Desktop

Ask something
Discussion Locked

specifications

0 helpful
6 replies

by baby4u_30

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

i have a compag deskpro,64MB, 10 GB hard drive, can we add and internal IDE CD Writer(hewlett pacard 9100) and reuse the customers old dynalink modem (1433VQH-X)? how do i install these and is it possible
also,a comp made of parts ASUS SP97-V motherboard,AMD K6-233 processor,128MB RAM,has no USB ports (but has 2 spare PCI slots,runs windows NT $.) worksation,could upgrade to win2000,Customer wants to use USB CD WRiter and modem.

6 replies

by thechas

For the Compaq, my first concern is that the power supply may not have enough extra capacity for the CD-RW drive.
Also, 64MB is not enough RAM for running a CD-RW drive. 196MB - 256MB would be a good idea.

Next, check for available slots, and make sure that they are not using 'propritary' cables.

Since you can find 56K modems for under $50 (for a full modem), it makes little sense to try and find the drivers for an old modem.
There are driver links at www.modemhelp.org
and www.driverguide.com

For the ASUS, you could add a USB 2.0 plug in card.
There is a header on the motherboard that you can use to add USB connectors to an unused expansion slot.
Check out the manual for the pinout.
Make sure that there is a W2K driver available for the modem.
The USB modems that I have have ONLY W98 drivers.
I would at least double the RAM for W2K, you should consider maxing out the RAM the motherboard can take.

Chas

by thechas

I missed this when I first looked at your post.

233MHz is a bit slow for W2K, (or even W98) in my opinion.

Since I have not compared NT and W2K on the same system, I do not know how much slower W2K will run as compared to NT.
But, W2K will run slower.

My rule of thumb for Windows operating systems, is to install them only on systems that have at least 2X the minimum required resources.

Chas

by baby4u_30

thanks again chas and everyone that helped...but i think the question was the minimum ram so the 64mb would be ok right?

by csmith

This is not a hard upgrade.
HP 9100 CDR is IDE.
If you have a free 5 1/4 slot, Put the CDR in the case, hook the cable to the secondary IDE channel. (Do not put the CDR on the same cable as the HD.) plug in power cable, and install software.
The instructions are included with the CDR, and are also at hp.com
I have done this exact upgrade, it is not bad.
Early CDRs don't like NT or Win2K they prefer Win98SE. (Device driver problems)
Early USB is not very good. Suggest IDE.
You must add atleast 256 Meg RAM to either system, and don't have loaded, or run, other programs when CDs are being written.
I have written CDs using a 486. It can be done!
Regards, Chris

This discussion is closed to new replies.