What can I salvage from my old computer and what will I need to buy

[JustAnotherFarang]

My desktop computers motherboard died and it appears that I cannot buy a replacement as they are out of stock and no longer available (it was an am2+ motherboard). Local computer store say I need to buy a new am3+ motherboard, AMD 3+ CPU and new memory as well. I want to order the items from Lazada because they are always cheaper.

This was my original setup. Everything is working apart from the motherboard.

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Quad Core Black Edition

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-UD3 (dead)
2 x Kingston 2GB 800MHz DDR2
Western Digital WD Caviar Black 1 TB, SATA 3 Gb/s, 32 MB
Gigabyte AMD ATI Radeon HD7770

SILVERSTONE ST80F 800W
COOLER MASTER Elite ATX Mid tower
> RC-310-SWN1-GP Black/Silver Steel/Plastic
> ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

So what can I salvage and what would be the best motherboard/cpu and memory combination to replace the defunct and defective parts. Thanks for your advice

JAF

PS Will this combination be okay ?

AMD FX-4300 3.6 GHz (3,500 bht) - Asrock M/B AM3+ ASROCK 970 EXTREME3 R2.0 (2690 baht) - Crucial 4GB DDR3 1600MHz (999 bht) - THERMALTAKE CPU COOLER CONTAC 16 (690 baht) ?? Edited July 4, 2015 by JustAnotherFarang

[NeverSure]

It looks like you could reuse everything except the CPU, motherboard and RAM. Be aware that you probably want more ram and a 32 bit operating system can see a max of 4GB. To increase that you'll need the 64 bit version of Windows if you don't already have it.

You'll need to see if your Windows OS will validate in the new computer so post back about that if needed.

Cheers

[JustAnotherFarang]

It looks like you could reuse everything except the CPU, motherboard and RAM. Be aware that you probably want more ram and a 32 bit operating system can see a max of 4GB. To increase that you'll need the 64 bit version of Windows if you don't already have it.

You'll need to see if your Windows OS will validate in the new computer so post back about that if needed.

Cheers

It has Windows 64 Ultimate so thats not a problem. Looking on Lazada I found these components. Wil they work together and with my computer too

AMD FX-4300 3.6 GHz (3,500 bht) - Asrock M/B AM3+ ASROCK 970 EXTREME3 R2.0 (2690 baht) - Crucial 4GB DDR3 x2 1600MHz (1998 bht) - THERMALTAKE CPU COOLER CONTAC 16 (690 baht) ??

Cheaper or better alternatives are acceptable

Thanks

JAF

Edited July 4, 2015 by JustAnotherFarang

[dave_boo]

Phenom II X4 955 will work in an AM3+ board. New motherboard and RAM (ddr3) and you will be good.

**edit**

Link.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Phenom_microprocessors#.22Deneb.22_.28C2.2FC3.2C_45_nm.2C_Quad-core.29

Edited July 4, 2015 by dave_boo

[dave_boo]

I wouldn't consider a FX-4300 an upgrade. Maybe a sidegrade.

http://anandtech.com/bench/product/700?vs=88

Also bump up the RAM. Huge benefits. If can swing an SSD, do it!

[JustAnotherFarang]

Phenom II X4 955 will work in an AM3+ board. New motherboard and RAM (ddr3) and you will be good.

**edit**

Link.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Phenom_microprocessors#.22Deneb.22_.28C2.2FC3.2C_45_nm.2C_Quad-core.29

Thats excellent news and will save me a few quid as well. Wonder why my local computer store did not realise this.

JAF

Edited July 4, 2015 by JustAnotherFarang

[NeverSure]

Thats excellent news and will save me a few quid as well. Wonder why my local computer store did not realise this.

JAF

Maybe for the same reason I missed it. I thought you wanted an upgrade and not just a repair. Sorry about that.

If you can swing a new CPU and ram you can skip generations and get the latest. If you want to stay with the same generation and really economize, all you need is a motherboard.

Your system is about 5 years old as to design regardless of how long ago it was built. If it works fine for you you can fix it with a motherboard.

When I build a system I usually shoot for last year's latest and greatest. The very latest can cost as much as twice as much as last year's news.

[JustAnotherFarang]

Thats excellent news and will save me a few quid as well. Wonder why my local computer store did not realise this.

JAF

Maybe for the same reason I missed it. I thought you wanted an upgrade and not just a repair. Sorry about that.

If you can swing a new CPU and ram you can skip generations and get the latest. If you want to stay with the same generation and really economize, all you need is a motherboard.

Your system is about 5 years old as to design regardless of how long ago it was built. If it works fine for you you can fix it with a motherboard.

When I build a system I usually shoot for last year's latest and greatest. The very latest can cost as much as twice as much as last year's news.

No worries mate, I appreciate all the input. Sooner or later the old cpu will pop its clogs so the info you provided is food for thought. But whilst their is power in the old system I will use it and then upgrade the cpu at a later date

Thanks to everyone for the advice

JAF

[NeverSure]

Your motherboard is more current than I would have guessed. You have 2 USB 3.0 (blue) ports and 5 Sata 6GB controllers. Your motherboard is still sold in the US by some retailers if you can see THIS. It uses DDR3 2100 RAM and it can overclock the CPU and RAM natively if you're into that.

If it was me I now think I'd replace it.

That mobo has 4 RAM slots in dual channel configuration meaning that any pair must match. I take it that you must have 4X 1 gig sticks? You could buy just 2 matching sticks of 4 gig each and put them in one pair of slots, leave two of the existing in the other two slots and be golden for now with 10 gig total. I think you'd notice a performance improvement with more RAM.

Cheers

Edited July 5, 2015 by NeverSure

[JustAnotherFarang]

Cheers NeverSure

After doing a little research I am leaning towards the Gigabyte 970A DP3 over the Asrock motherboard. But I am very open to any suggestions even if it costs a little more as long as I can use my Phenom cpu. Also any advice about which memory chips to buy would be a bonus. I intend to get 8gb

Cheers

JAF

[NeverSure]

That motherboard also has two USB 3.0 blue ports and 5 sata 6G HDD controllers. That's good and current. You can have a good look at it here.

About a quarter of the way down the page just before the big pretty pictures start there is a tab that says "specifications". That says that it uses DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866/1600/1333/1066 RAM.

What that means is that it will need DDR3 RAM in any of those speeds, 1866 - 1066 with a higher number being faster. The 2000 OC means it can be overclocked in the bios to 2000. That mobo will also overclock your CPU but I never do that because there's a point where it can be unstable. "Everyone" "knows" that AMD chips are "underrated" and can run at faster clock cycles (be overclocked) than AMD certifies them for. Your mileage may vary. That's done in the bios when booting by going into Setup.

Be aware that this mobo has dual channel ram. That means it has double the bandwidth from the RAM slots to the CPU than does single channel RAM. You must install RAM in matched pairs which you can do by buying a pair already paired by the manufacturer. I would buy one pair of 4 gig (2X4 gig) and leave two slots empty for now. Remember that RAM is fast already and any speed of RAM is better than not enough RAM. You might want to look at the difference in price between 1866 and 1600 DDR3.

I don't know if this is true with every motherboard but my experience says that the two slots which start closest to the CPU are the first pair you must fill. Someone else may correct me. I never did a lot of this myself but had people who did. Note that the slots are two different colors and the colors are not together. Note that with this mobo there are two black and two gray slots. The closest one to the CPU is black and I believe you want to fill the two black ones, leaving the gray ones empty for now. Hover over the picture here.

While I'm at it, don't pay too much attention to ratings given by customers unless they are wonderful or terrible. A lot of people may buy a new mobo and return it as bad simply because they don't know how to set it up and it won't run for them. Same with many computer components.

Cheers

Edited July 5, 2015 by NeverSure

[notmyself]

How do you know it's the motherboard rather than the CPU?

[ignis]

The FX 6350 cost 500 baht more, no idea is/would it be better ?

Myself have the FX 8350 with the Gigabyte M/B and a pair of 1600- 8gig = 16 gig of Ram, at the time 'Advice it' had a sale on [3,400 baht] so was 1.000 baht more than only having 8 gig of Ram.. still use my very old Graphics card 9800 GTX....

[sammygood]

how do you know the rest works ?

do you have like a spare computer where you tested all the stuff ?

it the motherboard dies, if it was a surcharge of electricity, than everything could be fried

[Zyxel]

It looks like you could reuse everything except the CPU, motherboard and RAM. Be aware that you probably want more ram and a 32 bit operating system can see a max of 4GB. To increase that you'll need the 64 bit version of Windows if you don't already have it.

You'll need to see if your Windows OS will validate in the new computer so post back about that if needed.

Cheers

A 32 bit operating system can see a maximum of 3 GB, not 4 GB.

[BudRight]

We're a month away from Skylake which will use a new socket and DDR4. I'd wait and get that.

[BudRight]

It looks like you could reuse everything except the CPU, motherboard and RAM. Be aware that you probably want more ram and a 32 bit operating system can see a max of 4GB. To increase that you'll need the 64 bit version of Windows if you don't already have it.

You'll need to see if your Windows OS will validate in the new computer so post back about that if needed.

Cheers

A 32 bit operating system can see a maximum of 3 GB, not 4 GB.

It addresses some kernel things and then video memory first. Technically it does do around 3.76GB but system memory only gets the leftovers and that is usually around 3GB.

Edited July 6, 2015 by BudRight

[hawksway]

Get the Motherboard repaired - it may only require the replacement of a faulty capacitor and there are plenty of places in Pantip who do this kind of job.

[elgordo38]

Thats excellent news and will save me a few quid as well. Wonder why my local computer store did not realise this.

JAF

Maybe for the same reason I missed it. I thought you wanted an upgrade and not just a repair. Sorry about that.

If you can swing a new CPU and ram you can skip generations and get the latest. If you want to stay with the same generation and really economize, all you need is a motherboard.

Your system is about 5 years old as to design regardless of how long ago it was built. If it works fine for you you can fix it with a motherboard.

When I build a system I usually shoot for last year's latest and greatest. The very latest can cost as much as twice as much as last year's news.

Your last comment sounds like real good advice. I see you can build systems. I was often curious what does one save by buying the parts and building a system vs buying one new out of a store. I imagine the markup on new computers is quite high. Is there a book called "Building a computer for dummies." Feel free to pm me I am curious.

[ignis]

building a system vs buying one new out of a store..

main difference is I can build my system with what I want in it... as for saving money from the the very 1st PC I bought off the shelve was a AMD, all the PCs since I have built have been AMD = lot bigger/faster then Intel for the money..

Look for what is the best for your budget on each item, many sites on the web show how to build a PC, what goes together to make the best PC for your needs/ money... most places will build them for you for 3-400 baht if you buy the stuff from them if you have no idea.

[ignis]

Get the Motherboard repaired - it may only require the replacement of a faulty capacitor and there are plenty of places in Pantip who do this kind of job.

If your talking about the place in BKK it has closed so I read on here...... but if you go to Zeer in the middle they have many places + many sell 2nd hand good working parts + will fit them if you need... Pantip 2 in Nonthaburi + other places....... even little PC shops

[atyclb]

if not mistaken, capacitors are often at fault when a mb fails. some shops might be able to place new ones on your mb. if the cost for this is low then this could be all it takes.

[JustAnotherFarang]

Alas, I dont live in Bangkok so Panthip and such places who could fix the board are not available to me. Many thanks to all the posters for the information provided. I didnt expect such an informative response but your advice has saved me time and money too.

Cheers guys

JAF

[aboctok]

Thats excellent news and will save me a few quid as well. Wonder why my local computer store did not realise this.

JAF

Maybe for the same reason I missed it. I thought you wanted an upgrade and not just a repair. Sorry about that.

If you can swing a new CPU and ram you can skip generations and get the latest. If you want to stay with the same generation and really economize, all you need is a motherboard.

Your system is about 5 years old as to design regardless of how long ago it was built. If it works fine for you you can fix it with a motherboard.

When I build a system I usually shoot for last year's latest and greatest. The very latest can cost as much as twice as much as last year's news.

Your last comment sounds like real good advice. I see you can build systems. I was often curious what does one save by buying the parts and building a system vs buying one new out of a store. I imagine the markup on new computers is quite high. Is there a book called "Building a computer for dummies." Feel free to pm me I am curious.

Google, this is elgordo. elgordo, Google!