Hotroding a Gateway machine?

Hi all,

I have a Gateway LP Mini Tower TB3 Essential 450 (0016980229).
I would like to put more ram in it and change the cpu to the fastest
that will reliably work in it. So my questions a

1. Is there any reason to get PC133 speed ram for this motherboad?
2. What is the fastest cpu that I can put in it?

I think the current configuration is Slot1 P3 450MHz and one stick
of 64M SDRAM PC100 with two open slots.

thanks,
charles.....

Charles,

You definitely will benefit from more RAM. Crucial.com will let you
find the right type for your board and the max capacity.

Your board will run PC133 at 100 FBS, so faster RAM is not an option,
but more RAM is the way to go.

As for processors, you have lots of options depending what you need it
to do and how much $$ you want to put into this old system. You will
need to do some homework to get the best deal and be sure of what is
compatible with your particular model. Slot1 P3 100FBS Coppermine
processors go up to 1 GHz. With a $10 socket adapter you can use socket
370 100 FBS Coppermine processors either P3 or Celeron which are cheaper
and more available and go up to 1.1 GHz. But be careful, you need a
special adapter (like Lin-Lin or Upgradeware) to use Tualatin core
processors. The top end for you would be a 1.4 GHz Celeron (100 FBS
Tualatin) and this would probably require an adapter with a built-in
power supply to overcome your motherboard's power and voltage
limitations. Powerleap.com sells them. Be sure to check your model's
compatibility.

But don't over do the upgrading unless you have a good reason to be tied
to that motherboard as it will still be an old system with many
limitations, and a newer used system might give you more bang for the buck.

Bruce

***** charles wrote:

Hi all,

I have a Gateway LP Mini Tower TB3 Essential 450 (0016980229).
I would like to put more ram in it and change the cpu to the fastest
that will reliably work in it. So my questions a

1. Is there any reason to get PC133 speed ram for this motherboad?
2. What is the fastest cpu that I can put in it?

I think the current configuration is Slot1 P3 450MHz and one stick
of 64M SDRAM PC100 with two open slots.

thanks,
charles.....

Oh, and I forgot the disclaimers inherent in "Hotroding": your system
was not designed for processors faster than about 600 MHz, so you may
need additional cooling, a bigger power supply, heat sinks etc.

Bruce Gaylinn wrote:
Charles,

You definitely will benefit from more RAM. Crucial.com will let you
find the right type for your board and the max capacity.

Your board will run PC133 at 100 FBS, so faster RAM is not an option,
but more RAM is the way to go.

As for processors, you have lots of options depending what you need it
to do and how much $$ you want to put into this old system. You will
need to do some homework to get the best deal and be sure of what is
compatible with your particular model. Slot1 P3 100FBS Coppermine
processors go up to 1 GHz. With a $10 socket adapter you can use socket
370 100 FBS Coppermine processors either P3 or Celeron which are cheaper
and more available and go up to 1.1 GHz. But be careful, you need a
special adapter (like Lin-Lin or Upgradeware) to use Tualatin core
processors. The top end for you would be a 1.4 GHz Celeron (100 FBS
Tualatin) and this would probably require an adapter with a built-in
power supply to overcome your motherboard's power and voltage
limitations. Powerleap.com sells them. Be sure to check your model's
compatibility.

But don't over do the upgrading unless you have a good reason to be tied
to that motherboard as it will still be an old system with many
limitations, and a newer used system might give you more bang for the buck.

Bruce

***** charles wrote:

Hi all,

I have a Gateway LP Mini Tower TB3 Essential 450 (0016980229).
I would like to put more ram in it and change the cpu to the fastest
that will reliably work in it. So my questions a

1. Is there any reason to get PC133 speed ram for this motherboad?
2. What is the fastest cpu that I can put in it?

I think the current configuration is Slot1 P3 450MHz and one stick
of 64M SDRAM PC100 with two open slots.

thanks,
charles.....

You can get a new computer for about $400 to $500 which might not be all
that much more than "hotrodding" as you put it. Or you could go to a place
like NewEgg.Com and price a new motherboard, cpu, memory which might be
faster yet and in the same price range (I saw an AMD 64 byte processer group
for $500).
"Bruce Gaylinn" wrote in message
...
Oh, and I forgot the disclaimers inherent in "Hotroding": your system was
not designed for processors faster than about 600 MHz, so you may need
additional cooling, a bigger power supply, heat sinks etc.

Bruce Gaylinn wrote:
Charles,

You definitely will benefit from more RAM. Crucial.com will let you find
the right type for your board and the max capacity.

Your board will run PC133 at 100 FBS, so faster RAM is not an option, but
more RAM is the way to go.

As for processors, you have lots of options depending what you need it to
do and how much $$ you want to put into this old system. You will need
to do some homework to get the best deal and be sure of what is
compatible with your particular model. Slot1 P3 100FBS Coppermine
processors go up to 1 GHz. With a $10 socket adapter you can use socket
370 100 FBS Coppermine processors either P3 or Celeron which are cheaper
and more available and go up to 1.1 GHz. But be careful, you need a
special adapter (like Lin-Lin or Upgradeware) to use Tualatin core
processors. The top end for you would be a 1.4 GHz Celeron (100 FBS
Tualatin) and this would probably require an adapter with a built-in
power supply to overcome your motherboard's power and voltage
limitations. Powerleap.com sells them. Be sure to check your model's
compatibility.

But don't over do the upgrading unless you have a good reason to be tied
to that motherboard as it will still be an old system with many
limitations, and a newer used system might give you more bang for the
buck.

Bruce

***** charles wrote:

Hi all,

I have a Gateway LP Mini Tower TB3 Essential 450 (0016980229).
I would like to put more ram in it and change the cpu to the fastest
that will reliably work in it. So my questions a

1. Is there any reason to get PC133 speed ram for this motherboad?
2. What is the fastest cpu that I can put in it?

I think the current configuration is Slot1 P3 450MHz and one stick
of 64M SDRAM PC100 with two open slots.

thanks,
charles.....

You can use a PowerLeap adapter with a 1.4 GHz Celeron CPU; that's as
fast as you can get.

Unfortunately, it'll run you $100 - or about $25 more than the entire
system is worth at resale.

The RAM can be PC133 but MUST be low density (16 chips/256M, 16X8).
High-density RAM (most cheap RAM is high density) will not work.

I'd be careful about dropping $200 or more into this system - it's not
worth that.


***** charles wrote:
Hi all,

I have a Gateway LP Mini Tower TB3 Essential 450 (0016980229).
I would like to put more ram in it and change the cpu to the fastest
that will reliably work in it. So my questions a

1. Is there any reason to get PC133 speed ram for this motherboad?
2. What is the fastest cpu that I can put in it?

I think the current configuration is Slot1 P3 450MHz and one stick
of 64M SDRAM PC100 with two open slots.

thanks,
charles.....

"Edward J. Neth" wrote in message
. ..
You can use a PowerLeap adapter with a 1.4 GHz Celeron CPU; that's as
fast as you can get.

Unfortunately, it'll run you $100 - or about $25 more than the entire
system is worth at resale.

The RAM can be PC133 but MUST be low density (16 chips/256M, 16X8).
High-density RAM (most cheap RAM is high density) will not work.

I'd be careful about dropping $200 or more into this system - it's not
worth that.



I agree. I recently picked up a used OEM machine with the following specs
for less than $200:

1GHz/256mbRDRAM/40gb HDD/8X CDRW/64mb GeForce3 video card/SBLive PCI audio
card/3Com hardware modem, and 3Com NIC.

Bought another used P4 OEM with WinXP and Office 2003 loaded up for less
than $300.

I wouldn't put too much into a PIII generation machine. I'd either take
that money and move up to a newer faster used system, or to a brand new
entry or mid-level OEM box.


Stew