Kodi Arfer / Wisterwood

It's time for that topic where I ask for advice with upgrading stuff

Topic List
#001 | willis5225 |
So this morning it came into my mind to buy some RAM (currently I only have two gigz!). Remembering a NewEgg gift card my brother had gotten me, I went there and found that for like around the price of said gift card, I could totally upgrade not only my RAM but also my motherboard (which is presently only an AMD Athlon (tm) 64 Processor 3700+ 2.20GHz, of which I suspect the only valid datum is "2.20GHz").

So I think I'm going to buy a motherboard and RAM. Specifically, this motherboard and RAM, not because of the specifications, but because they're a combo that costs about $200:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.583212

Now obviously, this is a horrible way to buy upgrade parts, so I'm turning to you, the futurologists and technicians of PMS with some questions:

1) What things should I check for compatibility with the motherboard? I'm thinking my sweet video card, my hard drive and my power supply (i.e. how much power the thing can draw without causing problems) and pretty much everything else should be totally standard.

2) How do I check the thing about the power?

3) Extra Credit, this computer will invariably give me the Windows 7 equivalent of a BSOD several times when booting up, and then after between a few minutes and a few hours of operation (the exception seems to be when I'm running Mass Effect or Mass Effect II. No other applications or even other video games. Just those two) but this only happens during periods of high heat and humidity (that is, it's a problem in summer). What is that likely to be (i.e. something directly but impermanently affected by heat/humidity) and is it folly to upgrade this machine knowing that something is doing that (aside from building a new one from scratch, except I'd rather not have to migrate all my data, 'cause that's for chumps)?

Thanks guys!
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
#002 | HeyDude |
So, for the most part a motherboard isn't something you just upgrade. You buy a motherboard when the other parts you want (a new processor, or a new hard drive, or video card, or whatever) aren't supported by your old motherboard. So, does the RAM that you want necessitate buying a new motherboard? If not, don't bother buying one.

AMD Athlon is a processor, not a motherboard. So you've said that you have an AMD processor. If you bought the motherboard you've linked to, it wouldn't support your processor, because it's an Intel-based motherboard, and the CPU sockets are both physically and electrically different. So REALLY don't buy that motherboard.

So to buy RAM you just need to know what motherboard you have (you can download CPU-Z and I think that'll tell you). Then you look up that motherboard, and most likely it's going to support 800 MHz DDR2 memory. So you buy some 800 MHz DDR2 memory (RAM) from NewEgg and you'll be happy. DDR2 means that it's dual-channel which means you get the best performance if you have an even number of memory modules (the physical thing you buy... in the link you gave, you'd be buying 2 modules that were 2 GB each).

Your extra credit thing is a heat issue. You need better ventilation or possibly to re-apply thermal paste or maybe some other things, but it's almost certainly a heat issue.

TL;DR: You should actually talk to me on AIM about this. I'm usually on while I work (8-ish to 5-ish) and that's it.
#003 | DarthMarth |
Hm, I didn't know motherboards were Intel/AMD specific. Interesting. Are you sure it's a heat issue if it happens within a few minutes of startup?

Anyway, I generally agree with HeyDude. You generally only upgrade your motherboard if you need to upgrade something else your old one isn't compatible with, like memory, processor, or graphics card. And then you definitely want to check compatibility with the parts you mentioned. I have a few questions:

What are your objectives in this upgrade? What kinds of problems are you having now that necessitated upgrading your RAM? I would recommend finding some good RAM that requires upgrading as little else as possible, and then upgrade whatever else you need to ensure compatibility. Your CPU seems a little slow, so you might want to consider upgrading that as well depending on what you want to run. How old is it/how many cores is it?

Do you have a Microcenter or equivalent (I've heard Fry's is pretty good) nearby? That generally beats Newegg; the prices are competitive and when I did a major upgrade to my machine, they did a free in-store POST on the new equipment to make sure it was all put together correcttly and worked. The staff at such places are generally very knowledgeable and could probably help with your questions, such as the BSOD.

To be safe, maybe post your complete specs here (CPU-Z should give you plenty of detail).
---
CSBE FTW!
DarthMarth - Better than a bowl of Cheerios.
#004 | willis5225 |
Okay, I did not realize there was a processor/board distinction (well, I did, but I thought the one was welded to the other... for some reason). I am running to work as well, but I will get more specific specs and such.

In the meantime thanks!
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
#005 | willis5225 |
In retrospect, I'm being silly; here are what look like relevant readouts from CPU-Z:
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/5798/cpuzreadout.png

So I look up that model number and I get this:
http://browse.geekbench.ca/geekbench2/view/95342

it's saying it holds two processors; can I just get another processor and jam it in there? That would be pretty baller (although I don't see what would indicate the number of ports it has for RAM, although I guess I could just crack the case open and look; I think there were two open ones the last time I was in there, but, then, I'm kind of an idiot).

Also, Marth, to answer your questions, my brother got me a NewEgg gift card for Christmas, so my goals were twofold in first being able to tell him "oh I got some sweet RAM, it's pretty cool," and second, like, having RAM, man. You know. If I go over the $200 I'll look around, but I want to get that gift card monkey off my back. And like RAM man. Although I will say all this talk of further upgrades has me wanting to get more processor power before the next Elder Scrolls comes out, possibly enough that I can run Fallout in the meantime. So really just "more power 'cause... power."

And yeah, I have certainly *had* that exact error message come up in summer as a heat issue (I was storing a pile of books on top of my box, which was in retrospect silly) but it was doing that even on not particularly hot days. I assume it's some crazy thing where when program X is using memory sector Y, device Z can't use sector Y to check the heat and shut down randomly, which is how I came across the idea of just kinda gutting the thing.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
#006 | HeyDude |
I couldn't tell you why it hasn't shut down during Mass Effect, but regardless, I'm sure it's a heat issue and that some better ventilation could take care of it. You could buy a new case and new RAM, if you wanted. Or some new fans or a new heatsink or something heat-related. Seems like a good upgrade, plus, fans are cheap.

BUT YOU AND I SHOULD TALK ON AIM
#007 | willis5225 |
Yeah, I'll drop you an IM when I get to work (I am the worst at actually leaving for work which is why I'm still checking this topic I said I shouldn't reply to because I was leaving for work; although in fairness stopping to post in this topic is in fact part of the reason I haven't yet left for work).

Also: what about the freezing during startup thing? Now that DM's said it I would think it would rule out heat.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
#008 | HeyDude |
It can happen immediately without proper airflow. Seen it multiple times before. Interim solution: open the case and run a box fan (unless your room is dusty) blowing directly onto the computer and if you don't get any more shutdowns... it's a heat issue!
#009 | DarthMarth |
Don't computers just shut down immediately if they overheat? (I don't have too much experience with the subject) Anyway, yes, try the open-case idea to see if you can rule out overheating.

Also, for the next Elder Scrolls game, I have a feeling you might want to consider upgrading your graphics card over processor.
---
CSBE FTW!
DarthMarth - Better than a bowl of Cheerios.
#010 | willis5225 |
Well first off, it's not overheating now, nor has it overheated since the late summer. Is 20 degrees going to change that?

Re: Graphics card, I bought a totally sweet one a few months ago, so I suspect that's still goin' strong. I know the processor is dated and needs to be upgraded, in this case specifically because it can't run Fallout 3, and I assume that said TES sequel will be rougher on the CPU than that, but that is secondary.

More importantly I've just recalled that the startup issue isn't that it does the stop-working-memory-dumping thing on startup, but rather that it will refuse to boot from the hard disk. Again, this only seems to happen in hot/humid weather, even from a cold startup (i.e. the machine will be at room temperature, in this case potentially in the 80s, but not hotter). It also won't boot from the DVD drive, but that's (I assume) because iTunes has royally ****ed up my DVD drive (uninstalling iTunes causes the system to no longer recognize that such a drive exists, so I've decided to just let apple win that one).

Also, Alex, I popped on and off AIM a couple of times and didn't see you. Sorry to leave you hanging, but I had unexpected and indeed unprecedented levels of actual work :smith:
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
#011 | willis5225 |
And, balls, first BSOD of the spring :(

Guess I should get on those fans.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
#012 | HeyDude |
Unlike The Hives, I do not hate to say I told you so.