Upgrade or New?

[oxonium35]

Hi, I need some advice on whether to upgrade what i have or start fresh.
I have a 5 ish year old PC which I built for a friend (spec by me and changed by his budget so it wasn't what i would have done exactly but anyway) and it was pretty swish for back then. I've acquired it now and use it as my main pc.

Budget tight.

What I have is this:

Asrock conroexfire-esata2 mobo http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?model=conroexfire-esata2 LGA775 socket

CPU pentium D 3.4 GHz

with 2x 1 gb sticks of OCZ DDR2 RAM, then 2 x 512 mb sticks of RAM from a dell i acquired. (3 gb total)

With a radeon X1950xtx 512mb card

So my thoughts are to upgrade the CPU to a Q8300 (only £111.00), get some better fans and heatsink and attempt an overclock, does anyone know any reason why this would be a bad idea based on the hardware? I've done an overclock before, but using new hardware that i could read and use exactly what other people had done but what are the difficulties with what i've got?

I could change the RAM if need be.

Also i think i'll get a 30gb OCZ vertex SSD.

The stock performance of all other 775's looks not really worth the upgrade and I might as well plump for a whole new build. But if i can overclock then I think the performance increase would be worth breathing new life into an old build for perhaps a couple more years?

I'm not a highend gamer, i'm a slick media centre setup kinda guy, do a fair amount of picture, video and 3d processing, encoding, unpacking and just general file moving between my 6TB of HDD Just want a fast setup.

Thoughts please

Many thanks

 

[mp260767]

looking at the motherboard spec don't think it will take the q8300.

from what you have, take a look at the Dual-Core E6500 (£62), should be a decent upgrade from the pentium processor in it at the mo.

 

[sarge78]

Personally I'd start a new build, the old 945 mobo will be very limiting...
________
Buy vapor tower

 

[oxonium35]

Okay, well after a little research i think you're right in that it won't support the Q8300. But it seems it would support the Q6600 i found....don't know if anyone can confirm this?

So this goes back to my original question except replace Q8300 with Q6600.

 

[pastymuncher]

Your board will not take any of the 45nm cpu's at all so you are limited to the original 65nm Core2duo, Core2quad and E2*** series Pentium Dual cores. Yes a Q6600 would be a big upgrade over your old P4. The Core2 cpu's are much much better than the old P4 cpu's in every way.

Asrock boards are not the greatest clockers so you may find out that you will top out around 3Ghz with a Q6600. Make sure it's a G0 stepping (SLACR).

 

[oxonium35]

Hi all, i need some serious help as i now have a non functioning PC and don't know what to do!

Okay so from the above I discovered that the Q6600 was not supported on my board. So I got a Q6600 and purchased this board http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=4Core1600-GLAN

which is almost identical to my previous board but supports quad cores.

So I've plumbed in the board and installed the processor and it's all plugged as it should be. I would know it's almost identical to my previous and I built and tinkered with that all the time.

But it doesn't do anything! just a black screen, no post no bios no nothing. So i thought the processor might be bust but because it isn't new. But I put in my old processor which is supported too but also nothing at all!? all fans and drives spin up but that's it.

My only current thoughts are either power or graphics card? my power supply is only 350 W but that was fine on the old board and although it may then not be enough for the Q6600 but it definitely is enough for the old pentium D as i never had a problem with that. With the old processor in everything is the same except the board so surely that can't be much if at all more power?

Or graphics card, but I can't find anything suggesting my card wouldn't be compatible anywhere.

Please help I have a nonfunctioning PC and I can't live without it!

thanks

 

[mp260767]

have you checked to make sure all the power connectors are seated on the motherboard ?, theres the 24 pin connector and a 4 pin connector close to the where the processor sits near to the rear panel (where keyboard etc plug into).

also, is the graphics card seated properly.

 

[pastymuncher]

As above really. Sometimes the 24 pin plug is a pig to go in. I know it is on my Asus and you think it's in but in reality it has'nt clipped onto the socket properly. 4/8 pin isnt usually as bad but all the same, make sure it's plugged in all the way. Have you plugged the case power switch into the right pins on the board? Is it the right way around? Positive on the plug has a little triangle/arrow on it and needs to go on the correct header on the board. The manual should show the correct order and positive/negative.

Have you tried clearing the cmos using the header on the board?

What make is the psu and why on earth did you buy another Asrock board?

 

[oxonium35]

have you checked to make sure all the power connectors are seated on the motherboard ?, theres the 24 pin connector and a 4 pin connector close to the where the processor sits near to the rear panel (where keyboard etc plug into).

also, is the graphics card seated properly.

Thanks a lot for the reply this is driving me nuts, sent an inquiry to asrock regarding the issue also.

All the drives and fans spin up so surely that means power is seated properly? Both 24 pin and 4 pin are in as much as possible.

Graphics card again is seated as much as possible and a red light flashes on it upon power on

 

[oxonium35]

As above really. Sometimes the 24 pin plug is a pig to go in. I know it is on my Asus and you think it's in but in reality it has'nt clipped onto the socket properly. 4/8 pin isnt usually as bad but all the same, make sure it's plugged in all the way. Have you plugged the case power switch into the right pins on the board? Is it the right way around? Positive on the plug has a little triangle/arrow on it and needs to go on the correct header on the board. The manual should show the correct order and positive/negative.

Have you tried clearing the cmos using the header on the board?

What make is the psu and why on earth did you buy another Asrock board?

yeah the case power is all done right, it does power it all on, fans, HDD etc just nothing on the screen and it doesn't sound like it's doing anything

I haven't tried clearing the CMOS but it's a new board surely it is clear? never had to do this with a new board before. the PSU is just a 350W dell, never had a problem with it before. but one thing to note is the old board only had a 20 pin input to the board, whereas this one has 24. The PSU has a 24 though, so on the old one 4 pins hung over.

I bought another asrock board because i never had a problem with them before and it's almost identical to previous and thought it would be a simple chop and change, though in reality I knew nothing ever goes right!

it's definitely not a busted cpu, because the pentium D definitely works fine in the old board still

 

[Freddie1980]

Design Fail Seriously who thought this looked like a good idea? Ray Charles? Just look at where the motherboards power connection is located!

According to the CPU support list this board ISN'T compatible with the Q6600 or any C2D CPU post Conroe and even if you did get a say a E6600 on the cheap you would need to look at overclocking to make it pretty decent (although even at stock the E6600 is huge improvement over the crappy P4 your running) and I'm not sure if this dog turd of a motherboard is up to the task given that's its using old fashioned electrolytic capacitors.

I would say if you want an upgrade and you don't want to spend lots get a E6600 or a E6700 for the cheapest price you can find (I think these will have bottomed out at £20/£30) and try your hand at a mild overclock. To be honest I had a E6400 on a Gigabyte P965 DS3 and could get it to 3.1Ghz and that was considered one of the better early Conroe overclockers boards so that should give you guide as to what to aim for. If you can get it stable at 3Ghz then you've done well.

=================================

Edit:

I wish I looked at that dates and see you have already made the jump and got a CPU that isn't compatiable. Why didn't you check out the link YOU posted? On the left of that page it says 'CPU support list' and if you spent 10 seconds you woul have saved yourself a lot of trouble (and money by the looks of things).

I will help you but I need to moan about one more thing.

Hi all, i need some serious help as i now have a non functioning PC and don't know what to do!

Okay so from the above I discovered that the Q6600 was not supported on my board. So I got a Q6600 and purchased this board http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.as...4Core1600-GLAN

Why do you keep buying Asrock boards? Words fail me.

Anyway moaning over time to see if I can help. Sounds like it could be a RAM issue, try taking out the ram and put one module back in and see if that works. I see someone else has suggested the CMOS battery, in order for that to work remove it and leave it out for 10mins and put it back in, there's also a motherboard jumper (see the manual for it's location) that can do the same thing so give that a try as well.

 

[oxonium35]

Design Fail Seriously who thought this looked like a good idea? Ray Charles? Just look at where the motherboards power connection is located!

According to the CPU support list this board ISN'T compatible with the Q6600 or any C2D CPU post Conroe and even if you did get a say a E6600 on the cheap you would need to look at overclocking to make it pretty decent (although even at stock the E6600 is huge improvement over the crappy P4 your running) and I'm not sure if this dog turd of a motherboard is up to the task given that's its using old fashioned electrolytic capacitors.

I would say if you want an upgrade and you don't want to spend lots get a E6600 or a E6700 for the cheapest price you can find (I think these will have bottomed out at £20/£30) and try your hand at a mild overclock. To be honest I had a E6400 on a Gigabyte P965 DS3 and could get it to 3.1Ghz and that was considered one of the better early Conroe overclockers boards so that should give you guide as to what to aim for. If you can get it stable at 3Ghz then you've done well.

thanks for the input but i realise this board is not compatible you're looking at the old board, the new board is this one:

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=4Core1600-GLAN

which is, and this is the one i am having the issue with.

thanks

 

[oxonium35]

I wish I looked at that dates and see you have already made the jump and got a CPU that isn't compatiable. Why didn't you check out the link YOU posted? On the left of that page it says 'CPU support list' and if you spent 10 seconds you woul have saved yourself a lot of trouble (and money by the looks of things).

I will help you but I need to moan about one more thing.

Why do you keep buying Asrock boards? Words fail me.

Anyway moaning over time to see if I can help. Sounds like it could be a RAM issue, try taking out the ram and put one module back in and see if that works. I see someone else has suggested the CMOS battery, in order for that to work remove it and leave it out for 10mins and put it back in, there's also a motherboard jumper (see the manual for it's location) that can do the same thing so give that a try as well.

I didn't buy a processor that was incompatible! I realised it wasn't and i bought the processor and the new board simultaneously because i wanted to go with a quad core.

I bought the old asrock board a long time ago for no particular reason, i dunno it was like 5 years ago, price and other factors, but i never had an issue with that. The new one I got as it was a cheap almost identical change so i could get a quad core. I would not choose an asrock for a new build but this seemed a sensible minimal change.

Can a ram issue stop it posting? i have put the ram in and out and in different ways and only one in and no change. It works on old mobo still.

I can try the CMOS clear but again it is a brand new unused board can this really be an issue? can't hurt to try though i guess.

 

[oxonium35]

surely it's most likely:

1. Incompatible graphics card? anyone suggest this could be the case? i cannot find this out anywhere! (radeon x1950xtx)

2. Power issue (350W currently). But all worked on the conroexfire board fine.

3. Mobo fried

supplier is also suggesting ram issue, i'll try reseating ram again. the ram could be incompatible, i thought i had 667 mhz but maybe it's 533....that would be a stupid oversight but i can get more.

i'll also try the old conroexfire board without ram when i get home to see.....but does a pc not even POST without ram? i don't think i've ever fired one up without any before...

 

[mp260767]

long as its working properly the gfx card will be fine.

cmos clear is a good idea, BUT before you do it check to see if there is a cmos motherboard jumper, if there is check that its currently set to NOT clear CMOS.

if thats set ok then go through the process to clear cmos, as per the motherboard manual.

as for asrock they make decent boards, never had problems with the ones i've had .

 

[oxonium35]

I'll have to check when i get home but now thinking it must be that my ram is 533 MHz not 667 like I thought.

Would that prevent the system from even POSTing?

Feel pretty stupid if that is the case

 

[mp260767]

possibly, any chance you can loan a stick of 667 off a mate ?

is the mobo emitting any beeps when you try to boot ?

 

[oxonium35]

I'll have to check when i get home but now thinking it must be that my ram is 533 MHz not 667 like I thought.

Would that prevent the system from even POSTing?

Feel pretty stupid if that is the case

okay so i'm not a complete idiot, i got someone at home to check out the codes on the memory, it is 667. so back to square one again!

i can try reseating and clearing the cmos but not sure where else to go!

mobo no beeps or anything

 

[Freddie1980]

okay so i'm not a complete idiot, i got someone at home to check out the codes on the memory, it is 667. so back to square one again!

i can try reseating and clearing the cmos but not sure where else to go!

mobo no beeps or anything

This might sound a bit silly but just check the CPU is seated properly (and the right way around and whilst it’s out see if any of the pins are bent).

By the looks of things you have tried all the normal checks and even tried it with your old CPU, all the fans spin so the PSU checks out, swapped the ram around, cleared the CMOS (just double check the jumper setting) so it looks like this may need to go back to Asrock or the retailer you got it from.

 

[oxonium35]

This might sound a bit silly but just check the CPU is seated properly (and the right way around and whilst it’s out see if any of the pins are bent).

By the looks of things you have tried all the normal checks and even tried it with your old CPU, all the fans spin so the PSU checks out, swapped the ram around, cleared the CMOS (just double check the jumper setting) so it looks like this may need to go back to Asrock or the retailer you got it from.

Yeah it is all seated correctly, can't see any problem with any pins of the socket. I got word back from asrock and they say reset the cmos too so i'll do that and reseat the ram in many different ways and see what happens.

Many thanks to people posting here that at least convinced me it should be working and i haven't done anything or forgotten anything.