Windows Me compatible motherboard

[DanceswithUnix]

OK, I just _know_ someone is going to flame me for this, but my retired father is having hardware problems and I am looking at a cheap new CPU + motherboard + ram to get him going again. He doesn't need XP, his favourite flight sim is not supposed to be XP compatible (I will verify that for myself though) and he is on a tight budget (and currently runs Me).

I know that my Nforce 4 based board simply has no support under the old 9x series operating systems. Are there any other chipsets to avoid?

Am considering an Asrock 939DUAL-SATA2 S939 and the Asrock website claims it is compatible, but the only thing I know for certain will work is a K8T800 based board which are rather long in the tooth.

[nvening]

[nimbu]

look at the VIA based chipset, i think they will be a tad more compatible.

As for the flame, yes we all know windows ME blows, but some of us have to make do with what we have.

[herulach]

you might even be better looking at socket A kit, easily fast enough and not as many issues, or a celeron D based combo.

[DanceswithUnix]

**************** me

U are building him a new system with me! ***********

JESUS - i though xp was old, it would be better to use 95 imho

'95 has zero USB support, and besides he doesn't have a license for that.

[DanceswithUnix]

look at the VIA based chipset, i think they will be a tad more compatible.

you might even be better looking at socket A kit, easily fast enough and not as many issues, or a celeron D based combo.

Amusingly he currently has a socket A system based on a VIA chipset

If nothing else, I figured a S754 based system would generate less heat & noise for about the same cost as something older.

I guess no-one on here has tried SiS or ULi chipsets with an older windows then? Should have guessed this is probably an Nforce 4 dominated forum!

[Agent]

'95 has zero USB support, and besides he doesn't have a license for that.

Ignore him. He is forever posting unhelpful comments in here

[kalniel]

I know that my Nforce 4 based board simply has no support under the old 9x series operating systems. Are there any other chipsets to avoid?

Am considering an Asrock 939DUAL-SATA2 S939 and the Asrock website claims it is compatible, but the only thing I know for certain will work is a K8T800 based board which are rather long in the tooth.

I am rather surprised that motherboards would be specific to operating systems, but you say your NForce 4 doesn't run 9x?

Have a look at the license he has for ME - some licenses permit the installation of older versions of OS inplace of the one you have (98se is considered a good one and has more support than ME).

I greatly enjoy my ASRock board, and suspect that of all people they would also be likely to support older OS's. Just send them an email if you're not sure.

[DanceswithUnix]

I am rather surprised that motherboards would be specific to operating systems, but you say your NForce 4 doesn't run 9x?

Yep. Last time I looked on the Nvidia site there were only support files for 2000 & XP. I had assumed that the old unified driver that they were so proud of as supporting all platforms from the original Nforce up to Nforce 3 would work on Nforce 4. Nada!

So, from memory, I had no network interface or USB2 (can get round that with a PCI card) and no way to get my video card recognised (rather more serious unless you really like 16 colour 640x480).

Have a look at the license he has for ME - some licenses permit the installation of older versions of OS inplace of the one you have (98se is considered a good one and has more support than ME).

Yep, that is the case with Me (one of the reasons he got it, he wanted 98 originally and this got him the choice).

I greatly enjoy my ASRock board, and suspect that of all people they would also be likely to support older OS's. Just send them an email if you're not sure.

Good to hear of another happy owner, it does seem to come down to which ASRock board he will be getting

[kalniel]

Yeah, driver updates can often be specific to OS, but I assumed that you would not need to update the drivers to be able to use the motherboard (only to tweak it really). Do you need to install a driver before you can use PCIe/AGP? (On the dual sata I have, you do for AGP, but not PCIe I *think*)

[DanceswithUnix]

Yeah, driver updates can often be specific to OS, but I assumed that you would not need to update the drivers to be able to use the motherboard (only to tweak it really).

I could not install Me directly with the motherboard (ISTR it just died during install).

I actually bothered to take the disc out, install Me to it on another PC, and then put the drive back. Windows did a couple of reboots and came up working (which is better than XP had managed ) but I never did manage to get the 6600GT drivers to take. For me, windows is basically a games playing platform so that wasn't worth having.

Do you need to install a driver before you can use PCIe/AGP? (On the dual sata I have, you do for AGP, but not PCIe I *think*)

That is my understanding as well. I believe that PCIe is supposed to be the same as the old PCI standard in terms of software/OS support, in which case it should have just worked without any need for stuff like AGP GART drivers.

[nvening]

Ignore him. He is forever posting unhelpful comments in here

lol sorry, i will stop that now, i have got myself into a habbit.

This may be useful: http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx...D=5&CatID=1100

Thats ME the via chipset driver for all its chipsets, like drivers for graphics cards.

MAbe coupled with this: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=209787 just £42

Asus boards are rock solid

Does that make up for it?