jeremy...
Most of what I'm going to say is based on my own experience
in building a system from scratch and upgrading it.
Cases are usually designed to be compatible with a specific
layout design called a form factor. The Baby AT and the ATX
form factors are rotated 90 degrees from each other, e.g.
You can explore the different types on this page at Webopedia:
http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/2005/motherboard_form_factors.asp
Looking at the documentation for your system on the Centro
de Informática website, your board seems to be an ATX:
Users Guide:
http://www.cil.pt/docDell/PE1400/ug/index.htm
Installation and Troubleshooting Guide:
http://www.cil.pt/docDell/PE1400/it/index.htm
Here's an example of an ATX board. The top of the board, as
it sits in the case, is to the right of the image, with the
connectors and card slots at the top of the image, where they
would come out of the back of your case:
http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socket775/p5wd2-p/enlarge.htm
More on the ATX form factor, from Intel:
http://www.intel.com/design/motherbd/atx.htm
Motherboards and CPUs are another area in which compatibility
is a factor. Motherboards are often sold with no CPU or RAM
(memory) installed. If you wanted to keep your current CPU
and RAM, you'd have to make sure the mobo you buy is able to
accept them. If you want to get the best out of a new board,
you might opt to upgrade your CPU and RAM at the same time.
Keeping your current CPU and RAM would be severely limiting.
Then again, if you're buying through eBay, the board you buy
may have a CPU and RAM already installed.
Your best option, in my opinion, is to upgrade to a better
ATX form factor motherboard. If it comes with a CPU and
RAM, you won't need to worry about that. If not, you'll
need to research what kinds of CPUs and RAM it is capable
of accepting, and decide if the speed of the CPU (in MHZ)
and the amount and type of RAM it will accept (in GB and
DDR, e.g.) are what you want. Being that the board you're
buying will be newer than your current board, the newer
board is almost certainly going to accommodate a CPU and
RAM which exceed the performance of your current board.
A newer board is likely to be backward compatible with
the sound and video cards you're already using, but you
would have the option of upgrading them, as well.
Now...
If you upgrade to a motherboard with a much more powerful
CPU, you may want to consider whether your current power
supply is up to the challenge of delivering the increased
wattage necessary to run it, and whether your case is
adequately cooled with a sufficient number of case fans
to keep the CPU running at a low enough temperature.
Added fans will also contribute to the draw on the power
supply, and should be factored in to the picture. If your
current power supply is less than 400-450W, you might do
well to invest in a new one (especially if it's 4 years
old).
If your current case only accommodates a single case fan,
you may need to consider a case that uses more. From what
I've been able to find, your current system only has a
single case fan, which is coupled with a shroud covering
over the CPU. This shroud is a unique design, and any
newer motherboard is very unlikely to have this. If that
single fan is all the cooling your current case provides,
it is very unlikely to be able to vent the heat created
by the newer breed of faster, hotter CPUs, which will
almost certainly not be located on the new motherboard
in such a way as to take full advantage of the single
fan your current case provides.
Given all this potential upgrading, you may want to just
sell your current system as it is, and invest in a new one.
Whether that means purchasing a new server as a unit, or
starting from scratch with a new case which comes with a
power supply and cooling fans already installed, which are
capable of handling the hotter, faster CPUs, is up to you.
You would then need to pick a compatible CPU and RAM, and
add sound and video cards. If you choose to build a system
from scratch, a store such as Frys Electronics has very
knowledgeable staff who can advise you every step of the
way on what is compatible with what, and how to optimize
your choices for the new system.
In your question, you don't really say what your purpose
is in upgrading your system, so I've tried to provide you
with some perspective on what might be involved in the
process of accomplishing an upgrade, for whatever reason,
as well as some of the potential pitfalls.
If there's something that needs further explanation, just
let me know.
Please do not rate this answer until you are satisfied that
the answer cannot be improved upon by way of a dialog
established through the "Request for Clarification" process.
sublime1-ga
Searches done, via Google:
motherboard
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