Need your Brain and Advice for Comp Upgrade

[rok54]

Shout out to everyone who loves tech stuff….
if I want to play current games (true dat), it's time to upgrade! Was thinking of upgrading with the above components: b4 purchasing, though, need to ask the people in the know
Current Build (1st build in 3/07): i know, it's long in the tooth....

* OS: XP Pro SP3 Direct X 9
* Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Windsor 2.0GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Ocd 2.63
* Motherboard: ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD
* Memory: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400
* Graphics: Radeon X1950XT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support
* Audio: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE 7.1 Channels PCI Interface
* Storage: Seagate Barracuda internal 7200.10 ST3320620AS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive and Seagate Pushbutton Backup 250GB External Hard Drive
* DVD/Burner: SAMSUNG 18X DVD±R With LightScribe Technology Black IDE
* Power: Corsair HX650W
* Tower: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Potential machine upgrades:
* Graphics: XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Newegg.com - XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

* Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ955FBGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ955FBGMBOX

* Memory: CORSAIR XMS2 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5DHX
Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS2 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5DHX

Q 1: Apparently, the X4 955 w/ AM3 socket will work with my M2N-SLI Deluxe – as long as I update the BIOS w/ version 5001 --- is this true???
Q2: is the additional memory I might add compatible with my current memory which is CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400
Any help would be appreciated – thx.

 

[Trotter]

Q 1: Yes, that is correct.

Q2: Yes, it is compatible... but 32-bit XP can only utilize 3.5GB of RAM (including the memory on your graphics card). You could move to 64-bit Win7 and be able to use all 6GB plus your video memory, as well as utilize DirectX11 on your new card.

 

[Roark]

^ Trotter beat me to it

 

[rok54]

thx trotter and roark. seems as if i need to get win 7. I think i might be running XP 64 bit, though -- not sure. i tried to find out by entering winmsd.exe, sysdm.cpl in win "run" but no luck.

 

[Trotter]

Go to Control Panel and open up System. It should tell you there.

Either way you would do better with Win7 all around.

 

[rok54]

OK --- so i went ahead with the upgrade; i backed off of a new OS and just went w/ the following from new egg:

**Graphics: SAPPHIRE 100297L Radeon HD 5830 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ ATI Eyefinity
**Memory: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400
**CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ965FBGMBOX

Based on feedback; thought it'd be easier and more $ feasible to upgrade my current rig. In short, kept "old reliable" XP, maxd out memory, significantly jumped up in CPU and Graphics card.... all for just $290.00.

* OS: XP Pro SP3 Direct X 9
* Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Windsor 2.0GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Ocd 2.63
* Motherboard: ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD
* Memory: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB(2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400
* Graphics: Radeon X1950XT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support
* Audio: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE 7.1 Channels PCI Interface
* Storage: Seagate Barracuda internal 7200.10 ST3320620AS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive and Seagate Pushbutton Backup 250GB External Hard Drive
* DVD/Burner: SAMSUNG 18X DVD±R With LightScribe Technology Black IDE
* Power: Corsair HX650W
* Tower: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Q: Does anyone see a problem with my upgrade see below for current system??

Q: Updating my BIOS to 955 --- should i just copy 955 files to an external HD and then update that way or is there an easier way --- does this make sense????

Thx so much for the help and input.