Need replacement motherboard

[flyted]

I believe my Asus A7N8X is bad, but cant verify it, all other components seem to work. So I was thinking of just getting a cheap MB w/vid and reinstall my AMD xP-2800. The cheap ones seem really cheap. Only need it to last a year or 2. Performance is last on the list, just want reliability. Any better quality name brands in the lower price MB's?

 

[AsusGuy]

Are you looking for a socket A DDR mobo for an AMD Athlon XP?

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: flyted
Performance is last on the list, just want reliability.

Socket A boards haven't been made for a long time, so anything you find will have sat around for a while. The typical electrolytic capacitors found on those boards age over time, and so none of the boards you can fine, new or used, will perform or be as stable as when they were first manufactured. The other thing is that you "believe" the board is bad but other components seem to work. Did you test the CPU separately? What if you get a replacement board and it still doesn't turn on? Then what? I wouldn't trust any socket A motherboard to last a couple years reliably. Last one I messed around with (last fall) worked for a few days after I got it, and then would no longer POST.

If performance is really last on the list and you're looking for something cheap with onboard video, then consider one of the Intel mini ITX boards. Intel branded boards are usually reliable, and this board has everything built in. You'll need new RAM, but you should be able to score the board with CPU and a stick of RAM for $100.

Other options... get one of those Fry's specials (seen them for $50-60) with a Celeron 420/430 CPU and a motherboard with everything integrated (you'll have to buy new RAM).

 

[polarbear6]

dump the mobo and the proccesor and if u have money abt 300$ go and buy a e8400 and a p35 board i mean cmon man its the best one can do right now instead of wasting abt 50$ (minimum i guess)
just put in another 250 $ and u mi8 even need new pair of ram cards add 100$ for that and if ur going for p35 boards u will surely need a new gpu add 200$ for that or else go for a g33 board

all in all my sincere advice is ditch the computer and buy a new one

AND IAM NOT BEING RUDE

 

[flyted]

To answer several questions here at once. I am looking for a socket A MB to replace my Asus A7N8X, either keeping my AMD XP-2800 or get a combo MB. Its either the MB or the ATI video card and I have no way to test that or swap it with another. Even getting the cheapest AGP or PCI video card is around $20 w/shipping and if that doesnt work its wasted as I'll get a MB that has integrated video. I have (2) 1GB 184-pin memory cards that I'd like to keep as they werent cheap and it would help a cheap MB to some degree. To the comment of spending more, just not a option as I dont plan on keeping this computer, I want just the minimum to get it up and running again. I gave away 3 computers in the last year that I used for DC, never thinking I'd need a spare as this computer has run perfect for years and I have optical, HD and modem spares, just not MB or video. If I could just find any old computer locally it would fit my needs also, but small towns make it tough.

 

[flyted]

After spending 2 hours digging through newegg MB's and proc's, it may be just as cost efficient to buy a $40 MB with AM2 socket, a cheap $30-40 AMD cpu and $20 for a 1GB memory. My old xp-2800 with 2GB ram 333fsb was more than I needed and it seems for around $100 it would at least be equivalent. I only have 1 HD, a floppy, 1 CD and a ATX ps, from what I could gather, that all would work on a new board, right? Now that I have an option on the brand of MB, what is considered a high quality brand, not features, but a good reputation for quality? My Asus lasted 4 years, which is rather weak for electronics and the excellent environment it was in.

 

[Speedwagon]

I am in the same boat as you are flyted. I have the same problems with a Shuttle motherboard.
The local computer shop suggested a mb/cpu combo for $88 and new memory. They say that I can still use my Ide drives so that will save some money.
Been wasting my money on trying to get Socket A to post. Have posted my problems on Computer Help on this site and getting some good responses.
I will be watching to see what you pick out for you new board.

 

[ZootyGray]

you can get that on ebay

or buy an amd 780g loaded with everything for 250 - put it in your case/

there lots of old pc parts on ebay

omg - another thunderstorm coming in - cya later good luck

 

[Speedwagon]

I prefer to get my stuff off AnandTech.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

you should check FS/FT.
plenty of people dumping their socket A stuff i'm sure.

in fact, i'll be getting rid of mine soon.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Tried picking out a 754 combo mobo and cpu deal somewhere for under 100?

 

[flyted]

Thanks to all who had input, but it was a lost cause as no amount of research showed me a way to test the MB and without spare parts, its over. I bought a new Biostar NF61S MB, AMD 64X2 5000+ and 2GB ram for $160. You would think that would settle the issue, no fricking chance. The new set up constantly gives a "boot disk failure" and over 4 hours of work have not fixed anything. Tried new cable, different ps, different master/slave combos with the jumper cable and double cecked that the cd is to boot 1st. Part of the issue is that the MB only has 1 IDE slot and I have a IDE HD and a IDE cd, should work, but doesnt. After months of problems with the previous issue, if this doesnt get fixed soon, it all goes in the trash, not even worth a rma, and I'll stay with my latop until that goes. I've made it so far w/o a cell phone, I'll live w/o a computer if all they make now is POS products, see more of them all the time, and they use more time than they save.

 

[Old Hippie]

Flyted, you're soo close....

A 50.00 SATA HD and you would be good to go.

 

[flyted]

Update: Problem solved

It appears to have been the HD causing all the problems even though there was no sign of failure, except maybe the constant reboots and failure to shutdown, and it passed the WD diagnostics several times without even 1 error, several times. I had tried an older HD that I knew worked, it didnt help and I tried a new WD HD before and it didnt work. Finaly I concentrated on just getting the new HD working and go from there, finally everything started working. Odd, never seen a HD that appears to be working fine just fail, but it looks like this one did. Anyway thanks to all who helped, this has been a long frustrating process and I'm glad its over.