Hi there I want to upgrade my computer as I am currently running aPentium 3 500 mhz i believe - i did a system scan and have included the details below.

Can anyone advice whether i will need a new motherboard if so any ideas as to a good one? well any advice to start with would be great.

Yummy
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OS Information:
PropertyValue
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition|C:\WINDOWS|\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1
Service Pack 2.0
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS


Processor:
PropertyValue
Current Clock Speed 501
Description x86 Family 6 Model 7 Stepping 3
Manufacturer GenuineIntel
Name Intel Pentium III processor


Memory (RAM):
PropertyValue
Bank Label RAS 1 & 0
Capacity 268435456

Bank Label RAS 3 & 2
Capacity 268435456

Total Memory Deteced in Hardware: ~512 MB
Memory Reported to Operating System: 511MB

Disk Drives:
PropertyValue
Description Disk drive
Manufacturer (Standard disk drives)
Model WDC WD800BB-00FJA0
Media Type Fixed hard disk media
Size 80023749120 (~75 GB)
Number of Partitions 1


Installed Printers:
PropertyValue
Name hp deskjet 845c series
Port Name USB001
Default True
Driver Name hp deskjet 845c series


Motherboard:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer
Model
Name Base Board
Part Number
Product
Serial Number
Version


BIOS:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer Award Software International, Inc.
Name Award Modular BIOS v4.60PGMA
Release Date 19991210000000.000000+000
Version AWARD - 42302e31


Monitor:
PropertyValue
Description Plug and Play Monitor
Name Plug and Play Monitor
Screen Height 768
Screen Width 1024


Keyboard:
PropertyValue
Description Easy Internet Keyboard


Pointing Device:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer Microsoft
Name HID-compliant mouse


Sound Card:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer Logitech
Description Logitech Microphone (Pro 4000)
Device ID USB\VID_046D&PID_08B2&MI_01\6&C977383&0&0001

Manufacturer Creative Technology Ltd.
Description Creative AudioPCI (ES1371,ES1373) (WDM)
Device ID PCI\VEN_1274&DEV_5880&SUBSYS_20001274&REV_02\3&61A AA01&0&58

Manufacturer ESS Technology, Inc.
Description ESS 1969 PCI AudioDrive (WDM)
Device ID PCI\VEN_125D&DEV_1969&SUBSYS_8888125D&REV_01\3&61A AA01&0&68


Video Card:
PropertyValue
Adapter Compatibility NVIDIA
Adapter RAM 67108864
Description NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420
Installed Display Drivers nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version 6.14.10.4523
Driver Date 28/07/2003 13:19:00
Video Mode Description 1024 x 768 x 4294967296 colors


DirectX Installation:
PropertyValue
Version 6.03.01.0146


Modem:
PropertyValue

Network Adapters:
PropertyValue
Description Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC - Packet Scheduler Miniport
Description RAS Async Adapter
Description Packet Scheduler Miniport
Description WAN Miniport (L2TP)
Description WAN Miniport (PPTP)
Description WAN Miniport (PPPOE)
Description Direct Parallel
Description WAN Miniport (IP)
Description Packet Scheduler Miniport
Description Microsoft TV/Video Connection

External Ports:
PropertyValue
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator No Detected
External Reference Designator

Expansion Slots:
PropertyValue
Slot Designation ISA
Slot Designation PCI
Slot Designation PCI
Slot Designation PCI
Slot Designation AGP
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Your PIII is probably a Slot 1 processor.

Run this program to ID your motherboard:

Everest

Post back the board details & we can look it up to be sure.

The most you can do with a Slot 1 is to run an adapter such as this:

http://www.powerleap.com/PL-iP3T.html

This will give you up to a Celeron 1400.

I have used these adapters and am pleased with them, but in retrospect I would start from scratch with a new board and all.

Done that thank you, i dont mind upgrading would need advice at whats best to buy ie will i be able to use the ram i have now on the new board etc what pentium4 i buy as theres loads lol. Im not scared to go into the machine and install things as i changed my tower last year and had to swap everything over . woohoo for me lol
Any way here is what i got.

Hope its the right info :

Motherboard:
CPU Type Intel Pentium III, 500 MHz (5 x 100)
Motherboard Name AOpen MX6B EZ (1 ISA, 3 PCI, 1 AGP, 3 DIMM, Audio)
Motherboard Chipset Intel 82440ZX
System Memory 512 MB (SDRAM)
BIOS Type Award Modular (12/10/99)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM2)
Communication Port Printer Port (LPT1)

That board is a slot 1, so a celeron 1400 is about as much a tweak as it would take, & although that would be a noticable improvement, I would still suggest starting fresh.

Your RAM & Drives & any cards will most likely be transferable. If reusing your RAM is important you will want to pay attention to what type of RAM the new board supports.

Here are some links to the whole process & I am sure others here will have alot more to offer.

http://www.pcguide.com/topic.html

http://www.extremetech.com/category2...,644478,00.asp

http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/step/1/

good luck

Great thanks I will have a read of the sites you have listed.
Yummy

This may help as well:

Motherboard Reviews, News, Guides, and Tools

That's a nice system you've got there - a big processor upgrade would really make the most of it.

I would agree with Jephree. "Upgrade processors" are sold to those that want a very quick and easy solution but they work out more expensive than the comparable Intel Celeron processor with a brand new motherboard. Personally, I would say that those PowerLeap processors appear to be rather over-priced - Evergreen are another company that make exactly the same thing but I'm sure they're cheaper than that (www.evertech.com).

Your PC currently uses SDRAM, which you can use on some slower Pentium 4 systems if you get a motherboard with 2 SDRAM slots and your RAM is PC133. If you have more than 2 memory modules fitted inside your PC, you'd be hard pushed to find a new motherboard that has enough slots to take them all. To get the best performance out of your system, whatever P4 processor you choose, I think you'll need to look at replacing your memory with RDRAM. 512Mb of DDR400 RDRAM is £49 at www.Crucial.com.

The question of which processor to buy depends on what you want to do with the PC. I use my PC for several hours or more every day and I'm more than happy with my Pentium 4 2.4GHz (533MHz FSB) but I don't play games or use any hefty graphics or video editing programs to do 3D rendering, etc. Serious gamers, I suspect, would suggest that processor prices are low enough that you should aim for nothing less than 3.0GHz.

When buying a motherboard, ensure that you have enough slots for your expansion cards, e.g. sound, graphics, modem, etc. Also, beware of the fact that there's a new type of slot that's pretty common now - it's called PCI-X or PCI Express and standard PCI cards will NOT fit into these slots!

Lots to think about there all seems good advice ... my family say buy a new system from a store but why should i when i feel confident enough to build one. Im not looking for high gaming the best i play is yahoo pool lmao just if i can get my syste, running any better then i want to do it.
Hey guys thanks alot but if any of you have any more ideas let me have em
Yummy

If you want to keep costs down and don't play intensive games, then a cheaper Intel Celeron processor is well worth considering - most people wouldn't really notice a difference between a Celeron and the comparable full Pentium 4 chip and, at just £51 from Insight (www.insight.com/uk), the Celeron 2.4GHz full retail box with heatsink/fan is very good value.