Need advice on a new MB

DuckWarrior · 27-September-06, 02:15 AM

My system is dying right now. I get random reboots and with everything Ive checked, my problems point toward the BFG OC Graphics Card going bad. Ran stable all day without touching it but as soon as I booted up Doom 3, reboot and reboot and reboot. (CPU is running at 35C) Of course as I type this, it could be the power supply...

I have an AMD Athalon 64 3000, Corsiar 4000 mem for this revamp and am thinking about getting the ATI X1900 XTX as it has better speeds than the 7950 GT and is at the edge (slightly over actually) of my budget for a card. No dual cards in my budget...Even dual 7900GS cards are just out of my budget.
But that leaves me with picking a motherboard for an ATI card.

Does anyone have any advice or favorites for this type of MB...any why.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

capt_cope · 27-September-06, 08:44 AM

since you are on a budget I'd try the ATI card out first, they may work ok. I know I've had a X1600Pro in my nForce4 mobo. Unless your mobo is busted to? Either way best of luck.

Cpt.Planet · 27-September-06, 09:05 AM

Duck you keeping the cpu and ram or upgrading?

DuckWarrior · 27-September-06, 10:09 AM

Upgrading to the 64 (got a deal on it), already had the mem, I dont have a 64 MB so then I will need a new MB
Soon as I push this Video card it crashes I wonder if its my PSU...hmmmm

Cpt.Planet · 27-September-06, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckWarrior


	Upgrading to the 64 (got a deal on it), already had the mem

Ahh ok. Im assuming it is 939. I know everybody loves the lanparty boards from DFI but they really are a pain in the ass sometimes to make it stable. Asus or DFI depending on what options you want.

DuckWarrior · 27-September-06, 10:23 AM

OOps...yea...939
SATA of course. Many USB ports and stability with ease of setup.
With the new baby I dont have the time I used to have to tweak.

BigAkita · 27-September-06, 10:27 AM

For stability, an Asus board would probably be best. As far as the video goes, the 7950 smokes the 1900XTX (I have one of each) but when you throw budget into the equation, the 1900XTX is a good buy.

If you need a PSU check out Aspire. I got one of their 680W and the voltages have been rock solid with enough overhead for future expansion. The price is right also.

capt_cope · 27-September-06, 10:31 AM

If you like ease of setup I'll toss in my 2cents (well this would make 4... gah) I don't think you can beat Asus for the blend of easy and decent OC. I'm running an a8n-sli board right now, my first real desktop / OC since I was running a P2 333mhz. And with it even a huge newcomer like me has been able to hit some decent OCs (3ghz stable on a 3500+ and 2.85 stable on a X2 3800+) If you aren't OC like mad I don't think this board will fail you. It will boot with the FSB over 300 (I've got it at 310 right now) My only real complaint is a lack of vcore. The highest I can hit is 1.55v and I'd kill to hit 1.6 or 1.7v. All in all I don't think you can top the asus if you want easy and powerful.

DuckWarrior · 27-September-06, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAkita


	...As far as the video goes, the 7950 smokes the 1900XTX (I have one of each) but when you throw budget into the equation, the 1900XTX is a good buy.....

Hola Big Dog! Youre at work I assume.
I was going to get the 7950 gt not gtx because of the price of the gtx until I looked at Anantech's tests and the X1900xtx consistantly did better

BigAkita · 27-September-06, 11:29 AM

Hola Fly Guy! Yep, hard at work. The card I have is the 7950GX2 so yeah, their numbers are probably accurate. The 1900XTX is a pretty damn good card in it's own right, I think Barry is using one or two of them as well.

DuckWarrior · 27-September-06, 12:38 PM

It's always been ASUS or ABIT for me, I know what Nvidia MB I would get, but anyone have suggestions at to an ASUS ATI board?

jonni3 · 27-September-06, 12:56 PM

Could have a look at the Asus A8R32-MVP Deluxe it's supposed to be one of the better ATi based mobo, here's one review on it.

DuckWarrior · 27-September-06, 01:29 PM

Good board, that was one of the ones I was looking at, you found the right info page for me, thanx

godfoot · 27-September-06, 01:47 PM

I'll second the Aspire PSU, I am still using the Darkside Power (650w I think?) I reviewed in one of my 2 rigs.

DuckWarrior · 27-September-06, 04:04 PM

On the same note, if anyone has any ideas or experience with something similar.
Computer works fine running programs and simple games like pinball, solitare, bowling etc, but as soon as I run something like Need for Speed or Doom 3, heck I even ran Star Wars Sith Lords at the lowest settings possible and....REBOOT as soon as the graphics come up. Oh, it will load the intro screen and which saved game to choose from but as soon as graphics come, it's done.
Anyone disagree it's the Video Card?

AntiM · 27-September-06, 04:29 PM

I'd agree, it seems to point to the video card. Could be a bad install of DX9 or corrupt system file. Have you run dxdiag?

capt_cope · 27-September-06, 04:35 PM

Could it be power supply? do you have another PSU handy? I mean it could be a fried card that dies in 3d, but it could also be too weak of a PSU with the increased draw when you hit 3d mode. Give it a shot, or send your card to me... I'd be happy to take on another BFG, I'm running two right now

Slaymate · 27-September-06, 05:11 PM

I'd say it's your video card also. Are you using the stock cooling? I'd check the fan, clean the
whole unit and put some new thermal paste on it. Sometimes thats all you need to do.

DuckWarrior · 27-September-06, 05:13 PM

AntiM...DX9...dxdiag? I will google it and try it, thanx...cool didnt know that was there

Capt cope, Ive been leaving swapping a PSU for last, I know I have one, but it may be in another computer but I will be trying it just to know, hate to write off a vid card for a PSU problem

Slaymate, great ideas, as a matter of fact it actually helped bring my temps back down, but yea bro, checked all that.

FeRaL · 27-September-06, 05:49 PM

DX diagnostic tool... Start> Programs> Accessories> System Tools> System Information. From there go to Tools and select DirectX Diagnostic.

27-September-06, 02:15 AM		#1 (permalink)
DuckWarrior Retired Admin In Charge of Death and Destruction to All those Who Oppose My World known as PimpRig	Need advice on a new MB My system is dying right now. I get random reboots and with everything Ive checked, my problems point toward the BFG OC Graphics Card going bad. Ran stable all day without touching it but as soon as I booted up Doom 3, reboot and reboot and reboot. (CPU is running at 35C) Of course as I type this, it could be the power supply... I have an AMD Athalon 64 3000, Corsiar 4000 mem for this revamp and am thinking about getting the ATI X1900 XTX as it has better speeds than the 7950 GT and is at the edge (slightly over actually) of my budget for a card. No dual cards in my budget...Even dual 7900GS cards are just out of my budget. But that leaves me with picking a motherboard for an ATI card. Does anyone have any advice or favorites for this type of MB...any why. Any help would be greatly appreciated

27-September-06, 08:44 AM		#2 (permalink)
capt_cope Apex Master Tech Apprentice	Re: Need advice on a new MB since you are on a budget I'd try the ATI card out first, they may work ok. I know I've had a X1600Pro in my nForce4 mobo. Unless your mobo is busted to? Either way best of luck.

27-September-06, 09:05 AM		#3 (permalink)
Cpt.Planet That's Mr. Freeze to you!	Re: Need advice on a new MB Duck you keeping the cpu and ram or upgrading?

27-September-06, 10:09 AM		#4 (permalink)
DuckWarrior Retired Admin In Charge of Death and Destruction to All those Who Oppose My World known as PimpRig	Re: Need advice on a new MB Upgrading to the 64 (got a deal on it), already had the mem, I dont have a 64 MB so then I will need a new MB Soon as I push this Video card it crashes I wonder if its my PSU...hmmmm

27-September-06, 10:23 AM		#6 (permalink)
DuckWarrior Retired Admin In Charge of Death and Destruction to All those Who Oppose My World known as PimpRig	Re: Need advice on a new MB OOps...yea...939 SATA of course. Many USB ports and stability with ease of setup. With the new baby I dont have the time I used to have to tweak.

27-September-06, 10:27 AM		#7 (permalink)
BigAkita n00b-ass reviewer	Re: Need advice on a new MB For stability, an Asus board would probably be best. As far as the video goes, the 7950 smokes the 1900XTX (I have one of each) but when you throw budget into the equation, the 1900XTX is a good buy. If you need a PSU check out Aspire. I got one of their 680W and the voltages have been rock solid with enough overhead for future expansion. The price is right also.

27-September-06, 10:31 AM		#8 (permalink)
capt_cope Apex Master Tech Apprentice	Re: Need advice on a new MB If you like ease of setup I'll toss in my 2cents (well this would make 4... gah) I don't think you can beat Asus for the blend of easy and decent OC. I'm running an a8n-sli board right now, my first real desktop / OC since I was running a P2 333mhz. And with it even a huge newcomer like me has been able to hit some decent OCs (3ghz stable on a 3500+ and 2.85 stable on a X2 3800+) If you aren't OC like mad I don't think this board will fail you. It will boot with the FSB over 300 (I've got it at 310 right now) My only real complaint is a lack of vcore. The highest I can hit is 1.55v and I'd kill to hit 1.6 or 1.7v. All in all I don't think you can top the asus if you want easy and powerful.

27-September-06, 11:29 AM		#10 (permalink)
BigAkita n00b-ass reviewer	Re: Need advice on a new MB Hola Fly Guy! Yep, hard at work. The card I have is the 7950GX2 so yeah, their numbers are probably accurate. The 1900XTX is a pretty damn good card in it's own right, I think Barry is using one or two of them as well.

27-September-06, 12:38 PM		#11 (permalink)
DuckWarrior Retired Admin In Charge of Death and Destruction to All those Who Oppose My World known as PimpRig	Re: Need advice on a new MB It's always been ASUS or ABIT for me, I know what Nvidia MB I would get, but anyone have suggestions at to an ASUS ATI board?

27-September-06, 12:56 PM		#12 (permalink)
jonni3 Apex Master Tech Apprentice	Re: Need advice on a new MB Could have a look at the Asus A8R32-MVP Deluxe it's supposed to be one of the better ATi based mobo, here's one review on it. Last edited by jonni3; 27-September-06 at 01:04 PM.

27-September-06, 01:29 PM		#13 (permalink)
DuckWarrior Retired Admin In Charge of Death and Destruction to All those Who Oppose My World known as PimpRig	Re: Need advice on a new MB Good board, that was one of the ones I was looking at, you found the right info page for me, thanx

27-September-06, 01:47 PM		#14 (permalink)
godfoot A George Orwell fan...sorta	Re: Need advice on a new MB I'll second the Aspire PSU, I am still using the Darkside Power (650w I think?) I reviewed in one of my 2 rigs.

27-September-06, 04:04 PM		#15 (permalink)
DuckWarrior Retired Admin In Charge of Death and Destruction to All those Who Oppose My World known as PimpRig	Re: Need advice on a new MB On the same note, if anyone has any ideas or experience with something similar. Computer works fine running programs and simple games like pinball, solitare, bowling etc, but as soon as I run something like Need for Speed or Doom 3, heck I even ran Star Wars Sith Lords at the lowest settings possible and....REBOOT as soon as the graphics come up. Oh, it will load the intro screen and which saved game to choose from but as soon as graphics come, it's done. Anyone disagree it's the Video Card?

27-September-06, 04:29 PM		#16 (permalink)
AntiM Aqua Pimp	Re: Need advice on a new MB I'd agree, it seems to point to the video card. Could be a bad install of DX9 or corrupt system file. Have you run dxdiag?

27-September-06, 04:35 PM		#17 (permalink)
capt_cope Apex Master Tech Apprentice	Re: Need advice on a new MB Could it be power supply? do you have another PSU handy? I mean it could be a fried card that dies in 3d, but it could also be too weak of a PSU with the increased draw when you hit 3d mode. Give it a shot, or send your card to me... I'd be happy to take on another BFG, I'm running two right now

27-September-06, 05:11 PM		#18 (permalink)
Slaymate PCApex Reviewer From Hell	Re: Need advice on a new MB I'd say it's your video card also. Are you using the stock cooling? I'd check the fan, clean the whole unit and put some new thermal paste on it. Sometimes thats all you need to do.

27-September-06, 05:13 PM		#19 (permalink)
DuckWarrior Retired Admin In Charge of Death and Destruction to All those Who Oppose My World known as PimpRig	Re: Need advice on a new MB AntiM...DX9...dxdiag? I will google it and try it, thanx...cool didnt know that was there Capt cope, Ive been leaving swapping a PSU for last, I know I have one, but it may be in another computer but I will be trying it just to know, hate to write off a vid card for a PSU problem Slaymate, great ideas, as a matter of fact it actually helped bring my temps back down, but yea bro, checked all that. Last edited by DuckWarrior; 27-September-06 at 05:21 PM.

27-September-06, 05:49 PM		#20 (permalink)
FeRaL Mutant Moderator	Re: Need advice on a new MB DX diagnostic tool... Start> Programs> Accessories> System Tools> System Information. From there go to Tools and select DirectX Diagnostic.

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