M/board suggestions, please.

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homedesigned (More info?)

Hi.
Would anybody like to suggest a good rock-solid m/board for the new system I
am putting together.
Requirements:
To take AMD XP2400 processor with 266 MHz FSB.
To take 3 strips of 266 MHz PC2700 DDR RAM.
Don't need built-in sound or graphics - prefer quality over gizmos.
On-board LAN would be useful, or I'll use a separate card.
On-board SCSI would be a real bonus, but can use a PCI SCSI card instead.
No known problems with Matrox graphics cards.
No known issues with Windows 2000 and Linux.
No need for SATA or RAID. Standard IDE is fine.
Basically I just need something well-made and reliable, not fancy and
complicated, which won't let me down.
TIA,
Kevin.

 

[Jim]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homedesigned (More info?)

Normally I'd recommend the Abit NF7-S for gamers (
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-144&depa=1
), and lean towards Intel CPU and motherboard for "reliability" for
non-gamers, if not always the best performer. But given the constraints of
AMD, and apparently this NOT being a gamer's system, I *still* think the NF7
series is the best for you, it's frankly good enough for ANYTHING.

The NF7 (no "S") (
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-166&depa=1
) is slightly less featured (no SATA/RAID, no SoundStorm, just AC97, no
Firewire, etc.), and will save you $25. Personally, I think you get a lot
for that extra $25 w/ the NF7-S, but if you want to save a few bucks, the
plain ol' NFS is only $80 shipped.

The NForce2 chipset is VERY mature, w/ the NForce3 on the horizon. This
NFS-7 w/ NForce2 constantly gets rave reviews. It's main attraction is its
overclocking ability, only relevant to you in the following sense, it
supports PC3200 (2 DIMMs) too, so PC2700 (3 DIMMs) is not going to even
break a sweat.

The only problem I see w/ the Matrox is if it's some older incompatible
model, newer mobo's require/support 1.5v AGP. Of course, PCI will not be a
problem. As far as SCSI, well..., that's best solved as a PCI device unless
you want to start looking at a more "heavy duty" motherboard solution, more
in the server market.

Anyway, based on the info provided, that's what I would do, the NFS series
is stable, mature, well featured, and priced well. I hear very few
complaints about it.

HTH

Jim



"Kevin Lawton" <kepla@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:c4rv70$ag0$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
> Hi.
> Would anybody like to suggest a good rock-solid m/board for the new system
I
> am putting together.
> Requirements:
> To take AMD XP2400 processor with 266 MHz FSB.
> To take 3 strips of 266 MHz PC2700 DDR RAM.
> Don't need built-in sound or graphics - prefer quality over gizmos.
> On-board LAN would be useful, or I'll use a separate card.
> On-board SCSI would be a real bonus, but can use a PCI SCSI card instead.
> No known problems with Matrox graphics cards.
> No known issues with Windows 2000 and Linux.
> No need for SATA or RAID. Standard IDE is fine.
> Basically I just need something well-made and reliable, not fancy and
> complicated, which won't let me down.
> TIA,
> Kevin.
>
>
>