[sposes]

Hi there, I have decided to upgrade my system and a few questions have arised. First my current system:

Celeron 1GHz CPU
256MB SDRAM
Biostar M6VCF Mobo
Celestica Gold Edition Ati Radeon 9200 SE (128MB) AGP

I will only need to buy Mobo, RAM and CPU. I will reuse my graphics card.

So I checked some things out, I am looking at the following components:

Mobo: ASUS P5S800-VM (Socket 775)
CPU: Celeron D 326J @ 2.5GHz
RAM: 512MB DDR PC3200 Non ECC (Cosiar or Kingston)

Now for my questions. ASUS P5S800-VM has AGP 8X but says it only suports V1.5, My card states the following:

REQUIRES
Pentium 4/III/II/Celeron, AMD K6/Athlon or compatible with AGP 2.0 Compliant BUS- AGP 2X (3.3V), AGP 4X (1.5V), or AGP2X/4X based systems.
Installation software requires CD-ROM drive

So it would seem to me that if the mobo suports 1.5V only that the card will be forced to run at 4X, perfectly fine for me. But will my AGP card be compatible or will it blow up?

Next question is reguarding CPU and heatsink/fan instalation. When I built a computer for a client, it was socket 478, and I had such a problem installing the fan, I think cause when I placed it, it was offset. Had to get sales person to install it properly. I relize they come with documentation, but should I perhaps pay someone to install the fan?

Also is Kengiston and cosiar about the same in terms of quality?

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I have aquired some aditional questions:

If a motherboard lists AGP 8x dose this mean that it cannot support a 4x card?

If a mobo has dual channel does this mean a standard DDR 400 PC3200 won't work?

How do I know if I install memory in twos or singley?

How much of a preformance difernce does a chipset make if all other parameters are the same?

[sposes]

I have aquired some aditional questions:

If a motherboard lists AGP 8x dose this mean that it cannot support a 4x card?

If a mobo has dual channel does this mean a standard DDR 400 PC3200 won't work?

How do I know if I install memory in twos or singley?

How much of a preformance difernce does a chipset make if all other parameters are the same?

[troppo]

well i no that my motherboard has 8X agp and it allows me to run a 4X agp video card but not 2X (due to the bios)
im sure that a new motherboard can support a 4X card with no problems

second:
if your motherboard supports dual channel then it can also run single channel, to enable dual channel there must be two identical ram sticks in slots 1 and 3 (you will notice they are the same colour) the best option would be to decide how much ram you want 512? 1 gig? 2 gig? then i can help you with the best configuration!

thirdly:
regarding the fan
socket 775 fans are easy to install they are probbaly the easiest ones out there
all you have to do is push the black pins through the motherboard screw them around till they are tight and away you go
but remeber to always use thermal paste when seating the fan over the CPU a nice layer should be applied over the metal cap of the socket but not to much.

there shouldnt be any worries with installing the fan they are pretty straight forward and will come with the motherboard manual if you need to double cheak something,

hope this healps a little,
troppo

[sposes]

Thanks that helps alot. As for my memory configuration I want 512MB. So if I buy a board with dual channel, would it be beter to buy 2 256MB sticks to make use of the dual channel or would it be optimum to just use one 512MB?

I have also considered two other Asus boards, they seem like however the Secondary IDE connector is right beside the PCI slot:

P5VD1-X (IDE Secondary beside PCI slot???)
http://usa.asus.com/...584&modelmenu=1

P5V800-MX (IDE Sec beside PCI?)
http://usa.asus.com/...765&modelmenu=1

The P5VD1-X has both AGP8x and 16x PCIe also has fsb 1066/800/533, what do you think of this board compared to my origonal choice of P5S800-VM

Some people say just dab allitle heat sink onto the cpu die, others say spread it with a credit card, others say aply it to the heatsink/fan, who do I belive and how much is too much?

[sposes]

Ok so ive decided on the Asus P5VDC-MX Motherboard. After triple checking my graphics card I see that it is a 8x/4x card, and that it has keys for 1.5v and seems it should work fine.

So what I plan on doing with the new system:

Research via internet, for work
Music playing while I work
The only two games I have that are more demanding are Sim City 4 and Delta Force Blackhawk Down.
Work with Blender 3D, for pleasure

Im not a true gamer, only ocasional

So would the following work for me:

Asus P5VDC-MX
Celeron D 326J 2.55GHz
512MB DDR 400 (PC3200) Memory
Celestica Gold Edition Radeon 9200 SE (128MB DDR) AGP
40GB Maxtor 6E040L0 HDD
1 CDRW, 1 DVD Reader
Thermaltake TR2 W0070 430W PSU

I hope it will preform to my demands, though I would say I am not a gammer, nore am I doing 3D for work or anything, mostly internet research and testing new software.

What do you think of my selection?

[troppo]

well that motherboard might be a good option if one day you want to upgrade to pci express!
and it looks like it is micro atx which is ok but is smaller

also i cant see in the specifications that it supports dual channel
it supports both DDR and DDR2 memory which is also good

but if you do find a motherboard with dual channel then if you only want 512 the best thing is to buy 2 256MB sticks and that will enable dual channel,
troppo

[sposes]

thanks, one last question, On Asus web site for CPU suport Celeron D 236J is not listed for any of the boards, I guess this prob means they havent tested it yet? and that not nessisarly that it wouldent work?

I did find a prebuilt system that uses the same mobo and cpu that I want to use so i gues thats an indication they work together.

http://support.asus....SLanguage=en-us

[sposes]

I meant 326J, but turns out when I go to intel's web site that chip does not exist, rather 326 exists. The CPU suport for the Asus P5VDC-MX suports this processor with BIOS 0405 and higher, how do I know the motherboard I buy has this BIOS version

[troppo]

well im sure that there would be some way of finding out
maybe double check the website if not

you can always download the updated bios version and flash it to your new motherboard im not really experianced in that area.

most motherboards should come with the updated bios or at least a compatable one check the website for compatable CPU's that should tell you,
troppo

[sposes]

Thanks very much for all of your help and patience. I greatly apreciate all that you have done for me. I have been in contact with two venders to verify CPU compatibility details.

If this sited uses some sort of points system I would award you points, does not apear to work this way however.

Edited by sposes, 04 April 2006 - 11:12 AM.

[sposes]

I got a respince back from one of my vendors, he can have the Celeron D 336 2.8GHz for same price. Good news is its also fully compatible acording to Asus. In process of confirming my order. And makeing driveing arangements.

Sometimes I wish I did know how to drive *sigh*

Update:

I have confirmed my order and aranged a drive for pickup after 12pm tomorow, For the interested, I ordered the following:

Asus P5VDC-MX Motherboard $77
Celeron D 336 2.8GHz $79.50
Kingston 512MB DDR 400 (PC3200) $46

Prices in CDN, I think its a great deal. Currently studying socket 775 to familiarze myself with proper instalation.

Thanks again.

Edited by sposes, 04 April 2006 - 02:07 PM.