Need Computer Help -- Trying to Decide if I Want to Upgrade CPU

[NYC GOP Chick]

OK, I have a computer that's about 3 years old and I'm very attached to it. I've done lots of upgrades and improvements over the past year or so and instead of getting a new one, I'd like to do one more upgrade.

Having put in a Network Interface Card, doubled the RAM to 256K, installed a CD-RW drive and replaced the hard drive in my IBM Aptiva, I'm giving serious thought to updating the processor from a Pentium III 600 MHz to something like a P4 2G or something, and I have a few questions:

1) Do I need a new motherboard to do this?

2) How difficult is this to do? Will it become one of those "more trouble than its worth" things?

3) What issues and potential problems should I consider?

Here are some of the specs:

Pentium III 600
system board: V66M
system board chipset: Intel 82443ZX
system board form factor: micro-ATX
front-side bus speed: 100 MHz

[antidisestablishment]

If 256 is your max memory, then I would seriously consider upgrading the motherboard and processor. With prices what they are, you simply cannot lose.

As far as Win2K, it really depends on your 98 build. If your build is relatively stable, then no. However, if you find the blue screen of death coming more frequently, then it is definitely worthwhile. You will also see a slight performance boost--especially if Win98 is hogging your memory.

There are a couple of other tricks to getting PS to behave: If you have two drives, set your PS scratch disk to second drive.Reduce your image cache. Set it to 2-3 rather than 8. Also reduce your image size or color space if you can.

There are many more tips at Optimizing Performance in Photoshop for Windows . Good luck with you machine...

[antidisestablishment]

I hate you!

In a nice conservatively compassionate manner of course. LOL

[js1138]

I just upgraded my daughter's PC. Motherboard $130, Athlon 2000+ $106, 768 megs DDR memory $120 at CompUSA, Western Digital 80 gig drive $90 after rebates. Complete reinstall of Win2000 and all programs, priceless.

Some of these items were at unusual sale prices, but anyone could come within $100 of this system price without even shopping.

This system loads MS Word in under half a second. The need for all the memory comes from heavy Photoshop use.

I seldom upgrade older computers, except to add memory. They can be sold or given to friends or relatives or schools.

The reason you need a new motherboard is to recognise all the new hardware, to get USB 2.0, to enable use of ATA100 drives, etc. You can get a great AMD motherboard, CPU and 512 megs memory for under $250.

[savedbygrace]

BTW, always buy the 3 year AppleCare with a new G4. They include one monitor purchased at the same time. It's a great warranty. If anything goes wrong that forces you to send either unit back to AppleCare, they pay for the FedEx Next Day Air shipments both ways.

[savedbygrace]

CompUSA has a special going on the Western Digital 200GB drives. It ends tomorrow, but they give you a $100 Rebate, bringing the total down to $219. For a 200GB, 8MB cache, hard drive.

[dramagirl1341]

I say....buy a new iMac! once you get one of those, you'll forget your old computer and become even more attached to the lovable comp. ;)

[NYC GOP Chick]

Thanks for the info! :)

[js1138]

I'll admit that iMacs look cool, but I can build a faster PC for half the price, especially if I use a conventional monitor. Whatever turns you on.

[js1138]

I thought getting an 80 gig with 8mb cache for$90 was pretty cool. I'm not ready for a 200 gig drive yet.

[savedbygrace]

That's the same sort of thing I said when I bought my first 40MB drive back in 1989. I figured I'd never come close to filling that thing up.

But 80GB is still hard to grow out of, unless you use it for editing video clips.

[js1138]

I've had a 60 gig drive for a year and a half. I have thousands of 1mb photos on it, taking no discernable space. I have ripped about a dozen CDs to WAV files for building mix CDs, and still haven't filled half of it.

Video is about the only thing that could fill it quickly.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Definitely go with an an AMD CPU before going with an Intel P4. Much better product. You will need a new motherboard.