Couple Questions - Helping GFs parents (please help me)

Alright guys. I have a couple questions that I am pretty sure I know the answer to, but might as well use you as a resource so I don't f something up.

I am building a computer for my girlfriend's parents because theirs needs an upgrade (celeron processor, 256 Mb Ram, etc)

They don't want to game.

1) They have an existing HDD that I was planning on using. If I build a new computer, plug in the old HDD to the IDE port and boot the computer up, it will recognize the install of Windows XP correct? I am 99% sure it will, but would rather be 100% certain.

2) Processors: Should I get the AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ or the Core Duo e2180. NOTE: I will not be overclocking this (they don't want me to)

I think that's about it.

Thanks

1) Definitely.

2) The first one.

Excellent, so we have two different answers for 1) and both sound confident.

We have definitely and Nope

Anyone else

The first two posters are wrong. If you install a new motherboard, you MUST reinstall windows.bungie93

I would not say they first two are completely wrong, but yes I agree with Gog, over them.

I have tried this myself, and my experience was I was able to get Windows to boot, but it was so glitchly that I ended up having to do a re-install anyways. And this was with 2 motherboard with almost the same chipset, they were both Intel 915, but had different letters after them.

Now when I helped my friend try this, we could not even get his to boot to Windows at all. I have heard of people saying they were able to do this successfully, but whose to say they did not have problems that they did not know were related.

You can try it if you want, but just be prepared to do a fresh install if it does not work.

it's a no it will show you a blue screen telling you that windows has been shutdown to prevent damage to ur PC ! which type of windows do they have ? OEM or retail ?669594

OEM

Alright, new question. Their PC is an old Compaq (or HP or Emachines....whatever) and had Windows XP preloaded. They have a recovery disc (I believe). If this is true, can I use that disc + the HDD they have now with XP on it, to reinstall windows? Basically, you can't get XP anymore, they aren't selling the old one, and so they don't want to buy a new one (Vista) if they don't have to.

Thanks again for the help

Alright, new question. Their PC is an old Compaq (or HP or Emachines....whatever) and had Windows XP preloaded. They have a recovery disc (I believe). If this is true, can I use that disc + the HDD they have now with XP on it, to reinstall windows? Basically, you can't get XP anymore, they aren't selling the old one, and so they don't want to buy a new one (Vista) if they don't have to.

Thanks again for the help

seabiscuit8686

Not 100% on that 1 as a lot of these recovery disks like to see all original hardware and have drivers for such hardware and as I have never tried I won't comment on that.

Chances are you will have to a fresh install though, out of 100 machines you might be lucky to find 1 that would still even remotely work using a hdd out of another setup, ive had some that will boot but they are really screwed up.

If you are in UK then yes you can still buy XP, not sure about rest of world but think you should be able to, but I know these places sell it in UK

CCL COMPUTERS

Eclipse Computers

Overclockers

Ebuyer

And for US

Newegg

As for cpu choice, the AMD will probably work out cheaper as they are a cheaper build and as you dont want to overclock they will do just fine, and that cpu you chose should be enough bang for a family pc.

Alright, thanks. Sadly, newegg (where I buy most of my stuff) doesn't have XP. I live in America, and as of what, May I think, Microsoft stopped supporting XP. AKA, stopped shipping it to sellers

Edit: I was wrong, newegg still does have them (they just hide them)

Holy cow, OSs are expensive. Having never actually bought one, I don't know how they can justify $90 for the basic XP

Edit: I was wrong, newegg still does have them (they just hide them)

Holy cow, OSs are expensive. Having never actually bought one, I don't know how they can justify $90 for the basic XP

seabiscuit8686

Yeah I hyperlinked the direct pages to OS's for you, and yeah they are expensive, im still on 32bit XP Pro but want a 64bit OS but looking at the prices I just cant afford it, although them prices have come down since release, hopefully they will reduce some more soon.

Edit: I was wrong, newegg still does have them (they just hide them)

Holy cow, OSs are expensive. Having never actually bought one, I don't know how they can justify $90 for the basic XP

seabiscuit8686

$90 is quite cheap when you think about it. Everything you put on your PC will need that OS. You will use that OS every-time you turn on that PC.

Especially when you consider people paying $50 for games that they will play here and there, $90 for an OS that is always needed is a darn good deal, IMHO.

You'll have to reinstall Windows, get a Celeron Dual Core or $50 Athlon X2 that's more than enough. Memory is what you need, get a good 2GB in the machine and simple integrated graphics (AMD 740/780G or Nvidia 7200/8200).X360PS3AMD05

Yeah I was planning on getting a x2 5000+, 2GB DDR2 800 Mhz RAM (1x2GB), a cheap mobo that supports AM2+ so they can get a phenom later if they want, a PSU (won't need to be powerful since they aren't gaming), and a cheap VGA card for everyday use. You can get cheap VGA cards for $20. and a cheap case

I can get all that for $200. So if you think $90 isn't that much, it is in considering that is a third of the cost