Intel server board se7525RP2 Please help

[bp04]

I have a server used as a desktop computer with the server board se7525RP2. It has two 800MHz Xeon processors and 6GB of memory PC2-3200. In addition, it has a 650 watt power supply, and I am running XP 64 bit. It currently has an old PCI video card (ATI 9250) and the board only has two sata connections. I would like to add a sata card and upgrade the video card so that the computer is more useful as a multimedia center.

I attempted to add two Sabrent sata cards that the board couldn't communicate with. I also tried to add an HD 5670, but couldn't find drivers the motherboard would support, and all I got was pastel colors. Could someone please help me achieve my goals? Here is a link to the specs on my board.

http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/res.../server/boards/dp/se7525rp2/feature/index.htm

In addition, would you please recommend a sata card and a video card that would work with this board, because I am stumped.

Thank you

 

[Iron Woode]

perhaps upgrading to win 7 64 bit would help with the driver issues?

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

The problem with this board is that it has been discontinued for around 6 years now. You can find a listing of all the available drivers here http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&ProductFamily=Server+Products&ProductLine=Intel%c2%ae+Server+Boards&ProductProduct=Intel%c2%ae+Server+Board+SE7525RP2. Because of the age of this board the best advice I can give you is that it may be time to look into upgrading your system. Even a low end Intel® Core™ 2 Duo will give you much better performance then this old system.
Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[bp04]

This sever board won't support Windows 7... been there done that.

Thanks for your help. I know I need to upgrade; in fact, I'm building a new computer around a 2600k, which I'm excited about. However, I've just got too much invested in this one to give up on it. Even though its not compatible with new technology, it's a strong running machine that would make a great media center computer if I could just find a sata card and a video card that it likes lol... thanks again

 

[wwswimming]

This sever board won't support Windows 7... been there done that.

Thanks for your help. I know I need to upgrade; in fact, I'm building a new computer around a 2600k, which I'm excited about. However, I've just got too much invested in this one to give up on it. Even though its not compatible with new technology, it's a strong running machine that would make a great media center computer if I could just find a sata card and a video card that it likes lol... thanks again

it would be interesting to stick a Kill-a-Watt on it to see how much the electricity is costing you.

my guess is - a lot.

if you can find a cheap dual core, you will probably get your investment back in 24 months just on saved electricity - if you are running the old Intel Server 24/7.

i understand the respect for old motherboards. they are works of art, some of them, suitable for framing.

 

[bp04]

I don't even want to know how much money I've spent on electricity running this box 24/7 since 2005... and you're right, sometimes it is hard to let go. It's just been a damn good machine... never had a minutes trouble with it. That is until I tried to upgrade the video card and found out how picky it can be lol