Advice Requested for Gaming Upgrade

"WaterWatcher" <replytogroup.RemoveThis@donotmail.com> wrote:

> My current computer is based on an MSI MS-6712 motherboard with an
> Athlon XP2000 CPU, two sticks Kingston 256MB PC2100, GeForce
> 4200ti 64MB video card, Seagate 80MB hard drive and Antec 350w
> PSU. I'd like to start upgrading it for games such as Quake IV,
> but I'm on a limited budget. My current plan is to replace the
> mobo and CPU while reusing the other components for the time
> being. Later I will upgrade the video to a PCI express card and
> double the RAM with 512MB x 2 PC3200. The mobo I'm considering is
> the ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 Socket 939 Uli M1695 paired with the
> Athlon 64 3200+ Venice. Does this sound like a reasonable way to
> go about it? Any different components I should consider?

I have the Antec 350w PSU also. I would check to see whether it has
the enhanced 12 volt supply (increased amp rating).

You should have Windows XP, it's important for gaming.

Otherwise, yes, I like the fact your choice includes AGP and DDR
support. That way, you get to see whether or not the mainboard and
CPU by themselves make much difference.






--
by the way, johns isn't always serious
 >> Stay informed about: Advice Requested for Gaming Upgrade 

"johns" <johns123.RemoveThis@moscow.com> wrote in message
news:1133168593.806095.7990@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> If you take that route, you could well find yourself not able to
> test the new "parts" until they are older than the vendor warrantee
> support date ... generally only a few weeks. Good way to lose a
> lot of money. That is a good mobo. I recommend starting backwards.
> Get a new Antec case first. Then a new hard drive, and put that in
> your old PC ... 160 gig SATA. I like Hitachi. New DVD/CDRW ...
> and so on. Last get the mobo bundle .. and immediately test it
> with the old video card .. if possible. And then get the video card.
> That way you get to test and protect your investment.
>
> johns
>
Thanks for your response. I was under the impression all of my old parts
would work with this motherboard & CPU, so I would be able to test it, save
for the interfaces such as SATA, PCIe etc. Then as my budget allows,
upgrade the video, memory, hard disk and other drives, in that order, and
probably the PSU too. Is this not a viable upgrade path? Also, my present
mobo does not have a SATA interface, so I presume I would have to add one,
but I have not looked into this. My reasoning is that instead of just
popping an upgraded AGP video card in my present box for better gaming,
instead get the advanced mobo/CPU features now, and replace the other
outdated components later. This way I will have a faster computer in
general, somewhat better gaming and I don't blow the budget.

Thanks again,
Ray
 >> Stay informed about: Advice Requested for Gaming Upgrade 

"John Doe" <jdoe.TakeThisOut@usenet.love.invalid> wrote in message
news:Xns971C41568645Dfollydom@207.115.17.102...
> "WaterWatcher" <replytogroup.TakeThisOut@donotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> My current computer is based on an MSI MS-6712 motherboard with an
>> Athlon XP2000 CPU, two sticks Kingston 256MB PC2100, GeForce
>> 4200ti 64MB video card, Seagate 80MB hard drive and Antec 350w
>> PSU. I'd like to start upgrading it for games such as Quake IV,
>> but I'm on a limited budget. My current plan is to replace the
>> mobo and CPU while reusing the other components for the time
>> being. Later I will upgrade the video to a PCI express card and
>> double the RAM with 512MB x 2 PC3200. The mobo I'm considering is
>> the ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 Socket 939 Uli M1695 paired with the
>> Athlon 64 3200+ Venice. Does this sound like a reasonable way to
>> go about it? Any different components I should consider?
>
> I have the Antec 350w PSU also. I would check to see whether it has
> the enhanced 12 volt supply (increased amp rating).
>
> You should have Windows XP, it's important for gaming.
>
> Otherwise, yes, I like the fact your choice includes AGP and DDR
> support. That way, you get to see whether or not the mainboard and
> CPU by themselves make much difference.
>
Thanks for responding. I do have Windows XP. As far as my PSU goes, I'm
not sure how to check for enhanced 12v supply. It has 16a on the +12v rail.
Are the new Athlons 64s particularly sensitive to this?

> --
> by the way, johns isn't always serious
>
Oh. Thanks for that too.
Ray
 >> Stay informed about: Advice Requested for Gaming Upgrade 

"WaterWatcher" <replytogroup DeleteThis @donotmail.com> wrote:

>
> [my power supply] has 16a on the +12v rail.

I think that's good.

Please post about how things go, if and when you go for it.
 >> Stay informed about: Advice Requested for Gaming Upgrade 

On Sun, 27 Nov 2005 15:51:59 -0800, WaterWatcher thoughtfully wrote:

> My current computer is based on an MSI MS-6712 motherboard with an
> Athlon XP2000 CPU, two sticks Kingston 256MB PC2100, GeForce 4200ti 64MB
> video card, Seagate 80MB hard drive and Antec 350w PSU. I'd like to
> start upgrading it for games such as Quake IV, but I'm on a limited
> budget. My current plan is to replace the mobo and CPU while reusing
> the other components for the time being. Later I will upgrade the video
> to a PCI express card and double the RAM with 512MB x 2 PC3200. The
> mobo I'm considering is the ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 Socket 939 Uli M1695
> paired with the Athlon 64 3200+ Venice. Does this sound like a
> reasonable way to go about it? Any different components I should
> consider?
>
> Thanks for any assistance,
> Ray


I did the upgrade from XP2000+ to XP64 3000 and video from Ti4200 128mb to
X800 256mb. The best route is to spend money on the video first then
cpu/mb. Although new graphics are coming out every 6 mo. if you go for
X800/X850 or 6600GT/6800 you'll be up to date on gaming graphics cards.
These cards can be found as AGP and are just as fast if not faster than
their PCI-E version. Motherboards are a matter of preference as generally
good low cost boards perform as well as good high priced boards. I've
been playing pretty good with 1 stick of 512 PC3200 which performs better
than when I had 512mb PC2700 and 512 PC3200.
 >> Stay informed about: Advice Requested for Gaming Upgrade 

jaster <jaster.TakeThisOut@home.net> wrote:

>
> playing most games on the XP 2000/Ti4200 rig. Only BF2 didn't
> play and I'm not 100% sure that wasn't because of a bad install.

They say that Battlefield 2 requires a minimum of 1GB RAM. Apparently
somewhere between 1 and 1.5GB of RAM.
 >> Stay informed about: Advice Requested for Gaming Upgrade 

On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 19:11:32 +0000, John Doe thoughtfully wrote:

> jaster <jaster RemoveThis @home.net> wrote:
>
>
>> playing most games on the XP 2000/Ti4200 rig. Only BF2 didn't play and
>> I'm not 100% sure that wasn't because of a bad install.
>
> They say that Battlefield 2 requires a minimum of 1GB RAM. Apparently
> somewhere between 1 and 1.5GB of RAM.

No I had 1gb mem. I think my problem might have been the XP2000+at
1666mhz. BF2 looks for 2Ghz cpu.
 >> Stay informed about: Advice Requested for Gaming Upgrade 

"jaster" <jaster DeleteThis @home.net> wrote in message
news:Earjf.2405$fO5.315@newssvr33.news.prodigy.com...
> On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 19:11:32 +0000, John Doe thoughtfully wrote:
>
>> jaster <jaster DeleteThis @home.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> playing most games on the XP 2000/Ti4200 rig. Only BF2 didn't play and
>>> I'm not 100% sure that wasn't because of a bad install.
>>
>> They say that Battlefield 2 requires a minimum of 1GB RAM. Apparently
>> somewhere between 1 and 1.5GB of RAM.
>
> No I had 1gb mem. I think my problem might have been the XP2000+at
> 1666mhz. BF2 looks for 2Ghz cpu.

Just wanted to say thanks for the helpfull suggestions. I'll post on my
upgrade results whichever way I go about it, whenever I get around to it.

Ray
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