Advice- upgrading an 'old' sys

[curious]

New system suggestions pls for gaming.

It's been donkey-ages since I last built my own system and would like
to upgrade my 1998 old system from a:
PII-300
PCI S3 Virge GX2 4Mb graphics
256Mb ram
ASUS... ATX form factor.
WinXp
to something for RPG/Action games with a wireless ADSL network.

Not being around technology for many years, is this system upgradable
to todays standards or do I need to upgrade the entire pc?

I'd go for almost top of the range graphics (always used Nvidia), 1G
minimum ram, 1 CPU (always used Intel Pent but perhaps AMD ok too),
req network modem/card, and need a NEW monitor.

What can you suggest and to becareful of these days when building a
new system 10years later?

Thank you.

 

[Conor]

New system suggestions pls for gaming.

It's been donkey-ages since I last built my own system and would like
to upgrade my 1998 old system from a:
PII-300
PCI S3 Virge GX2 4Mb graphics
256Mb ram
ASUS... ATX form factor.
WinXp
to something for RPG/Action games with a wireless ADSL network.

Not being around technology for many years, is this system upgradable
to todays standards or do I need to upgrade the entire pc?

THe whole lot is in need of an upgrade.

GO Intel Core Duo 2 for the CPU. At least 1GB RAM and 7900 based
graphics card.

 

[Rod Speed]

New system suggestions pls for gaming.

It's been donkey-ages since I last built my own system and
would like to upgrade my 1998 old system from a:
PII-300
PCI S3 Virge GX2 4Mb graphics
256Mb ram
ASUS... ATX form factor.
WinXp
to something for RPG/Action games with a wireless ADSL network.

Not being around technology for many years, is this system upgradable
to todays standards or do I need to upgrade the entire pc?

There isnt much usable from that dinosaur, start again from scratch.

I'd go for almost top of the range graphics (always used Nvidia), 1G
minimum ram, 1 CPU (always used Intel Pent but perhaps AMD ok too),
req network modem/card, and need a NEW monitor.

What can you suggest and to becareful of these
days when building a new system 10years later?

You've got a hell of a lot more choice of cpu today, best to stick with Core
2 Duo right now since you upgrade so infrequently, gives you more future.

 

[DaveW]

The ONLY thing you can save from that system is XP, if you want to use it in
the years ahead.

 

[RussellS]

As Conor, Rod and Dave suggest, there'll be very little salvageable from the
old system. Perhaps you can reuse the XP OS if it's not an OEM version
(license tied to original hardware.) You might be able to reuse the hard
drives for extra storage (either internally or housed in a compatible
external enclosure), but would suggest getting new SATA drives for main use.
You could also reuse the floppy drive, if there is one, and maybe the
optical drive(s), depending upon your preference. The rest would need
replacement.

I'd also suggest going with an Intel Core 2 Duo/Extreme/Quad series
processor, depending upon your budget and intended use, and 2 GB DDR2 memory
from a reliable manufacturer. if you're looking for higher-end NVIDIA
graphics cards, the 8800GTX is the top-of-the-line card, with the 8800GTS
slightly behind. These are the only 2 current cards offering Windows
Vista's DirectX 10 future full support. You could save some $$ by going for
their dependable 76xx/79xx series as well...or start out with an integrated
G965 Intel chipset board using their new GMA X3000 graphics chip, then add a
card later as new DirectX 10 cards are released and prices stabilize for
them. Integrated networking chips are mature these days, so no need for a
separate card. Integrated 7.1-channel HD sound should also be fine, unless
you're an audiophile/hardcore gamer. Go for a dependable manufacturer's
Intel 965/975 series chipset motherboard with your preferred features, if
running a Core 2 series processor. Don't skimp on the power supply. Spend
the extra money to get a stable voltage regulated efficient PSU from a
respected manufacturer.