Good motherboards recommendation?

[ljones73]

I'm looking for advice on a motherboard that will permit my system to actually function:

Here is what I currently have:
Athlon 1.33 GHz chip
Abit KT7A-Raid motherboard
GeForce 4 - 4200Ti with 64MB DDR RAM
SBLive!
Windows XP Professional.
I have nothing in PCI 1 (I don't know if that's the slot to be concerned with however.)

Windows XP runs okay, and my 2D games seem to run fine (IWD2 chiefly, nothing else matters), but my 3D games are now having MAJOR issues.

UT2003 - game crashes back to OS.
Morrowind - game crashes back to OS.
NOLF2 - game either hard-locks the system or BSODs.

I applyed the flash bios update for nVidia chips, XP and VIA chipsets. NOLF2 is a little more stable (meaning I can play 15 minutes before BSOD instead of 2 minutes).

I'm at work, and so don't have all my information in front of me, so I'm looking for the following advice:

1. Any pointers on how to diagnose this? F.A.Q. references would be appreciated as well.

2. If my combo is hosed, what component should I replace, and with what.

3. Should I just follow my friend's advice and just buy a Dell.

Thanks for the help,
Lewis.

 

[snotling]

Try your RAM settings, lighten them up. you're probably too aggressive.

If you have anything to change it would be the RAM or MOBO (for a non VIA chipset) Many UT2003 players have problems with GF4 and VIA chipsets used together

 

[Spitfire_x86]

Should I just follow my friend's advice and just buy a Dell.

NEVER buy a Dell box. Dell boxes are full of crap.

Let us know <A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/community/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=25703#25703" target="_new"> What File compression format you use? </A>