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best, cheapest, motherboard

Forum Motherboards & Memory : General Motherboard - best, cheapest, motherboard

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kuech2   07-31-2002 at 07:17:06 PM

my son recently ordered a Asus A7S333 motherboard.

I was wondering if the Biostar M7VKQ-NL is similar to this. Will the chipset work? The Asus was for ddr memory. We need something for sdram.

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Crashman   08-01-2002 at 04:27:22 AM
- 0 +

ECS K7S5A has slots for either kind (2 sets of slots).

<font color=blue>By now you're probably wishing you had ask more questions first!</font color=blue>

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kuech2   08-02-2002 at 05:10:21 AM
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which brand is this?

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kuech2   08-02-2002 at 05:23:59 AM
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never mind, duhhhh, it's ecs

Reply to kuech2
Crashman   08-02-2002 at 05:45:46 AM
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Sold under the name "Elite Group"

<font color=blue>By now you're probably wishing you had ask more questions first!</font color=blue>

Reply to Crashman
shallowbaby   08-02-2002 at 09:11:44 AM
- 0 +

damn ecs mobo
i have one, it sucks.. heat sink fell off and broke the heat sink retention mechanism (fancy name, but just a piece of platic)
never gain!

<font color=green> there's more to life than increasing its speed -Ghandi</font color=green>

Reply to shallowbaby
Dinski   08-02-2002 at 09:43:01 AM
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And you think this is because of the mobo, not because of the guy who had installed the heatsink?????!

<font color=orange>ÃÎËßÌ ÇÀËÚÊ ËÀÏÍÈ, ÃÎËßÌÀ ÙÀÍÃÀ ÂÄÈÃÍÈ!</font color=orange>

Reply to Dinski
kuech2   08-04-2002 at 05:33:53 AM
- 0 +

you guys have got me confused now! Does this motherboard support 1.4 ghz? What do you think of Biostart?

Reply to kuech2
Samoyed   08-04-2002 at 07:51:08 AM
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I have the ECS MB Crash mentioned. While it is stable and takes either DDR266 OR PC133 I was a bit bummed that it cannot be overclocked. Duh! I forgot to ask before I got it. It is VERY cheap at about 55 bucks. There is also a version that has onboard sound and a network card built in.

Reply to Samoyed
camieabz   08-04-2002 at 11:22:56 AM
- 0 +

It will support the XP series of processors.

Built one myself with an XP1600+ (1400MHz), so don't worry. Make sure you have an adequate power supply for this setup though. About 400W.

<b><font color=blue>~ BIOS SETTINGS: Fast, Hot, Unstable...That ought to work. ~</font color=blue></b> :wink:

Reply to camieabz
upec   08-04-2002 at 11:25:45 AM
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ECS MB require better components installed. My friend cannot get generic RAM working with this board and it also required a good PSU.

Reply to upec
Spitfire_x86   08-04-2002 at 05:04:05 PM
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Don't get ECS boards. They are cheapest, but not good. ECS mobos will be the best in dreams. Forget about SDRAM. Get a MSI KT3 Ultra (without RAID). It's equipped with VIA KT333 chipset and fast, stable and cheap. RAM compatibility is good and works fine with a 300W power supply unit. It may even work with 250W power supply unit if you use Duron and don't have many IDE devices. You can't use SDRAM is this mobo, but it is the best buy considering price/performance ratio. Get some DDR RAM (PC2100 is enough for Athlon XP and Duron, if you don't overclock) and try to sell your SDRAM.

Reply to Spitfire_x86
kuech2   08-04-2002 at 10:10:28 PM
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i've got ram memory i can't return so i have to use sdram

Reply to kuech2
Black_Cat   08-04-2002 at 10:45:52 PM
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The K7S5A is a terrific board... if you get a good one. I've put many of them together. Believe it or not, 50% were RMA'd. They have quality control issues over there at ECS. Another thing you have to look out for with these boards is the power supply. These boards are very picky about power supplies. Make sure you have a good quality power supply. Another weird thing I found (and I've contacted ECS about this) was the fact that the onboard LAN does not work properly with an Athlon 900. It seemed to work with XP's but not T-Birds. Weird. Anyway, good luck. You'll need it! :smile:

To start press any key. Where's the "any" key? --Homer Simpson.

Reply to Black_Cat
kuech2   08-04-2002 at 10:52:30 PM
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does you or anyone else on here know much about MSI kt3ultra, asus kt133, microstar k7t266a or pro2? as well as the abit kr7a. Thanks for your wonderful help guys!!!!

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by kuech2 on 08/04/02 04:57 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

Reply to kuech2
Black_Cat   08-04-2002 at 11:19:52 PM
- 0 +

God helps those who help themselves.

<A HREF="http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=11&MODEL=MS-6380E" target="_new">http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=11&MODEL=MS-6380E</A>
<A HREF="http://usa.asus.com/mb/socketa/a7v/overview.htm" target="_new">http://usa.asus.com/mb/socketa/a7v/overview.htm</A>
<A HREF="http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=320&MODEL=MS-6380E Ver1.0" target="_new">http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=320&MODEL=MS-6380E Ver1.0</A>
<A HREF="http://www.abit.com.tw/eng/product/mb/kr7a-raid.htm
" target="_new">http://www.abit.com.tw/eng/product/mb/kr7a-raid.htm
</A>


To start press any key. Where's the "any" key? --Homer Simpson.

Reply to Black_Cat
slickstaa   08-04-2002 at 11:24:53 PM
- 0 +

ive also built a couple of computers with the ecs board...so far all working and reliable.

<font color=blue> "You can observe a lot just by watchin'." </font color=blue>

Reply to slickstaa
kuech2   08-05-2002 at 01:22:32 AM
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* Supports 2.5V DDR SDRAM DIMM --- Does this mean it will take SDRAM?

Reply to kuech2
Black_Cat   08-05-2002 at 01:55:52 AM
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DDR SDRAM and SDRAM are not synonymous. Your SDRAM will not work in a board that only supports DDR SDRAM. That is the beauty of the ECS K7S5A. It supports both. However, you have been warned about this board.

To start press any key. Where's the "any" key? --Homer Simpson.

Reply to Black_Cat
camieabz   08-05-2002 at 12:27:52 PM
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Remember, you can only use one type of RAM or the other, not both at once.

<b><font color=blue>~ BIOS SETTINGS: Fast, Hot, Unstable...That ought to work. ~</font color=blue></b> :wink:

Reply to camieabz
bluzbrother   08-05-2002 at 02:34:47 PM
- 0 +

The only reason why someone should even suggest the ECS board is due to the fact you're keeping your PC133. I personally think the best cheap board is either an Asus A7N266-VM if you don't care to buy a graphics card or an Abit NV7-133R which has no integrated graphics but does have RAID, USB 2.0 and an optical out for Digital sound. Both boards are under $90 at Newegg. I have not heard of any issues with stability on any nforce based boards (asus, abit, msi). I did however have a difficult time getting the most recent asus board to post... seems as though the manual was incorrect for the FSB/Memory jumpers on the board. I don't know if that's too pricey but I have a hard time suggesting something that's got great potential for the trash bin.

AOL-For people who like to pay extra for their SPAM

Reply to bluzbrother
Spitfire_x86   08-05-2002 at 04:39:04 PM
- 0 +

In reply to:
----------------------------------------------------------
does you or anyone else on here know much about MSI kt3ultra, asus kt133, microstar k7t266a or pro2? as well as the abit kr7a. Thanks for your wonderful help guys!!!!
----------------------------------------------------------

What do you want to mean?

Many people are going well in my country with MSI KT3 Ultra. MSI is the most common Socket-A motherboard brand here. 95% Athlon boards MSI board. Everyone is satified with MSI boards. One in a thousand uses more thanb 300W power suppy units here. And everyone goes with cheap, no name power suppy units. Still no problems.

Reply to Spitfire_x86
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