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Upgrading mah laptop

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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
recently i bought a laptop off of NS to use for schoolwork and to run music programs on

i bought an ibm thinkpad a22m with;
384mb RAM
30GB hard drive
897GHz processor

recently the little mouse button has fallen off and the keyboard is coming up in one corner, can this be fixed? also, can i buy a replacement mouse button

if not, i could just buy a new keyboard for it

I plan on upgrading the RAM to 512mb

it only accepts SO DIMM 144-pin pc-100 RAM, and it will only read up to 512mb
is there any way i can get more than 512mb?

i also plan on adding a solid-state hard drive (32GB):
http://www.impactcomputers.com/08k9509.html

i could add a port for a second hard drive:
http://www.impactcomputers.com/08k6067.html

and possibly put a new drive in there and keep my current (or vice versa)

sadly, i only have i usb (not a 2.0) and i was wondering if i could expand and get more usb ports, or even a couple usb 2.0's

any advice, suggestions, or comment?
Feb 1 2008 3:36PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
links for the lazy ones:

hard drive:
http://www.impactcomputers.com/08k9509.html

port:
http://www.impactcomputers.com/08k6067.html

Feb 1 2008 3:47PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
buuuuuuuuuump


Feb 1 2008 5:35PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
It probably has 512 in it but only 300 something is accessible.
Feb 1 2008 5:47PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
idk, i'll check it out, but it has 2 ports, both can take up to 256mb

i think it has 1 256mb and 1 128mb card in

i'm gonna try to format them to read 512mb each, giving me a gig

i have xp, that can read up to 4 gigs
Feb 1 2008 5:54PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
You can't just format it... It takes a maximum and you can't go over that. I'll take a look at the mobo and see if it can accept more than 512.
Feb 1 2008 5:59PM
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TerminatorX
Posts: 3087 - Karma: 169
if i were you, i would buy a hard drive from newegg.com. i just bought a 120 gb hard drive for my notebook from there for $70. and it only took 3 days to receive it.
Feb 1 2008 6:01PM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
First of all about the RAM. Your laptop is only capable of running 512 mb you said, so there isn't anything you can do to run more. Your processor and OS won't be compatible with any more.

You said you were going to replace your hard drive. Replace or add another? Cause you said you want a 32 GB one, that is only 2 more than your old one...if you are just replacing, then it is definitely not worth it.

As for the mouse/keyboard, you might be able to fix it. If not talk to ibm maybe. Other than that, look on newegg for parts if you can, its a great site.
Feb 1 2008 6:05PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
it's 32 GB solid state, aka flash hard drive

uber fast

and i have to check with some comp tech peeps, i might be able to have my comp read some HD space as RAM

i could just buy a new keyboard for it, i just need to know if i could replace that stupid button thing
Feb 1 2008 6:53PM
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Itsbackfliptime
Posts: 18901 - Karma: 75
it already does. Its called virtual memory. Using more virtual memory doesn't speed anything up like having more RAM does.
Feb 1 2008 7:10PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
meh, well with flash memory as my hard drive i hope it speeds up a little
Feb 1 2008 7:36PM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
It won't really speed up much.
Feb 1 2008 7:38PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
regardless, a solid state drive for that cheap will be a good upgrade, and i'm gonna stick to a single hard drive

luckily, i just fixed my keyboard with a pencil, now i just need a mouse button, does anyone know where to get a replacement?

Feb 1 2008 7:47PM
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splooshie
Posts: 644 - Karma: 8
put in a 8800 ultra

a 2 Terabyte hard drive

and a 39 inch screen

that would be so pimp
Feb 2 2008 3:01PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
is there any limit to how big of a hard drive i can put in as long as it's still a 2.5"?

cause newegg has one that's 320gb
Feb 3 2008 12:43PM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
As long as the dimensions are right, any HD you want will work.
Feb 3 2008 1:09PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
and is a processor like ram in that your comp can only read a certain amount?

because i can get another pentium 3 in 1.4ghz
Feb 3 2008 1:17PM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
upgrading your processor is alot harder. You have to make sure you have a compatible bios and motherboard to make it work. Usually i wouldn't suggest trying it. Chances are it won't be compatible.
Feb 3 2008 1:21PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
well i'm just wondering what's making my comp slow

not enough RAM, or too small of a processor?

and i can get a 1ghz processor that i know is compatible, but is it worth the money to upgrade?
Feb 3 2008 1:28PM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
You won't notice much of a difference in the 150 mhz or whatever it is. What OS is it running? That could be slowing it down alot. The biggest is a combination of low ram and slow processor speed.
Feb 3 2008 1:30PM
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Krush
Posts: 1312 - Karma: 12
hahahahaha dude. seriously. it would be way cheaper to just buy a new one than replace everything.
Feb 3 2008 1:31PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
well so far ram is 60
the 1.4ghz processor would be 35
the external HD would be 110
and the usb hub is $7

212 is less than 500 for a compaq with similar stats
Feb 3 2008 1:39PM
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Bigwoods
Posts: 3116 - Karma: 76
I'd just buy a new computer, saves the stress and all that, but takes a bit out of the bank
Feb 3 2008 1:44PM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
some people enjoy working on electronics. I would never buy a desktop pc personally, prefer to build my own.
Feb 3 2008 1:47PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
thanks, that's very true, buying things pre-set up is lame

and i'm running xp, because my synth software won't work on vista
Feb 3 2008 1:51PM
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Bigwoods
Posts: 3116 - Karma: 76
I WISH I could do that
Feb 3 2008 1:52PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
Laptops are not made to be easily upgradable. Just save up and buy a new one. With the kind of upgrades you're doing it's not going to help much at all. You could also screw something up and then you're SOL.
Feb 3 2008 1:52PM
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eheath
Posts: 61604 - Karma: 123,113
Sounds like you just need a new computer.
Feb 3 2008 1:54PM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
xp could be slowing you down alot, especially with those specs. Personally I would downgrade to windows 2000 professional. It is one of the best OS's ever made, very secure and works well. Also not nearly the memory hog as XP is.
Feb 3 2008 1:56PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
im getting one in december, but it will probably be running linux, mac, or vista

so im using this to run xp programs on
Feb 3 2008 1:58PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
ok, final say:

bigger hard drive

i can put in 1gb of RAM says Sandra Lite, contrary to the manufacturer

and i can get a processor up to 1.4ghz

thanks for the halp guise
Feb 3 2008 10:27PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
Still not worth it. My 2.0ghz, 1gb laptop was slow as fuck. I had xp and ubuntu on it.
Feb 3 2008 10:49PM
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doritos
Posts: 7368 - Karma: 53
Honestly I'd just buy a new one... Upgrading laptops is obnoxious. 128 MB RAM might make your computer a bit faster but it's not going to be an extreme difference... you could get an external HD, but that won't make your computer go faster, just enable it to hold more shit. Processor and all that is too big an overhaul, might as well buy a new computer.

Your best bet and most noticeable performance upgrade won't cost you a dime... reformat your hard drive. The longer you use a computer (ESPECIALLY if you're browsing the internet / installing shit / looking at pr0n) the more shit builds up on it and the slower it will become. Period, there's no way of getting around it. Just take what you need and save it, then delete everything on your HD and start fresh. It'll work wonders. If you need help going about doing this, hit me up in a PM.
Feb 3 2008 10:57PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
well i get a new one next year, this one is to use music programs with and edit the movie SCP is making

by next year, vista will be the only thing available on most laptops (probably all). Thats also if i dont get an apple or something running linux

i'll start out with a portable to store all of my music, pics, and movies on, and then decide where i wanna go from there
Feb 3 2008 11:17PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
You're not going to want to edit a movie on that laptop... You can also buy a computer without vista and install xp.
Feb 4 2008 7:34AM
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08-Line_Rider
Posts: 641 - Karma: 11
BUY NEW, ibm think pads were good machines 20 years ago
Feb 4 2008 9:49AM
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MEGAZORD
Posts: 4531 - Karma: -7
~800Ghz?  This is impossible.

I cant believe nobody caught this.
Feb 4 2008 9:50AM
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R-Bertsch
Posts: 4719 - Karma: 20
man its not worth the money to buy that stuff, computer technology is soooooooooooo cheap i was looking at just the average sale stuff in a catalog yesterday and you can get a brand new laptop with about 5 times the power of the one you have for like 350
Feb 4 2008 10:02AM
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doritos
Posts: 7368 - Karma: 53
Dude, don't ever get Vista. If you want to speed your computer up that's a surefire way to slow it down. I'd just get a new computer, no matter when you buy it technology is going to make a mockery of it within six months so you might as well just suck it up, get the new laptop now and save yourself the hassle.
Feb 4 2008 3:02PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
since everyone is so dead set on me buying a new one, show me a laptop with a gig of RAM,and 160GB hard drive @ 7200rpm for less than $340
Feb 4 2008 4:39PM
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tBatt
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 580
is that just like a usb port with like 5 ports on it you plug into the one on the comp?

if your trying to get 2.0 and you got a 2.0 hub and your comp is still 1.0, then the 5 or however many on the hub will still be 1.0
Feb 4 2008 4:41PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
i realize this, it'll be slow but i'll be able to have more than 1 port
Feb 4 2008 4:56PM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
I noticed it, I just didn't care to say anything cause I knew what he meant and it was an obvious typo.
Feb 4 2008 5:07PM
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doritos
Posts: 7368 - Karma: 53
OK, gimme a few.
Feb 4 2008 5:08PM
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doritos
Posts: 7368 - Karma: 53
Aight so on second thought that might be a bit of a stretch haha, I forgot this was a laptop we're talking about. Maybe buying a new one isn't your best call, but upgrading your current one definitely isn't either. I'd go with reformatting and see how fast it is after that.
Feb 4 2008 5:12PM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
even with your upgrades it's still gonna be less than ideal for editing a movie on
Feb 4 2008 5:17PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
well i have, and it's decent (especially considering it went from 2000 to xp and has crappy stats)

and i wanna upgrade this because not only is it a decent xp platform, but some software on here is only installable on one comp

plus its my parents who are buying me a laptop for college next christmas, i plan on putting some money towards it and getting a macbook

legit? right now i'm going for 786mb of ram ($66), and  160gb hard drive @ 7200rpm  ($110)

i'll add a 1.4ghz processor and upgrade to 1gb RAM if need be

i bought this for $100 so i could have something with xp i could use with my synth and as a portable recording platform (it runs cakewalk quite well). it's also convenient to make flyers and put vids on to edit for SCP (it came with photoshop).
Feb 4 2008 5:21PM
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Swan_Solo
Posts: 2374 - Karma: 14
also, i fixed my keyboard, i have to buy a 6-pack of trackpoint covers to replace my lost one ($10)

and i may buy a less dead battery
Feb 4 2008 5:23PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
Did you check ebay? You can get a decent one for $450-$500. Sell that one, maybe make a profit, then buy a new one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DELL-1501-2-0GHz-60GB-1GB-Warranty-14-1-LCD-9Cell-Vista_W0QQitemZ290203170755QQihZ019QQcategoryZ140080QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-Inspiron-1501-AMD-3600-2-0GHz-1GB-120G-CDRW-DVD_W0QQitemZ250212954872QQihZ015QQcategoryZ140080QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-THINKPAD-A31-P4-2-0GHZ-1GB-80GB-CD-RW-DVD-Wi-Fi_W0QQitemZ280198099430QQihZ018QQcategoryZ140083QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I read these fast so I don't know if they're exactly what you're looking for but you get an idea.
Feb 4 2008 5:28PM
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doritos
Posts: 7368 - Karma: 53
No, I did not, and good fucking call haha.
Feb 4 2008 5:54PM
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