What is the "right" 2 GHz cpu for my ststem...

[Titanion]

I currently have a KT333 Soyo Dragon Ultra (black pcb) with an Athlon XP 1900+ cpu. I have a chance to sell my cpu for a “good” price, so I will want a new cpu for my board. This motherboard supports 333 only for ram, and has a max fsb (without overclocking) of 266. The Soyo web page states that this board only supports up to 2600+ 266fsb. What will happen if I drop a Barton in there? Will it work?

There is no 1/5 ratio on this board, so if I raise the fsb, I raise everything, and I do not want my pci bus to exceed 37.5 MHz.

What is the best cpu for my system? I do a lot of gaming, but this system still needs to be stable for video editing, etc. I want to be at or exceed 2.0 GHz. The board also says 14 is my max multiplier. Can I do something weird and get a Barton 2500, set the fsb to 145, and still reach 2 GHz with it? Is the Barton 2500 multiplier locked? How would it run with a lower fsb but a higher multiplier setting? What type of cooling would that take? Or should I just get a 2400+ and be happy with 2.0 GHz with a 266 fsb?

I have posted similar questions a couple of times over the last few months, but I have yet to get some solid advice—or advice that I understand completely? Thanks.


<font color=red><b>To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n.</b></font color=red>
John Milton, <i>Paradise Lost</i>, II 262-263

 

[Maverick494]

the 145 will need a multiplier of 14 to achieve 2.0ghz. that is possible with your motherboard. I can't remember if the barton is unlokced or not and I am too lazy to go check. It will not run as fast with a lower FSB. Personally I would sell my motherboard too and get a newer mobo. An MSI K7N2 Delta-ILSR is 135.00 dollars right now and you already have a DDR system so you can use all the other exsisting components. Plus the price of the Barton 2500+ is 93.00$. so for about 250.00$ you can get a good upgrade and know that everything is as you want it.

If I were you and I didn't want to change mobo's I'd get the 2400+.

Just a computer junky

 

[Titanion]

OK, so what would happen if I did drop a SY-KT400 Dragon Ultra in this system and booted it up? ($106.00 from Newegg). Would a lot of the old drivers work from the SY-KT333 board, at least long enough for me to update them? Would my RAID freak out and cause me to lose all data? The Data on the raid can be moved to my C: drive during the upgrade. Sounds fun? I would hate to have to reinstall everything, but upgrading to this board can handle a Barton no problem. And I do want a 2nd system capable of playing current 3D games...

Upgrading a cpu after selling my currect one is one thing, but buying a new board is another. I am teaching summer school, though, and my birthday is coming up.

<font color=red><b>To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n.</b></font color=red>
John Milton, <i>Paradise Lost</i>, II 262-263

 

[Maverick494]

with either board you should be able to maintain your current array. However the rub with the MSI board would be that you would need SATA convertors for your drives to make it raid capable. the KT400 and the KT333 are both via chipsets, and if they have the same raid controller then all the drivers should be the exact same. So the KT400 makes for the easiest swap IMHO.

Just a computer junky