Motherboard Questions

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JeffK91

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I've got a real slow and old motherboard. I've been looking to replace it for a while and was wondering if there is a certain motherboard that works for your computer? Or is it that I can buy any motherboard and it will easily be compatible with my computer?

After (if) I install a new motherboard, how will it affect my computer? Especially in gaming? I'm looking foward to buying at least a AMD Athlon 2500+ motherboard and cpu combo. And is it easy to apply or do you definatly need a computer technichan to apply it for you?

EDIT: Would this be a nice fit for my tight budget? http://shop1.outpost.com/product/4202624?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
 
Well you can't really say you've got a slow motherboard, old perhaps :p but the motherboard is only one of a few parts that determine your system speed. Mainly you gotta tie the CPU, Motherboard, and RAM into the equation as far as the computer speed as an entirety goes.

I'd suggest you try and read about how exactly the motherboard works so you can get a better idea of what you want/need out of your system.

You can buy ANY motherboard you want for your computer as that's basically the starting foundation. BUT, you can't just buy a motherboard and throw it in. EVERYTIME you put in a major piece of hardware such as the motherboard, you ABSOLUTELY 100% HAVE TO NO QUESTIONS ASKED, FORMAT YOUR HARD DRIVE. There is just no exceptions with this. If you don't you'll get errors galore and instability up the butt like you wouldn't believe.

Now, once you've got your motherboard picked out, then you gotta get a good processor. Currently if you're going AMD, but don't want to go to the 64bit processors, then you need to look for a 400FSB Capable motherboard. This is where you need to start, get nothing less than 400FSB.

The newer motherboards have 800FSB and 1000FSB, but that's the AMD64 bit chips and the Intel boards that are for the newer P4's and of course the top of the line P4's.

I suggest you look into ABit or MSI as a motherboard manufacturer as either of those companies will offer good quality made boards with good stability. That board in the link just comes boxed with the processor so god knows how good or how stable it'd be know what I mean?

Also if you ever look into the world of overclocking you can get a chip that has like 266FSB and along with a good overclocking motherboard, you can still obtain the same speed like 2GHz, but make the processor work at 400FSB instead of it's normal 266FSB, but that's getting into other things ;)

Conclusion:

Pick a motherboard with 400FSB, like I said I suggest MSI or ABit as a manufacturer and you'll be looking for a Socket A also sometimes seen as Socket 462 because 462 is the amount of pins in the processor. So Socket A = Socket 462 just incase you see either of those, so you don't think they are different and get confused.

So you've got a 400FSB capable board, then I suggest you look for a 400FSB capable CPU, which will probably be like $150-$180 for that. This is where overclocking is nice because you can get an $85-$90 chip and make it as capable if not more so than a chip that costs twice it's price.

If you get a CPU with less than 400FSB, you're not slowing down your motherboard in anyway as it mainly relies on the communication between the peripherals to give you your speed. So it'd be perfectly fine putting in a 333FSB CPU into that board, but you're not using the board to it's full potential.

400FSB RAM is known as PC3200 because it's stock speed is 200MHz, and since it's DDR meaning DOUBLE data rate it's 200x2 = 400 so that's how you get 400FSB in that scenario.

So with a 400FSB motherboard you'd want PC3200 RAM to use it at it's full efficiency, but then you'd also need a 400FSB CPU otherwise you'd have a bottleneck between the CPU and RAM which of course results in performance loss.

After (if) I install a new motherboard, how will it affect my computer? Especially in gaming? I'm looking foward to buying at least a AMD Athlon 2500+ motherboard and cpu combo. And is it easy to apply or do you definatly need a computer technichan to apply it for you?
Depends on what you're coming from. If you had PC100 or PC133 RAM before then going to a 400FSB motherboard with say PC3200 RAM or even PC2100 for that matter would smoke your previous setup so you should notice a nice increase in smootheness and speed.

It's fairly straightforward and easy to put in a motherboard and seat your CPU, but it doesn't sound like you have too much experience in this so it's either pay a technician, but you don't get to learn with that, which learning is better, so if you have a friend that can build it and show you how to do it that'd be the best.

Or you could simply READ READ READ like a madman and attempt it on your own. It's not very hard, but impatience is the main reason why people screw up their processors and/or motherboard.
 
BUT, you can't just buy a motherboard and throw it in. EVERYTIME you put in a major piece of hardware such as the motherboard, you ABSOLUTELY 100% HAVE TO NO QUESTIONS ASKED, FORMAT YOUR HARD DRIVE. There is just no exceptions with this.

What exactly do you mean I have to format my hard drive?

I just read your humongous (and very helpful post) but since I'm not a computer genius like you, I'm not really understanding much. :confused: So basically could you make me a list (or links of an item if possible) of what exactly I need to get to get my AMD Motherboard fully operational and problem free?
 
What exactly do you mean I have to format my hard drive?
Well if you don't know what formatting your hard drive is, then you've got quite a bit to learn before you start trying to learn the innards of the motherboard and such. Formatting means to COMPLETELY erase all the information off the hard drive and reinstall the OS you're using.

BTW I'm far from being a computer genius :p I just know a fair share about the no mid-range boards. I don't know too much about the newer boards like Socket 939 boards and 64bit processors that much.

Jeff, the best advice I can give you is to READ READ READ and READ again as every situation is different and I can't really give you a list of items to make it functional and problem free.

That's the greatness about getting into computers is picking the parts for your needs. I don't know your needs and budget, only you do.

You need a Socket A (Socket 462) motherboard that's 400FSB capable. FSB stands for Front Side Bus.

You need a Socket A (Socket 462) Processor. Your choice needs to be as high of FSB as you can get within your budget. Since your motherboard is 400FSB you want a CPU that's also 400FSB or if you can't afford it atleast 333, as 266FSB is pretty slow by todays standards, but for you may still prove to be pretty damn fast coming up from that PC100.

Whatever FSB your CPU is rated at...get RAM with the SAME rating.

PC2100 = 266FSB
PC2700 = 333FSB
PC3200 = 400FSB

So just match up the numbers basically for the best performance. You can have a 400FSB motherboard and CPU with 266FSB RAM, but that'll create a bottleneck and you'll lose performance because the CPU and motherboard are trying to run at 400 front side bus while that RAM can only run at 266, so that slows it down.

For the most optimum Socket A(Socket 462) setup you need a 400FSB board, 400FSB CPU, and 400FSB(PC3200) RAM which is generally advertised as PC3200(DDR400) that DDR400 is referring to the FSB speed which is 400 in this case.
 
Ok, I've got a couple of questions. On Outpost.com they advertise motherboards that are motherboard & CPU combo so does that decrease the amount of things that I need to get?

Does this motherboard include the FSB or is that another product? I sort of got lost on your post although you explained it very well. Just wondering if you can provide me with the links for the specific things I need to get to get this motherboard fully operated. So basically you can go on outpost.com and give me the links to the item like I did below.

Not sure if you were still following me in your post but this it the relatively cheap but productive motherboard that I want. http://shop3.outpost.com/product/4222204?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG BTW, it is a good choice right?

Also to answer your question, my need is just the motherboard and the stuff that would get it fully operational plus the compatible ram that works for the motherboard. My budget on the upgrades should range around $200 hopefully. Other stuff like Windows XP, Video Card, and a new HD are really extras for me now. Might I remind you that this is just a temporary computer for my gaming needs. In a few short months, I'll have a new computer.
 
I did address your question regarding those motherboard and CPU combos. The 2nd link you have in the paragraph above has a Sempron processor which is the low end of the processor models whereas XP is the high end. Those boards you are gonna get are gonna be fairly crappy boards with minimul options and stability is anyones guess. I suggest you get a board like this:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-445&depa=1

a CPU like this:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-506&depa=1

and some RAM like this:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-407&depa=1


FSB is regarding the system speed. As I said it stands for Front Side Bus, it's not any kind of product.

On Outpost.com they advertise motherboards that are motherboard & CPU combo so does that decrease the amount of things that I need to get?
outpost.com sucks for buying computer parts. Yeah it'll decrease the amount of things you need by one. You need a motherboard, CPU, and RAM. You're buying a motherboard and CPU combo there at outpost but the motherboard will be likely to suck.

So yeah that combo up there I suggested will run at a 333FSB meaning 333MHz front side bus. Your motherboard is capable of running up to 400MHz FSB but getting a 400FSB processor and 400FSB RAM would be too much for your budget. Just stick to that combo of motherboard, cpu, and RAM up there and you'll see a big increase from your previous CPU and PC100 RAM. And it'll run you about $200 like you wanted. Should suit your needs more than perfectly.
 
Sempron on VIA KT333?

new processor on Old Motherboard. Heh?

i'll recommend Asus A7N8X-Deluxe, thats it. tested and qualified personelly (still the system with this board is running in my home), loved it, still want it for my personell use again.

a good mobo chipset determines not only stability, but as well speed. you can run same Processor on different mobo chipsets and get entirely different results.
 
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