Upgrading my pc - Where do I start?

Lil306

JasX wrote: »

OMG don't get an OEM copy of windows, don't touch them with barge poles, any one recommending one deserves to be shot.

Ignoring fact aside with Windows licensing etc, the incomptibility you are talking about is when you are using a Manufacturer specific OEM. I personally have had no issues using my OEM copy of Windows no matter how many hardware changes I've carried out. The differences with OEM and Retail is that OEM is specific for an O/S (32-bit/64-bit) and Retail supports both. Again ignoring licensing stuff by Microsoft. OEM you get no fancy packaging etc and have to do all the support yourself if you built the system (be it if your a sole individual or a computer manufacturer)

anewhope wrote: »

Plus, you're not complying with the terms of the OEM licence so you'd be using unlicenced software, which in effect would be no more legal than downloading a dodgy copy from somewhere.It's a false economy.

I never remember Microsoft licensing policy, I know when it's either OEM or Retail (one of them) it has to ship with a piece of Hardware to comply with Microsoft.

I don't particularly care if this upsets Microsoft, I do what makes me happy not what fills their pockets. Do you think the average Joe Bloggs who buys a PC is going to spend another £70 to buy a copy of Windows just to reinstall it on his computer (with a wiped HDD) when he already has an OEM version which is exactly the same SW and Drivers and a COA sticker to use as the license code

OEM isn't transferrable, but RETAIL is. So when you sell a PC with Windows installed via an OEM disk, you are supposed to format the HDD with no O/S and keep the OEM CD. The purchaser than has to buy OEM / Retail and reinstall themselves. I don't see the difference, if you sell a PC with RETAIL, it can be transferred with Windows installed, except you still need to give away the Installation CD.

So basically you have to spend another £60 and buy another copy of Windows anyway. Either way, I'll do what I'm comfortable with, not Microsoft.

gonzo127

honestly minus the operating system you can build a entire new system which will beat a xbox 360 for around £300

i also use www.bit-tech.net for computer and tech knowledge and tomshardware is also helpful (although mainly american) but on bit-tech there is a specific hardware section of the forum for these types of question

jaydeeuk1

Celerons are a bit crap for gaming, even when overclocked.

A budget athlon would be a lot better imo.

My old athlon x2 and radeon can play most games at 1280x800 at near full detail at a smooth enough framerate for me - I doubt the 4650 / celeron combo will be able to though, even if overclocked.

Imo, spend an extra £20 on an ATI 4770, and either get a budget core 2 duo or a AMD athlon/phenom for the best bang/buck.

DazedAndConfuzed

JasX wrote: »

OMG don't get an OEM copy of windows, don't touch them with barge poles, any one recommending one deserves to be shot.

you can buy OEM copy of wndows for about £50, you can buy a full RETAIL copy of windows for about £60.

If you get an OEM copy you save £10 up front but can never re-use it for any other PC you use/get, and will have problems if you upgrade you original machine too much.

retail you can keep and transfer to your next PC as/when you upgrade and/or build your next one, or even (legally as per license) sell on on ebay when you scrap your old PC.

in summary OEM version:

(spend £50).... upgrade your PC -> (spend another £50 as you need to buy another OEM copy)... replace your PC with another self build (spend another £50 on another copy)... upgrade that one (spend another £50 on another copy)... you get the idea

with the RETAIL version:

(spend £60)... upgrade your PC -> (free)...replace your PC with another self build (free)... upgrade that one (free)... replace again with a self build (free) ...(free)...(free)...(free)...until...
...no longer need RETAIL copy as PC is scrapped and you bought a pre-assembled PC that came with windows already installed.... --> (sell RETAIL copy on ebay and get £40 odd back)

you tell me which makes more MSE sense

Good point! I think I've still got the XP disk from when I installed it on my current pc. Plus, if I'm transferring my HDD over to the new pc I wont need to reinstall Windows... I think?

turbobob

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

Celerons are a bit crap for gaming, even when overclocked.

A budget athlon would be a lot better imo.

My old athlon x2 and radeon can play most games at 1280x800 at near full detail at a smooth enough framerate for me - I doubt the 4650 / celeron combo will be able to though, even if overclocked.

Imo, spend an extra £20 on an ATI 4770, and either get a budget core 2 duo or a AMD athlon/phenom for the best bang/buck.

May have been true in the past but an E3200 Celeron has a good price/performance ratio IMHO. It is a Core 2 Duo (Wolfdale core) with 1mb cache instead of 2mb on the E5xxx series. See here - http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/celeron-e3300_4.html#sect1

If you can get an ATI4770 for within the budget then that would be good. I suspect its out of budget though.

DazedAndConfuzed

- Intel Celeron (E3200) 2.4GHz Processor with 1024KB L2 Cache and 800MHz FSB
- Kingston KVR800D2N6/2G - Kingston ValueRAM 2GB 800MHz DDR2
- MSI S775 INTEL G31 2XDDRII-800 1333FSB X3100 GRAPHICS GBE LAN MICRO-ATX MOTHERBOARD
- MSI ATI R 4770-T2D512 PCI-E

Comes in at £206.24.

Will then use my old pc parts to make up the rest

Thoughts please?

JasX

Lil306 wrote: »

EDITING post as I keep typing more and more

lol no worries, i just have a bit of a thing about OEM copies of windows.... we'll let you off being shot as you other posts have all been quite sensible and useful

JasX

DazedAndConfuzed wrote: »

Good point! I think I've still got the XP disk from when I installed it on my current pc. Plus, if I'm transferring my HDD over to the new pc I wont need to reinstall Windows... I think?

you 'might' get away without a reinstall but your hardware drivers will be all over the place, you'll end up with a much cleaner & efficient operating system if you do start from scratch.

you can only re-use your old XP operating system if it was a RETAIL copy, however a valid RETIAL license key is good for both 32bit or 64bit versions of the OS so if you could get hold of the right disk/image your license would be good for either

Lil306

I've always wanted to use OEM copies, I know my stuff about computers so anything what saves me money I'll do. Reading these posts I'm going to have to look into my OEM CD. I actually think mine is an OEM (that supports 32 and 64 bit). It's got me interested now

Each to their own, but I'm always going for the cheapest option. I've purchased my software legitimately so thats my morals upheld. Not particularly bothered about Microsoft, since their software isn't stable enough to warrant wanting to spend more money in an endless pit.

When you buy PC's from Manufacturers too like Novatech you don't get a Genuine copy of Windows but an OEM'd version. So if you want a copy of Windows I believe you have to purchase it from Microsoft.

All Microsofts licensing is confusing, I get sick of reading it so I just do what works :P

DazedAndConfuzed

JasX wrote: »

you 'might' get away without a reinstall but your hardware drivers will be all over the place, you'll end up with a much cleaner & efficient operating system if you do start from scratch.

you can only re-use your old XP operating system if it was a RETAIL copy, however a valid RETIAL license key is good for both 32bit or 64bit versions of the OS so if you could get hold of the right disk/image your license would be good for either

It was a full retail version with code so should be ok, just got the fun of getting all the updates, installs, etc.