Help on keeping a old system going a little longer

[The Fugitive]

You CAN NOT swap a graphics "chip", but you CAN swap a graphics 'card" See the difference?

[Nemisis]

The hell you say. I've had it done on my old computer. So either the guy that fixed it swaped out the mother board or something like that, or he updated something else that made the chip more efficent.

[Kermit de frog]

The hell you say. I've had it done on my old computer. So either the guy that fixed it swaped out the mother board or something like that, or he updated something else that made the chip more efficent.

start your own thread if you truely want help.

[Nemisis]

I just got my help Kermit, I don't need to. I was just pointing out that swapping a chip is not impossible or that some computer store people (the specially trained ones two) are liars.

[Tigger29]

Hello All
I have a system I built back in 2003, well now it is 6 years old and with AH new upgrade, its time for me to build a new system. Only problem is when ever I start to save up some cash, something at home goes bad and there goes my saved up cash. I so I am looking to upgrade this system so it may last longer, or until I can build myself a new system.

Here is what I have now.

1) AMD XP 2800 (462 pin, socket A) OC to a 3200
2) Asus A7N8X Deluxe MB ( with the latest BIO updates)
3) ATI X700SE 256 mb AGP video card (low end card)
4) 2 GB Corsair XMS Pro Series, XTreme memory speed, Twin 2048- 4000 Pro (volts set at 2.8v)
5) Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy Gamer
6) 320 GB 7200 RPM Sea Gate HD
7) Antec Titan 650 computer case
8) Windows XP PRO SP-3
9) Antec 750 watt PSU

OK... with an old socket A CPU, you're going to have a SEVERE CPU bottleneck, no matter what processor you put in there...  so you're going to need to replace the motherboard AND the processor.  The good news is that everything else should be able to be reused (except MAYBE the memory.. depending on whether or not the replacement MB supports it).  You can reuse the case, drives, Sound Blaster, PSU, and software.

As for video goes, the Nvidia 9500 cards seem to perform quite well for a 'budget' card, and they can be found new for under $50.  If you don't mind spending just a little bit more, assuming you have enough amperage on your PSU rails, it should be more than sufficient enough to power up a Nvidia GeForce9800 or better card (I can't speak for ATI as I don't have any experience with them in the last decade).

You can go for a budget MB and a budget Core2Duo processor and a 9500 video card for probably less than $150 and reuse everything else... and have a system that will run CIRCLES around what you have currently.  A 1.86GHz socket 775 Core2Duo processor will flat out demolish even a 3.0GHz socket A AMD XP processor.

[Fulmar]

OK... with an old socket A CPU, you're going to have a SEVERE CPU bottleneck, no matter what processor you put in there...  so you're going to need to replace the motherboard AND the processor.  The good news is that everything else should be able to be reused (except MAYBE the memory.. depending on whether or not the replacement MB supports it).  You can reuse the case, drives, Sound Blaster, PSU, and software.

As for video goes, the Nvidia 9500 cards seem to perform quite well for a 'budget' card, and they can be found new for under $50.  If you don't mind spending just a little bit more, assuming you have enough amperage on your PSU rails, it should be more than sufficient enough to power up a Nvidia GeForce9800 or better card (I can't speak for ATI as I don't have any experience with them in the last decade).

You can go for a budget MB and a budget Core2Duo processor and a 9500 video card for probably less than $150 and reuse everything else... and have a system that will run CIRCLES around what you have currently.  A 1.86GHz socket 775 Core2Duo processor will flat out demolish even a 3.0GHz socket A AMD XP processor.

You're forgetting replacing the ram.  You'll need DDR2 which 2x1gb runs about $25.

[The Fugitive]

The hell you say. I've had it done on my old computer. So either the guy that fixed it swaped out the mother board or something like that, or he updated something else that made the chip more efficent.

No problem, seeing as you know so much more  (thats why your asking questions on a BBS  ) I'll keep my info to myself, good luck.

[batch]

some suggestions for cheap upgrade

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072 E5200 $66

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128357 GA-G31M-ES2L $53

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127425 9500GT $40 after rebate

[urlhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148163][/url] 2GB RAM $26

thats $185 and you can run AH maxed with a little room to grow in the future in you wanted

[TheZohan]

i just rebuilt my rig and i spent about 120.00 and i get 50-60 FPS and have room to upgrade later

X2 7750
2 GB DDR2-667
Biostar 8100 AM2+ board
8500GT Nvidia PCIe card

my case power supply and harddrive and optical drives i carried over.

later on if i want to get a better card and processor i just have to upgrade the PSU .. but the system itself is well capable of handling the game and the cost was minimal.

[Motherland]

I just got my help Kermit, I don't need to. I was just pointing out that swapping a chip is not impossible or that some computer store people (the specially trained ones two) are liars.

You clearly have no clue what you're talking about, can you please stop posting 'advice' in a forum that's supposed to help people? Thanks.

[TilDeath]

You CAN NOT swap a graphics "chip", but you CAN swap a graphics 'card" See the difference?

X2

EDIT:  The cost of replacing an on-board graphics chip far out weighs the cost of a new motherboard and video card.  It is simply not done.  There is not a computer shop I know of that does any soldering on a MB.  To do so would take highly specialized tool's, optics to see what your doing (something close to a microscope), and a hand steadier then a surgeon.

Here is what one looks like mounted on a MB

[OOZ662]

Yep, the tolerances on motherboards pretty much only permit the replacing of capacitors. If you need to do that, you need a new motherboard. And most likely a new one of whatever the caps were feeding, most likely the CPU.

[Nemisis]

No problem, seeing as you know so much more  (thats why your asking questions on a BBS  ) I'll keep my info to myself, good luck.

Not what I was saying. I value your opinion. I just happen to know you can swap chips; not as easy or cheap as just swaping a card but it can be done.

Sorry if I offended you.

<S> The Fugitive.

[TilDeath]

Not what I was saying. I value your opinion. I just happen to know you can swap chips; not as easy or cheap as just swaping a card but it can be done.

Sorry if I offended you.

<S> The Fugitive.

Please if you don't mind... give me the name of one, just one company that will do this at any price.  Since you had it done this should not be to hard.  I was laughed at by a few friends in the business (building 3000 systems per month or more) as to why spend 400 to 1000 to have this done when you could get top of the line MB and GPU for less. 

[Nemisis]

It was a local store called Mike's Computer Shop. The owner was appearently trying to make fun of "Mikes hard lemonade" and he failed on that score. His real name was Douglas John, and said everyone called him DJ.