Befuddled .... In need of computer hardware smarts

[Tsa`ah]

Keeping with the tech support trend on the boards.

Ok, here's the dilemma.

When we got our new pc, the wife and I handed down the slowest of the 3 to the kids.

Before the pass down, I did some minor upgrades. Namely memory and a cheap video card to make it a bit faster.

So now, several months later, it's not fast enough. As a result I do some more in depth searching and find I can take this crappy 600 MHz Celeron to a PIII 1.1 GHz. But there is only one CPU that will work.

The s-spec is SL5QW, The Intel part number(s) are BX80526F1100256
and RB80526PY005256. It's a 1.1 GHz, 100 MHz FSB; with 256kb cache ... socket 370.

I've found a few on e-bay, but I have more than just simple reservations about buying a used CPU when I have no idea how many hours it has clocked.

This site ...

http://www.cpu-world.com/sspec/SL/SL5QW.html

correlates with Intel’s ....

http://www.intel.com/support/processors/pentiumiii/sb/cs-007577.htm

As I said, I can't find anything new ... in fact I can't find much at all. So I try pricewatch and come up with these two (same company).

http://www.spartantech.com/product.asp?orderid=67181493461239260435103&PID=IN C256%2D1100%2DBOX

http://www.pcprogress.com/product.asp?orderid=65971659338430422544478&PID=IN C256%2D1100%2DBOX

Notice, the Intel part numbers match up, but the picture and listing says Celeron. Are these in fact t he same processor?

Next issue, not really an issue ...

My board can be found here ...

http://www.pcprogress.com/product.asp?orderid=65971659338430422544478&PID=IN C256%2D1100%2DBOX

Despite what HP and E-machines claim, the board can take the 1.1g P3, and it can support 512 mb of sdram. The catch with the memory is that it has to be double sided (16 chip). The cheapest I've found is some refurbished on new egg for 34 bucks a stick (256mb). Anyone know of a cheaper source?

I'll be upping the power supply to 250 or so and adding a refurb 80mb HD. The video card is an issue I'm not sure of.

The board has 3 PCI slots, 1 take up by a USB 2.0 card, one take up by the wireless card, and the other houses a cheap 16 mb video card.

This is a computer for a pair of little kids, am I going to need anything better than an nVIDIA GeForce2 MX400 with 64mb?

And the last problem. This is a proprietary case with a shot cd-rom. I can order another piece of shit from e-machines, but I'd rather get something better for half the cost. Would it be unrealistic to buy a cd/dvd drive and just swap the face plate ... or is that even possible?

[Edited on 1-6-2005 by Tsa`ah]

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by Tsa`ah
When we got our new pc, the wife and I handed down the slowest of the 3 to the kids.

Before the pass down, I did some minor upgrades. Namely memory and a cheap video card to make it a bit faster.


Maybe the deleting of all the porn was the cause..

:whistle:

[AnticorRifling]

I know some people, that know some people that might have been there when some stuff fell off a truck. Let me talk to them after I get a chance to look at the links you posted in depth. Probably this afternoon.

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by AnticorRifling
I know some people, that know some people that might have been there when some stuff fell off a truck. Let me talk to them after I get a chance to look at the links you posted in depth. Probably this afternoon.

Get a new computer for your Daddy Anticor.. or you are grounded.

I don't want much.. just one that is state of the art for playing WoW.

Thanks. I might start giving you an allowance.

[Tsa`ah]

Originally posted by ParkbanditMaybe the deleting of all the porn was the cause..

:whistle:

Hehe ... the wife has more porn the me though.


Originally posted by AnticorRifling
I know some people, that know some people that might have been there when some stuff fell off a truck. Let me talk to them after I get a chance to look at the links you posted in depth. Probably this afternoon.

So long as I'm not going to get limbs or digits broken ... thanks so much.

[Tsa`ah]

I should mention that I'll be upgrading the main system as well. 2.7 Celeron to 3.0 P4, max the DDR to 2GB, and upgrading the upgraded video card (Bought a cheap 64 mb to replace the on-board a few months back and I want something with more balls).

What chipsets do you guys prefer? ATIs (FireGL and Radeon) or the Nvidia Geos?

I guess I'll be getting a 128MB PCI card, I'm just unsure of the chipset.

[Trinitis]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1176871&Sku=MBM-V600DAP-2900

[Tsa`ah]

Ass ... I'm not performing major surgery here. It's a used hand me down for two girls.

I found that for the main pc ... I'm limited to three choices in video chipsets.

Nvidia 5200s, a 5700se, and ATI Radeon 9200s and 9250s. What's the better chipset selection? I understand that some people aren't happy with the 5200s and WOW, so what about the other 3?


[Edited on 1-6-2005 by Tsa`ah]

[Blazing247]

Celeron processors make me sad.

[Trinitis]

Honestly, its a cheap fix and a better processor. Its by far not the best on the market, but its cheap. ::shrug::

Besides, 100mh FSB? Ugh..

You do know that the FSB limits how much the processor does right? Even if you have the most uber processor ever, if you have a shitty FSB, it don't do much.

[Tsa`ah]

eMachines make me sad.

The wife buys the dumbest shit.

I mean ... what the fuck kind of modem is this? I had a brainstorm to open up another pci slot ... pull the modem it came with and find a network card that will fit the port ... WTF???!!!

[Trinitis]

..I must be missing something. That looks like every other typical PCI internal modem I've ever seen..

[Tsa`ah]

Originally posted by Adredrin
..I must be missing something. That looks like every other typical PCI internal modem I've ever seen..

You also smoke crack.

#1 = PCI
#2 = WTF?!!

[Trinitis]

...I don't think I've ever seen a modem that large. *shrug*

[AnticorRifling]

Look for the model number on the actual card, then plug the model number into google to find a spec sheet on the card and it will tell you the properties. Then you can take those properties and find a card that will fit the slot.

[AnticorRifling]

Also I'd like a look at the actual board and mabye the case as well but the link you listed for your mobo points to the processor....


Looking at the board would tell me more about what you can do as far as cpu options.

[Tsa`ah]

Originally posted by AnticorRifling
Look for the model number on the actual card, then plug the model number into google to find a spec sheet on the card and it will tell you the properties. Then you can take those properties and find a card that will fit the slot.

Did that, I get one link back to e-machines and they offer no specs.


Originally posted by AnticorRifling
Also I'd like a look at the actual board and mabye the case as well but the link you listed for your mobo points to the processor....


Looking at the board would tell me more about what you can do as far as cpu options.

Board as described by HP

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bph07169

Board as described by eMachine nuts

http://www.e4allinc.info/dir1/motherboards/socket370/cognacplus.htm

It's a trigem cognac+.

[AnticorRifling]

After reading the specs from both sights I didn't see anything glaring out at me screaming it couldn't handle a PIII since it's a socket 370....


But, again, I did just briefly run over it.

[fallenSaint]

Thats probably a CNR modem, cheap and popular idea that rolled around while the modems were dieing out.

As far as video cards I recently decided to downgrade to the 5700SE with 256 meg of ram for 90 bucks I figured it couldnt hurt, it runs WoW just fine.

And as for the upgrades .... buy a new mother board thatll support the processor your about to take out of your main comp? Just a thought, I know eMachine case is probably limited to what will fit in form wise...

/deposits two cents

[Tsa`ah]

This processor is almost impossible to find.

Aside from some really shitty looking 1.1's found on e-bay ... and one new looking 1.0 (SL5QV). No one is selling them.

Well I take that back. I've found a few places that carry them. All but one are brokers or warehouses that will only sell in bulk with minimal orders of 500 or more dollars. The other was willing to sell me one for 178.

This is absolutely insane.

[Neildo]

That system for your kids is so old that it's not even worth bothering to upgrade. Whatever games it can play now, it's not like you're going to open up your selection of games by upgrading it to a still outdated system so just keep it as is except for the broken CD-ROM.

As for your main system, pre-built computers by places such as Dell and other popular companies are a major bitch when trying to upgrade, it's almost impossible because they use specialized parts to save money and space.

I also wouldn't upgrade your main computer to 2GB of RAM as that's overkill for the system you're running. Heck, even for a specialized rig made for gaming, 1GB is more than enough. The money you save right there on RAM can go towards buying a new motherboard, graphics card, or heck, a whole new system altogether. For $600, you can build a real good system that'll run the most demanding games with no problem ($140 for an AMD64 3000+ 939, $130 for a gig of RAM, $100 for a mobo, $200 for a 6600 GT, then use the same HD, CD-ROM, mouse, keyboard, monitor, and even case if you're lucky). It'll shit over any premade Dell for the same cost. If you need help, I can pick out the exact parts if needed.

- N


The other was willing to sell me one for 178.

This is absolutely insane.

Whoa, yeah, no shit. You'll wind up spending more to upgrade an outdated system than to build a current kickass one, heh.

[Edited on 1/8/05 by Neildo]

[Tsa`ah]

Originally posted by Neildo
That system for your kids is so old that it's not even worth bothering to upgrade. Whatever games it can play now, it's not like you're going to open up your selection of games by upgrading it to a still outdated system so just keep it as is except for the broken CD-ROM.

Let me introduce you to my Cyrix 686 333mhz sometime. It's done a good job of playing "server" for the past 4 years.

I'm not worried about "cool" games for the kids. They do fine with the Disney and educational games. It's outdated sure, but so will everyone else's system next year. It's a few years old, but an upgrade will keep it useful for the kid's games and web browsing for some time to come.

My system doesn't need anything other than a processor, extra drive and video card. Thinking more about it now, I'll settle for a video card. The ram upgrade is free, so why not.