Message-ID:	<34F5FECE.A73@cs.com>
Date:	Thu, 26 Feb 1998 18:46:22 -0500
From:	"John M. Aldrich" <fighteer AT cs DOT com>
Organization:	Two pounds of chaos and a pinch of salt.
MIME-Version:	1.0
To:	Alan Wilson <awilson AT wilshire DOT com>
CC:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	Re: OT: Is it difficult to Install a new Motherboard???
References:	<2 DOT 2 DOT 32 DOT 19980226174014 DOT 006f4174 AT gate-i>

Alan Wilson wrote:
> 
> I asked this question here to get a feel from you computer gurus out
> there...and also because I currently subscribe to the djgpp list and dont
> have access to the newsgroups here at work.  If you know of a comp.hardware
> mailing list, then by all means tell me what it is.  Other than that, thanks
> for the info you've given me...

There is a mailing list called the Computer Guys List, featuring one of
the hosts of the Computer Guys radio talk show on National Public
Radio.  It's a good place to go for these sorts of questions, although
you may have to wade through a lot of Mac vs. PC rhetoric.  :-)  The
address of the list is COMPUTERGUYS-L AT LISTSERV DOT AOL DOT COM; the listserv is
LISTSERV AT LISTSERV DOT AOL DOT COM.

> As for my system, yes I have a Gateway 2000 tower p100...so from what I got
> what you said, you think I would have some compatibility problems with my
> case and some of my components and I may need to go out and buy new cards
> and all?

You will almost certainly have to replace your case if you want to
replace your motherboard with a generic "off-the-shelf" one.  Your
computer may also include built-in proprietary video, sound, and/or
modem cards, which would also have to be replaced.  Gateway can, of
course, do the upgrade for you with more of their proprietary parts, but
you'll likely end up spending more money.

You should consult the documentation for your computer, particularly the
owner's manual, about how to upgrade video, sound, and modem components,
and check inside the case to see if you can identify specific cards
and/or their manufacturers.  In particular:  if any of the cables on
your computer - monitor, speaker, joystick, or phone cord - go into
slots on your motherboard instead of into separate expansion cards, you
have built-in hardware that will have to be replaced.

This sort of hassle is why I now prefer custom-built systems to
proprietary ones.  :-)

-- 
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