NEW! old computer project

[Maximilian]

Ok ive set myself a goal here. A budget of £50-60 (around $100) and with the use of mainly ebay im gonna build myself a slot 1 based comp.

Heres what i already have:
Pentium 2 - 400mhz
cd-rw drive
seasonic 350w PSU
geforce 2 mx400

Heres what i might be able to get from my friend:
Case
Ram - unknown amount/type

Heres what i need:
ATX slot 1 mobo
compatible hard drive

This comp will be to prevent me lugging my bulletproof tower to and from home/uni during holidays/weekend visits and it will be used for e-mail,messenger,some light gaming such as starcraft. Itll also be fun to build since ive never fully built a comp from scratch before.
Now, is anyone savvy in old tech and could tell me what kind of mobo would be good? What hdd im looking for? i gather SATA wasent invented back in the 90's Anywhere else apart from ebay i can purchase obsolete stuff?

 

[imported_Kensai]

AT FS/FT.

Any old ATX Slot 1 mobo
Some ATA specced hard drive. ATA 33/66/100/133..

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Ebay

 

[DaveSimmons]

Put a "WTB - UK" thread in FS/FT forum, this old stuff goes for next to nothing.

intel BX chipset was the best for slot-1, add some PC100 RAM and you're set. Just watch out for "high density" PC133 RAM it will not work as PC100.

 

[Maximilian]

K, i did that

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BA19-2-x-Compaq-E...78QQcategoryZ99241QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

check that out ^

If the case wasent ugly and i wasent intent on building my own id buy that.

 

[Maximilian]

Ok scratch what was here before. Im gonna make a duel core pentium II beast!! with 512 MB sd-ram!! HELL YEA!!!

 

[BurnItDwn]

I doubt you will find this for cheap, but IMO, the BEST 440BX Slot1 mobo ever, was the Abit BH6. Mine died a couple of years ago due to a bios checksum error (Had it in use 24/7 for about 4 years with heavy overclocking & overvolting.) I abused the hell out of it, it was reliable up to it's death. By far, I liked that mobo better then any Piece of PC hardware I've ever owned. The only other piece of HW that I got as much use on was my olde Canopus Pure3d. I kept that card until I bought my Diamond Viper II card (after the Geforces came out.) The Viper 2 sucked for most things, but with the S3 Metal Drivers ... Unreal Tournament ran quicker on my $50 S. POS vidcard then on my buddies GeforceDDR.

 

[Farmer]

+1 on BH6. It was the PII/PIII king. Wasn't there also a BH7? I don't know if that was 440BX

 

[Maximilian]

The BH7 used the 845 chipset. Yea i was lookin at the BH6 and SH? earlier but then i decided i was gonna build a duel core pentium II rig. One that has a pretty flexible upgrade path just incase.

Tyan Tiger 100 (S1832) <-- I tried to get that mobo, but its only on ebay.com and the guy selling it ONLY uses fedex and they apparently charge $80 to my address.... so ah heck that lol, delivery should not cost more than the item... Im still lookin around for a similar board. I found so many good boards and then i see.... "RDRAM"... All i need is the following:

Duel core
AGP 2x/4x
onboard sound (not all that important)
support for pII/pIII aka 66/100 mhz busses
support for ata66 or greater
1GB SDRAM support

 

[Twsmit]

Why not go witha socket A??? You could probably pick up a Duron or early athlon for pretty cheap. Slot 1 is so old its not only slow, but the parts are harder to find.

im willing to bet you could build a 600-800mhz Duron for the same price or less than a 400mhz P2.

 

[Maximilian]

I dont like socket A.

 

[ramulack45]

How about a Banana Jr.

 

[BurnItDwn]

If you want Dual PII, PIII, or celly, then you may also wish to consider the Abit BP6. It came out a little while after the BH6, and people used to run SMP celeron 366 CPUs in pairs at 550mhz each. This was of course back before anyone had ever heard of "coppermine", so the top end CPU's on the market were like 600mhz first gen PIII CPUs.

I don't know if BP6 mobos are affordable/findable in this day in age, as I'm sure MANY of them are still being used in servers and also many "collecter" type enthusiasts like to hang on to cool boards and stuff.... Good luck with your hunt though.

Also, I too will recommend giving some consideration to Socket A & Slot A. If you want the best bang for the least buck, that is really the way to go.

Another option would be to pick up a dirt cheap used generic socket 478 mobo, and a cheapo used 478 celeron .. though you need to find ne that will run with whatever type of ram you have, and that may be an issue, or get expensive.

 

[Farmer]

If I remember correctly the 1st gen P3 cores were called Katmai.

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: Soviet
I dont like socket A.

why??? Its arguably one of the best sockets ever made

 

[Maximilian]

Originally posted by: nick1985

Originally posted by: Soviet
I dont like socket A.

why??? Its arguably one of the best sockets ever made

Too common. I want a duel pentium II system which i can upgrade to pentium III when people start sellin emm for £3 each.

 

[Maximilian]

Ive got two "Tyan Tiger 100" mobos in the watch list, and one comes with a free pentium II 400, which can match the one i have already Also got 512mb of ram for £16 2x256 Just leaves the case really... could be a problem as cases that look even remotely good cost more than £20

Im waiting for the free P2 guy to get back to me on shipping. The other ones in a nice lil box and shipping is only $27 working out as £45 overall for the whole thing. Fantastic compared to the guy that tried to get me to pay $45 for the item and another $80 for shipping...... "we dont trust umps or w/e ONLY FEDEX!!" so... screw that guy....

 

[Maximilian]

K, latest update on my P3 BEAST!

I went overboard and im jus gonna spend ma £100 that a got from diggin a hole and re-earn it by painting a room Thanks for generous parents.

I have purchased: (including postage/packing)
TYAN tiger 100 with duel PIII 600's with a free 128mb stick o ram -£45

Windows XP PRO -£9 (PS, if i was scammed by this as it is an amazing price, the guy lives in the same city my uni is in.... Ill teach him to scam me! If not WOW! i didnt know XP PRO came legit for £9.... He had a lot of good feedback too.)

 

[aahz19]

Haha, wow, that system has come a long way from a slot 1 400.....

I doubt you will find this for cheap, but IMO, the BEST 440BX Slot1 mobo ever, was the Abit BH6.

I have a BF6 that I still run ever day, after many many years, in my spare computer that has been in sooo many different configurations, as well as one major car accident (case, voodoo3, 350 p2, and 17" trinitron didn't survive). And yet, it's still rock solid.