First off my current specs:
Motherboard: Gigabyte MA78GM-S2HP
Processor: AMD Phenom X4 9650
RAM: 2x1 GB DDR2 800
OSes: Win Xp + Fedora
I am working on something that requires me to use the serial port. The COM port on the Mobo is not working. A local loop-back with a dummy dongle fails.
Both my PCI slots are occupied, so I cant add a PCI-serial card. (One has a network adapter since the board's default adapter causes it to crash. So you can see that all in all I had got a faulty board from the very beginning.)
What I am looking to upgrade to is a full ATX motherboard with atleast 3 PCI slots and if possible on-board serial/parallel. (I am aware that probably a 2 PCI board will also suffice since the chance of the new board's n/w also being faulty is very low.)
I do not use my PC for gaming, so I dont really need out of the world hardware. I occasionally watch HD movies, so tha ability to play those would be nice.
Also while I am at it, might as well look to move to DDR3 / AM3 socket if that is possible.
Budget: 4~10k [Very vague, I know!]
(BTW: Is there any way for me to expand the PCI bus on my current card? )
Motherboard: Gigabyte MA78GM-S2HP
Processor: AMD Phenom X4 9650
RAM: 2x1 GB DDR2 800
OSes: Win Xp + Fedora
I am working on something that requires me to use the serial port. The COM port on the Mobo is not working. A local loop-back with a dummy dongle fails.
Both my PCI slots are occupied, so I cant add a PCI-serial card. (One has a network adapter since the board's default adapter causes it to crash. So you can see that all in all I had got a faulty board from the very beginning.)
What I am looking to upgrade to is a full ATX motherboard with atleast 3 PCI slots and if possible on-board serial/parallel. (I am aware that probably a 2 PCI board will also suffice since the chance of the new board's n/w also being faulty is very low.)
I do not use my PC for gaming, so I dont really need out of the world hardware. I occasionally watch HD movies, so tha ability to play those would be nice.
Also while I am at it, might as well look to move to DDR3 / AM3 socket if that is possible.
Budget: 4~10k [Very vague, I know!]
(BTW: Is there any way for me to expand the PCI bus on my current card? )
