Can I replace only mobo/cpu, or should I replace the pc?

[Dominus]

For the upgrade, you're going to need to replace your power supply, video card, and RAM.

But in that case, isn't replacing the entire pc more cost effective? I mean, the optical and hard drives and the casing will be about the only things I won't be upgrading then. I'll probably be able to buy replacement for them with the money I'll get by selling the current pc...

Did you see the mobo's vonRed suggested? Looking at the specs he seems right about being able to keep my current components, except for maybe the psu.

Buying an interim mainboard is never a good idea, sure you can reuse your old parts, but then you're stuck with the old parts again later. Best to get rid of everything and start from scratch. I tend to rebuild my systems every 2-3 months, and sell the old parts in computers to friends and family members.

Your hard drives are probably fine, maybe keep those and then just sell the old computer after putting a single new hard drive in it. That way you don't have to worry about all your data and everything, it'll just be on your new computer then.

[Pouckypluysch]

That seems a costly or at least time consuming way of keeping your system up to date...

[Dominus]

That seems a costly or at least time consuming way of keeping your system up to date...

I build computers for a living, I can rebuild the entire system in 10 minutes. I also sell the parts for what I paid for them, so it's like a free leasing program.

(Except when it comes time to upgrade the hard drives, then it's a few hours spent ghosting hard drives/copying RAID arrays. )

[Pouckypluysch]

So the replies you wrote are coloured by business considerations...?
I believe you advised me earlier not to buy from you, remember? Maybe for the better, now I know I should expect to get used stuff in your pc's .

But seriously, keeping such a pace of hardware upgrading doesn't seem practical for a non-professional daw-builder, does it?

It makes me curious though; what kind of system do you have configured for yourself? Do you try to maintain a state of the art daw?

[Dominus]

I sell used parts to my friends/relatives, not clients. Basically when someone is looking for a computer, then it's time for me to upgrade. If I told you not to buy from me, it's because you're in Europe and taxes/duties would kill you.. if you're in the states, I wouldn't tell you to not buy from me.

Both of my systems are Core 2 Quads right now, one has 8GB of RAM, that one dual boots XP32 and XP64.

[Pouckypluysch]

Both of my systems are Core 2 Quads right now, one has 8GB of RAM, that one dual boots XP32 and XP64.

Heh...

[cleverr1]

this: http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?M ... e865PE&s=n should allow you to keep using anything you have in your current PC. Combined with one of Intel's E21xx CPUs it's also cheap, and quite good for what it is.

I did this type of upgrade with this mobo because of compatibility issues with Pocos and Athlon x2. The Conroe865PE has been powerful and stable with an E6600, 2 UAD1s and 2 Pocos. This is the only mobo I have found that supports quad core and has five PCI slots and an AGP slot. From what I understand the use of the older PC3200 DDR has little impact on performance in a DAW. From the position of wanting to use PCI DSP cards the only alternative available would be to buy a PCI expansion system to hook up to a more modern mobo. In this context the Asrock Conroe865PE is as good as it gets. This thread reminds me, I must track down another 865PE as a spare whilst they're still available.