Pitfalls in replacing mobo in W2K systems

[Ray K]

Here are the unexpected problems I encountered in replacing my mobo with an
Asus M3A76-CM, a micro ATX form factor with socket AM2+/AM2 for AMD
processors.

1. I couldn't reuse my power supply. The new mobo requires an EATX power
supply, which provides a 24-pin connector and a 4-pin ATX 12V connector. New
power supply, 500W (overkill, I know), $50. The old mobo required just a
single 20-pin power connection.

2. Only 1 IDE connector. If you have more than 2 IDE devices, here are your
choices:
a. Prepare to convert them to SATAs
b. Buy a 100/133 PCI to IDE/ATA host controller card to plug into a PCI
socket (about $20, TigerDirect).
c. Buy a SATA-IDE converter that plugs in the signal socket of each IDE
device (about $20, TigerDirect).

My power supply came with only 1 SATA power lead (other brands come with
more), so with more than one SATA drive you'll need to buy either a 4-pin
Molex-SATA converter for each device, about $5, or a 4-pin
Molex-to-dual-SATA splitter for each pair of SATA devices past the first
one; about $5.

3. No floppy drive connector. If you will still need a floppy drive, you'll
have to buy a USB external floppy, about $20.

4. Here's the killer: You NEED to go to XP or higher. The drivers that Asus
supplies on the install CD for the integrated ATI Radeon 3000 graphics (and
probably the integrated audio) do not work with NT /W2K or earlier, and I
couldn't find them on Asus's or other websites.

Regarding software, the manual says "This motherboard supports Windows
XP/Vista Operating Systems." It doesn't say that it REQUIRES XP/Vista.

A paragraph later, it says "Ensure that you install Windows XP Service Pack
3 or later versions/Windows Vista Service Pack 1 or later versions before
installing the drivers for better compatibility and system stability." So if
you have to install these service packs via download (not from a CD), the
screen display will be 640 by 480 pixels, 16 colors, while you install your
browser and perform the download. This may be just an inconvenience rather
than a problem.

It also says "Install the Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later version before
using Serial ATA." My new SATA DVD burner reads CDs okay with W2K. I don't
know if it burns CDs or how it handles DVDs because I don't want to install
the software until XP is installed.

So it looks like it's over for diehard W2K Pro users.

I hope this helps someone to make more informed choices regarding upgrades.

Ray

 

[Buffalo]

Here are the unexpected problems I encountered in replacing my mobo
with an Asus M3A76-CM, a micro ATX form factor with socket AM2+/AM2
for AMD processors.

1. I couldn't reuse my power supply. The new mobo requires an EATX
power supply, which provides a 24-pin connector and a 4-pin ATX 12V
connector. New power supply, 500W (overkill, I know), $50. The old
mobo required just a single 20-pin power connection.

2. Only 1 IDE connector. If you have more than 2 IDE devices, here
are your choices:
a. Prepare to convert them to SATAs
b. Buy a 100/133 PCI to IDE/ATA host controller card to plug into a
PCI socket (about $20, TigerDirect).
c. Buy a SATA-IDE converter that plugs in the signal socket of each
IDE device (about $20, TigerDirect).

My power supply came with only 1 SATA power lead (other brands come
with more), so with more than one SATA drive you'll need to buy
either a 4-pin Molex-SATA converter for each device, about $5, or a
4-pin Molex-to-dual-SATA splitter for each pair of SATA devices past
the first one; about $5.

3. No floppy drive connector. If you will still need a floppy drive,
you'll have to buy a USB external floppy, about $20.

4. Here's the killer: You NEED to go to XP or higher. The drivers
that Asus supplies on the install CD for the integrated ATI Radeon
3000 graphics (and probably the integrated audio) do not work with NT
/W2K or earlier, and I couldn't find them on Asus's or other websites.

Regarding software, the manual says "This motherboard supports Windows
XP/Vista Operating Systems." It doesn't say that it REQUIRES XP/Vista.

A paragraph later, it says "Ensure that you install Windows XP
Service Pack 3 or later versions/Windows Vista Service Pack 1 or
later versions before installing the drivers for better compatibility
and system stability." So if you have to install these service packs
via download (not from a CD), the screen display will be 640 by 480
pixels, 16 colors, while you install your browser and perform the
download. This may be just an inconvenience rather than a problem.

It also says "Install the Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later version
before using Serial ATA." My new SATA DVD burner reads CDs okay with
W2K. I don't know if it burns CDs or how it handles DVDs because I
don't want to install the software until XP is installed.

So it looks like it's over for diehard W2K Pro users.

I hope this helps someone to make more informed choices regarding
upgrades.

Ray

Thanks for the info.
Buffalo

 

[John Doe]

New power supply, 500W (overkill, I know)

But seriously. There is nothing overkill about a power supply marketed
to be 500 W.

My power supply came with only 1 SATA power lead (other brands
come with more), so with more than one SATA drive you'll need to
buy either a 4-pin Molex-SATA converter for each device

Arg!

Allegedly... You buy a no-name power supply thinking that 500 W is
a big deal (apparently a piece of junk, the wattage rating by
itself is meaningless), and then you make recommendations.

Good luck, you need it.

 

[Ray K]

..

One can cheaply purchase an adapter for the 4 pin square cpu power plug


http://www.cyberguys.com/product-details/?productid=2890



The second adapter cable that one could use is to change the current 20 pin
to 24 pin power connector to the mb.


http://www.xoxide.com/20-to-24-pin-adapter.html

It actually may not even be necessary to use this adapter. I have installed
mbs that use the 24 pin connector with just the 20 pin connector from the PS
and they have worked.

With all that said, if the PS is actually 6 years old or older I would
probably buy a new one, unless I knew the old PS to be of high quality
already.

I wish I had known about those two products.

Avoid PS's with only one SATA power connector

Planned obsolescence. I'm guessing there are still a few mbs being made that
will handle NT/WTK, but they are fast disappearing.

The problem arises that if one didn't upgrade XP to SP2 or later one would
have to be installing SATA drivers via the floppy drive ( YIKES ! but there
is no floppy connector) first before XP would recognize the SATA hdd.

Who needs reality shows when you wait 5 years or more between builds.

No reason to make gratuitous changes. My five-year-old mobo/500MB RAM had
been satisfying my requirements just fine until recently when my tasks
became far more demanding. Like recording a streaming audio show with Cool
Pro 2 while simultaneously looking at CP2's frequency analysis of the signal
being recorded. Also, I've just started burning DVDs,each with a combination
of WMV, AVI, mpg, etc. files requiring a lenghty conversion process before
the actual burning takes place.

 

[Ray K]

Let's tack three more items onto my original post:

5. No rear panel mobo connection to the LPT connector on the mobo. Not a
problem with USB printers, but if you must use the LPT port you will need to
buy a rear chassis bracket (like used to hold PCI cards in place) with an
LPT connector and cable that plugs into the mobo.

6. No rear panel COM port connector. If needed you must buy a rear panel
bracket with connector and cable.

7. Just one internal audio in connector. This is where the output from your
CD or DVD player/burner would connect. If you have two such devices, you'll
need a separate sound card to handle the second device. (First device to the
mobo, second device to the sound card, or both to the sound card.) Odd in
this day and age of two optical devices that the mobo provides only a single
audio input to its "High Definition Audio 8-channel CODEC that supports
Jack-Detect, Multistreaming Technologies, and S/PDIF Out interface." The
second audio input could be for simple 2-channel stereo.

Ray

 

[Bob Knowlden]

Newer chipsets include no PATA (IDE) support at all. It is added with a
third-party controller. It seems to be put on as more of a convenience than
intended as a primary interface, and all of the instances I've noticed only
provide a single connector (2 devices).

The lack of a floppy controller isn't universal. If you'd spent more on an
M3A78-EM, for example, you'd still have gotten the floppy. (A floppy is
still the most convenient way of adding some drivers to XP during the OS
installation. As far as I know, the service packs have not changed that.)

Maybe people will be hacking XP drivers to work in Win2k. There was a lot
going the other way 'round when XP was new.

Here are the unexpected problems I encountered in replacing my mobo with
an
Asus M3A76-CM, a micro ATX form factor with socket AM2+/AM2 for AMD
processors.
(snip)

2. Only 1 IDE connector. If you have more than 2 IDE devices, here are
your
choices:
a. Prepare to convert them to SATAs
b. Buy a 100/133 PCI to IDE/ATA host controller card to plug into a PCI
socket (about $20, TigerDirect).
c. Buy a SATA-IDE converter that plugs in the signal socket of each IDE
device (about $20, TigerDirect).
(snip)
3. No floppy drive connector. If you will still need a floppy drive,
you'll
have to buy a USB external floppy, about $20.

(snip)

 

[Ray K]

7. Just one internal audio in connector. This is where the output from
your

CD or DVD player/burner would connect. If you have two such devices, you'll
need a separate sound card to handle the second device. (First device to the
mobo, second device to the sound card, or both to the sound card.) Odd in
this day and age of two optical devices that the mobo provides only a single
audio input to its "High Definition Audio 8-channel CODEC that supports
Jack-Detect, Multistreaming Technologies, and S/PDIF Out interface." The
second audio input could be for simple 2-channel stereo.

Clarification: Only true if you are using IDE optical drives. Signals from
SATA drives plug into mobo SATA sockets.

 

[Nil]

I appreciate Ray's observations and the mistakes he's candidly
admitted. Those details can help others when building a system
after a long hiatus of non-system building activity. What I don't
comprehend is John Doe's need to throw in sarcasm "Good luck, you
need it." and anxiety "Arg!" when responding to his story. It
seems unnecessary and belittling for no reason except perhaps to
make the writer feel superior.

Bingo - you got it.

Half the postings on usenet are by people trying to inflate their own
egos at the expense of others. It's hard to get mad at them, they're so
transparently pathetic.

 

[NT]

snip

So it looks like it's over for diehard W2K Pro users.

I guess you'll just have to go back to 98se then. That still works
fine. (With a lot of 3rd party patches)


NT