New Parts needed for an 8 year old PC

[TG.]

Hi

I have a PC which was built by PC Specialist in 2012, I think I may need a new fan for this so would like some advice on what sort I would need to change it, as I am guessing the particular fan is no longer available. I would also like to put in a 5 port USB 3.0 PCI express card, as I only have USB 2.0 installed so I want to upgrade it to USB 3.0. I replaced the hard drive a few years ago to a Samsung 500gb EVO ssd, I also intend to replace this with a 1TB ssd, I would like to do this all at the same time, so could anyone here please give me advice on, the replacement for the fan I need, and also the feasibility of upgrading to the USB 3 PCI.

I have seen this one on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FPIMJEW/?coliid=I3EJ39Q2FWLB6J&colid=2V9F754ZE390G&psc=1

I will post the specs of my PC below. Many thanks in advance

Case	STYLISH PIANO BLACK ENIGMA CASE + 2 FRONT USB
Processor (CPU)	Intel® Core™i7-2600 Quad Core (3.40GHz, 8MB Cache) + HD Graphics
Motherboard	ASUS® P8Z68-V LX: USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs, ATI®CrossFireX
Memory (RAM)	16GB SAMSUNG DUAL-DDR3 1333MHz (4 X 4GB)
Graphics Card	1GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GT 520 - DVI,HDMI,VGA - 3D Vision Ready
2nd Graphics Card	NONE
3rd Graphics Card	NONE
1st Storage Drive	1TB SATA-II 3-Gb/s HARD DRIVE WITH 32MB CACHE (7,200rpm)
2nd Storage Drive	NONE
3rd Storage Drive	NONE
4th Storage Drive	NONE
1st M.2 SSD Drive	NONE
RAID	NONE
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive	24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
2nd DVD/BLU-RAY Drive	NONE
External Hard Drive	NONE
Memory Card Reader	INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply	450W Quiet 80 PLUS Dual Rail PSU + 120mm Case Fan (£29)
Processor Cooling	INTEL SOCKET LGA1155 STANDARD CPU COOLER
Fan Controller	NONE
Sound Card	ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless Network Card	GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps PCI CARD (£16)
USB/Thunderbolt Options	6 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL (MIN 2 FRONT PORTS) AS STANDARD
4G Module	NONE, I WILL BE USING BROADBAND
Floppy Disk Drive	NONE
Firewire	NONE
TV Card	NONE
Operating System	Windows 10

 

[SpyderTracks]

What fan are you referring to? Do you mean the cooler? If so why do you think it needs replacing?

The PCIe USB hub looks good, they’re a respected brand. It would just slot into one of your pcie x4 slots.

 

[TG.]

What fan are you referring to? Do you mean the cooler? If so why do you think it needs replacing?

The PCIe USB hub looks good, they’re a respected brand. It would just slot into one of your pcie x4 slots.

Thanks for the reply.

The fan I refer to is the one in the power supply I guess, I have heard a noise now and again coming from the tower so assumed it was the fan, it could be the Sata hard drive I guess, but I am going to replace that anyway, so it shouldn't be an issue, I am thinking because the PC is nearly 9 years old it's probably the fan, I am not a techy person, just picked up things from YouTube and online.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks for the reply.

The fan I refer to is the one in the power supply I guess, I have heard a noise now and again coming from the tower so assumed it was the fan, it could be the Sata hard drive I guess, but I am going to replace that anyway, so it shouldn't be an issue, I am thinking because the PC is nearly 9 years old it's probably the fan, I am not a techy person, just picked up things from YouTube and online.

Well there are many fans in the case, the PSU, the cooler, the case fans, so you'll need to identify where the sound is coming from.

 

[TG.]

Well there are many fans in the case, the PSU, the cooler, the case fans, so you'll need to identify where the sound is coming from.

Ah ok thanks again, this is something I will have to check, I thought the only fan was the only one in the power supply.

If you could please look at the specs of my PC above do you think it's possible to add HDMI slots to my PC along with the PCIe USB hub I linked too, I was looking at this one here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0897T6PYM/?coliid=I1A7D0ZBETX08C&colid=2V9F754ZE390G&th=1
I was hoping to change monitors, and quite a lot have HDMI outlets now, also a screen tablet for photo editing which again has HDMI outlet, or would I just be best to get USB to HDMI cables, and not faff about adding HDMI ports. Many thanks again for your input.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Ah ok thanks again, this is something I will have to check, I thought the only fan was the only one in the power supply.

If you could please look at the specs of my PC above do you think it's possible to add HDMI slots to my PC along with the PCIe USB hub I linked too, I was looking at this one here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0897T6PYM/?coliid=I1A7D0ZBETX08C&colid=2V9F754ZE390G&th=1
I was hoping to change monitors, and quite a lot have HDMI outlets now, also a screen tablet for photo editing which again has HDMI outlet, or would I just be best to get USB to HDMI cables, and not faff about adding HDMI ports. Many thanks again for your input.

That’s a graphics card, so you’d swap your current one for that one. You can’t add graphics ports, they’re part of the GPU and you’re fixed to whatever is on that.

That is a more modern card, but if it’s not much more expensive I’d go for a GT1030 which is far newer. Most modern displays will actually use display port which is far better than HDMI.

 

[TG.]

That’s a graphics card, so you’d swap your current one for that one. You can’t add graphics ports, they’re part of the GPU and you’re fixed to whatever is on that.

That is a more modern card, but if it’s not much more expensive I’d go for a GT1030 which is far newer. Most modern displays will actually use display port which is far better than HDMI.

Thanks again for your advice, I don't think I would feel confident fitting that, as I would be worried about cocking it up, the usb port card seems more straightforward, as I said I'm a bit of a technophobe 😁

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks again for your advice, I don't think I would feel confident fitting that, as I would be worried about cocking it up, the usb port card seems more straightforward, as I said I'm a bit of a technophobe 😁

It’s actually a lot easier than you may think. You are able to send the pc to PCS for them to do it if you’re really unsure, you can go to the upgrades section of your account and you should get the option for gpu upgrades in there and the option to send it to PCs for a fee.

 

[TG.]

It’s actually a lot easier than you may think. You are able to send the pc to PCS for them to do it if you’re really unsure, you can go to the upgrades section of your account and you should get the option for gpu upgrades in there and the option to send it to PCs for a fee.

Thanks again for coming back to me, I'm trying not to send anything through the post at the moment, as the cost of postage and worry of it not getting there in one piece puts me off, also the cost of fitting I'm guessing wouldn't be cheap, I may take another look at it in the new year.

On another note, I may also expand the memory to 32gb so I'm guessing I would have to use 2x16gb memory sticks as I have 4x4gb at the moment, could you please recommend the type I would need, if you could link to any on Amazon or similar that would be very helpful, I'm guessing I couldn't put the 2x16gb in and also leave in the other 2x4gb that's already there to make 40gb ?

 

[SpyderTracks]

On another note, I may also expand the memory to 32gb so I'm guessing I would have to use 2x16gb memory sticks as I have 4x4gb at the moment, could you please recommend the type I would need, if you could link to any on Amazon or similar that would be very helpful, I'm guessing I couldn't put the 2x16gb in and also leave in the other 2x4gb that's already there to make 40gb ?

What makes you think you need more RAM? What do you use the PC for?

You can order RAM through the upgrades section on your account.

2x16 would be preferable.

 

[ubuysa]

What makes you think you need more RAM? What do you use the PC for?

You can order RAM through the upgrades section on your account.

2x16 would be preferable.

I agree. A very rough way to see whether more RAM will help is to load up the PC with the maximum workload you ever use, then open Task Manager. Click the Performance tab then the Memory icon. On the horizontal map of your RAM usage look for Free memory and for Standby memory.

If you see Free memory (no matter how small) then you definitely don't need more RAM. If you see Standby memory it's unlikely you need more RAM. The more Standby memory you see the less likely it is that you need more RAM.

 

[RobSas]

I agree. A very rough way to see whether more RAM will help is to load up the PC with the maximum workload you ever use, then open Task Manager. Click the Performance tab then the Memory icon. On the horizontal map of your RAM usage look for Free memory and for Standby memory.

If you see Free memory (no matter how small) then you definitely don't need more RAM. If you see Standby memory it's unlikely you need more RAM. The more Standby memory you see the less likely it is that you need more RAM.

Learned something today! I love this forum...

 

[TG.]

What makes you think you need more RAM? What do you use the PC for?

You can order RAM through the upgrades section on your account.

2x16 would be preferable.

I use photography software i. e. Photoshop. Lightroom. Luminar, etc, sometimes I run 2/3 together, I often find lightroom runs very slow, reading on other photography forums a lot of people seem to have 32gb of memory running these programs or similar, it could be due to the big file size of digital photos now, whereas they used to be 12mp most are now 36mp and upwards, when your loading a few hundred photos on a program I guess it slows things down.

 

[ubuysa]

I use photography software i. e. Photoshop. Lightroom. Luminar, etc, sometimes I run 2/3 together, I often find lightroom runs very slow, reading on other photography forums a lot of people seem to have 32gb of memory running these programs or similar, it could be due to the big file size of digital photos now, whereas they used to be 12mp most are now 36mp and upwards, when your loading a few hundred photos on a program I guess it slows things down.

If you're loading your photos from an HDD then this could well be down to file fragmentation. More RAM wouldn't help if that was the issue.

 

[TG.]

What makes you think you need more RAM? What do you use the PC for?

You can order RAM through the upgrades section on your account.

2x16 would be preferable.

Would any of these be ok

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0123BRJ6Q/?coliid=I222GBY09Q3LJH&colid=2V9F754ZE390G&th=1

32GB OWC DDR3 PC3-10666 1333MHz SDRAM ECC 2x 16GB Dual Channel Kit

Buy 32GB OWC DDR3 PC3-10666 1333MHz SDRAM ECC 2x 16GB Dual Channel Kit online from MemoryC at low prices. Worldwide shipping, money back guarantee, in-stock guarantee!

www.memoryc.co.uk

Or 4 of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XPJ4YZF/ref=syn_sd_onsite_desktop_146?psc=1&uh_it=155257383808c2e861d300dcef0cffdc_CT&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFXN0taRUQ0UFdRWUImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA3Mjg4MjRETUZRWTVDT0s5S08mZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDA2MzAwMzNRMjdaUTE5WVNHQkwmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zZF9vbnNpdGVfZGVza3RvcCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[SpyderTracks]

Would any of these be ok

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0123BRJ6Q/?coliid=I222GBY09Q3LJH&colid=2V9F754ZE390G&th=1

32GB OWC DDR3 PC3-10666 1333MHz SDRAM ECC 2x 16GB Dual Channel Kit

Buy 32GB OWC DDR3 PC3-10666 1333MHz SDRAM ECC 2x 16GB Dual Channel Kit online from MemoryC at low prices. Worldwide shipping, money back guarantee, in-stock guarantee!

www.memoryc.co.uk

Or 4 of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XPJ4YZF/ref=syn_sd_onsite_desktop_146?psc=1&uh_it=155257383808c2e861d300dcef0cffdc_CT&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFXN0taRUQ0UFdRWUImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA3Mjg4MjRETUZRWTVDT0s5S08mZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDA2MzAwMzNRMjdaUTE5WVNHQkwmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zZF9vbnNpdGVfZGVza3RvcCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

OWC does Mac memory, I wouldn't recommend it outside of a Mac application.

I would suggest a more mainstream manufacturer like Crucial and you'll want 1600MHz:

DRAM, Solid State Drive (SSD) & Memory Upgrades

Find compatible DRAM memory and SSD upgrades for your PC or Laptop with our Crucial Advisor tool or Crucial System Scanner, with FREE US delivery!

uk.crucial.com

 

[TG.]

OWC does Mac memory, I wouldn't recommend it outside of a Mac application.

I would suggest a more mainstream manufacturer like Crucial and you'll want 1600MHz:

DRAM, Solid State Drive (SSD) & Memory Upgrades

Find compatible DRAM memory and SSD upgrades for your PC or Laptop with our Crucial Advisor tool or Crucial System Scanner, with FREE US delivery!

uk.crucial.com

Thanks again for your help and time, I ordered 4x8gb DDR3 1600mhz crucial memory (can't seem to get the Samsung DDR3) but like you say crucial is a reputable brand anyway. The graphics card you mentioned I couldn't find, does it have display port inputs, or HDMI ?

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks again for your help and time, I ordered 4x8gb DDR3 1600mhz crucial memory (can't seem to get the Samsung DDR3) but like you say crucial is a reputable brand anyway. The graphics card you mentioned I couldn't find, does it have display port inputs, or HDMI ?

Actually, the one you linked does appear to be the best option for HDMI support, you're right.

The GT1030 doesn't have an equivalent which is a shame.

 

[TG.]

Actually, the one you linked does appear to be the best option for HDMI support, you're right.

The GT1030 doesn't have an equivalent which is a shame.

Thanks again, yes I did think that as I only seen one HDMI port in the one you linked too.

If I were to put in the card with the 4 HDMI ports would I have to take the existing graphics card out, to replace it with the said one, or can I have 2 cards in ?

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks again, yes I did think that as I only seen one HDMI port in the one you linked too.

If I were to put in the card with the 4 HDMI ports would I have to take the existing graphics card out, to replace it with the said one, or can I have 2 cards in ?

You'd need to remove the current one.