Received a complimentary OptiPlex 740 Enhanced unit.
Received a complimentary OptiPlex 740 Enhanced unit.
I acquired this optiplex for essentially no cost (it was left by previous renters). I’m thinking about turning it into a gaming setup at a low price, though some existing issues worry me. My first fix was installing Ubuntu, which caused frequent login attempts—usually 4 to 5 times before the desktop loads. Once logged in, the background distorts and the mouse cursor often disappears. The machine runs on an older CPU with built-in graphics; I’m hoping a replacement CPU will help. Regarding upgrades, I’m unsure whether to choose a mid-range graphics card and CPU or combine a high-end CPU with integrated graphics now and add a dedicated GPU later due to budget constraints. I’d appreciate any guidance on these matters.
Looks like this is an old Athlon win XP machine from what I see via google. It might be ok for a retro machine if you can get the issues fixed with the display output. Also the most it has is a 300W PSU, so keep that in mind if you upgrade the GPU later.
I don't believe the problem is related to the GPU. I experienced similar issues before when RAM failed or wasn't properly seated. Additionally, you likely won't be able to play games on it since it's an older system that doesn't support titles released after 2008-2009.