Upgrading My PC* | EDIT: Building PC - Help with parts.

[[W]TR1pin]

nope.

XP 32bit = max. 3.75GB
XP 64bit = "unlimited"

Vista 32bit (all versions) = max 3.75GB
Vista 64bit Home Basic: max 8GB
Vista 64bit Home Premium: max 16GB
Vista 64bit Buisness/Ultimate: unlimited

So, if you wanna get Vista i would recommend you Vista Home Premium 64 bit, thats what i am using too.

Ok, thanks. On my laptop i have 64bit Home Premium, and since this topic could be used for me to ask questions. What does RAM actually do, say i wanted to play IV, which requires say 2gb RAM? or w/e. But what if i buy sticks and get over 2gb RAM, what does RAM do? Cause you could only require 2gb ram, and have say 6gb. Does it make your PC faster?

[Hitman]

Well, RAM is memory that is about 30-40 times faster than your HDD memory, and is used by Vista, applications, games and so on to put in there some files to load them really fast.

Too less ram makes your PC slow, but if you got 4GB and upgrade to 8GB, you wont notice any performance difference unless you use more than 4GB.

For example: my vista home premium 64-bit uses under windows around ~1.2GB ram. With STEAM, MSN, ICQ, Mediaplayer and FireFox (the usual applications a user runs in background), it uses around 1.5GB.

Especially GTA IV needs a lot of Ram. Seeing that Vista uses ~1.3GB of your ram, and you only got 2GB ram, there isnt much left for GTA IV.

I recommend you 4GB of ram. Games are usually 32-bit applications, that means that a game task cant address more than 1,8GB ram. So you are quite comfortable with 4GB ram. 1,5GB for vista, and the rest for your games etc is more than enough.

Ofcourse there are some exceptions, games that run in 64bit mode, but thats just 5-10 games. (Gothic 3, Supreme Commander, Crysis x64) for example.

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Get 4GB ram, thats the perfect amount for Vista. It leaves Vista enough ram to run all applications very fast, and still has more than enough left for games.

[[W]TR1pin]

How much does Vista 32bit use in RAM? Much difference?
Can you get RAM sticks for a Laptop?

P.S: Thanks for all the help so far

[FarePak]

Or you could go with something like this, although the motherboard is budget, its even AM3 compatible, I know this because I have it, not really used for my main computer but is gonna be used for my second computer.

Processor: AMD Athlon x2 7750 > £55
Motherboard: ASRock N68PV-GS > £40
RAM: 4GB DDR2 RAM > £30-£40
Graphic Card: 8600GT > £30-£40 / 9600GT > £80 / HD 3850 > £50 / HD 4850 > £100
( You can have a choice here, on a cheaper graphic card that is still playable on or a more expensive graphic card )

I wouldn't exactly reccomend using your current PSU, since its probably not enough power, I would say get around 500w power supply not a budget one but one thats a quite known brand such as Corsair, OCZ or even Hiper, Hiper aint one of the ones hardcore gamers go for but it still works.

My first build was with that ASRock motherboard a month or two back, although I only used that board temporally while im waiting on the main computers motherboard that was coming the week after.


Edit:
@Above: Vista 32bit running with your normal applications such as a web browser and MSN will just come under 2GB in memory usage.

Also yeah you can get RAM sticks for laptops, but un-assembling a laptop is more complicated than a desktop.

[[W]TR1pin]

Found a good site around my area, could you guys take a look and point out what i should look for.
And what should i get first? Motherboard, Case or any others.
And if i've got a case, made in 1999. Would i be able to use that?, bad but heh.

http://www.centrecom.com.au/
^^ Check it out.

[Ph03n1x]

And if i've got a case, made in 1999. Would i be able to use that?, bad but heh.

If its an ATX case (not micro) then yeah.

[FarePak]

Tr1pin whats your budget?

MoBo ($138.60): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=36402
CPU ($110.00): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=38406
RAM ($84.70): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=25249
GFX Card ($223.00): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=33359

I reccomend either the Corsair 450w or 550w power supply although I would go with the 500w to be safe.

Corsair 450w PSU = $139.70
Corsair 550w PSU = $157.30

Total /w 450w PSU = $696.00
Total /w 550w PSU = $713.60

You can use your current hard drive and dvd drive, but you can get a better hard drive if the space is too little, also you may need to purchase Vista, although I downloaded mine.

I just did this without thinking of a budget but you can get a lower graphic card if you want, I just chose something average.

[Strika]

Tr1pin please tell ur your budget and Im pretty sure we all "pc techies" will suggest what you should go for.

[cloakster]

Farepak, i would strongly suggest for him to go with a Core 2 Duo build instead of the AMD64 one u suggested. The E5300 is $129.80 on that site and a motherboard for it would be a little over $100. The extra $20 is well worth it for a much better CPU.

[[W]TR1pin]

$800-1000 is my budget.

I want this so it can run IV btw, so give me some good ideas for that.

CPU ($129.80): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=36533
GFX Card ($79.00): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=36321
MotherBoard / MainBoard ($115.00)-($155.00 in shop): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=37779
RAM (2x $82.50 - $165.00): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=38131
Mouse ($40.00): Purchased (Not included in budget)
Keyboard ($60.00): Purchased (Not included in budget)
Case (Help- with PSU cheap): I need a case that can support obove componets ^^^
Hardrive (Help): I want around 250g or 300g, i'll buy one if needed. But is it possible to install a Portable Hardrive?, with no PC Hardrive? If no, link me a good one.
Hardrive option ($65.00): ^^ http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=37713

When you link me a good case, can you tell me what is has in it?
Like, when i check features. It said i get cooling fan, and other things. And does it come with a DVD Drive?

Oh, can you tell me if my linked items would work together? Or anything else that i've missed?


Another:

CPU ($110.00): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=38406
MotherBoard / MainBoard ($119.00): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=33053
GFX Card ($63.00): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=36246
RAM (3x $40.70-$121.10-6gb): http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/prod...s_id=24289
Case (Help): Need help finding one.
Hardrive (Help): Does option in first work?

^^
Which one is better?, out of first + second.

If those combo's are compatable, tell me. And if they arn't, could someone search through site, find a combo ( Able to run GTA:IV on pretty good graphics) for the lowest price.

Thanks in advance

~Tr1pin