I had exactly same CPU / motherboard combination back then! 😀 With MSI GeForce4 MX440 - "low cost option", but suprisingly adequate for what it was (GeForce 2 with moustache) - cheap and good enough to play newest games (with lower details of course). But what I really wanted was GeForce 4Ti 😀

Sounds like a 2002 bang for your buck kind of deal so I would say get a Radeon 9500 (non- pro with L-shaped ram) that can be modded to perform like a 9700 (pro).
The GeForce 4200 Ti was the previous price performance champion so it's another option but slower than a 9500 @ 9700 (pro).
Typically you'd use onboard sound or a SB Live! in a system like that.
The most iconic case back them was the Chieftec Dragon but it doesn't add to system performance so maybe you'd have a generic white case that you spray painted and modded with a window kit?
Anyway those realistic bang for your buck builds can be a lot of fun because you end up with a very custom build that you tweaked to your own preference. 😀

A couple of months ago I built a machine based on Athlon XP 2400+ Mobile CPU with Barton core. I used a Via KM400 Asus motherboard. I had to hardware modify the CPU to allow 333Mhz bus on that motherboard and unlock correct multipliers, but it ended up being a beast. It overclocks to 3200++ speeds at desktop standard voltage, and it allows setting multipliers and caches with setmul on the fly, so this machine can range its speed from a 386 PC to an Athlon XP 3200+

I coupled it with an Aopen yamaha YMF744 ms-dos compatible sound card, and a Geforce Ti4800 SE to make the machine a beast for Windows 98 games with also 90% MS-DOS games compatibility, thanks to the true OPL Yamaha sound card.

I am interested in your GPU suggestions most of all.
The mainboard supports AGP 4x apparently.
I have bought in the set an MSI MS-8866 GPU - GeForce4 MX440-T which I understand is quite low-end for the system.

I vividly remember that back in the day, I used to have a Hercules 3D Prophet FDX 8500LE which I loved just for its blue-look and was quite proud of it.¨

What is the best and to performing card for AGP 4x?

Don't know about best / top performing (also don't know about ATi, I was nVidia fan back then 😀, but if you want something powerful and perriod-correct, go for GeForce4 Ti 4600. Or 4200, because 4400/4600 are somewhat expensive. GeForce3 Ti would also be a fine choice. Or, if you don't mind newer stuff, you can try something like 6600/6600GT (in that case, XP 1800+ would be bottleneck though).

Early AthlonXP (1800+ to 2200+) for me is a Radeon 8500 affair. Late AthlonXP (2500+ to 3200+) is Radeon 9700/9800 for sure.

Hi all,

Thanks for your suggestions. I have spent some time since my intial post sourcing some HW for my build.

CPU is and will be Atlon XP 1800+ AX1800DMT3C (Palomino)
When it comes to motherboard, I changed to MSI KT6 Delta ver. 2.0 for several reasons:
- it is newer than my first pick MSI KT3 Ultra 2 and supports AGP 8x and has SATA on-board
- My first pick MSI KT3 Ultra 2 died unfortunately during various component testing
- I wanted to stick to MSI for D-bracket and "redness" reasons, on-board piezo beeper is also nice

With respect to graphics card, I got my hands on several choices, listed in order of attractivness for me from highest to lowest:
1 - GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE (Leadtek Winfast A280) - 128MB, AGP 8x (needed cap replacement)
2 - Radeon 9600XT (HIS)- 128MB, AGP 8x
3 - Radeon 9100 (Super Grace) - 64MB, AGP 4x - with active "flame" cooler
4 - Radeon 9250 (Sapphire Atlantis)- 256MB, AGP 8x

For RAM, I am going to go with 3x1GB A-DATA 400MHz DDRs identical modules.
I also have 3x512MB Kingston KVR modules, but I just want the maximum possible...

For sound, I have a Sound Blaster Live 5.1 Digital (SB0220) DELL version with front panel header
Although getting my hands on Audigy at some point would be nice...

For storage, I am going with 120GB SSD SATA drive (either running with SATA→IDE adapter, or directly to on-board SATA)

All this is going to go into a vary basic beige case, identical to one I used to have back in the day (below is the seller's photo, as I bought it) which I cleaned and retrobrighted in the meantime.

Additional acessory will be:
Pioneer DVD-105S slot-loading DVD drive
Scythe SCKM-1000 front panel controller with white faceplate for that extra bling. I plan on biforcating all fan signal wires to the panel and to the MB, to be able to detect fan RPM in both, HW panel and SW monitoring. I tested it and it should work.
Front USB and Audio panel...

Of course, also an generic FDD

What do you guys think about that?

I think that InWin A500 is a beauty in simplicity but requires a THOROUGH cleaning..

If your after blue AGP cards, Albatron GF4 Ti range may interest you

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1149

appiah4 wrote:

I think that InWin A500 is a beauty in simplicity but requires a THOROUGH cleaning..

It is unfortunately not InWin A500 but a look-alike ripoff from Eurocase I believe

Bad luck is befalling me in this Athlon XP build. It is suprisingly difficult getting a MoBo I like and that works and that would keep on working.
So my first board for the build, MSI KT3 Ultra 2 died after I let it boot w/o GPU installed.
Ok lessons learned so after that an Asus A7N8X-XE died after I replaced bloated caps, still dont know what I did wrong.
So next, an MSI KT6 Delta ver 2., which never arrived from the seller after payment..."sigh, some people"...
So next I bought 2pcs "working" MSI KT4AV and indeed both in very nice condition, both dead on arrival.
So now the only MoBo I have that works and sort of does what I want is MSI K7T266 Pro 2 ver 2.0, but it only has USB 1.1 and AGP 4x, and has broken off tabs on RAM slots

Also the Scyche SCKM-1000 panel I bought turned out to also be dead...

Im getting thoroughly frustrated...

How much confidence do you have in your power supply?
What other parts have always been involved when a board died?

shamino wrote:

How much confidence do you have in your power supply?
What other parts have always been involved when a board died?

I have a very good confidence in my PSU, its a quality FSP 350W unit with strong +5V rail (35A). Pulled out of well working Sempron setup, the PSU gives very nice readings by a multimeter probe, even -5V rail.

Other than that, I limit other components for initial testings to bare minimum for posting - random RAM stick of the bunch I have, Radeon 9250 graphics card, and a CPU cooler

assasincz wrote:

So next I bought 2pcs "working" MSI KT4AV and indeed both in very nice condition, both dead on arrival.

So I took closer look at the boardss, and the reason for their deadness became clear.
From bottom side, on both units, there are resistors torn off, scratches and other damage. No wonder...

And interesting development these past few days...

Out of the blue, three weeks after I paid for its shipment and was thinking that I got scammed, the KT6 Delta motherboard has arrived - excellent condition, working. I had to apologise to the seller for accusing him of scamming me.

But what is even nicer, I bumped into a local auction where seller was selling a semi-complete PC setup, and by stroke of luck I noticed from the pictures that the graphics card there is the one I search for for a long time - Hercules 3D Prophet FDX 8500LE, jsust like the one I used to have back in the day, my first "gaming" GPU. I won the auction well, looking forwards to its arriving.

Never heard back from the seller of the two dead KT4AV mobos though...