Slow Upgrade

[xane]

I am considering making a smooth transistion to a better gaming rig, the reasons are threefold; (a) my current setup runs quite well, (b) most current mobos are genuinely upward compatible, and (c) I'm a tight bastage with the cash.

So, currently I have:

AMD Athlon "C" 1.3Ghz (266Mhz FSB)
Abit KR7A (not ATA133 and without RAID)
2x PC2100 256MB (total 512MB)
GeForce 4 Ti 4200 128MB
Aureal Vortex2 soundcard
Netgear FA312TX NIC

plus some disks and stuff.

The plan is to do the following, but questions remain on each stage:

1. Change mobo for an Asus A7N8X

I have rather fancied an nForce mobo since I got an A7N266 as a spare machine, not keen on built-in video so I prefer the newer nForce and I like the built-in sound and LAN, also the Firewire and USB 2.0 is very attractive.

So, I can replace my mobo, soundcard and NIC all in one go, but the big question here is how this affects Windows XP, I heard you are only allowed so many hardware changes until it needs to be re-registered or something ? Anyone got any details on that ?

Note that I will NOT be changing the CPU or RAM, so another question is can I run this super-mobo with a regular 266Mhz FSB CPU and PC2100 (266Mhz) RAM ?

I assume nForce drivers are in XP (with SP1) as standard ?

2a. Change RAM and 2b. Change CPU

Upgrade RAM to PC2700, upgrade CPU to a Thoroughbred with 333Mhz FSB, or perhaps Barton if they are better prices by that time.

Can I use the regular CPU (266Mhz FSB) with PC2700 (333Mhz), can I use the Thoroughbred CPU (333Mhz FSB) with PC2100 (266Mhz) ?

Which is best to do first ?

3. Upgrade Video Card.

I want DirectX 9 compatibility, but is it worth the cost right now ? Will a reasonably priced ATi card give me more than the Ti 4200 will, I don't have video performance issues right now.


Note there may well be several months between each stage, I am not desparate to improve performance right away as I don't seem to have any problems running any games I like (EVE, BF1942 and NWN).

TIA

 

[Jonty]

Hi xane

I believe you are allowed to change around six pieces of major hardware before Windows believes it's running on a new machine. However, some people say they'd have troubled when changing much less than six , others say they haven't been bothered even when changing more than six. Whatever the case, I believe Microsoft operate a freephone call centre which is able to reactivate copies of XP by asking you a few simple questions to make sure you're not a pirate ('Hello sir, are you a pirate?' 'No' 'Okay, all fixed' ).

As for your question concerning the motherboard (but don't take this as gospel, though) yes, I believe you can run older components on it (BTW - You may prefer the 'Deluxe' version of this board, and I don't believe it costs much more). The exact specifications of the board can be found on Asus's website.

With regards you question about new RAM and an old CPU (or vica versa), I believe the motherboard is happy to run in 'A Sync' mode, so the RAM and processor need not have the same FSB (although it is desirable for performance reasons). Quite what you choose to upgrade first is down to you, though no doubt others may be able to better advise you on this.

As for upgrading your graphics card, you could quite happily hold off for another few months or leave the upgrade until last. Right now, a Radeon 9500 Pro would be a good, cost-effective upgrade with full DX9 compatibility. However, both ATi and nVidia will be updating their ranges throughout the summer, so come later this year (when Doom III, touchwood, may be nearing release, as well as Half-Life 2 on September 30th) you will be able to choose from either cutting edge products or today's cards at a lower price. Certainly a 4200 Ti will have a good few months left in her yet

Kind Regards

Jonty

Edit ~ Product activation details from Microsoft. Sounds like you'll be fine . . .

Microsoft
Scenario A

PC One has the full assortment of hardware components listed in Table 1 above. User swaps the motherboard and CPU chip for an upgraded one, swaps the video adapter, adds a second hard drive for additional storage, doubles the amount of RAM, and swaps the CD ROM drive for a faster one.

Result Reactivation is NOT required.

 

[Embattle]

Re-activation may be required, this is fairly easy to do and requires no personal information. You just give them a code and they give you a code back, it is all fairly simple even if you do trigger it.

1. Total support for nForce2 features, depending on what extras you have, is not in Windows XP natively.....although the driver package is available from Nvidia's website.

2a & 2b

I would do the memory first since the price drops in processors will benefit you doing it later.

3

Using your timeline you'll find another load of cards available at that time meaning current cards will drop in price, most probably something to think about closer to the time.

 

[Jonty]

Originally posted by Embattle
1. Total support for nForce2 features, depending on what extras you have, is not in Windows XP natively.....although the driver package is available from Nvidia's website.

Good point However, this isn't too bigger a problem, as virtually all motherboards come with the necessary drivers on a CD and, as you say, nVidia are ready with more updates. As you highlight, it's just a shame USB 2.0 support, and network and audio support, isn't available until after the driver install.

Just out of interest, oh Obi Embattle [ ], does this happen with other integrated devices from other manufacturers? Or is it specific to ASUS?

Kind Regards

 

[(Shovel)]

To finalise the XP issue, although you may have to reactivate, there is NO upper limit or restriction, as demonstrated by the following paragraph from the EULA:

4. TRANSFER-Internal. You may move the Product to a different
Workstation Computer. After the transfer, you must
completely remove the Product from the former Workstation
Computer.

Therefore you can completely strip out the computer if you wish and use the same XP disk if you no longer use the old PC. (Legally)

 

[xane]

Originally posted by Embattle
Re-activation may be required, this is fairly easy to do and requires no personal information. You just give them a code and they give you a code back, it is all fairly simple even if you do trigger it.

The "code" being the key code from the CD ? And is this done over the web or the phone ?

 

[Embattle]

No Xane. It generates another code which is displayed onscreen and a couple of telephone numbers to ring, you then input the number via a touch tone telephone. This didn't work with me so it transfered me to a operator who took the number and then replyed with a 25 key which goes into 5 boxs on screen....thats it

Jonty, a lot of motherboards now use Broadcom chips for networking and most of these are not supported natively in Windows XP, although as you stated a CD is always provided with a driver on it for these unsupported devices.

Nearly all IDE chipsets are supported via the generic IDE device driver although performance can be normally be enhanced via maufacturers drivers, sort of like how the nVidia supplys an IDE SW driver with the nVidia driver package.

 

[Jonty]

Thanks for the info Embattle, you are truly a fountain of knowledge

Kind Regards

 

[adams901]

dont say that, he will get a big head now

 

[Embattle]

Now?

The way to look at it is that mobos/OSs are designed so they can, at the very least, run. Later on you can get/install updates to get additional functions working such as Firewire, etc or the original items to run better.

 

[Jonty]

This is going way off topic, so my apologies, but who do we blame (*Jonty hears everyone scream 'Microsoft!'* ). Is it the motherboard manufacturers for not consulting properly with those who produce the OSs which their products will be used with. Or is the software companies for not adequately responding to the growing desire to integrate components into the motherboard? Or both?

Kind Regards

 

[Embattle]

Its a mixture of both and time, you don't/can't spend for ever perfecting drivers because if they did you would never see the product

MS does try to include the more popular drivers with ever OS release but after that it is down to the Hardware manufacturers to make sure drivers are available and work.