Upgrading The Impossible

Yes, I am serious about this

from WinCustomize Forums
My Brother-In-Law has asked me to see what I could do with his laptop. Let me rephrase that. he has asked me to see if I could do something other than throw it out. It's a Compaq presario 1245, about 7 years old. It has a 3GB 2.5" EIDE Internal hard drive and 32mb memory card. (I'll wait while you laugh.)

Okay...now I have found a 'refurbished' hard drive 20GB for under 40 ( I told him he wouldn't really need more than 20GB, and all the ones I found under 20 cost about as much), but know nothing about 'refurbished' drives. New ones for around 60. He will be running Win200, and not doing anything special, just surfing. He wants it for when he is out of town.

The memory is 32mb SyncDRAM. Now I have found memory from 17.99 for 128 to 39.99 for the same. Is there a difference between a memory card for a laptop and a notebook? As far as actaully 'fitting' it in the notebook?

Aside from the obvious...he needed me to put WIN2000 on it (it had 98 first version) so he could install an ethernet card and a wireless card. I told him there wasn't enough room with win200 to even add a virus program, let alone anything else. So he needs a bigger hard drive, and I told him upgrading the memory would be a good idea as well, though the memory upgrade max's out at 160mb.

Questions..
1. Is it worth the price of a 'new' hard drive (considering how old it is), or should I go with the refurbished?
2. Is it a SDRAM memory stick I want, and does it have to be 'notebook' specific?
3. Would an external harddrive or flashdrive (I don't know anything about flashdrives, so forgive me if that was stupid to ask) be a better option?

Basically, looking for the best way to do this for him.

Any help is apreciated. Thanks.
Po'
43,545 views 21 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
As far as I know, laptops and notebooks are two names for the same thing. Just make sure you have the correct number of pins and other specs. I think 184 is most common for laptops. (But I could be wrong on that) If you go to some memory manufacturer's websites, you might be able to put in the brand and series of laptop and they'll tell you what you need.

External and Flash drives connect with USB or Firewire, and probably wouldn't be a very good idea to have that as a primary drive.

I remember seeing on Cnet.com a video series about upgrading old laptop hardware. They seem to have a lot about upgrading.

Good luck.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Bump
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
1. Is it worth the price of a 'new' hard drive (considering how old it is), or should I go with the refurbished?

I wouldn't spend any more money on this than absolutely necessary.


2. Is it a SDRAM memory stick I want, and does it have to be 'notebook' specific?

You want SDRAM SODIMM, probably PC66, but you might be able to use PC100. Yes, you need memory made specifically for notebooks (SODIMM.)



3. Would an external harddrive or flashdrive (I don't know anything about flashdrives, so forgive me if that was stupid to ask) be a better option?

A notebook/laptop that old very likely won't have any USB ports to use a flash drive in. You might be able to use external USB storage if you can find a USB to serial converter. If the lpatop is not going to be moved around much, you could try to find an IDE to USB converter with a 2.5" adapter, and then hook up a regular 3.5" IDE drive (they are much cheaper!)

Or....turn it into a firewall Link and put the money you're spending on second-hand parts into a newer machine.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
2. Is it a SDRAM memory stick I want, and does it have to be 'notebook' specific?


Absolutely!! You might even need to get memory specifically for that model of laptop depending on how it was built. I would go to http://www.crucial.com and put in the laptop specs, it will then show you the types of memory you can put in that computer. You don't have to buy it there but that's an easy way to see what it will support.

Details for the Compaq Presario 1245:
http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.asp?model=Presario+1245&tabid=AM

As far as the HDD is concerned, refurbished drives are typically just as good as brand new ones. They just got started out in life on a bumpy road!
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Would these be what I am looking for. They have then at configurator.memorystock.com starting at a third of what the previous link listed them at.

32MB Module 4x64-66MHz, 144p SO DIMM, 3.3v, Sync (4x16)
32MB Module 4x64-66MHz, 144p SO DIMM, 3.3v, Sync (4x16)
64MB Module 8x64-66MHz, 144p SO DIMM, 3.3v, Sync
64MB Module 8x64-66MHz, 144p SO DIMM, 3.3v, Sync
128MB Module 16x64-66MHz, 144p SO DIMM, 3.3v, Sync
128MB Module 16x64-66MHz, 144p SO DIMM, 3.3v, Sync
128MB Module 16x64-66MHz, 144p SO DIMM, 3.3v, Sync

And these are the 3 Hard Drive's I am looking at. I saw smaller ones, but it's not much of a price difference. One is 16GB, which may be all he really needs, and the others are 40GB and 20GB, both selling for 57 Will any or all work?
Link

Link

Link

Thanks for the help Adamness, tjesterb and Kevin C
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Bump
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
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Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Bump
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Questions..
1. Is it worth the price of a 'new' hard drive (considering how old it is), or should I go with the refurbished?
2. Is it a SDRAM memory stick I want, and does it have to be 'notebook' specific?
3. Would an external harddrive or flashdrive (I don't know anything about flashdrives, so forgive me if that was stupid to ask) be a better option?

Basically, looking for the best way to do this for him.


To be honest, for a computer that runs at 333 MHz I would just buy something better even though the price will be a few hundred more than upgrading it. But upgrading is OK. Memory must be specific for laptops, a refurbished can work just fine, just make sure you have a garantee of at least 30 days or something in case it doesn't work. I would only recomend an external hard drive for storage, if he likes to have his music collection, maybe a few movies when he travels and copies of his CDs for software that require CDs in the CD-rom so that he caries less things.

Give it a try and see what happens, judging by the prices you mentioned you have very little to lose and you could always resell them to someone who might find them useful.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks DJBandit.

Still awaiting confirmation on #5 before I order the parts.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
just get a cheap new laptop. That thing must be a piece of junk.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That thing must be a piece of junk

I thought I expressed the fact that I was aware of that in the beggining.

just get a cheap new laptop.

Not an option and I am trying to do a favor for a family member. Just want to upgrade it so he can run Win200 with an ethernet card (his old OS won't run the card) so he has something for when he is on the road.

I wouldn't spend any more money on this than absolutely necessary.

I agree with tjesterb, and hopefully I may succeed. Just need to know if what I have posted in #5 will do the trick.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Po, I have a thinkpad running at 366mhz. With only 228 mb of sodimm, and a 4 gig hdd. It has XP running onit, albeit slower than my desktop, runs very well. For WK2 I would get at least 128 mb of memory in that thing, try for more if there's a slot and upgrade what's in there if it ain't nailed it (soldered).

To answer your question that everyone is ignoring: 128MB Module 16x64-66MHz, 144p SO DIMM, 3.3v, Sync will do you. And if your friend is going to use it for a while, go with the new harddrive, better than loosing tons of info when the refurbished gets the lovely I/Odevice error.

Hope this helps. Happy day!
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank you, scorpio-logic. based on that, and after telling him what you said, he's going to have me install a 40gbHD that is new from Seagate and 128MB memory stick. And thanks for clearing up the memory thing. I wanted to be sure I would be trying to install the correct one so I didn't damage his notebook.

How do you run XP with only a 4GB HD. His is 3.2GB. I loaded WIN2000 on it, Office2000, and only had aprx. 500mb of space left. When I tried to do the MS update, I had to put in service pack3 so he could do updates at all. After that, there wasn't even room for a virus program and the Defragmentor said there wasn't enough space left to defragment.

My wife runs Win2000 at work on a 2GB HD and has all kinds of crap on her PC with no problems. I didn't forsee any when I put it on his notebook.

So, may I ask...when I install Win2000 on the new HD..
It's Win2000 PRO
WHich format...FAT32 or NTFS?
Should I install SP3 and SP4?
I know that IE will have to upgraded. I think it only has IE 5 on the disk.

Thanks again SL! I really needed that info!
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank you, scorpio-logic. based on that, and after telling him what you said, he's going to have me install a 40GBHD that is new from Seagate and 128MB (it has 32MB intergrated and can only be upgraded to 160MB..only one available slot) memory stick. And thanks for clearing up the memory thing. I wanted to be sure I would be trying to install the correct one so I didn't damage his notebook.

How do you run XP with only a 4GB HD. His is 3.2GB. I loaded WIN2000 on it, Office2000, and only had aprx. 500mb of space left. When I tried to do the MS update, I had to put in service pack3 so he could do updates at all. After that, there wasn't even room for a virus program and the Defragmentor said there wasn't enough space left to defragment.

My wife runs Win2000 at work on a 2GB HD and has all kinds of crap on her PC with no problems. I didn't forsee any when I put it on his notebook.

So, may I ask...when I install Win2000 on the new HD..
It's Win2000 PRO
WHich format...FAT32 or NTFS?
Should I install SP3 and SP4?
I know that IE will have to upgraded. I think it only has IE 5 on the disk.

Thanks again SL! I really needed that info!
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank you, scorpio-logic. based on that, and after telling him what you said, he's going to have me install a 40GBHD that is new from Seagate and 128MB (it has 32MB intergrated and can only be upgraded to 160MB..only one available slot) memory stick. And thanks for clearing up the memory thing. I wanted to be sure I would be trying to install the correct one so I didn't damage his notebook.

How do you run XP with only a 4GB HD. His is 3.2GB. I loaded WIN2000 on it, Office2000, and only had aprx. 500mb of space left. When I tried to do the MS update, I had to put in SP3 so he could do updates at all. After that, there wasn't even room for a virus program and the Defragmentor said there wasn't enough space left to defragment.

My wife runs Win2000 at work on a 2GB HD and has all kinds of crap on her PC with no problems. I didn't forsee any when I put it on his notebook.

So, may I ask...when I install Win2000 on the new HD..
It's Win2000 PRO
WHich format...FAT32 or NTFS?
Should I install SP3 and SP4?
I know that IE will have to upgraded. I think it only has IE 5 on the disk.

Thanks again SL! I really needed that info!
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank you, scorpio-logic. based on that, and after telling him what you said, he's going to have me install a 40GBHD that is new from Seagate and 128MB (it has 32MB intergrated and can only be upgraded to 160MB..only one available slot) memory stick. And thanks for clearing up the memory thing. I wanted to be sure I would be trying to install the correct one so I didn't damage his notebook.

How do you run XP with only a 4GB HD. His is 3.2GB. I loaded WIN2000 on it, Office2000, and only had aprx. 500mb of space left. When I tried to do the MS update, I had to put in SP3 so he could do updates at all. After that, there wasn't even room for a virus program and the Defragmentor said there wasn't enough space left to defragment.

My wife runs Win2000 at work on a 2GB HD and has all kinds of crap on her PC with no problems. I didn't forsee any when I put it on his notebook.

So, may I ask...when I install Win2000 on the new HD..
It's Win2000 PRO
WHich format...FAT32 or NTFS?
Should I install SP3 and SP4?
I know that IE will have to upgraded. I think it only has IE 5 on the disk.

Thanks again SL! I really needed that info!
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
SON OF A NUTCRACKER!!!!!!
sorry about the multiple posts. I kept getting a timed out error.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

WHich format...FAT32 or NTFS?

Suggest using NTFS if available, due to the cluster size being smaller, and therefore the operations on the disk will be more efficient.

Should I install SP3 and SP4?

Go with SP4 if you can, due to better USB 2.0 support, as well as just getting better support all around.

Note - assuming the hard drive is recognized as the full 40 GB, you should be good to go with Win200 Pro. If for some reason the drive is recognized as a smaller drive (lower than 10 GB), you can always use a partition utility to create multiple partitions which can be recognized. Then you can install the OS and programs on the first partition, and set up data partitions with the balance.

As Scorpio said, the 128 is your best bet, and is supported by the MoBo.

From the specs I saw on Compaq site, you can probably make a reasonably workable machine for fairly cheap.