i got this computer from my mom after it crashed, put a new HD som more RAM and got XP running. its an old motherboard and am looking to upgrade a little more

OS Information:
Property Value
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional|C:\WINDOWS|\Device\Harddisk0\Partitio n1
Service Pack 2.0
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS

motherboard:
matsonic ms7308et

Processor:
Property Value
Current Clock Speed 851
Description x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 10
Manufacturer GenuineIntel
Name Intel Celeron processor


Memory (RAM):
Property Value
Bank Label RAS 10 & 2
Capacity 268435456

Bank Label RAS 10 & 2
Capacity 268435456

Total Memory Deteced in Hardware: ~512 MB
Memory Reported to Operating System: 496MB

Disk Drives:
Property Value
Description Disk drive
Manufacturer (Standard disk drives)
Model WDC AC310100B
Media Type Fixed hard disk media
Size 10133544960 (~9 GB)
Number of Partitions 0

Description Disk drive
Manufacturer (Standard disk drives)
Model WDC WD1600JB-75GVC0
Media Type Fixed hard disk media
Size 159998146560 (~149 GB)
Number of Partitions 1

the few questions i had are as follows

1st i found the motherboard manual online it claims that the max RAM is 512MBX2 but evrywere else i have seen a max of 256MBX2, so which is true?

2nd prossessor compatability, also found p3(1.13 GHz, 256KB, 133M Hz, Socket 370 - MPN: BX80530C1133256) for dirt cheap (20 bucks, free shiping!)

so far the system works fairly well. the O/S is stable but the cpu is pretty well maxed (100% running almost any app.) will an upgrade even help?

RAM max I find is 512 total. 512 MB (max) - DIMM 168-PIN > PC100, PC133

Compatible Processors: Cyrix III, Intel Celeron, Intel Pentium III, Intel Pentium III-S > Socket 370

It is not really economical to upgrade a system like this unless you just happen to have spare or very cheap parts.

New systems are are drastically improved and cheaper than upgrading.

cool thanks for the help. i think that 20$ p3 dont sound like a bad idea then.
maby when i get the rest of my enlistment bounus ill just go buy somthing nice!

A Celeron 850MHz to Pentium III 1130MHz isn't a huge upgrade by today's standards. But I'd do it. An extra 280MHz doesn't sound much but it's an extra 33% in your case. And you've got the added bonus of having a full-on Pentium III with a bigger L2 cache (and better multimedia support I think). It's definitely worth the $20 in my opinion.

I set up my own business last year and had to keep my costs down as much as possible. So I've done the same as you - got a Celeron PC, increased it to 512MB RAM, installed Windows XP and then decided to upgrade the processor to a Pentium III 1.1GHz. That's lasted me a year and I've made it work pretty damn hard (NIS 2006, Outlook 2003, two sessions of Excel 2003, my accounts program and half a dozen IE6 windows all running at the same time). Sure, it has been slow at times but you can live with it quite happily when you know that it was only a cheap one to get you going for a while.

thanks again guys, out of all the posts you guys get a day you find the time to even help me out! five stars in my book. 1 other quick question, usb 1.1 to 2.0 is that hardware or software driven?

Hardware. You can get a PCI card to go up to 2.0.

Examples:

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...b+2.0+pci+card

thanks again guys yall are great.

No problem. Let us know if we can help further.