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I was given this web forum from someone on another firum i use, ADSL Guide.
I need some help and not sure where i should start? I am thnking of self building a comp (sort of) as i was told that if i buy a Dell etc then upgrading parts of it may be difficult.
I have a pretty low spec old comp.
a PII 300MHz, 4GB HD, 32MB RAM, windows 98, ATI all in wonder pro graphics and Soundblaster AWE 64 sounds card.
It does struggle alot of the itme mainly when i open 2 web pages and am on MSN and i am only on dial up.
The comp is 4 yrs old so time to upgrade not sure about anything else.
I am not BB yet but about to get it after xmas and want a new comp to go with it I mainly use it for e mail University research MSN messenger... and video chat with family abroad.
Also thinking about gaming, so any tips on what i should be looking for there would be appriciated.
So just wondering where to start ?
Thanks for any help
What's your budget, and what kind of PC do you want to end up with? Small form factor, mid-tower etc?
For a regular budget setup I'd suggest a mid-price motherboard like the Epox 8RDA+, Athlon XP Barton 2500, and a mid-level graphics card like the Radeon 9600 PRO or 9600 XT. Of course you'll also need a case, PSU, hard drive, CD-ROM/CD-RW/DVD-RW and depending on the mobo, soundcard/network card. Plenty of info on choices if you look around these forums!
Are you going to stick with Windows? If so go for XP (Pro preferably, but XP Home is OK).
Anyway, Budget is around 1000 pounds, if i can get it for less wonderful, if its costs a little more i will live (as long as i get a good comp).
Small form factor is not a term i know? but looking for a normal sized midi tower, looks not important as it hides away inside my desk.
I would like to stick with windows as i'm confortable with it and office matches the Universities computer which is important as i have to have
transfer work between the two.
Graphics i would like to be decent as with the sound.... i already have a new sound system with surrounds sound speakers sub etc i bought for my old comp.... i also have a flat screen monitor so i don't need a new screen, do you think that will cut down the price much?
You may be able to keep the old case and just put in a new PSU. THe previous posters recommendations are a solid mid-level choice in the AMD department.
But 1000 pounds is a lot of cash, considering you already have the monitor, you can get a pretty decent setup, maybe look in to a Barton 3000 or 3200 for that price.
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Originally posted by mr_raider on 12-07-2003 at 02:21 PM You may be able to keep the old case and just put in a new PSU. THe previous posters recommendations are a solid mid-level choice in the AMD department.
But 1000 pounds is a lot of cash, considering you already have the monitor, you can get a pretty decent setup, maybe look in to a Barton 3000 or 3200 for that price.
Don't go for the 3000+ or 3200+. Instead, get a 2500+ and OC to 3200+ speeds, using a nice heatsink/fan combo (swiftech or zalman).
I think Tekheads is one of the popular online stores in the UK.
While it's true that sometimes a case will allow expansion, sometimes it is not realistic.
Really, the most common thing with proprietary case is the inability to replace the floppy drive with a standard one, and from there, it can go downhill with inadequacies like size, mounting, and cooling ability.
Your first step is to familiarize yourself with the case. It has motherboard mounting, Power supply mounting bay/holes, drive bays, motherboard expansion card bays in the back, and most standard cases have at least one additional exhuast hole in the back to supplement the PSU (power supply unit) cooling. If the case can meet these requirments for the components you have selected to upgrade, you probably shouldn't worry about the floppy drive. One way to keep it from concerning you is to buy a standard ATX case, and move on, learn about it later upon comparing the two cases. Computers are good to give away in one piece and still working, for that matter.
The older the computer, the less likely the case will be compatible with today's parts. And that computer is extremely old, so forget about using its case.
Your case=Chenbro. That is, go for a Chenbro branded case.
Now, with that type of budget, I agree, stick with the AthlonXP processor, probably a 2500+ (333FSB) "Barton" to save money. I would also buy PC3200 or better RAM so that when it comes time to upgrade, the RAM won't have to be purchased again. I would stick with Corsair. Buy two 512mb products for a total of 1024mb or 1gig, basically. Probably Corsair XMS PC3200 C2. Go with the Asus KT600 motherboard. Get all the new stuff without having to deal with Nforce2s "complications", and I assume you're not interested in overclocking. Probably the only saving grace of Nforce2 are those particular motherboards featuring Soundstorm processing for digital sound and good overclocking. The Asus A7V600 has native SATA RAID capability, so two SATA hard drives should be purchased to maximize hard drive performance. The onboard sound here is analog, but maybe you should listen to it first before considering a soundcard, or budget one in at the last minute. There is the option of Nvidia motherboards with Soundstorm, but it depends on where your priorities stand. The only problem with Nvidia motherboards ( Nforce2) with SATA is the fact that SATA is not native, therefore it will take up two PCI slot resources which will hinder expandability by PCI slots, there is no known performance degradation of non-native SATA implementationa, yet. Finally your PSU needs to be of very good quality in order to protect your investment and allow longevity enough to use it in future upgrades. Consider none other than the Zalman ZM400A.
Just some initial things to toss around.
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Last edited by notdrugged : 12-07-2003 at 01:08 PM.
I almost forgot to mention that WindowsXP is a requirement for the above system. Also that system disk proprietary operating systems, which is most likely what you have (even though it is "supposedly" Windows 98), often do not work with other systems. If there is a way to convert your needs to Windows XP, it is advised, in any event, you may have to purchase a windows 98 operating system if not XP, regardless.
Windows 98 does not support alot of things. Anymore RAM than 512mb for one, amoung many other incompatibilites or inadequacies with newer hardware, etc.
Last edited by notdrugged : 12-07-2003 at 01:28 PM.
Originally posted by DamianUK on 12-07-2003 at 08:15 AM IIt does struggle alot of the itme mainly when i open 2 web pages and am on MSN and i am only on dial up.
Dialup is slow on the world's fastest computer. Usually, the problem is dialup itself.
Last edited by notdrugged : 12-07-2003 at 06:59 PM.
Small form factor applies to the fashion for 'miniature' cases that fit in well in a living room or hifi setup. For examples look here http://www.sfftech.com/
It sounds though like you're in the market for a standard ATX PC. If a quiet computing experience is what you're looking for I can recommend the Antec Sonata case (although not cheap it is high quality, looks great, and comes with a quiet 380W power supply).
Since you already have a flat screen and speakers, £1000 is more than enough for a great system.
Some of the info is a little over my head but i have a good idea where to start now.
I have looked into my local pc warehouse building me the pc to spec. The cost is much lower than the main stores. Only thing is that Windows XP and office (word, excel & powerpoint are needed) pushes the price right up.
Oooh, give it a shot. It's not that difficult, especially if you're already comfortable swapping out components. If you have any questions on something, just post away, and somebody here should be able to guide you through it. Building your own is MUCH more satisfying than buying a prebuilt, IMHO. There arer a plethora of good sites out there with step-by-step guides through the whole process.
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Epox 8RDA w/ 512 MB TwinMOS PC3200 (2x256MB)-=-Athlon XP 1700+ JIUHB:0310WPMW @ 2,305 (1.775v) 11.5 x 200 FSB-=-Antec ATX12V 400W PSU-=-Sapphire Radeon 9700 Pro @ 412/358-=-SB Live 5.1-=-Linksys NIC-=-Pioneer DVD-ROM drive-=-WD 'SE' 80GB-=-Chieftec Case w/ four 80 mm fans-=-WinXP Pro
Watercooled: D-Tek White Water-=-DD Maze4 GPU-=-1972 Chevy K10 Pickup heatercore-=-2x120mm Evercool fans-=-HydorL30-=-1/2 ID Clearflex60-=-Zerex coolant
I know its just that if anything did go wrong i would be at the limit of my budget so would be screwed trying to sort it if it meant more money
I think i will start with buying this one and changing the graphics maybe a little tinkering then go for a full build next time (at least i then have the comp to fall back on if i mess up).
Plus for the small amount i would save i don't think i would get much better than i am giong to get with this deal
Really appriciate all the help though... biology background is not good for comp work
Damian
Usually when things go wrong it's not a "hard" failure, it's a "soft" one. By that I mean that your hardware is intact, but the software side is not.
Like when I OC'd with PAT on, RAM timings too tight, and using an IBM Deskstar (the WORST HD built, there's a class action lawsuit against IBM for this HD). I totally wiped the HD clean, presumably from bad data.
However, did I have to buy anything new? Nope.
Or how about when I first built the PC, and put in the chip while the socket was still locked? Did I ruin it? You bet I didn't.
So, if you go into it knowing what you're doing, you'll be fine. Due to the technology available, it would be EXTREMELY hard for my to fry any components. The only thing to worry about would be CPU, however, the follow safemeasures are in place:
Hardware Doctor at 65C will begin a 1 minute countdown to shutoff.
The BIOS is programmed so at 70C I can get a maximum of 75% throttling, and a warning.
Auto-shut-off at 75C.
So, no way to fry that sucker, and everything else is running at spec so I'm cool.
Basically, the only problems you'll run into will be software related, once you get the rig up and running. Those can all be solved fairly easily, or just reformat.
The greatest thing about building a pc is that the more it screws up, the more you learn. A few months ago, the case was still no-man's land. Now I could put my computer together with my eyes closed.
It's a wonderfully gratifying learning process. You might as well start now. You must be ready for some frustration, but the rewards are priceless.
To be honest also i am not interested in o/c as i don't really need it. If i get the 2700 AMD Athlon then speed isnt exaclty going to be short is it?
As for building i may well try but the hassle free method of paying for it is appealing i work from 6 AM and its 7 pm and i am still here!
So spending weekends trying to figure out whats going on inside a comp tower is not a nice thought
But you never know i may get brave and give it a go.
Damian
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I mainly use it for e mail University research MSN messenger... and video chat with family abroad.
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