silent_echo

so i want a computer in my room, and i dont have much $$ to buy a ready made or build one, but i have an old old computer in the garage. so i takes it inside and look at it ( i had no idea what kinda hardware it has since the last time i used it i didnt know how it worked). turns out its a pentium 2, 256mb ram, 60gb(i think) harddrive, video card sound card and an old dial up modem. and im pretty sure its opertaing system is windows 98. what i want to know is can i download a version of msn messenger that will still work with such an old computer? or is it pointless to hook up. and what do i need to hook it up to my dsl router (can be wireless or hardwired) i know i need a wireless card but this computer was made before wireless was[&:] so i dont know whats compatible, also theres no ethernet connection to the motherboard like my computer now so i dont know how i wouldgo about hooking it up to the internet.

i know i fair bit about computers but im no genius, so any help is appreciated

hands without shadows

Msn will work on it, your either going to have to go dial up or buy a new network card or usb wireless receiver and software. Neither is terribly expensive. Dont expect much performance from it, but it should make a nice msn/music computer.

Wide Open

lol, hands without shadows is right. that pentium 2 will be slow, but it should work. if you can try to find some ram that will work with the motherboard you have. 256 is not much, its basically the minimum to get by with.

R/C fan-addict

if you won't multi-task or game much 256 is fine. I run 256mb on my dell dimension 8200 and it is fine for light to medium gaming and light to medium multi tasking. There's absolutely no point in sticking money into an ancient computer that has pretty much bit the dust already and will be unusable very soon. I didn't get more ram for my computer because many times old ram standards mean high prices for low production ram. My 8200 takes rambus so 2 sticks of 128 cost $150 with a clock speed of around 400mhz as I remember it. There's no point in sticking $150 in a four year old computer.

Wide Open

yeah, you are right about that[&:]

hands without shadows

I cant find a link but when I bought this laptop the store people convinced me I needed a router or a wireless card for it (what a bunch of retards). Anyways, I bought a usb wireless receiver, I think it was like 15 bucks at future shop and it came with software, good deal. If you dont have wireless future shop also has wireless trendnet routers for like 30 bucks. Dont ask the people in future shop for help though......I mean what laptop doesnt come with built in wireless these days?

silent_echo

ok i got it running(to my surprise) and everything worls fine, there is already msn on it but the inly problem is internet access. the dial up modem thats in it is pretty much useless since my family upgraded to dsl. im thinking of removing the modem and getting a wireless card (i dont want to run a cable from the basment to the 2nd floor just for internet) thats the only thing i can come up with. any idea if those will be compatible and the prices? thanks alot for the replies

R/C fan-addict

you could get a wireless PCI card which is generally more expensive but better performance as it plugs directly into the motherboard. Though for an old computer the extra performance is wasted. I would just get a little USB wireless adapter. They are cheaper too and have a little less performance, but the performance will probably out perform your computer, so your computer will be the limiting factor, as the USB adapter will be plenty fast.

silent_echo

ah ic. i just talked to a friend that builds his own. and im buying an ethernet card from him on monday, and he says hell install xp for free onto it. but i still need to run a cable upstairs

R/C fan-addict

you shouldn't install XP on a P2 machine. It'll lock up so much! Dumb idea, it'll make the computer unusable. My dad has a 5 year old $3000 top of the line dell laptop which can run XP fine, but it is also only 5 years old whereas your machine is probably 8+ years old, and it probably wasn't a $3000 desktop when you bought it. Just keep the Win98 on it and use an internet browser.

silent_echo

it was a 3000$ desktop. custom built and everything. the guy i know knows alot about computers so im gonna trust him. he says all you need is 256 ram and at least a 6 gig harddrive and xp will work. itll be faster than the windows 98 thats on it now. but im basically doing it just so i can install the ethernet card. xp will install it by itself but with 98 wed have to find the drivers...which he doesnt know where they are lol

R/C fan-addict

okay so it's a nice desktop, but it is still 8 years old. I know a lot about computers too, I build them myself. There is no way windows XP will be faster on your machine than Win98. I mean you're saying "yeah the more demanding program will run faster on a machine that it is not built for, than a smaller program on its base machine"- doesn't make much sense.