New Motherboard suggestion please

Dacelonid

Need to replace my motherboard and am looking for something decent but not too expensive as I am planning on moving to i5/i7 in 18 months or so.

The one I have is a Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3, P965, Socket-775

And the rest of the components are

Item|Current Config
CPU|Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz
Ram|4 x Crucial DDR2 BallistiX PC6400 1024MB
PSU|Corsair Powersupply 520W Black, ATX/EPS
Gfx|Gainward GTX 460 768MB


I mainly use the computer for gaming, but am not looking for anything too fancy here, just something solid and good value.

Thanks
Dace

Solitaire

Is it borked?

Just get a good ATX (or mATX if required) P35/45 with good 7.1 onboard sound if you don't use a high-end sound card and heatsinks on the CPU VRMs if OCing.

Dacelonid

Acting funny is the best description

When listening to music the sound volume will go up and down. Have played the MP3's on another computer and mp3 player and they are fine so it isn't a problem with the files themselves

When plugging in a usb device I can hear it on the speakers, like a crackle as if something was shorted somewhere, or crossed wires.

Then there are the occaisonal crashes from using external drives.

Sometimes when it is turned on, it won't send video to the monitor, so the computer is on but there is no picture and I have to restart

Occaisonal bluescreens.

I have swapped harddrives, GPU's, put in a sound card (which solved the sound problem, but not the usb problems), different RAM, have taken everything out and reseated everything, disconnected everything apart from the bare minimum from motherboard to see if it helped. Basically have tried everything apart from replacing the motherboards and nothing seems to make a difference, so I am going to replace the motherboard.

Would you think something like this would be a good choice.
http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/1793635/art/asus/p5q-se2-socket-775-chipse.html
Not that I have a lot of choice. Understandably there is very little older boards being carried by the online retailers.

Solitaire

A bit pricey given its features, or lack of them. Poor onboard sound that's prone to EMI, minimal heatsinking, and still €77.

You sound like you've got a chipset or related mobo issue, you will need a new one probably...

Dacelonid

Am finding it hard to find a cheap enough P45 board. The cheapest that I could find is €60 and even then I am not sure if it is any good.

I am begining to think I may as well just move up to i5 sooner rather than later.

Was looking at hardwareversand and can get an decent i5 setup for €320

Intel Core i5-750 Tray 8192Kb, LGA1156 €167
Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3L, Intel P55, ATX, DDR3, PCI-Express €75
4GB-Kit Corsair Twin3X4096-1333C9DHX DDR3, CL9 €74

Together with the Corsair 520w, GTX460 and antec 900 case I would be set up for another few years I guess.

massy086

well you should be able to get 70 q600 40-50 ram faulty mobo 25 on adverts so that will help you to get to i5 the asus board you listed is not too bad either it,s up to your budget really

Dacelonid

Thats what I was thinking. If I got €100 or there abouts for the CPU, Ram and motherboard + I have some parts from a faulty laptop (screen, cpu, ram, dvd drive, wlan card etc from a HP Pavillion), I would be able to get the i5 setup I listed.

Need to think about it a bit more.
Am not in a complete panic at the moment as it is still working away, but neither do I want it to "blow up" so to speak and be left with nothing and still having to replace stuff.

Dacelonid

Thanks to a poker win last night (go me ) it looks like I will be going for the i5 build.

Any comments on this setup




To go with this current config

Item|Current Config
PSU|Corsair Powersupply 520W Black, ATX/EPS
Gfx|Gainward GTX 460 768MB
Case|Antec 900

indough

get the 760 over the 750