Brian V wrote:
I read an article below about External Hard-drive purchase. I got
aa lot out of it, and will read more later, but it is along the
lines of what I need to ask.
If you need any info from me, please ask and tell me where to find
it.
I plan on installing as much RAM and hard drive as I can in the
shorter-term so I can archive my music collection and dvd's. I
actually would like to install what I can internally instead of
externally.
I have 32-bit XP, 1GB ddr2 memory (RAM?), and AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual
Core Processor 3800+ 2.01 GHz, 768 MB of RAM on an Acer
ASE380-ED380M.
I opened my computer up last weekend. I saw the SATA hard-drive and
3 other potential spots for more hard-drive. I want to fill 2 or 3
with SATA, but saw PATA drives. I don't know what PATA is, but it's
bigger. Can my system handle it? I'm going to start getting 2 or 3
terabytes (or more). I have lots of music, dj for fun, but I also
make music and need space.
I noticed that there was a certain kind of small black plug
connected to the hard-drive from the back of the computer with lots
of wires comming out of that. It was split (connecting to the
hard-drive there) and one is free for one spot (not the three like
I want). I noticed on web-sites there are certain kinds of power
cords for sale and in my computer tower it appeared that my
dvd-drive was connected to a white plug (not the small black ones,
but that bigger white connection went into the back of my computer
too), on that white plug it connected to the dvd-drive and could be
dissattached. But the dvd-drive connector did not block any more
connections, it continued it (something else can be plugged in
still). Can the small black plugs do this too (connect to each
other and keep the chain going)? Or am I limited to the two
connections for hard-drive?
For the RAM There are 4 ports, in two there were 2 - 512 chips, the
other two were empty. Do I have to have a specific kind of RAM? I
know sometimes some computers can only handle some amount or kinds
of it.
What is in the back of my computer tower? It's where the plug-in
for the electrical outlet goes, and everything in te tower connects
to. Is this my ADM Dual Core Processor? Or is the processor the
motherboard with all those diodes, and ports (it's on the side and
covers it. It's the big thin piece). Can this thing in the back of
the tower be replaced? Are they usually left alone?
What can I put in the back of my computer where these PCI local Bus
ports are? I have 4 slots. 2 large ones, one small and one square
(I think, or two smaller ones). One has a modem in there I don't
use (a line in can be seen), the other three are free. Can this
make my system 64-bit, or is it needed to install stuff to
accelerate my computer? Can I put more memory or a graphics care
there or something?
Lastly I figured I can fit a small drive and another dvd/hd
burner/reader of some kind in front. But that can wait a bit.
How can I find out the lmitation on what kind of computer I have
(what the motherboard can handle, or the processor, etc. Eg: Some
items cannot be installed into older computers (mainly due to not
having the right connectors, ports, etc). I don't want to buy
something that is too advanced for my computer to read or run with.
I just want to learn and to install what I can myself.
It is unlikely you need more RAM/system memory unless you plan to upgrade to
another OS (given this is the third post I have seen from you lately - I bet
that is on your mind merely because of your erratic way of gathering
information.)
Acer ASE380-ED380M - that's mainly what people needed. Looking around - I
am betting that is an Acer Aspire E380. What you can do with it is *very*
limited. That is a very proprietary system. Go to ACER's web page...
Support. Look at the paperwork/CDs that came with the system.
You can take it up to 4GB memory:
http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...=Aspire%20E380
But for most people - it is a waste. Even if you were to get Windows 7 x64
(which acer does have a red x next to Windows 7 support for this desktop -
meaning they don't support that) and install a bunch of heavy programs
(music/video editing, phot editing, etc) - it is unlikely you would go
beyond 3GB used given the questions you have asked in the past/now.
Memory/System Memory/RAM - that is not like hard disk drive space.
I think you are better off just getting an external USB hard disk drive -
using that for storage... Keeping whatever memory/RAM/system memory you have
currently at its current level and cleaning up/properly maintaining it until
you can spend $300-$750 on a new system that will make that system seem sad
and slow. ;-) And if you were gettting ready to buy more memory and hard
drive space for it - you may already be there.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html