Does anyone own a Sempron?

[Bateluer]

My sister is complaining because The Sims 2 won't run on her system, as I informed her a full week before she bought the game. She's got a Duron 700 running on an ECS SiS735 based mobo, using SDR RAM, and a GF2 MX200. No clue why she thought she'd be able to run it, seeing how she falls short of every single one of Sims 2's system requirements. But thats neither here nor there.

I can't seem to find the board on ECS's website, and I cannot remember the model number on it. Because of this, I have no idea what CPUs the board supports. Given its age and lack of modern features, I suggested she just buy a whole new CPU, motherboard, and RAM. Motherboard and RAM are easy, but the CPU is proving difficult.

Cost is of a paramount concern. The slowest AXP Newegg sells is an XP 2000+ for 64 dollars. A Sempron 2200 is listed as 50 dollars.

Does anyone own a Sempron chip yet?

 

[bunnyfubbles]

I think its basically an Athlon XP Barton with half the L2 cache (256 vs 512) so performance would be like that of a pre Barton XP or a (ie Thorton, Thouroughbred, Palomino)

 

[Elcs]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
My sister is complaining because The Sims 2 won't run on her system, as I informed her a full week before she bought the game. She's got a Duron 700 running on an ECS SiS735 based mobo, using SDR RAM, and a GF2 MX200. No clue why she thought she'd be able to run it, seeing how she falls short of every single one of Sims 2's system requirements. But thats neither here nor there.

I can't seem to find the board on ECS's website, and I cannot remember the model number on it. Because of this, I have no idea what CPUs the board supports. Given its age and lack of modern features, I suggested she just buy a whole new CPU, motherboard, and RAM. Motherboard and RAM are easy, but the CPU is proving difficult.

Cost is of a paramount concern. The slowest AXP Newegg sells is an XP 2000+ for 64 dollars. A Sempron 2200 is listed as 50 dollars.

Does anyone own a Sempron chip yet?

A Sempron upgrade tempts me greatly even though I have no idea what its capable of. If PR Vs. PR they perform roughly the same and reasonably pitted against each other in price for their systems, Id go for a Sempron.

If you intend on overclocking.... Id be tempted to say the AXP but if Im assuming correctly, a Sempron has a 200 mhz bus/fsb/htt which is a guaruntee that most AXP's wont have.

I dont think you can really go wrong with either system. Trying to stay unbiased, what about Intel?

 

[Viditor]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
My sister is complaining because The Sims 2 won't run on her system, as I informed her a full week before she bought the game. She's got a Duron 700 running on an ECS SiS735 based mobo, using SDR RAM, and a GF2 MX200. No clue why she thought she'd be able to run it, seeing how she falls short of every single one of Sims 2's system requirements. But thats neither here nor there.

I can't seem to find the board on ECS's website, and I cannot remember the model number on it. Because of this, I have no idea what CPUs the board supports. Given its age and lack of modern features, I suggested she just buy a whole new CPU, motherboard, and RAM. Motherboard and RAM are easy, but the CPU is proving difficult.

Cost is of a paramount concern. The slowest AXP Newegg sells is an XP 2000+ for 64 dollars. A Sempron 2200 is listed as 50 dollars.

Does anyone own a Sempron chip yet?

For comparisons, Celeron 2.2, Sempron 2200, AXP 2000 should all be equivalent...
From there just find what you need on a mobo, and choose your best cpu/mobo combo price...

 

[theinsen1]

"Does anyone own a Sempron chip yet?"
well i got one and it not much different from my thoroughbred.
isay go for it
what mobo and ram u looking for?

 

[Cogman]

What is it with girls and "The Sims" My sister has gone CRAZY with them and has to have EVER SINGLE VERSION EVER MADE!!! I played it once, But after Getting the highest promotion on your job and then killing yourself what more is to the game?

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: Elcs

Originally posted by: Bateluer
My sister is complaining because The Sims 2 won't run on her system, as I informed her a full week before she bought the game. She's got a Duron 700 running on an ECS SiS735 based mobo, using SDR RAM, and a GF2 MX200. No clue why she thought she'd be able to run it, seeing how she falls short of every single one of Sims 2's system requirements. But thats neither here nor there.

I can't seem to find the board on ECS's website, and I cannot remember the model number on it. Because of this, I have no idea what CPUs the board supports. Given its age and lack of modern features, I suggested she just buy a whole new CPU, motherboard, and RAM. Motherboard and RAM are easy, but the CPU is proving difficult.

Cost is of a paramount concern. The slowest AXP Newegg sells is an XP 2000+ for 64 dollars. A Sempron 2200 is listed as 50 dollars.

Does anyone own a Sempron chip yet?

A Sempron upgrade tempts me greatly even though I have no idea what its capable of. If PR Vs. PR they perform roughly the same and reasonably pitted against each other in price for their systems, Id go for a Sempron.

If you intend on overclocking.... Id be tempted to say the AXP but if Im assuming correctly, a Sempron has a 200 mhz bus/fsb/htt which is a guaruntee that most AXP's wont have.

I dont think you can really go wrong with either system. Trying to stay unbiased, what about Intel?

Haven't really looked at the Celerons because their performance is usually much lower than competiting Athlons/Semprons and they cost more, but I could spec some parts to confirm it.

Thanks for the feedback.

Edit - Just went to Newegg and got some prices on Celeron chips.

Celeron D 320 74 dollars

Willamette based Celeron 1.7Ghz 53 dollars

The Sempron 200 is 50 at newegg and will utterly smoke the 1.7Ghz celeron. The Celeron D would probably perform much closer, even exceeding it in some cases, but it costs 74 dollars compared to 50 dollars of the Sempron.

And Intel gets ruled out.

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
My sister is complaining because The Sims 2 won't run on her system, as I informed her a full week before she bought the game. She's got a Duron 700 running on an ECS SiS735 based mobo, using SDR RAM, and a GF2 MX200. No clue why she thought she'd be able to run it, seeing how she falls short of every single one of Sims 2's system requirements. But thats neither here nor there.

I can't seem to find the board on ECS's website, and I cannot remember the model number on it. Because of this, I have no idea what CPUs the board supports. Given its age and lack of modern features, I suggested she just buy a whole new CPU, motherboard, and RAM. Motherboard and RAM are easy, but the CPU is proving difficult.

Cost is of a paramount concern. The slowest AXP Newegg sells is an XP 2000+ for 64 dollars. A Sempron 2200 is listed as 50 dollars.

Does anyone own a Sempron chip yet?

It's probably a K7S5A and with the latest bios a Sempron would work very well in it,it's it's fairly old my guess it that it's running pc133 sdram in it,a good upgrade would be a sempron & some DDR ram since the K7S5A supports both types of ram.

 

[MDE]

IIRC, Semprons have a 333FSB.

 

[Elcs]

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: Elcs

Originally posted by: Bateluer
My sister is complaining because The Sims 2 won't run on her system, as I informed her a full week before she bought the game. She's got a Duron 700 running on an ECS SiS735 based mobo, using SDR RAM, and a GF2 MX200. No clue why she thought she'd be able to run it, seeing how she falls short of every single one of Sims 2's system requirements. But thats neither here nor there.

I can't seem to find the board on ECS's website, and I cannot remember the model number on it. Because of this, I have no idea what CPUs the board supports. Given its age and lack of modern features, I suggested she just buy a whole new CPU, motherboard, and RAM. Motherboard and RAM are easy, but the CPU is proving difficult.

Cost is of a paramount concern. The slowest AXP Newegg sells is an XP 2000+ for 64 dollars. A Sempron 2200 is listed as 50 dollars.

Does anyone own a Sempron chip yet?

A Sempron upgrade tempts me greatly even though I have no idea what its capable of. If PR Vs. PR they perform roughly the same and reasonably pitted against each other in price for their systems, Id go for a Sempron.

If you intend on overclocking.... Id be tempted to say the AXP but if Im assuming correctly, a Sempron has a 200 mhz bus/fsb/htt which is a guaruntee that most AXP's wont have.

I dont think you can really go wrong with either system. Trying to stay unbiased, what about Intel?

Haven't really looked at the Celerons because their performance is usually much lower than competiting Athlons/Semprons and they cost more, but I could spec some parts to confirm it.

Thanks for the feedback.

Edit - Just went to Newegg and got some prices on Celeron chips.

Celeron D 320 74 dollars

Willamette based Celeron 1.7Ghz 53 dollars

The Sempron 200 is 50 at newegg and will utterly smoke the 1.7Ghz celeron. The Celeron D would probably perform much closer, even exceeding it in some cases, but it costs 74 dollars compared to 50 dollars of the Sempron.

And Intel gets ruled out.

Fair enough. Im an AMD man but deciding on a system without including some other possibly viable options isnt always best. Intel isnt the greatest in what you are after this time but there is always a case where the unconsidered option may be the best.

In this case, Intel isnt viable then so be it.

 

[Canterwood]

AFAIK the Sempron is a Barton with half the cache. Unless its a Sempron 3100+ , which is a 32bit only A64

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: Budman


It's probably a K7S5A and with the latest bios a Sempron would work very well in it,it's it's fairly old my guess it that it's running pc133 sdram in it,a good upgrade would be a sempron & some DDR ram since the K7S5A supports both types of ram.

That sounds like it might be the right board, but I am not certain which PCB revision she has, 1.1 or 3.1, the two listed in ECS's support section.

Probably have to call her and ask her to dig up the manual and see. I'd rather not have her open the case, she damages something every time she does.

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: Budman

Originally posted by: Bateluer
My sister is complaining because The Sims 2 won't run on her system, as I informed her a full week before she bought the game. She's got a Duron 700 running on an ECS SiS735 based mobo, using SDR RAM, and a GF2 MX200. No clue why she thought she'd be able to run it, seeing how she falls short of every single one of Sims 2's system requirements. But thats neither here nor there.

I can't seem to find the board on ECS's website, and I cannot remember the model number on it. Because of this, I have no idea what CPUs the board supports. Given its age and lack of modern features, I suggested she just buy a whole new CPU, motherboard, and RAM. Motherboard and RAM are easy, but the CPU is proving difficult.

Cost is of a paramount concern. The slowest AXP Newegg sells is an XP 2000+ for 64 dollars. A Sempron 2200 is listed as 50 dollars.

Does anyone own a Sempron chip yet?

It's probably a K7S5A and with the latest bios a Sempron would work very well in it,it's it's fairly old my guess it that it's running pc133 sdram in it,a good upgrade would be a sempron & some DDR ram since the K7S5A supports both types of ram.

I had a similar board to the K7S5A a couple years ago...it was some Asrock board that allowed for SDRAM or DDR. I used a 512mb stick of CAS 2 Crucial in it. My friend had a 512mb CAS 2.5(I think?) PC2100 stick that I swapped in there for testing, and my 3dmark2k1 scores went down a little. Gaming performance seemed about the same. I guess it was due to low latency SDRAM vs. high latency PC2100 DDR memory, so I never upgraded to DDR memory on it.

But I'm just rambling. You can get a low latency stick of PC2100 so cheap now you might as well. Back then, though, it was more expensive for me

 

[Toro 45]

The Sempron 2200 is the same as an Athlon XP Thoroughbred running at 1500mhz, except the sempy runs at 166fsb where the tbred runs at 133fsb. If you have a Fry's near you they have the Sempron 2200(oem) with an ECS mobo for $49.00 almost every week, this week my local frys had the Sempron 2400 (retail) and ECS mobo for $59.00 both are killer deals and the performance would be a big improvement for her. In the right board they can be good overclockers I was able to get my sempron2200(1500mhz.) up to 2200mhz(245fsb). Thats a 700mhz overclock on a budget cpu that was giving my moblie XP-M 2400 a run for it's money.

 

[Bateluer]

Just got off the phone with her. She was unwilling to spend the money to get the new mobo, CPU, and RAM. I then told her that her board could probably take a Sempron processor with a BIOS update. The Sempron 2200 and RAM would be less than 100 dollars. She was unwilling to do that. I then told her she could get a fairly healthy boost by simply adding some cheap PC2100 RAM to her computer, which would be unbelievably cheap. She was unwilling to do that. Her next question was if there was anything that I could do to her computer for free that would make it possible for her to play The Sims 2.

Keep in mind, this girl lives with her parents, eats on her parents budget, and goes to school on a combination of state and parental funds. Women . . . .

 

[Toro 45]

Overclock the Duron if the board can raise her fsb and she might squeeze a little overclock on her video card, thats about it for free.

 

[AnnoyedGrunt]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Her next question was if there was anything that I could do to her computer for free that would make it possible for her to play The Sims 2.

Keep in mind, this girl lives with her parents, eats on her parents budget, and goes to school on a combination of state and parental funds. Women . . . .

Options:
1. Buy the stuff for her (B-Day, Christmas, Be Nice To Sister Day, etc.)
2. Tell her to sell the game to a friend with a better computer and then go to the friends house to play the game (or maybe she could "loan" the game to the friend).

Good luck Bro!

-D'oh!

 

[Bateluer]

Kinda ticks me off, it does take a little bit of effort to spec a cheap upgrade.

About all I'm willing to get her for Christmas is a CDRW and MAYBE my old 9600 Pro vidcard. I don't think any other relatives could be convinced to do anything else either, she rarely uses the machine as it is. Just Sims and homework. Hehe, ironically, she'll type up reports on my mother's machine. This is a direct quote: "Mom's computer feels faster." Mom's computer is also a 1Ghz Tbird, 384MB of SDR RAM, and a lean install of Win2k. Her current machine is a 700 Duron, 256 MB of SDR RAM, and an XP install thats ultra bloated with junk she DLs from the internet.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Toro 45
Overclock the Duron if the board can raise her fsb and she might squeeze a little overclock on her video card, thats about it for free.

If you have a T&L capable video card with at least 32 MB of video RAM (such as nvidia GeForce 2 or better or ATI Radeon 7000 or better) then you need at least:
800 MHz processor
256 MB RAM if Windows XP
128 MB RAM if Windows 98, Windows ME, or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 gigs of free hard drive space

If you have a non-T&L capable video card (such as TNT2, Intel, or Rage for example) then you need at least:
2.0 GHz processor
256 MB RAM if Windows XP
128 MB RAM if Windows 98, Windows ME, or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 gigs of free hard drive space

1) Overclock that CPU. Set it in BIOS to 133 FSB for 933MHz. If it runs stable, great! If it runs, but not stable, up the voltage using the pin trick. If it doesn't run at all, lower the multiplier to 6X. If it doesn't let you set to 133 in BIOS (IIRC it does) then use the pin trick for FSB detect. The www.ocinside.de) web site may be of some use for these mods. If you get it to run fine overclocked but it seems a bit warm, or it runs fine at first but then overheats and becomes unstable/locks, then time to get a new HSF for it. Choose whatever unit that has a copper core and uses an 80mm fan. The Coolermaster X-Dream II runs $15 at Fry's. If your sister can afford the game she can afford $15+tax. Or, give it to her as a gift as AnnoyedGrunt suggested.

2) Does she have the minimum amount of RAM for the version of Windows she runs? More RAM would be the most expensive upgrade. If she doesn't have enough RAM and absolutely cannot pay... dunno. You can find 256MB DDR RAM for around $30 AR.

3) Most MX200 video cards have 32MB RAM. AFAIK the GPU supports hardware T&L. Install coolbits.reg and overclock that puppy.