Processor/Motherboard Upgrade?

[phosphorousgobu]

Hey all


About a year ago, I had a computer I bought from a physically handicapped co-worker at a previous job I worked at. Bad idea. No system disk, all the fans were sucking air from inside the case out (subsequently overheating), etc. That "heating, etc" is what killed my computer. Me, hoping to do some good, opened up the case and put some thermal compound under the heatsink. This seemed to help some, until the computer started heating up again. After the third time I did this, the computer wouldn't boot. The fans would spin, the lights would come on, but no BIOS start up. I'm thinking that I got thermal compound UNDER the processor. That was over year ago. Since then, I bought a new case, processor, motherboard, RAM, etc, and put all the usuable components from the old computer (CD/DVD drives, floppy drive, hard drive, some fans) into the new computer. I tried to put the hard drive in and magically expected it to work. Oddly enough, it didn't. It ****ed Windows off something fierce. It did the thing that usually happens: windows loads up to the point RIGHT before you get to the login screen, then reboots automatically. I'm told that's what happens when you change the processor behind Window's back. Oh well. I bought XP pro, put a fresh install on the hard drive, everything has been hunky dory for a year.

Now....I bought a Socket 757? 47?ish Athalon 64 3400+ way back whens, thinking it was "fast" and "1337". It isn't, however, and I am sad. I wanted a computer that would tear *** around my room, while staying still. I don't know if it's because Athalon's suck, or maybe I did something wrong. But after upgrading to 2 gigs of RAM and a Radeon X850 pro and not being able to crank the graphics all the way up in F.E.A.R., I decided that I may need to do some sort of processor upgrade.

Now: I don't have an XP CD. An odd little thing happened when I installed Windows: all the files on the CD corrupted when I copied them over, and I was left with a Mediaplayerless Windows experience. Installing M.P. 10 didn't help. I returned the CD to Best Buy, and wanted to swap it out for a new one. Oddly enough, all 3 copies that the store's computer said they had in stock had apparently vanished, so they gave me a gift card with the cost of XP pro on it. (I've since fixed Media Player..I opened the MP 10 installer in WinZip, and extracted all the .dll's to the System folder (or somewhere like that). It worked perfectly.)

From what I've seen, you can put a hard drive with a Windows install into a box with a different motherboard and processor, but you need an XP CD.

Some g33k friends of mine said they knew a method where you could get XP to accept your new processor/motherboard, but you needed the XP CD key for your copy of Windows.

I have this CD Key.

So, what can I do? I simply wish to put a faster processor in my computer. I may need to go Intel this time, so that would mean a new motherboard too. What would I do to make the hard drive with Windows and about 26 PC games installed be happy with new motherboard/processor?


Thanks

 

[phosphorousgobu]

Ohh...I searched around the forums and a lot of people seem to be die hard AMD fans.

I get so-so performance....Some would say it's because I use an AMD, some would probably say it's because I'm using an ATI. Or, maybe it's because I have a socket 754 (or whatever 700 number it is).

Any thoughts on why I get less-than-perfect framerates playing
Counterstrike: Source with 20 bots? Even after turning down the fancy graphical effects like HDR?

F.E.A.R. with "Recommended Settings"?

Empire Earth II with lowest settings on a Medium map with 3 computer opponents?


Thanks for your time.




Edit:...I thought "Athalon" looked funny...It's "Athlon". Sorry

 

[sickness]

When you get a new motherboard/processor you have to install a fresh copy of Windows. I'm not exactly sure what your problem is with bad performance, but it could be your processor socket. Try looking at a AMD Athlon 64 socket 939 3700+, which probably means you need a new motherboard unless your board supports socket 939 also. I'd recommend the MSI K8N Neo-4. It's about 90 dollars, very afordable, and many people swear by it here.

Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130491

CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103539

 

[Trotter]

I get so-so performance....Some would say it's because I use an AMD, some would probably say it's because I'm using an ATI.

Poor game perform because of an AMD? Only if you're running a socket A, like me . AMDs whup major butt in gaming compared to Intel.

Poor performance because of ATI? The X850Pro ain't a bad card...
but it ain't a nVidia, either.

For better game performance, you should definately look into a socket 939 CPU and mobo. Basically any AMD 64 CPU wil fit the bill, but dual-core is the next big thang, so you may want to look at the X2s.

When you get a new motherboard/processor you have to install a fresh copy of Windows.

Not exactly true. You are definately gonna have to get hold of a XP Pro disk somehow. Beg, borrow, or... well, beg, as any other option is illegal. Using a different disk than the one you used to install is not a big deal, as you are using your own key. But you will need to do a repair install, not a new install.

Here's a link to a great article covering exactly what you are going to do:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1910093,00.asp