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need help and advice on my motherboard ASROCK ATA 133

Discussion in 'Computers & Modding' started by zinectics, Dec 21, 2008.

  1. zinectics

    zinectics Well-Known Member

    so i want you guys to help me to please describe me what my motherboards specs is or what is its capabilities

    here is my motherboard the asrock ata 133 K7VM3 according on asrock.com



    GENERAL
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    CPU        - Socket A (462) for AMD Sempron , Athlon XP/Athlon/Duron processor
                          - FSB 333/266 MHz
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Chipset          - Northbridge: VIA® KM266Pro
                          - Southbridge: VIA® 8235
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Memory          - Supports DDR333/266 non-ECC, un-buffered memory
                          - DIMM slots: 2
                          - Max. capacity of system memory: 2GB
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    BIOS            - 2Mb AMI BIOS with ACPI, SM BIOS 3.0, PnP
    _________________________________________________________________________________________


    Audio, Video and Networking

    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Graphics      - Integrated UniChrome graphics in VIA® KM266Pro chipset
                        - Shared Memory Max. 64MB
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Audio            - VIA® 1617A 6 channel AC'97 audio codec
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    LAN              - VIA® 6103 10/100 Ethernet LAN PHY
    - 802.3u, WOL supported
    _________________________________________________________________________________________


    Expansion / Connectivity

    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Slots            - 1 x AGP4X slot , 1.5V
                        - 2 x PCI slots( PCI 2.2 compliance)
                        - 1 x AMR slot
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Connector  - 2 x ATA 133/100/66 IDE connectors ( supports 4 x IDE devices)
                      - 1 x Floppy connector
                      - CPU/Chassis FAN connectors
                      - 20 pin ATX power connector
                      - IDE LED connector
                      - CD/AUX audio in header
                      - Front panel audio connector
    - 1 x USB 2.0 port pin header
    - 1 x COM port pin header
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

                      ASROCK I/O:
    Rear Panel  - 4 x USB2.0 ports
        I/O        - 1 x RJ45 LAN port
                      - 1 x VGA port
                      - 1 x PS2 Keyboard connector
                      - 1 x PS2 Mouse connectors
                      - 1 x Parallel port (LPT1)
                      - 1 x Audio ports ( Line In/Out, Mic In)
                      - 1 x Game/MIDI port
    _________________________________________________________________________________________


    Other Features / Miscellaneous


    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Hybrid        - CPU Frequency Stepless control
    Booster      - CPU Multiplier
                      - CPU Vcore adjustment
                      - ASRock U-COP
                      - Boot Failure Guard (B.F.G)
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Support CD - Drivers, Utilities, Anti Virus Software, ASRock PC DIY Demo
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Accessories - Quick Installation Guide, Support CD, I/O shield
                      - Floppy/ATA 100 Cables
                      - 1x COM Port Bracket
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Hardware  - CPU Temperature Sensing
    Monitor      - Motherboard Temperature Sensing
                      - CPU Fan Tachometer
                      - Chassis Fan Tachometer
                      - Voltage Monitoring: +12V, +5V, +3.3V, Vcore
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Form Factor - Micro ATX, 244mm x 191mm
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    OS            - Microsoft® Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/XP compliant
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Certifications - FCC, CE, MS WHQL
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    additonal:

    cpu:            amd athlon 1500+
    memory:      192 mb
    video card:  none
    sound card: none [i think so] [but i have a vinyl deck - will that accoutn as a sound card]
    os:              windows xp sp2


    there it is my pc mother board and other specs

    question?

    1.  does my mother board memory DDR1 or DDR2?
    2.  now i know my memory ^^, what memory should i buy 512mb or 1gb?
    3.  what video card should i buy for my motherboard?
    4.  what sound card should i buy for my motherboard?
    5.  if i want to change my amd athlon 1500+, what amd should i replace it?
    6.  can i still upgrade my drivers and bios?
    7.  is it safe to upgrade my drivers and bios?
    8.  is there any website that can offer me the upgrades of my drivers and bios?
    9.  lastly i want to change my usb ports with 2.0, because i think my usb ports is not a 2.0?

    there it is.... hope someone can tell me and give me advice on my not so serious problem.... thanks in advance ^^
     
    zinectics, Dec 21, 2008
    #1
  2. Loonylion

    Loonylion Administrator Staff Member

    1) DDR with a maximum speed of 333 megahertz, also known as PC2700 (i.e DDR1)
    2) Your system has two ram slots and will take anything up to 1GB in each slot, however for best results make sure both slots have the same amount of ram in.
    3) You can have any video card up to a Geforce 6800, or a 7 series if it is the AGP version. (7800GS is AGP as far as I remember, find a card you like and I'll tell you if its compatible or not).
    4) You can have any PCI sound card. I suggest either a Creative SoundBlaster Audigy/Audigy2 (nothing newer as they now suck) or an Asus Xonar D2 P/M
    5) I believe any socket A Athlon XP should work in that board, but again, check with me before buying.
    6) Yes you can upgrade drivers and BIOS
    7) Upgrading drivers is almost always safe, upgrading the BIOS is highly dangerous and should only be done if A) it is necessary and B) you know what you are doing
    8) Driver upgrades come from the hardware manufacturers for each individual piece of hardware. BIOS updates come from the motherboard manufacturer.
    9) You already have 4 USB2.0 ports.
     
    Loonylion, Dec 21, 2008
    #2
  3. zinectics

    zinectics Well-Known Member

    sir loony im sorry for a big mistake on the first specs

    now i have already edited it and hope you can still help me....

    thank you very much ^^
     
    zinectics, Dec 21, 2008
    #3
  4. Loonylion

    Loonylion Administrator Staff Member

    Right, most of my answers still apply, except the one about the graphics card. AGP4x is very old and you might want to think about a motherboard upgrade, as not only will it be very hard to find an AGP4x card (AGP8x cards are NOT backwards compatible), it would not be a huge improvement over what you already have.
     
    Loonylion, Dec 23, 2008
    #4
  5. zinectics

    zinectics Well-Known Member

    wow thanks sir loonylion ^^,

    OH MY GOD motherboard update.... i kind of super broke right now ^^,

    but now i think

    my first step now is to find a memory upgrade

    my problem now is that DDR1 here in my place or rather in my country is rare and hard to find

    my best choice is to find computer shop that will replace their old pc

    and i will try to buy those DDR1 ram from them ^^
     
    zinectics, Dec 24, 2008
    #5
  6. Loonylion

    Loonylion Administrator Staff Member

    www.crucial.com, use their checker and they guarantee that what you get is compatible
     
    Loonylion, Dec 24, 2008
    #6
  7. Cahos Rahne Veloza

    Cahos Rahne Veloza The Fart Awakens

    Zinetics, I know you live in the provinces, but if you can, I suggest you go to Gilmore in Cubao, that place is all about computers you'll surely find your kind of RAM in one of the stores there ;)
     
    Cahos Rahne Veloza, Dec 25, 2008
    #7
  8. zinectics

    zinectics Well-Known Member

    thanks sir cahos and sir loonylion

    about gilmore. i think i can't go to gilmore right now

    since my pc is sick and doesn't go on to xp boot ^^,

    i am so UNLUCKY ^^,
     
    zinectics, Dec 27, 2008
    #8
  9. Cahos Rahne Veloza

    Cahos Rahne Veloza The Fart Awakens

    Threads merged, but the merging kinda sucked sorry about that.
     
    Cahos Rahne Veloza, Dec 27, 2008
    #9
  10. Loonylion

    Loonylion Administrator Staff Member

    merged post deleted, in this case it contained nothing that wasn't already in this thread.
     
    Loonylion, Dec 27, 2008
    #10
  11. Cahos Rahne Veloza

    Cahos Rahne Veloza The Fart Awakens

    I though he was referring to another issue.

    Anyway with regard to his USB keyboard un-available during or after POST, the way to remedy that (based on personal experience as my keyboard is also connected to my system via USB) is by going to Set up (F2) then configuring the USB controllers to have LEGACY USB controls active.

    But it may be different with his set up though.
     
    Cahos Rahne Veloza, Dec 27, 2008
    #11
  12. Loonylion

    Loonylion Administrator Staff Member

    delete to get into his setup program, but if his keyboard doesn't work he can't do that :p
     
    Loonylion, Dec 27, 2008
    #12