Right now I have two cases:

HP Pavilion 751N:
http://img114.images...9/hp751nxc2.jpg

Compaq SR5302FH:
http://reviews.cnet.com/sc/32810466-2-200-0.gif

Both stopped working for whatever reason, and I plan to rebuild/fix them.

Problem is, the HP one is from like, 2002. And some people I have asked already said the tower is junk.

I don't want to buy new towers, as this isn't really a NEED.

I just figured if I was able, I would make these towers usable again.

Right now I have two cases:

HP Pavilion 751N:
http://img114.images...9/hp751nxc2.jpg

Compaq SR5302FH:
http://reviews.cnet....466-2-200-0.gif

Both stopped working for whatever reason, and I plan to rebuild/fix them.

Problem is, the HP one is from like, 2002. And some people I have asked already said the tower is junk.

I don't want to buy new towers, as this isn't really a NEED.

I just figured if I was able, I would make these towers usable again.

What's your question? If you're doing it for fun, go for it. If you're doing it to save money, realize anything you spend "rebuilding" these is pissing away money. Parting out old systems, especially proprietary systems, is expensive and pointless. The value of an old machine is close to $0.

As for the cases, you can get a generic case for $20 easily. I would strongly recommend that route if you're going to build a new computer. Proprietary cases are a bitch, they put stuff in places that makes no sense and working in them can be near impossible because the end user isn't expected to be doing any work in them. From my experience Compaq is the worst at this. The money you'll save not buying a new case will get eaten up quickly in time, band-aids, and curse words.

[quote name='GraySnakeGenocide' timestamp='1304437382' post='4805988']
Right now I have two cases:

HP Pavilion 751N:
http://img114.images...9/hp751nxc2.jpg

Compaq SR5302FH:
http://reviews.cnet....466-2-200-0.gif

Both stopped working for whatever reason, and I plan to rebuild/fix them.

Problem is, the HP one is from like, 2002. And some people I have asked already said the tower is junk.

I don't want to buy new towers, as this isn't really a NEED.

I just figured if I was able, I would make these towers usable again.

What's your question? If you're doing it for fun, go for it. If you're doing it to save money, realize anything you spend "rebuilding" these is pissing away money. Parting out old systems, especially proprietary systems, is expensive and pointless. The value of an old machine is close to $0.

As for the cases, you can get a generic case for $20 easily. I would strongly recommend that route if you're going to build a new computer. Proprietary cases are a bitch, they put stuff in places that makes no sense and working in them can be near impossible because the end user isn't expected to be doing any work in them. From my experience Compaq is the worst at this.
[/quote]

Basically the question was, is finding the parts that would work in these cases be easy? Considering I am new to the whole computer rebuilding process.

Hmm, I've built a fair few PCs and in my experience if the motherboard fits your case, and you don't want anything fancy, you're good to go. Its very difficult for a hunk of metal, a.k.a. a computer case, to become unusable, and from the photos you've posted they both look useable. Heck, its even possible to run a PC without a case, though not advisable due to the risk of things getting wet or knocked.

Hmm, I see what your question is now.

OK, if your cases can fit an ATX form factor motherboard, which they most probably can, then you are good to go. Buy an atx mobo for each case, and get a compatible cpu, ram stick, hard drive and power supply unit for each mobo. You'll then have the pieces you need to build both PCs.

If they can't fit an ATX mobo then throw them both in the bin asap.

P.S. Choosing compatible pieces for each motherboard is another question.

Your first step is without a doubt to cannibalize one to make the other work. Hopefully they are broken for different reasons.
If you cannot isolate the cause, I suggest to just keep the cabinet.

IMO, not worth the effort to build a PC anymore. I've done it a few times. But I got less for my money, and I had to make sacrifices at times, because I didn't have unlimited money to get whatever parts I wanted.

Just figure out what you have to spend, and head down to best buy and get the best system for that price. If your monitor is still good, just go for a package that doesn't include one, and getter better specs, or save some money. I like to get an Acer simply because the default factory state doesn't have any ad-ware for me to remove. They are usable as soon as you plug them in without any screwing around. Just make sure you get one with an nVidia chip, and not a shitty intel.

Basically the question was, is finding the parts that would work in these cases be easy? Considering I am new to the whole computer rebuilding process.

If you are new to the process this is the worst way to start. The answer to your question is yes, no, or maybe. Proprietary computers are a crapshoot. Sometimes they use form factor for everything and lay it out nicely, sometimes they use proprietary crap and factors for everything, sometimes it's a mixed bag. You won't know until you open it up and see and if it's your first time you may not recognize something is designed poorly or laid out in a bad way. Also, you're not going to get a manual or diagram on what wires go to which connections.

Even a cheap generic case should come with wiring instructions and labeled leads, not likely on a proprietary case.

Also, finding parts is another crapshoot. I think manufacturers are better about making everything swappable now, but sometimes they'll use a part that HAS to be replaced with the same exact piece, and if that happens you'll end up paying more for that one part than a brand new computer. Your one comp is from 2002 and I can guarantee that one will be a pain in the ass to work on. As for the other, Compaq and Acer were always my biggest problems when trying to take apart cases and swap out parts. So without seeing them in person, I would feel confident that your going to have a rough time. I can't tell you how many times I cut myself opening up a Compaq case, trying to unsnap an unnecessary plastic enclosure, or pull a part out of the case. Getting stuff back in is even more of a challenge. The whole time you will be WTFing the design engineer. This is stuff you don't have to worry about it with a blank case, you just shove in the parts and call it a day.

I haven't worked on a proprietary computer in a while (like 2005 was the last year) and I can imagine they've gotten better since then, but your models were built right around my hay day so I expect you'll have similar problems. The cost/benefit of rebuilding a computer is just not there. Unless you are doing it for fun or as an experiment, start from scratch. I would definitely not recommend it for your first machine.

IMO, not worth the effort to build a PC anymore. I've done it a few times. But I got less for my money, and I had to make sacrifices at times, because I didn't have unlimited money to get whatever parts I wanted.

Just figure out what you have to spend, and head down to best buy and get the best system for that price. If your monitor is still good, just go for a package that doesn't include one, and getter better specs, or save some money. I like to get an Acer simply because the default factory state doesn't have any ad-ware for me to remove. They are usable as soon as you plug them in without any screwing around. Just make sure you get one with an nVidia chip, and not a shitty intel.

I'd disagree, except in a couple of cases:

• If you've got more money than time, buy a good-quality system from someplace reputable -- eg, for serious work, get a workstation-class PC from Dell/HP/Whoever, or for a gaming system, configure something that meets your needs at a reasonably-priced boutique vendor such as Falcon Northwest
• If you've got little or no technical inclination/capacity to research parts, compatibility and pricing, or if you're not willing/able to deal with RMAs due to faulty parts, just buy something locally.
  
  Otherwise, you will generally get more PC for your dollar by building your own. I generally spend around 10-12 hundred USD every 3-4 years and get something just behind bleeding edge, in the price/performance sweet-spot. You can get some really great deals if you're willing to pick up your parts separately over a month or two when they're on sale (its not good business to put everything you need on sale at the same time, you know). For example, I picked up a small, 64GB SSD drive at frys last weekend and won't need it until at least the end of June, but with a $50 mail-in it came to just over a dollar/GB -- too good a deal to pass up.
  
  That's not to say that self-builds are free of risk -- having to return stuff can be a pain and add unanticipated delay or cost, so you should budget some money to deal with such possibilities and other incidentals (extra screws, fans, cable extensions, etc). The payoff is pretty high though -- you get the exact system you want, you put it together exactly how you want, you route the cables exactly how you want, and you know exactly what went into your computer -- not simply accepted whatever cost-reduced motherboard Dell had drawn up.
  
  Now, if we were talking laptops, its a different story. It is possible to self-build, but its usually more expensive, difficult and requires more research. Plus, you typically won't match the finish of any Name-brand offerings. Might be worthwhile if you have *very* specific needs and budget isn't a concern, but probably isn't worth it in most cases. Then just get a laptop from a quality manufacturer like Lenovo (formerly IBM's laptop line), Asus, Dell/HP (their business-line laptops, anyway), or even Apple (Yes they're expensive, but no more so than other "top-tier" brand names like Sony -- and the build quality/finish is top-rate, bar none. The Unibody Macbook/Macbook Pro is one of the finest laptops around, bar none. Mine runs [s]Windows 98%[/s] Windows 7 98%(heh) of the time).

An entry level PC these days is 2000x more than you need to do for most common tasks. Only the GPU is a weak point, and it's an easy upgrade. Also, a standalone copy of Windows 7 premium costs almost the same as a mid range PC that comes bundled in it almost 'free'. This can pay for a GPU upgrade.

I spent 1100-1200 on my recent ACER, and there isn't much different between this and what I used to get when I built my own. There's an Acer logo on the case. They don't load up their windows installs with crap ware, and haven't for years (my last PCs were Acers too).