Help speccing something solid for Vista

durbs · 11 Mar 2007 at 19:17

Hi, I've come to the end of my tether with Vista on my current rig which is

AMD X2 4800
Epox 9NPA+
Radeon 1950 Pro
Vista Ultimate OEM (which MS WILL be reactivating in this case!)

It simply doesnt work, it blue screens randomly all the time stating different causes each time (normally either due to PCI express slot, AC97 sound or memory). Its something on the Epox mobo it doesnt like (not a hardware issue as this was all functioning fine on XP). Been through it with their support who pointed me various places for NForce/AC97 drivers but in the end they said sorry they are not yet supporting Vista.

Therefore need a new mobo quick as i dont want to go back to XP now. As this is my main work machine i need it absolutely rock solid stable so can anyone recommend the cheapest upgrade (using Core2 Duo) that will give me the same or better performance than my X2 setup above and be fully supported in Vista. Realise i'll have to go new mobo/proc/mem to move from AMD --> Intel but what flavour would leave me least out of pocket without a performance drop?

Thanks.

gareth170 · 11 Mar 2007 at 21:13

durbs said:
Hi, I've come to the end of my tether with Vista on my current rig which is

AMD X2 4800
Epox 9NPA+
Radeon 1950 Pro
Vista Ultimate OEM (which MS WILL be reactivating in this case!)

It simply doesnt work, it blue screens randomly all the time stating different causes each time (normally either due to PCI express slot, AC97 sound or memory). Its something on the Epox mobo it doesnt like (not a hardware issue as this was all functioning fine on XP). Been through it with their support who pointed me various places for NForce/AC97 drivers but in the end they said sorry they are not yet supporting Vista.

Therefore need a new mobo quick as i dont want to go back to XP now. As this is my main work machine i need it absolutely rock solid stable so can anyone recommend the cheapest upgrade (using Core2 Duo) that will give me the same or better performance than my X2 setup above and be fully supported in Vista. Realise i'll have to go new mobo/proc/mem to move from AMD --> Intel but what flavour would leave me least out of pocket without a performance drop?

Thanks.

to me i world keep with AMD. ive had no problems with my setup. u just need a good motherboard..... i feel amd x2 cpus are faster then intel Core2 Duo cpus. also i don't like intel lol...

GraemeUK · 11 Mar 2007 at 21:27

gareth170 said:
to me i world keep with AMD. i feel amd x2 cpus are faster then intel Core2 Duo cpus. also i don't like intel lol...

Fanboy

masslac · 11 Mar 2007 at 21:28

gareth170 said:
to me i world keep with AMD. ive had no problems with my setup. u just need a good motherboard..... i feel amd x2 cpus are faster then intel Core2 Duo cpus. also i don't like intel lol...

Enjoy wasting your money.

gareth170 · 11 Mar 2007 at 21:45

masslac said:
Enjoy wasting your money.

im not wasting my money.. im happy with my setup. no problems, very fast.. people have they own choice. i prefer AMD... if u prefer intel thats your choice, i wouldn't say to u enjoy wasting your money

gareth170 · 11 Mar 2007 at 21:48

GraemeUK said:
Fanboy

it isn't about being a fan. people have they own choices of what they like..

csmager · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:13

gareth170 said:
it isn't about being a fan. people have they own choices of what they like..

It is rather ignoring the fact that Conroe is better, though.

masslac · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:14

gareth170 said:
if u prefer intel thats your choice, i wouldn't say to u enjoy wasting your money

Because I'm not, due to C2D being clearly superior.

gareth170 · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:24

csmager said:
It is rather ignoring the fact that Conroe is better, though.

masslac said:
Because I'm not, due to C2D being clearly superior.

but thats your choices to think that... theres people that will disagree... what people prefer is up to them...

durbs · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:35

Well i'm totally impartial to either AMD or Intel and simply choose the best bang for buck at the time which is why if i'm uprading now it'd be ridiculous to go AMD looking at every magazine review and benchmark out there.

That said the performance of my X2 4800 is superb, cant fault it at all, its just the falling over every 10 mins thats spoiling it somewhat (although thats not the procs fault).

I'm just after something of the same speed from Intels camp and i'm guessing that a cheap Core2 would offer the same Windows experience as the 4800?

csmager · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:36

gareth170 said:
but thats your choices to think that... theres people that will disagree... what people prefer is up to them...

Sorry, there's nothing to think. I've used both Intel and AMD - I'm not a particular fan of either. I'll buy what's best.

At the moment, Intel is best. Read the benchmarks.

korbk · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:38

If there's nothing wrong with your processor why don't you save yourself a load of dosh and buy a replacment motherboard. Surely any decent AMD board from one of the respected manufacturers will do the job.

gareth170 · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:44

csmager said:
Sorry, there's nothing to think. I've used both Intel and AMD - I'm not a particular fan of either. I'll buy what's best.

At the moment, Intel is best. Read the benchmarks.

well u buy whats best for u... doesn't mean other people have to agree.. i prefer AMD simple as that.....

durbs · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:44

korbk said:
If there's nothing wrong with your processor why don't you save yourself a load of dosh and buy a replacment motherboard. Surely any decent AMD board from one of the respected manufacturers will do the job.

Problem is its a skt939 proc so there'll be no new boards out that have been build explicitely to support Vista RTM (that i know of). Had my fingers burnt with my Epox mobo which is supposedly a superb board but just doesnt work so i'd rather get the latest tech.

Plus i've got tons of cash so its a nice excuse to uprade to Core2 - i just need to be sure that what i buy works 100% with Vista.

gareth170 · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:46

korbk said:
If there's nothing wrong with your processor why don't you save yourself a load of dosh and buy a replacment motherboard. Surely any decent AMD board from one of the respected manufacturers will do the job.

i agree. it would

masslac · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:48

gareth170 said:
well u buy whats best for u... doesn't mean other people have to agree.. i prefer AMD simple as that.....

Then you are a fanboy as previously stated.

durbs · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:51

korbk said:
If there's nothing wrong with your processor why don't you save yourself a load of dosh and buy a replacment motherboard. Surely any decent AMD board from one of the respected manufacturers will do the job.

......Or if someone does know of a 939 board that the manufs certify for Vista then i suppose it would be the most sensible route. And then save my major upgrade for when the quad cores etc drop in price.

korbk · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:52

durbs said:
Problem is its a skt939 ...Plus i've got tons of cash so its a nice excuse to uprade to Core2...

Ah, I thought it was AM2. Well, if you've got the money, it would be foolish not to upgrade, and C2D does give the best value for money at the moment.

gareth170 · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:52

durbs said:
......Or if someone does know of a 939 board that the manufs certify for Vista then i suppose it would be the most sensible route. And then save my major upgrade for when the quad cores etc drop in price.

u could a buy a asus A8R32-MVP Deluxe it works with vista... i have no problems running vista on it

gareth170 · 11 Mar 2007 at 22:59

masslac said:
Then you are a fanboy as previously stated.

so i must agree with what people say? and if i don't, ill get called a fanboy... lol what a joke