Need advice on computer for teenager

[glenda17]

Complaining that the computer is too slow. Its a Asus P5wd2 Pentium D805 1gb WinXP ram and some old 40gb harddrive.

Don't really want to snoop around on it. Thinking a new 7200 rpm hard drive and a fresh copy of win7 would make this last a few more years? Its not used for gaming.

Or I could use the excuse to upgrade my Q9650 system to a Sandy bridge and turn my system over to her.

So I guess I need to know how the performance of a PentiumD 1GB of ram is with windows 7 as far as the internet, email, and itunes ?

 

[electrotune1200]

Hmm.. I'd be surprised if it ran Windows 7 to be honest. You can download this tool and run it on the PC you have in question. It will give you the answer.
Free Download PC Upgrade Advisor Windows 7 Hardware Programs Issues

 

[electrotune1200]

Maybe you can give the HDD a format and give XP a fresh install. That should get them by if that criteria is all they are planning to do.

 

[Kari]

We've heard some nice stories about Seven on older computers: http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/1657-windows-7-old-computers.html

That being said, I have to agree with what Electrotune said above. A Pentium processor, 1 GB RAM and Windows 7 is not something I would recommend. A new HD, sure, for that 40 GB is awfully little with the size of the applications today, but that's it. I would stay in XP.

Your second idea sounds a lot better if you want to "upgrade the teenager" to Seven.

Kari

 

[alphanumeric]

If you install Windows 7 and leave the product code blank, you can run it for 30 days as a trial. That way you can test it out without spending any money on a new license. If you're happy with the performance then you can go out and buy another copy. You can run the upgrade adviser from XP, and I would definitely do that first.
Another option would be to buy a bare bones system for her. You should be able to find one that includes, a case with power supply, RAM, processor with heat sink fan, motherboard and hard drive. Some assembly required but you'd get the tower and all the internals required to setup a new system except the OS. You just reuse your current monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers etc. I know getting yourself a new PC sounds good but if you want to save a few bucks this is one way to do it.

 

[nerd10]

I'd go for a windows XP install, its a bit (well a lot) too old to run Windows 7 well. If you want to upgrade to Win7 then your second idea sounds ideal!

 

[pparks1]

Guys, this is a Pentium D 805....it should be able to run Windows 7 just fine. The pentium D was the dual core processor chip right before the Core 2 Duo's came out. Looking at the specs from Intel, it's a 2.66Ghz CPU.
Intel® Pentium® D Processor 805 (2M Cache, 2.66 GHz, 533 MHz FSB)with SPEC Code(s)SL8ZH

I'd put in a 7,200 RPM hard drive and add 1 more GB of RAM and you should be good for awhile.

 

[nerd10]

pparks1 - yeah it could run windows 7 but given the choice I wouldn't install it on that spec computer - especially one that I wouldn't be maintaining and is going to a teenager who may not know what they are doing with it?

 

[pparks1]

pparks1 - yeah it could run windows 7 but given the choice I wouldn't install it on that spec computer - especially one that I wouldn't be maintaining and is going to a teenager who may not know what they are doing with it?

On the same lines, I wouldn't give her a Q9650 quad core box for the types of stuff being done on the computer, especially if they don't know what they are doing with it. My primary rig is a Q9550 and the machine is a powerhouse. Seems overkill for this implementation.

A pentium D, with 2GB of RAM running a 7200 RPM drive should be fine.

 

[Kari]

I have to admit I missed that exact model of the Pentium OP mentioned. I only focused on Pentium and 1 gig. Pparks is right, of course.

Kari

 

[mickey megabyte]

pparks is right, as per normal.

windows 7 should be ok on that rig.

add more ram, a new hdd - and a good av.

 

[nerd10]

yeah fair enough, that does seem a bit overkill, installing windows 7 on that system would be the lesser of two evils

 

[alphanumeric]

lol, guilty as charged, I saw Pentium and just assumed old single core.

 

[electrotune1200]

Damn. pparks1 just came in here and took us all back to school!

 

[wds7]

Guys, this is a Pentium D 805....it should be able to run Windows 7 just fine. The pentium D was the dual core processor chip right before the Core 2 Duo's came out. Looking at the specs from Intel, it's a 2.66Ghz CPU.
Intel® Pentium® D Processor 805 (2M Cache, 2.66 GHz, 533 MHz FSB)with SPEC Code(s)SL8ZH

I'd put in a 7,200 RPM hard drive and add 1 more GB of RAM and you should be good for awhile.

+1 ... definately more ram at least 2GB and bigger HDD ....should work well ..

I had wds7 run on Celeron 1.5GHz -1.5GB ram- and 80GB HDD ..
NOT great but OK for surfing the net ....email ..& watching youtube ..etc ..