Motherboard required

[Schmutz]

After a hardware failure, I have returned my ASUS P5K-E motherboard and received a refund of £90.00 (~$150). The website purchased from, Ebuyer.com does not appear to stock the ASUS P5K-E anymore, and so a replacement doesn't seem to be possible.

As I have not anticipated buying a new motherboard, it has been a while since I have thoroughly inspected computer hardware for the best parts (price vs performance...). I would appreciate suggestions on a new motherboard within a budget of £90, or if the performance is worth investing in, perhaps a little more.

The way computer components fall in price all the time I'm excited to see what extra technology/performance £90 can squeeze out these days compared with last year!

Thanks for any suggestions

Here are my current components, (purchased september 2007):

• CPU: Q6600 2.8GHZ
• Mobo: (????!!!) (previously ASUS P5K-E)
• Mem: 2GB Patriot PC6400
• Video: Sapphire Radeon HD2900PRO 512MB
• HDD: Western Digital 500GB SATA
• Sound: Logitech X-230 - Onboard soundcard
• OS: Windows XP Service Pack 3; 32bit

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

This motherboard is the best you can buy for your budget. It supports your current CPU and you can also upgrade to a 45nm one if and when you want, besides having PCI-E 2.0 slots and Crossfire support to boot, so you can throw in another 2900PRO if you want (assuming you can find one, although eBay probably has a few).

Be sure to do a clean install of XP though, since your current installation will not work with the new motherboard.

 

[Schmutz]

This motherboard is the best you can buy for your budget. It supports your current CPU and you can also upgrade to a 45nm one if and when you want, besides having PCI-E 2.0 slots and Crossfire support to boot, so you can throw in another 2900PRO if you want (assuming you can find one, although eBay probably has a few).

Be sure to do a clean install of XP though, since your current installation will not work with the new motherboard.

Thank you Rage,

I've been looking to see if my P5K-E is still available, and it is on microdirect.com for £97. That suprised me because I thought computer hardware rapidly decreased in price.

What are the differences between the Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R and P5K-E? I'll miss the Wifi capabilities (although I'll get around that easily...)

Lastly, it is unfortunate that I'll have to reinstall an OS... as I currently have just one 500gb hard drive (and only 50gb free, I don't want to lose that data!) I'll have to purchase a second Hard drive :approve: .Are there any particularly good deals for hard drives I should look out for.

Is something like this good enough? Or should I purchase a smaller and faster Hard drive to use for my OS?

Thanks ... :grinthumb

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

The Gigabyte board has Crossfire support, 45nm CPU support, PCI-E 2.0 slots and support for DDR2 1600MHz RAM via overclocking. Also, the northbridge on it runs cooler than on the P5K-E. If you want, buy another P5K-E, since you won't need to re-install your OS then. Maybe you'll need to do a repair, but definitely not a clean install. But the GA-EP45-DS3R will be a step-up from the P5K-E as far as features are concerned, so if you're willing to buy a new HDD and do a clean install, go for it.

And as for an HDD, this is the best deal IMO for a marginal increase in price over the Maxtor HDD, which have a poor track record where reliability is concerned.

 

[Schmutz]

Ok, thank you again.

I'll go for that motherboard and the Western Digital HDD.

I must say though, I've tried using two Sata HDD's recently and didn't get very far; To retrieve some data I tried my main computers 500gb HDD in this computer (alongside a 200gb sata HDD and a 40gb IDE drive)... all I got was BSOD upon booting into windows. - (Maybe it was trying to boot into my main computers OS???)

I hope that I am able to install an OS on the 640gb HDD and then access my old files, copy them over, and format my current 500gb HDD...

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

Yep, if you try an HDD from another system with an OS already on it, you're bound to get a BSOD due to the OS on the HDD not recognizing any of the hardware in the new system, unless the new system is exactly the same as the old, which is usually not the case.

 

[Schmutz]

Yep, if you try an HDD from another system with an OS already on it, you're bound to get a BSOD due to the OS on the HDD not recognizing any of the hardware in the new system, unless the new system is exactly the same as the old, which is usually not the case.

Yeah that makes sense.

Will I be ok putting the new HDD in my computer, along with the 500gb one (with OS installed.....!) and installing an OS onto the new HDD without the old one causing problems? It sounds like it will work :suspiciou

 

[Schmutz]

just a thought...

I have a copy of windows vista x64, will I be able to install that as an upgrade over the existing windows 32bit OS, rendering the original 500gb hdd useable without having to lose (or move...) all of the data? Or will it still cause a BSOD upon boot??!

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

I don't think it will work. You're better off doing a clean install.

 

[Schmutz]

Ok then.

My order has been dispatched so I hope to receive it all tomorrow and find out. :grinthumb