[darko2021]

I am currently trying to update my agp mobo so I can get a new vid card for a few reasons:

1. AGP cards are over priced and under good
2. For about the same price as a good AGP card I can get a new mobo, and a comparable pciexpress card
3. I can keep up with next gen consoles on my pc at a fraction of the cost.
4. I won't have to deal with it later.
This is what I have...

amd athalon 64 +4000 2.5ghz
2 gigs ddr pc 3200 ram
164 gig Model: HDS72251 6VLSA80 SCSI Disk Device
80 gig Model: ST380817 AS SCSI Disk Device
nec dvd dual layer rw
nec dvd dual layer rw
Enermax 12v 460w power supply
(crappy)ati 9550s 128mb video card
abit v8 agp8x mobo
and a full tower alienware case

This is what I want to update...

Vid Card-$190

GeForce 7900GS
Core clock 500MHz
PixelPipelines 20
Memory
Memory Clock 1400MHz
Memory Size 256MB
Memory Interface 256-bit
Memory Type GDDR3
3D API
DirectX DirectX 9
OpenGL OpenGL 2.0
Ports
DVI 2
TV-Out HDTV Out
VIVO No
General
Tuner None
RAMDAC 400 MHz
Max Resolution 2560x1600
RoHS Compliant Yes
SLI Supported Yes
Cooler With Fan
Dual-Link DVI Supported Yes
Features
Vista Ready Yes

Motherboard-$150

Brand DFI
Model LANPARTY UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert
Supported CPU
CPU Socket Type Socket 939
CPU Type Athlon 64 X2/Athlon 64 FX/Athlon 64
FSB 1000MHz Hyper Transport (2000 MT/s)
Chipsets
North Bridge NVIDIA nForce4 SLI
Memory
Number of DDR Slots 4 x 184pin
DDR Standard DDR 400 (PC 3200)
Maximum Memory Supported 4GB
Dual Channel Supported Yes
Expansion Slots
PCI Express x16 2
PCI Express x1 1
PCI Slots 3
Other Slots 1 x PCI Express x 4
Storage Devices
PATA 2 x ATA100 up to 4 Devices
PATA RAID NV RAID 0/1/0+1 JBOD
SATA 1.5 Gb/s 4
SATA 3Gb/s 4
SATA RAID NV RAID 0/1/0+1/5 JBOD
Additional RAID Controller Sil 3114
Onboard Video
Onboard Video No
Onboard Audio
Audio Chipset Realtek ALC850
Audio Channels 8 Channels
Onboard LAN
LAN Chipset Vitesse VSC8201 Gigabit Phy
Second LAN Chipset Marvell 88E8001
Max LAN Speed Dual 10/100/1000Mbps
Rear Panel Ports
PS/2 2
USB 6 x USB 2.0
IEEE 1394 1 x IEEE 1394a
S/PDIF Out 1x Coaxial
S/PDIF In 1x Coaxial
Audio Ports 6 Ports
Onboard USB
Onboard USB 4x USB 2.0
Onboard 1394
Onboard 1394 1x 1394a
Physical Spec
Form Factor ATX
Dimensions 12" x 9.5"
Features
Power Pin 24 Pin
Packaging
Package Contents LANPARTY UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert
User Manual
Driver Disk
Rear I/O Panel Shield
FDD Cable
2 x IDE/PATA Cable
2 x SATA Cable
2 x Power Cable
SLI Bridge
Floppy Drive Diskette
Karajan Audio Module

Now for my question:

Is this a good motherboard? or is there a better one for a simmilar price? And is all of this hardware compatable? I feel confident that I can switch out my mobo myself but am just afraid that something won't fit/plug in right. Any one got any sugguestions? Thanks in advance.

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The parts all look good and will fit together. A builder friend of mine uses DFI motherboards almost exclusively. He says they have the least amount of problems of any boards for him. I'm kinda partial to Gigabyte myself. I really don't see where PCI-E is any cheaper than AGP. Its just that all the new cards are being made in PCI-E configuration because this is the new technology. Out with the old and in with the new, Ya Kno!

SRX660

[SRX660]

The parts all look good and will fit together. A builder friend of mine uses DFI motherboards almost exclusively. He says they have the least amount of problems of any boards for him. I'm kinda partial to Gigabyte myself. I really don't see where PCI-E is any cheaper than AGP. Its just that all the new cards are being made in PCI-E configuration because this is the new technology. Out with the old and in with the new, Ya Kno!

SRX660

[darko2021]

Thanks for your help I will have to look at gigabytes moboards. I'm not sure I understand what your saying about the graphics cards though, it seems that the average price for a geforce7800 agp card is about $250-$300 where the same card for pciexpress is about half as expensive. My rational was to take the $100-$150 extra it would cost to buy a agp card and put it toward the moboard. Personaly I don't get why older slower hardware costs more than the newer faster product but my guess is that it's because most people still have agp and (like me) are nervous about taking their system apart so they are willing to spend the extra money. I think it's kinda lame that distributers aren't dropping the price on agp to give people the option to upgrade later if they want, although atis 1950x agp that is comming out soon is a step in the right direction but is still going to cost $200-$300.

Edited by darko2021, 25 November 2006 - 07:37 PM.

[SRX660]

I think it is more that the AGP cards are being produced in smaller quantitys so costs go up with each production run. Everyone is switching to PCI-E so the graphics card makers know there will be future production runs of cards. This means production runs are larger so prices are cheaper. The AGP cards are not selling near as well. I try to keep a stock of cards handy even tho i do not have a full retail shop open as yet, and i cannot keep PCI-E cards in stock very long but i have had a 7600GT AGP card for a month now without anyone even being interested in it.

SRX660

[stettybet0]

Actually the new mobo doesn't look to be compatible with your hard drives. Your hard drives are SCSI, and your mobo only supports SATA and IDE.

[SRX660]

Stettybet0, I took this in consideration and looked the drives up. I assumed he has the Abit AV8 motherboard.

SATA: Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 ST380817AS (system disk)

Disk Drive HDS72251 6VLSA80 SCSI Disk Device (160 GB, 7200 RPM, Serial-ATA/150)

As you know the early sata motherboards used Raid software to configure the sata drives and usually called them SCSI drives.

SRX660

[stettybet0]

As you know the early sata motherboards used Raid software to configure the sata drives and usually called them SCSI drives.

hmm really? because SCSI is an entirely different technology then SATA and uses different cables and connections...

[darko2021]

So should I look for a new board? I do have an abit av8 motherboard right now. Do you think I should just get an scsi compatable motherboard just to be on the safe side?

[darko2021]

If you do think I need one thats compatable, what should I look for? It seems like all the motherboards on newegg are sata. Or do some with sata also have a scsi connection? Is scsi an older technology or just a different type. based on the hardware I already have is there anything eles you think I'm going to want to upgrade in the neaar future? Or is my system pretty solid other than the things I getting rid of?

Edited by darko2021, 25 November 2006 - 11:08 PM.

[SRX660]

darko, you DO have SATA drives so don't worry about looking for anything SCSI. All the new motherboards will be able to run your SATA drives in them.

SRX660