New Mobo?

[dodge8604]

Okay actually I have a few questions.

I kinda fell out of building rigs for a while so i have forgotten some things.

I use AGP right now, I am looking for a new mobo and some more memory only 1GB right now lookin for 2.

I do some gaming and some video editing. Lots of school work but I dont demand much from my machine so I really dont put a beating on it.

Okay, I need a good, budget oriented motherboard, I've had good experience with Asus mobos and Gigabytes. Can you guys recommend a 775 socket mobo for me w/ PCI-E VGA?

Also is there a good cheap 1GB stick of memory out there that will be compatible with this mobo that you recommend? I have enough cooling devices and all drives i need, just want a newer, better motherboard with a little better memory, my system lags a bit in Call Of Duty 2 and sometimes runs into problems when I open a few windows.

I know i've demanded alot but you fellas haven't let me down yet!

If this isn't in the proper forum please move this.

Thanks guys!
Zach

 

[Nelviticus]

I use an Asus P5B motherboard (the standard rather than the deluxe version) and it's OK. I've heard good things about FoxConn's 965 chipset-based mobo but I can't remember the model name - I would have bought it myself but at the time I built my machine nobody had it in stock.

I would advise you to either buy a new matched pair of 1GB memory sticks or try to get hold of an identical stick to the one you already have. You might run into stability or speed problems if you run a mismatched pair.

Regards

Nelviticus

 

[paparazi]

dodge8604
The trouble for me is your questions/statements don't make it clear what hardware you already have:

You currently use a socket 775 motherboard that has AGP so likely the 1gig ram you already have is older PC3200 and not the DDR2 you will need for the newer 775 board.

I would agree, a budget Intel 965 chipset equipt motherboard would be my choice "Conroe" ready, something like:
Asus P5B or P5B-E
Gigabyte GA-965G-DS3
MSI P965 Neo-F
Foxconn P9657AA-8KS2H Or P9657AA-8EKRS2H

But then for my next question/observation:
You appear to be a gamer and the single most important thing and the component that has most influence on gaming performance is the graphics card.
Therefore, what do you have at the moment and could your problem be more cheaply resolved by installing a faster AGP graphics card? something like a Nvidia 7800GS for example.

Martin


We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[dodge8604]

My Card is a 6800GT

I dont think my stick of Ram is PC3200....i'll check it out and i guess i'll look for deals online or whatever.

Im just want to get my rig running like it was a year ago. So smooth.....

Thanks guys!

 

[cdogg]

Im just want to get my rig running like it was a year ago. So smooth.....

I can almost guarantee you that a clean install of Windows will do that. I know it sounds like a pain, but starting over from scratch gives you a lot of options.

First, you eliminate all the congestion in the registry that has accumulated over the past year. Second, you can take a proactive approach and plan a good backup schedule, which if done often enough, you should not have to worry about reformatting and starting over next time this happens to you. I recommend using Acronis's True Image (Home version) software, which you should be able to find for a decent price. Ghost would be my second preference.

If you're not satisfied after the clean install, then consider upgrading your hardware, which a clean install is recommended for anyway.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[paparazi]

I guess this thread highlights the need "YET AGAIN" to supply as much hardware/software information in the FIRST POST as is possible.
I don't mean to get at any one poster it's just that we see so many threads where information from the poster is given is dribs and drabs and the replies to the questions dramatically change as the information becomes clearer over several days of postings, if only we had more info in that first initial post.
I agree, with cdogg, if your PC was running smoothly last year it is likely that all is needed is a clean install to get it back to that state.
Your 6800GT is well capable of playing Call of Duty 2 at very decent frame rates.
As you haven't posted your other specs I cannot comment on wether other components may or may not be bottlenecking the system.
Your statement however, about your rig running soo smooth a year ago would indicate your hardware is up to the task.

Martin




We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[dodge8604]

Okay well it was more like two years ago when it was running smooth.

But heres what happened.

-Computer was running fine. Decided to throw in another 1gb mem. stick. Static shocked my mobo and went out and bought another(and yes it was the correct chipset and all that) It was a bit of a downgrade but it still runs fine, I've clean installed 3 times since the new mobo went in (April 2005) One of my memory sticks wasn't compatible with my new mobo so I took that out(leaving me with 1GB) I was running like 250fps in Call of Duty and UO before all of this. Now running Call of Duty 2 I can barely hit 100fps. I know running different settings and what not but I am running 1280x1024 and pretty low settings otherwise so i should really be getting over 150 AT LEAST. I always get out of as many programs as possible when I go to play COD2, to get my frame rate up and it works but i still dont get over 100.

my specs are

big enough PSU
Gigabyte Mobo, Socket 775 AGP8x4x
6800GT (from when they first came out)
1 GB RAM
Audigy 2 Sound


All I want to know really is can you find me a good motherboard? Socket 775, AGP 8x

Price isn't to big of a deal but Im not spending $200 on one. If Asus would hurry with my RMA I could have my old motherboard back, the P5P800

Is there anything else you guys hafta know?

 

[dodge8604]

Also, what is the 965 chipset based motherboard you guys are talking about? If i got it wouldn't that mean I'd have to get a new processor as well? (Which I really do not want to do my current processor is the 775 3.6GHz)

Thanks guys

 

[cdogg]

I'm sure Martin (paparazi) will lend you the hand you need in finding a good motherboard.

However, I'm going to stress to you that when you change a piece of hardware as important as the motherboard, you should reinstall Windows from scratch. This ensures items like the HAL (hardware profile) that Windows selects is correct, and that all integrated components on the mobo are detected properly.

In addition, the longer you've run Windows, the more likely that it's running slow because of the mess in the registry. Pointing out the fact that it's been 2 years doesn't matter. Actually, it makes it even more likely that you have a Windows problem.

I don't know how else to tell you that the hardware does not degrade over time in terms of performance. You can blame that on Windows and crappy-written software that gets installed/uninstalled over time leaving junk behind...

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[dodge8604]

Okay well now I have a big problem.

Last night I was playin COD2 and my comp. crashed.
When I rebooted, the dreaded "hal.dll missing or corrupted" message came up.

So I try to get into the recovery console to fix it and it wont even recognize my hard drive. Now when I was first installing this Gigabyte motherboard it gave me the same problem but the thing is when the BIOS posts it recognizes the hard drive but when I go to try to get on the recovery console it doesn't see that it is there. I checked the connections and the power works to it, I think maybe my SATA connection is messed up. There is another connection to the Hard Drive and it is called "molex" i think??? That is what it said right above the connection (molex??)

I really have no clue what to do but is it possible to transfer my XP and all my data onto another hard drive without having to reinstall everything? I've moved around alot lately and seem to have lost half the disks to my hardware and the programs I need.

So my #1 question is, can I fix this problem without losing all of my information?

Thanks in advance fellas!

 

[cdogg]

dodge8604,
This is why it's recommended that you do a clean install of Windows when you replace the motherboard!


The SATA driver that Windows was using for your old mobo was likely different than the one your new mobo needs.

Also, if you re-read my last post, the HAL (or hal.dll) can become corrupted when you switch out major components such as the motherboard. The recovery console might be able to repair it if you find the right command, but at this point this is what I would do:

If you DO have a spare IDE hard drive
1) Make the spare the master hard drive on the primary IDE channel and disconnect your main drive
2) Do a clean install of Windows XP on the spare (there's no avoiding this now!)
3) Once you get Windows installed (30-45 minutes later), shutdown and connect your old drive and you should be able to pull data off
4) Once you're finished backing up what you want to keep, you can decide if you want to format the SATA drive and either use it for storage or if it's the faster hard drive, make an exact copy of the IDE drive onto the SATA (clone it). No need to go through another reinstall here.

If you DON'T have a spare hard drive
1) Find another PC with an SATA controller and DVD (or CD) burner
2) Move the data you want to DVD/CD
3) Format and reinstall Windows on the SATA drive back in your PC


In the future, get your hands on a good backup program as I mentioned in my first post...

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[dodge8604]

Okay well I seem to see a pattern here with this computer.

I unhooked my old HDD and hooked up a new one I bought. I bought a 120GB Western Digital. It is SATA and when I got home to hook it up it wouldn't even recognize the new one! So I think its my motherboard, but i've made headway with my RMA Asus, It should be here within 2 weeks so I think that putting that Asus back in and starting over from scratch.

Dunno if this'll work but I guess im out of a computer for a little while....yes it sucks bad...

 

[cdogg]

OK, you've taken a step in the right direction by trying a second hard drive.

Before you assume that the SATA controller is bad, make sure you have SATA enabled properly in the BIOS. Forget about Windows XP Setup seeing the drive. Make sure the BIOS can see it first.

When you boot from the Windows XP CD to run the setup, you'll see an option to hit F6 to install 3rd-party drivers. Many motherboards out there need you to hit this option and load the right SATA driver so that the XP setup can see your drive. Go out to your mobo manufacturer's website and look for instructions/drivers (they should also be in your manual if it came with one).

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[dodge8604]

Well I put in one of my old Asus motherboards, one I thought was messed up(P5P-800). When I first started it, BIOS posted and I went into the setup. I set everything up with SATA enabled and when I went to reboot it wouldn start up and run but wouldn't show anything on my monitor.

I only had the necessary components hooked up, memory, video, CPU, PSU, CD drive, HDD....

I think I am going to make things easy on myself and return this hard drive and get an IDE so that I can try a different kind of connection.

I have the CD for both motherboards, but how do I install the drivers for them through the third party thing you talked about?

 

[cdogg]

The disadvantage of XP's setup using the F6 option is that it can only load drivers from a floppy. So, you would have to create it on another PC. The CD that came with each mobo should have a utility you can access that will make the disc for you.

Again, the exact procedure should be detailed in each mobo's manual. If you can't find it in the printed version, it will likely be posted out on the manufacturer's website.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[dodge8604]

Sounds good, I'll probably wait for my RMA Asus to get back in before I even try to get it running again. That way it'll run more like the way I'd like. I'll keep you guys updated on how it goes.

Good thing my buddy has an extra laptop for me to use for the time being!

Thanks again!

 

[dodge8604]

Okay well I found out that my Gigabyte motherboard needed to have the SATA drivers installed before it would read my SATA HDDs. I installed them so that clears that obstacle but I still cannot get my Hal.dll file back. I have researched and tried about 4 different methods to do this and none have worked.

My closest(I think) has been to install windows on my new HDD and then copy the new installations hal file and paste it onto my other SATA HDD(the messed up one) as in, going into it as a removable drive. But that didn't work because the correct place for my to copy the hal file to isn't on my older HDD. THere is no e:\windows\system32 folder on it and I enabled the view of all the folders. Still couldn't find it? Can anyone give me a link on how to get my hal file back or can someone tell me how to?

THanks!

 

[cdogg]

At this point, it's not a hardware issue any longer. I suggest you post a new thread on the issue in the Windows XP forum.

You already know that starting over from scratch works. That was my suggestion from the first response I gave way up above. Except for the pain of having to reinstall your programs and games, it's the best option to improve/solve all the performance issues you were having to begin with.

If you continue to insist on getting the old Windows installation to work again, then you should get a response in that other forum. The only links I have saved on the issue is:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000490.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314477/en-us

According to Microsoft:
CAUSE
This behavior can occur if any or some of the following conditions are true:
• The Default value in the [Boot Loader] section of the Boot.ini file is missing or invalid.
• Windows XP is not installed in the location specified in the Boot.ini file.
• The Ntoskrnl.exe file is missing or damaged.
• The partition path in the Boot.ini file is not set correctly.
• General hardware failure.

Most boot.ini files look like this (assuming that Windows is loading from the master drive on the Primary IDE channel, and is installed on the first partition of that drive):

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884