Should I wait until the summer to replace my broken PC?

[IconoclastDX]

My slot A motherboard has bitten the dust and I've pretty much decided to get a stop-gap MB until I see some good summer/post summer savings. Anybody have a good suggestion for a Slot A motherboard for a AMD barton 2900? Or should I simply bite the bullet and toss my old PC? Sorry about the lame question but Im not sure what to look for in a good board.

Thanks!!

 

[evll_panda]

Well you are running a pretty old system. If you have the resources then I would upgrade. You can get a decent build for 1k.

 

[shadowduck]

Toss it. Slot A is so old finding a motherboard will be next to impossible, and if it is still made it will be very expensive.

 

[groo]

toss it. ebay the barton. probably get $10 or less, but sometimes those oldies go way higher than a sane man could ever justify.

pick up a refurb or used pile to hold you over if you think your savings will justify it.

what i'd do is figure out the system you want to build this summer, then drasticly downgrade the CPU and GFX to $50 or less apiece reuse your old HDD. that way you have your core system now (mobo case PSU and at least some memory) and can add on the expensive pieces as deals and funding coincide.

 

[IconoclastDX]

See, thats the problem with a partial upgrade. All my drives are IDE so I wont be able to use them in a new system and I really don't have the cash for a new one now. But If I cant find a MB then I guess Tm out of luck. Thanks for the replies.

 

[groo]

what mobo comes w/o an IDE port?

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

Icono, here's something for you...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813185083

that's about 45 maybe 55 with shipping. It's just a cheapo, but pair that up with maybe even a dual core sempron, if that board supports it....which is 50, 2 gb ddr2 for 40.

so 150, plus say 40 bucks for like a 2400 pro and maybe pick up a new psu. For say 300 reusing your old case and drives you could have a decent rig. However, there is a HUGE difference between a sata drive and an IDE drive for performance. I know because I upgraded here last Christmas, had always had IDE drives before....dude, it is a difference. If you can afford it, I'd personally go and get a good board with some overclocking options, good reliable power supply, then whatever else you need to make that puppy work. But you get a good board and PSU, you can always add the other stuff as you go.

 

[groo]

you'd be better off with a $60-90 780G or 8200 based AM2+ board that can run the cheap CPUs, but can also handle the quads, and has the equivialent of a 2400xt on board.

you can get a board and CPU for $100. use your IDE HDD and optical drive plus $50 or less for memory, and your up and running for $150 with a system that will suport AMDs next 2 or more generations of CPUs

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

Agree with groo, depends on the budget he has though. But I would say if you have to go cheap, you have options, or step up to AM2+ with the faster bus speeds, should help later when you want a quad core.