new motherboard

i wanted to get a new motherboard but i dont know which to get. any ideas for which brand/model i should get for my specs? i want it to be good for gaming and general web surfing. also what do i do to install it, can i just pop in all the old components like the CPU, extra cards, etc. or do i have to uninstall vista and multiple drivers and then reinstall them on this board?

EDIT: sorry idk why i dont have a signature but if i did my specs would be in it. anyway here they are:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3700+ 2.20 GH
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 7600 GT
Mobo: Biostar GeForce 6100-M9
RAM: 2X 1GB Corsair ValueSelect
HD: 120GB Seagate

Is the 7600GT AGP or PCI-E?
Is the AMD Socket 939 or 754?

PCI and 939

well for a start mate what games do you want to play.....?

if you wanna game your AMD is really gonna lag.
especially with the newer games

your 7600GT is also very dated...so its also gotta go....

do you really want to chuck a new mobo at those older parts....?

if so here we go....
ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe AI Lifestyle MOBO send by EMS on eBay, also Motherboards, For Desktops, PC Components, Computers Networking (end time 27-Jul-08 11:39:09 BST)

this sports 2 x16 slots @ x16 for full SLI bandwidth...
& its pretty cheap...

what PSU do you have....

well ive played games successfully with this computer before, i played wow for a while completely lag free, it runs all of the games ive tried it for quite nicely. i was thinking ill update my CPU and get a new nvidia later, but for now my mobo is causing problems so i wanna replace it first. and the PSU is in the new siggy, 550W.

EDIT: yeah and that seller is from china or something, are u sure thatll work?

You will not see any gain from swapping the mobo, if you need to spend on that system just add more memory.

well i dont know if u saw my thread about it but im having overheating issues with my current mobo and its crashing my computer so i was looking to get a new one.

Hi Scissormetimbers,

Usually overheating issues have more to do with the amount of airflow in your case over each device, how clean and dustfree it is in there, and how tidy the cables are. Overclocking to much can also cause overheating issues.

Have you already taken care of these items to help with the overheating?

I would wait until you are ready to upgrade the CPU and other components before getting another motherboard. Otherwise you will not see much if any increase in performance with the same devices on a new motherboard. I agree with John, your you would get more of a performance increase by adding at least another 2GB of RAM.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

i don't mean for you to buy that exact board........

i just use ebay for reference ..you then take the mobo name & number from the link & Google it for the cheapest retail prices..

sorry i should of stated i didn't expect you to but the 2nd hand one...lol

His issues were present even when the system was brand new and squeaky clean. Not really sure what it is?
comp freezing

Having said that, I also would not spend $80.00 on such dated technology. I can't believe 939 pin boards are still that expensive; you can get a new current board for that price.

Obviously upgrading the rig would be better, but if money won't allow that and if you're happy with the performance of the 939, then really, any 939 pin board would be better than the one you've got. As long as it's not locking up 4 or 5 times a day things are good, right?

I'd try and get by as cheaply as possible. Maybe this would do?
ASUS A8S-X SE Socket 939 Mainboard w/ DDR1, PCI Express x16, LAN - OEM w/ Backplate Included at 3B Tech - Buy computer parts, notebooks, desktops, & home electronics