The end for Windows XP does not necessarily have to mean the Off for the XP computer. Many PCs from the XP era can be easily upgraded with little effort for Windows 7 or 8.1. In Windows Vista, extended support will continue until 2017, but the functionality enhancements such as support for DirectX 11 will no longer exist, the last function update was the platform update 2009. Again, a change to Windows 7 or 8.1 is advisable.
The official hardware requirements
The hardware requirements specified by Microsoft for Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 are extremely moderate: an x68 processor with a clock rate of one gigabyte, a gigabyte of memory, 16 GB of hard disk space, and a DirectX-9 capable graphics card
Grauzone: XP computers of the first and second generation
However, Microsoft's system requirements are the absolute minimum, in practice just enough to start the operating system. You can not work with liquid with such a configuration.
Inventory and preparations
Windows XP computers of the very first generation should rather be reproached and not upgraded. At least if you want to install besides the operating system also newer software or even current games on the system. Because twelve years ago, PCs were based on processors such as the Pentium 4 or the AMD Athlon XP.
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And these single-core processors with at the 80 watts of power consumption do not even deliver the performance of a current Intel Atom or AMD E2, which manage with a fraction of the energy. The reason for the high power consumption of the old CPUs lies in the then manufacturing technology with 130 or even 180 nanometers as opposed to 22 or 32 nanometers today. The comparatively huge transistors need a much higher voltage.
Windows 8 or 8.1 can not even be installed on computers with these processors because the latest processors must support the PAE, NX and SSE2 processors. PAE, the abbreviation stands for Physical Address Extension, is a technique by which 32-bit processors can also completely address a four-gigabyte memory.
NX is the abbreviation for No-eXecute, a technology that prevents malicious software from writing to other storage areas. And SSE2 (Streaming SIMD Extensions 2) is a command set extension, especially for multimedia applications. Windows 7 in the 32-bit version, which you can still buy as a System Builder version, would in principle still run. For PCs with weaker Intel Celeron or AMD Sempron processors, it is definitely no longer worth upgrading.
Before a hardware upgrade is first the analysis, whether the investment is worth at all. And then some preparatory work is necessary. Prior to a hardware upgrade, and especially before moving to a new operating system, a record and analysis of the existing system is first made. The shareware AIDA64 and the freeware SIV. are suitable for the detection of the hardware, also to have the appropriate drivers ready
Above all, AIDA64 can perform a complete analysis with report at a mouse click. AIDA64 or HD Tune also read the S.M.A.R.T information on the hard disk and display possible errors. The CPU-Z and GPU-Z tools provide detailed information about the processor and graphics card. In addition, benchmarks such as 3DMark or PCMark from Futuremark can help determine the performance of the computer before and after the hardware and software upgrade.
The next step is the update to the latest available BIOS version. Then you can disconnect the PC from the power supply and then first thoroughly clean it. Especially the cooling ribs of the CPU cooler often set dust over the years. Optionally you can also renew the thermal grease on the processor on this occasion - as far as you can.
Another problem with the PCs of this generation is often the graphics card. Because there are no Windows 7 drivers for the first DX-9 models, such as the 9000 chips from AMD or the GeForce X 5000 chips from Nvidia, older graphics chips are generally not supported. Replacing old cards with new models with higher performance is difficult because chipsets with an AGP slot for the graphics card were still used in the computers of this generation.
And the selection of new graphics cards with AGP interface is extremely thin. Available AGP cards with Windows 7 drivers are, for example, the EVGA GF6200 with GeForce 6200 GPU for just under 40 Euro or the slightly more modern about 10 Euro more expensive Club 3D HD3450 with Radeon HD3450, which even supports DirectX 10.1. You can not expect a performance miracle on both cards, because older chips are used here, which also belong to a low performance class.
The oldest processors on which Windows 8 and 8.1 are running are the models of Intel's Pentium 4 "Prescott" and the Athlon 64 from AMD. They are sold in PCs sold since 2004. Here you can also find the first PCI Express slots, for example for the graphics card, and also Serial ATA has at the time on the mainboards. However, the PCI Express 1.0a interfaces to modern graphics cards with a PCIe 2.1 or 3.0 interface are no longer fully compatible since a higher power consumption is specified via the slot.
Graphics card: DirectX 9 is mandatory
For motherboards with PCI Express 1.1, the problem can be solved by a BIOS update. A modern high-end graphics card on an old system is not useful, since the processor brakes here. Finally, a Pentium 4 or Athlon 64 reaches only about ten percent of the computing power of a current Core i5 processor. A useful upgrade would be a card with Nvidia GeForce GT 630. It supports the latest DirectX 11 and is definitely faster than any 10-year-old graphics card.
The first and second generation of Windows XP PCs do not have a memory upgrade. These were factory-installed with only 256 or 512 MB of RAM at best. But the price for memory has fallen drastically, even with the old computers and comparatively expensive DDR-SDRAM modules. Thus, two modules with a total of two GB capacity cost only about 40 euros. The newer PCs with 64-bit CPUs can also use four GB of RAM. Then, however, the 64-bit version of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 should also be installed. However, you will have to plan 80 for this memory.
List of components for the upgrade components
A further upgrade candidate is the hard drive, if this has not happened anyway. Because with a ten year old record, of course, the failure probability increased, but above all, the capacity with 60 to 120 GB is no longer up-to-date. Since a new hard disk with a terabyte capacity is now back for less than 60 euros, a 500GB HDD with about 45 euros is not much less, an upgrade with a new HDD is a manageable financial burden.
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For the XP computers of the first generation but still about 18 euros for an additional SATA controller with PCI interface, such as the Delock 70096 with two SATA ports. Parallel ATA hard drives are still available, but with a price of more than 60 euros for 320 GB capacity is comparatively expensive. If a DVD burner is still required - which was not available ten years ago - then there are about 18 euros added.
This will upgrade to 230 to 270 euros. For comparison: For a new PC of the beginner class with 1-TByte-HDD, DVD burner and Windows you have to expect about 360 euros. This is faster, more economical and quieter than the upgraded old PC.
Better base: Calculator with dual and quad-core processors
New graphics card does not have to be
SSD retrofitting is worthwhile
List of components for the upgrade components
Conclusion: Retrofitting is not always worth
The first computers with dual-core processors, which came on the market in 2005, represent a better starting point for an upgrade. In the first computers of this generation was often the Pentium D, but neither the performance nor the power consumption could convince at the time, therefore, AMD with the Athlon 64 X2 synonymous with the sales numbers to Intel.
In the first Athlon X2 CPUs with socket 939, as well as the Athlon 64, a DDR memory controller was already integrated. For the new socket AM2 came then CPUs with DDR2 memory interface on the market. You must take this into account when upgrading the memory. In the middle of 2006, Intel moved into the Core 2 Duo. This CPU now also had two data cores, similar to the AMD competitor.
The new processor was faster and more economical than its predecessor and reaches approximately 1.5 times the performance of a late Pentium 4, depending on the model and clock frequency, in the Systembenchmark PCMark, and the detrotz significantly lower clock frequency. In short: A Core 2 Duo is already a good candidate for an upgrade. The Intel Quad-Core Processors of Intel and AMD, the Core 2 Quad and the Phenom, which were released in 2007, are even brighter.
The performance of these processors is sufficient even today for most typical PC applications if one can do without full HD video or the latest 3D games. Completely without additional hardware one comes however not out, if one wants to drive modern Windows on these PCs. In any case, you need more memory. Intel and AMD were already using a storage technology with two memory channels.
For an optimal performance, memory modules must therefore always be used in pairs on the mainboard. If the computer is equipped with only one GByte in the form of two 512 MB modules, then you should replace them by a total of four modules, each with one GByte capacity. They cost about 84 Euros in the form of two kits. If the PC is equipped with two GB, then two additional modules are enough for about 42 euros. The mainboard manual describes which memory sockets on the board belong to which memory channel.
For the graphics card, it depends on the performance class of the already installed graphics accelerator, whether it should continue to be used. For gaming PCs with Nvidia cards such as the 8800 GTX, Ultra, or the 8800 GT, or their AMD counterparts of the HD-2900 series released in 2007, the performance is about the level of today's lower-end GPUs like the GeForce GT 640 or Radeon R7 250.
In addition, they already support DirectX 10, so also modern games, if only with lower quality settings. Here is a new graphics card is not absolutely necessary. For smaller cards such as a GeForce 8600 GT or a Radeon HD 240 or 260, you should consider a new card.
If you want to play modern and sophisticated 3D titles with the PC in the future, you will not have to worry about a new graphics card. Here is the new middle class card with AMD's Radeon R9 270, which cost around 160 euros. The chip is significantly faster than the price of comparable GeForce GTX-660 cards, the performance of the GPU is more on the level of the more expensive GTX 760 chips from Nvidia.
The hardware upgrade, which brings the greatest plus in performance with relatively little effort, is the installation of an SSD as a system drive. Suitable SSDs with around 120 GB are available from about 80 euros. Because the SATA controllers in the Intel, Nvidia and AMD chipsets from the XP time only a transmission speed of 1.5 Gbit / s deliver, one must still into a PCI Express card with 6-Gbit SATA- Controller (about 40 Euro).
The required PCIe-x1 slot must be present on the mainboard, of course. As a hard drive, a SATA HDD with up to 500 GB capacity is usually installed on these five to seven years old computers, which is sufficient as a mass storage for data and additional programs. Another useful investment for motherboards with more than one PCIe x1 slot is an additional card with a USB 3.0 controller (35 Euro), as chipsets from this time only support USB 2.0.
With PCs before 2005 the upgrade is usually not worthwhile. For newer PCs you should upgrade the upgrade once.
Memory: 2 GB DDR-400 40 Euro, Graphics card EVGA GF6200 40 Euro, Hard drive 1 TByte SATA 55 Euro, SATA controller Delock 70096 + Power adapter 22 Euro, Opt. Drive DVD burner 18 Euro Operating system Windows 7 32-bit OEM 85 Euro, sum 260 Euro
Memory 3 GB DDR-400 60 Euro Graphics card Gainward GeForce GT 630 50 Euro Hard disk 1 TB SATA 55 Euro Opt. Drive DVD burner 18 euros, operating system Windwos 7 32-bit OEM 85 Euro, sum 268 Euro
Memory 4 GB DDR2-667 60 Euro Graphics Card AMD Radeon R9 270 160 Euro SSD OCZ Vertex 450 (120 GB) 80 Euro SATA Controller HighPoint Rocket 620 40 Euro USB 3.0 Card (PCI- Express) Sharkoon USB3.0 host controller 10 euros, operating system Windows 8 64-bit OEM 85 euros, sum 435 euros
Memory Card 2 GB DDR2-667 30 Euro, SSD OCZ Vertex 450 (120 GB) 80 Euro, SATA Controller (PCI Express) HighPoint Rocket 620 40 Euro USB 3.0 Card (PCI Express) Sharkoon USB3.0 Host Controller 10 Euro Operating System Windows 7 64-Bi OEM 85 Euro, sum 245 Euro
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