Got some good first mods

[focusfan]

My Windows XP desktop computer has sat on my desk unused since late 2003 due to a hard drive partitioning issue. Earlier this year, I learned that Linux OSs are able to read NTFS partitions so I thought I'd give Knoppix 4.0.2 a try. I found several nifty programs that were on the Knoppix LiveDVD, and one of them was a Partition software. I realized that I could "unhide" the partition that was bad and perhaps be able to get all my data back. Well, it worked and now I'm using the computer again.

I have an AMD K7 900MHz processor on a Luckystar K7va133 motherboard, outfitted with a 120GB main HD drive, and a partitioned 30GB hard drive that was unused due to the partitioning problem. But I have fixed that partitioning problem.

Since fixing my computer, I've installed a variety of hard- and software including Windows Vista RC1, IE7, WMP11. Hardware that has been upgraded include the IDE and Floppy cables for round UV-reactive cables (UV green for HDD, UV blue for FLoppy and UV Black for secondary IDE, which is an internal ZIP drive and an LG LightScribe DVD/CD ReWriter).

Earlier this month, I swapped out my Power supply from a measly 320W blah-colored PSU to a Logisys 550W acrylic PSU with 2 built-in LED blue fans. I also installed an Antec TriCool Blue LED fan (80mm) to cool down the system (my computer CPU is currently running ~110 degreesF).

I plan to get an acrylic case to show off the light show and UV parts to my friends.

Because Vista is graphics-card hungry, I upgraded to a ATI Radeon 9550 AGP 4x card to free up a PCI slot for my USB2.0 PCI card.

What do you think? What would be a good direction to go from here?

[Arden]

i'd save up a bit for a nice grafix card.

[Fear]

Honestley, No offence intended but, to me it seems all a waste becuase you're proc is 900 mhz. 2.6 ghz Celeron D's run for around $50 now, and that is extremeley budgetable. I would save up for a better rig, then star "trickin it out". But if you want to go from here, a 9550 isn't really what vista is really thinkin. Try the X series from radeon. Or a Geforce 6 series.

[nil8]

This would be a good backup or test box. Fear is correct, you can get a system with double the power for a few hundred bucks.

Your power supply replacement is a good start. The graphics card will probably run fine under vista, just don't try to play video games on it.

I would highly suggest a new processor, mobo and ram. Less than 2 ghz really isn't worth much these days.

[Arden]

or you could get a nicer rig on ebay for 99 bux?