At 03:20 PM 01/18/2000 , Tom Cohick wrote:
>Hi all,
>I'm trying to help my son with his computer. He would like to upgrade it
>and I don't know if it is cost effective to do. I don't know much about the
>'puter as he came by it second hand. I guess what we really need to know is
>if the motherboard can be changed and if so to what. I've posted most of
>the information and some pictures at this website
>http://members.xoom.com/tcohick/computer .If any are interested in a
>challenge to help a newbie and his son, this is it. TIA.


Can this be upgraded?  Any computer can be upgraded.  The cost
is the issue.  I can tell you that either you will be digging around at
computer shows, swap meets or used computer stores for a very
particular motherboard to fit this case...  or you will be buying a
new case.  This case is really non-standard...  very typical of computers
of this generation.

You have not mentioned what you want to accomplish or the budget
you have in mind.   You have a great deal of components that are
no longer considered economically functional.  In other words, although
they still work, it is not cost effective to try to build a PC or upgrade
a PC around them.

The ram modules are 30pin.  PCs graduated to 72pin and now 168pin
modules.  The current 168pin or SDRam/PC100 modules are the most
cost effective, (price per megabyte).

The case is non-standard, so you will be looking at a new case, probably
about $25 to $60.

A low end motherboard and AMD CPU can be purchased for under $75
with a little looking.

The video card appears to be an ISA card, this can be reused.  All the other
items mentioned on your web page can be reused, except the ram memory
and probably you should discontinue using the 5.25" floppy drive, (nothing
exists today that uses that drive and if you have software for it, it probably
is very dated).

If you want to be very economical about this upgrade, my advice is to look
through your local newspaper for low end Pentium PCs.  Often you can
buy a P-166 or P-133 system for under $200 or so...   a system that will
give you good service and will be far more economical to upgrade later.

The system on your web page is just too far beyond the economical range
to consider upgrading...   that would be the honest advice I would give
someone bringing it into my shop.

      Bob Wright
The NOSPIN Group

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