, I suggest buying the individual pieces and putting it together, otherwise, get a pre-built.
I just built these two machines for relatives. I had one mouse and 2 17" monitors.
Here are the specs (I’m including the prices I paid for the parts, there may be some variation of the current prices):
Jackie’s Machine
AMD Athlon XP 2000+, 266 FSB, 256K Cache Processor - Retail $57
BIOSTAR “M7NCG 400” nForce2 IGP Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU -RETAIL $60
Kingston 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-2700 - OEM $65AR
Seagate 80GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model ST380013A-RK, Retail $55AR
Rosewill 52x32x52x16 CD-RW & DVD Combo Drive, Model C523216, Retail $40
Enlight Beige Micro ATX Mini Tower Case with 200W Power Supply, Model “EN-7358-0PU” -RETAIL $35
Logitech Deluxe Desktop Bundle (Deluxe Keyboard & S69 Mouse) PS/2 104keys -OEM $17
Creative SBS330 2.1 Speaker -OEM $30
Total $359
Sharon’s Machine
AMD Athlon XP 2000+, 266 FSB, 256K Cache Processor - Retail $57
ASUS “A7V8X-X” KT400 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU -RETAIL $40 Refurb
Kingston ValueRAM 184 Pin 256MB DDR PC-3200 - Retail $34AR
Western Digital 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD1200BB $60AR
Optorite Black IDE/ATAPI 52X32X52 CD-RW Drive, Model CW5201, Retail $35
APOLLO nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 Video Card, 128MB DDR, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model “BLOODY MONSTER 3 GEFORCE FX 5200” -RETAIL $40 Refurb
E-buyer Kingcase ATX 300W $25
Logitech Internet Keyboard PS/2 104keys -OEM $15
Altec Lansing 2.1 Speakers $25
Total $331
Are you in the states? If so, I got most of the parts from www.newegg.com, though I got both of the hard drives through sale ads (you can usually find them for around $.50 a GB after mail in rebate), the memory I got from shop.kingston.com, and the cases I got from ebuyer who does business in the US and UK. So if you are willing and able to build the machine yourself you can save yourself a lot of money. Here is an excellent guide for building your own PC with pictures.
I looked over your original post again. Here are a few questions for you:
What do you plan to do with the machine WWW, Word Processing, Gaming (new or older games), watch movies, play music?
What is your budget?
What does your dead machine contain that isn’t dead, or how did it die?
Do you feel comfortable building your own machine or can you get someone experienced to assist you?
If you have around $300-$400 and you are up to it I suggest that you build a new machine. If the budget is less I need to know more about your dead machine to see what we can salvage since some of your components (RAM, motherboard, and processor) are probably not compatible with newer hardware. You could try to e-bay a used system but that is going to be a crap shoot.
Yes, but your new PC would have to take the exact same type of RAM that your old PC used, if indeed you wanted to “recycle” the RAM from your old PC into your new PC.
I wouldn’t install the hard drive if I were you. Oh, I suppose you could do it, but it sounds quite scary and . . . I just wouldn’t do it. I installed RAM once and I thought I’d hyperventilate—I was so afraid I’d inadvertantly get a shock and toast the whole computer (I didn’t). I know some people say that it’s “easy” and “no big deal” but I’m not buying it—some things are just better being done by others. YMMV and all that.
I’ll go a little out of the mainstream here and say I’d avoid ebay for computers, unless it’s a company selling them. YMMV, of course, but I’m always leery of people selling their old electronics.
There’s a better site for that stuff, IMO: ubid. Ubid is also an auction place, but they sell machines from the factory - sometimes refurbished, and most of them (IIRC) come with some sort of guarantee. Which can be a great thing if you’re buying from a place that’s nowhere near you, geographically, a place you can’t just drive on over to and return a defective part.
mbacko, thanks for the links. That’s something that’ll most likely be very useful, especially the build-your-own guide.
The uses for the computer are pretty low - WWW, Excel, Word, gaming (oldish stuff like D2 and Civ3), etc. Nothing extensive like CD burning or photoshop.
