seeking mobo advice

[Nooyawkah]

My mobo recently departed this earth. My system has:
Athlon XP 1800+, 512 DDR 2100 RAM

As I have to buy one anyway, I was looking at both the SOYO Dragon and the ASUS with KT 400 chips, 2.0 USB and 4 IDE connections. It seemed like a good way to plan for a future upgrade.

Does it make sense to do that now or should I just buy a $75 mobo and not worry about upgrading? I guess I don't know if the KT 400s will be ENOUGH motherboard for processors and memory that come out a year from now.

[BigBlue66]

I would stick with the KT333 chipset for now. I plan to wait for the KT400(a) chipset. They should have some of the bugs worked out by then, specifically true DDR400 support, AGP8X problems fixed, etc.

I suggest the MSI KT3 Ultra2. The board is loaded with features and I hear tell it will support the newer 333Mhz FSB Athlons.

[ranchdog]

If/when the Hammer chips arrive we will all need

a new Mboard to use them. They will incorparate

a new pin design so the present 462 pin socket

won't be compatable.

With the chip and memory you have available now

the MSI KT3 Ultra2 is a good choice. CPU upgradeable.

This is a real crazy time frame for trying to have

the latest and greatest hardware. Example: AMD.

Now we have "B" model XP2200+ chips starting to show

up. They have the AIU stepping code. The "B" chips

have the extra layer so the core heat is reduced.

VIA got ahead of themselves with the KT400 chipset as the

DDR400 standards haven't been set yet. The KT400 has problems.

Time to let the dust settle, until at least after the 1st

of the year.


RD.

[Whyzman]

If you're looking to get by until the dust settles, as RD and BB pointed out, and you want to save $20.00. You might want to consider the ECS K7S5a. It will support your current RAM. Easy board to set up. I used one earlier this year to build at the recommendation of one of the regulars here iisbob.

[gwallen4]

The ECS K7S5a MB that Whyzman recommended is on sale at New Egg for $53.99 with free shipping.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=22&manufactory=1414&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1

[Budfred]

Hey Whyzman,

I bought that board too and I am trying to set it up, but I can't figure out the pin assignments from the manual. If I am reading it right, you have to crisscross two solid connectors to make it work and the last time I studied any physics, that is impossible. I assume you did figure it out, can I ask you for some pointers???

Thanks,
Budfred

[Whyzman]

Budfred,

Do you mean for the Speaker, LED, etc.?

If so, I seem to remember they are marked on the board itself...which I analyzed with the assistance of an optical enhancement device (I used a magnifying glass). :D

[Budfred]

Those are then ones I am talking about, but they don't seem to match up well with the connectors I have in the case (a RaidMax) and don't seem to match up with the manual either. I sent an email to ECS, but no word from them yet. I may ask for more help with this as I tinker with it.

Thanks,
Budfred

[ranchdog]

Looks like the later version

of the KT3 Ultra2 will take

any processor coming down the pike.

Version 1.0A1

(until the Hammer)

EDIT: Can't get the AMD link to work.


RD.

[Whyzman]

I put the ECS into an Enlight case and I would submit that you're not flying solo with :confused: the head scratching. My ASUS A7v133 which is also housed in a similar Enlight produced much the same consternation...

I remember comparing the ASUS and ECS Manuals trying to get a handle on the connections.

I just took a look at the manual after d/ling from ECS in an attempt to jog the old synapses....I think there was a three pin connector from the case and only a two pin MB connector available. I'm reaching here now, but I seem to remember moving a wire over in the case connector to align with the MB pin....do you have anything resembling that going on??