Any computer boffs out there - need some techy advice........

[fannyannie]

I've started scouring ebay and freecycle and the likes for cheap stuff that I'll need/really would like to have in my new house - and a computer is one of them. Seen this on ebay and am watching - but want to know if it looks/sounds ok.

I don't need anything fancy - I just need something that I'd be able to do some word processing on, and once I get broadband sorted use for that.

A few key things really

1. Is there any reason I couldn't upgrade to Windows 2000 or XP (if I have the software)
2. Would I be able to use it to connect to the internet.....I know the modem isn't working - but am I right in thinking that won't matter if I'm getting broadband???

Message withdrawn

well the HD is v small - might be why you can't have XP on there - it uses a lot of memory/space apparently?? so it's possible you can put it on but it will be slow as anything.

witht eh modem thing with out BB we have alwasy got a new modem free so you should be OK wiht that one.

i'll ask DH more thou as he's really the techno geek here - do you have an upper price you would be loking at paying?

(mellow we use the hub with BT - it all plug inot there then the computer then the phone line - we've only had probs since DH has decided to go wireless

dh (IT consultant) says there isn't enough RAM to run Windows 2000 or XP.

You don't need a modem for broadband, but you do need an ethernet adaptor in it, which you'd need to check if it has, to plug a network cable into.

that's the one CSWS.

As CSWS says not enough RAM to run XP of W2K. Is a low spec, I'd look for something better personally....

Message withdrawn

I think it is ready for the recycling bin myself, it won't satisfy you for long as is and can't be upgraded cheaply

it won't have usb and won't be compatible with any hardware or software now

how much could you spend?

thanks for your advice everyone - shall ignore that one.

I'm not going to have much to spend in the next few months. If needs be I'll just have to go 'computerless' for a couple of months and get something better when I'm in a better financial position.

DH is suggesting possibly this tower and this moniter would be £107 if you go with their postage or £80 if you go with the 3.99 courrier on ebay if they allow you to do that.

there is a dell seconds site - will dig out the link for you - you can usually pick up things quite cheaply there. By the way - that one you linked to is very low spec - would not run more recent software probably.

here - it is the dell outlet site - I got mine from there and am very happy with it so far.

Can you get to a tip? Depending on the system at your local one, they may have a pile of discarded computers that you could just take. My DH has been at ours twice this week with a screwdriver taking a couple of hard drives and some RAM to add to his system, and he reckons you could easily pick up a complete box and working monitor, and then you'd just need wires, keyboard, mouse, etc. The hard drives he got had (legitimate) XP already installed so you might not even have to worry about that.