There's no "maybe" about it Norm.

Post #30,738 by Another Scott 3/4/02 6:15:05 PM Reply	There's no "maybe" about it Norm. My Presario 7000US uses standard parts and is designed to be worked on by consumer-level buyers. All Compaqs aren't the same - there have been changes over time and between models. [link\|http://web14.compaq.com/falco/sp_result.asp?Model=3172&Os=94\|See for yourself]. If, for some reason, that URL doesn't work, search compaq.com for "Presario 7000US". It's a list of WinME drivers, upgrade guides, troubleshooting guides, instructions on how to replace drives, processors, etc. I bought my mom a similar 5000 series (900 MHz Athlon) and added more Crucial RAM to it easily. I've bought 768 MB of RAM for my 7000US but haven't installed it yet. It should be a piece of cake. I was simply offering some advice. Feel free to ignore it. Cheers, Scott.
Post #30,741 by nking 3/4/02 6:25:43 PM Reply	Ok, no maybe about it I apologize, my past experience in supporting Compaqs had me using "goofy" screws that were either Torx or the kind with the two holes in them that needed a special doo-dad to remove them. I remember spending time looking to see where the special screwdriver was to open up a Compaq case and all the hoops they had inside that I had to jump through just to take out a bad card or something. So they use ATX these days? On all systems or just a select few? "Will code Visual BASIC for cash."
Post #30,747 by Another Scott 3/4/02 6:43:23 PM Reply	Google is your friend. Hi Norm, AFAIK all recent Presarios are ATX but I don't have personal knowledge of all the machines. There are plusses and minuses in going with Compaq or another vendor as opposed to building a PC yourself. But the biggest plus, IMO, is that you don't have to fight with it to get it to run. It either runs or it has problems that you can get fixed under warranty - a warranty with one vendor. You'll save a lot of time with a preconfigured system. [link\|http://www.epinions.com/cmd-review-1679-290E7836-39940B4A-prod5\|Here]'s an epinions piece about a Presario 5900Z. (The 7xxx series have a larger case than the 5xxx series - that's about the only difference.) That's about all I can tell you about Presarios. HTH. Cheers, Scott.
Post #30,765 by wharris2 3/4/02 8:23:01 PM Reply	Compaq: variable quality For a while, Compaq quality was in the dumps, but more recent reports say better of them. Last time I went for a computer, I made sure I got one that had an easily accessible motherboard/innards; I got a PowerSpec which has one of those great cases with the slide-out side panel rather than a "hood" case that requires you to take the entire dang case off. Problem with video, solved shortly after I got it. No problems since and I can add drives/memory/swap video out the wazoo. Where each demon is slain, more hate is raised, yet hate unchecked also multiplies. - L. E. Modesitt
Post #30,946 by nking 3/5/02 7:37:32 PM Reply	Price out of reach That article prices it on the $2500USD range, unless Compaq dropped the price since the article came out? I went to Newegg.com and got almost $600USD in parts to upgrade his older system. It needs an ISA slot so his scanner will work. HP scanner with an ISA card adapter, some sort of SCSI I expect? What I got for $600: Abit VH6T Motherboard and 1Ghz PIII CPU Kingston 512M SDRAM DIMM Enlight Medium ATX 300Watt Case AOpen CRW2440 24x10x40 CDRW drive 3Com USR PCI modem MS Inteli-Mouse Optical Abit Siluro T200 NVIDIA GEFORCE2 32M with TV-Out He already has the hard drive, floppy, keyboard from his old system. The VH6T has one ISA slot. "Will code Visual BASIC for cash."
Post #30,955 by Another Scott 3/5/02 9:19:41 PM Reply	Norm, please wake up. :-) That article was a November 2000 review of a Presario 5900Z system that was brand new, a system that came out before August 2000. The price was $2300 - $2600. They don't cost that much now. A roughly comparable refurbished system from compaqfactoryoutlet.com is $600 - $650 now. I went to Newegg.com and got almost $600USD in parts to upgrade his older system. It looks like you got a reasonable combination of parts, and NewEgg has been a very good vendor in my experience (thanks Thane!). It needs an ISA slot so his scanner will work. HP scanner with an ISA card adapter, some sort of SCSI I expect? That's probably a reasonable assumption. If you really didn't want an ISA-slotted motherboard, you might have been able to use a PCI SCSI card. [link\|http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x7f7dfd3f91d3d5118ff40090279cd0f9,00.html\|This] page lists a link to [link\|https://www.initio.com/store/index.htm\|Initio SCSI cards] for various HP scanners. And there are, of course, very inexpensive USB scanners now too. FWIW. It sounds like you were constrained by the fellow wanting a PIII. I think you found a reasonable solution based on the constraints. I hope you're able to get the system together and debugged easily. Best of luck! Cheers, Scott.
Post #30,969 by a6l6e6x 3/6/02 12:47:52 AM Reply	And, can't you convice you father-in-law Intel is evil? :-) Athlon, all the way! Alex "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." -- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Post #31,215 by nking 3/7/02 12:49:58 PM Reply	I talked to him today he says if there are no issues with the AMD chip, and it is cheaper, to go with that. As long as it runs XP and the modern software. If he is running old DOS stuff, like commercial games, it may not work? He says he will only be running modern stuff. Any suggestions for a good motherboard? I used Abit for my own system the Windows 2000 Server. The KT7 board, that is. But I assume there is a newer version of this board? "Will code Visual BASIC for cash."
Post #31,286 by a6l6e6x 3/7/02 9:49:13 PM Reply	I've had good luck with Asus. Even my wife's HP Pavilion PC uses an Asus (with HP BIOS). Alex "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." -- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Post #31,304 by nking 3/7/02 10:58:32 PM Reply	I'll try Asus I had good luck with At based Asus motherboards before. I'll see if Newegg has a sale on them? I think that they do! What else? [link\|http://customs.affordablecomputers.com/\|[link\|http://customs.affordablecomputers.com/\|http://customs.affo...mputers.com/]] seems to only show Intel, feh! "Will code Visual BASIC for cash."
Post #31,401 by a6l6e6x 3/8/02 5:06:58 PM Reply	I get my Asus boards locally in Charlotte. [link\|http://www.invado.com/products/components_listing.jsp?categoryName=MotherboardsSocketA\|Link.] The above gives you an idea of motherbords and costs for Athlons. [link\|http://usa.asus.com/index.asp\|Asus site.] Alex "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." -- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Post #31,760 by nking 3/11/02 9:44:19 PM Reply	SCSI adapter What he has in it is a Symbios Logic 53C416 SCSI card. I am assuming at least a SCSI 2 or SCSI 3 because it isn't a 50 pin port on the back? It is an ISA card. I am not sure what scanner it is, as I only have his tower case and not the scanner. "Will work for fair salary and benefits, seeking company with integrity."

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