I've just had a replacement motherboard installed by a local indie - but it seems to be quite different from my old one. I had requested a like for like swap. Before I go back to complain I'd like to clarify a few points.
New board: http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdetails...odel=p4m900-m4
Old board: http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=P4I65G
Price difference less than £3 retail @ http://etopshop.co.uk/index.php?main...roducts_id=525
RAM Memory.
I was running 2 x DDR 400mhz sticks 1gb + 512 stick. This showed as 1536 when I booted my computer. My new board carries a DDR2 - SDRAM memory stick. This shows as DDR DIMM speed 667 when booting. He knew I was running 2 sticks of different speeds and said that I shouldn't. I now have a useless 512mb DDR stick.
Q1 - Is the change from DDR to DDR2 sticks an equivalent swap?
Q2 - Is running 2 different speed sticks really a problem big enough to make the change from DDR to DDR2 & loss of 1 stick acceptable
Processor.
Old board was P4 3.2ghz new board shows 2.5ghz
Q3 - Should this be an acceptable reduction?
Graphics.
On my old board I had plugged in a GeForce 6200 DDR2 256mb card. The new board has onboard 'VIA Chrome9 HC IGP Family'. It does have a slot larger than the standard PCI slots But no slot that will take my graphics card. At no point was I asked about cards that I may have had at home, despite telling him that I had taken cards out as part of my attempt to diagnose the hardware failure that led me to him.
Q4 - Is my 6200 better than the on board graphics I'm forced to use.
Q5 - Why would a motherboard not accept this very standard graphics card.
The replacement board was installed without notifying me of any of this. Which of these (if any) are grounds for me kicking up a bit of a fuss?
Thanks
Bod.