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Miniq desktop worth upgrading?

  • 29-09-2009 5:29pm
    #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

  • #2
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,381 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!


  • #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


  • #4
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,381 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


  • #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.


  • #6
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,381 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.


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  • #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.


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