Upgrading PIII 450mhz

[longarm]

I want to upgrade my current Gateway G7-450mhz (pentium III 450mhz) computer to a faster processor. To install an Athlon XP processor do I just need a new motherboard and processor and can all my existing components HDD's, CDRom. SDRAM etc be connected up ? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[What_does_this_button_do?]

You will need new processor, new mother board, new power supply as the one you have probably isn't the same rating, new SDRAM.

Other than that everything else will work :)

B

[Evo7]

Most places like Dabs, Novatech or Simply (etc.) do upgrade bundles which have everything you need and are a bit cheaper than buying the bits on their own. More importantly, if it doesn't work then it is their problem, not yours. Best bet is to ask to talk to a technical sales support guy/gal (if they don't have one, hang up!) and tell them what your current system is and what you would like. They should be able to help.

One of the more stupid computer things I ever did was attempting to save about twenty quid buying different bits from different people. Put it all together and it powered up but failed on the POST, so I spent about two days on hold to different tech support lines who all denied that it was their kit failing.... <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

[FJJP]

Literally last week my motherboard went phut, and I went round the corner to my friendly local computer company. After discussing it with them, I went for a new motherboard, an upgrade processor to the Athlon 1.6GHz and doubled the memory to 256 - just over £200 after discount for friends.

Existing hardware was ok, although I did have to re-load my HP scanner and Quicken software. Difference in speed is startling.

In a previous life I upgraded a 286 to 386, having been given a motherboard free from a relative. I followed an instruction book on how to do it and was largely successful. However, one or two minor glitches caused me a lot of time and grief to get sorted. Unless you are completely comfortable with the hardware and how it works (in depth), I would go with Evo7 and leave it to the professionals.