I used to know all of this stuff but, Since I work primarily on network security, Wans and Sans all of my home PC knowledge has atrophied. Currently I've got
64-bit Intel? Pentium? dual-core or single-core processors with 800MHz front side bus and 2MB L2 cache per processor; Hyper-Threading @ 3.2 Ghz
1066MHz FSB available with select processors. All Intel Pentium processors support 64-bit computing with Intel Extended
Memory 64 Technology
Microsoft? Windows? XP Professional for Business
Intel 955X chipset
4GB dual-channel2 DDR2 533MHz ECC registered memory; Four DIMM slots; 667MHz
Integrated PCI Express Broadcom? BCM5751 10/100/1000 Gigabit4 Ethernet
Integrated AC’97 audio
Eight USB 2.0: two on front panel, five on back panel, one internal; One serial (second serial optional); One parallel; Two PS/2; One RJ-45; Line-in,
line-out, and microphone connectors on back panel; Speaker and headphone connectors on front panel
IEEE 1394a connector available with add-in card; PCMCIA reader
the video card is a
ATI SAPPHIRE 100150 Radeon X1900XTX 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
It's a dell precision 380 (that was free 3 years ago)
Recently I've reconnected with a friend at Nvidia. He said he could hook me up with a top of the line card. When I told him my specs he said
"Dude that is so ancient...do you play games on that?".
Currently I have also a P4 in an ATX case with a sizable power supply thats a few years old. What I'd like to do if possible is reuse the generic beige case that houses the P4 and upgrade the MB, RAM and Proc. In the Dell I've got an X-fi card so I'd swap that over to the new/old machine and install a SB Audigy I got lying around into the Dell. Leave the ATI card in the Dell and install the newer Nvidia card (whatever the hell it is) into the new/old machine. So I end up with two machines. Pretty much my current dell sans Xfi but, plus Audigy and a newer machine in an older atx case with current MB/RAM/Proc/drives+Xfi+spanky-new-nvidiacard
Am I just wasting time here or is this ok.
so what I wonder is...
A. Right now what is one step back from bleeding edge for MB, Proc and Ram?
(don't really care whether it's AMD or Intel)
B. Good deal on a SATA drive?
C. Will my 4 year old power supply and ATX case work for a new board?
Nice thing is I don't have to worry about monitors. I've got an older sony 21 and a Dell LCD 24. Also all optical & floppy drives, keyboards, mice, sound cards, headsets and NICs are sorted.
Let the suggestions begin.
64-bit Intel? Pentium? dual-core or single-core processors with 800MHz front side bus and 2MB L2 cache per processor; Hyper-Threading @ 3.2 Ghz
1066MHz FSB available with select processors. All Intel Pentium processors support 64-bit computing with Intel Extended
Memory 64 Technology
Microsoft? Windows? XP Professional for Business
Intel 955X chipset
4GB dual-channel2 DDR2 533MHz ECC registered memory; Four DIMM slots; 667MHz
Integrated PCI Express Broadcom? BCM5751 10/100/1000 Gigabit4 Ethernet
Integrated AC’97 audio
Eight USB 2.0: two on front panel, five on back panel, one internal; One serial (second serial optional); One parallel; Two PS/2; One RJ-45; Line-in,
line-out, and microphone connectors on back panel; Speaker and headphone connectors on front panel
IEEE 1394a connector available with add-in card; PCMCIA reader
the video card is a
ATI SAPPHIRE 100150 Radeon X1900XTX 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
It's a dell precision 380 (that was free 3 years ago)
Recently I've reconnected with a friend at Nvidia. He said he could hook me up with a top of the line card. When I told him my specs he said
"Dude that is so ancient...do you play games on that?".
Currently I have also a P4 in an ATX case with a sizable power supply thats a few years old. What I'd like to do if possible is reuse the generic beige case that houses the P4 and upgrade the MB, RAM and Proc. In the Dell I've got an X-fi card so I'd swap that over to the new/old machine and install a SB Audigy I got lying around into the Dell. Leave the ATI card in the Dell and install the newer Nvidia card (whatever the hell it is) into the new/old machine. So I end up with two machines. Pretty much my current dell sans Xfi but, plus Audigy and a newer machine in an older atx case with current MB/RAM/Proc/drives+Xfi+spanky-new-nvidiacard
Am I just wasting time here or is this ok.
so what I wonder is...
A. Right now what is one step back from bleeding edge for MB, Proc and Ram?
(don't really care whether it's AMD or Intel)
B. Good deal on a SATA drive?
C. Will my 4 year old power supply and ATX case work for a new board?
Nice thing is I don't have to worry about monitors. I've got an older sony 21 and a Dell LCD 24. Also all optical & floppy drives, keyboards, mice, sound cards, headsets and NICs are sorted.
Let the suggestions begin.
JK 
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