MY AMD System is COMPLETE!!! OR is it?

[Village00idiot]

For weeks now I have been using these forums and others as well of reading seemingky thousands of hardware reviews. And now I think it is time to order.

Motherboard: Epox 8K7A
CPU: AMD tbird 1.33 with normal stepping
CPU heatsink: Thermalright SK6
CPU Fan: ThermalTake 31CFM 28dB Fan
Case: Antec SX840 (2 standard exhaust fans)
Power Supply: Enermax 431W Whisper
Additional Case Fans: 2 Panaflow 39.6 CFM @ 32dB
Memory: Crucial PC2100 cas 2.5
Hard Drive: IBM 40gb 7200rpm
Video Card: MSI GeForce 2 Pro 64mb Tv-out
Sound Card: SoundBlaster Live X-Gamer 5.1
CD-RW: LiteOn 12x10x32
Floppy: Mitsumi Standard
Zip: Iomega 100mb (by NEC)
Modem: US robotics 56k v.90 sportster PCI

I am going to be running all of this stuff on windows ME.

Anybody see any major flaws? Missing anything?

Couple of questions:

1. How do I go about getting all of these fans hooked up? The epox has 4 fan headers on it. 1 for the CPU fan I got that. 1 for the standard shipset cooler on the mobo. This leaves 2 headers for the case fans. I have four. I'm sure this is a stupid question but how else do you hook the fans up? The two panaflows I am buying are from http://www.plycon.com/cgibin/shopper.cgi and it says they do not come with molex connecters. do I need these connecters to hook up the fans? Or is there some other way?

2. http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.asp?model=EP-8K7A&x=13&y=18 is a link to my crucial ram options. I want the 256 stick of PC2100. But there are two of those. One says 32x64 while the other says 32x72 with ECC. What does this mean? and which one is better?

Any info or advice you guys can give me I would appreciate A LOT! So please help an idiot out!

[Socom18E]

Village00idiot

I to am in the process of building my first.

If I may ask why do you want to run ME? Woudn't you want to run W2K or even 98SE?

They say these two OS are better then ME....

Just wondering. Other then that it looks like it's going to one KEWL RUNNING SYSTEM

Take care, and good luck.....

Socom18E

[Village00idiot]

I bought windows ME when it came out not realizing the problems and Am stuck with it.

If you have a choice go Win2K

[Top]

Fans:

Yes, if you ordered untailed fans you will need molex connectors. I didn't even attempt to run my case fans from the mobo. Just used molex connectors straight into the power supply. I don't think those Panaflos have rpm monitoring anyway which would be the only reason to try to use the mobo header.

RAM:

ECC is for error correction. Personally, I've never used ECC RAM and can't tell you much about it. I do believe you take a performance hit with it, but don't know how much. Post a thread or do a search on the EPOX Motherboard forum for RAM recommendations. You may want to check out the PC2400 from Corsair Microsystems. It's supposed to be kick-ass stuff.

[ww2717]

Get yourself a rheostat bus from www.plycon.com. You can hook all your untailed fans into it. The rheostats will allow you to control the rpms of the fans. Think that this will be good way for you to go.

[Village00idiot]

So if I did not want to spend the money on the rheostat I would just buy two of these molex connectors and just put them straight into my mobo? Could one of you please give me a link to one of these molex connectors that would work in my situation?

[Top]

Why not just order the "tailed Panaflos" at www.caseetc.com?

They come with 4 pin molex connectors.

Tailed fan page: Here

[ww2717]

here this place sells molex connectors,the pins, and pinning tool
try www.digikey.com or www.newark.com

[Socom18E]

Village00idiot

yep, know the feeling....I have 98 now, though if money allows it when all said and done I wanted to change to another OS.

Most people have said W2K, so that me very well be what I'll end up with.

Thanks for the input, do appreciate it, and good luck again....


Socom18E

[NickyD]

ECC Ram is Error Correcting RAM used mainly for high end servers that can NEVER have any RAM errors. Some people deny it, but ther eis now way this RAM can run without a performance hit due to the CAched error checking on the RAM chips themselves.

And, you don't need a rheostat, just order your fans from www.kdcomputers.com and the sales person there you can talk to will explain about connceting the fans to the PSU.

[NickyD]

oh, and I didnt notice a NIC card in your list of equipment.

You may not need one right away, but if you ever want Broadband internet, you can run out and get a cheap Linksys card for $10 that will work fine.

[Explosive]

How's about a nice 19 inch monitor? Unless you have one already.

The Samsungs seem to be good quality/price.

That upgrade is next on my list, I'm putting up with a 15inch 10 year old Mag right now

[Falworth]

Radio Shack sells Molex connectors, along with the crimp tool, along with the insertion/extraction tool. Also, you can soldier them, if you want.

Don't plug them into the Mobo, use a 12vdc connector from the power supply.

Rheostats just cause extra heat in the case. They are worthless.
The object of fans is to move air, why slow them down?