schmd

Originally posted by PTS: Quote: You will need a better and stronger powewr supply for your new setup anyway. What kind of power level am I looking for (assuming that I will get a new case, which I'll probably have to)? Also, about the motherboard, how do I know ahead of time that either of the two motherboards listed will fit into a case that I buy? Which companies are good for cases/power supplies? Thanks again for the help.

Hey. This whole financial fiasco started when I decided to replace the aging GeForce 2 MX in my Dell Dimension 8200 1.8GHz 1Gig RDRAM. I promptly bought a GeForce 6600GT off of ebay for a decent $160 without investigating the requirements of the video card first (how smooth was that). I then found out that the vc I bought required a PCI-X port, which my 5-year-old motherboard didn't have. After talking to a friend of my father's who knows computers pretty well, I decided I might as well upgrade the whole shabang: motherboard, processor, RAM, and VC. Problem is, I have a Dell, and Dells suck for custom upgrading (at least, that's what I've heard)! I've already decided to get a motherboard with Intel's new LGA775 socket, since I've already bought an LGA775 3.2 GHz processor off of ebay (another great deal for $170). Right now, I have my eyes on either the EPoX EP-5EPAJ or the Albatron PX915P Pro, both with the intel i915P chipset. I also plan to sell my current gig of RDRAM and to buy a pair of Corsair XMS 256MB DDR sticks. My question is can a 2-year-old Dell 8200 handle these upgrades? I've heard of problems with power supply compatibility and cooling, as well as problems with simply fitting the new motherboard in a Dell case. My goal is to keep costs at an absolute minimum, since I was originally expecting to pay only $160 for the video card. Can anyone advise me on whether or not these upgrades are a good choice and whether or not they will work with my equipment? Do I need to back up my hard drive before these upgrades? Thanks for any and all help. By the way, keep in mind that I only learned the difference between socket 478 and LGA775 a week ago . -Doug Schmidt For informational purposes, here are my current and proposed system specs (as much as I know, that is): CURRENT: Dell Dimension 8200 -Windows XP SP2 -Intel Pentium 4 1.8 GHz w/massive heatsink -1 Gig Toshiba RDRAM -GeForce 2 MX -75 Gig Maxtor HD -Intel/Dell motherboard (dated ~2000/2001): chipset unknown, Socket 478, 4x RDRAM slots, 1x AGP?x, 4x PCI, 4x USB (2 back, 2 front) -Datech DS9232-12HB fan: DC 12V, 0.70A, 4000 RPM, 77 CFM, 47.5 dBA, w/shroud that covers CPU -Dell Power Source: AC input 100-127V/6A, 200-240V/3A DC output +5V/22A +12V/14A +3.3V/18A -12V/1A +5VFP/2A Max. output: 250W; +5V & +3.3V <150W CHANGES PROPOSED: -Intel Pentium 4 540 3.2GHz 1M cache 800FSB LGA775 (new heatsink needed?) -512MB Corsair XMS DDR RAM -GeForce 6600GT -EPoX EP-5EPAJ motherboard: LGA775 socket, Intel i915P express chipset, 1x PCI-X x16, 2x PCI-X x1, 4x PCI, 8x USB, 4x DDR slots, +more OR -Albatron PX915P motherboard: Identical to above except: 3x PCI, different audio/LAN -Different fan? -Different power source?