[SOLVED] Components for Windows XP 32-Bit Build?

[Maalikm]

Just for the sake of it, I am putting together a Windows XP 32-Bit build to use as a secondary (offline only of course) PC.

I can locally source the case, power supply, and storage. But I am rather confused when it comes to the motherboard, CPU, GPU, RAM, and potentially even a sound card.

My requirements for this build are:

• To be able to smoothly run late XP/ early Vista era games such as Star Wars: Battlefront 2, Battlefield 1942, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas. If it can run more computationally expensive games such as Crysis and Microsoft Flight Simulator X, then that's a bonus!
• To be made mostly of components during, or not too much after, that era. (At least not later than 2012).
• To be made of used components readily available from the internet.
• To stay within a $75-$150 budget (I am already getting a case and power supply for free). If I can spend less than this and meet the other requirements. Then that's another bonus!

What is especially confusing for me is whether or not I should go for an Intel CPU from this era like a Core 2 Duo, or something from AMD like a Phenom II? Equally troublesome is the comparison between the Nvidia card of the day and their Radeon counterparts.

I understand that I can run most Windows XP games with Windows 10. I understand that a Linux build would be more practical for many reasons. I understand I can simulate a Windows XP environment using virtualization.

However I am specifically looking to make a physical Windows XP machine for little reason than just because I can and to satisfy that nostalgia itch!

If anyone can provide any insight to this particular dilemma, I give my many thanks in advance!

 

[william p]

One trick for 32 bit computers is that the OS can only adress 3.5GB of memory. But you can run more than that to use a 2GB GPU.
GPUs use memory adresses from the top down to cache textures. So if you have 6GB of RAM on a 32 bit system the OS will have 3.5GB, and the GPU will use 2GB completey separate form the OS. I would look for 256 bit bandwidth GPUs with 2GB of RAM. HD6970 might be a good one.
There were some computers around 2005 that were based on computers that ran LGA775 Pentium 4, but with a BIOS update can run 65nm Core 2 Duo and quad CPUs. This may allow you to find some XP drivers. If you find one that can run 45nm 1333 fsb CPUs then an E7500 with a BSEL tapemod will go 3.67GHz.
Look out for MB with bad capacitors. It was known issue back then.

 

[CountMike]

Just for the sake of it, I am putting together a Windows XP 32-Bit build to use as a secondary (offline only of course) PC.

I can locally source the case, power supply, and storage. But I am rather confused when it comes to the motherboard, CPU, GPU, RAM, and potentially even a sound card.

My requirements for this build are:

• To be able to smoothly run late XP/ early Vista era games such as Star Wars: Battlefront 2, Battlefield 1942, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas. If it can run more computationally expensive games such as Crysis and Microsoft Flight Simulator X, then that's a bonus!
• To be made mostly of components during, or not too much after, that era. (At least not later than 2012).
• To be made of used components readily available from the internet.
• To stay within a $75-$150 budget (I am already getting a case and power supply for free). If I can spend less than this and meet the other requirements. Then that's another bonus!

What is especially confusing for me is whether or not I should go for an Intel CPU from this era like a Core 2 Duo, or something from AMD like a Phenom II? Equally troublesome is the comparison between the Nvidia card of the day and their Radeon counterparts.

I understand that I can run most Windows XP games with Windows 10. I understand that a Linux build would be more practical for many reasons. I understand I can simulate a Windows XP environment using virtualization.

However I am specifically looking to make a physical Windows XP machine for little reason than just because I can and to satisfy that nostalgia itch!

If anyone can provide any insight to this particular dilemma, I give my many thanks in advance!

Last system I was able to use XP was (and still is) my AMD FX 6350 based system. It's more than enough to run those games using R7 270 GPU and 8GB or DDR3 RAM.

 

[Juan_Bijero]

Look out for MB with bad capacitors. It was known issue back then.

Yes, stay away from boards with Chinese capacitors! Japanese capacitors are best!