Upgrading from P2 to P4 to play FS 2002

[myers]

I am a big flight simulation gamer and would like to play Flight Simulator 2002. I am pretty sure it won't work on my current PC which is:
Pentium 2 450mhz
128mb sdram
nvidia tnt (don't know how much probably 8mb)
My hard disk space was 12GB, now I have only 150mb left.

So guys help me on this. Does all this sound right? I plan to buy:
New motherboard ATX
Pentium 4 at least 1.8 ghz
256mb sdram (perhaps 512)
nvidia geforce 3
I think I should buy an extra hard drive. Because I need at least 2gb for this game.
Can I use my current 128mb memory stick on the new motherboard?
I'm also getting a Microsoft Sidewinder ForceFeedback 2 (best one?)
I know what you are saying, why not just buy a new system. But I am a newbie as a PC technician/networking person. So I think doing all these upgrades will be give me great experience. And I think it will cost less than buying a new system which cost about 2 grand. With all these upgrades I think it will cost under 1 grand.

 

[rohmor]

YOu're right! If you feel confident enough, go right ahead and get that experience. It's invaluable! Just remember to not be afraid to ask for assistance when you need it.

With that said, ensure the following:

- That your case is of the ATX type. (to accommodate mobo)
- That you obtain the type of memory that the P4 board
requires (check its manual).
- Depending on the P4 board, you may need a power supply
that contains TWO (2) cables that plug into it. However,
there are adapters available that will allow you to use
your existing power supply. I would not recommend it
though.

Recommendation:

Do not purchase a P4 board that utilises straight SDRAM.
Straight SDRAM is now virtually obsolete. Select a board that uses at least PC266 DDR-SDRAM.

There are some boards that allow the use of either. However such boards are typically of lower quality and performance.

Have fun!

rohmor.