RAM upgrade OR a whole system overhaul?

[rock]

<myconfig>
Intel P4 1.7G, Intel 845 GLLY mobo, 256MB SDRAM,
Samsung 40-12-40 CD writer, 40 GB Seagate HDD
WIN98, WIN2K, MANDRAKE 9.1 with LILO as pri BL.
</myconfig>

I plan to increase my RAM to around 1GB. Something very uncomfortable with
the above config is that

- I cannot have DDR RAM,
- I cannot have external AGP card, neither can the onboard be upgraded
- I cannot get a decent graphics performance. Gp4 runs well in 16 bit mode.

I had initially got RAM chips which were incompatible leading to monitor
freezing a lot of times. This is a home computer and the usage is limited
to running java based applications which are real hungry on memory. I would
like to have atleast one IDE(Eclipse/IDEA), one oracle server instance, one
application server instance(Weblogic) minimally running simultaneously.

I am not into gaming( the sole reason i went with the above config). But I
do love to drive around the formula 1 sims ocassionally. I got GP4 and
F1 2002.

My dealer suggested that I totally get away with my older config and try
the new Intel 3.0G/865 mobo with DDR or AMD/ASUS combos.

Well, the cost of upgrading the whole thing would be anyways much much
more than getting 1GB RAM.

Should i just go for the RAM upgrade or it would be a waste of money again
as the one I did with my above config?

: andy

 

[jjyiz28]

just do the ram upgrade. why spend more than you need to. sdr ram is slightly more expensive than ddr, what with supply dwindling, but it aint bad.

 

[optimistic]

I can't see any future with SDRAM, and you'll be putting a huge investment into them buying 768MB. Might as well be ram that will last.

I suggest

Albatron 865PE mobo from newegg $80 shipped.
Keep current proc.
Get 1GB of DDR ram -your choice.

That's what I would do

 

[BigJelly]

Originally posted by: optimistic
I can't see any future with SDRAM, and you'll be putting a huge investment into them buying 768MB. Might as well be ram that will last.

I suggest

Albatron 865PE mobo from newegg $80 shipped.
Keep current proc.
Get 1GB of DDR ram -your choice.

That's what I would do

ditto

 

[rock]

Well, I am a bit confused. Just saw a very similar machine as mine running with
1GB SDRAM with 2.6 P4 processsor... Java applications run like win32 apps...

I just cross checked the prices. The price for an upgrade to 1GB would be round
about the same as changing my current config to something like:

P4 1.7G, Intel 865GBF mobo, 512 DDR RAM + my remaining config.

Also with the above mobo upgrade, I get the new DDR option + a slot
for AGP card, something like NVidia GForce.

I am also exlporing the ASUS A7N266-VM + AMD Athlon XP 2000+ CPU which
I am sure would be a cheaper and a worthwhile option.

What say?

: andy

 

[Chadder007]

Im not so sure that you can use the P4 that you have on a newer 865 or 875 chipset board. Its not a Northwood. ....at least I don't think they made 1.7's on the Northwood process. ?? Not sure what your "G" after 1.7 is for either.

 

[MasterFlash]

I guess the question is that P4 - 1.7 CPU 423 or 478 pin? It was made both ways. As long as it's 478 pin, whether it's Willamette or Northwood, it should work in the new mobo's, right?

I'd say if your comp is doing what you need it to do, and you just want a little boost for cheap, just grab a stick of 256 RAM. Save some money and upgrade to a new system when it's not meeting your needs.

 

[rock]

Well, neither was I. P4 1.7 fits into 865 GBF. But it is not mentioned
on the processor compatibilty list on intel. Also 865 GBF sports HT
technology which would be of no use with my processor, as it is not HT
enabled. HT mobo with a non HT processor, don't know who it would
work out.

G is GHz.

Anyways, I increased the system RAM to 640 MB(retaining one of the older
128MB sticks) and man the system is flying. I gave it a test run with
what i had had in mind for my work at home. No problems. I think 640MB
should be just okay.

And more 845 GLLY motherboards have this facilty of auto adjusting the
video RAM in use. With a 512MB boost, my test drive Grand Prix 4 was a
surprise as i could see the detail level 0 rendering of images with no
loss of game play. That's an improvement, though it is still running at
16 Bit.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

 

[sandorski]

SDRAM is a real performance killer for P4s, so going to DDR ram will give a decent boost by itself. Then you vidcard situation also is a problem. I don't see how you can't upgrade the mobo. You may as well get DDR while you're at it. 512mb DDR will also be better than 1gb of SDram, so don't get hung up on the amount of ram.