I need a P-4 2.6 chip (in Houston)

Don't have one. Cheapest I can find online is $155 shipped from:
http://www.starmicro.net/detail.aspx?ID=117

But since that's an OEM, you're gonna need to buy a heatsync/fan and thermal grease.

-- droxford

 

Uhhhmmmmm.......I assume you mean an XPS 600. Doesn't that thing have like a 600 Mhz Pentium I with 66Mhz SDRAM? That would seem to jive with it having Windows 98 as the OEM OS.

I think you're going to need a lot more than the processor, heat sink, and fan. You're also going to need a new motherboard and memory.......if I'm correct.

 

We have some factory sealed intel 2.53GHz 533Mhz FSB (P#: BX80532PE2533D) at our company, but the best I can do is $140.

 

Oh......I see; you're asking for the motherboard as well. You will want some new memory as well.....seeing as how cheap it is.

But if you're going to spend a hundred bucks to get someone to install it, and you're gonna pay for the new processor, MB, and memory, heck.....just go to www.dealcatcher.com and find the link for the brand new Dell 2.66 Ghz P4 computer for $349.

 

Well, I could be wrong, but I think the slowest memory that you can use on P4 boards is PC133....you may have 100Mhz or 66Mhz. Even if you have the right memory, finding the right MB might be a challenge as most of the MB's out there are set up for DDR RAM now.

I don't know for sure, but I know I wouldn't want to buy a P4 and have it constrained by older slower memory and an older slower hard drive. Upgrading isn't always the best bang for your buck. Especially right now when new machines are so cheap.

Most people say they can build a new PC cheaper than they can buy one, but I haven't said that in over a year. Plain and simple, Dell's (and others, for that matter) economies of scale are so great that they just make it too cheap to consider building your own if you want a "value" machine. If you want an enthusiast machine, that's another story....you can still beat the big guys. But I can't build a P4 2.6 Ghz machine with 256 MB RAM, a 40GB HD, a CD-burner, with a legitimate copy of Windows XP home for under $350. And that's just what Dell is doing.....and they throw in a Palm Zire, a digital camera, or a printer as well.

 

I really don't know...just because your MB is capable of handling 133Mhz memory doesn't mean that's what it is using. Without knowing for sure, I hate to say anything more. I'm more of a network/server guy.......I'm not as up-to-date on desktop issues as some of the guys around here. I do know two things though:

If you're replacing the motherboard with something that far removed from what you currently have, you're going to have to re-install XP anyway, so consider that money you spent a sunk cost.

If you're planning on buying a 2.6 AND a new MB AND you're planning to give someone a hundred bucks to install it all (and re-install XP), you're going to be out 300 bucks anyway, so you might as well spend fifty bucks extra to get a warranted machine with faster memory and probably a faster HD. You can give your old machine to your mom or a sibling or whatever...

Anyway, just my $.02. It may not be what you wanted to hear, but it's the only opinion I've got...

 

Depending on how much you are willing to spend, you could buy a good brand new computer for a couple hundred bucks. Check out Dell's deals.

I would recomend looking at

Fry's Electronics Thy have a location in Houston.

New Egg They have the best shipping I have ever had in buying parts online. Their handling was amazing, and so were the prices.


Each store has it's own advantages....price wise.

 

You're probably going to need memory and a new case for any upgrade you do to that Dell. Dell cases are custom, and most aftermarket boards won't fit in them.

Also, your power supply probably doesn't have the extra 12V adapter that most P4's need.