Dell Inspiron 5100 Upgrade Time!

[yojo98]

Hello.
I have been gifted an old but working Dell Inspiron 5100 with a Pentium 4 proc and a 40GB hard drive. I was wondering what upgrades I could do to make this more functional. For example, adding more RAM, but I don’t know what type it uses. It is from around 2003-2003. If possible I would like some recommendations, also want to know if I could OC it a little for a speed boost.
Thanks

 

[mouse24]

Not much you can do with a system like that. I personally would turn it into a storage/minecraft server host. or some other low usage machine... Firewall or etc

Personally I would just build a new machine.

 

[yojo98]

It's a laptop lol.
Anyway, what other sub $300 PC's would anyone recomend?

 

[Anonymous_26]

You're not really going to be able to do much. I would max out the Ram. It looks like according to Dell's website this RAM is what is used an is compatible with your model laptop http/accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=19&sku=A0731225&baynote_bnrank=1&baynote_irrank=0&~ck=baynoteSearch. I would also trash the measly 40 gig HDD and replace it with with atleast a 320 Gig HDD but I would go for 500 Gigs.

 

[hwangchan]

you could check dells site using the pcs service tag, assuming it is still readable and check product specs to see motherboard max ram and type, but its probably 128 pin pc100 or pc133.

RAM system max is probably 500MB, as most laptops didn't have many slots back then and mobos didn't recognize much.

As mouse pointed out, there's not much you can do.. most laptops you can only really upgrade ram, hdd, and software.

it might be best used as a specific use like mouse said, maybe a dedicated game server or browsing machine. If you want to use it for basic internet / chatting / word processing, you may want to consider using a linux distro which is made for old hardware. They can be small install and use low system resources.

 

[yojo98]

Would ubuntu work?'
Also it has 2.4Ghz single core and 1GB of ram, with two slots.

 

[mouse24]

as long as you don't want to play crysis or any graphically intensive games then yeah ubuntu should work well... depending on what you want to do though.

 

[yojo98]

as long as you don't want to play crysis or any graphically intensive games then yeah ubuntu should work well... depending on what you want to do though.

I tried to run Ubuntu and it said it does not support the proc (its not x86). What other linuxs would work, like mint?

 

[mouse24]

I am no expert on linux distro's at all. but it can't hurt to give mint a try... ubuntu was supposed to be the most compatible one might want to take a look at puppy linux, pretty sure I used that on an old athlon 3400.

 

[hwangchan]

for ubuntu, make sure you downloaded the correct installer, should be the x86 32bit version.

 

[yojo98]

Best answer selected by yojo98.

 

[dmmackay]

I too have been just gifted an Inspiron 5100 Laptop.

This one has 512MB with a 30 GB HD. I just put win7 on it.

I will admit it's slooo. So I have been doing a bit of research. It seems that you can update the Bios from Phonenix(I hope to figure it out) and then up the RAM to 1GB.

I think it was really Gracious, and I thanked the person with Sincerity...Never look a Gifthorse in the mouth.

Here's a link to information for MEM.
http/www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=2e4edcdea5ca7304

 

[mouse24]

Pentium 4 @ 2.66 ghz, you won't get much out of that machine. I would put windows xp on it as windows 7 will never run smoothly on that.

 

[steelerfan1]

i have windows seven on that same dell i put 3.5 g of ram and a 250g hdd and it works fine the only other thing im doin is ug the video card also go 2 crucial.com they will help u configure

 

[lap5100top]

It's a laptop lol.
Anyway, what other sub $300 PC's would anyone recomend?

so those are the parts you recommend on the right?

 

[ffg7]

lap5100top, that is the description of his desktop computer not for a laptop.