newbie questions?

[Guest]

Okay, I'm going to ask some apparently newbie questions here, so please restrain yourselves (/me pulls on asbestos suit, just in case).

My questions are:

1) I have an Abit BX7 mobo. It says in the manual for this board that it only supports P3 processors up to 400mhz. I'm running a 300mhz vanilla p2 right now and I want to upgrade to somewhere in the 600-800 range. Can I just buy a new CPU or do I *have* to buy a new mobo too?

2) Why is everyone going to Socket 7? What's wrong with Slot 1 CPUs (i.e., the kind I have in my Abit?) Can Slot 1 processors be found for love or money these days or is everything FCPGCA?

3)What is FCPGCA anyway?

4) Can I mix and match SDRAM? I currently have one 8x64 stick of PC100mhz SDRAM. Could I, for instance, put in a 128mb, 16x64 stick of PC133 SDRAM?


Thanks in advance, and thanks for not flaming if you didn't, if you did, well, I hope you enjoyed it.

Oh-- please don't use my post as an excuse to continue the silly, childish, immature "AMD vs INTEL!" argument that's going on in the majority of other CPU threads. Thanks.

-networkboy

 

[Guest]

1. I don't know how far you can upgrade your cpu. I'd check out ABIT's web site first and then contact them, if necessary (or possible). I've found that manuals frequently go out of date pretty fast. But only ABIT can tell you for sure, or someone who's done it with the same motherboard, of course.

2. I think you have socket-7 confused with fc-pga. Socket-7 is the old architecture used by the original Pentiums and some AMD and Cyrix chips.

There are still plenty of slot-1 processors out there (mostly Coppermines...the current version of the Pentium-3), but a number of places are moving more toward the fc-pga packaging, as is Intel. For instance, you can go to <A HREF="http://www.pricewatch.com" target="_new">http://www.pricewatch.com</A> and click on "processors-pc" under the "cpu" heading. Then click on the chip you want and it will bring up a list of vendors and pricing. Slot-1 CPUs are also called "SECC2." ***Note that this is no recommendation for the vendor.*** If you want some idea of how good a vendor is to its customers, go to <A HREF="http://www.resellerratings.com" target="_new">http://www.resellerratings.com</A> and see whether your vendor is listed and rated. I've found this to be fairly accurate the few times I've used it. A couple of pleaces I've bought from are <A HREF="http://www.memman.com" target="_new">http://www.memman.com</A> and <A HREF="http://www.pcnut.com" target="_new">http://www.pcnut.com</A>. PC Nut may charge a little more, but they will guarantee the "stepping" or revision of the cpu. Memory Man might also, but I haven't purchased from them in a while...so I don't know.

3. Unless I've got the intitials screwed up, fc-pga stands for Flip Chip-Pin Grid Array. This is Intel's latest form for the Pentium 3 and looks much like an older Pentium chip.

There are also deviced called "slockets," which is a circuit board with a fc-pga socket on it. You mount the cpu and heatsink on the socket and then plug the whole slocket into the slot-1 of your motherboard. I've never used one, but there are a ton of them out there. From what I've read, some seem pretty good, but even some of the good ones may have problems with some motherboards.

4. There are many people who mix and match memory. Some are successful and some aren't. You won't know whether it will work until you try it. I don't do it, but maybe someone who does might have more comments.

Mike

 

[RavenPrime]

The only dumb question is the one you never ask.
Stupid questions are another matter.

Your questions are valid.
Slots for processors was a good idea but are more expensive to implement than sockets (FCPGCA) and with the newer motherboard technologies and faster chipsets it is really not necessary. More expensive with no added benifit is a nobrainer.
Socket 7 is old news and slot1 is obsolete. Intel processors today use socket 370 and the P4 will use a new socket 435--none are backward compatible to force you to upgrade your motherboard or buy a new system.
Abit BX7? Did you mean BX6?
You cannot upgrade your processor beyond 450MHz.
If you want a faster processor, you will have to upgrade the motherboard.
PC133 memory is more expensive and you system won't be able to make use of its added speed.
Using matching memory chips is a good idea, less chance of a problem but you are probably fine with a 16x64 128MB PC100 SDRAM.

James

 

[Guest]

<font color=blue>
Ok. let's try this...
1. Yeah, I'd say you should buy a new motherboard so that you can be assured of its compatibility with higher clock speed p3's...
2. There are several advantages of a socket processor as opposed to slots. Sockets are better-suited for dissipating heat with a decent heat sink. Also, kind of related to this, it seems that socketed processors have a better chance of successful overclocking. And the big factor, socket chips are cheaper to produce, and thus cheaper for you to buy.
3. FCPGA stands for Flip-Chip-Pin-Grid-Array. This is what intel calls their socket p3's and celerons. A socket processor is flat-shaped and square-ish and you lay it flat in the processor socket in the motherboard. A slot processor comes inside of a rectangular black plastic cartridge and you stick it in the motherboard on its side. AMD calls their socket chips "socket A".
4. You sure could mix the ram... but there's a problem: The pc133 would behave as pc100 would, since all of your ram must be going the same speed. Thus, it'd be no different if you bought a stick of pc100 instead...(although pc133 is better if you ever get around to upgrading in the future, in which case you might just wanna wait a year and buy ddr sdram).

Also... if you say you're buying a new P3 600-800, you better get the "E" variety (as opposed to "B", "EB"). The p3 600e runs at 100mhz front-speed-bus(FSB), thus it works with your PC100 ram. Other chips (the EB and such) run on 133 mhz bus, and you would almost certainly have to go buy some pc133 ram with that, and you'd have to chunk out your pc100. So if it says "133" on the processor (ie. P3-700/133 [pentium 3 700 mhz core, 133 mhz bus]) then you won't be able to use your old pc100 ram.

Also, might I suggest a nice Duron 600 with a Gigabyte GA-7ZX motherboard? This would run you back about 160-180 bucks, and it'd be a very cost-effective upgrade for you. Especially considering the fact that you have a very high chance of overclocking it (assuming you can figure out how to cross the correct solder bridges on the chip). Even of you can't, a duron 600 is still a great chip...runs better than p3's in some cases. And you could still use your pc100 ram...

 

[SoulReaper]

1.) AMM.....not to be rude but ABIT never mad a BX7. They made a BX6, but not a 7. Anyways. Get a Bios update and i am sure u can get a faster CPU on your current motherboard.

2.)Who is going to socket 7? Everyone is going to FCPGA and Socket A. Socket 7 is a dead technology.

3.) FCPGA is the new P3 format. It's similar to the socket 7 and the celeron PGA. Instead of having hige vertical chips, they are going back to more traditonal horrizontal chips.

4.) Yes you can mix PC133 and PC100...it's just that the PC133 memory will run at PC100.

HAHA...and by the way AMD is better than INTEL. I had to add that. I hope this helps.

"upgrading is no longer an option...it's a necessity"
Visit www.elitehunters.com
--SoulReaper =)