Help please, ASAP

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Hi, I've been referred to this site from a mate. Ok at the moment I run...
GeForce FX 5500 256mb
Creative Labs 5.1 card- with creative labs 6.1 sound system
512 DDR 266 ram
2 hard drives
modded case, 2 UV light strips, 2 extra cooling fans with LED's and digital front display inc temperature of various components to change fans speeds!
AMD 1700+ 1.4Ghz
along with a NForce 2 mobo
Power 300W

I'm happy with everything except the processor.
I want to upgrade my processor, but i don't know very much about this area. Theres a computer fare next week near where i live so i can get components cheap.

Can anyone recommend me a new processor, I want around 2Ghz, I gather I'll have to upgrade my mobo also, so a suggestion on a new mobo would be great too. Ram.... Would it be better to buy another 512 of 266 ram or to just get 1 stick of 512 400ram?

I'm not made of money so My limit is around £150-200 or less if possible.

I've heard that Sepron is a bit rubbish, but whats the difference in english between Athlon 64bit and Athlon XP???

Thanks Martyn
 
You don't mention which Nforce2 MB you have, it would help to know.

If you go the route of new MB & CPU you will probably need new memory as well AND a new PSU, a 300watt would be pushing it, better a 400-450 for the new MB ... so I would see you spending in excess of £200

There is nothing wrong with the new Sempron CPU's, they are T'Breds but with only 256 cache ... starting at 2200+ @ around £35 (new) and going up to 2800+ @ around £75 can bring an aging system back to life, cheaply. However, they are a 333FSB CPU and you will need to check your present MB can use one.

Failing that, I would look for an Athlon XP2200+

:thumb:
 
hi mate4, thanks for your reply so soon!

Is this a good deal? I can get a K7 mobo and AMD Athlon XP 3200+ Barton with fan for £119.

I was gonna get a Power unit of ebay.

but does that deal look good to you?
 
Sounds good, but, what "K7" MB? ... I have this attitude about MBs, if you use a crap MB then no matter what you attach to it will be crap.

Build on the 'foundation' first, and use a good recomended motherboard. ;)

I would still like to know what NForce2 you are using at the moment. Download Everest Home Edition, it will give you all the information you need about your present system.

:thumb:
 
ok the nForce 2 i have is..
Sparkle nForce 2 400mhz ATX.

the stuff i can get for £119 is Asrock K7VT6 Motherboard, AMD XP 3200+ Barton Processor, Akasa 795 AMD Approved FAN

does that help, i downloaded that Everest software

I really really appreciate your help.
 
Ok, I'm a little confused here ... Sparkle don't make MBs, well not to my knowledge, you are getting confused with a Sparkle Graphics card, I think?

Run Everest and tell me what it says you have in the motherboard section.


I personally would not use an ArseRock ;) ... others here may differ in their opinion.
 
hmm thats strange, the box for my mobo says Sparkle nForce 2 400 ATX. PRODUCT NO SPCTNF2ATX


however on everest it says...
Motherboard Properties:
Motherboard ID 09/16/2003-nVidia-nForce-JL61BC3CC-00
Motherboard Name Chaintech 7NJL3

Front Side Bus Properties:
Bus Type DEC Alpha EV6
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 133 MHz (DDR)
Effective Clock 267 MHz
Bandwidth 2132 MB/s

Memory Bus Properties:
Bus Type DDR SDRAM
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 133 MHz (DDR)
Effective Clock 267 MHz
Bandwidth 2132 MB/s

Chipset Bus Properties:
Bus Type HyperTransport v1.0
Bus Width 8-bit

Motherboard Physical Info:
CPU Sockets/Slots 1 Socket 462
Expansion Slots 5 PCI, 1 AGP
RAM Slots 3 DDR DIMM
Integrated Devices Audio
Form Factor ATX
Motherboard Size 200 mm x 300 mm
Motherboard Chipset nForce2-400




Hope this helps. Whats wrong with the asrock mobo??

Will my current mobo support a AMD 3200+ CPU? if so I won't bother getting a new mobo
 
my twopennorth:

Keep your existing motherboard.

XP2800, retail (with cooler & 3 year warranty), 2.08 Ghz Link. £98.00

One stick Crucial 512Mb PC2700 to match your existing RAM Link £64.00

370 Watt Enermax PSU Link £46.00

For £208.00 plus any shipping charges (Crucial price includes shipping) you'll have a 2Ghz machine with a Gig of RAM and an adequate PSU.

I've given Scan as an example of a supplier, but shop around, you may do better.

I'm assuming your current RAM is PC2700 as well.

Ideally, I would have said get an XP3200 retail CPU & 2 x 512 sticks of Corsair Value PC3200 RAM + the PSU, but that woulkd take you over budget.

I'd say the XP3200, cooler and Asrock board you've been offered is a good deal, Asrock make good motherboards. But you'd still have to buy a PSU and some PC3200 RAM (to match the XP3200 CPU) so again, you're over budget.

You can't use your existing RAM with an XP3200, the memory has to be PC3200.

Of course, you can offset your purchases by selling your XP1700 and maybe your current stick of memory.

btw. what's wrong with your bottom? I do hope you get it cured :eek:
 
the ram i have at the moment is 512 MB (PC2100 DDR SDRAM)


Hmm, I could prob get cheap ram from a computer fair coming up soon near where i live and a new PSU whilst im there.

If i go slightly over budget, would it be best to get the mobo and CPU deal ive been offered?

thanks again
 
First off, don't buy cheap, generic RAM, it's a false economy. Especially from a Computer fair, that stuff has a high failure rate and you may have to travel miles or post the stuff back to the supplier.

How's about this for a suggestion:

Buy the Asrock board and XP 3200 and 2 x Crucial 512Mb PC3200 at £122.18 inc. shipping.

Total budget: £241.18. Then think about upgrading the PSU at a later date, it would be wise to do so.

That Asrock looks like a good board, has onboard sound and LAN and serial RAID.

However, you'd be downgrading from an Nvidia 2 chipset based board to a VIA based chipset board, really not a good move.

How's about buying the board and CPU and Crucial memory then selling off the Asrock board for about £20.00? That would bring your budget down to around £220.00.

That's what I'd do, I think. and definitely get a higher rated PSU as soon as you can. And again, not no crap or generic make like Q-Tec, but something good like Antec, Enermax or Tagan.
 
ok cool, thanks for your help i think i'll do that, You sure that the 3200+ will work on my mobo then?
 
The 3200+ will work on your motherboard if it supports CPU's with a Front Side Bus of 400MHz. The 3200+ is 400MHz.... so it should work :)

Just make sure you have the 3200 memory and a good PSU.
 
As Mucks said. If that link you gave earlier is correct, your Chaintech motherboard supports 400fsb and therefore can handle the XP3200.

Remember, the XP3200 will only work with PC3200 RAM or higher.

The XP3200 runs quite hot, so use that cooler that's coming with it, and monitor your temps, either with some software or take a look in the BIOS.

And another 'remember' ;) DO get yourself a better PSU down the line, it's really worth it.

Good luck :)
 
thank you everso much for your help,
just seen this from the same seller

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6717522526&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

same processor but without the fan and mobo.

will get a fan seperately, and a new 512 of ram and then I'll also try and get a new power supply also.

my modded case shows the temp of the mobo, cpu and hd so ill monitor them from there.

does that sound like a plan? and give me a pretty much a solid machine?
 
That CPU is £93.40 delievered if i am correct.

Doesn't come with heatsink and fan by the looks of things...

Look for a retail version?
 
That CPU on eBay will cost you £93.40 (if you use PayPal) delivered and what i am saying is that you want one that comes with a heatsink and fan (i.e. the retail version).

Alternativly you could buy your own fan, but i would reccomend the retail version (the eBay one is OEM)
 
ahhh right thanks so much for your help. I'll prob get the OEM one and then buy a heatsink and fan separately aswell as the RAM and new PSU.

one final question what the difference, if any, is Athlon XP to Athlon 64?

Thanks Martyn
 
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