Motherboard replacements, any ideas?

[lenny]

Hi,
I am in Britain and I am looking to replace my motherboard and CPU and was
wondering if anybody had any recomendations. All thoughts considered.

At the moment I have PCChips M810LR
AMD Duron 1200 Mhz
383MB SDRAM
Radeon VE 7000 Series (Dual monitor) Graphics card

I am finding the whole thing a little slow and am having trouble with the
sound card. I have plenty of HDD, DVD-RW, a USB hub etc. All the usual
stuff.

I use Photoshop, Golive, Premiere and all the usual office products with a
two monitor setup. I want plenty of USB's but have a firewire card. I need
plenty of PCI slots as things get added and taken away all the time. This
Mobo only has 2 slots so I am very limited at the moment.

My budget, now that is a question but I would like to start with the budget
to medium end. I don't suppose the SDRAM is reusable any more?

Any thoughts and pointers about where to buy the equipment would be great.
At the moment I buy a lot of stuff from ebuyer, dabs and scan.

Cheers
Lenny

 

[Jonny]

Definitely dump the PC Chips.

Found the big "A" mfrs to be the best. AOpen is most fault tolerant for the
newbies. Asus is more tweakable. Depends on your abilities. Check out
their websites. I've always made pocketbook allowances for Intel only
chipsets and cpus.

Turtle Beach usually works out best for sound cards in my own experiences.

The RAM should match the spec requirement for the motherboard used. Stay
away from USB hubs, and USB devices that draw USB power for their operation.
Firewire is great for external devices and filesharing with a laptop or
adjacent PC. Easy to implement.

While not the least expensive state-side, I shop at mwave.com most of the
time for PC hardware.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

All you ever wanted to know about motherboards is in Tom's Hardware Guide (http://www.tomshardware.com/) which also has an active forum where you can ask questions.

This newsgroup is for Windows XP.

Ted Zieglar

 

[kurttrail]

Hi,
I am in Britain and I am looking to replace my motherboard and CPU
and was wondering if anybody had any recomendations. All thoughts
considered.
At the moment I have PCChips M810LR
AMD Duron 1200 Mhz
383MB SDRAM
Radeon VE 7000 Series (Dual monitor) Graphics card

I am finding the whole thing a little slow and am having trouble with
the sound card. I have plenty of HDD, DVD-RW, a USB hub etc. All the
usual stuff.

I use Photoshop, Golive, Premiere and all the usual office products
with a two monitor setup. I want plenty of USB's but have a firewire
card. I need plenty of PCI slots as things get added and taken away
all the time. This Mobo only has 2 slots so I am very limited at the
moment.
My budget, now that is a question but I would like to start with the
budget to medium end. I don't suppose the SDRAM is reusable any more?

Any thoughts and pointers about where to buy the equipment would be
great. At the moment I buy a lot of stuff from ebuyer, dabs and scan.

Cheers
Lenny

I would first make a decision on what kind of processor I want, then
make a decision on Mobo, and RAM, starting with pricegrabber, to give my
some ideas of the selection of products that my choices limit me to.
And finally, I'd use Google to reasearch on the products, reviews, and
problems posted to newsgroups.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[lenny]

nice one kurttrail. What kind of processor do I want? I am not sure but
given my requirements someone might have some ideas.

Sorry if I have annoyed anyone by posting this in the XP forum (General and
Hardware). I don't want to waste anyones time but this forum does get the
widest spectrum of readers and I thought the Hardware bit might be relevant.

Cheers
Lenny

 

[Guest]

Search for motherboards on http://www.ebay.co.uk/ and look for a Socket A
board made by MSI, Asus, Gigabyte, Abit, etc.

You can find out if it supports that processor by downloading the user
manual from the board manufacturer's site.

There are often Socket A motherboard, processor, and RAM bundles available.

Just make sure that you check the feedback record of the seller by checking
what good he or she has sold to get positive feedback.

Eric,
PC Buyer Beware!
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/

 

[kurttrail]

nice one kurttrail.

It wasn't a joke.

What kind of processor do I want?

Sorry, I gave up fortune-telling. You need to do a little research
about the different processors to see which is best for you usage.

I am not sure
but given my requirements someone might have some ideas.

Sorry if I have annoyed anyone by posting this in the XP forum
(General and Hardware). I don't want to waste anyones time but this
forum does get the widest spectrum of readers and I thought the
Hardware bit might be relevant.

If you don't want to waste anyones time, then do your own research. I
gave you a template on how. Google is a very good research tool.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[lenny]

cheers Jonny, I will take into account your comments. I am an intermediate
user with pleant of experience changing hardware and boards in the past but
tending to go on price first. Now I want to go on what I need first.

 

[R. McCarty]

You can't really expect anyone to give you a processor recommendation
based on your requirements. You left out perhaps the most important
criteria - Your budget. CPUs are transitioning to Dual-Core and newer
Socket/Pin-Counts. How long do you expect this new PC to work for
you ?

Both Anand Tech & Tom's Hardware frequently offer PC guides in all
different price ranges. Only you can temper all the various elements to
come up with a workable/affordable setup.

 

[lenny]

thanks eric, the simple straightforward advice is most appreicated. Just one
question though, Why Socket A?
Cheers

 

[lenny]

I meant, nice one, thanks for the advice. I didn't think that you were
joking.

However, 'Look on Google' isn't much help is it. That same answer can be
used for any question about any subject. The reason I posted the question
here is because I was hoping to hear about other peoples experiences with
setups and maybe someone who uses similar software to me. Then they could
say 'I use ...... with ....... it works fantastic for editing pictures etc.
It sound like just what you need and as a bonus it only costs......
from........' (well that is how I would have replied instead of, decide
which CPU you want then check out Google' That advice is useless to me.

Mobos can be very confusing when it comes to buying one as there are so many
to choose from.

I thought I gave a fairly good idea of what I needed to use it for so I am a
little supprised to get replies like this 'Sorry, I gave up fortune-telling.
You need to do a little research
about the different processors to see which is best for you usage.'

I posted here for a little help, not to be shot down by a know it all.

 

[Grim Reaper]

In the UK, and for a good bundle, I use www.novatech.co.uk
___________________________________________
The Grim Reaper

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Lenny

What you buy will depend on how much you are prepared to spend and where you
buy it.. no point in deciding on something that is not available, is there..

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi,
I am in Britain and I am looking to replace my motherboard and CPU and was
wondering if anybody had any recomendations. All thoughts considered.

At the moment I have PCChips M810LR
AMD Duron 1200 Mhz
383MB SDRAM
Radeon VE 7000 Series (Dual monitor) Graphics card

I am finding the whole thing a little slow and am having trouble with the
sound card. I have plenty of HDD, DVD-RW, a USB hub etc. All the usual
stuff.

I use Photoshop, Golive, Premiere and all the usual office products with a
two monitor setup. I want plenty of USB's but have a firewire card. I need
plenty of PCI slots as things get added and taken away all the time. This
Mobo only has 2 slots so I am very limited at the moment.

My budget, now that is a question but I would like to start with the budget
to medium end. I don't suppose the SDRAM is reusable any more?

Any thoughts and pointers about where to buy the equipment would be great.
At the moment I buy a lot of stuff from ebuyer, dabs and scan.

Cheers
Lenny

In addition to replacing your motherboard and CPU you will also have
to replace the RAM and (possibly) the computer case as well.

Most new motherboards require DDR rather than SDRAM memory modules so
your existing RAM could not be used.

With the new high speed CPUs additional fan ducting is usually
required to provide direct air flow from outside the case to the CPU
cooling fan, so you may require a new case as well.

With that many items to be replace you are almost certainly going to
be better off purchasing a complete new computer and selling your
existing system as an intact functioning unit for whatever you can get
for it.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[kurttrail]

I meant, nice one, thanks for the advice. I didn't think that you were
joking.

However, 'Look on Google' isn't much help is it.

Sure is, if you know how to use it. Not only is their numerous reviews,
but there is the newsgroup archives of people posting problems with
hardware.

That same answer can
be used for any question about any subject.

Just about. But remember, your post is definitely off-topic in the
group I post to.

The reason I posted the
question here is because I was hoping to hear about other peoples
experiences with setups and maybe someone who uses similar software
to me.

And how do you know that they know anything about hardware. Maybe they
have the lamest computer, but don't know it. But again, your post is
off-topic.

Then they could say 'I use ...... with ....... it works
fantastic for editing pictures etc. It sound like just what you need
and as a bonus it only costs...... from........' (well that is how I
would have replied instead of, decide which CPU you want then check
out Google' That advice is useless to me.

It is useless if you are a lazy bastard wanting to get someone else to
make choices for you.

Choosing the CPU is central choice, and determines what kind of
motherboard you buy, which in turn will narrow down your RAM choices.

Mobos can be very confusing when it comes to buying one as there are
so many to choose from.

And you narrow down that confusion with choosing what kind of CPU you
want to purchase.

I thought I gave a fairly good idea of what I needed to use it for so
I am a little supprised to get replies like this 'Sorry, I gave up
fortune-telling. You need to do a little research
about the different processors to see which is best for you usage.'

Because I'm not gonna make decisions for you. If need o help yourself
if you want good advise. I tried to get you started, and show you where
to start, but you seem to be to lazy to help yourself, and make choices
for yourself.

I posted here for a little help, not to be shot down by a know it all.

You can't always get what you want.

Perhaps you'd be better off buying a computer from an OEM. Might I
suggest Alienware.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[lenny]

Kurttrail,
Life is to short to bother arguing with you. However why not take a look at
the many sensible and helpful posts to my questions that many people have
left on this forum. They have been left with no little biting extras telling
me that I am in the wrong forum or would be better buying an OEM. Just
straighforward helpful suggestions.

A lazy bastard I am not. Confused by the millions of options I am. That is
quite obviously a serious crime in your world. I get the feeling that it
might be a very little world.

You can't always get what you want.

True, but a little civility doesn't go amiss does it.

Perhaps you'd be better off buying a computer from an OEM. Might I
suggest Alienware.

Sorry, that has gone right over my head. You are either suggesting a company
called Alienware or, more probably, trying to be funny.
Thanks
Lenny

 

[Alias]

Kurttrail,
Life is to short to bother arguing with you. However why not take a look at
the many sensible and helpful posts to my questions that many people have
left on this forum. They have been left with no little biting extras telling
me that I am in the wrong forum or would be better buying an OEM. Just
straighforward helpful suggestions.

A lazy bastard I am not. Confused by the millions of options I am. That is
quite obviously a serious crime in your world. I get the feeling that it
might be a very little world.



True, but a little civility doesn't go amiss does it.


Sorry, that has gone right over my head. You are either suggesting a company
called Alienware or, more probably, trying to be funny.
Thanks
Lenny

No, Alienware is a kick ass computer if you can afford one:

http://www.alienware.com/

Alias

 

[kurttrail]

Kurttrail,
Life is to short to bother arguing with you. However why not take a
look at the many sensible and helpful posts to my questions that many
people have left on this forum. They have been left with no little
biting extras telling me that I am in the wrong forum or would be
better buying an OEM. Just straighforward helpful suggestions.

A lazy bastard I am not. Confused by the millions of options I am.
That is quite obviously a serious crime in your world. I get the
feeling that it might be a very little world.

ROFL! Here is a straightforward suggestion. Suicide is Painless, and
will end your confusion. Being willing to learn, and helping yourself
is much much harder than Suicide.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[kurttrail]

No, Alienware is a kick ass computer if you can afford one:

http://www.alienware.com/

The only OEM I would ever buy from, if I didn't build my own. And when
I build my own, I follow my own advise to the OP. First I choose what
CPU I want to use by doing research through Google . . . .

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[Alias]

The only OEM I would ever buy from, if I didn't build my own. And when
I build my own, I follow my own advise to the OP. First I choose what
CPU I want to use by doing research through Google . . . .

Well, if I could afford $USD 891, I'd wouldn't mind having this one:

Marca AMD
Modelo Athlon 64 4800+ X2 Dual Core
Encapsulado del Micro Socket 939-pin
Frecuencia de trabajo 2400 Mhz
Cache interna L2: 1152 Kb + 1152 Kb
Otras Características - Proceso: 64 bit
- Tecnologia "Hyper Transport"
- Enhanced Virus Protection
- Microprocesador en caja, incluye ventilador con tecnología Cool'n'Quiet
Más Información www.amd.com
Fecha Revisión 18-10-2005 por FQ3

Alias