Building your own computer?

[Darth K'Trava]

no one in this thread has suggested wasting the money for a dual-processor system.)

That's because none of us seem to have the need, want, gotta have it, setup to use both procs. Most of our software we use don't use both procs so it'd be a waste of time. They're really only practical in high-graphics jobs or servers. It costs more money for the motherboard to plug those puppies into!

 

[LrdApoc]

Another build guide..

If you're looking for an easy to print out How-to build then I can recommend this PDF.

http://www.dispatch.com/connect/may02/BuildaPC.pdf
if you can't get there I know this pdf is cached in Google. (do a search for Shawn Sines and connect)

It's a little out of date, but the advice and step-by-step still apply and really make it worth the download.

I know the author pretty well

 

[Krieg]

but no one in this thread has suggested wasting the money for a dual-processor system

That's because none of us seem to have the need, want, gotta have it, setup to use both procs. Most of our software we use don't use both procs so it'd be a waste of time. They're really only practical in high-graphics jobs or servers.

I actually have a dual proc server which I certainly don't consider a "waste of money", I just realize that it isn't practical for 99% of home users.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Okay. In about a month or so, I'll have enough money saved up to actually do this.

The thing is, I'm a ditz when it comes to technical specs. My eyes glaze over, and I start drooling, and it just ain't pretty.

So if any of you would be kind enough to help me out, I'd appreciate it.

Given $800, what stuff would you buy to make a decent system?

Some limitations:

PROCESSOR/MOTHERBOARD
I'm not planning on going Intel, obviously, for these prices... So I'm hoping that there's a good chip out there, common enough to not cause many compatability problems. An Athlon, maybe?

OPERATING SYSTEM
I would like to get Windows XP Pro. So I'm guessing I need a dealer that will sell OEM software with the usual workaround of shipping it with a piece of computer hardware (thus fulfilling the letter, if not the spirit, of the OEM agreement).

CD DRIVE(S)
I would like a CD Burner, with the possibility of being a DVD-ROM player, as well. If possible, I'd also like a fast CD drive, as well.

FLOPPY DRIVE
I have little need for a 3.5" disk, so we can skip that. Though, if it's cheap, and I have a 3.5" bay open and the means to connect it (see slots, below?), I'd consider it.

MEMORY
As much memory as is possible. My system, with 640MB, runs like molasses, so I'm hoping more memory would clear that up. (Either that, or I have WAY too many things in my startup files and running files...) Either way, bare minimum would be 512MB, though I would like to have 1GB of RAM.

STORAGE
I'd like to have 120GB of storage, if possible. If not, I'd settle for 80GB.

SLOTS
I'd like to have at least two 4-slot plugins. The computer I have now only came with one 4-slot plugin thingy (sorry, don't know the term; it's where you plug in your CD drives, hard drives, and so on). Since I'm hoping to save some of the stuff

CANNIBALIZED EQUIP
I've got an old CD-Burner/DVD-ROM, but it's been giving me trouble. I've got a questionable fast CD-ROM player, but it's also been giving me trouble. I have a ZIP drive (250MB capacity disks) that I'd like to keep, if there's an open 3.5" drive, but that's only if possible. I've got a 20GB hard drive, that I can use as a slave drive, once the rest of the stuff is connected. I've got about 512MB of RAM that's probably good, so I need the slots to connect it in. The pentium 4 chip & motherboard is probably still good, maybe? (1.7GHz, so possibly good, since I don't play FPS or do graphic design, just spreadsheets and older games). I'll keep the DSL (they'll get me back on dial-up over my dead body...).

CASE
Looks like a tower will be necessary. I need at least one opening (CD-burner), but would prefer two 5.25" openings (CD-burner/DVD Rom and fast CD-player) and two 3.5" openings (ZIP and 3.5" floppy). I would like at least two internal bays (main hard drive, my current 20GB hard drive--until I get everything I want off of it).

Anyway, I'm hoping on spending only about $800. I don't know the specs on the parts in my computer, so if you need to know, tell me how to find out (hopefully without actually opening the case?).

Thanks for all your help so far!

 

[Fenlock]

and again anandtech to the rescue

CPU & Cooling  	AMD Athlon 64 2800+ (retail cooling included)  	$185
Motherboard 	MSI K8N Neo Platinum 	$125
Memory 	2 X 256MB OCZ PC3200 EL 	$126
Video Card 	128MB Sapphire Radeon 9600 Pro 	$126
Monitor 	Samsung 955DF (19") DynaFlat CRT 	$212
Computer Case 	CaseEdge TS1 Mid Tower plus 360W PSU 	$72
Sound Card 	Onboard sound 	$0
Speakers 	Logitech Z640 5.1 	$55
Networking 	Onboard 10/100/1000 Ethernet 	$0
Hard Drive 	Seagate 120GB Barracuda IV 	$85
CD-RW 	Lite-On 52x32x52x16 Combo Drive 	$42
Bottom Line 	- 	$1028

(hope this is readable)

if you remove the monitor and speakers it will cost you ~750$

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Eep! I don't see any provision for the operating system in there...

Is that a pre-build, or are those parts?

 

[D+1]

My rule for upgrading/buying a computer:

Spend as much as you can PAINFULLY afford. You should wake up at night in a cold sweat worrying about how much you spent. Buy as close to bleeding edge as you have enough Band Aids and Bactine to make possible.

Your computer will last much longer. It will do what you want it to do NOW. It will remain capable of running newer games much much farther into the forseeable future. You should not NEED to upgrade it for at LEAST a year. When you do upgrade it, it will be because you are so bored with having NOT upgraded anything on it for so long. The sole exception to this is having one or more components commit smoking, ritual suicide. That is, think very seriously about a raid configuration. I know I will with my next machine because I've had too many hard drives just frag themselves, occasionally taking irreplaceable material with them, though the sheer tedious annoyance of having to start over with a clean hard drive reinstalling everything will make it worth the extra money even if it only is needed once.

If possible/practical, salvage ram from your older machine to help power your newer machine. Ditto, the hard drive and monitor. Use your older hard drive as a backup. For that matter, reuse the old case if the old computer is going to be unused. That'll save a few bucks if you absolutely have to.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

What is a "RAID" configuration? (Aside from the ant pesticide, that is... Sorry, got to beat people to that joke...)

 

[drothgery]

If possible/practical, salvage ram from your older machine to help power your newer machine. Ditto, the hard drive and monitor. Use your older hard drive as a backup. For that matter, reuse the old case if the old computer is going to be unused. That'll save a few bucks if you absolutely have to.

You do realize you're giving contradictory recommendations here, right? Buying a high-end machine and hanging on to it as long as possible pretty much makes keeping RAM from one box to another impossible, and keeping a hard drive impractical (my old 10GB HD would be nearly useless on my new box, with a 120 GB HD -- and that's ignoring the flip from ATA/100 to SATA).

 

[Fenlock]

What is a "RAID" configuration? (Aside from the ant pesticide, that is... Sorry, got to beat people to that joke...)

Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks.
It is a method where you use two or more cheap harddisk as one disk. Either to create a faster access or to mirror data.
google to the rescue: raid

Regarding the price of os i cant help you there :\
I could suggest you try out a version of linux. It wont cost you money, but it will cost you time...