Dell Inspiron E1505 Upgrading Laptop

I purchased the Dell Inspiron E1505 in 2006 and plan on upgrading it.

I have purchased a few items to do so but I am unsure if they will all work in the unit.

I purchased a 320 GB hard drive specifically made for an E1505 model.
A new battery made for the E1505.
A 2GB Ram card also fitting the specs.

What I am wondering is this:
Are there any unforeseen issues that may occur by adding these to the unit therefore replacing the older counterparts?

I know I will need to Install an Operating System (Windows 7) but is there anything else out there to be wary of?

I will eventually be looking to replace hinges and Bezel due to wearing out after use.

What I would really like to replace is the Graphics card and utilize the 2nd Ram slot with another Ram card (preferably a 4GB).

Any ideas on the Graphics card replacement?
Will it require a motherboard replacement?

I am having a hard time finding a 4GB Ram card DDR2 for my laptop as well.

 

Hello.

Graphics card replacement/upgrade is generally not possible. Which graphics card does your laptop have? ATi X1300, Ati X1400, or Intel?

Regarding RAM, note that your laptop can have a max of 4GB total. (closer to 3.5GB)

You can mix RAM sizes and as such you can have the new 2GB RAM card plus one of the old ones.

Before you install Windows 7, it would be good to source proper drivers for Windows 7 first (the Windows Vista drivers should also be alright), though Windows 7 will likely install most devices automatically besides the card reader.

 

You don't need to get an HDD or RAM specifically made the E1505. Any 2.5" SATA hard drive and any DDR2 SODIMM will do. As Namaiki said, the E1505 only takes up to 4GB-ish of memory, so buying a 4GB SODIMM is silly.

If you already have an X1400, that's the best GPU you can get. If you have an X1300, you can upgrade to the X1400, but it's generally not worth it. If you have integrated graphics, you can upgrade to either, but you will need to replace the motherboard and buy the GPU, which is is again, generally not worth it.

There's also an FX5200 (I think), but I'm not sure where it fits with the X1300 and X1400.

 

The X1400 is the best GPU for the E1505. 945GM/PM will only support 4 GB and BIOS will only utilize 3.5 GB. X1300 isn't worth the upgrade.

 

I have an Intel graphics card. I'd have to look again to see the numbering on it.

 

I am hoping to make it the best I can while sliding just under the purchase price of a newer notebook. This will more than likely be passed down to my daughter as her first notebook if I cannot make it perform for modern day gaming.

If this is not possible I will be in the market for a new notebook that can fulfill common day games such as WOW on Medium to High graphics level.

This notebook does have the Intel duo core and I have been researching the I7 as of late but the pricing is currently above what I can justify spending. I need at least a few more months out of it before I can save for such a large purchase but cannot play many things as the notebook falls behind for modern day gaming even for simple things for her such as Sherlock Holmes or Sims 3

 

If you have the Intel graphics motherboard then you cannot upgrade the graphics card without replacing the motherboard. I would really save up for a new computer.

You don't have to spend alot of a new computer or you could buy a used/refurbished computers if price is a big concern.

 

I am using that laptop with a 320gig HD, 2gig ram and Ati 1400 graphics with Windows Vista. I have no complaints with system. See specs in my signature. I think it will recognize only 3gigs of ram as there is a limitation on how much ram the memory controller will see.