tell me what to upgrade

[The General]

okay im liking this whole overclocking thing, but i want some real results.

heres my current system:

x2 3800+ toledo @ 2.45ghz
DFI lanparty SLI-DR (neither UT or expert)
2 x 1gb OCZ (this stuff: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227210) in dual channel

a/v:
evga 7800gt @ 470/1100
audigy 2 zs platinum
21" Trinitron flat (max: 2048x1536 @ 75hz)

psu:
antec Neo HE500 ...500watt PSU

drives:
2 x memorex 16x dual layer dvd burners
2 x western digital SATA2 3gb/s 250gb (8 or 16mb cache, i cant remember)
320gb IDE seagate 7200rpm 8mb cache
40gb IDE western digital 7200rpm 2mb cache
the audigy 2 zs live drive

its all wrapped up in this case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129155


so i think my ram is holding me back when overclocking, i cant seem to get past 2.45ghz without cutting the speed of the ram, so im thinking i need some ddr500 or something. how much do the times seriously effect performance? the memory im thinking about getting has stock timings of 3-4-4-8 ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231021 ) but theres also ones with timings of 3-3-2-8 ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231057 ) but they cost considerably more.

i know i need a new case, as this one is running out of room and doesnt have enough airflow. it has one 120mm case fan, thats it. i dont like anything shiny and flashy like a racer car case, i like plane old cases. well actually im taking a liking to these ones: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129154
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129017

i have a budget of around 400 - 500 bucks. oh and im not really worried about my video card as i have two choices, i can do the evga step up thing and get an uber discount on a couple 7900gt ko superclocks, or i can just wait to the 8 seires come out.

i am having a couple problems with my motherboard, so i might need a new one. heres my problems: the raid controllers have never worked. i have to just use the LVM to use them all at once. i'd like to get a couple more 250's and put them in raid 5 but i either dont know how to install an OS with a hardware raid, or they just dont work. i set one up with the nvidia raid controller, and when i went to go install debian on them, they still all showed up as separate drives and it was really annoying. also, if i shut it down, i have to reset the cmos to get it to turn back on. theres always a flashing light that never stops flashing, and when it is i cant turn it on. so for now i just have my computer on all the time. doesnt really both me but it just doesnt seem right.

cooling .... should i go the water cooling route? that'd probably eat up all my budget for good stuff wouldnt it? i'd also probably need a more powerful PSU because im pretty much maxing this one out right now. or should i just go with good ole fan cooling (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835106061) which is MUCH cheaper.

cpu... i think i'll just keep this currnet cpu and OC it higher, instead of getting a new one. if i got a new one it'd be an opteron 170, and that'd be the end of my budget


please help, lol i cant make up my mind.

 

[The General]

what about these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820220084

is patriot any good?

 

[NosBoost300]

i don't think they make 3800+ in toledo, toledo's have 2x1mb cache's while the 3800, 4200 and 4600 are manchesters
anyway, back on topic if you want to overclock, grab some ddr500 or higher, maybe you can be a rebel and grab 4 sticks of ddr600 and get mad overclocks if you got the cooling while running a 1:1 divider

 

[The General]

i thought it was manchester too, but look:

and yean i found some ddr600 w/ tighter timings than the ddr500 i found, should i replace the mobo? cause i'm pretty danm sure this thing is shot. what mobo should i get?

 

[NosBoost300]

if your overclocking, everyone seems to says dfi, but those are really pricey... which is why i bought my abit mobo.. its only like 100 bucks and i managed a nice overclock to 2.8 from 2.0 on my opteron 146.. and as for being toledo.. all i can say is wtf?

 

[The General]

yeah i dunno about the toledo/manchester thing but how's this asus for OCing? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131568

i mean i have a DFI but it seems to broken and the RAID was DOA so i think ima go with a brand i've had before and i know works... asus

unless someone else has some input?

im also looking at this MSI: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130037

 

[NosBoost300]

can't really help you on mobo's i've only used this abit, along with my compaq's asus

 

[aspire]

Ive had good experience with abit, asus, and eVGA which is what i use.

I really dont think you need better ram that that. I have the ocz gold gx 2x1gig and its running stable at 231mhz right now no sweat.

As for your mobo, thats regarding as one of the best for oc'ing. I reccomend you rma it with dfi and get it replaced if your having any problems with it whatsoever.

 

[Mentali$T]

yeah i dunno about the toledo/manchester thing but how's this asus for OCing? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131568

i mean i have a DFI but it seems to broken and the RAID was DOA so i think ima go with a brand i've had before and i know works... asus[/url]

I have the crossfire version of that board and yes they are good for overclocking. (i read they are the best) but people at this forum dont seem to like ASUS. They're all DFI fans. I say get that board.

 

[reggie_da_man]

Yea you should get a new motherboard. That really doesn't seem right. As for the ram, try and loosen the timmings or upping the voltage to get a higher overclock.