My first experience in the computer world

[DDR2-FTW]

I found this old laptop in my dads basement (Dell latitude d820/ 2006) so i decided to revive it and give it a new purpose, using it to learn programming. it only has Python and SQL installed.

while i was researching how to tear it apart and what improvements i could do, i of course found LTT on youtube, and through watching them and other tutorials i gained the confidence to tear in. 

Old Specs

1gb DDR2 ram

80gb hard drive

original processor (idk the name)

windows XP

New Specs

3gb DDR2 ram (trying to find another 2gb stick to max it out at 4gb)

250gb hard drive i salvaged from an old xbox 360

I'm currently waiting on a core 2 duo t7400 processor

Now rocking full windows 10 pro.

 

it might not look like much to many of you pro builders, but I am very proud of it, and couldn't have done it without the confidence i got from watching LTT. they showed me that the inside of a computer isn't that scary. 

[jaslion]

7 minutes ago, DDR2-FTW said:

I found this old laptop in my dads basement (Dell latitude d820/ 2006) so i decided to revive it and give it a new purpose, using it to learn programming. it only has Python and SQL installed.

while i was researching how to tear it apart and what improvements i could do, i of course found LTT on youtube, and through watching them and other tutorials i gained the confidence to tear in. 

Old Specs

1gb DDR2 ram

80gb hard drive

original processor (idk the name)

windows XP

New Specs

3gb DDR2 ram (trying to find another 2gb stick to max it out at 4gb)

250gb hard drive i salvaged from an old xbox 360

I'm currently waiting on a core 2 duo t7400 processor

Now rocking full windows 10 pro.

 

it might not look like much to many of you pro builders, but I am very proud of it, and couldn't have done it without the confidence i got from watching LTT. they showed me that the inside of a computer isn't that scary. 

Nicely done. A laptop is a lot harder than a generic desktop for a first time part(s) upgrade.

Something that really would take this next level would be a cheap ssd. It really gets these old systems from borderline ok to o hey this is quite useable actually.

 

[DDR2-FTW]

i was thinking about an ssd, but couldn't pass up the option of a free 250gb regular hdd! haha 

although i guess if im just using it to learn code, i probably don't need that much space, and would benefit more from the ssd speed.

[jaslion]

1 minute ago, DDR2-FTW said:

i was thinking about an ssd, but couldn't pass up the option of a free 250gb regular hdd! haha 

although i guess if im just using it to learn code, i probably don't need that much space, and would benefit more from the ssd speed.

I'd still opt for a 250gb one if possible.

[Wellingtonzed]

eeeeeeeh, no loss if you dont go for an ssd though

 

I mean your not pulling in large amounts of data or transfering anything, and its an old machine. Honestly the SSD you buy might be worth as much as the laptop !

 

Im ssd as much as the next guy and Itll make a difference in windows boot up times but given your use case, dont bother. 

[DDR2-FTW]

haha very true! you can find these old things at garage sales or online for pocket change. 

im honestly even wondering if i should bother with the cpu, i found a 32-bit version of SQL and Python both. 

is there a community preference on ssd's? my aunt wants me to "upgrade" her laptop, so im just going to do the same things i did to this one, but since she's paying ill get her an ssd.