Help Choosing Proper Motherboard

H

ho3ho3

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 2, 2004
Messages
225
I had an older system chugging along, fairly well doing everything I needed.
A DFI Lanparty PRO875, with P4 2.4ghz; with Hyper-threading even, and a whopping 1gb of OCZ DDR500!

About 2 months ago I was debating purchasing a new system, or buying an AGP card to pull another year or so out of this system. I ended up purchasing a 7600gt and being happy with my purchase.

A couple weeks ago, my motherboard ends up dying. Well how great is that? Buying an older generation video card to pull more life, out of my even older motherboard, and what do you know; it ends up being too old.

So anyways, I’m faced with a new dilemma now.
I have 3 SATA + 2 IDE drives, I have 2gbs DDR2 (slickdeals), a 7600GT AGP, and a p4 2.4ghz CPU 800mhz bus

Are there motherboards that support DDR2, Sata, and AGP? What about that also have PCI-express? That way I can have a decent system that’s more upgradeable, but have PCI-express capabilities in the future.

Should I stick with my old CPU? Or are there newer motherboards that support everything I need and can use newer processors. Is the p4 too dated now?

I’m looking for some recommendations, from those that have experience and knowledge to share.

Thank you for your time
Albert
 
Your definitely going to want to purchase a new Mobo and CPU, which is easily possible for around $250-$300 for decent equipment.

As far as recommendations go, you can get either the gigabyte or ABIT P35 based boards for between $110-130. (on newegg the IP35-E is 79.99 after rebate, a more bare essentials board)

As for a CPU you could go with an E4300-4500 for $125-155 new and be pretty solid for a year or two (3+ if you keep it as long as your P4) There are a few for sale on the forums here for ~$100

Also you can get an 8600GT for about $110 or if you wait til OCT. 29th you can get the new 8800GT for ~$220-250.

You'll need to buy a new video card as any decent MOBO today will not support both LGA775 and AGP. There are a few mobo's that support both, however their rare and rather disapointing. However you should still be able to get ~$150-200 for the parts of your old system. making the overall upgrade cost to $150-200
 
ASROCK.

Work well, use all your stuff. Anandtech likes em, several reviews there, very nice for people in your position. Go newegg and just look at motherboard made by Asrock ( a subsidiary of Asus) and find the one that meets your needs, be sure to doulble check that it will run your older cpu but I dont think it will be an issue and will give you the ability to run a newer CPU and PCI-e later on the same board. Double check video card compatiblity, once you find what you think will serve you on newegg, go asrock actual web site and download the manual and read it to ensure your stuff is supported etc. etc. also check web site for hardware compatibility lists.

I have had good luck with these boards with customers with older equipement they could not or did not wish to replace.

Bah here: ddr or ddr2 - agp or PCI-e - ide and SATAII - c2d or pentium , want fries with that ?
(it will even OC some but dont expect miracles, this is not a high performance board. )

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157115

additional thoughts, as your old MB with the newer video card was apparently meeting your needs until it died, I would hesitate to recommend upgrading anything at this time. Not knowing more about what exactly you use the machine for and your budget, upgrading piecemeal is a loosing game any way you play it. For example DDR2 is at an all time low, now is a great time to buy, however by the time you are ready to upgrade to an PCI-e card, DDR3 might have become affordable. You (if you can afford it) need to decide, I can go with this new mb and live with what I got until I can replace the whole nine yards, or, replace the whole nine yards now. Otherwise you will nickle and dime yourself to death and always be hampered by one or two components that are lagging the current (or even last years) technology.

anywho, good luck.
 
I used that board in your post in a rebuild for my brother after his last CPU Died. Put a E4300 and 2GB of Corsair XMS DDR2 5-5-5-15 along with his old 6800Ultra 256MB AGP. It works well and only costs ~$70.

However in the OP's post he has a P4 which is incompatible with this board, so he would still have to buy a new proc, and he already has DDR2 ram. The reason I suggested to sell his 7600 (and old proc if possible) is that he could buy an 8600GT for under $110 as well and you could then get a board that will support a 45nm and the ability to OC in the future as well.

To the OP: Go with either solution really, both will do what you need, and BillParrish's suggestion will cost you less. Good Luck
 
Excellent help, thank both of you guys.

I'm going to go ahead and get that ASROCK board; it matches up with everything I need.
I'd also like some BBQ sauce with it :).

Bill you are right about upgrading that way, always 1 component being the bottleneck for everything else and slowing the whole system down.

Is the P4 bottlenecking the 7600gt too much though?
Would you guys recommend going to either E4300 or a E2160 just to have a comparable CPU with the 7600gt?

I'm such a cheap bastard, I have the money to build a brand new system but I really don't need one right now. Really the most intense load this computer will go through will be Company of Heroes expansion.

Thanks for advice.
 
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