Is it easy to upgrade a MB and Processor

[Guest]

Is it as easy as it seems to upgrade my MB and processor? I currently have a ATX case with a k6-2 processor and unknown mb. Is it as easy as unplugging everything, replacing and replugging everything back in?
Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[BrianL]

Firtly , a K6-2 is a processor not a chipset. The chipset tells the mobo components how to work together. The processor does the computing. We need to know some details of what you have now to be able to comment. Use the bios string to identify things if you don't know.

 

[Guest]

Sorry, didnt know you needed the other info.....
96mb of pc100
sb live
24x cd
usb cdrw
nic & cable modem
16 meg banshee PCI video card
lucent win modem
win 98 - upgrade to ME
Biostar M5ALA motherboard
AMD k6-2 350

what else would be helpful

thanks

 

[Guest]

Getting the hardware together is usually the easy part. Its getting everything to work right, play nice and not conflict that can be a pain in the butt. You'll probably want to upgrade to a Duron or Thunderbird motherboard. Your RAM might not work if it is generic but everything else should. If you have the money wait a couple months and get a DDR motherboard and RAM.
You will need to reinstall Windoze.

 

[BrianL]

Do you know what speed your processor is or what your motherboard might be or how old it is? On the first screen when you boot up, the bios should display some date. It may be possible to upgrade the system without changing the motherboard but we have to determine what it is first. There must be some name or part number on the motherboard.

When you say you want to upgrade, how far do you want to go. That is usually determined by what you are trying to get the new system to do that the old one can't and how much money you have to spend

 

[Guest]

I currently have a Biostar M5ALA motherboard and a AMD k6-2 350, with award modular bios v.4.51pg date 8-21-98

 

[Guest]

bigdog...
It is relatively easy. I bought a barebones system (motherboard, cpu RAM and case) and transferred all my hardware(2 hard drives, sound card, graphics card, floppy, ISA modem, and USB port hub). I have Windows ME and when i started the machine after transfer, it found all the hardware and configured it appropriately.
But...do you homework!! make sure you know what your doing BEFORE you attemp it. Read the forums, read any articles about it. Know your motherboard!

Michael

 

[BrianL]

Your board doesn't look too bad for upgrading depending on how far you want to go. You could probably go to a K6-2/500 Mhz but the AGP is still only type 1 and max Ram is 384Meg

See specs at <http://iceberg.pchomeworld.com/cgi-win/L3Static/L3Stat.asp?Part=MB66159>

 

[Guest]

i don´t think that you´ll notice any major difference between a K62-350 and a K6-2 500. I think you´d better go for a Duron 600 or 700 or something, it´s cheap and fast! But you need a new motherboard too then. My girlfrend has an Aopen KT33 (or KX33 maybe) motherboard and it runs fine with my old 64Mb PC100 dimms. It wasn´t that expensive. There is a PCI TNT2 Vanta 32Mb videocard in it and it is pretty fast. Only if you are into 3d gaming, you could buy a AGP card from the Geforce series or something.
Your power supply should be something like 250 Watts, since these new systems need a lot of power... Perhaps you can try a 200 Watts supply, but i don´t know if it will work..

 

[Guest]

Oh, and i forgot to tell you, it is NOT that easy!! you have to know what you are doing, because you will encounter problems reinstalling everything, you should make a backup of your important data first, before you start unplugging everything.. Windows needs to be reinstalled, and then you need to reinstall everything else.. i haven´t heard of an easier way to do this..
You might be lucky to be able to put everything together without problems, but this is very unlikely..

Good luck!