obobskivich wrote:If you're going with 1GB of RAM (which will be needed if you want PS3.0 games), you should go with Windows XP. My understanding […]
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If you're going with 1GB of RAM (which will be needed if you want PS3.0 games), you should go with Windows XP. My understanding is that neither 98 nor ME will be out-of-the-box stable with >512MB for various reasons. I don't know if there are 3rd-party hacks/patches to correct or address that issue. By contrast, XP will install and start right up with 1GB of RAM. I personally always have found XP to be much more stable than 98SE (I have never owned an ME machine; have used them in the past with mixed results, but who knows how they were maintained).
Now about Shader 3.0 - that's GeForce 6800 or Radeon X1800 or higher (Radeon X800 doesn't support it). The GeForce 6800 isn't a perfect solution for Shader 3.0 either; it won't perform very well (if at all) trying to do things like
at once. The 7800 fixes those problems, but there are few AGP boards available (7800GS comes to mind, if you can find one). However, before we get ahead of ourselves, consider what kinds of games actually require Shader 3.0 - most of them will not run on the AthlonXP (or will run terribly) because of its lack of SSE2/3, and generally low performance (relatively speaking that is). My advice would be to stick with the GeForce 4 Ti if you already have it, because it will handle DirectX 8 very well. GeForce FX will be an improvement in some respects, but not in all - go with the higher-tier FX cards if you go that route (5700/5800/5900). Radeon 9700/9800 or GeForce 6600/6800 would be much better choices if you want to play Shader 2.0 DirectX 9 games (like Half-Life 2 for example).
Finally, on the integrated audio - while integrated audio for *most* boards from the early 2000s wasn't great, if you have a Socket A board with an nForce and SoundStorm, the onboard audio can be pretty great. More from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soundstorm The MSI you mentioned appears to have the hardware for this, and it'd probably be worth looking at unless you already have a nifty PCI card in the wings.
If i want also run windows xp then i think 1GB memory should be highly recommended!. I also think its stupid if you want to install XP SP1 only! You also missed the most important security fixes.. I know XP wouldnt be that secure either, because some those security problems arent fixed by the way.. But its more secured by running sp3. Without SP2 you also missed the LBA-48 harddisk size fix and some other fixes you really dont want to miss.. Iam also looked at the prices for the tualatin processors, but iam not going to pay 30 dollars for that stupid `cheap and oldest`processor that people arent using anymore do their internet tasks.
Socket A processors are much cheaper to get, only 9 euros (cheap as is an very big stock to buy on ebay or so) And its a better idea to get the almost latest period socket A system..
And socket a system is much easier to use watercooling if you want. (that watercooling is just to make the system more special) Rebuilding an Socket A system is nice only, but really nothing special / boring when using it only on air)
The first period socket A processors really gets though on running windows xp with all its updates!. And using more ram is always welcome on those machines... Because with more windows fixes and upgrade the system just consume more resources, specially memory..
Why i taking these parts? Because of there looks, onboard intergrated NIC, price of the components(and i want to do somthing special with it), sata on the board ect.(also keep in mind that every fixes and patches could slow down a slower version of socket A system). A first period socket A system would be slow as hell if everything is configured well.. For me Windows 98 / ME isnt the main operating system as needed.. But i should definitely run it if i have some compatible issues with older games that only run on windows 98 se / ME
I know the time of the OS between Win 98 se and WinXP isnt perfect either (me sucked and win2000 was more designed for company use), but i really want to make a compatible on both osses if this its possible (i know there are memory and harddisk size fixes for windows 98se.) ( if it could not out-of-the-box, then iam just looking for the middle way)
So if this would help me on my journey i will buy that software if that could solve the whole big problem here.. I really doesnt care about running faster games on that computer till half-life 2 period. I also have a S775 QX9650 system that can take the tasks of the faster games and better graphics support.. Why using 2 systems? Its just really hard to make one system that can do all..
1. If you want to run win98 se only. That shouldnt be a problem. But dual boot, you have to
Also why iam buying an 6800 GT / Ultra card instead of using GF4 TI or GF FX.. The best spot is the GF FX, but that wasnt the fastest serie graphics what nvidia had released that day.
GF4 TI is very nice, but need to care both system can use the same amount of memory and graphics card..
2. If you want to make a first period win xp box, you could get in problems that some win98se games wont run anymore (also used those tweaks)
3. If tou want to make a latest windows xp box, the system is already to slow ect ect.. So there if no perfect match here..
At my vision i do:
1 One system that can do the latest win98se period (if these games all run fine on xp, then i leave it that why, otherwise i need to make it win98se compatible too)
2. Second system that will to the latest windows xp period and the whole win 7 32-bit period (32-bit only machine)
1. The availability isnt so good.
2. GF4 TI cards where known of there bad GPU coolers. Most of them wherent really lived long. Good replacements are hard to find (most 3rd party cooler arent that high quality or just make more noises)
3. The noise of those GPU coolers (or the bearings went out, or design of the fan is just horrible.) These cooler always inflate with dust.
4. The prices what you pay now is just horrible..
5. I always can have a little bit more speed from the VGA card.
I really like the 6800 series better.
1. Its just faster then the previous nvidia series.
2. These cards are much easier the watercool (thats already in my plans. That i want to preform)
3. PS 3.0 is just a nice gimmick too.. ( i know back in the days playing RTCW on a 6800LE) ( i like this series very well, because it was the first cards with PS 3.0 support. and it was also the beste series back then)
4. HDR + AA i really dont care at all, GF4 TI didnt had also things that newer cards had) ( i also have another faster system here, so can dual boot both system to cover that whole period once)
5. I guess 7800GS doesnt seems to have offical windows 98 support ( if i want to use that graphics card on that os) And also my waterblock doesnt fitt on that card.)
So for my opinion the 6800 series would be a better deal for me.
Does any body knows whats the sweet spot of hard drive size running on windows xp (and which max does it support) Iam thinking of using an SATA 500GB harddisk to run Winxp SP3 on. And taking a 120GB drive IDE if i want to make the system dualbooting.
~ At least it can do black and white~