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A couple of days ago my mam was sent a brand new desktop from university to allow her to complete the degree course she’s on. This came about when they told her the current (now older) machine wouldn’t handle the software required for the course.

Just glancing at the new box we feel it’s worse, spec wise, with a smaller monitor; no wireless card; and Vista basic. I doubt there is a graphics card; bigger hard disk; and more memory. There was no spec sheet and I don’t want to prod about inside just yet.

Basically the university paied over-the-top prices for a poor machine. All we had to do was add a few additional sticks of memory in the previous box.

Not to worry though, when the time comes I’ll jiggle bits about. The previous machine has now been allocated to my step-dad, and his old one (and I mean old) has been scavenged by moi.

From back when XP decided to assassinate my old machine I have had various bits floating about, so have decided to take three machines and build/re-build them into two.

I choose to re-add everything back into my first case, the Dell Dimension 5100, as it’s extremely quite. So, unplugging all external components; opening all the cases; setting myself on the lino; and grounding myself to thin air I proceeded to remove optical drives; hard disks; memory; floppy drive; and graphics card.

Box1: My first, the Dell Dimension 5100
Box2: My newest, a custom case with donor parts from Box1
Box3: The old machine, now a donor to Box2

With all the bits spread across the lino, I began to fit the Box2 hard disk; memory; and optical drive into Box1, with the optical drive and 512MB of memory going back ‘home’. I then took the floppy drive and a CD re-writer from Box3 and placed them into Box1. I have left the graphics card as the screw holding it to the case (preventing theft) is actually doing a perfect job (preventing theft that is), the screw head has been stripped so I can’t use a screwdriver. I shall need to find a set of small pliers to take the bugger out.

With those parts now in place, I began to add the hard disk and DVD ROM drive from Box3 into Box2. With all but the graphics card and processors shifted about, I hit a bit of a snag.

Initially, I wasn’t planning to swap the processor from Box2 back to Box1 as Box3 would cover it. I was wrong. Although it is a pentium4, the processor in Box3 has pins, but the plate thingy in Box1 doesn’t have holes. Since Box2 had the processor from Box1 I deduced Box3’s wouldn’t fit Box2. (I hope your keeping up, with all my colour schemes). This meant I had to move the processor back to Box1, which is fine, but I now had to move the hard disk and optical drive back to Box3, and put the processor back in. Yes, I had taken it out by this time.

After some more un-screwing, and cable prodding, I had Box1 re-built; Box2 half empty; and Box3 re-built. When I have an in-flux of money I need to buy a stick of memory and a processor to build up Box2, as Box3’s memory is DDR and won’t fit DDRII slots. I will keep the heat sink from Box3 as it was spotlessly clean (I’ll swap it into Box2), and aim to have the graphics card out over the next few days.

The motherboard; power pack; and cables will be used as spares, along with the noisy heat sink from Box2. I have no use for the processor and memory so they’ll be up for sale if anyone is in need, just leave a comment or use the websites contact form.

All in all it was a decent evening.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I’m typing this from Box1.