System upgrade queries

mikeo

mikeo

mikeo

Soldato
Joined
17 Aug 2005
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Location
SW Scotland
Hi

After much fanny about (as they say) I've decided to upgrade my current system (as per sig.). New parts ordered are:

1) MSI K8N SLI-FI SLI 939 mobo (looks fairly reasonable).
2) Athlon 64 4000+ retail
3) OcUK Galaxy GeForce 7900 GC 512MB

and a new copy of Windows XP SP2 OEM. Could have tried to get away with my current copy, but it's an old pre SP1 version and I decided to legit anyway.

All other bits are reusable from existing PC.

I know some people will say "dead socket set etc" and Core 2 is the way to go but it would have been a lot more expensive. Did look at the ASROCK card that supports Core 2 and both AGP/PCIe but decided that I did not like the limitations (just my opinion).

So... it would be much appreciated if I could get some help from the more knowledgeable on this forum. Should point out while I've changed most bits in a PC before, I've never put in a new mobo/CPU and installed Widows. Done loads of reading up on it, hopefully prepared. Some outstanding queries in my mind are:

1) I have a Sata2 Hitachi drive currently running Sata1. I have created the bootable floppy to switch it to Sata2. Question. Can I do this on the new system "before" I install the new operation system? IE. will it boot from this disk without an OS present?

2) When running the Windows install, as my current HD obviously has stuff on it, including OS, I appreciated I will have to re-format it. Question... do I just deleted the two current partitions during the install process? and then set up the partitions I want and re-format?

3) The new mobo supports Sata2. Will I be able to use my older Sata1 drive on it? IE. is the Sata2 controller on the board "backwards compatible".? This is because I'm cloning my current HD to this drive. Thought I could then just pick up anything I want to carry over to the new build (NB. I have seperate backups of important files as well... just in case).

4) If you can run Sata1 drive on a Sata2 controller. Is there any problems running my new Sata2 HD and my old Sata1 drive together?

5) If I try to boot the new PC and it finds 2 operating systems
IE. new one on SATA2 HD and old one on the Sata1 HD (so I can pick up data etc.) will the new system get upset? Or will it just boot from the new drive, or does it give you a chance to choose?

6) The last question is an old chestnut and I have done a search on this one but am still undecided as to the answer. Will I be OK running my 4 512MB memory modules on this mobo/CPU combination. I know everyone says 2 1GB sticks are better. But 4 sticks is what I have. I've checked on Crucials site and it says the one set of memory is OK on this mobo. The other set is a matched pait that came with the original PC (2 512MN Hyundai HYMD26464B8J). All memory currently running at 3,3,3,8 and I'm assuming 2T (but can't find this setting in the BIOS to check).

7) I have been an ATI fan for a while but decided the OcUK card looked a good buy and it does give me the option of SLI at some point. Anyone got any comments on this card that I might find usefull, as Nvidia is a bit of a blank book to me these days (last Nvidia card was a Geforec ti420 I think).

A long post I know and some of the questions may seem obvious to some. But to a first time builder, I want to be as certain as I can be.

Thanks in advance.

PS. I have done a lot of seraching on this forumn before posting, but still a little unsure of all the above.
 
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1) never heard of whatever this is, someone else will have to answer this one, i have a sata 2 drive with a pin in the back to swap it between sata 1 / sata2 modes and it requires nothing other than changing the pin

2) you could format the drives prior to windows install, or you could format them whilst in the windows install (xp has built in format) or you can even leave the data on the drives and just put on a fresh windows install, bear in mind though you will still need to re-install some programs after this but all your data will be there EXCEPT anything in "my documents" this is always lost
OR put any data you actually want to keep onto the second partition, then in the windows install wipe the first drive so you have a clean start but all your essential data can still be copied back from second drive

3) yes it will work fine, it will just run at sata 1 speeds

4) no

5) windows will give you a menu to select either operating system at boot up

6) hmmm running 2 sets of different memory in my eyes is a complete NO-NO the additional memory will not compensate for all the drawbacks it will bring. it will make your system run slower guaranteed, they will atleast default to the speed of the slowest set, and using two different sets like this can sometimes cause system instability, if the new set is far faster than the old set then id just ditch/sell/re-assign to a different pc the old set and just run 1gig of the newer memory, if both sets are comparable (speedwise) just dont buy a new set
Or buy a 2 stick 2gig set which is guaranteed to work

7) just install card and get latest nvidia drivers and you'll be rocking
 
mikeymike

Thanks for the reply.

Disappointed to hear about the memory.

So running the better Crucial 1MB RAM in Dual channel (2 x 512MB) is probably going to be better than the 4 sticks?

You say "if both sets are comparable (speedwise) just dont buy a new set" quite what do you mean by this?

Buying more memory in the short term is probably a no no, as I'm pretty broke now having bought the other bits.

Thanks again....
 
i mean if your old memory is DDR400 (not DDR333 or DDR266) then just keep that in there, if it is however older and slower than DDR400, then use the crucial DDR400 kit
just dont mix and match, this does not work, memory controllers cant handle it
 
mikeymike

Thanks again.

Both pairs of RAM that are running in my current machine appear to be PC3200, which I think is DDR400 and both matched pairs of memory modules appear to run in dual channel mode on my current PC (though I seem to have read somewhere before, that Pentium 4 CPU / motherboards are not so fussy as Athlon ones). Though only obvious difference, is one pair is Crucial and one Hyundai.

I suppose the answer is to try it.
 
Hello again...

Anyone out there with input to my first question..

IE.

" I have a Sata2 Hitachi drive currently running Sata1. I have created the bootable floppy to switch it to Sata2. Question. Can I do this on the new system "before" I install the new operation system? IE. will it boot from this disk without an OS present?"

Thanks...
 
I don't think you need to install drivers for sata anymore unless you will be running a raid array of course. I think the sata controller on the motherboard sorts it all out. As already stated, does your hard drive not have a jumper on the back to select sata 1/2? If you do need to install drivers press F6 when prompted by the windows installation.

I honestly think you would have been ok with your old version of xp. Mine is the pre sp1 oem version and i have had several upgrades since it was first installed on a XP 2000 machine. I have had to phone Microsoft a couple of times to reactivate and have had no problems.
 
pastymuncher

Hi... I agree about not having to install Sata drivers as long as running post Windows XP SP1. Unless running Raid as you say.

The new Hitachi Sata2 drives don't have a jumper on the hard drive themselves to enable Sata2, you have to use a bootable floppy that you have to create from their WEB site (which I've now done). Just not sure if you can boot with it without an O/S installed, I suspect you probably can.

You are probably right about me buying a new copy of Windows. But at least I wont have to apply SP1/2 and I also appear to get an "update to Vista voucher" with the new O/S disk, or so it says in the product description on the Esellers WEB site.

Thanks for your input.

PS. The graphics card from OcUK has turned up already. Not bad as I only ordered it around lunchtime yesterday and it arrived 10AM this morning. Now all I need are my other bits to arrive.
 
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tulloch2003

Very impressed with the graphics card, excellent value for money. Nice large Zalman cooler on it and it's also dead cool (IE. unless you put your ear right next to it, you can't hear it). Memory is the speedy 1.2NS stuff (as opposed to the more normal 1.4NS on the standard 7900 GS's). The memory modules are also fitted with nice little heat sinks. On my new system it has given Oblivion a nice boost, though this particular game is a pig to run on any machine. Prey now plays with all setting on high, 4x antialiasing and 8x anisotropic filtering and can even set Vsync on (I always find there is a lot of vertical tearing in DOOM3 engined games otherwise) and according to FRAPS, the frame rate hardly ever drops below 60 FPS. So all told, a happy man. Until Windows Vista and DX10 comes out that is. Can't see the point in paying BIG bucks for a graphics card at the moment, there will be an entire new generation of cards coming out next year.

The only down side in my case, was I had to RMA the first card, as it started producing artifacts after only a couple of days (and that was at stock setting). Don't let this put you off though, just bad luck, as there are always the odd duff card about.

Your other option at this price point, would be an ATI X1950pro. But I decided I liked the look of the Nvidia card. My previous two cards have been ATI (9800 pro and X800pro) but decided on a change. As my board is an Nforce4 SLI it gives me the option of adding another card at some point. Mind you, it would be a tight fit in SLI mode with that size cooler! Though I have measured it and another card would fit. Though having said all that, I'll probably wait until more DX10 cards are out and go Vista at some point. Currently building another machine to try Vista on.
 
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