Upgrading old Celeron system

R2_ · Post by **R2_** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:44 am

So, few years ago i brought to my father this HP crap pc with a Celeron 356. (untill that he used a MMX, lol anything would better for him).

But now working at home with CAD software, old celeron isn't enough.

The pc is this: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/docu ... ptocontent

The crappy mobo doesn't accept even a Dual Core, and has 2GB ram limit.

So i thought maybe buying a new motherboard, get more ram and wait for Intel to lower their price in Brazil.

Just to get an idea for you: Core 2 Quad Q9400 costs little more then Phenom II X4 955 BE ! (about to $560 Brazilian Reais)

So maybe for a while, i'll let him with the celeron and later chancge cpu.

I'm kind of lost, because i spent the last months on searching about my ring (AMD based), so i have no clue what's best for intel.
Intel site also doesnt help, because they (of course) recommend their own branded boards... Or some brazilian manufactured crap stuff like
Positivo.

any ideas?

Take a look what i'v got available around here http://www.pluginformatica.com.br/loja/ ... &IdDep=339

And here http://compare.buscape.com.br/proc_unic ... otamin=0.0

Some manufactures just don't seem to exist in brazil.

danimal · Post by **danimal** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:45 pm

it looks like you have gigabyte and asus? they both have pretty good reputations, just be sure that the store you get it from allows for exchanges, in case you get a defective board.

Ksanderash · Post by **Ksanderash** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 3:33 pm

R2_
How about this one -- Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2C. Very good, fast (I'm saying it), cost effective, energy economy aware mainboard, with no inborn problems. I just recommend it. Or ES2L (1Gbit LAN). Also don't waste money on G41 or higher -- that's in vain.

...

I don't recommend Asus in this case. I have faced with RAM problems on G31/P31 of this brand (incompatibility). Though I have had many and many budget Asus' boards earlier, and they were flawless.

Some manufactures just don't seem to exist in brazil.

No need in them, when you have SPCR forum by hand

R2_ · Post by **R2_** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 4:49 pm

Many thanks danimal and Ksanderash.

I was quite unsure with all these possibilities. For my rig i consulted AMD recommendations and there were like two ASUS AM3 boards, easy to choose lol.

GA-G31M-ES2C seems to be my choice.

I forgot to mention, he request dual monitor.

So for that i selected:

Sapphire (1GB) HD 4350 DDR2

or

Sapphire 512MB HD 4350 DDR2 HDMI

That peace of vga grey wire doesnt look good for me, not at all...
And the price of a 512 MB is just 10 US$ less.

all i want is a fanless vga, since he complains about PSU noise, so i want to deliver the most quite pc possible

Ksanderash · Post by **Ksanderash** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:40 am

R2_ wrote:That peace of vga grey wire doesnt look good for me, not at all...
And the price of a 512 MB is just 10 US$ less.

Take one with 2 DVI. At least you can always use DVI->VGA adapter. Or DVI->HDMI. D-sub becomes old-fashioned type of connector.

Kyocera · Post by **Kyocera** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:34 am

How are we supposed to advice if you have NOT specified the BUDGET???

R2_ · Post by **R2_** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:44 am

Kyocera the cheaper the better. I dont have a specific amount of money to spent, maybe 500 reais or 1000 reais. There are some offline stores on my town that have differente pricing. The total budget isn't the most critial thing atm.

Ksanderash, i'b thought about using adaptar, it's a cheap solution.

When it come to the PSU, i can't find any of SPCR EDITOR'S CHOICE

Best things i can find here are Corsair and CoolerMaster, and i dont think a 4350 fanless would require a psu with more then 400 W.

Ksanderash · Post by **Ksanderash** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:54 am

R2_ wrote:When it come to the PSU, i can't find any of SPCR EDITOR'S CHOICE

You shouldn't search for Editor's Choice, cause it will demand some extra money. Post here all PSUs you got there at stores, and we tell you which would be better choice.

Kyocera · Post by **Kyocera** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:41 am

there are some interesting PSUs, however we are talking about 400-500 Reias, as far as I can see.

R2_ · Post by **R2_** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:10 pm

Thanks Kyocera and Ksanderash for the replies

I still think 430~ W would be more then enough for a computer without overclocking and simple fanless vga with maybe one case fan.

This are some models i found, i really like the ones in bold.

CoolerMaster Elite Power 400W - 130 reais
CoolerMaster Extreme Power plus 460W - 146 reais
Extream FEX-38T12 - 150 reais
Extream FEX-45T12 - 190 reais
OCZ Stealth XStream 400W Active PFC - 210 reais
Zalman ZM 360B-APS - 210 reais
Seventeam ST-500P-CG - 263 reais
Seventeam ST-550P-AM Q-FORCE - 290 reais
Thermaltake TR2 500W W0093RU - 300 reais
CoolerMaster Silent Pro Rs- 500W - 380 reais
OCZ OCZ500MXSP -400 reais
Zalman ZM460B-APS - 410 reais

This prices are mad.. At least meat is cheap, 10 reais per kilo

raw meat of course, lol.

colm · Post by **colm** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:15 pm

a celeron and cad in the same sentence..

celeron is budget pc, assume the chipset as well.

go for anything but celeron, and if to be bias, an intel chipset. from only photo I found there is plenty of room.

I currently have an old hp 6735 (633mhz celeron)with psu and matx upgradable to today, they do have nice cases, I can say that much.
I would go as far back as prescott "e", and as far ahead to core2 duo, if money conscious.
The hp upgrades, there is many quests for this, ending up scrapping mobo.

Ksanderash · Post by **Ksanderash** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:45 am

R2_
Hey, some nice PSUs are there at the store. And I think you should take this one: OCZ Stealth XStream 400W Active PFC (link goes to review)

The fan has 2-wire connection -- very good. If you you'll be disappointed with the quality of the stock fan you can always stuff in any fan you like, and letting go outward the yellow tacho-wire even do the PSU' fan rotation' monitoring by the motherboard means! This option is rare even on very expensive PSUs!

R2_ · Post by **R2_** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 12:46 pm

Thanks, well i have in mind to keep original cooler. but i'm sure it wont be nosier as the actual generic brand.

colm, i agree with you, what would you recommend me? Core 2 Duo and up?