Project: Pink Bits

[Bucko]

A friends niece needs a new computer after her PIII laptop died. They don't have too much money to spend and just need something for homework and word processing, maybe play a little music.
They had a budget of $500 and I just bought this on eBay for $250:

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5548/2eae1b9889231uf0.jpg

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/7783/3155198b88adcf2.jpg

It's a P4 1.7Ghz, 256mb ram, 20Gb HDD with XP Pro installed and has the licence sticker. So not exactly a brilliant system, but better than what she had and it's within the budget by a fair bit.
I'll be doing just some simple paint work on it and maybe an LED fan or two to make the system a little more attractive to a teenage girl who loves pink.

I should be heading down to Sydney towards the end of the week and I'll pick it up then.

I'll probably upgrade the ram and put in a bigger HDD and a fresh install of XP and that will be it upgrade wise.
Maybe a better looking mouse and keyboard too.

And yes I can see the irony of painting a case pink while I'm busy getting rid of the pink on another case...

[$loth]

Seems like you have a new mod each week :D Good luck with this!

[Eclecticos]

You might want to Look into the Pink PC Kit:
And some Pink paint with Metal Flake or Sparkles :D

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/2246/toolboxpinkpckitxt8.jpghttp://img517.imageshack.us/img517/5179/bendiboardpink2450sm5.jpg

[simon275]

Coming to Sydney ah I will get the skin milk latte's on the boil then.

Its good of you do this case for them. Yeah a touch more ram would be good for her if she wants music.

+rep

Edit: Need to spread it round so more. :(

[Bucko]

You might want to Look into the Pink PC Kit:


Way ahead of you! I'm bidding on this on eBay at the moment:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/765/ready2b1a3de4bi6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[slytherock]

Way ahead of you! I'm bidding on this on eBay at the moment:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/765/ready2b1a3de4bi6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Yeurk!!! Some actually use that kind of ****??? I know everyone has his own taste, but that is kind of ugly... It might be better just to paint the other keyboard, seems to have some useful shortcuts on it.

[peoplefire]

it might be just me, but doesn't that case resemble a xbox 360?

and its a really nice thing to help those people out +rep for kindness

[alphastryk]

it might be just me, but doesn't that case resemble a xbox 360?


AAHAHAHA! it does! i never noticed that about generation of dells before, and I used to have one...

anyways, back on topic...

good deal, yay for helping people, even if I'm not so much a fan of the pink 'puter...

[Olen]

That may be the second ugliest keyboard in the world. (I'm using the ugliest one which is about 8 years olf and cost nothing but it works).

Still I can't imagine you will be able to hold yourself at a mere paintjob. You could do something new with that case... How many other mods have been done with bright pink as the desired colour?

And "maybe an LED fan or two to make the system a little more attractive to a teenage girl who loves pink" -- Pink LEDs ?! Depending on how you do it that could be impressive.

[Elenril]

Sydneysider right here! Ditto what simon said =P

I completely agree with the above posts, that keyboard is incredibly ugly, and you'd probably be better off painting the one you've already got for her. How old do you classify 'teenage'? I'm a teenage girl, I'm rather quite of pink in the right situations, but I'd rather kill myself than use that keyboard. No offence or anything ;)

Pink LED's would be interesting. I did see a picture of a computer with pink lighting once, it looked quite nice actually. Can't wait to see the end result.

[slytherock]

Thx for coming to the rescue Elenril :) I know my post was rude, but... it deserve it :twisted:

:D

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

i hate to say this bucko... but with all do respect my friend...
that hello kitty keyboard makes me want to bitch slap someone with a pair of pink bunny slippers.. lol :P

[Bucko]

The computer turned up today and seems to boot up and work fine.

So here is the raw material I'm working with.

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/5537/cameradump195wg2.jpg


The front USB ports and headphone jack:

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/568/cameradump196yl5.jpg


It opens at the back and the top hinges forward, showing it's insides.

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8474/cameradump192wp0.jpg

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/2871/cameradump194ko7.jpg


And the PCI slots come off a riser card so it can take full height cards.

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/5517/cameradump193zx1.jpg


I'm going to look for some paint tonight.

[Greco101]

I could donate some 184p ram if that's what it calls for but I'm sure you already have 5tb's of ram laying around though haha. lemmy know

EDIT:: I don't know if the dell is 775 or 478 but I have a 2.4ghz (478 ) too. I'm not sure if it's going bad or if the mobo is limiting it. Runs everything quick until you run a game... then it slows to a crawl. (the same cpu my old system was spiking with after the mobo "upgrade.")

[Bucko]

Thanks for the offer!
I do have some spare RAM lying around and will give it another 256Mb. As for the CPU, this one will be fine for the purpose. This computer I would like to keep fairly standard so there is no chance (or less chance anyway) of system failure.
So thanks again, for the offer, but I will right.

[Bucko]

I stripped all the plastics off yesterday and got the first two coats of paint on, today I'm planning on getting the painting finished.

Bare case with plastic removed:

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/2645/cameradump202nl5.jpg


Some pinks bits:

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/1149/cameradump200gd1.jpg


And some purple bits:

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9331/cameradump201ps9.jpg


I just removed the front of the DVD drive and put some purple paint on it too. It's just the front of the monitor I have to do now.

[Drum Thumper]

I hate to say this Bucko, but you forgot to bondo that ugly advertisement.

It does look interesting. I must say that is the first time I have ever seen a pink dell computer.

[Bucko]

I hate to say this Bucko, but you forgot to bondo that ugly advertisement.

I thought about it and decided not to. I didn't want to rsik the bondo cracking with the flex of the plastic. Plus when the monitor is sitting on top of the case you don't see it anyway.

[Elenril]

That doesn't look half bad. Personally I would have gone for a more pastel colour, but I guess spray paint colours are limited. Lookin' good though.

[Drum Thumper]

I thought about it and decided not to. I didn't want to rsik the bondo cracking with the flex of the plastic. Plus when the monitor is sitting on top of the case you don't see it anyway.

D'oh. Didn't realize until now that this has a CRT. We use similarly styled Dell's at work (hell they could be identical, I'll check next week), with the exception of LCD screens.

And lemme tell ya, I wonder every night if anyone would notice if I did a quick bondo/black paint job. It'd probably freak a lot of people out.

[Olen]

Not to my tastes but its certainly bright.

Pink bits - the anti-rat. :P

Are you planning anything else for it?

[Bucko]

Not really. It looks like a bitch to do much with due to the construction.
Besides, they want the computer sooner rather than later.
I'll just do the paintwork and that's about it cosmetically. It only has 256Mb of RAM, so I'll double that.

[Bucko]

Here's a few pics of the painted and reassembled case.

I'll post more pics once the monitor, keyboard and Mouse is all done.

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/8241/cameradump221ef9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2470/cameradump222mf8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/4103/cameradump223to5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Computer-Geek]

could you add a new button ? or some leds ? it looks like its missing something.

[Bucko]

I was going to do more, but they want the computer sooner rather than later and those Dell cases suck balls to work on modding wise.

[Bucko]

I've finished off the computer and it's being picked up tomorrow.

Here's the final pics.

Painting the monitor:

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/6451/cameradump052hm0.jpg


And the finished product:

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/470/cameradump055yf6.jpg

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/2795/cameradump054dc6.jpg

[Mach]

Yowza! :o Nice work!

How'd they like it?

[slytherock]

Nice work, my cat would like it :D
Seriously, the paint job look very nice

[Computer-Geek]

It looks good!

[psychowit]

haha, love it!

[Eclecticos]

Turned out Preddy Good! Only suggestion I'd make it putting some felt or fabric
. .under the monitor stand so it doesn't scratch the case when it's moved.

[The boy 4rm oz]

Nice paint job. It's not my colour but you have done a good job.

[Bucko]

Holly got the computer today and she was wrapped! She loved the colours, so I'm glad it wasn't too girly for her.

edit: I just got a PM on anther forum about it. Apparently it is now sitting on a pink heart shaped table next to a bed with pink sheets and a heart shaped pink pillow, so it fits in very well with what she like!

[The boy 4rm oz]

Lol good to hear. Your like father Christmas spreading to mooding goodness.