Is it possible to make it faster?

[litebulblsc]

I got a hp pavilion computer that my dad got free from fords a few years back. It is now in my bedroom and I use it for music and Diablo II (not on the internet:( ).

Is there any way I can make it fatser?

[guitardrumr123]

More Ram and a better Vid Card is about all you can do with those. I have one of those, and they are a pain in the (bleep (http://www.ultimaterc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1923))(bleep (http://www.ultimaterc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1923))(bleep (http://www.ultimaterc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1923)) to work on. The HDD and media bays are practically armor plated...

But yeah, RAM and a Vid Card is about all you can do. You might try finding out what socket your processor is, but I'm not sure how viable a replacement might be, haven't tried myself.

[litebulblsc]

I am sorry, but i have no idea what that any of that means.
Is there any lamer terms you can describe it to me in?

[penguinrusty]

Basically, it wouldn't be worth it to upgrade it. Buy a new one for $400 and that'd be worlds better.

[litebulblsc]

Ya, but is there any thing I can do for under 100 dollars to make it better?

[guitardrumr123]

Not really. If you didn't understand my first post, then there isn't much we can do to help. and you probably shouldn't be pulling your computer apart anyway. No offense meant, but if you don't know what your doing, your pobably gonna screw up more than you fix. I learned that the hard way.

[redhatman]

Post the HP model number so we can look up the specs. AND YES THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR UNDER $100 Ram is an effective, cheap, and easy to install upgrade.

Like I said, post the model number so we can see the specs to see where it can improve.

[litebulblsc]

Where would I find the model number at?
I will be glad to get it for you.

[guitardrumr123]

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/636/hpmodelinfohj2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Bit blurry, but the number yout see under HP Pavillion on the top right corner (XL775 in this case) is the model number. Thist sticker is located on the back of your PC, next to the vent for the power supply (metal grate covered in dust you see to the right of the pic).

As I said before though, you'll want to be careful when you pull it apart. It's not that hard to mess something up if you don't know what your doing, and with the extremely tight space inside the old HP cases, it's better to have experience.

[redhatman]

will most likely be on the case somewhere. Whether its the front or back it should be there. You could just take some good detailed pics of your computer all around and we could look at it and look it up.

[litebulblsc]

xe745

[redhatman]

well heres the computer: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/prodinfoCategory?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=zh-hant&product=57663&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN&dest_page=product

as you can see on that page, there are lots of things on how to improve it. Such as the ram. They also have a chat session that is free and they can help you buy the right stuff, and you can get it through them.

[guitardrumr123]

well heres the computer: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/prodinfoCategory?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=zh-hant&product=57663&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN&dest_page=product

as you can see on that page, there are lots of things on how to improve it. Such as the ram. They also have a chat session that is free and they can help you buy the right stuff, and you can get it through them.

It's not that it's hard to get the stuff to upgrade it with, but if the inside of that case is anything like mine, then it will be a major pain to do anything. The media and drive bays are encased in their own little case (which I've yet to figure out how to get apart), and rest of the inside is very cramped. The RAM is hard to reach, and the snaps that hold the RAM in are nearly impossible to do once the RAM is actually in there.

If you still want to upgrade your computer, just spend some time looking at whats in there, and make sure you don't mess up anything else while your changing the RAM. If you have the same type of motherboard as me, you'll be using PC100 RAM. I'm not sure what the maximum limitation is.

[penguinrusty]

well heres the computer: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/prodinfoCategory?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=zh-hant&product=57663&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN&dest_page=product

as you can see on that page, there are lots of things on how to improve it. Such as the ram. They also have a chat session that is free and they can help you buy the right stuff, and you can get it through them.
"Lots" of things to improve? Unless you call flashing a new bios improvement.... The memory is 168 pin SDRAM.. His mobo only supports 512mb of ram, and he has 128 in there already, which means that he can pop another 256 in there (a 512 stick would put him over the limit), and costs an arm and a leg: $55 for 256mb....And not to mention the memory is really slow (pc100? lol...the lowest you see now is PC2000....and then DDR2 at PC8000....pc100 is sloowwwwwww) And seriously...a 1.1 ghz celeron? I think if you upgraded ANYTHING It would bottleneck that processor....seriously, just pay about $400 for a new P4 or Celeron system. It won't be the fastest but ti will be way better than what you have now. In case you really want to upgrade the memory: http://www.memorystock.com/orderitem.asp?it=160ms-029-HP&sys=Pavilion+XE745&MnfId=&MdlId=20063&Passfrm=lnk

[redhatman]

Too bad I have a computer from 1998 and it started with 64mb ram, now its up to like 192 (pc100) and you can DEFINATELY tell the difference. Just ram alone, especially on ebay is cheap and effective as long as you at least double the current amount.

[guitardrumr123]

He's not saying it doesn't do anything, just that it's not very effective. He is most definitely right about the processor, mine doesn't even break 1ghz, and everything bottlenecks at the processor. I have the RAM at something like 320, and I even put a GeForce 440mx AGP vid card in there. It doesn't help anywhere near as much as you would thing, because everything still has to follow the CPU, which is slow.

[redhatman]

very true. Being that the CPU is basically the heart of the system.