Too much processor?

[millwork]

Hello BPB,

I just don't get it. The "gone-dot-com" places, I like to "graze" in, cannot keep PIII Tualatins in stock either. The Tualatin Celerons are always available cheap.

John B.

[Picard]

Hey, I found an Intel 815Ep chipset board.

http://www.hypermicro.com/product.asp?pf_id=MBIN321

And it's in stock.

[millwork]

Hello Picard,

Hmm - I'd pass. Notice the MR slot (MoDem Riser) slot on the left. Ofttimes, boards with a MR slot have proprietary issues and were designed for mass production, bargan boxes to be distributed through exclusive retailers. The 512BM (Max) RAM bothers me a bit too.

Could be it will recognize/utilize more memory (512MB Max seems odd for 3 DIMMs), but recommend thorough research before jumping - as I know you usually do.

There must be another, single Socket 370, board out ther that will support your CPU without an adaptor.

John B.

[millwork]

Oops. After re-reading spec's they are 512MB (Max) each DIMM. at myself must have been at the wheel.

John B.

[BipolarBill]

As Intel is wont to do, the board may or may not support Tualatin.

http://support.intel.com/support/mot.../cs-013091.htm

It's the old revision shuffle.

[BipolarBill]

Oh - I would buy a 1.2 Celeron in a heartbeat. The can overclock past 1.4GHz easily.

[Picard]

Is that sarcasm BPB?

And to think, bpb was once a fan of the Tualatin Celerons.

[BipolarBill]

That is not sarcasm. While I am still a "fan" of Tualatin Celerons, I can get a 2500+ Sempron for beans. Doesn't make much sense...

[rwest]

Bipolar, yeh but can you make that 2500+ fit my HP case and support my pc100 sdram. While in the long run it may be a better option to just build a low end p4(or a high end p3) from scratch it doesn't satisfy my requirements. The componets of my curent system are currently working well. The intent is just to help the current configuration out.

I understand replacing the board is really the best choice, as opposed to a 1.2gig Ip3t powerleap adapter and 2 stix low density double sided sdram) apx. $150-$170

I can find an ASUS P3V4X motherboard based on the VIA Apollo pro 133A 694 Northbrige for about $30 - $70 used. This particular board has shown performing as well or better than BX based boards. It also supports pc100 and pc133. I will be able to use my current hardware and still have room to upgrade. Another note of this chip is that it supports AGP 4X whereas the BX does not.

Slot 1 933EB apx $25.00 pc133 sdram 512mb apx. $30.00
total spent apx $100 - $150

This is what's been done so far:

p2 450 > p3 550 changed jumpers, didnt require flashing
96mb ram > 256mb pc 100
12gig OEM HDD > Maxtor 40gig HDD
90 watt OEM > 320 watt PS
cd writer 52x 48x 32x
On board ATI Rage Pro Turbo 8Mg > Gforce2 mx400 64mg
Still running original OEM sound card
running win xp home rock solid

It's been a nice backup to play games when someone else is on the new AMD. The mobo doesn't support pc133.


Why build a complete new system when this one is already serving its pupose? When all I wanted to do is give it a boost.
Easy route is powerleap. More sensible is newer mobo. Why not just buy next generation and build? I'd put money on it, that none of my current hardware would be compatable.

My initial question was: Would a 1.2gig processor be too much for the installed 256mb of ram? Although since my first post then I have found out that 440zx100 chip will most likely be able to support 2x256mb of low density doubleside ram. I could just very easily put in the new ram and the Ip3/t 1.2 gig processsor.

The downfall is that there is a small chance I could buy the ram and it not work. Which brought me to the newer mobo. Or just throwing a fast processor at it and selling the ram I bought. Which in full circle brings up the original question:

Is 1.2gig too much processor in a system that only supports 256mb of ram? Will it help at all or is this just overkill?

[BipolarBill]

Is 1.2gig too much processor in a system that only supports 256mb of ram? Will it help at all or is this just overkill?

No, but $150 may be too much money for such a motherboard. The memory limitation is important only because Windows XP will run like molasses on it. XP requires 512MB to run smoothly.

Yes I can make a Sempron work in your case. Figure $40 for a motherboard, $66 for the CPU and $40 for 512MB RAM. I just checked those prices at Newegg too.

Hey - it's your money.

[jkozura]

As I'm sure many of you understand, I needed a second system, to do some things on, in case my main system was busy.
I put together the best of my hardware from yesteryear to get this system together. I have more than the average amount of old hardware, since everyone in the family has their own computer, which I built and constantly upgrade.
As a backup system, this computer is quite effective:

Shuttle Hot-661 m/b (late model BX chipset, jumperless, 100/133 capable, 4 DIMM)
PowerLeap PL/ip3-t CPU (Tualatin Celeron II, 1.4G, 100Mhz, in slot 1 cartridge)
384 MB PC133 RAM (running at 100, board o/c not really needed for this one)
ATI Radeon 9500Pro/9700 128MB (the old style, L-memory, 8 pipes)
Adaptec AHA2940UW-Dual SCSI controller (from a Dell workstation)
3Com 3C905B Fast Etherlink XL
Aureal Vortex SQ2500 PCI sound
Seagate Cheetah 20G Wide SCSI hard drive (half height, from a Compaq server)
Toshiba 16X SCSI CDROM
TEAC 4X external SCSI CDR
Seagate external SCSI DAT

Keeping with the topic, the system had a PIII 550E (Coppermine) CPU in it (close to the native max) prior to the Powerleap, with everything else the same. Taking the CPU from 550 to 1400 made the difference in this system being able to be a backup Unreal Tournament 2004 player, in case a friend came over or something. At 550, UT was pretty poor. At 1400, it's not bad.

Considering I had all the other parts together in the 1st place, the CPU upgrade was not a hard decision to make. Making it even easier, I bought the Powerleap secondhand, so I didn't have to pay retail. Needless to say, I'm perfectly happy with it. If I need to burn a CD, or backup something, or play a game, in addition to what I am doing on my main PC, I don't feel underpowered.

[rwest]

1. Touche' Ouch! Would a Maxtor 40 gig HDD work with that mobo? What about video, use on board? The old card is Gforce2. Sound? 320 watt power be enough to run that board and 2-3 drives? I really can't argue those figures. So I need to be clued in.

2. Would the mobo fit atx form factor.

I'm not too familiar with Semprhon, what kind of memory does it use?

Actually if could give me the model of board/s you have in mind I can look into all the specifics myself. Although I'm not too familiar with power requirements.

If all other factors fall into place then I'll concede, and go that route. I honestly don't expect compatabilty. But if youre rigtht and I get compatability, I'll stand corrected. Then I'll shut up and listen.

[BipolarBill]

I would have to know if you're present motherboard is full ATX or micro ATX. Micro boards usually have 4 or fewer PCI slots. ATX has 5 or 6.

The Sempron is basically an AMD Athlon with half the L2 cache memory. It still has 256KB and that's plenty. It's not that demanding power-wise and a 320W PSU should be fine.

[rwest]

jkozura, I also agree with what you did. Your system is now completely maxed out and makes a great second. That was my initial intention when I started this post.

But, I also havn't made any final decisions. If Bipolar can show me a mobo that'll be compatable with my older componets and still stay in the $150 range he will have sold me. But I think he's gonna run into problems with the power. I'm not sure. The 320watt power supply was the largest I could afford when I upgraded, and I think its the most I can get to fit my case anyway.

Lastly if the cost goes up much more than $150 total, there is no point. When you can buy a new system or build from scratch with just a little bit more.

Realistically if a slot converter was just a little cheaper than the outrageous prices they charge for em, the slot converter would win hands down. It is overall the easiest route.

At this point if some one can show me a way to use my older parts together with two generations newer componets-I'm gonna let'em. But the catch is to stay within the proximity of the same cost it takes to buy an IP3/t and the ram to supppot it. Apx $150.00

The other option is a later slot 1 board which is garranteed to work with the older compomets. Apx. $100 - $150 (Best choice so far)

So Bipolar(and anybody else who cares) show me the way to the light!

[rwest]

My current board is full ATX.