Upgrading using a D945GTP mobo

[Wadeford]

Hi

So my system is laughably old. I'm using a Pentium 4 2.8Ghz processor, a HD 2400, and 4 GB of DDR2. I'm currently putting together a new system from scratch, but I like my old PC, so I want to try and make it as hardcore as possible... for as little as possible. So. CPU time. My mobo has an LGA775 socket, but looking on the Intel website not all CPU's which fit that particular socket are compatible with the Mobo. According to a list provided by Intel, the best CPU I'm likely to be able to throw into it would be a Pentium D 960. I'm going with a 945, only because I managed to get one for $3 (Australian), and it seems to be similar to the 960. 

 

Question: can anyone recommend anything better than the 960 for my motherboard, or is that about as good as I can get in terms of performance and compatibility? I'm trying to source four 4GB DDR2 DIMMs as well, so I'm hoping 16GB of cheap RAM will help I also managed to track down a GTX 560 for $50 Australian, which I figure is a decent enough card for the cash! 

[Wadeford]

Really I just want to see how much more I can squeeze out of it for less than fifty bucks. I *have* found some 2GB RAM for five bucks a stick, and I'm happy to buy the graphics card because I can always use that if I decide to build a higher end, older system later. I've used this computer for so long, I'm just genuinely curious to see what more it's able to do with just a little pushing. 

 

When it's done, I'm taking it to my mum's house, as she has no PC, and it's nice to have *something* to use when I'm there if necessary. Also I could use it as a dedicated off site backup system.

 

So yeah, I'm not wanting to spend loads, I just want want to squeeze what I can out of it for as little as possible