[conspire] How to check if a mobo is compatible with

[K Sandoval]

Hiya Everyone, Kai here.

I wanted to just run this by everyone really quick for a "double-check".
I think I have done my research correctly and wanted to run these
three items by at least one or two other people before I actually make
these purchases.

Background: here is the link covering the spec's on the motherboard
for my dad's replacement system that I am building.

http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdetails.asp?model=P4M890-M7%20PCI-E

Biostar's P4M890-M7 PCI-E Socket 775 motherboard
I have an Intel Celeron D 360 3.46Ghz Processor for this system already.
Based on the VIA P4M890+VT8237A chipsets, the P4M890-PCI-E
Supports DDR2 400/533 MHz memory up to 4GB,
OS will be :::caaah-ringe-ing:::   MicroSoft XP SP-2 for my Dad with
absolutely NO network/internet access.

Item 1) Do I need to purchase some CPU/Heat sink Jelly? Yes / No  ?
 I don't have any that I know of.
Arctic Silver AS5-35 Silver Thermal Compound
http://www.centralcomputers.com/commerce/ccp19974--arctic-silver-as5-35-silver-thermal-compound-fan-as5-3g-cpuzzzasas5r.htm


Item #2) I am thinking of getting one GB of RAM for my dad's replacement system.
I think this RAM is compatible, but I thought I should stop and ask
someone just to make sure.

Option 1)
pqi POWER Series 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Desktop Memory
http://www.pqi.com.tw/product2.asp?TT=1&cate1=61&PROID=98#1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820141190
$17.00

Option #2)
pqi TURBO 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Desktop Memor
http://www.pqi.com.tw/product2.asp?TT=1&cate1=79&PROID=194#1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820141202
$21.00

Honestly after looking at the pqi and newegg pages, I am not sure what
the difference is between these two memory sticks besides $4.00.

The motherboard supports the following according to the Manual and the website.
http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdetails.asp?model=P4M890-M7%20PCI-E

Support 2 Single Channel DDR2
Support DDR2 533/400 Mhz
Maximum memory capacity is 4GB
RAM Support 256/512/1GB/2GB

Single Channel Mode DDR2 memory module
**Registered DIMM and Non-ECC DIMM is not supported.



Item 3) I am also going to get my dad a new SATA Drive.
(I want to keep my 2 IDE drives that are set up on eMachine. I already
have them set up as lab drives anyway.)  This way my dad will have a
NEW drive and it should be more than enough for what he will need for
the next 5+ years anyway.

At first I was looking at this Maxtor drive, but changed my mind.
Maxtor 6L100M0 100GB SATA/150 7200RPM 8MB HDD
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=6L100M0-R&cat=HDD

I read that the VT8237R chipset has trouble with running the SATA
II/SATA 3.0Gb/s drives.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA#Throughput

""Backward compatibility between SATA 1.5 Gbit/s controllers and SATA
3.0 Gbit/s devices was important, so SATA/300's autonegotiation
sequence is designed to fall back to SATA/150 speed (1.5 Gbit/s rate)
when in communication with such devices. In practice, some older SATA
controllers do not properly implement SATA speed negotiation. Affected
systems require the user to set the SATA 3.0 Gbit/s peripherals to 1.5
Gbit/s mode, generally through the use of a jumper.[3] Chipsets known
to have this fault include the VIA VT8237 and VT8237R south bridges,
and the VIA VT6420 and VT6421L standalone SATA controllers.[4] SiS's
760 and 964 chipsets also initially exhibited this problem, though it
can be rectified with an updated SATA controller ROM""

I also read and that some Maxtor SATA 3.0/GB drives are not backwards
compatible to SATA 1.5Gb/s period.  After doing some reading on the
internet I figured this drive has a high probability of future
headaches period.

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=719165&page=7

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1183635&page=1

Then I found this Western Digital Drive.
Western Digital Caviar SE WD800JD 80GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s
Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822135106

And it looks like, according to the Western Digital KB that this model
is backward compatible via a jumper setting.  And if I want to/need to
 recycle/reuse this hard drive in the future, it appears to me that it
will be easier to reuse the Western Digital drive compared to the
Maxtor drive.

http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1506&p_created=1171663590&p_sid=VhPEH-_i&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NjIwLDYyMCZwX3Byb2RzPSZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9JnBfY3Y9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9c2VhcmNoX2ZubCZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PUNhdmlhciBTRSA4MEdCIFNBVEEgMy4wIGJhY2t3YXJkIGNvbXBhdGlibGU*&p_li=&p_topview=1

I just wanted to have someone double-check my conclusions in regards
to the RAM and SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive.

I found a new Case, PS, and heatsink/fan at Central Computers in Santa Clara.
Tada!

http://www.centralcomputers.com/commerce/ccp64648--23cm48np-cooler-master-rc-340c-kkn1-gp-elite-340c-rc-340c-kkn1-gp-cascm-rc340r.htm

http://www.centralcomputers.com/commerce/catalog/product.jsp?product_id=22280&czuid=1206873904625

http://www.centralcomputers.com/commerce/catalog/product.jsp?product_id=19968&czuid=1206306899234

Thank you everyone for your feedback, comments, suggestions and encouragement!

I look forward to seeing you all at the next CABAL fest....

- Kai

p.s.  I am still thinking ((mulling over)) building myself a new
system.  I might need to put that off for a few months.  I will
continue looking and really thinking about what I want out of my
future new system.  Thank you again everyone for your feedback, you
have given me some good points to stop and consider before moving
forward.

-----------
Ms.Kai Sandoval

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/1/677/a41
http://people.tribe.net/da12c6fd-0b2e-4ba6-ac41-b760bdbe9675