Solve : Replacement MB??

1.	Solve : Replacement MB??
Answer» Looking to replace my old MB but keep as many of my existing PCI cards and other functions as possible and flexible upgrade possibilities. Would like a MB with PCIe & AGP, IDE (Pata) & Sata, 2+ expansion PCI ports, on board Lan, Audio & Video capabilities. I have found only one Chipset that has all the above, SIS 761GX/96SL and one MB that uses that chipset, PC Chips A31G. Any problems/cons for that MB? Any other chipset/MB that has the above capabilities? I want to keep the cost down so I don't need multiple processors or expensive Ram memory. I must also get a larger power supply, is a minimum of 450 watts large enough to allow expansions of Procesor, HD, Audio and Video? Do I need special CONNECTORS like for PCIe peripherals? Thanks Are you planning on replacing the CPU as well ? ? I find it hard to believe there would be only one board out there with those stats... Travel to Tom's Hardware and /or Anandtech for some MBoard reviews on what your needs are in your price range. I worked on 2 PC Chips systems this year and i personally would not give them a high recommendation. As to the PCi/e issue yes you would need a PSU that is PCi/e compatible... Good Luck in your search.A minimum of 400 Watts is recommended for modern systems. As for your mainboard, if you want to know good and bad sides, read some user reviews. There are many mainboards who have a combination of what you want. Try looking at some Asrock mainboards, I've SEEN one or two that came with AGP and PCI-E. If upgrade is the problem, PC Chips is NOT a solution.Thanks for responding. I have also found a chipset (VIA PT880 Pro/8237R) used in ASRock 775Dual-880Pro ATX mb with both AGP 8X and PCIe X16, Pata & Sata, onboard Lan & Audio but no onboard video. Any cons on this MB or chipset? Thanks Did you take the time to visit the sites i suggested ? ? Did you consider any of the pertinent questions asked above ? ? We still don't know whether you plan on replacing the CPU or not and that leaves the guessing game wide open at this point... Quote from: patio on April 29, 2007, 03:22:46 PM Did you take the time to visit the sites i suggested ? ? YUP. Did you consider any of the pertinent questions asked above ? ? YUP. We still don't know whether you plan on replacing the CPU or not and that leaves the guessing game wide open at this point... After perusing all the info I have decided to modify my REQUIREMENTS: PCIe X16 only (no AGP). Must change cpu since I only have a PII 233 cpu now. If onboard video is not too good I would get an inexpensive PCIe video card. Need PATA but want SATA for future. C2D and DDR2 not required. Any cpu about 2 GHZ with 256 KB cache would be fine. Any recommendations? Are MB&CPU bundles with assemble & pretest worth the price? Thanks all. Depending on where you are located i highly recommend newegg...the CPU /MBoard bundles are the way to go...great return policy from this vendor and excellent pricing combined with fast shipping. No i don't work for them or represent them in any way.Thanks Patio, looks like you enjoy the Dune books, I've read them all. Any recommendations on a MB that has a decent onboard video module? decent = best or near best onboard video. What type of budget ? ? Quote from: patio on May 03, 2007, 04:18:07 PM What type of budget ? ? About $175 for MB, cpu, 1GB ram incl shipping About $250 for Barebones (MB, cpu, 1GB ram, case, psu, fans) incl shipping 3B Tech has some interesting offers with shipping = $0 1) COMBO MSI K8NGM2 + Empron 3000+, heatsink, fan assembled & TESTED = $89 with 1GB PC3200 ($80) = $169 PATA, Audio, Video, Lan, 2xPCI, Firewire, PCIe X16. No SATA, no AGP 2) Barebones Celerity 450, Sempron 2600, Biostar 6100-M7 (geForce 6100 chipset), 550W PSU, Mid Tower, 256MB ram. CPU heatsink/fan assembled & tested = $179 with 1GB PC3200 ($69) and 3 case fans ($8) = $256 PATA, Audio, Video, Lan, 2xPCI, PCIe X16, SATA. No AGP Re-visit Tom's hardware for reviews on those choices...less than glowing.

Answer»

Looking to replace my old MB but keep as many of my existing PCI cards and other functions as possible and flexible upgrade possibilities.
Would like a MB with PCIe & AGP, IDE (Pata) & Sata, 2+ expansion PCI ports, on board Lan, Audio & Video capabilities.
I have found only one Chipset that has all the above, SIS 761GX/96SL and one MB that uses that chipset, PC Chips A31G.
Any problems/cons for that MB?
Any other chipset/MB that has the above capabilities?
I want to keep the cost down so I don't need multiple processors or expensive Ram memory.

I must also get a larger power supply, is a minimum of 450 watts large enough to allow expansions of Procesor, HD, Audio and Video?
Do I need special CONNECTORS like for PCIe peripherals?

Thanks
Are you planning on replacing the CPU as well ? ?

I find it hard to believe there would be only one board out there with those stats...

Travel to Tom's Hardware and /or Anandtech for some MBoard reviews on what your needs are in your price range.

I worked on 2 PC Chips systems this year and i personally would not give them a high recommendation.

As to the PCi/e issue yes you would need a PSU that is PCi/e compatible...

Good Luck in your search.A minimum of 400 Watts is recommended for modern systems.

As for your mainboard, if you want to know good and bad sides, read some user reviews.

There are many mainboards who have a combination of what you want. Try looking at some Asrock mainboards, I've SEEN one or two that came with AGP and PCI-E. If upgrade is the problem, PC Chips is NOT a solution.Thanks for responding.
I have also found a chipset (VIA PT880 Pro/8237R) used in ASRock 775Dual-880Pro ATX mb with both AGP 8X and PCIe X16, Pata & Sata, onboard Lan & Audio but no onboard video.
Any cons on this MB or chipset?
Thanks
Did you take the time to visit the sites i suggested ? ?

Did you consider any of the pertinent questions asked above ? ?

We still don't know whether you plan on replacing the CPU or not and that leaves the guessing game wide open at this point... Quote from: patio on April 29, 2007, 03:22:46 PM

Did you take the time to visit the sites i suggested ? ?
YUP.

Did you consider any of the pertinent questions asked above ? ?
YUP.

We still don't know whether you plan on replacing the CPU or not and that leaves the guessing game wide open at this point...

After perusing all the info I have decided to modify my REQUIREMENTS: PCIe X16 only (no AGP). Must change cpu since I only have a PII 233 cpu now. If onboard video is not too good I would get an inexpensive PCIe video card. Need PATA but want SATA for future. C2D and DDR2 not required. Any cpu about 2 GHZ with 256 KB cache would be fine.

Any recommendations?
Are MB&CPU bundles with assemble & pretest worth the price?

Thanks all.
Depending on where you are located i highly recommend newegg...the CPU /MBoard bundles are the way to go...great return policy from this vendor and excellent pricing combined with fast shipping.

No i don't work for them or represent them in any way.Thanks Patio, looks like you enjoy the Dune books, I've read them all.

Any recommendations on a MB that has a decent onboard video module?

decent = best or near best onboard video.

What type of budget ? ? Quote from: patio on May 03, 2007, 04:18:07 PM

What type of budget ? ?

About $175 for MB, cpu, 1GB ram incl shipping
About $250 for Barebones (MB, cpu, 1GB ram, case, psu, fans) incl shipping
3B Tech has some interesting offers with shipping = $0
1) COMBO MSI K8NGM2 + Empron 3000+, heatsink, fan assembled & TESTED = $89
with 1GB PC3200 ($80) = $169
PATA, Audio, Video, Lan, 2xPCI, Firewire, PCIe X16. No SATA, no AGP

2) Barebones Celerity 450, Sempron 2600, Biostar 6100-M7 (geForce 6100 chipset),
550W PSU, Mid Tower, 256MB ram. CPU heatsink/fan assembled & tested = $179
with 1GB PC3200 ($69) and 3 case fans ($8) = $256
PATA, Audio, Video, Lan, 2xPCI, PCIe X16, SATA. No AGP

Re-visit Tom's hardware for reviews on those choices...less than glowing.

Solve : Replacement MB??

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