Upgrade PC build plan

[Excalibur]

My existing PC is 13 years old. In addition PC Health Check says it can't be upgraded to Windows 11.
Issues:
Doesn't support secure boot
Doesn't support TPM2.0
Processor not supported.

So my plan is to start thinking about an upgrade before I need it. In this way I can properly plan the move and be ready in case something hurries the inevitable.

The thought was to use my case and PSU, or I have some bigger PSU in storage.
Swap in a new mobo, CPU and ram.

I've done a couple new builds some years ago. Looking like things have changed so expecting to have to learn a bit.

Current setup:
DH67BL (LGA1155) I believe this is mATX
Intel Core i5 2500 Sandy Bridge
DDR3 16GB
Case 450L x 430H x 200W
Graphics GTX 550Ti

Useage:
Internet
Videos
No gaming
Very light graphics work

Where to start?
What are the considerations?
Will my case fit regular ATX?
Perhaps buy parts in a bundle?
I understand I can upgrade to W11 with suitable PC spec.

Thanks.

[paulw]

That's the same CPU and specs that I have . Works fine on Win 11 23h2. Was a dog on 24h2 so went back again.
I'll be interested in seeing what the replies are as I'm in the market for a new PC. Can't decide whether to go for a desktop again or a MiniPC however MiniPCs here do not have a good variety compared to the US and UK.

[Excalibur]

Thanks for the thoughts.

Those MiniPC have a lot going for them. Amazing variety since I last looked on Ali-E.
What are the points to consider?

Found my spare PSU's. They're 650w.

Looking inside my case. There appears to be enough space for ATX board.? Aren't those longer in one dimension only.
Fans: 1 front, 1 top, 1 back, 1 PSU from under.

[nzoomed]

Build something with a ryzen, they are cheap, affordable and use little power, you should be able to swap out your old motherboard for a mATX motherboard/CPU/RAM combo quite easily all with an NVME SSD all on the same board, you wont need to worry about a ton of fans for cooling either.
Something like this here:
https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/MBDASU2...or-AMD-Ryz
and this CPU with integrated graphics would keep you going for years.
https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/CPUAMD0...---Max-Boo

[Excalibur]

Thankyou so much for the concise info. Am studying hard out.

As part of the upgrade, I want to be able to watch sport in better resolution. My current big monitor is a Sony Bravia 1080.
4k seems to be the next step so am preparing to buy a bigger and better monitor.

Learning heaps. Thanks,.

[Excalibur]

This is great. Am uncovering a lot of good information as I verify, check and recheck. But as you might suspect there is some questions.

Mobo Wifi6. Will this handle wifi-calling.? Currently my smart modem does this. If so, am guessing I switch off the modem wifi?

Will the new system accept my SSD with Windows 10? I seem to recall last time I upgraded to another PC, it booted up perfectly fine. If yes, are there any precautions, settings to tweak before pulling the SSD and plugging it into the new..??

Monitor outputs. 1 x HDMI, 1 x DP. Historically I've run 2 monitors HDMI and DVI. My initial thought was to upgrade the DVI monitor to a big TV size, would need to fit DP output. But then I thought, if I get a extra big TV, maybe I don't need 2 monitors anymore?

AMD Ryzen 7 7900x. Doesn't come with heatsink. Looks like I can get a 2fan cooler for about $25 incl.tax. What's still unclear is how to drive 2 fans from the mobo. Maybe there's 2 x4pin headers? PWM I suppose. Looks like heatsinks are same from AM3 - AM5.

A lot to take in.

[king1]

This is great. Am uncovering a lot of good information as I verify, check and recheck. But as you might suspect there is some questions.

Mobo Wifi6. Will this handle wifi-calling.? Currently my smart modem does this. If so, am guessing I switch off the modem wifi?

Will the new system accept my SSD with Windows 10? I seem to recall last time I upgraded to another PC, it booted up perfectly fine. If yes, are there any precautions, settings to tweak before pulling the SSD and plugging it into the new..??

Monitor outputs. 1 x HDMI, 1 x DP. Historically I've run 2 monitors HDMI and DVI. My initial thought was to upgrade the DVI monitor to a big TV size, would need to fit DP output. But then I thought, if I get a extra big TV, maybe I don't need 2 monitors anymore?

AMD Ryzen 7 7900x. Doesn't come with heatsink. Looks like I can get a 2fan cooler for about $25 incl.tax. What's still unclear is how to drive 2 fans from the mobo. Maybe there's 2 x4pin headers? PWM I suppose. Looks like heatsinks are same from AM3 - AM5.

A lot to take in.

not sure what you mean with "Mobo Wifi6. Will this handle wifi-calling.? " but basically wifi 6 is one of the later wifi standards (802.11ax).  Wifi calling is usually a feature of mobile phones where the mobile call is relayed over wifi if connected. If you mean skype/messenger etc then it will be fine

SSD, should be fine but I would do a system image with macrium just in case.  Windows will install a bunch of new drivers for the new hardware on first startup, but that seems to be reasonably robust these days.  Windows activation may be an issue.  and you would probably need to disable/decrypt bitlocker enabled drives if it is enabled as the keys are stored in hardware, which you are changing...

Also keep in mind win10 is end of support in October, so be looking to a Win11 upgrade and hardware requirements ie CPU/TPM2/GPT partition table.

if it helps, you can get vid cables HDMI to DVI /DP etc

Most mobos have 3-4 fan headers, 1 dedicated CPU, and a couple of others, check the motherboard specs on manufacturer site , that will tell you...  the 4pin are PWM, 3 pin were for standard fans

HTH

[Wainuitech]

Just browsing and saw "Will the new system accept my SSD with Windows 10?"

It may, but it will probably also deactivate if the board is changed from the original.

If you have a Windows 10 License key, you can reactivate it, or install a fresh W11 using a Windows 10 Key, BUT if it were originally an upgrade from using W7-W8 to win 10 then the W7-8 keys no longer work on Windows 11 or 10. They may install, but won't activate.

Only an actual W10 will.

[Excalibur]

not sure what you mean with "Mobo Wifi6.

As I understand it the new proposed motherboard has wifi6 capability built in.
see attachment.
My existing wifi comes via a smart modem. My phone is wifi-calling compatible. Also Skinny offers the service. It's currently working.
What I was trying to establish is if wifi-calling will work via wifi6 directly from the motherboard?

Wainui, am 98% certain I upgraded from a Windows 7 installation originally.
OK, so it may not work..
At one time there was Windows keys available on Ebay. I even bought one for someone wanting Windows 8 at the time. It worked perfect.
Is this still the case? I see some out of Germany for under $10

Windows 10 end of support is the very reason am doing the study now. So it's either upgrade the mobo, ram and cpu or go with a minipc.
Leaning toward PC upgrade ATM.

Seen the adaptors. HDMI to Displayport etc for the likes of $4. My current thought is to divide a big monitor into 4 parts and work with a window in each section.
I say this without ever having done it. I understand the quantum leap 2 monitors was over a single monitor. Didn't know yourself, right.?

Studying the mobo pics a bit closer there appears to be 2 x 4pin headers for CPU fans> One 4pin appears to be for the 2nd CPU fan, it's named CPU OPT.
Update: just asked Google Gemini and yes, it's for a secondary fan if so fitted.

I just realized how long ago it was I set up a pc using new bits. The mobo was M4A78 pro. The biggest problem was working out why the system wouldn't post. It turned out the BIOS needed updating to recognize the CPU. Was able to borrow an older AM2 CPU, update BIOS and away. 

Thanks.

[Wainuitech]

not sure what you mean with "Mobo Wifi6.

Wainui, am 98% certain I upgraded from a Windows 7 installation originally.
OK, so it may not work..
At one time there was Windows keys available on Ebay. I even bought one for someone wanting Windows 8 at the time. It worked perfect.
Is this still the case? I see some out of Germany for under $10

 I have no idea, I don't have anything to do with illegal keys.   Most of those cheap keys are either stolen Volume or generated by software that is not Microsoft legit or they are MAK or KMS keys that need a server to keep activated.  I did read someplace that some of those keys won't work in certain countries. 

Can't help sorry.

[king1]

not sure what you mean with "Mobo Wifi6.

As I understand it the new proposed motherboard has wifi6 capability built in.
see attachment.
My existing wifi comes via a smart modem. My phone is wifi-calling compatible. Also Skinny offers the service. It's currently working.
What I was trying to establish is if wifi-calling will work via wifi6 directly from the motherboard

Well the answer for that would have to be no as it stands as wifi calling by definition is a function of the cellular network and not too many (if any) mobos include sim support

You could use Microsoft's phone link app which bridges the phone/pc - that might achieve what you want?
https://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/windows/...evices?r=1

Otherwise, what is it exactly your trying to achieve?

[Excalibur]

Figured out what I did wrong with the attachment... here it is
   

[Wainuitech]

Wifi Calling still uses your Phone.

This is an explanation from Spark    WiFi Calling explained.

[king1]

Figured out what I did wrong with the attachment... here it is

well that is just showing built in wifi - wifi6 (802.11ax) - but just plain old wifi.

[nzoomed]

Figured out what I did wrong with the attachment... here it is

As others have said, wifi calling is just a feature on your mobile phone that allows you to make calls out over wifi if you have no signal from a cell tower.

It sounds like you were looking at swapping your SSD over to the new system, there is one legal way you can possibly still upgrade to windows 11 for free, you need to sign in your existing computer to a microsoft account and then add the windows licence to that account.
Then you can re-activate the windows 10 system on the new hardware and Microsoft will link the licence key over, then you can upgrade to windows 11 on the new hardware.

Its a bit of messing around, but it should work.
See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/wind...Windows_10

[Excalibur]

Thanks.

Turns out my Windows is retail and linked to my Microsoft account.

Continuig to study and evaluate.

[king1]

Thanks.

Turns out my Windows is retail and linked to my Microsoft account.

Continuig to study and evaluate.

well that is something, retail is a portable license so you can shift it to another PC, as against OEM license that is tied to hardware profile.

[Excalibur]

Looking at the proposed motherboard, documentation states BIOS can be updated even without memory or CPU fitted. Asus show 11 BIOS versions.
How to know which BIOS the mobo comes with? Perhaps printed on packaging? Date might be a clue.? Will I need to know?, maybe update later?

Motherboard documentation shows an antenna. It's uclear if it comes with it or needs bought separate. I like type with wire lead so can be mounted up high.
What's to know abow about antennas and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)? I suppose the wire is coax and those fittings maybe SMA?

[Wainuitech]

Motherboard documentation shows an antenna. It's uclear if it comes with it or needs bought separate. I like type with wire lead so can be mounted up high.
What's to know abow about antennas and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)? I suppose the wire is coax and those fittings maybe SMA?

The Motherboard should come with Two Antennas that Screw onto the Lugs. Just built and delivered two Computers but with gigabyte boards, they had the Antennas.

This Board By Gigabyte.

You can always use others (like you preferred)

[king1]

Looking at the proposed motherboard, documentation states BIOS can be updated even without memory or CPU fitted. Asus show 11 BIOS versions.
How to know which BIOS the mobo comes with? Perhaps printed on packaging? Date might be a clue.? Will I need to know?, maybe update later?

bios version you can find out when you power the board on.  The version history can enlighten you to the changes but it is usually adding support for next gen CPUs and the like.  I tend to work on the 'if it ain't broke don't fix' principle as far as the bios is concerned.

Last one I did was to add ftpm support on an AMD based board so I could do an upgrade to Windows 11