Hello,

I finally got a new computer, a Gateway 820 Dual Core Pentium D 2.8 Ghz, Wow, how did I ever get anything done on my old laptop?

The laptop is Compaq Armada M700 Pentium II 400Mgz, 10G HD, 192 MB ram.

Anyway the laptop has issues and it might be worth fixing and keeping as a back up and/or to use to check email, etc... when I travel. I okay with wiping the hard drive and starting over from scratch, it also has lots of spyware beacuse of no service packs.

First of all the OS, XP Pro is a copy and not upgradable, has no service packs. So I need to get new OS. Also the hard drive makes a funny noise and hangs at a certain spot for a minute or two and clicks away like its stuck or something, then it gets past the stuck part and works fine, so the hard drive should probably be replaced.

I can get a replacement 10G hard drive for $50

Also, it shuts down without warning, like its over heating or something so I think I should replace the fan too, I can get a fan for about 10$ bucks.

So around $60 bucks for hardware but the XP will be the spendy part eh? But can't you get XP home for like $100 bucks with a hardware purchase?

Does any one know where to get the parts and hardware together to get the good deal on the OS?

Also, does this sound like what I need to do to get this old thing back in somewhat reliable, albeit, slow working order?

Thanks in advance!

Steve

The HD definitely sounds like it is about to bite the big one. For infrequent use a small replacement HD should be fine, but to upgrade to 20 or 40GB can be as little as $10 more. I'm not too keen on laptop hardware so someone else will need to confirm this, but this HD looks promising: HITACHI Travelstar.

A failing HD can cause OS instability so you probably dont need new fans, but you could blow out any dust with computer air while you are inside to keep the ventilation fresh.

Windows XP home for under $100

Hey, thanks for the input. That looks like a good deal on the XP. The 10G drive is probably big enough for use as a back up PC, it took me 4 years to fill it up using it as my primary PC but you're right a bigger one is not much more so why not? I know they have a bigger cache too.

Thanks!

I like the older hardware. I find most of it bullet proof. You are pretty light on hardware with that computer. You don't have much room to upgrade. If it is like most notebook of that time you are close to, if not at the maximun RAM for that computer. You may be able to increase to 256mb.
I belive a better option for that machine would be Windows 2000 Pro. It was designed to run on that type machine with less RAM than you have. It is every bit as stable as XP Home or Pro, and as secure. If you like '98 you will like the feel of it, if you need XP except for the most moden programs you should be able to run almost any program.
It is my opinion that while XP will run on that machine, you will not be very happy with the preformance.
I have several computers running Windows 2000 Pro and I have not found any program or hardware I cannot run. Excluding the gaming community.

Hey, thats not a bad idea to run 2000, I've never been real happy with the perfrormance of the laptop, so that might help.

Yes, I can upgrade ram to what ever will fit in the slots. There are 4 slots and currently it is 2x32MB and 2x64MB, changing out the 2 32's would give 256 but laptop ram is failry spendy and I don't want to put any more money itno than I really have to to just use it as an occasional back-up.

But thanks for the Win 2000 idea. I think I'll do that. Know a good place to get it cheap?

It will probabily run about the same as XP Home. Every now and then you will find it with a COA on eBay for $70, but usally between $80 and $100 USD. 64mb modules are $10±.
What type of RAM is it? Run Everest Home 2.2 or Belarc Diagnostic Tool to find what kind of RAM it will use.