Is this upgrade worth it?

[JCROCCO]

I have an old P4 400 FSB, 1.8ghz, 256L2 PGA-478 CPU. My board can go up to 2.4, capabable of 533 FSB with 512 L2 cache

Changing the cpu will also allow me to utilize 333mhz PC2700 memory, as opposed to PC2100 266 now.

If I went to the new CPU, with the PC2700 memory, 533 FSB, and 512 L2, would I see a "noticable" system improvement?

I could change out the mobo, just not sure if that would be the best option. trying not to rebuild the whole thing. I dont really want to redo the HD if I dont have to.

I currently have:

(2) 512 PC2700 DDR installed in 2 slots (maxed out at 1g)
an 8x agp in a 4x slot

Would I be better off trying to find a mobo/cpu combo that has 8X and 2gig DDR with 3 or 4 slots with a faster FSB and CPU so I can reuse what I have?

BTW, I have 4 of these machines that I built all identicle, and have been upgrading them for the past 5 years, adding HD, more memory, better graphics, coolers, etc.

Also, if anyone has any good ideas of where I can go to get a mobo or a CPU for these I would appreciate the info.

 

[swing848]

It sounds as though you have a limited budget, so I will suggest a crossover solution.

CPU $75
Motherboard $66.32
Motherboard Information

 

[johnnyjohnson]

A 33% improvement in processor speed is not going to be that noticeable at all in day to day use. The 2.4 chip you are looking at is way overpriced for the performance you will get. If you're reasonably happy with the speed you have, then there's no sense in upgrading until you have to. If you want faster performance, anyone here is going to advise you to move to the Core 2 Duo. You'll be getting a 3 or 4 fold increase in performance.

 

[JCROCCO]

Not necessarily a limited budget, just trying to be conservative, aas the memory and the video card are both new, as are the CD/DVD burners.

If I went with a new mobo, does the HD or OS need to be redone???? I would assume so, but not sure. Not that thats a bad thing to do, just time consuming.

If I am going to do that, I would also want to upgrade my HDD to a faster one with more memory.

Maybe I need to go to a barebones model, and order only what I need.

 

[JWade]

are you wanting to reuse your video card? i would have to agree with e2140 and board is a good choice, you can get a realyl nice pci-e vid card in the for sale/trade forums at a really decent price too

edit: and the 2140 can be had cheaper too that $75, i have seen it in the low 60s for OEM

 

[swing848]

Originally posted by: JCROCCO
Not necessarily a limited budget, just trying to be conservative, aas the memory and the video card are both new, as are the CD/DVD burners.

If I went with a new mobo, does the HD or OS need to be redone???? I would assume so, but not sure. Not that thats a bad thing to do, just time consuming.

If I am going to do that, I would also want to upgrade my HDD to a faster one with more memory.

Maybe I need to go to a barebones model, and order only what I need.

Yes, you would have to zero the drive and reinstall Windows.

With this new information I am less sure of what you want to do. Please post how much you feel comfortable with spending and what you will do with the computers.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: swing848
Yes, you would have to zero the drive and reinstall Windows.

With this new information I am less sure of what you want to do. Please post how much you feel comfortable with spending and what you will do with the computers.

Reinstalling Windows has never required zero filling the drive, although when changing motherboards, it's usually best to reformat the partition/drive.

 

[Denithor]

Originally posted by: JCROCCO
(1) P4 1.8ghz
(2) 512 PC2700 DDR installed in 2 slots
(3) 8x agp in a 4x slot

BTW, I have 4 of these machines that I built all identicle, and have been upgrading them for the past 5 years, adding HD, more memory, better graphics, coolers, etc.

^Edited for applicable content.

If I read your OP correctly, you have 4 of these boxes with P4-1.8 + 2x512MB DDR + AGP video card, correct? Are you looking for more cpu power, more video power, or both?

Cheapest upgrade option:
ASRock 4CoreDual-SATA2 motherboard for $66 (C2D support with both DDR+DDR2 and both AGP+PCI-E)
e2140 (1.6GHz) for $75 or e2180 (2.0GHz) for $90

This lets you use your current RAM, video cards, etc and gives you a large boost in cpu power for $140-155 per machine. It will also allow you to upgrade your video cards to pci-e versions (much cheaper than AGP these days) and replace your DDR with cheap DDR2 if necessary (2GB DDR2 can be easily be had these days for <$50 without rebates).

The main advantage of this motherboard is that it allows you to upgrade your parts over time instead of all at once.

EDIT: The OS will almost certainly have to be done. Just do the repair install to wipe & replace system files only, leaving your stuff intact (after accepting the EULA, setup will check for previous versions of Windows; choose the repair option at this point).

 

[swing848]

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: swing848
Yes, you would have to zero the drive and reinstall Windows.

With this new information I am less sure of what you want to do. Please post how much you feel comfortable with spending and what you will do with the computers.

Reinstalling Windows has never required zero filling the drive, although when changing motherboards, it's usually best to reformat the partition/drive.

While that may have been true you, it is not completely true, however, it keeps Windows from causing problems due to data already being on the drive. Got a virus on a hard drive? It will still be there with a format. And, sometimes I have had Windows refuse to install because the OS, or part of it, was already on the drive.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: swing848

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: swing848
Yes, you would have to zero the drive and reinstall Windows.

With this new information I am less sure of what you want to do. Please post how much you feel comfortable with spending and what you will do with the computers.

Reinstalling Windows has never required zero filling the drive, although when changing motherboards, it's usually best to reformat the partition/drive.

While that may have been true you, it is not completely true, however, it keeps Windows from causing problems due to data already being on the drive. Got a virus on a hard drive? It will still be there with a format.

Yes, it's always true. First of all, he didn't say he had a boot sector virus. That occasionally requires zero filling the hard drive. Reinstalling Windows never requires zero filling.

And, sometimes I have had Windows refuse to install because the OS, or part of it, was already on the drive.

It sounds very much to me like you're confusing zero filling, and formatting, aka high-level formatting. Read this page to find out the difference: low-level formatting, zero filling, and high-level formatting explained. BTW, in case you weren't confused, reinstalling Windows has never required zero filling, only high-level formatting.

 

[swing848]

Thank you very much for trying to point me in the right direction. However, I already know the difference between high level and low level formatting. I also know that many people were confused by this because manufacturers used to refer to low level formatting when they were actually talking about zeroing the drive, or part of the drive.

As to your statement that Windows never needs to be zeroed and only high level formatting, understand that I am conservative and never like to take chances. There have been times when Windows has been effected by data on the drive prior to the format, virus or not. I mentioned a virus only because it is a red flag, and had nothing to do with the original post. My thrust and meaning was data left on the drive.

As you know, all a format does is remove links to data, it does not remove the data. Zeroing the drive destroys all data.

Thank you for your time and effort, I know that you are doing your best to help out another individual and that fact is not lost on me.

 

[JCROCCO]

Thanks for your help. I think I will stay with what I have for now. The added memory and better graphics card helped out alot, for less than $100. In the future, I may just go barebones, like I did originally with the 4 computers. I love it that way 'cause I only get the software I want on it, not all the crap the OEMs give ya. With duo core, PCI-e, DDR2, SATA, etc its hard to build a computer so you can upgrade it in the future.

Sigh . . .