Mother Board ... Looking for a reliable MOBO

[lacywest]

I build my own computers ... I don't buy them at department stores.

The motherboards I'm currently looking at for positive reviews are

ASRock K7VT4A

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=MB-K7VT4AP&c=yh&pid=f86329032a1f3e070278c89a8c8299d9a...d4cfd7a60b56ac
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MSI K7N2 Delta2-LSR

http://stores.tomshardware.com/rating_getprodrev.php/product_id=4027720/id_type=M//
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MSI KT4V-L

http://www.bosamar.com/KT4V/KT4V-L.html

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=620

I do like this one ... I've used it and it works very well ... I've got two of these.

But the problem is it's the MS 6712 ... and another board is available with same numbers ... MS 6712 ... but it is called the ... KT4AV

This one is on the Internet with a lot of not good comments. I have two of these and I am not happy with the one I'm currently trying to setup ... I am having problems.

http://www.ryxi.com/motherboards/6-704-via-woes-kt4av-mobo-read.shtml

http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic13760.html

I thought when I got these KT4AV mobos they would be the same as the MSI KT4V-L ... but they are not.

So ... what are you guys using ... that have proved reliable and don't have any problems.

I don't need to know about Bit 64 mobos ... I'm currently doing fine in that area ...

I use the ... MSI K8N Neo2 ... with the 939 chip ... XP+ 3500 ... no problems and I have two more boards in their boxes ... waiting to be mounted ... and two more XP+ 3500 CPUs [put away in my bedroom].

MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum Motherboard Review
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1652

So guys ... What's in your computer ... mother board wize ???

I'm looking for mother boards for AMD chips / with barton core ... using socket A.

[INFRATOM]

The best MB is ASUS they always have support and drivers, INTEL is also good but they have less options but good quality. If you want reliability go only for these two. I made a cheapo MCS MB computer I guess I was lucky still works fine and never had problem. My experience with building computers, build more than you need today stretch the $ ... instead don't upgrade wait for next technology.

[lacywest]

My purpose for looking for a reliable mobo ...

I'm going to donate a decent computer to the place I work at.

Right now the guys [California State Parolees (26 beds) at a ReHab facility] are using a funky computer the staff office personnel didn't want.

I want them to have a good computer ... so in there leisure time ... can get down and play some good games ... Doom3 ... Quake4 ... Half Life.

Plus I will install some ... typewriter programs ... for teaching them how to type. So they can make their Resumes for finding work in the Fresno area ... Population ... almost 500,000 ... in Fresno alone.

[lacywest]

The best MB is ASUS they always have support and drivers, INTEL is also good but they have less options but good quality. If you want reliability go only for these two. I made a cheapo MCS MB computer I guess I was lucky still works fine and never had problem. My experience with building computers, build more than you need today stretch the $ ... instead don't upgrade wait for next technology.

I need model numbers and links to them ...

Just provide the model numbers ... will work ... I can find the links.

I use Copernic Agent Professional 6.12 ... for doing a search.

But I want some personal comments ... after thinking that all MSI 6712 mobos were the same ... I need more info before spending any money on a funky monkey mobo.

[lacywest]

I already have some Hi-Tech mobos ...

I want to find out what is out there that is reliable and uses socket A CPUs ... for the AMD 2500 ... 2600 ... 2800 / with Barton core CPUs

.... oh ... I guess ... the AMD Semprons can be included.

On hand ... at my house ... I have the AMD cpus ... 2500 ... 2600 ... and the 2800 with the Barton core.

The AMD 2600 / with Barton core is in my Wife's computer.

The AMD 2800 / with Barton core is not mounted.

The AMD 2500 / with Barton core is mounted but not being used at this moment ... it's in the KT4V mobo ... which is not running correctly at all ... at the moment.

My main computer ... the one I'm typing this message with ... the MSI K8N Neo2 with a AMD 3500 Bit 64 Cpu ... I am having no problems with this combination. And I have two more of these combinations ... not assembled.

[TBoneit]

Asrock and MSI are second level Mobos. Go first tier and get ASUS.

You can always go to the asus site @ http://usa.asus.com/index.aspx

And look at the products.

[lacywest]

I'm going to work now ... come on guys ... other people would find this interesting too ...

[lacywest]

Asrock and MSI are second level Mobos. Go first tier and get ASUS.

You can always go to the asus site @ http://usa.asus.com/index.aspx

And look at the products.

I need first hand comments on the boards from ... out in the field ... experience

[redwudz]

Of the ones you listed, I would probably recommend the MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum. I built a computer with one for a friend a while back and he has had no problems with it.

For Asus, they only list socket A motherboards under 'Older Products'. I have used a Asus A7N8X Deluxe, but it's getting harder to find and a little pricey. As above, no problems stated by the present owner.

For AMD socket A CPUs, I favor motherboards with the NVIDIA nForce2 chipsets. I just have less problems with them, and if I want to overclock the CPU, they seem to outperform VIA chipset MBs.

Two other companies list Socket A MBs with Nvidia, Biostar and EPoX. I've used a couple of Biostars and I wasn't really happy with them. True, I used some of their cheaper MBs. I haven't used the EPoX MBs, but they seem to be pretty good, from what I've heard. Newegg carries the EPoX EP-8RDA6+ and EPoX EP-8RDA3I PRO.

I gave up on Socket A about a year ago. For economy computers, I now use AMD Socket 754 Semprons. Again, with the Nvidia chipsets. They are priced right and have decent performance.

But since you seem to have a few socket A CPUs on hand, I'd say the Asus, EPoX, MSI, in that order would be my recommendations.

[Almost Human]

ABIT NF7-S v2 if you can find one.

[budz]

MSI K7N2 Delta2-LSR I had nothing but headaches with that mobo. I was able to return it to a local pc shop for a full refund. I found my ASUS A7N8X mobo from pcconnection.com back in October 05'. It is difficult to find socket A mobo's so as redwudz has mentioned. I just build socket 754 pc's. If you can find a A7N8X be prepared to pay big bucks for it. I paid $86.00 for mine but I sold that pc 2 months ago. I have another A7N8X mobo that I bought at a local pc shop for $115.00. Good luck in finding a socket A mobo. Check computergeeks.com they have socket A mobo's from time to time.

[lacywest]

MSI K7N2 Delta2-LSR I had nothing but headaches with that mobo. I was able to return it to a local pc shop for a full refund. I found my ASUS A7N8X mobo from pcconnection.com back in October 05'. It is difficult to find socket A mobo's so as redwudz has mentioned. I just build socket 754 pc's. If you can find a A7N8X be prepared to pay big bucks for it. I paid $86.00 for mine but I sold that pc 2 months ago. I have another A7N8X mobo that I bought at a local pc shop for $115.00. Good luck in finding a socket A mobo. Check computergeeks.com they have socket A mobo's from time to time.

Oh man ... Headaches ?? ... what kind of problems did you have ??

I did a search on it and didn't find any problems posted. I noticed it had quite a few features ... DOT ... and other stuff.

I would most likely have those features disabled.

Ha ... HA ... .... sometimes on certain nights ... the guys here behave like a bunch of little kids ... trying to see what they can get away with ... while I'm on duty. I would not be surprised to come to work one day and find out someone opened up the tower during the night and swiped the RAM sticks out and and sold them ... to buy a ... rock.

I really don't want to put in a Hi-tech mother board. Most likely they will ruin the keyboard eventually spilling coffee on it.

The mobo I've mentioned that I like ... MSI KT4V-L ... I can't find it anywhere except in European websites. So I now need to find another decent reliable mobo.

I noticed the ASRock mobos are included in BareBone systems and I did a search on the ASRock K7VT4A ... and for a cheap mobo ... it is not getting any bad reviews.

I don't know guys ... I just want to put together a computer for the guys that will run at 1.8 to 2 GHZ ... with at least a Gig of DDR Ram ... a couple of decent Hard Drives = 300 GBs

If I could find some more of the MSI KT4V-L mobos ... I would be happy but there not around ... anymore.

[budz]

Oh man ... Headaches ?? ... what kind of problems did you have ??

At times it wouldn't boot up so I took it back to the pc shop a few times and of course it would boot up perfectly fine for them. The guy at the pc shop finally gave me a full refund.

Here's a cheap socket A mobo combo for $89.99 from computergeeks.com's moonlight madness sale going on right now. Not a bad price at all.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=M7VIG4-COMB29&cat=MBB

[wheezer210]

I have the Asrock 939 Dual SATA2 and could not be happier. Great mobo, and I think I had heard somewhere that Asrock affiliated with Asus somehow...any way I reccomend Asrock.

[Duchess]

I assemble PC's for my company and every one of them uses an ASUS mobo because I have found them to be extremely reliable and give very few problems. Those that I usually get are 99% finger trouble. OK they don't play games on them (at least they don't admit to it ! ) so I have no experience of how they cope in that situation, but as I said they are great work horses.

[lacywest]

Okay ... Asus seems to be a good mobo company

Which models are the ones to check into.

ASUS A7N8X ... there are some at Ebay ... and this model does seem good ... for sure.

[ROF]

I wouldn't pay more than $5 or $10 for a Socket A motherboard. You can usually just drive down the road on trash day and find a tower with one of those inside. There not worth much more than a good video cable and a good video cable probably has more bandwidth.

[INFRATOM]

you can never beat Dell prices plus coupon specials, if you are donating buy one of the cheap ones Dell is offering. You don't have to worry about compatibility, OS, etc Look for the specials and coupons. The games you mentioned need a $500 video card!! you didn't say how much you wanted to spend that is a starting point > CPU> MB .. I have one last suggestion if you are not doing this for the challenge to make one , for typing and word processing you can get away with PIII even you don't need powerfull computer and get a game console for those games even a used one xbox or playstation. Those games will freeze the computer and you have to maintain it all the time.

[Morse2]

Hi lacywest;

I'm with Redwudz on the choice of chipsets - NVidia Nforce 2 has been good to me (these days I won't buy anything with a "non-Nvidia" chipset) and I'd consider the choice of chipset to be almost more important than the brand of mobo.

Whatever mobo you buy, make sure the caps on the VRM (Voltage Regulator Modules) are "decent" - Sanyo, Rubycon, Nichicon, United Chemicon, etc. Since you're buying socket A, it's good odds that you will be looking at a board from the era when failed VRM caps were common (Abit lost a lawsuit IIRC). Sometimes you'll be surprised at "no-name" boards with good caps though - I've got my last Barton 2800+ on a socket A FIC AU11 over here with all Rubycons (real ones, not imitation!) on the VRM's that's been a trooper (knocking on wood for luck after typing that "sure to jinx me" line). OTOH, I just saw an Abit toast a Barton 3000+ CPU (the PSU checked out okay and caps on VRM's were bloated, so I have a hunch as to why) so you never know....

Good luck!
All the best,
Morse

PS. ROF, you must live in the high rent district - I can't imagine throwing out a functioning socket A machine! There are still school kids in this country who do not have any computer at all, so your neighbors should look into contributing unwanted functioning machines to the less fortunate rather than contributing to landfill....

[bevills1]

Two systems I built with MSI mobos with NVidia chipsets work great with no problems. MWave or NewEgg probably have best prices.

[budz]

Eewww @ MWave.com! I had terrible experience with that company. I had 3 faulty motherboards from Mwave.com. They actually sent back 2 of the same mobo's to me as a replacement. Check their status at the Better Business Bureau online. They have tons of complaints from consumers. Stick with Newegg.com if you're going to buy a motherboard. Be careful of purchasing A7N8X mobo's from ebay. Try to find another source if that's the mobo you want.

[bevills1]

Never had any problems with MWave, but thanks for the info. I'll avoid them in the future especially since I had other bad experiences with 2 other companies.

[ROF]

PS. ROF, you must live in the high rent district - I can't imagine throwing out a functioning socket A machine! There are still school kids in this country who do not have any computer at all, so your neighbors should look into contributing unwanted functioning machines to the less fortunate rather than contributing to landfill....

You'd be surprised what people will just throw away. I've gotten quite a few burners, a stack of hard drives, a couple monitors, and assorted memory simply by not leaving a lonely tower waiting at the curb.

[Wile_E]

Asus is not perfect. Several of their newer boards have had problems. Go to http://www.pcper.com and check the Asus forum. I had an Asus K8V SE Deluxe for two years. Something happened to it where it started losing CMOS settings. It was not a problem with the battery. This board was also known to have bad capaciters that would start leaking. A lot of people had this problem, but I didn't. So please don't say Asus is the supreme motherboard with no issues. They are most of the time good boards, but they have issues too. Asrock is a division of Asus making cheap affordable boards. MSI is actually a good brand.[/url]

[ROF]

@Wile_E

The capacitor issue was related to a supplier and many motherboard and other manufacturers of tech products suffered because of this flaw. This isn't an Asus only issue. I will say Asus is good but has lost alot of my support recently due to their going with a proprietary x16 slot running at x4 and supporting only a paltry 13 graphics cards in such boards. These aren't what I would call budget boards either. I have never liked their graphics board lineup due to inferior parts/specs. Asus is just like all the rest, you have to watch them, read reviews of actual owners, and know exactly what it is you are purchasing.

[lacywest]

you can never beat Dell prices plus coupon specials, if you are donating buy one of the cheap ones Dell is offering. You don't have to worry about compatibility, OS, etc Look for the specials and coupons. The games you mentioned need a $500 video card!! you didn't say how much you wanted to spend that is a starting point > CPU> MB .. I have one last suggestion if you are not doing this for the challenge to make one , for typing and word processing you can get away with PIII even you don't need powerfull computer and get a game console for those games even a used one xbox or playstation. Those games will freeze the computer and you have to maintain it all the time.

They have one living room ... with only one TV ... and a Game console ... Xbox or Playstation is out of the question ... these guys have done nothing but do drugs ... go to prison ... do drugs ... go to prison ... do drugs ... go to prison ... some have been locked up for Armed Robbery ... they have anger issues.

One guy when released didn't know why everybody was walking around with their hand up against their ears ... I asked him ... didn't you watch TV and see people on Cell Phones .... he said ... NO ... I was to busy on the yard ... Soldiering.

Which means ... he was requested by fellow inmates to go on the yard to help incase some kind of fight/attack happened.

It is not much of a skill to learn how to sit in front of a TV and play games on a Playstation. Oh yes yes ... the Internet is an addiction ... but it is not illegal. Lots of jobs these days require a person to be computer savvy.

[lacywest]

@Wile_E

The capacitor issue was related to a supplier and many motherboard and other manufacturers of tech products suffered because of this flaw. This isn't an Asus only issue. I will say Asus is good but has lost alot of my support recently due to their going with a proprietary x16 slot running at x4 and supporting only a paltry 13 graphics cards in such boards. These aren't what I would call budget boards either. I have never liked their graphics board lineup due to inferior parts/specs. Asus is just like all the rest, you have to watch them, read reviews of actual owners, and know exactly what it is you are purchasing.

This is what I'm talking about ... read reviews of actual owners, and know exactly what it is you are purchasing

This is why I'm posting this post ... to hear from you folks ... to find out what you are using and what problems you've had and what Mobos you are using that have been reliable.

[ROF]

I don't own any Socket A boards. Quite some time ago I was building them though. One board which stuck out in my books as reliable was the Chaintech 7NJL6. It got some bad reviews but since I haven't seen one in my shop for repair and I did quite a few new installations using it, I'd have to say it was a reliable board in it's day.

[RLT69]

Well if you can still get Socket A motherboards

Try Giga-byte! Model 7VT600P-RZ is very good:

http://www.giga-byte.com/Products/motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ClassValue=mother...ame=7VT600P-RZ

They may have replaced that model - it's about 2 years old. I built a computer for my brother using that board and it's been running like a champ for him (he's had it for about year and a half).

I prefer Giga-byte boards. Currently using the GA-K8NS Pro (Socket 754) board . Before that one I had the GA-7VAXP (Socket A) board.

[jlietz]

Right now the guys [California State Parolees (26 beds) at a ReHab facility] are using a funky computer the staff office personnel didn't want.

I want them to have a good computer ... so in there leisure time ... can get down and play some good games ... Doom3 ... Quake4 ... Half Life.

Just what the taxpayers want...parolees and violent games