How does my old computer rate?

LeftyWright69

LeftyWright69

2,809
United States
LoomRock, CA
GTP_LeftyWright
I was wondering where I’m at with my first ever PC that I built almost 3yrs ago and how it stacks up for today. Is there a way to make it fly for the new software that is coming out. I know it can be over clocked but I don’t have anyone to fall back on for guidance in tweaking the thing.

Antec P180 full tower case
MSI K9N SLI Platinum NVIDIA Socket AM2 ATX Motherboard
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core
Corsair XMS2 TWIN 2X2048-6400
Geforce 9400 GT
Seagate Barracuda 7200.1 SATA HD
Sony DRU-835A Optical Drive
Netgear WN311T Range Max Next 802.11n Wireless-N PCI Adapter
ATI-TV Wonder PRO - TV tuner ( pci )
OS XP SP3

As for the OS I just don’t know what to do about upgrading to windows 7, I’ve heard that it has some kind of “authorized software verification” spider that rats you out if you have anything on your system that might not be legitimately legal and shuts the system down. I loaned the system to a friend for about a year when I got it back I found about 3 terabytes of data and applications that are on the system with the 6 hard drives that are hooked up to it. I don’t know what’s on this thing. I guess he went through a Warez faze and there might be some less then scrupulous apps on the system.

IMG_2531.JPG
 
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it is pretty low end for gaming. for web browsing/ watching movies, its fine. I'd try and snag the fastest possible am2 processor supported by my mobo off of ebay. prlly for suuuper cheap. windows 7 hasn't given me any problems yet.
 
LeftyWright69
I’ve heard that it has some kind of “authorized software verification” spider that rats you out if you have anything on your system that might not be legitimately legal and shuts the system down.
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Who/where did you hear that from? :boggled: Whoever it was is severely misguided...
 
Sharky.
Who/where did you hear that from? :boggled: Whoever it was is severely misguided...
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Indeed.

Update the graphics card and PSU, and it will handle newer games decently well. I'm on an AM2 board at the moment running a Black Edition X2 at 3.1 GHz.

Just completely format it and do a clean install of Windows 7, it is much better than XP.
 
Nero9
That...LOW-END!?
Then my PC does not even qualify as a low-end PC anymore... :lol:
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Agreed, calling that thing low-end is the same as calling a Ferrari 430 a low-end sports car. Sure it isn't the fastest thing out there but I'd bet that it runs every DX9 game very well and every DX10 game at least decently. My own rig is an E6750 with GF8800GTS and 4GB DDR2 800MHz... and the guys at the store have made it pretty clear to me that upgrading isn't sensible because I'd have to pour several hundreds of euros into it to get a visible improvement. Well, they're right. And that thing of LeftyWright69 isn't much behind, a bit, but not that much.
 
Nero9
That...LOW-END!?
Then my PC does not even qualify as a low-end PC anymore... :lol:
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That computer could be built today for $400-$500 easily, and that is with the nice case. The GFX card is worth $50, so the only thing of an real value is the RAM and the Antec Case. Everything else was middle of the ground a couple of years ago when he bought it. You can get much better setups off Woot.com for 200-300 dollars.
 
Azuremen
Indeed.

Update the graphics card and PSU, and it will handle newer games decently well. I'm on an AM2 board at the moment running a Black Edition X2 at 3.1 GHz.

Just completely format it and do a clean install of Windows 7, it is much better than XP.
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I think that maybe the report back feature that I heard about had to do with valid OS detection scheme that Windows uses.

But any way my processor only runs at about 2.2 Ghz and other then replacing the CPU with a little bigger one, you have to over clock to increase the speed.

The MB supports AMD Athlon 64 x2, Athlon 64, Athlon FX and Sempron in the socket AM2 package. I thought I had the fastest CPU in it for the board with the 64 x2

Azuremen
That computer could be built today for $400-$500 easily, and that is with the nice case. The GFX card is worth $50, so the only thing of an real value is the RAM and the Antec Case. Everything else was middle of the ground a couple of years ago when he bought it. You can get much better setups off Woot.com for 200-300 dollars.
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I’m not so in love with my MOBO that I can’t replace it and the CPU, but I was just trying to salvage what’s left of my former major outlay of cash and labor. The system runs great I was just thinking about my big box future.

Greycap
Agreed, calling that thing low-end is the same as calling a Ferrari 430 a low-end sports car. Sure it isn't the fastest thing out there but I'd bet that it runs every DX9 game very well and every DX10 game at least decently. And that thing of LeftyWright69 isn't much behind, a bit, but not that much.
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Thanks Greycap I tried to build for the future back then, and now that it is 3yrs old your understanding of my system is much appreciated. Yah it’s DX10 capable and that was where I thought, was the right place to spend the money at the time.
 
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LeftyWright69
I think that maybe the report back feature that I heard about had to do with valid OS detection scheme that Windows uses.

But any way my processor only runs at about 2.2 Ghz and other then replacing the CPU with a little bigger one, you have to over clock to increase the speed.

The MB supports AMD Athlon 64 x2, Athlon 64, Athlon FX and Sempron in the socket AM2 package. I thought I had the fastest CPU in it for the board with the 64 x2
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The Athlon 64 X2 was a series of processors, ranging from low 2Ghz to just around 3GHz. Currently, Newegg has the 5600+ for $60 or so, which runs at 2.9 GHz stock. I have a 2.5 GHz Black Edition, which has the multiplier unlocked for easy over-clocking.

Your graphics card is, well, pitiful at best. It would match my old 7600GT in terms for performance, which I've just recently replaced because it was struggling to run games at 1680x1050 that are newer on anything above medium quality.
 
Azuremen
The Athlon 64 X2 was a series of processors, ranging from low 2Ghz to just around 3GHz. Currently, Newegg has the 5600+ for $60 or so, which runs at 2.9 GHz stock. I have a 2.5 GHz Black Edition, which has the multiplier unlocked for easy over-clocking.

Your graphics card is, well, pitiful at best. It would match my old 7600GT in terms for performance, which I've just recently replaced because it was struggling to run games at 1680x1050 that are newer on anything above medium quality.
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Let me see if I have this right, if I get a 2.9Ghz CPU, a rocking video card, max out the ram ( 8 gig I think ), install Windows 7, and maybe a new power supply ( it has a 600w now), that should reset my big box to be current for a while?

Back_To_The_Future_Logo_Black_Shirt.jpg
 
600Watts will work for now, that is what I am running. You didn't mention it in your initial post so I just assumed it was bad.

I still feel the issues of the CPU sometimes, mostly in StarCraft 2 (which is extremely CPU intensive) while everything else runs fine. I'd check to see what the max ram supported on your MoBo is, I have a K9 and I believe it tops out at 4gigs. My ATi HD5770 runs great though and clocks sound numbers.

The current issue that limits the computer at this point is the Motherboard, given that AM3 where most AMD processors are at. If you budgeted out, say, 400 dollars for a Mobo, CPU, RAM, and GFX, and used your current Case and PSU, you could have a pretty solid setup that shouldn't feel aged too quickly.
 
Azuremen
600Watts will work for now, that is what I am running. You didn't mention it in your initial post so I just assumed it was bad.

I still feel the issues of the CPU sometimes, mostly in StarCraft 2 (which is extremely CPU intensive) while everything else runs fine. I'd check to see what the max ram supported on your MoBo is, I have a K9 and I believe it tops out at 4gigs. My ATi HD5770 runs great though and clocks sound numbers.

The current issue that limits the computer at this point is the Motherboard, given that AM3 where most AMD processors are at. If you budgeted out, say, 400 dollars for a Mobo, CPU, RAM, and GFX, and used your current Case and PSU, you could have a pretty solid setup that shouldn't feel aged too quickly.
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For the ram under memory support it states:
-DDRRll 533/667/800 SDRAM (8GB Max)
-4 DDRll DIMMs (240pin / 1.8v)
I only have a matched pair at 2 gig right now, I think it says that I can run 8gig.
 
Be careful. That K9N is a pretty old board. And although it's AM2, it's not compatible for AM2+ (The Plus is very important). These are all the CPUs that work with this board..

If you're primarily interested in playing games, then RAM is no issue. 4GB is more than enough. Literally if you're still going to keep running SP3.

Now go track down yourself a FX62 :sly: They were a mental chip back in the day, and still demand a crazy price tag.
 
You wanna know whats low end?
A budget PC from 6 years ago:
Celeron Single core 2.53 GHZ
120 GB HDD
777 MB DDR1 RAM
On board graphics (64MB)
 
Casio
Be careful. That K9N is a pretty old board. And although it's AM2, it's not compatible for AM2+ (The Plus is very important). These are all the CPUs that work with this board..

If you're primarily interested in playing games, then RAM is no issue. 4GB is more than enough. Literally if you're still going to keep running SP3.

Now go track down yourself a FX62 :sly: They were a mental chip back in the day, and still demand a crazy price tag.
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As best I can tell my processor is a 4200+ 2.2Mhz Athlon X2

Azuremen says to get a 5600+ and you say to get a FX62, I see both of them on the list. I can find both part numbers but that is the only thing I understand. They look so close so what is the difference between the two?

There is only one FX62 and 3 of the 5600+
 
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It's not worth upgrading really. You're going to be paying a premium to track down a CPU for an outdated chipset. Even a 5600 is only equivalent to about an older E6600 Intel chip.

Any low end chip on the market today is considerably better than any AM2 chip.
 
A 5600+ is $50 on ebay, which gets 600MHz over the 4200. It would be easier just to overclock it, though I'm sure the stock cooling is a bit poop. A 6400+ runs $80 on ebay. That would be a decent upgrade.
 
I know this will be the last upgrade the mobo will ever get before I build my second big box, I’m just trying to give it one last shot at contributing to my overall computer farm. I’m currently the proud owner of a Frankenstein 800Mhz, an old 2.3Ghz Toshiba lap top, my new Gateway Quad core 64bit lap top, and my lucky big box K9. I just can’t tell everyone who has contributed to my thread how much this means to me by cutting through the clutter out their on the net and giving me really great choices. I lost all my computer gurus when I left college and have never been able to recreate that camaraderie.

nick09
I found the fastest cpu possible with a real cheap price here. I don't know if the site is trust worthy but I just thought I'd let you know.
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Wow Nick that 6400+ looks like it rocks, my biggest concern would be the wattage. My current CPU uses 65w and the upgrade would crank the wattage to 125. How can I tell my wattage consumption level that I’m using currently so the extra 60w that the new CPU won’t be starved by maxing out my PSU?

As far as cooling goes I have a pretty big cooling fan on my CPU right now but I would have to open up my box to get its specs. My Antec box also has like 5 fans with variable speeds.
 
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Well I just jumped off the cliff for the AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core Processor 6400+ (3.2GHz) AM2, OEM pt# ADX6400CZ from superbiiz.com. It was 55.59 + S & H of 2.39 and tax for a total of $62.53. They seemed legitimate from everything I was able to find about them on the net plus they were on the West Coast in the same State as me. Now I’m about to roll the dice for some more ram, I found the best deal on ram from Newegg. Their price is $57.99 + 2.99 S & H.
 
This is the same thing but it's slightly faster because of the timing and it's cheaper. Not to mention you get free shipping.
 
If you have 4GBs of RAM then you don't really need more. I would save that money for something else, like possibly a heat sink for the CPU.
 
nick09
This is the same thing but it's slightly faster because of the timing and it's cheaper. Not to mention you get free shipping.
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You keep making me say "WOW" nick, lol, your too cool.

ROAD_DOGG33J
If you have 4GBs of RAM then you don't really need more. I would save that money for something else, like possibly a heat sink for the CPU.
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I thought that it was better if a CPU had a crazy fan then a bigger heat sink, what should I look for?

I only have 2 gig now but thanks to nick my upgrade with the 2 extra gig of ram not counting a smoking Vid Card will be closer to $100, thanks.......

thumbs%20up.jpg
 
He already has one or do you have a better cooling system in mind. I decided to do a little search myself and I found this one. You pretty much just mount it on the back fan and according to the reviews it's water cooling is good. You might think it as a con with mounting a back plate but I would rather not play around with plastic tips that can break after a few uses.
 
Man that looks so cool, lol, but the video card and video splitter is going to rock my world. My MOBO can run dual vid cards but I don't know that much about it considering I will try to split the HDMI output from my PS3 so I can record my game play while viewing it through a big screen. My vid record thread
 
ROAD_DOGG33J
Is the heatsink the same between the 4200 and 6400?
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The 6400 is not coming with a heatsink since it's OEM. Besides it's more likely he will replace his old aftermarket cooler. Back in those days you couldn't overclock very much with the stock heatsink.
 

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