Help needed by Tech Idiot re: Dell 4600

ladybegood · 08-01-2003, 05:05 PM

My old computer is dying fast--a HP Pavilion --and thinking about buying a Dell 4600 on the latest promotion. Money is important but do not want to get system that is not easily expandable and could be hopelessly out of date in a couple of years.. Use computer at home for email, internet, word processing and some personal financial. Do not game (incompetent at them).Hope in the future to use voice recognition software and possibly some digital photo editing.
1. Should I upgrade from the 40 GB hard drive to 80 GB ($60)
2 If I get Intergrated Audio, does that mean that I can not get a sound card in the future? Or it may be more complicated to later add a sound card?
3 According to the specifications of Office XP, included on the latest promotion, it requires 128 ram plus 8 ram each use on the XP system (drastically more than if the Operating System had been Windows 98 or 2000)does that mean that I will shortly need more than the 256 ram provided? I think it is an additional $110 for 256 more, is this a good price or high?
4 Other advice and recommendations appreciated.

sbp · 08-01-2003, 05:19 PM

1.) Having more storage space is good. Better to have too much than not enough. Of course you can always add another hard drive later.

2.) No, you should be able to turn off the integrated sound and use the sound card of your choice. And its not complicated to add a sound card.

3.) Again its better to have more ram than not enough.

Can you run WinXP with 256MB of ram? Yes, but I recommend running WinXP with 512MB of ram. And why not since ram is inexpensive.

irwin · 08-01-2003, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ladybegood

1. Should I upgrade from the 40 GB hard drive to 80 GB ($60)
2 If I get Intergrated Audio, does that mean that I can not get a sound card in the future? Or it may be more complicated to later add a sound card?
3 According to the specifications of Office XP, included on the latest promotion, it requires 128 ram plus 8 ram each use on the XP system (drastically more than if the Operating System had been Windows 98 or 2000)does that mean that I will shortly need more than the 256 ram provided? I think it is an additional $110 for 256 more, is this a good price or high?
4 Other advice and recommendations appreciated.

1. Extra hard drive space is always welcome, but $60 more for 40gb of additional storage is a rip.

2. You can buy a pci soundcard later or one of those Creative usb extigy dealies.

3. Too high. Check out Crucial

edit: dangit, sbp. you beat me by a minute. *shakes fist*

sbp · 08-01-2003, 05:32 PM

*waves cane back* and on dial up modem no less.

As passwird says the prices are too high for those parts.

4.) 800Mhz system bus (instead of 533) is faster. Is it necessary? No.

ladybegood · 08-01-2003, 05:37 PM

Appreciate the good advice but additional problem is that I have no technical knowledge. How hard is it to install the extra memory or additional drive? Is there a really SIMPLE manual you recommend--sort of one that if instead it was talking about cooking, would start with "turn on the stove."

bachviet · 08-01-2003, 05:57 PM

1. No it costs too much for 40GB upgrade. You should be able to get an 80GB hard drive for that price (after MIR).

2. Nope you could always turn off the integrated sound card.

3. You should be able to get more RAM for cheaper online or at local B&M stores so don't get that upgrade.

4. I would spend a little more ($30) to get the P4 2.4C CPU with faster FSB (800Mhz).

Dell manual should show you how to install RAM and hard drive.

watanad · 08-01-2003, 06:44 PM

One thing that I've always wondered about buying a built computer: how do you know how many RAM slots are on the mobo, and how will dell populate those slots if you go with the default 256MB? I thought someone told me that there was a benefit to using RAM in pairs for dual channel ram. i.e. what are the odds that there are only 2 slots, and dell fills them with 2x128? Anyone have any experience with this?

Granted, you could probably buy 512MB for the $110 that dell wants for the upgrade, so in this case it's not an issue. Just wondering out loud....

bachviet · 08-02-2003, 02:17 AM

You could check the spec of the computer and see how many slots are available. The Dell 4600 comes with 4 DIMM slot so you could get two more stick of 256MB DDR400 RAM (total of 768MB).

ladybegood · 08-02-2003, 05:09 AM

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Watanad--appreciated your question--I did not know enough to even ask that.
Just a little more:
Right now my intention is to get the Dell 4600 P4 2.4 CPU with 800 hmz, 256 Ram memory (will add more later), 40 GB Hard drive, intergrated sound card, will add floppy disk drive and upgrade to CD-RW.
Purpose of the floppy drive is to use the disks with information from my old computer. But those are generally in an older version of Word or my Turbotax Info. Since the new computer will be using a later version of Word and the system will be XP instead of Windows 98, will the disks be able to be used? Is a floppy useful or am I being a dino?

bachviet · 08-02-2003, 11:50 AM

Forget about the floppy drive and get one of those USB pen drive (64MB). It should cost aound $20 after MIR.

ladybegood · 08-02-2003, 03:03 PM

What is a USB pen drive and what does it do? Warned you that I really know almost nothing.

watanad · 08-02-2003, 05:41 PM

USB pen drives (aka jumpdrives or flash drives) are small removable media with a USB interface. They're small enough to fit in your pocket, and most have a spot to attach to your keys. Basically performs the same function as the floppy drive, but it comes with useful storage capacities (I just got a 256MB one from dellsb). I think you may need to install drivers if your old box is Win98.

08-01-2003, 05:05 PM	#1
ladybegood Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 78	Help needed by Tech Idiot re: Dell 4600 My old computer is dying fast--a HP Pavilion --and thinking about buying a Dell 4600 on the latest promotion. Money is important but do not want to get system that is not easily expandable and could be hopelessly out of date in a couple of years.. Use computer at home for email, internet, word processing and some personal financial. Do not game (incompetent at them).Hope in the future to use voice recognition software and possibly some digital photo editing. 1. Should I upgrade from the 40 GB hard drive to 80 GB ($60) 2 If I get Intergrated Audio, does that mean that I can not get a sound card in the future? Or it may be more complicated to later add a sound card? 3 According to the specifications of Office XP, included on the latest promotion, it requires 128 ram plus 8 ram each use on the XP system (drastically more than if the Operating System had been Windows 98 or 2000)does that mean that I will shortly need more than the 256 ram provided? I think it is an additional $110 for 256 more, is this a good price or high? 4 Other advice and recommendations appreciated.

08-01-2003, 05:32 PM	#4
sbp Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 11,037	old farts 1 younguns 0 waves cane back and on dial up modem no less. As passwird says the prices are too high for those parts. 4.) 800Mhz system bus (instead of 533) is faster. Is it necessary? No.

08-01-2003, 05:57 PM	#6
bachviet What's Da Pho*? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SoCal (714) Posts: 13,296	Re: Help needed by Tech Idiot re: Dell 4600 1. No it costs too much for 40GB upgrade. You should be able to get an 80GB hard drive for that price (after MIR). 2. Nope you could always turn off the integrated sound card. 3. You should be able to get more RAM for cheaper online or at local B&M stores so don't get that upgrade. 4. I would spend a little more ($30) to get the P4 2.4C CPU with faster FSB (800Mhz). Dell manual should show you how to install RAM and hard drive. __________________ Dell Dimension 9200 \| Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4GHz) \| 4x1GB DDR2 \| 256MB nVidia GeForce 8800GT Dell Studio 17 \| Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6GHz) \| 2x2GB DDR3 1066MHz \| 1GHz ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 Intel P4-C 3.0GHz \| ECS 865PE-A \| 3x512MB PC3200 \| 128MB PNY GeForce 6600GT

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08-01-2003, 05:19 PM	#2
sbp Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 11,037	1.) Having more storage space is good. Better to have too much than not enough. Of course you can always add another hard drive later. 2.) No, you should be able to turn off the integrated sound and use the sound card of your choice. And its not complicated to add a sound card. 3.) Again its better to have more ram than not enough. Can you run WinXP with 256MB of ram? Yes, but I recommend running WinXP with 512MB of ram. And why not since ram is inexpensive.

08-01-2003, 05:37 PM	#5
ladybegood Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 78	Appreciate the good advice but additional problem is that I have no technical knowledge. How hard is it to install the extra memory or additional drive? Is there a really SIMPLE manual you recommend--sort of one that if instead it was talking about cooking, would start with "turn on the stove."

08-01-2003, 06:44 PM	#7
watanad Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 56	One thing that I've always wondered about buying a built computer: how do you know how many RAM slots are on the mobo, and how will dell populate those slots if you go with the default 256MB? I thought someone told me that there was a benefit to using RAM in pairs for dual channel ram. i.e. what are the odds that there are only 2 slots, and dell fills them with 2x128? Anyone have any experience with this? Granted, you could probably buy 512MB for the $110 that dell wants for the upgrade, so in this case it's not an issue. Just wondering out loud....

08-02-2003, 02:17 AM	#8
bachviet What's Da Pho*? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SoCal (714) Posts: 13,296	You could check the spec of the computer and see how many slots are available. The Dell 4600 comes with 4 DIMM slot so you could get two more stick of 256MB DDR400 RAM (total of 768MB).

08-02-2003, 05:09 AM	#9
ladybegood Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 78	Thank you, thank you, thank you. Watanad--appreciated your question--I did not know enough to even ask that. Just a little more: Right now my intention is to get the Dell 4600 P4 2.4 CPU with 800 hmz, 256 Ram memory (will add more later), 40 GB Hard drive, intergrated sound card, will add floppy disk drive and upgrade to CD-RW. Purpose of the floppy drive is to use the disks with information from my old computer. But those are generally in an older version of Word or my Turbotax Info. Since the new computer will be using a later version of Word and the system will be XP instead of Windows 98, will the disks be able to be used? Is a floppy useful or am I being a dino?

08-02-2003, 11:50 AM	#10
bachviet What's Da Pho*? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SoCal (714) Posts: 13,296	Forget about the floppy drive and get one of those USB pen drive (64MB). It should cost aound $20 after MIR.

08-02-2003, 03:03 PM	#11
ladybegood Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 78	What is a USB pen drive and what does it do? Warned you that I really know almost nothing.

08-02-2003, 05:41 PM	#12
watanad Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 56	USB pen drives (aka jumpdrives or flash drives) are small removable media with a USB interface. They're small enough to fit in your pocket, and most have a spot to attach to your keys. Basically performs the same function as the floppy drive, but it comes with useful storage capacities (I just got a 256MB one from dellsb). I think you may need to install drivers if your old box is Win98.

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