Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Miniq desktop worth upgrading?

Options
  • 29-09-2009 6:29pm
    #1
    DingDong
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,438 ✭✭✭


    A friend gave me a me an old MiniQ Link. AFAIK the power supply is duff, I can pick up a new for around 30-40 euro off ebay. I'm just wondering is it worth my while fixing it or going as far to stick a Bluray drive(will it even work) and a new graphic card in it. Not sure the processoir in it(I could alway pick a faster cheap one of adverts), it would be nice if it could play mkv files.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    You sure its the PSU and not a heap of blown caps on the mobo? :P

    If the BadCaps-era Jetway under the bonnet hasn't detonated then you're looking at €30+ for the PSU and €80+ for a BluRay drive (ouch!). The tricky bit will be getting a HD-friendly graphics card as AGP versions are now getting scarce; you really need a HD4350 to take as much pressure over that cowering P4 Celeron as possible, but the cheapest AGP HD4000 I've seen are HD4650s for over €90! :eek: I've seen an AGP HD3450 floating around but at nearly €60 for an old card that's just taking the urine! :mad:

    With all that you'd barely be HD-capable. And that's the best you could look forward to :( I'd be tempted to build a brand new cheapie HTPC if it was that important. Or just leave the MiniQ as an old apps machine or something semi-embedded if the PSU could be sourced cheaply enough and the mobo's still in one piece!


  • Options
    #3
    DingDong
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,438 ✭✭✭DingDong


    I took the PSU apart and sone of the components were black so it looks like the PSU is the problem at a guess. I've no way of testing for sure.I picked up a HD 3650 for a friend last week for 55 euro so might get one of them if I do decided to do something with it. Its only got 256Mb of ram so could do with more of that too, New processor (Pentium 4 2.8 GHz 30euro from ebay). Its starting to look fairly expensive. All I really doing is messing about with it I've no real need for a HTPC. Although I wouldn't mind having a pc that could play some old game, BF2 and the likes.
    The more I think about it I might just get a PSU and give it to a family member. Its got some cheap DVI card in it so they could connect to a TV.
    Thanks Solitaire


  • Options
    #4
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    DingDong wrote: »
    I took the PSU apart and sone of the components were black so it looks like the PSU is the problem at a guess. I've no way of testing for sure.

    You do know you could make yourself goes 'splodes if you touched the wrong thing in there?! :eek:

    Unless you know exactly what you're doing, please, don't open up PSUs willy-nilly. It could leave you hurt. Or worse :(

    What size mobo is it in there anyway? For new DDR + P4 + AGP HD3650 you could have been better off tossing in a cheap new mobo + cheapie CPU + PCIe HD4550/HD4650 etc. :o


  • Options
    #5
    DingDong
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,438 ✭✭✭DingDong


    In some of my old jobs I repaired various electronic stuff PSU,graphic cards(well one model the wildcat 5110) etc so I'm not too badly off. I did consider trying to repair the PSU but I don't have a soldering iron or components which would probably end up costing the price of a new PSU. The mobo is about half the size of a normal mobo not too sure the exact size I'll have to check it out.


  • Options
    #6
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Its just not the same as fiddling with the insides of a PC or even resoldering a graphics card. The main issue with PSUs is that due to their very nature (converting AC to DC) they invariably need a huge amount of capacitance to hold large amounts of charge to help regulate the first coarse conversion. These 1-3 big yokes often pack a big charge long after the PSU is switched off or even disused/dead so sticking a conductive anything in the wrong place can end in crispy-fried human :(

    As for the mobo... usually mATX units have 4 expansion slots going to the back of the machine. Yours would probably have 3 PCI slots toward the bottom and a larger AGP slot set back a bit from the rear edge of the mobo between them and the CPU etc.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    DingDong
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,438 ✭✭✭DingDong


    Sound advice Solitaire on the safety front. I don't miss my electronic debug days. Some of the PSU came from some strange locations like Nigerian(or some other Country in the region) Lotto machine with a nicely fried cockroach inside, the Irish PSU only manged the odd mouse thankfully :D.
    The mobo only has one AGP and PCI slot Link.


Advertisement