Well at the office, we have another cad guy coming in to do some designing. The only available computer we have for him is an old Dell computer. E-520 to be exact. This computer has a 2.6 gig P4 processor and two DDR2 pc4200 256mb memory sticks. We do not have a windows 7 disk for dell computers but we have the original install disk of Windows xp that came with that computer. So our operating system by limited selection, is windows xp professional 32 bit.
We cleaned out all dust, hair and carpet fuzz from the computer to make sure this design machine works (by default) at optimal condition for this old of a computer, and to do our best to make this computer run as good as it did the day it was first built. That is of course if the operating system runs at original condition. Just so you know why we formatted the computer.
Here is a look at the project computer before any hardware upgrades or updates.
XP Install on Board Video
This Dell computer we are using has been taken off site and used in another city at a coworker’s house for work. So yeah, it has been slammed with lots and lots of viruses. So many have been on this computer and removed from this computer, many of the normal functions did not work properly. So we formatted the computer.
We yanked out the two pc4200 256mb memory sticks and installed two 2gig pc 5300 memory sticks, and an Nvidia 9500 1gb vmem PCI-Express video card.
The Parts have been brought in for the computer while we were half way through the install of the operating system. We tied back some of the loose wires.
Before the parts installed. Xp installing
We used the Nvidia 9500 simply because the computer only has a 350 watt power supply and no available power connections to plug into a better video card.
We have done this install so many times, not one single error was capable of happening.
Except the small notice that says we have upgraded memory and video card.
Closest to an error we got.
This upgrade was at the cost of only $160 up front but also there is a $30 mail in rebate (we have not done yet) for the video card, and $25 mail in rebates for each stick of memory. If all goes well with the mail in rebates on these computer parts, then we are looking at an $80 upgrade to take this 7 year old computer that has been beat down and been a virus farm for at least 4 years, and turn this computer into a full on design machine.
After the operating system Windows xp pro was fully installed, we installed all 84 updates available. Of course that is after going to another computer and downloading network drivers and burning them to a cd, so we could sneaker mail them to the Dell project computer.
Design computer upgrade is complete
So now this computer is ready to go. He says he has autodesk 2011. If autodesk 2011 is as smooth of a success as autodesk 2010 was on my computer, then we are in the good and this computer will run like a monster.
Operating system is fully installed
So far, the computer is a sucess. We shall see what happens Tuesday when the final test of the design software puts the computer to work (stress).