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I've got a Dell desktop on it's way from Amazon; it's a Optiplex 745 series with Intel Pentium D Dual Core 3.4Ghz CPU with 4mb Cache, 2gb DDR2 Ram (4gb max) and an 80 gig SATA harddrive. Point I'm trying to make is, is this a good computer for playing pre-2005 games and surfing the web? Also, I'm gonna need help doing a Dual Boot with a Linux distro and it's already installed XP Pro; any chance I could get help with that too? :?
You'll want to upgrade the RAM, and buy a third from top tier Video card for about $80-100 and you'll be able to play Batman Arkham City at 60fps and 720p with all effects on, if you have Windows 7. The CPU is fine for modern gaming, you'll just want to check the Video Card and upgrade that RAM. That is assuming Dell didn't hamstring the thing with an on board graphics device and no PCIexpress port.
I'm using the PC for classic games, PS2-era is the setup I'm interested at the 'mo; I'll upgrade later when I have the monies, I'm low on the monies. :D Thank you for the advice, though - when I do get some cash, I'll will indeed upgrade the RAM and video card, as well as get a bigger harddrive. As for what OS is installed, I've been told it's Windows XP Pro, but I wanna install a Linux distro on there too (dual boot if possible). Any help regarding that guys?
I hope you paid no more than $50 for that system.
It cost me 90 GBP; that's ok, right?
They still sell XP dual core setups around here for up to $250, so yes that is alright.
Jax only says that because he's used to rock bottom prices. He could use a reality check though, most people don't have access to recycling centers... :roll:
If it has PCI-E 16X slot, be sure to get a cheap card...you should be able to get someting from the era the machine was decent for a pittance. if only a 1X slot you may be screwed but I saw ZOTAC makes an ION PCI-E 1X card that isn't too pricy but don't know if it was any good.
If not, PCI (not PCI Express) graphics cards, the highest end ones aren't that fast and are VERY expensive and you may have driver issues - you may be reliant on the manufacturer drivers as many of them use PCI-E to PCI bridge chips and there's no standard, but I beleive that was fixed with ATi cards (not too sure but I saw something) and if it had AGP, the same with PCI applies. I'd add 1 to 2 more GB of ram even though XP maxes out at 3GB
Hard Drive is fine unless you want to download movies or have super large lossless music archive that has a month's worth and you cycle through it fast (a week or day worth would be fine). Mods is the next thing and how many PC games you would have installed at giving time (usually it takes a shit load anyway with PC games pre-2005). But you're upgrading, so this is not important. The setup is great for the first generation of CD-ROM based Half-Life games (original upto Blue Shift), don't expect EAX sound on a laptop or anything newer than XP if Surround Sound is your thing. Some games like Sonic R crash if running too fast a PC.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Jackal
@David J: I've no idea, I'll have to open it up when I get it and have a look. Even then, I don't know what I'll be looking at, but I could take pics. Thank you though. :) @Chibisteven: Yeah, mods are one of the main reasons I got it for; mainly for Morrowind and San Andreas. :p I was looking at getting Half-Life, as well as a bunch of PC games I've had my eye on for years: Thief, Dungeon Keeper, Theme Hospital, Magic Carpet 2, etc, etc. I have the PC version of Sonic R funny enough, is there a patch I wonder? :?
All we should need is the exact full model number, the specs should be online.
I've no idea, Amazon doesn't have it.
Do you have the product link?
Yeah, it's here.
it should meet all your needs though personally i would've went w/ a better processor.
They seem to have neglected to differentiate between the Optiplex 745 Mini Tower, Desktop and Compact in the specs sheet. But at least one of them has a PCIexpress 16x port.
http://www.dell.com/downloads/global...5techspecs.pdf
Also, a 3.4 Ghz Dual Core is good enough for most PC gaming today, it's all about the Graphics Card and the RAM. Some of the specs listed above say up to 8GB of RAM, it'll be important to know how high yours will go once you find out the exact model number. You'll need Windows 7 64-bit to take advantage of that of course. For older PC games, or MAME, that CPU is more than enough.
Quoted for truth. To be perfectly honest I'm still rather annoyed at him for pretty much killing my attempt to get rid of some old Macs I had laying around simply because he could find them at a recycling center for nothing, even though I wasn't asking for anything for them, simply best offer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Guntz
Cheers Sheath, that's pretty much all I want it for. When that actual system comes through, I'll post the model number. Thank you once again. :)
Well, it came. It's the same as in the pic, but the bastards didn't supply a mains lead, so I have no means to test if it's working. EDIT: I found a mains lead in the spare room; it works as far as powering up; I don't have a video lead as of yet - still waiting on the DVI-to-HDMI lead to arrive, hopefuly not long now.
Good deal! I'd be interested to know what your 3DMARK 06 score would be, after you install Defraggler and get it down to 0% fragmentation. Oh, and get rid of whatever antivirus software they put in there and use Avast or Windows Defender instead, or nothing at all combined with Spybot S&D and Malwarebytes. ;)
Here's a link to my escapades in upgrading from a single core 2.2 Ghz CPU to a Dual Core 2.2 Ghz system, to a 3.2 Ghz Dual Core system. The links will show you my 3DMARK 06 scores every step of the way. Which reminds me, you might want to install Gamebooster before running 3DMARK as well.
Yeah, I plan on doing a clean swipe of the HDD, defo install Avast and the like (no Norton, that shit crippled my Vista laptop!). It's gonna be a good few days before I can do anything though, still got no video lead. I checked that thread, sorry to hear about your trouble with that seller, glad it got sorted for you in the end. Thank you once again, Sheath; it means a heck of lot. Thank you. :)
Well, the cable came and it doesn't fit; I have no DVI input, just a VGA one. Checking online and it seems a VGA-to-DVI connector won't work with the DVI-to-HDMI cable I've got, and a VGA-to-HDMI/SCART/Component/Whatever requires an expensive, seperate converter. I'm really stomped with this, I just want to connect this to my TV. Please, someone, help...
What kind of connection does your TV have? For VGA I've had to use a relatively expensive VGA to Component adapter, or purchase a Video Card with Component output. If your TV has DVI or HDMI inputs I would need to get a Video Card with one of those. My current Video Card only has DVI and Component output because my old TV only had Component in for HD stuff. If your TV has VGA input, DVI to VGA conversions are only a couple of bucks at Monoprice.com.
My tv has 1 x Component, 1 x Scart and 2x HDMI, no DVI or VGA. The tv manual does state it does support DVI over HDMI though. I'm looking at paying out a lot either way ain't I? :(
You could go cheap ($30-40) on the video card with DVI and HDMI outs, and still probably get a better card than that crap onboard Intel chip. I can recommend one if you like, otherwise just check Newegg.com for budget video cards. You'll need one that is low profile ready, and I prefer ones with no fan, just a heatsync, in the budget range because they last longer. We still need to confirm that your PC has a PCIe expansion port.
If I could open it up and post pics of the insides, would that help? I think a new video card would be the best route as well, though I'm skint atm, so it'll be a few weeks before I can buy one. Thank you yet again, Sheath. You've been a big help, thank you. EDIT: I've foud a cheap VGA to HDMI converter, I might get that instead. Could be useful for when I get a VGA cable for my Dreamcast as well, kill two birds with one stone if you will. I'll upgrade the vid card some other time.
you might be better off w/ DVI to HDMI converter after you get a GPU or get a GPU w/ HDMI on it.
I've got a DVI-to-HDMI cable, Jesse, but my current vid card only has a vga output. I'll get a new video card soon, thank you though. :)
The problem with VGA to HDMI is the loss you will introduce from analog to digital. I bet the TV doesn't see it correctly. The computer should have a full model number printed somewhere near the UPC code, that should be all we need to find out whether this model has a PCIe expansion port.
Aside from that, a pic of the inside will work, but you're looking for a single different long port above all of the regular PCI ports. Or you could download install and run Everest Home Edition if you have a monitor to hook it up to at all.
Well, I managed to borrow some cash and I ordered the converter, if you're right and it doesn't work, I can still use it in the future for my DC, so it's no real loss and I'll buy a new video card. I'll post the code and some pics of the inside tomorrow. I've got no monitor, sorry. Thank you again, Sheath, you're one in a million.
I'm not sure how much it cost, but I use an RGB to HDMI converter that was in the $60s and it works great for gaming. I'm just not sure how it would work for displaying a PC on an HDTV and ended up finding video cards with native supported outputs more user friendly.
I think either way, I'll see how things go with the converter I'm getting now and then, get a new video card with DVI output; already got the lead, the tv supports it and I need a new card anyway, in the long run. It's seems the most logical route to me atm.
The VGA cable came this morning and I now have the PC hooked up to my TV; and it looks fucking fantastic!
Just doing a quick test install of San Andreas, then I'm gonna wipe the HDD and install some anti-virus programs. :nod:
Awesome!
Sheath, I run 3DMark06 and selected "Run 3DMark06", but the screen goes black and the system goes to a crawl; the online test fails as well.
I've got Game Booster as well, don't know how to work it, but I've installed it and it seems fine.
Weird. You might want to update your video driver in that case, and make sure your hard drive is 0% fragmented with Defraggler (it's free). Game Booster has to be run manually, it just disables a bunch of services to free up system resources. There should be two links on your desktop, one runs it right away and the other one just opens the program. In Windows XP Game Booster might disable print services, just to warn you.
OK, Defraggler is running now. I'll try updating the video driver in a while (got stuff to do meanwhile).
Thank you again Sheath. :)
How fragmented was it? Most computers I have to clean up start out over 50% fragmented. Needless to say all of my clients give me their computers thinking it was on its last legs and nothing could be done for it. ;)
49%; it's de-fragmented 11% so far with 45 mins to go.
Cheers again, man, you've been a great help.
I usually schedule a boot time defrag to run every time at bootup as well, it's the best way to get the hibernation and pagefile to stay defragmented. Also notice the file tab on the main screen of defraggler, it will allow you to defragment individual files that have been broken up, you might need to do that several times to get it down to 0%.