Building system for GF...need advice

[Stugots]

i bought my girlfriend a mp3 player for christmas and now ive decided to throw together some spare pc parts i have laying around to build her a computer a little faster than her current one to use. heres what i have to work with.

Antec 300W PSU
Tyan Dual Slot1
2x500@560mhz Pentium 3's Katmai core.
4x 256mb pc133 ram.
Creative ensoniq
Promise ATA/100 (motherboard only has ATA/33)
LiteOn 48x cdrw

so im missing a video card, harddrive, and case. for a harddrive im thinking of buying a new Hitachi 120gb because she has alot of cd's she wants to rip and put on her mp3 player. video card, obviously its a waste to get something like a 9800 or even a 9600 so i was thinking of finding a Geforce FX 5200 128bit 128mb and putting that in there. case, im letting her choose which case she wants from newegg.

how do you think this setup will do? and advice on the hardware?

 

[mjz_5]

just get the cheapest video card posible, even a PCI one.. i don't think she will be playing games on it.. but man, thats a sweet system, i wish i was the GF j/k

 

[TheMostWantedPolishTwin]

TI 4200 is still a little overkill.. a basic ATI card should do just fine.. unless you already have the TI or you gf plays some games..

 

[Stugots]

TI 4200 is still a little overkill.. a basic ATI card should do just fine.. unless you already have the TI or you gf plays some games..

well, she probobly will play some games, but she wont be playing anything like doom3 or anything.

also, the motherboard does allow some overclocking so im hoping to get a little extra speed out of the cpu's, maybe ~600mhz.

 

[Stugots]

::edited original post::

 

[nylint]

i doubt you'll get 600mhz out of a katmai core.
why not buy a pair of cheap fcpga2 slotkets and throw a couple of 933's on there? socket 370 chips can be had cheap off of private parties. i've got a collection of sock370 procs ranging from 600E's to tualatin cel1200's.

 

[Stugots]

i doubt you'll get 600mhz out of a katmai core.
why not buy a pair of cheap fcpga2 slotkets and throw a couple of 933's on there? socket 370 chips can be had cheap off of private parties. i've got a collection of sock370 procs ranging from 600E's to tualatin cel1200's.

i was only able to get them running at 560mhz (112fsb). i think i could hit 600 but i dont have enough fsb options, the next fsb i can set is 133mhz and obviously its unstable at 666mhz.

i may buy some faster cpu's later but for right now i just want to get the system up and running first. id probobly end up buying 2x800mhz p3's or if i could find them 2x1ghz 100fsb p3's

 

[endoman]

Go with a Geforce 2 MX200 (PCI)... You can find them for $32.00

http://www.ikor-design.com/ikor-design/product_info.php?cPath=86&products_id=4317

 

[Stugots]

i dont want to order from anyplace other than newegg.

 

[endoman]

Well, then you might want to go for (uber-budget graphics card):
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-140-033&depa=1 -$17.50
I'm not sure what resolution it supports.

Geforce 2 mx400 (agp 4x): http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-139-156&depa=1 -$34.00


Geforce 2 mx400 (PCI): http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-139-151&depa=1 -$45.00

 

[Stugots]

im not buying anything under a gf4 ti4200.

 

[nylint]

i was only able to get them running at 560mhz (112fsb). i think i could hit 600 but i dont have enough fsb options, the next fsb i can set is 133mhz and obviously its unstable at 666mhz.

i may buy some faster cpu's later but for right now i just want to get the system up and running first. id probobly end up buying 2x800mhz p3's or if i could find them 2x1ghz 100fsb p3's

afaik they didn't make 100fsb 1ghz P3's.
like i said, you might be better off with a couple fcpga(2?) slotkets and old sock370 p3's or smellerons.

 

[Stugots]

...they didn't make 100fsb 1ghz P3's...

yes they did...

Intel Pentium 3 S-Spec chart

SL5QV

Example

celeron and tualatin celerons, and 256kb tualatin p3's had smp disabled. the only processors i could use are coppermine p3's or MAYBE tualatin p3-s's

 

[nylint]

yes they did...

Intel Pentium 3 S-Spec chart

SL5QV

Example

celeron and tualatin celerons, and 256kb tualatin p3's had smp disabled. the only processors i could use are coppermine p3's or MAYBE tualatin p3-s's

haw, well you learn something new every day. i never saw a 100fsb cumine 1ghz p3 in the wild.

as for the smp problems, a GOOD fcpga slotket will let you run smp-disabled chips in smp. this one looks ok:

http://www.pcpartscollection.com/inpisoc370to.html