Upgrade Pairing of Hardware Advice.

[TomPabst]

Hi Guys....

I wonder if I could tap into your collective knowledge....ask for your
opinion/advice on the following:

Recently had an MSI K7 Master go bad (new board) and coupled with some
unusual circumstances I now find myself needing to reassemble two
computers with the following (this is not hypothetical...I have these
pieces of hardware at the moment):

CPU:
1 AMD T-bird 1.20 (unlocked)
1 AMD T-bird 1.333 (unlocked)

Mobo:
MSI K7 Master (replaced bad board)
ASUS A7M266 (new, unused)

Video:
Creative GeForce-2 ULTRA
Guillemot Geforce 3 (3D Prophet-3)
3dfx V5 5500

Cooling:
1 stock "retail" AMD fan
1 Swiftech MC462-A (air) new, unused.

I have two ATX cases, both with Antec 400W power supplies and each
with dual intake and dual exhaust 90mm case fans and 120mm "blow hole"
fans vented left side over the CPU/Video card positions. Along with,
the normal assortment of sound (two SB Live 5.1 X-Gamers), hd's, DVD's
etc. I also have four stickds of 256mb PC2100 DDR Ram (planning on two each box).

I planned to match up this HW as follows:

Box #1 (primarily a gaming rig):
MSI K7 Master, 1.333 AMD Athy (OC'd to about 1.50?), GF-3 and Swiftech
fan

Box #2 (primarily a graphic, business and sound production rig):
ASUS A7M266, 1.20 AMD (not OC'd), GF-2 and AMD retail fan.

My thinking here is that the K7Master allows changing the clock
multiplier and the ASUS A7M only allows changing the FSB for OC
purposes. The GF-3 doesn't like an FSB above 133mHz....so I'd have
better chances of getting a stable OC'd system with the GF-3 if it was
married to the K7Master. Plus, the GF-3 has the best "future
potential" as a "gaming rig" video card...so I'd want that in the
fastest mobo/CPU combo I can create with this HW mix. Both boards have AMD 761 Northbridge and VIA southbridge chipsets.

This is my thinking....but I may be missing something? I'd sure
appreciate any of you that would pair up this HW differently.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

Tom


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Tom Pabst
www.pabst-racing.com

Sys Specs:
OpsSys: Win98SE,IE 5.50+ /DX8
Mobo: ASUS A7V133 (VIA KT133 chipset)
CPU: Athlon T-bird 1.2gig
Ram: 512 meg(PC133)
HD: 20 Gig
Vid: C-Labs Annihilator GeForce 2 Ultra (Nvidia 7.17 ref drivers)
Snd: SB Live 5.1 X-Gamer
Monitor: 21" KDS-Sony flat-screen
PS: Antec-400w-ATX PP403X
USB Dev's: mse, kybd, race wheel, Logitech FF joy.

[iisbob]

Well, i'm going to give you a taste of the new sytem i built, becuase i'm into serious gaming-and it doubles as my workaday system-i went with a 1 GHZ t-bird, strictly because in other systems with 1.2,1.33 i really saw no performance diff-even when they were bumped up a couple of hertz-i opted for DDR, because that's where i saw the most performance boost with the athlon's 266 bus, and i also chose the G3, first i've heard of it not liking anything above 266 tho. I used to have an ultra, and honestly on some games the G3 actually lags behind, until you crank up the res and color, the she starts rocking! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
basicly, i would just say that from the specs you posted you could blow critters out of the virtual water with no prob, not to mention run a few office apps. I think you've pretty much made your descision-personally i go for the asus board in the gaming rig. ( i chose the A7A266 w/ the alimagik-have no probs so far). Know this wasn't what you were asking for, but didn't think it would hurt to give you some other feedback, best of luck with your system(s) http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

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iisbob
"Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run."

[ranchdog]

I wouldn't use those (2) Units...........I'd just sit and STARE at 'em.

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"Lemmee Fix That Thing......."

[mjc]

I think that I'd need to keep them under glass...to keep the drool off them. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[Ghost_Hacker]

I think Box#1 will run WSC very well when it comes out http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


And I agree with your thinking.... I prefer to OC by changing the multiplier instead of the FSB.




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Comment heard from a Klingon programmer.

"Our users will know fear and cower before our software! Ship it! Ship it and let them flee like the dogs they are!"

[Randy_tx]

Tom........I'm surprised you didnt go with the new SIS 735 chipset you raved about in last months reviews http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif.....Are you really Tom Pabst????

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Will XP save Me ?

[Randy_tx]

I just realized you simply have the same name as the founder of "Tom's Hardware"......sorry http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif.

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Will XP save Me ?

[TomPabst]

Thank you guys....I decided to go with my "hunch" choices on assembly of the two computers. So far, all is well in "Pabst' ComputerLand".....we'll hope that condition is long-lasting....lol.

One thing to note....on the Swiftech Fan:

This fan is incredible! I am still going through the process of burning-in the 1.333 AMD CPU (although I am not sure this is needed....but it doesn't seem that it can hurt anything) by running 3DMark2001 in loop (last night, ran it for 8 hours - overnight). The hotest temp I've seen on the CPU is 35 deg-C....wow! Is this fan somehow manufacturing liquid oxygen out of air...and blowing it across the CPU? ....lol.... And, "yes" the Delta fan is noisy....but on a "gaming rig" with four internal case fans already, one of which is a 120mm fan blow-hole right over the CPU/Video card space....who cares?? The box is practically a "hovercraft" as it is! When not being used as my "gaming box" I can put it in my window and use it to air condition the house! ....lol.... I did have to do some modification on the fan's copper heatsink (seems the mobo manufacturers have a hard time reading AMD's "keep out zone" specs), but its not a big deal and can be done with a file and/or a Dremel tool very easily. I had to take a "nick" out of a corner to get it to fit on the K7 Master mobo...took about 20 minutes and it was installed. I know these fans are a bit "pricey" but that's not the case at all if they work this awesome! Does Swiftech still have them on "back order?" I had to wait weeks to get one (about 4 months ago). Its no wonder....these fans are the best there is....in air cooling at least.

I guess I better go and change the "specs" under my signature now. See you all in "gameland".....and thanks again.

Tom Pabst
(Not of TomsHardware fame)

------------------
Tom Pabst
www.pabst-racing.com

Sys Specs:
OpsSys: Win98SE,IE 5.50+ /DX8
Mobo: ASUS A7V133 (VIA KT133 chipset)
CPU: Athlon T-bird 1.2gig
Ram: 512 meg(PC133)
HD: 20 Gig
Vid: C-Labs Annihilator GeForce 2 Ultra (Nvidia 7.17 ref drivers)
Snd: SB Live 5.1 X-Gamer
Monitor: 21" KDS-Sony flat-screen
PS: Antec-400w-ATX PP403X
USB Dev's: mse, kybd, race wheel, Logitech FF joy.

[ranchdog]

G_H Where you been man? The place is 'bout to run amuck! We got floopy's, we got drool, and now --- The Overclocking Sin! yeehaw.

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"Lemmee Fix That Thing......."

[Ghost_Hacker]

You ever have one of those weeks when you have a hard time just remembering your phone number and you seem to be running in slow motion. That's what my weeks been like . I've been looking at some of the post here for the last day or two and my mind is a complete blank.


I think it's time for a vaction http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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Comment heard from a Klingon programmer.

"Our users will know fear and cower before our software! Ship it! Ship it and let them flee like the dogs they are!"

[bassvax]

Yes I agree GH with all the braindumps you make between work, here and who knows where else...I was about to suggest to Ranchdog the very same for you...Gotta keep you in prime shape for upcoming projects...just kidding http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

I'm tryin' to figure out where/what I would like to go/do for my vacation...this will be my first one alone in a while http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Flush 'N' Forget
FE Stokes WWTP (http://www2.apex.net/users/hwuswtp)

[yawningdog]

What are you talking about GH? I feel that way all the time.

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He thrusts his fists against the posts but still insists he sees the ghosts.