Decision between 2 PCs

[Dehcbad25]

Ok, I have 2 computers. And I want to decide which one is better for gaming, and which one I shoud convert into a server. Please help me decide which one is better....
In the blue corner :D Optiplex GX260. Windows 2000, P4 Northwood 2,26 Ghz, 133 FSB, 533 Bus Speed, with 256 MB Kingston PC3200 RAM running at 133 (:confused: to match the CPU?) I could add another 256 totaling to 512.
In the red corner eMachines W2247, with an Athon XP Thoroughbred 2200+ (1788.5 Mhz) 133 FSBx2 768 RAM PC2100.
Clearly the Dell is better with an 845G Graphics card (using 64 MB)
My indecition comes that I want one as a server, the other as an extra server, doubling as extra gaming PC. I have 256 MB RAM (PC2100) and a GeForce2 Ti 64Mb. I wanted to see if I could run some benchmarkng test and have a general idea, but the systems are quite different, mainly since one runs W2K (Dell) and the other XP home (eMchines). How would you guys go ahead in the instalation?

[FastGame]

Well for the simple fact that the AMD has the most ram it would be the best at either, other than that if you add ram to the Intel you could flip a coin.

Which ever one is the most stable should be the server ;)

Everyone is use to games crashing :p

[Dehcbad25]

HEHE True about the game crashing. I was wondering about upping the mem bus, but never mind. I just checked the BIOS and I can't. I think I will remove that stick, and I will put the 512 from the other system, add another 256 and up it to 768. I will give my brother those 256 PC3200 in excahnge for his 256 PC2100 since he has a chip PC2700 and a PC2100, so he can run both at 333, and put that PC2100 in the emachines. Made sense??
I will add the video card to the eMchines, and I will install W2k3 in the other one, and set it up a server. I want to run VPN, RRAS, and ISA server to get some hands on experience. I am wondering thought, since the P4 is more CPU in this case than the AXP, but if I add the video card I won't gain that much in that PC. Decitions. Maybe in order to decide better I will make one 2K3 and the other one Linux :p

[cash_site]

I would probably have the main server on the P4 system with a little extra mem should be more than strong enough for 2k3 with VPN etc etc...

Have the AXP box for gaming as it should be good on modest games, especially your $5 bargin bin versions ;) the other as an extra server, doubling as extra gaming PC Were you going to also install 2k3 on this PC or leave it as XP ?? Leave it as xp, or just get a second small HD and install 2k3 on it, so if main server dies, you can simply plug in HD... but gaming most of the time :D

[Dehcbad25]

I was going to leave it with XP, thought I have to get the eMachines recovery CDs out, because I lost sound :( but I have been too lazy to fix it :p
I had on it a second hard drive runing 2K3, and the drive just simply made a loud noise, and DIE :p
The set up is mainly for a test and training. I might have to get bigger RAM chips since I am thinking about setting up Virtual PCs (easier to recover the HDD file, that a whole instalation) but I don't know yet, because wallet is unhappy at the moment, so I have to do, with what I have, but I seriously want to try some projects, so I can add them to my skill list ;)

[Tinker]

Though decision there Dehcbad25. If it were me I would beef up the Optiplex GX260 and through a Gig of PC2100 and use it for my server. Leave Win 2000 on the server. This will be a dedicated server and used for nothing else so no need for fancy graphics and the like. Strip as much eye candy as you can off Win 2000 to keep from eating up resources.

Now for the gaming machine I would use the eMachines W2247. Put the PC3200 in there and watch for sales on DDR for that box.

My thinking would be to put together the best server I could because I am going to keep important data on there and I do not want to have to wait for files transferring back and forth. Also if you get into a having more than just yourself accessing the server you want the memory to assist you in keeping things fast. You can always beef up the game machine as needed. :msncool:

[Dehcbad25]

well, I decided to do as you pointed. The eMachines is from my wife, so I might not want to turn it into a server, thought previously I had her permition to host the web site with the wedding pics :p
For the Optiplex. It has normal Windows 2000, and I need 2003 for what I have to test. I will be running a test now short term for firewalls (posted about it in another thread) and see what happens