Need upgrade advice

[jariten]

Hi folks! I was wondering if I could get some opinions on an upgrade path for my setup. I currently have 2 very similar computers, both Slot-1 P3/550s, with 256MB SDRAM each. I am upgrading one to an AMD system, and am debating what to do with the other, which I wanted to spruce up with a smaller investment.

The machine I want to upgrade acts as a very small W2k file server in my home, serving 2 other machines. It is not used for gaming. I burn CDs and encode mpeg2 video on it in the background every now and then, usually overnight.

After upgrading my other machine, I will have available: 2 slot-1 motherboards, 2 p3/550 processors, 4 128MB SDRAM sticks.

My thoughts were either 1) getting a new CPU (e.g., a 1gig P3 with a slotket), or 2) getting a dual slot-1 board. I could do either for around $100, and not have to upgrade anything else. If I go with option 1, I will have 2 CPUs collecting dust. If I go with option 2, I will have 2 motherboards collecting dust. Or is sinking any money at all into a slot-1 configuration is a waste at this point?

Thanks!

 

[CrazySaint]

Consider that for the same $100, you could get a cheap socket A motherboard and a Duron that will outperform any P3, even with only SDRAM.

 

[crazychicken]

idea 3)

sell both boxes whole and working, then take the sale $, add whatever you wanted to spend, and buy a good machine

just my opinion (sp? hahahahaha i'm retarded)

david

 

[jariten]

Ahh I guess it's true that neither of my options would be decent... but the main machine I'm upgrading would be an athlon xp 2100 on a via333 board, so I will finally have a relatively up-to-date setup. It just feels so wasteful to toss these old parts aside! And I'd feel doubly guilty upgrading both machines - leaving me with twice as many parts to toss in the bin

Would a duron really outperform a dual p3/550?

 

[human2k]

Originally posted by: jariten

After upgrading my other machine, I will have available: 2 slot-1 motherboards, 2 p3/550 processors, 4 128MB SDRAM sticks.
q]


slot boards and slot cpus are dated............you cant do much with SDRAM anymore (everything uses DDR or RDRAM).....sell that stuff or donate it...............and start from scratch.

 

[cmdrdredd]

get a good P4 for your main rig and the secondary one go with a cheap Athlon Xp 1600+ woth a Kt266A board...good speed and great prices now.

 

[Zugzwang152]

100 bucks can get you a kt133a mobo (i have a cheap shuttle, and it was only 40 bucks 8 months ago), then you can use all your ram and throw it into your new system. You'll only get 384MB out of it, unless you scrounge and find a mobo that has 4 DIMMs. the remaining money will get your just about any Duron you want or a low end T-bird. Enjoy!