Doombot

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail

I was one of the lucky few who was able to buy the processor during the few hours it was available on Newegg. From my research it appears that Asus and Gigabyte are good choices but I'm unsure of which brand to get. I'll be installing a 64 bit OS with 4 gigs of ram in 2 gig sticks.

However I have a interesting 'problem'. I have a old Dell Dimension 4600 that is broken. I want to hook up the hard drives to my new computer as a secondary harddrive just long enough to transfer the data. I was told that most new motherboards would have at least one connection that I could use or I could temporarily use the CD Rom connection to connect the drives. Is this true?

Dell Dimension 4600 (Pentium 4 2.8GHz, 512MB RAM, 80GB HDD, XP Home)
Here's the information I have on the drives. DMA/ATA-100 (Ultra) - 7200 rpm

So am I worrying for nothing because the motherboard will probably be able to accept the old drive as a temporary 2nd drive.

Are there better ways to transfer the data from a computer that won't turn on?

Thanks in advance.

tomas.termit

Hello,
If you wanna buy a new motherboard, don't worry, u can still use your old HDD. In shops you can find the IDE to SATA changers. I got one and it works fine. BIOS is showing it as SATA device.

Note: see the link below:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/images/Full/a11az.jpg

Doombot

Oh wow! That's awesome! Thanks. That's one less thing I have to consider when looking at a new motherboard. Thanks for your information. =)

Doombot

I'm thinking about going with this motherboard and memory combo to go with my 8400.

Any issues? Thanks in advance. =)

ASUS Commando LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

ORSAIR XMS2 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory -

tomas.termit

I got 8400 too. It is a great processor. I bought ASUS P5KC, because here is an option to upgrade it with DDR3. I think maybe will be better choose board with DDR3 RAM. Motherboard that you are thinking about looks great but maybe will be better use DDR3 RAM instead of DDR2.

ASUS P5K3 deluxe:
http://computershopper.com/reviews/a...erboard-review

ASUS P5K3 Premium:
http://www.techfresh.net/gadgets/com...-game-addicts/

Doombot

Great thoughts! Thanks for the information. I think I'm stay away from actually purchasing ddr3 memory right now since it would take me over my budget. However... the Asus P5K3 looks like an excellent choice.

I would like to have the option to upgrade to ddr3 in the future so it's calling me to buy it. =)

I don't know if the Premium version is viable. I don't seem to see it for sale anywhere and it looks like I'm stuck at a maximum of 2 gigs of DDR3 memory.

SO I'll pass on the second one but I think I may just get the first one. =) Thanks a bunch!

blackduck30

Well I tend to disagree about the DDR3 being better, more expensive yes but better no.
I personally would stick to DDR2 and a good P35 or X38 motherboard.

ASUS P5E LGA 775 Intel X38 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $225

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131219

ASUS P5K DELUXE/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $200

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131182

By the time you want to upgrade again DDR3 might then be a good cheap alternative, DDR2 is still holding it's ground quite well and DDR2 1066 is not expensive

linderman

DDR2 memory is a much faster platform until they start to offer lower latency with the DDR3 ram sticks

Blackduck gave you some awesome choices from the Asus stable


I will suggest some Gigabyte models

GA-P35-DS4

GA-EP35-D34

GA-P35-DQ6

I would double check your Intel 965 chipset from your first board choice as not many 965 boards are compatible with 1333 mhz cpus ?????

linderman

there are some decent new release X38 chipset boards from both asus and gigabyte which both use DDR2 memory; these are decent boards but are over priced IMHO by at least $75.00

they had to release some X38 boards that could use DDR2 memory to prove the X38 could keep pace with the P35 chipset >>>>> the DDR3 platforms right now cant keep pace with DDR2 systems, their big number latencies are crippling them

Ssrogg

This is the board Own3d suggested to me, and the more I look at it, the more I like it. Though with the NB heat issues, I may end up on watercooling.

Asus Striker II Formula

Overpriced, to be sure, but a nice Mobo! I want it for the SLI, too, though. 9800Gx2 Quad SLI.........soon as I can afford another card (heck, still waiting on taxes just to build it!)

Eric

Doombot

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. Right now my choice is this one:

ASUS P5E LGA 775 Intel X38 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

The slightly higher customer satisfaction and it's Customer Choice award is winning me over.

With this board do I have the option to choose either DDR2 800 or DDR 1066? Not planning to put both versions but if the price isn't that much different, I'll go with the better memory.

Thank you very much again.

ps. Assuming I did get that Motherboard what memory would you all suggest? My os will be Vista 64 and I'd like 2 gigs in each slot for a total fo 4 gigs of ram.

blackduck30

Any of these would be fine

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Pin+DDR2+SDRAM

from what i can see you can use 1066, If you want to overclock at some stage I would go with the 1066

Ssrogg

Just remember, as I have learned recently, when using 4Gb of RAM in a Dual Channel Mobo, you need to have the RAM in the right slots. Should be color-coded. I think the Mobo you are looking at puts the Dual in the White slots. If you decided to go with 8Gb of RAM, add 2 more sticks to the blue slots. Ie, the first 2 sticks of 2Gb RAM go in the white slots, the second 2 sticks of 2Gb RAM go in the blue slots. I may have this backward, so check the user manual...

I may go with this RAM myself. I like the built-in fans and not much more than I was gonna spend on Kingston.

Eric

Doombot

Going with 1066 for sure. Thank you very much for your help. =)

Doombot

I like that ram and the satisfaction scores are high. Thanks for the information on the color slots. That might have caused some frustration when I put everything together.

Thanks a bunch!

blackduck30

I use the dominator in the 1GX2. Has been great and had no problems.
One thing to remember is to go into the bios and manually set the ram voltage as when in auto it usually only gives you 1.8V and 2.1 is recommended.
If you need help setting voltages let us know

EDIT: I was also thinking about your old IDE drive. Why not just buy an external enclosure like the one below and keep it as an external storage drive

VANTEC Nexstar 3 NST-360U2-BK Aluminum 3.5" USB 2.0 External Enclosure - Retail $26

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817145131

Doombot

Some of those look interesting (one or two looked discontinued). I think I'll go with the Asus but I appreciate your (and everyone elses) help with the motherboard choice. It's really helped me.

Doombot

You know... it's funny because I thought about it and then dismissed it when I should have looked into it.

Here's what happened in my head.

I remember someone saying to me about four years ago: "Oh yeah... we can even put the harddrive in an external if you want but it's REALLY expensive." (I didn't have the procedure done. I just copied the data over during the times the drive DID work).

But... I should have looked into getting an external for my recent drive instead of dismissing it. So Thank You! That solves my data transfer issue. =)

blackduck30

The Gigabyte boards are nice but i like my ASUS boards, Couple it with some 1066 ram and an E8400 you should have a nice setup, throw an 8800GT and your styling
Just remember to get a decent power supply from the likes of Seasonic, PC Power and Cooling, antec silverstone ect
I am not trying to sway you from the Gigabyte at all because gigabyte do make a nice board but my personal preference is Asus.

Installing your IDE drive in an external case is very easy

Doombot

The Gigabyte was a close second choice. Basically I was told to go with either Asus or Gigabyte for my motherboard choice. =)