I'm an Intel gal, everyone tells me to steer away from Intel and move to AMD. I simply refuse.

My current PC Specs:
Intel Celeron 2.4ghz (Socket 478) chip
Neo2 865PE Motherboard
Sound Blaster Live Card
2 x 80gig hard drives (SATA + IDE)
DVD Rom / CD Writer
1 Gig Memory
128mb AGP 8x Display Card

Now, I currently use my PC to multi-task alot, say running Winamp/iTunes while i do my Graphic Designing and Website Designing. Also I tend to run multiple applications at once and I find my computer hanging a bit.

I have been seriously contemplating upgrading within the next month or so to the New Dual Core Motherboard and Genuine Intel processor hardware that is currently available, but I need some advice first.

Assistance Appreciated

You may need argument, as much as assistance, I think. Decisions about this kind of upgrade are a matter of taste and opinion, after certain basics are dealt with. My own opinion on the MB/Processor issue is that I don't care that much about whether it is Intel or AMD. When AMD seems less expensive, or to offer more for the money, I have gone that way. I'd go with Intel too, especially on their Dual Core technology. Others opinions may vary.

You will definitely want more memory, considering the applications you are running. You are likely memory bound in your current state, and if you wanted relief from that without a MB/Processor upgrade you would want another MB of memory. You'll want that with your new setup as well, I think.

A graphics board with large onboard memory will help a memory binding problem too. You could update your system with a current graphics board, even before installing that board in your new or updated system.

My own sense is that mother board upgrades are costly enough, involve enough system redo, etc., that it can make sense to approach the process as a new build, reusing only the components from the old system that fit the new environment. Or even to buy a new box, and start from scratch.

To provide yourself and anyone helping you with more detail about your system, it would be useful if you had a copy of AIDA32, ran it, and posted relevant results here. A search for [Aida32 3942] should get you a download location for the last free version, but you have to be sure that the location you use is reliable, and includes only the AIDA files and not other, undesirable, files - eg. spyware.

For information on a similar system diagnostics program, you can check http://www.bootcd.us/BartPE_Plugin_Details/241/Everest.html A current version of Everest is marketed by Lavalys (http://www.lavalys.com/).
(ed. by poster to remove "stupidia" link.)

Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Professional
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2
Internet Explorer 6.0.2900.2180
Computer Name Redacted by moderator

Motherboard:
CPU Type Intel Celeron 4A, 2400 MHz (6 x 400)
Motherboard Name MSI 865PE Neo2-S (MS-6728) (5 PCI, 1 AGP, 4 DIMM, Audio)
Motherboard Chipset Intel Springdale i865PE
System Memory 1024 MB (DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type AMI (05/28/03)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM2)
Communication Port Printer Port (LPT1)

Display:
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700 (128 MB)
Monitor Plug and Play Monitor [NoDB] (151435699)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter Creative EMU10K1 SB Live! Audio Processor

Storage:
Floppy Drive Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive Maxtor 6L080L0
Disk Drive Maxtor 6Y080M0 (80 GB, 7200 RPM, Serial-ATA/150)
Optical Drive HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-4081B
Optical Drive LG CD-ROM CRD-8522B (52x CD-ROM)

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 78152 MB (39655 MB free)
F: (NTFS) 78159 MB (29272 MB free)

Input:
Keyboard Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse PS/2 Compatible Mouse

Network:
Network Adapter ADMtek AN983 10/100 PCI Adapter
[ System ]

System Properties:
Manufacturer MICRO-STAR INC.
Product MS-6728
Version 100
Serial Number 00000000
*.... Redacted by moderator

[ Motherboard ]

Motherboard Properties:
Manufacturer MICRO-STAR INC.
Product MS-6728
Version 100
Serial Number 00000000

[ Chassis ]

Chassis Properties:
Manufacturer Uknown Chassis Manufacture
Version Version 1.00
Serial Number 123456890
Asset Tag 0123ABC
Chassis Type Desktop Case

[ Memory Controller ]

Memory Controller Properties:
Error Detection Method None
Supported Memory Interleave 1-Way
Current Memory Interleave 1-Way
Supported Memory Types DIMM, SDRAM
Supported Memory Voltages 3.3V
Maximum Memory Module Size 1024 MB
Memory Slots 4

[ Processors / Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor ]

Processor Properties:
Manufacturer Intel
Version Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor
External Clock 100 MHz
Maximum Clock 4000 MHz
Current Clock 2400 MHz
Type Central Processor
Voltage 3.3 V, 2.9 V
Status Enabled
Socket Designation FC-478

[ Caches / Internal Cache ]

Cache Properties:
Type Internal
Speed 40 ns
Status Enabled
Operational Mode Write-Back
Associativity 4-way Set-Associative
Maximum Size 1024 KB
Installed Size 8 KB
Supported SRAM Type Synchronous
Current SRAM Type Synchronous, Pipeline Burst
Error Correction Single-bit ECC
Socket Designation Internal Cache

[ Memory Modules / DIMM1 ]

Memory Module Properties:
Socket Designation DIMM1
Type DIMM, SDRAM
Installed Size 256 MB
Enabled Size 256 MB

[ Memory Modules / DIMM2 ]

Memory Module Properties:
Socket Designation DIMM2
Type DIMM, SDRAM
Installed Size 256 MB
Enabled Size 256 MB

[ Memory Modules / DIMM3 ]

Memory Module Properties:
Socket Designation DIMM3
Type DIMM, SDRAM
Installed Size 512 MB
Enabled Size 512 MB

[ Memory Modules / DMII4 ]

Memory Module Properties:
Socket Designation DMII4
Installed Size Not Installed
Enabled Size Not Installed

CPU Properties:
CPU Type Intel Celeron 4A, 2400 MHz (6 x 400)
CPU Alias Northwood-128
CPU Stepping D1
Original Clock 2400 MHz
L1 Trace Cache 12K Instructions
L1 Data Cache 8 KB
L2 Cache 128 KB (On-Die, ATC, Full-Speed)

CPU Physical Info:
Package Type 478 Pin uPGA
Package Size 3.50 cm x 3.50 cm
Transistors 55 million
Process Technology 6M, 0.13 um, CMOS, Cu, Low-K
Die Size 131 mm2
Core Voltage 1.475 - 1.55 V
I/O Voltage 1.475 - 1.55 V
Typical Power 38.7 - 81.9 W (depending on clock speed)
Maximum Power 49 - 100 W (depending on clock speed)

CPU Manufacturer:
Company Name Intel Corporation
Product Information http://www.intel.com/products/browse/processor.htm

CPU Utilization:
CPU #1 8 %

CPUID Properties:
CPUID Manufacturer GenuineIntel
CPUID CPU Name Intel® Celeron® CPU 2.40GHz
CPUID Revision 0F29h
IA Brand ID 0Ah (Intel Celeron 4)
Platform ID 0Ch (Socket 478)
IA CPU Serial Number Unknown


Hi, there, hope this diagnostics can help.

It's good information to have, and thank you for providing it. Since I don't know the objectives of the upgrade or rebuild you are considering, and have to be traveling for a few days I can only make suggestions based on assumptions which may not be accurate. I will leave it to you to sort out whether these points apply to your needs. When I get back, I'll be glad to dig into some of these things with you, if you wish.

If it were me in your situation, which it is not, I would want to see if this system could be upgraded to reduce the performance problem you mention ("hanging a bit") with measures other than MB replacement. As I mentioned, my hunch is that you are memory bound both with the graphics processor and your system memory.

My strategy would be to identify memory module sizes and types that would be appropriate in upgrading a new system today, and that could be installed in this system. This would let me test the modules in the current environment, and yet use them in a new or rebuilt machine. The module size supported by your machine is 1024, so you could install as much as 4MB of memory. You currently have two slots occupied by 256K modules and one vacant slot. If I were faced with this situation I might purchase two 1MB modules, and raise my memory to roughly 2.8MB of memory. My hope would be that this would reduce paging to storage, which might be resulting from running multiple applications including sound as well as potentially large graphics files. (A large part of our machines memory is used as page cache, rather than process supporting working memory, and it has been suggested that system architectures should separate the two functions completely, by providing separate very fast memory for process support and dedicating the current memory architecture to paging. If I understand that suggestion accurately.)

Possibly more important in your application environment would be an upgrade of your AGP graphics board. If it will take more memory, you might want to add memory to it, which could let additional graphics supporting memory operations migrate from system to graphics card memory. If you are ready to move to a newer and higher capacity board you would want to find one which supports the kinds of applications you use. (I once understood there was a distinction between the kinds of graphics support required for 3D modeling and games, and that required for such things as high resolution, very large file applications like photo image processing and mapping, but I am not up to date on the state of that distinction today.) I would also want to get a board that is certified for Vista, if any are available, so it could be used later in a rebuilt or new machine.

Those are the first questions I would want to answer, if I were in your place. You may be in a different place altogether. See what you think, and post any responses, additional questions, etc. We'll see what we can offer in the way of help, then.

Thank you for all your advice and opinions. Though I think jumping straight into the shopping cart for a new Dual Core Board and Chip may be a bit speedy.

I don't game a lot but I do want a good graphics card. I want to definately upgrade the card but to a PCI-Express type slot if I do upgrade to Dual Core.

I use Graphic Applications such as CorelDraw 12, Adobe Photoshop, MX Studio and I have several other processes running in the background. Sometimes I am requesting two or more different applications to perform a task, then for a few minutes I have to wait for the process to be completed.

1. Now, I am really clueless, should I just investigate and upgrade the Memory.
My current ram are different speeds. 2 modules 256MB (333mhz) and the other 1 x 512MB (400mhz)
2. Should I just upgrade the processer to Genuine Intel (socket 478)

I apologize if I am repetitive as I really want to look at this situation from all angles. My pc is working fine I just wanna speed it up any way possible.

Assistance appreciated

After careful analysis of my PC recently. My technician advised me the following:

1. My Ram needs to be the same speed and I am going to upgrade it to 2Ghz.
2. My Celeron chip needs to be replaced with Genuine Intel Chip. The problem I need to seek a socket 478 chip.
3. My PC Chassis is way to small, gathered already a lot of dust and my hard drives are tightly packed beneath
each other so I have to get a bigger chassis.
4. My PSU is very weak, I have to get a new PSU also.
5. My Display card has to be increased to 512mb.

I cetainly agree that "jumping straight into the shopping cart for a new Dual Core Board and Chip" would be "a bit speedy". As I mentioned in the earlier responses, I am not sure these would be the right upgrades, at all, and would focus on your memory and the graphics card first. My suggestion was to upgrade the memory and graphics card, and then see if additional upgrades were needed.

It can be useful to have all ram at the same speed, since the machine will adapt all to the lower speed and thus you lose the advantage of the higher speed of newer ram. This would be applicable in a gaming environment, especially; and where the budget was not limited. I am glad that you are in a situation where the cost of all new 2ghz memory is not an issue.

When performing a budget upgrade where the performance bottleneck is graphics processing and insufficient memory it might be less critical. That would be especially true when the slowest and smallest of the existing modules are being replaced with a new module or modules. Then the throttling down caused by the presence of modules with lower speed would be less significant.

It's also good that your budget will allow upgrade of your processor, if you desire. It does not seem likely to me, though, that your machine's difficulties have resulted from processor binding, and I'd consider this upgrade optional in a budget restricted environment until the graphics and memory upgrades had been tested out thouroughly. Information about the Socket 478 upgrade path is available at the Anandtech site:
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.html?i=1948

Note that upgrade of the processor DOES NOT REQUIRE that you drop the Celeron option, since the Celeron goes to 3.33Ghz and the P4 to 3.4Ghz - not a big difference. Watch the costing on this one.

A new case or chassis for your setup would likely include, here at least, a new PSU. PSU upgrades are often considered essential when upgrading graphics processors, but I have found that concern a bit exaggerated. It's useful to check the power requirements of the graphics board against the the rated capacity of the installed PSU when making this decision.

Small cases are inconvenient to work in when doing upgrades - techs would prefer larger cases. When on the floor or in industrial environments cases can accumulate enough lint to impede airflow, which can cause overheating. They need to be blown out periodically. Replacing power supplies in specially designed small cases can be a problem too.

Upgrade of your graphics card to 512 memory would seem the first, and a minimal, step to take to deal with the problems you stated your system has. While you clearly do not need a gaming level 3D graphics processor, you probably do need one with a large memory, and you might consider upping the 512 level to a full Meg. It might be possible for you to do that without overloading your current power supply, or not, depending on other features of the board.

Make sure your technician does not build you a top end gaming machine, if what you want is an image processing machine that can handle multiple, simultaneously running sound, image, and video programs. The processing requirements for 3D gaming are different than those for the multiprocessing, multiple program environment.