Pc upgrade

[nicktaylor12]

I am going to upgrade my current pc -

Amd xp 2400+ (266fsb)
Abit kt7 raid
256mb pc 133 ram - arrghh
my friends graphics card hehe

I am goin to buy a abit kd7 -raid (i think) my mate has this and claims that it is a good mobo. I am also looking to buy a geforce xfx 5200 128mb graphics card. My cpu wud run at 133 fsb (effectively 266) so does this mean that i wud be restricted 2 runnin my new ddr ram at 266 mhz, same as my cpu??? the motherbaord can support up 2 ddr 400 ram an a 333fsb cpu.

My new system (hopefully)
Amd xp 2400
Abit KD7 Raid
512mb Crucial ddr 400
xfx fx5200 128 mb

What do u think?? thanks

 

[Blackmoore]

Correct, the FSB on the CPU ultimately determines the speed at which the ram is running. So an FSB of 133Mhz (266) would be PC2100 DDR, 166Mhz (333) would be PC2700, and 200Mhz (400) is PC3200. If I were you I would spend the extra 20 bucks or whatever it is and get yourself a 2500+ or a 2600+. PC2100 is a lot better than SDRAM but if you get a one of those chips at least you have the option to go with PC2700.... but I don't know what your budget is and what you already have. If I were going to get an Abit board for an XP chip I would go with the NF7 Series, which are pretty good boards. Or if your on a tighter budget MSI makes some good lower end boards, I have the KT4A in one of my computers and its working perfectly, infact I own two of them. What are you planning to do with the computer?

 

[nicktaylor12]

Thanks for your advice, yeh i was lookin at the nf7 boards, but i do have quite a low budget., no KD7 not much good??

Is there any way i can run my ram faster than my cpu, my other as xp 3000 333fsb, with ddr ram running at 400, on a asus baord?? Can i not up the fsb of my 2400 to 333 an overclock it to run the ram at 333 aswell??

Thanks

 

[Blackmoore]

I hope you mean the KV7? Cause I can't find the KT7 or the KD7 anywhere. But the KV7 also looks like a decent board. Depending on what your looking for in a board, the KV7 and the NF7 Series are almost the same, the only MAJOR differance I can see is the chipsets. I guess it depends on whether you like the VIA Chipset or the Nvidia Chipset. I like the Nvidia set just because it seems like its a little easier to make updates. But thats just my opinion. Alot of people like the VIA chipset. I don't know how well the 2400+ CPU overclocks never tryed it on that chip, or on that board for that matter. But I do know if you start uping the speeds on the CPU your going to run into cooling problems, which also means your going to need a decent heatsink and fan. But if you have never overclocked before I wouldn't try it, thats up to you though. Are you sure the XP 3000+ has a 333Mhz FSB cause this 3000+ has a 400Mhz FSB http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-394&depa=0 but they do have one with a 333 FSB

 

[GameGURU]

Well the KD7 exists because one of my computers uses the upgraded version of it (KD7A)

 

[Nubius]

xfx 5200 128mb graphics card.

Don't get the brand xfx nor the 5200...the 5200 isn't made for gaming at all...it is the nvidias mainstream model for the poor folk...so if you want it for gaming in the slightest...don't get it.

eVGA is the best brand. nVidia will be releasing it's 6600 model which is the mainstream model of the 6800 which will be 128mb with the newer faster DDR3 memory and 8 pipelines for I think $199 later this year...that would be a worthy buy

read this link:

http://www.nvidia.com/page/fx_desktop.html

mainly the two paragraphs towards the bottom where it says MAINSTREAM MODELS and PERFORMANCE MODELS.


I would suggest getting the NF7-S2G model Abit board and getting either a 2500+ XP or a 35w 2400+ XP-M which is the mobile processor....it is unlocked...will allow for great overclocking...and even if you DON"T want overclocking..it'll run cooler..and with that board of yours..you can easily change your frequencies and such. the 35w 2400+ XP-M is at default 11x166 = 1.8GHz (that 166 will allow you to have the 333MHz PC2700 ram) BUT....with that board like I said..you can change your multiplier and frequency...if you were to lower your multiplier to 9...and raise your FSB up to 200 (not in one jump though..lower the multi first and incrimentally raise the FSB) then you still have 9x200 = 1.8GHz...so you see your CPU speed is the same, but look now you have 200 as your CPU's FSB instead of the original 166 which means you can put in PC3200 RAM and have that run at its full capacity

BTW: I have an Athlon XP 2400+ and mine seems to be running hot, so I'm not overclocking this....it also has a locked multiplier and the 2500+ probably will too...thats the great thing about the mobile XP's...they are ALL unlocked..thats why the 35w 2400+ XP-M is a nice chip for overclocking. My ram is sitting at 2x199 (398MHz) I have one chip of PC2700 in here and one stick of PC3200 in here and my processor should only be running at PC2100 speeds, but when its set to 'BY SPD' the computer took it upon itself to overclock my ram to near PC3200 speeds.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-439&depa=1

Thats the link to the 35w 2400+ XP-M you HAVE to get the 35w cause yes there is also a 45w....obviously lower wattage equals lower power consumption and cooler temps.

Like I said you don't have to overclock if you're worried about that...but the default of that chip you'll see says 166FSB right? thats cause under CPU FREQUENCIES in your mobo bios it'll say CLOCK FREQUENCY 166 and below that MULTIPLIER which might be set to auto...you can change the multi on the 35w 2400+ XP-M, thats why it's preferred....so yeah anyway you see that 166? And it says its default speed is 1.8GHz....like I said that goes along with the multiplier which at default is at 11....so then you change the multi to 9 then up the FSB slowly from 166 to 200 and then you have a 200FSB chip! and can run PC3200 RAM. Hope this helps some

 

[nicktaylor12]

Ok Nubius thanks 4 the adive, but i dont have the money to be buying a new cpu at the moment, i am looking to get the best from my 2400+ cpu, with a new motherboard and some ddr ram, do u not think that i coud up the fsb to 166 insted of 133? i have a coolmaster heatsync with very low temps at the moment, an 4 case fans. If i could change the fsb to 166 then i cud runn my ddr ram at pc2700(333), BTW Why do motherboard manufacturers produce boards with a fsb of 333 but can support drr 400?? if the cpu is running at 333 then ram canot be 400- corect?

could i not change teh fsb to 166(333 efectivly) with a 12x multiplyer, an run sum ram at 333 aswell? this may not be possible??, i am lookin to do this on a ABIT KD7 Raid Board, (btw they do exist)
Thanks

 

[Nubius]

could i not change teh fsb to 166(333 efectivly) with a 12x multiplyer, an run sum ram at 333 aswell? this may not be possible??, i am lookin to do this on a ABIT KD7 Raid Board, (btw they do exist)
Thanks

Nope... this is why I suggested getting the 35w 2400+ XP-M....I also have the 2400+ XP just like you do....the multipliers are LOCKED...meaning you can't change it from its default 15 like you can change the XP-M's......you can go as high as you care to try but I got mine to I think 145FSB and then stopped pushing it because you also have to be able to lock the AGP and PCI Buses when you are overclocking...you can't lower the multi and raise the FSB to achieve the same thing that I told you about that 35w mobile chip...thats why its a good chip =/ All you can basically do is get your new motherboard (I still suggest ABit NF7-S2G) and get some new ram. My motherboard is running my ram at 2x199=398 so just right there below PC3200 speeds and I got that whole mixed and match goin on...one stick PC2700 and one stick PC3200 and my comp decided on itself that they can both run at 2x199 even though they should only be running at 2x133=266(PC2100) speeds for a 1:1 ratio with my CPU. Just get the board and the newer RAM.....just because your CPU and mobo might not run the ram at its fastest...it'll be easier and less expensive in the future.

BTW Why do motherboard manufacturers produce boards with a fsb of 333 but can support drr 400?? if the cpu is running at 333 then ram canot be 400- corect?

I don't know...maybe save money? I might be misinterpreting what you're asking, but maybe its just incase you couldn't afford a newer board you'd have to get that, but still could support a faster CPU? which would just give you a bottleneck so I don't know about that. aaaaand I dont think the KD7 is around anymore...believe its been replaced by the KV7...thats the newer so oh well.


EDIT: Yeah BTW You can overclock your 2400+ cause like I said I have one too, and I got it up as far as 145FSB before I stopped and just brought it back down to 133MHz, not that much temp difference, but like I said..thats overclocking.......switching the mobile from default 11x166 to 9x200 isn't overclocking but rather 'optimizing' I suppose you could say...when you overclock your 2400+ if you were to somehow get it up to even 166....you'd need to be able to lock your AGP and PCI bus which needs to stay at AGP:66 and PCI:33

 

[nicktaylor12]

Yeah the ABit NF7-S2G looks a good board 2 me, and not 2 pricey. So i cud run my 2400+ at its normal speed 133x15, an buy a 512 stick of pc3200. i am goin to invest in this speed now as i will be upgradin my primary pc around xmas 2 64 bit, sweet, an can put the 3000+ cpu into this other pc. so the ram wud underclock at 266, is ther no way of speedin it up- i guess not without a faster fsb on my cpu. So how u think that would go together, btw i am also lookin for a new graphics card as i currently using mates very old 1, I need this second pc for playin sum games, but not 2 demandin- mainly for counterstirke an playin steam - any ideas?

Thanks agen

 

[nicktaylor12]

BTW i was lookin for a dual output graphics card, can i set the fsb off my atlon xp 2400 to 166 fsb?? surely this just depends on my motherboard? i mayby wrong but i wud reli lik to get my memory running at 333 insted of 266, has anyone done this? ddr 333 with a xp2400 at 266fsb???? thanks