My PC - general advice

[FTVS]

i have an oldish PC that i bought for a song from a mate. It is a Tiny with a 6.03GB hard drive and CD-ROM. It runs on W98 (SE I think). I have recently installed a CD-RW (really impessed both myself and my husband). I primarily use the PC for digipics, net surfing, occaionally working from home. Windows 98 is pretty much out of date now it seems as I am limited on certain things (eg bargain price �10 colour printer and my hubby can't use iTunes). I also want to get broadband.

Specific Q's

1. Shall i get the WXP update for W98 - seen for about �70?
2. I will need more memory at some point as hubby's iTunes will use our entire hard drive - how easy is that to install - and what is the diff between more RAM and new hard drive?
3. Anybody know a broadband provider (not NTL) that will use NTL line for less than �19.99?
4. Recomendation for a first book that will help me with the hardware and the software
5. Is it possible to buy IEP connecters with slave connnector on? my PC doesn't have slave connector on the IEP!

Any other general advice or help would be really helpful. Thanks

 

 

 

 

[j2buttonsw]

I would go for a new system rather than throwing money at this old one. Memory or RAM is what the computer uses to work the applications. Hard disk space is where the applications, operating system and your data is stored.You can upgrade to XP but this will require more memory (I suggest 256 MB RAM for a pleasent XP experience). You would probably need more hard disk space as XP uses up 1.5 GB of data which only leaves 4.5 GB for your applications (software like office or iTunes) and data storage (like mp3s or office docs). NTLworld uses cable to provide their broadband internet connection. This is a seperate coax cable and has nothing to do with the telephone system. BT et al use ADSL for their broadband which runs over the BT telephone cable. I don't think you can use ADSL over an NTLworld telephone cable (but I could be wrong). I don't know what IEP is, do you mean ISP? Do you mean sharing an internet connection?

[FTVS]

Thanks for your answer - IEP - I mean the cable that runs from the motherboard to the drives.

[Manc Ronnie]

Getting a new system would make things a lot easier, and may not be more expensive, than upgrading. The connectors you mean are called IDE. If your cables only have 2 connectors (1 for m/board & 1 to drive), then you will need to get new cables from a PC shop. These will have 3 connectors so can handle 2 devices.

 

[tomd]

What is the processor / processor speed? A computer that was supplied with a 6gig hard drive would probably not have the processing power to run Windows XP smoothly. Once you get a decent sized hard drive, WIndows XP, Ram upgrade, you're probably looking at �150 and you could get a new desktop for �300.