[gtboys34]

OK, here are my system specs ( the few that are relevant to my question)

2.0 ghz p4
VIA p4-266A mobo
100 mhz front side bus
256 mb ddr 2100 ram
128 mb Radeon Ati 9600


Now, if i wanted to upgrade my mobo and or my front side bus speed, how would i go about doing that? Would i have to purchase an entire new chipset? Or could i extract the p4 chip from this current mobo onto a new 1?


One more thing, is it possible for me to upgrade my fsb speed on this mobo i have now w/o replacing the mobo?

[[GDC]_Polemarcus]

Ok, I understand what your asking, but its imporant to get terms correct.

A Chipset governs how information is traveled from the processor to other components.

The processor is the logic of a computer and functions comparably to a human central nervous system, directing signals from one component to another and enabling everything to happen.

Ok, to answer your question...

When you upgrade your motherboard you will be upgrading your FSB. This may require better, faster memory like DDR 3200. A 100 FSB would never run w/ a P4... so im assuming its quad rate, making it 400 FSB, or 533? Which, in that case would mean your maxed out as far as the motherboard goes. In order to achieve a faster FSB you would need to get both a new motherboard, and processor. The chapest P4 w/ an 800 mhz FSB is 2.4 with hyperthread tech. It retails for about 175. And yes, your FSB could be increased if you upgraded to a 533 mhz processor. But i would recommend getting a new MB, and an 800 processor before that. It will cost more, but its not worth buying a 533 chip since its already antiquated.

[gtboys34]

[quote="[GDC]_Polemarcus":0078a]Ok, I understand what your asking, but its imporant to get terms correct.

A Chipset governs how information is traveled from the processor to other components.

The processor is the logic of a computer and functions comparably to a human central nervous system, directing signals from one component to another and enabling everything to happen.

Ok, to answer your question...

When you upgrade your motherboard you will be upgrading your FSB. This may require better, faster memory like DDR 3200. A 100 FSB would never run w/ a P4... so im assuming its quad rate, making it 400 FSB, or 533? Which, in that case would mean your maxed out as far as the motherboard goes. In order to achieve a faster FSB you would need to get both a new motherboard, and processor. The chapest P4 w/ an 800 mhz FSB is 2.4 with hyperthread tech. It retails for about 175. And yes, your FSB could be increased if you upgraded to a 533 mhz processor. But i would recommend getting a new MB, and an 800 processor before that. It will cost more, but its not worth buying a 533 chip since its already antiquated.[/quote:0078a]

[quote:0078a]A 100 FSB would never run w/ a P4... so im assuming its quad rate, making it 400 FSB, or 533? [/quote:0078a]So what you're saying is that my fsb speed is more than 100 mhz?? But when i checked my system information ( "my computer", "belarc advisor". aida32, and a few others) it stated that bus speed was only "100 mhz"


Another thing, what's quadrate?


thanx for the help btw

[Bazooka_Joe]

Just to clarify, and for a second opinion:

The processor you have is most likely a 400mhz FSB chip. This is NOT upgradable, unless you buy a new processor, or overclock the processors FSB frequency speed. To overclock it, you would do this with the motherboards BIOS.

In order to get a better FSB, you would need a motherboard that supports at least 400mhz FSB. Most boards now will come with at least 533FSB, as that is the most popular among high-performance machines (800mhz FSB is still generally new.)

quad-rate means its 4X the Bus speed, so 100mhz X 4 = 400mhz, so your mobo is a 400mhz FSB board. Upgrading your board to 533 would not make a difference, since the chip is still 400mhz. if it IS 533, it would. The way to tell is to take the chip out and remove the heatsink, and look on the steel heat spreader, the metal peice the heatsink lays on that is attached to the processor. If it is not 533mhz FSB, then don't worry about upgrading unless you have the cash to spend on the processor.

[Bleuachdu]

p4 2.0 runs at 400mhz fsb. No you cannot change your fsb without overclocking it. Wouldn't recommend clocking chipsets unless you know what you're doing.

[[GDC]_Polemarcus]

Ya, do not over clock unless you have an excellent heat sink/fan along with plenty of case cooling. Especially if your a novice at it. Overclocking is much safer on more advanced motherboards that have temperature monitoring controls... I have my 2.8 HT Processor crankin out 3.45 and its well within the green zone as far as temperature is conserned. The other nice thing about newer motherboards is Alarms... You can specify your system to alert you if your computer is overheating. Thus, you can save... turn it off and allow it to cool then correct any problems.

[Madmartagen]

If youre going to overclock the hell out of your processer, you might as well get an AMD xp. You can overclock it to a P4 3.0ghz and not worry too much about overheating it. Get some find sandpaper and smooth out the bottom of the heatsink, then put some thermaltake on it. I wouldnt risk overclocking a P4 because they are so damn expensive, and you get can just about the same speed with an AMD.

[[GDC]_Polemarcus]

Kind-of-sort-of....

AMD's run much hotter simply by default, so if your going to overclock one, I would recommend adding even more cooling than you would on a P4 chip. So I would say in the end they just about balance out in price.

[Arkan]

Hey GTboy, your system is pretty old. Instead of fooling with it, why not build yourself another rig? You can build yourself something real nice for around 1k.

[gtboys34]

[quote:fa5be]Hey GTboy, your system is pretty old. Instead of fooling with it, why not build yourself another rig? You can build yourself something real nice for around 1k.[/quote:fa5be]

Nah, it's only a year old and i technically... shouldn't have to upgrade for another 2-3 years.

[Miscguy]

You do realize that with proper cooling an some other small upgrades, you can get that p4 2.0 to about a 3.2. Question it not, i have heard of it being done by some experianced modders. Some of whom produced a guide, that page has since gone 404, but im sure you could find info on it at some tech site.

[gtboys34]

sweet! too bad that site is down though cry: . How long does the overclocking process take?? (with an average Ocer)

[Miscguy]

Never tried it. Through from what i understand of it, not to damn long since its simply software configuration settings. There are even programs out there to help you with it. I got a few with my mobo that did temprature readings, and one that allowed me to oc my cpu in windows. I never tried it because i didnt feel like tempting fate with my (at the time) top of the line P4 2.0 Northwood core processor.

[Short Hand]

[quote:dda58]One more thing, is it possible for me to upgrade my fsb speed on this mobo i have now w/o replacing the mobo?[/quote:dda58]


-No chipsets are permy, you can not "remove it" simply to say. Although if you do upgrade to AMD instead of another pentium on your next mobo processor combo make sure you go for a Nforce Chipset board. VIA to say = shitastic AMD chipsets.

[quote:dda58]Kind-of-sort-of....

AMD's run much hotter simply by default, so if your going to overclock one, I would recommend adding even more cooling than you would on a P4 chip. So I would say in the end they just about balance out in price.[/quote:dda58]

-"Not True. This only held true for the old Palomino core Line of AMD processors..(The First XP Athlon's). Ever since the T-Bred it has run considerably cooler. The New Bartons are almost as kool as the old Willamite P4 cores were. -The new Extreme Edition P4's are extremely hot running hotter then most Barton's out their today.

[quote:dda58]You do realize that with proper cooling an some other small upgrades, you can get that p4 2.0 to about a 3.2. Question it not, i have heard of it being done by some experianced modders. Some of whom produced a guide, that page has since gone 404, but im sure you could find info on it at some tech site. [/quote:dda58]

-Again major corrections needed here again unless we want gt frying up some sili. 2.0's never came out with the famous C "core (with the 800mhz fsb. Gt's is most likely a B or even a "a. These could have little hope of even reaching a 2.3 Overclock without special cooling aka water block.


[quote:dda58]thermaltake on it.[/quote:dda58]

-Not a thermal paste. It is a company. Artic Silver is a paste compound , only paste That thermal take could have is the shitty stuff they package with the cpu/fans, but thats not made by them. biggrin:


[quote:dda58]Now, if i wanted to upgrade my mobo and or my front side bus speed, how would i go about doing that? Would i have to purchase an entire new chipset? Or could i extract the p4 chip from this current mobo onto a new 1? [/quote:dda58]

-You can take the processor out of course. But not the chipset. Most new mobo's support the new 800mhz fsb speed so I doubt yours will still work. "Although some have backwards compatibility. and a jumper either built into the bios or built physicly on the new board itself. You best bet it to just bu a whole new mobo and processor combo. Upgrading one or the either is not smart. Although I have no idea why you would need to upgrade. That system would perform great, it ain't bad at all.

"My best advice would be to get a major cooling upgrade. This means
=New PSU 500watt performance 50 American at most'
=MUltiple intake and exuast fans. Maybe even a pci slot fan for the video card since the stock ati cooling on the 9600's is garbage.. Your system will last it is perfectly up to date. Arkan must be smoking a lil something over there though lol. beer:
-Last buy ram sinks for you memory and your video card ram. (heat sinks for ram.

cheers and Good Luck.