newbie!

[elwellnick24]

right, i aint doin very well at all.... ???    tried to follow that link, but cant get the bios number up.... looked on compaq website, all i could find was the model number
DT049-69001
GAMILA
but this was for the asian pacific version, not the uk! im stuck....

[the_autopilot]

hi all, im a newbie here, but ive been flyin for about 6 months now an im (slowly) figurin it all out. my question is....
my pc-
intel celeron 2.8 ghz
512 mb ram
80 gb hard drive
ge-force 5700 le graphics

i would like to upgrade my processer because the one ive got isnt exactly brilliant. can i replace it with a pentium one or am i stuck with a celeron? the pc itself is less than a year old, but i'd like to improve it
 cheers all    :)

Two things you definitely need to upgrade. The CPU and the gfx card with the CPU having the higher priority.

Tell us your socket number (your mobo specs tell you this) and the amount of money you are willing to spend.

As for your gfx, i assume you have AGP, and I would recommend a nvidia 6600 gt.

[bm]

You will probobly need a tool called Everest Home edition (Formerly Aida32) to find this stuff out. I was holding off suggesting it due to the fact I see there is a rather intrusive registration form - I've done it but there doesn't seem to be an easy way.

Birdman.

[elwellnick24]

ok,
Field      Value
Motherboard Properties      
Motherboard ID      10/16/2003-SiS-651-6A6IXM4EC-00
Motherboard Name      MSI MS-6575E
     
Front Side Bus Properties      
Bus Type      Intel NetBurst
Bus Width      64-bit
Real Clock      100 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock      400 MHz
Bandwidth      3200 MB/s
     
Chipset Bus Properties      
Bus Type      SiS MuTIOL
Bus Width      16-bit
     
Motherboard Physical Info      
CPU Sockets/Slots      1
Expansion Slots      3 PCI, 1 AGP
RAM Slots      2 DIMM
Integrated Devices      Audio, Video
Form Factor      Micro ATX
Motherboard Size      230 mm x 240 mm
Motherboard Chipset      SiS651
     
Motherboard Manufacturer      
Company Name      Micro-Star International
Product Information      http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_list.php
BIOS Download      http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/bios/bos/spt_bos_list.php
i really hope this helps!  cheers all  :)

[asda_price]

For Elwellnick24,

These specs certainly help, and prove that your mobo is able for an AGP video card upgrade. Change your GeForce 5700 LE to at least a GeForce 6600 GT. If you are willing to spend a bit more, then I recommend to for you to get the GeForce 6800 GT. The latter is a very popular card within flight simmers for its good value for money graphics.

As for your memory (RAM) I should think that 1GB Corsair DDR Value Select PC2700 is perfect. The RAM and GeForce 6800 GT together cost a measly

[elwellnick24]

ok, thank you very much for your help. my motherboard
is made by micro-star international, its model number is
ms-6575.  there is a whole heap of info, but i wont put it all cos i have no idea what most of it means!   once again, thank you for your help, your definatley makin my life a hell of a lot easier!    :)

[asda_price]

Great! I can finally produce a list of processors that would dramatically improve your PC!

Your mobo uses a PGA478 socket, meaning it can be upgraded with a P4 w/HT that utilises this socket type (478 pins). It also has an AGP slot that suppprts up to 4x. Furthermore, it has 2 DIMM slots that only support up to PC2700. I heartliy recommend the P4 3.2GHz w/HT (PGA478 Socket).

Here is the complete list of what I recommend are the best components to improve your PC, and they are from Overclockers UK.

The Processor:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Intel_Pentium_4_Socket_478.html
The fifth option down - the Intel Pentium 4 Prescott 3.2GHz with HyperThread Technology.


The RAM:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Corsair_Value_Select.html
The sixth option down - Corsair 1GB DDR Value Select PC2700 CAS2.5 Kit. Your mobo only supports up to PC2700, but this should be very good enough.


The GPU (Graphics Card)
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/GeForce_6800_GT.html
The second option down - Asus V9999GT/TD GeForce 6800 GT 256MB DDR3. Your mobo only supports up to AGPx4, but the GPU will be able to clock itself down to operate at AGPx4. It should be perfect!


The total calculated cost of these components including UK mainland delivery and 17.5% VAT is a superb

[elwellnick24]

oh yeah, youve def convinced me!  im gonna start with the processer first, then build it up as and when funds allow.  so when i get the processer how do i go about changing it? is it a straight swap, or a bit more involved than that? and how do they 'attach' to the board? is it just a case of pulling them off? i cant thank you enough for your help, the staff at my local computer shop just looked blankly at me......

[asda_price]

Elwellnick24,

First of all, you're welcome. It has been my pleasure to help you.

The following link is to the download page of your mobo. In it is a detailed guide of how to change all the components of your PC (CPU, GPU, RAM...).

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/manual/mnu/spt_mnu_detail.php?UID=307&kind=1

I myself retrieved all the details from this guide. Don't be surprised by the file extension, it is an exe but a self-extracting file. On my PC, the buttons didn't have writing but '??'. Just type in the path you would like to extract the manual to and click the '??' on the bottom left.

Read the manual, purchase the components, then come back and show us some screenshots! Reply back if you have everything. Will you buying the CPU tonight?

Cheers,

Rob

[elwellnick24]

okey dokey!  i will be buying the processer tomorrow, i left my credit card at my mums house, so until i get that back i cant do anything. but i cant wait to get it all sorted, it will be nice to start crankin everything up! right, im off to read the link now, see what i can understand! cheers mate  :)

[asda_price]

It's been my pleasure to help a fellow flight simmer. Don't forget to tell us when you get the CPU so we can help you any way we can. You can also send a PM to me, and I can help you with the installing.

Cheers,

Rob

PS. Don't forget to brag about your specs in your sig... ...!

[bm]

I don't think this is going to work. I believe that this board has a maximum FSB of 400Mhz - Meaning that your new 3.2Ghz P4c with HT 800Mhz FSB would be throttled back and wouldn't be able to use HT at all.

I may be wrong but please just wait for a bit more feedback from of the resident experienced techies before you jump in!

A day or two wont hurt!
Birdman.

[elwellnick24]

ok, ill hold off for a bit, but no disrespect intended to asda_price.      what does fsb actually stand for? cheers  :)

[asda_price]

FSB stands for Front Side Bus, and it is the term used to describe the CPU data bus. This bus carries all information that passes from the CPU to other devices within the system such as RAM, PCI expansion cards, hard disks, etc. In other words, it provides commuunication with the other components of the PC.

The Front Side Bus is now being replaced by more modern technology, most notebly by the HyperTransport Technology on the AMD Athlon 64 CPU line.

I think that Birdman is right about the CPU, but I'll have to ask my brother, as he is a real computer expert. I don't think it would be a bad thing to also buy a new motherboard. With a new motherboard, you'll also be able to buy an LGA775 CPU and a PCI-Express GPU, which I have nothing but praises for. PCI-Express is twice the speed of AGPx8 and is the solution for the future for fast speeds. A new motherboard doesn't cost much (only around

[elwellnick24]

thanks very much, dont worry about the mistake, we all make them!  im havin thoughts as to whether to buy a new pc, i will have a look to see what is available for