Can my system be upgraded?

[KingOfHearts]

I am seriously lost when it comes to hardware upgrades. My computer is just fine for everything that I use it for, but now I want to play Half Life2 and I realize my computer is too slow. I was told that I could upgrade my motherboard and my cpu and get a video card and I would be ok. Is this true? Here are some specs. Thanks for any help you can provide, this stuff confuses me bigtime. (I realize the specs are long, but I know you guys can decipher this stuff better than me and I wanted to give you as much info as possible.)


--------[ Summary ]-----------------------------------------------

Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2

Motherboard:
CPU Type AMD Athlon XP, 1466 MHz (5.5 x 267) 1700+
Motherboard Name PCChips M841LR (3 PCI, 1 AMR, 4 DIMM, Audio, Video, LAN, Modem)
Motherboard Chipset SiS 740
System Memory 992 MB (DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type AMI (12/19/01)

Display:
Video Adapter SiS 650_651_M650_M652_740 (32 MB)
3D Accelerator SiS 315

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter C-Media CMI8738 Audio Chip
Audio Adapter SiS 7012 Audio Device

Storage:
Disk Drive WDC WD1200JB-00DUA3
Optical Drive DVD-ROM DVD-16X6S (16x/48x DVD-ROM)
Optical Drive TDK DVDRW0404N

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 38177 MB (26035 MB free)
F: (NTFS) 114470 MB (49820 MB free)

--------[ CPU ]--------------------------------------------------

CPU Properties:
CPU Type AMD Athlon XP, 1466 MHz (5.5 x 267) 1700+
CPU Alias Palomino
CPU Stepping A5
L1 Code Cache 64 KB
L1 Data Cache 64 KB
L2 Cache 256 KB (On-Die, Full-Speed)
CPU Physical Info:
Package Type 453 Pin PGA
Package Size 4.95 cm x 4.95 cm
Transistors 37.5 million
Process Technology 6Mi, 0.18 um, CMOS, Cu
Die Size 128 mm2
Core Voltage 1.75 V
I/O Voltage 1.6 V
Typical Power 41.3 - 64.3 W (depending on clock speed)
Maximum Power 46.1 - 72 W (depending on clock speed)


--------[ CPUID ]--------------------------------------

CPUID Properties:
CPUID Manufacturer AuthenticAMD
CPUID CPU Name AMD Athlon(tm) XP 1700+
CPUID Revision 0662h
Extended CPUID Revision 0762h
Platform ID CBh (Socket A)
IA CPU Serial Number Unknown
Instruction Set:
AMD 3DNow! Supported
AMD 3DNow! Professional Supported
AMD Enhanced 3DNow! Supported
AMD Extended MMX Supported
AMD64 Not Supported
Cyrix Extended MMX Not Supported
IA-64 Not Supported
IA MMX Supported
IA SSE Supported
IA SSE 2 Not Supported
IA SSE 3 Not Supported
CLFLUSH Instruction Not Supported
CMPXCHG8B Instruction Supported
Conditional Move Instruction Supported
MONITOR / MWAIT Instruction Not Supported

--------[ Motherboard ]-----------------------------

Motherboard Properties:
Motherboard ID 62-1219-001131-00101111-040201-SiS740$M841LRRelease 12/19/2001 S
Motherboard Name PCChips M841LR

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 SiS MuTIOL
Bus Width 16-bit

Motherboard Physical Info:
CPU Sockets/Slots 1
Expansion Slots 3 PCI, 1 AMR
RAM Slots 4 DIMM
Integrated Devices Audio, Video, LAN, Modem
Form Factor Micro ATX
Motherboard Chipset SiS740

Motherboard Manufacturer:
Company Name PC Chips Group of Companies
Product Information www.pcchips.com.tw/product.html
BIOS Download www.pcchips.com.tw/BIOS.html

-------[ SPD ]-----------------------------------
[ 512 MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM ]

Memory Module Properties:
Serial Number None
Module Size 512 MB (2 rows, 4 banks)
Module Type Unbuffered
Memory Type DDR SDRAM
Memory Speed PC2700 (166 MHz)
Module Width 64 bit
Module Voltage SSTL 2.5
Error Detection Method None
Refresh Rate Reduced (7.8 us), Self-Refresh
Highest CAS Latency 2.5 (6.0 ns @ 166 MHz)
2nd Highest CAS Latency 2.0 (7.5 ns @ 133 MHz)


Memory Slots:
DRAM Slot #1 512 MB (DDR SDRAM)
DRAM Slot #2 512 MB (DDR SDRAM)

AGP Properties:
AGP Version 2.00
AGP Status Enabled
AGP Aperture Size 64 MB
Supported AGP Speeds 1x, 2x, 4x
Current AGP Speed 4x
Fast-Write Supported, Disabled
Side Band Addressing Supported, Enabled

 

[rasputeena]

All you need is a video card. That motherboard and CPU and ram should be fine to play HL2. Just get you a GeForce card or an ATI card probably about 128mb vid card should be fine.

 

[brinks]

You could upgrade your motherboard, cpu, and video card.
Nothing wrong with that.

Your computer dones't look to bad except for your videocard. Since it's integrated.

You could just upgrade the video card and try it out to see how well it runs your game. If you don't feel like it runs smooth enough, you can always upgrade the motherboard and cpu later.
With a new videocard, there should be some major difference.

Your motherboard supports max 4xAGP, and some newer video cards might not be compatible so becareful when buying.

 

[KingOfHearts]

brinks and ras,

You guys are saying that I could put in a video card and probably be ok right? Brinks, I believe you are saying that I can put in an AGP video card? Or does in have to be PCI or whatever the other type is? Thanks for the help, much appreceiated.

 

[brinks]

Yep, a videocard should be fine. You need a AGP slot video card.

 

[xenosoul]

Most 8x cards are compatable with 4x boards as long as its 1.5v. So you should'nt worry about that either

 

[GeckoEcho421]

If you wanna buy a new cpu go get the last athlon xp 3000+. It'll fit your board like a glove so no need for worring about incompatibilites.

 

[GeckoEcho421]

^--- I'm talking about the last version of athlon xp that'll be produced.

 

[Pavlyk]

Yes

 

[KingOfHearts]

I'm assuming that the chips just pop in and out?