Windows 7: GPU Help

Not to long a go a freind phoned wanting to have some upgrades done. He just brought it around to hav a look at. It has.

Windows 2000
pentium 4 2.5GHz
512 MB RAM
40GB Hard Drive
350w PSU
Nvidia 5600
Asus A7N266-VM Mobo

He want's windows 7 and a few upgrades including a Nvidia 8800GT.

Personaly I would toss this computer and get another. But I know it's old and uderpowered What chance would you have putting windows 7 on this? has any one ran windows 7 under recommended specs and is this PC worth upgrading? again if it was mine I would toss this.

You would not be able to run windows 7 with that specification. Rather than tossing the computer away, he could use it to mess around on and experiment with. Maybe try linux on it.

What are the specs for the new hardware?

He want's
Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
AMD 64 X2 dual core processor 4800+
2GB Ram DDR2
160GB Hard drive
Asus AM2 Mobo DDR2 (to be dicided)
Nvidia 8800GT
550w PSU

He has been wanting to do this for months.

I Would still go higher but Windows 7 would work. but he wan't to play games. I keep telling him he needs somthing like mine.

I just offered him a copy of ubuntu, Kubuntu, and linux mint but wants windows 7

Id go with 4gb ram to make the most of 64-bit. While its not a requirement as such, 64-bit Windows 7 does run smoother.
You should also get a larger hard drive if he can afford it. 1Tb drives are not that expensive.

He's sitting with me now and he won't budge with his system specs.

I want to atleast do a good job with this and aiming at least

Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit
AMD 64 X2 Dual core processor 5000+ 2.60GHz
4GB DDR2
250GB Hard Drive
550W Corsair PSU
Nvidia 9600GT
Asus AM2+ Mobo
DVD R+RW Drive

At least you got it to change from an AM2 to an AM2+. As far as the CPU goes look at at least the Athlon II x2 (if not the x4) or the Phenom II x2, either of which will be faster clock for clock than the older Athlon 64.

Also for a motherboard look at the 785G based boards. And with the way ram prices are now (DDR2 and DDR3 pretty much equal in price), look at the boards that support DDR3.

P.S. Not that it matter much but there is a small conflict in those specs you listed for his old computer. Either it isn't the CPU listed, or the motherboard is wrong. You can't have an Intel CPU on an AMD/Nvidia (old Socket A from the model number) motherboard.

He's limited to $600.00

Have a link to the site(s) you're looking at? I have a few, but no idea which are the better places in Australia.

Go 4GB RAM and do DDR3 instead if you want to save money. DDR2s are actually not budging anymore on lowering prices, while manufacturers are discounting DDR3 kits/modules. No sense in going 2GB in 2010 for a 64-bit OS.

Then what's the point of trying to help him; us or you? What he wants won't turn out to be a decent gaming rig: slow dual core, less than 4GB on a 64-bit OS, tiny hard drive and an outdated video card... if that's what he wants, fine... but he can't say he wasn't warned.

Seems to me the fellas have lead the horse to water... only to find he's a mule who won't drink.