motherboards

[Farside]

View attachment 131166


Looks like i have 2 single core processors.

Which explains why i am currently running a 266 duo instead of 3.6 single core.

I was given an HP server box last year, which I immediately gutted and made use of the case, as it's a marvellous piece of heavy engineering, with hot-swap drawers and all that stuff.
It absolutely sings with eight cores and 16GBs in it, hanging off an ASUS AMD board. Basically, it's a desktop with attitude.
Anyway, the m'board was slung to one side and forgotten about until last week, when I suddenly recalled I had some memory that would fit it. I pulled it out and stuffed it with all it would take - sounds paltry nowadays, but back then a huge amount, 4GB of RAM, woohooo.
You know what? It was a total slug. I was a bit heartened that it played nicely with the non-server memory, but it soon became apparent that a Pentium IV 3.2GHz chip just doesn't cut it nowadays, even stuffed to the gills with as much memory as it was designed to take.
Pity really, because I'd thought that there might be an overlap with the next iteration of the 775 socket and it *might* have a BIOS that knew about dual or quad cores, but no such luck. I'd also thought that I might be able to use the SCSI drives and tapes that came with it. I will still use them as they are of some use, even now, as a cheap raided boot setup in my server under construction until I buy more SSDs.

 

[Farside]

Core 2 quad.
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Intel-Core-2-Quad-Q9650-Q9650-3GHz-Quad-Core-PC-Processor-CPU/232480155810?epid=127336500&hash=item3620e5a8a2:g:tHcAAOSwoAxZsQoI&_trkparms=gclientid=kncqJEEMTx7nbH_eBc4nQouQL5xr5kfPLlwbTqoe2-s1QuEvWMOX3bQdOO8Z0_2H&_trksid=p2489528.m4335.l8656

I only paid a tenner for a Q9550, which is only a touch slower than that. Everybody wants the 3GHz one and the prices reflect it.

 

[ukracer]

I think you can get a 480Gig for about £130.

Prices seem to vary wildly even on same models.

Looking at some reviews it seems even the major names are not imune from performance issues. Toshiba for example are recorded as going slower than a normal hard drive when transferring large files.

Pny seem to have half decent reviews and fair prices in PC world.

What brand and model did you get in the end @Hood .

 

[Hood]

I got a Sandisk and also have 2 Crucials, both of which seem good.
Sandisk one was this one.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01F9G46Q8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[ukracer]

Am i missing something... PC world seems to have prices way higher than amazon......assuming they are the same drives.

 

[Hood]

They likely will be, never buy from PC World they are certainly not cheap.

You have to shop around, for example the Sandisk I linked above can be had on eBay at the moment for £109

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SanDisk-...122288750179?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10
I have a Samsung Evo in the workshop computer and it too has been fine.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/pc-components/storage/ssd-solid-state

https://www.scan.co.uk/shop/computer-hardware/hard-drives-ssd/all

PC world can kiss my behind.
Rip off merchants.

 

[fizzy]

Sometimes the prices in PC World can be as cheap as anywhere else - sometimes!!!

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Sometimes the prices in PC World can be as cheap as anywhere else - sometimes!!!

A few days ago... when the blue moon was out. The know how team certainly know how to get money out of the unknowing.

 

[Hood]

The only time I ever bought anything from PC World was when I was in to over clocking and they had a CPU that was wrongly labelled. I knew by the code what it was but was unsure if it would be a decent clocker or not. I bought it then when I found out it wasn't great I returned it telling them it wouldn't run in my mobo as it had been wrongly labelled and was too new for my mobo

 

[fizzy]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A02871531BBEFQHS9VQ96&url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-Expansion-Portable-External-PlayStation/dp/B017KE8OG0/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1517959741&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=seagate+expansion+1tb&psc=1&qualifier=1517959741&id=3357736374056591&widgetName=sp_atf

https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/comp...table-hard-drive-4-tb-black-10146411-pdt.html

Just 1 example - there are lots more. You can find they are no more expensive than anywhere else - and handy when you are stuck on a job and need it in a hurry.

 

[ukracer]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A02871531BBEFQHS9VQ96&url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-Expansion-Portable-External-PlayStation/dp/B017KE8OG0/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1517959741&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=seagate+expansion+1tb&psc=1&qualifier=1517959741&id=3357736374056591&widgetName=sp_atf

https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/comp...table-hard-drive-4-tb-black-10146411-pdt.html

Just 1 example - there are lots more. You can find they are no more expensive than anywhere else - and handy when you are stuck on a job and need it in a hurry.

To be honest 8 dont buy much but the samsing evo is 20 quid cheaper on amazon than even scan and wondered if i was missing something. The scan disk and pny did not get good reviews...the samsung always came out of top..

 

[fizzy]

To be honest 8 dont buy much but the samsing evo is 20 quid cheaper on amazon than even scan and wondered if i was missing something. The scan disk and pny did not get good reviews...the samsung always came out of top..

That is a good price - they have just launched a new 860 so perhaps that is why.
The Evo has a very good reputation so I would buy it - in fact prob will.

Ebuyer usually very cheap - they have it for £139!

 

[ukracer]

Ok moving on........getting a big headache.

I cant get anything to post ....nothing reaches the screen after buying the new quad CPU and fitting it in both the P5 and the Abit.
The abit has numerical.codes and it sticks showing C1.
Which according to google posts seems to be memory.

My problem is the mobo was second hand and the CPU might be. So i need to get back to basics and find out what works .....

Whats the minimum i need to connect to actually get something on screen?

I hate these cooling fans as it makes a long wonding process testing CPU'S.

AAARRGG.

 

[fizzy]

All you need is a graphics card and keyboard. Oh and ram and cpu of course.

Beware some new monitors can be very fussy on inputs - a basic old vga monitor is what you need.

Can you get into the BIOS? Either esc or del or F2 or F10 or F12.

And the best keyboard to try is ps2 if it has that connector.

Check your power supply as well - newer boards have extra power connectors direct to the board.

 

[ukracer]

All you need is a graphics card and keyboard. Oh and ram and cpu of course.

Beware some new monitors can be very fussy on inputs - a basic old vga monitor is what you need.

Can you get into the BIOS? Either esc or del or F2 or F10 or F12.

And the best keyboard to try is ps2 if it has that connector.

Check your power supply as well - newer boards have extra power connectors direct to the board.

Ok. I was using an old vga basic monitor but also tried an hdmi one as one of my graphics cards does not have vga. Neither monitors work or any of the 3 graphics cards.

I have 3 sticks of 1 meg corsair DDR2 800 trying all 3 on their own in all 4 slots does not produce anything on screen.

I am using a power supply with the extra separate 4 pin connector .

Does it NEED a keyboard...usually i can see things on the screen before i see a missing keyboard message.

Cant get into the bios as i cant see ANYTHING on the screen.

 

[fizzy]

3 sticks of ram could be your trouble - try a matched pair - take 1 stick out.

 

[ukracer]

3 sticks of ram could be your trouble - try a matched pair - take 1 stick out.

No mate..i meant i have tried 3 different sticks. One at a time in each of the 4 slots.
Manual says 1 stick can be used in any slot.

 

[fizzy]

No mate..i meant i have tried 3 different sticks. One at a time in each of the 4 slots.
Manual says 1 stick can be used in any slot.

Ahh ok.
Either the board or CPU is shot. Have you tried shorting out the bios or removing the battery?
Usually it is the motherboard that will be at fault - CPU faults are very rare but they do happen.

 

[ukracer]

Ahh ok.
Either the board or CPU is shot. Have you tried shorting out the bios or removing the battery?
Usually it is the motherboard that will be at fault - CPU faults are very rare but they do happen.

Yes mate reset the bios using clearance jumper.

The problem is i am now on my second mobo ...i started with the Asus p5 that was quad core ready.

I also tried the other cpus in that board...its hard as i am not sure what is actually backward compatible...lol

And having to fit the cooler each time is a ball ache....