more RAM or better graphics card?

[blueydcelt]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum, and had already run Belarc Advisor to get info on my computer before coming here. Now I just wish I could read it. I think it's the same info I'd get with cpu-z too though.

Dell Inspiron 1100 running Windows XP SP3
2.4 Ghz Intel Celeron processor
Intel(R)82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller [display adapter]
1024 MB RAM (2 512 MB slots at they're max according to manual)
~53 GB HDD (39.96 GB used; 12.52 GB free)
for mother board all it says is: Dell Computer Corporation 09U784 A32 and bus clock is 133 mhz.

Now here's the kicker, this computer is running great. Quick response times, runs programs great, external hard drive is hooked up to off load data. This computer is used mostly to access the internet for email, online book reading (Adobe Reader), tutorial video watching (Windows Media Player), photo editing (Adobe CS), ms office, no gaming.

The only problems are: when you try to send an email with a photo attachment larger than 6 MB, it won't send it. (it will from the same account logged on a different, newer computer) (so that to me means RAM is bogging down and the send times out).

And the other problem is that you can't seem to watch more than 30 seconds of video on it without it stopping playback to "buffer" for a minute or two, then resume playing for ~45 seconds, then buffer for a min or two, repeat endlessly. Length of video, player within browser, browser used (IE, Firefox, and Chrome tested) windows media player, it doesn't seem to matter, same behaviour regardless of program. (so this to me means lack of RAM and possibly an upgrade of a graphics card?)

Since everything else is working so well, it'd be nice to know if it can be tweaked to keep working, can I use some of the ~400GB of available external HDD space as additional RAM? I've read about changing settings and instructions how to get to where you need to change the settings, but no idea what to change them to. Instructions say a minimum and a maximum? What's advisable?

Is there any other option besides buying a new computer? Any help is greatly appreciated, b.

[kings_mitra]

U hv not specified the speed of your internet, it matters !!

I think, ur mail account refuses if it is taking more time to upload
I think u r using 64 kbps connection, which may be a source for the problems.

Check it..

[blueydcelt]

the type of internet used is cable DSL high speed direct connection. When buffering video it said 40 kbps. And the mail account isn't refusing on the other, newer computer (with 4 GB RAM and running windows 7).

[maddog!]

There is another guy with the same problem on another forum. It sounds like you are on a dell inspiron laptop right? You have plenty of ram to run the video and your processor is fast enough. The 133 MHZ bus is pretty obsolete but I have seen video run fine on one of those busses. This is because the pci bus or the AGP that your video card goes in (in a desktop) is only 66 MHZ. The trouble is your video chip. You have a laptop with onboard video right? If you had a desktop I would say get a nvidia Geforce 5500 video card on ebay. You would have to know if you had a PCI Slot or an AGP 4x Slot on your Motherboard though. But you have a laptop right?

[maddog!]

Yeah, I just looked on ebay and the video cards for the Inspiron 1100 have like 16MB of memory. You could go into internet options advanced menu and block animations from your webpages like I do on my toshiba laptop 1805. There is a 32 MB video card but it is for a motherboard with a similar but slightly different number than yours. 32 MB is inadequate even if it worked with your motherboard. I have 256 MB NVidia on my desktop at home and I only paid $40 for that one. Most kids are geting 1GB of memory on their video cards nowadays for desktops.

[blueydcelt]

So maddog!, thanks for your reply. Yes, it is a laptop. If I'm understanding you correctly, if the laptop has a PCI slot or an AGP 4X slot then I can buy a video card add on that could serve the purpose? However, if the laptop does not have one of those card slots, then I'm pooched and need to buy a new computer. Is that correct?
What type of add on video card would you recommend?

[blueydcelt]

I have the list from Belarc Advisor, but I'm unsure how to read some of what it says regarding hardware. I have headings like: Operating System, System Model, Processor, Main Circuit Board, Drives, Memory Modules, Local Drive Volumes, Network Devices, users, printers, controllers, bus adapters, display, multimedia, virus protection, Communications, Group Policies, Other Devices.
I've narrowed it down to the one's bolded. If you can tell me where to find the information if it has the PCI card slot or the AGP 4X slot then I can post it here. Thanks again.

[maddog!]

That laptop is probably not upgradeable. I went into shockwave and reduced the pixels to get video to play on this laptop.

[blueydcelt]

Ok, so a new laptop it is then, thanks for the advice!

[maddog!]

I would get a desktop at home and use the laptop on the road, I have several cheap desktops that I paid less than $100 for that will kick butt on the internet. However I have seen High Dollar Laptops that aren't worth a hill of beans. I'm not saying they are all bad, but you do sacrafice price and quality for portability.

[blueydcelt]

very true, thanks for the advice!