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time to build a new computer...
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Posted by: thepreacha619
ok, well my toshiba laptop with a celeron M isnt cutting it anymore, i'd like to b able to play bf 2142 and play Company of heroes decently. want to spend around 600 dollors, so it doenst kill me financially or when newer stuff comes out. and i'd like to b able to upgrade it if i ever need somthing new. so basiclly im asking for some help. im going to attempt to build this comp. so i guess im just asking if any1 knows if the parts ive picked out are good, and if theres a throrough guide on how to build a computer. ty in advance
well to start i went with an amd mobo:
DFI LanParty UT nF4-D Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 ATX AMD Motherboard
looks decent, fully compatible with bigger processors, 2 pci-e slots, and 4 ram slots
the processor i chose is decent for now, but can b upgraded later:
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice 2.2GHz 512KB L2 Cache Socket 939 Processor
the video card is a nice one (or so i think)
GECUBE GC-RX1600G2-E3 (RoHS) Radeon X1600PRO 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 CrossFire Ready Video Card
the ram: WINTEC AMPO 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Desktop Memory
a decent sized HD:
SAMSUNG SpinPoint P Series HD160JJ 160GB Hard Drive
the case and power supply
and a basic DVD Drive
ok, so yea, any input would b great, i think all those parts will work, not sure, u all kno more than me. thanks!
Posted by: goranpaa
The only things i would change there is the X1600pro and maybe the DFI mobo.
DFI mobo's is the overclockers delight and fast yes. But they can be a pain when it comes to bios updating, as it differs quite a lot from the simple "download a bios and flash it with the same tool" operation, most mobo's have today.
And DFI mobos is picky when it comes to hardware. Absoloutly hates Maxtor harddrives and G.Skill RAM for ex.
So if you are'nt used to DFI mobos? Then you should consider getting some other brand.
Go for this instead.
It's nearly as fast and have all the overclocking stuff in BIOS you ever need.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16813123246
Or if you think that mobo is too expensive?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16813123251
As for the videocard. If you can think to live without HDR support? (Wich is supported in very few games anyway). Then this card will dance circles around the X1600 .
With the X850XT, you get 16 pixel pipes instead of the 12, the X1600 card carry. This will give better performance with high settings.
And it will be easily overclocked to X850XT PE speed. And then you have a real monster for videocard lol.
Also the memory of the X1600 is 512mb - 128 bit. So those 512mb of memory is'nt as good as it would have been 512mb - 256 bit for ex.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16814102059
Posted by: thepreacha619
thank you goranpaa, your always very helpful. i think ill go with the cheap mobo u picked out, and ill go with that video card too (i dont know much about it, but it makes sense...
does any1 kno of any guides on how i can build it? i kno its kind of easy, but i'd like to kno what im doing.
and i have one more question. does any1 know how to put the operating system on it? i have a copy of win 98 SE, but thats really old. i dont want to buy a new copy of XP. does anyone know how to intall linux on a new system? thanks in advance
Posted by: goranpaa
You're welcome. It's always nice to try to help a fellow OTS member out.
And I'm sure you will like the rig when it's finished.
Unfortunatly I'm a total noob when it comes to Linux. But there must be some folkes here able to help you out with that.
But here is Ponix and my buildig guide for you.
1. Make sure you are free from static electrisity before you touch any hardware.
The cheap but not 100% way: Grab a kitchen sink or a water tap.
The safest way: Get an antistaic wristrap with grounding cord. Costs about 5 - 6 bucks.
You can probably find it at Wal Mart, or for sure at newegg. Static electrisity, can even in small amounts kill your hardware.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16899888207
2.a) Now take out the case. If you look at the back of it. You will find a plate with holes for the different ports on the mobo. Usb port, game port audio connectors etc.
This plate is called the "I/O shield" or "connector grill". Remove this from the case (easy) And replace it with the I/O shield, that came with the motherboard bundle.
b) Install the Powersupply (PSU) If you bought the psu separatly?
3. Place the mobo on a piece of sprongue rubber about 2 - 5 cm thick.
This is because you protect the mobo from beeing damaged. And because you may have to apply some force to get the heatsink locked to the mobo socket.
4. Now look at the mobo. Is there any screwholes that may be obstructed if you mount the heatsink now? Check around the cpu socket. If there is screwholes near the socket? Then you will have to wait until you get the mobo into the case. See No. 5 below.
Mounting the cpu.
--------------------
If there are'nt any obstructed screwholes? Then you begin mounting the CPU. If you look at the cpu socket. You will find a lever, that lock the cpu to the socket. Raise this. You will also find, if you look at the socket. There are some pin holes missing in one of the corners.
You have a corresponding marking at the cpu. So it's easy to see in what direction the cpu should go.
Ease the cpu down and press lightly with the finger tip on top of the cpu. Making sure that the cpu is all the way down into the socket. Lower the lever, until it locks the cpu.
Now, apply some thermal paste, about the size of a big rice grain in the centre of the cpu.
The pressure from the heatsink, will spread the paste for you. Just make sure that the heatsink sits straight on top of the cpu before you starts to fasten the heatsink.
Do not use any hard objects when locking the heatsink in place. Use you fingers. If you slip with a screw driver for ex. you can hit some components on the mobo. And I dont think I have to explain what can happend then?
Very important! Connect the cpu heatsink fan to the 3 pin "cpu fan connector" on the motherboard.
If you forget this. Your cpu will be toast in the matter of seconds after you have booted the pc.
5. With the case or the mobo bundle. You should have got some small pegs with screw in one end and a screw hole in the other. This is the "stand off pegs", that will keep your mobo from getting into contact with the case and shorten out the mobo.
Take out a piece of thin A4 paper, and a hard and thin tipped marker pen. Place the paper between the mobo and the sprongue rubber.
Then, mark every screwhole on the mobo, on the paper. Also line out the connectors on the mobo.
Remove the paper and place it, so the connector markings correspond with the I/O shield at the back of the case. Push the marker pen thru the markings on the paper and rub off some ink on the edge of the screwholes on the mobo.
remove the paper. Now you easily can spot where the standoff pegs should go.
This is the easiest way. Othervice, you will have to use the mobo as a template, trying to find out wich of the multiple pegholes in the case are the correct ones?
6. Fasten the mobo with the screws just thighten the screws slightly. Dont tighten them so hard you risk bending the mobo.
7. Now, connect the "ATX power connector. It is the largest connector from the psu. 20 pin for Intel systems and 24 pin for AMD.
Then mount the hardware. Consult the mobo and the hardware manuals. Connect the various connectors from the psu, harddrive(s), DVD / CD and eventually floppy.
And when you still are at it. Make sure you arrange the cables out of the way of the fans. Othervice, you risk having cables that will mess up the airflow thru the case.
8. Now, you have the last thing to connect. This is the cables, coming from the case to the mobo. I.e the power switch, the hd LED, reset button and power LED + case speaker.
Consult the motherboard manual for the configuration. Sometimes it can happend that the mobo manuals configuration and the cases cables does'nt match. Then unfortunatly, you have some puzzle to do.
9.. When you have finished the rig. And boot up for the very first time. Tap the "Delete key" at the very first screen you see. This will get you into BIOS.
Inside BIOS. Navigate, using the "arrow keys", to a menue called "Boot order".
There, you select the CD /DVD drive as "bootorder No 1. Save the setting. Drop your Windows cd into the drive and reformat the harddrive / install Windows.
When you are finished with the installation. First thing, install the "chipset driver" that came on the mobo cd.
This driver, you will have to install every time you reinstall Windows.
10. Install all the drivers for your hardware and the rest of the software.
11. Herueka!! Oh joy!! You are finished and can now enjoy your shining new buildt PC!
A word of warning here. Dont spill any champagne on the pc while celebrating!
POnix adds:
Where Goranpaa uses rubber, I am lazy and most often use an anti-static bag (which is mentioned most often in motherboard installation manuals.) In fact, most motherboards will come with a thin sheet of rubbery stuff that you can place underneath the motherboard while its on top of the anti-static bag to protect your motherboard.
It all starts on the motherboard, most times you won't have any screwholes that will be obstructed so feel free to follow the steps to insert the cpu (touching it by its edges so as not to mar it with your human-juice lol) Remove the tape covering the Thermal paste that arrives on your stock CPU heatsink that came with your cpu if you bought it retail, and then carefully place the heatsink on top of the cpu (minding any grooves that may be in the heatsink, make sure the "grooved part" is what lies on top of the plastic piece of the CPU socket. If you put it in the wrong way you will damage the cpu. For older heatsink assemblies it is most often necessary to use a SMALL flathead screwdriver to drive one end of the heatsink lever onto its plastic holder piece after having placed the other end onto the other holder piece. Most often you will see a small notch that seems as if it was meant to be pushed down by a small flathead screwdriver..... That's the final side to attach.
After you have motherboard + CPU + heatsink + heatsink fan connected to motherboard. Install your memory chips into the board. This should be all you need to see a POST. Of course, after you have installed the IO plate and the motherboard + cpu + memory into the case and attached the front panel Power SW so that you can turn the assembly on.
The rest are just peripherals.
Posted by: thepreacha619
oh yea, i forgot u had that guide, ive seen it floating around OTS a few times. any ideas bout the OS? and one last question. is this comp very good, i kno its decent now for the price, but in 1 year will it still b decent?
Posted by: goranpaa
No ideas about the OS unfortunatly.
But if you are'nt that interested in Windows Vista and the upcoming DirectX 10 video cards, That rig should last a couple of years I guess. Depends on your demands?
Posted by: goranpaa
The processor and mobo could last a little longer than that maybe. But the videocard is probably pretty outdated by then.
Edit. But that goes for all DX 9.0 videocards I guess. Even such cards as GF 7950 X2 and X1950XTX
Posted by: thepreacha619
so is now a bad time to buy one? will games that will come out in the next year still run on this computer, or will it b outdated from the start?
Posted by: goranpaa
Not likely outdated. I guess the game manufacturers, would'nt dare to stop releaseing DX9.0 compatible versions of the games also. Doing that would be financial suiside. They cant expect that all gamers, will get Vista or DX 10 videocards just like that.
One reason not getting the DX10 cards. Is that, to be able to run the DX 10 card with full DX 10. You have to buy Vista.
I myself, even though I guess I will be very tempted. Will not get Vista or any DX 10 for as long as I'm not conviced that Microsoft have got rid of the worst "child deceases" in Vista at least.
Posted by: thepreacha619
yea, i see what your saying. can this comp upgrade to a dx10 card? can the mobo support that or not? i guess im just trying to buy a cheap comp now, that i can upgrade down the road.... so basiclly the best 2 parts ive got are the mobo and the graphics. heh.
Posted by: goranpaa
Yeah, the cpu and mobo is 64 bit OS compatible. So it's "just" a matter of getting Vista and a DX10 videocard later on.
Posted by: thepreacha619
ok, random question, so when i buy windows, i buy the 64 bit edition right? or does it matter? could windows 98 run on this, or would it b harder to install?
(cause i could use windows 98 or use it to d/l linux? (im really really cheap))
Posted by: goranpaa
Microsoft have dropped a lot of the support for Windows 98 recently. But it will run on that rig anyway. But consider, either get Windows Xp home.
Or take the chance with Vista when it's out.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16837116194
You can download a 120 day trial of Windows XP 64 bit Pro also if you want?
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/...acts/trial.mspx
Posted by: shadysoldier
holy crap.I hope dx10 and vist dont come out for a while i dont wanna buy another gpu im already saveingup for a 32" lcd viewsonic.
Posted by: thepreacha619
ok, well i decided i cant live without my toshiba laptop, and am going to get a new lappy instead. im buying a dell *sighes in disbelief*
http://www.dell.com/content/product...en&s=dhs&~ck=mn
im getting that 1 with the ati radeon mobility X1400
now i need to kno, will that be decent? or am i just being crazy. and can u play some games on it?
Posted by: goranpaa
I guess you mean Radeon Mobility X1300?
Well you will be able to play games in 1024X768 and conservative quality settinngs. But not much more, or the game will probably begin to stutter.
The X1300, is the smallest of the Radeon Xxxxx cards.
For the same price you can get this.
ABS Mayhem G3 Eclipse
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Wireless Bluetooth® Technology
- AMD Mobile Athlon™ 64
Technology
- ATI Mobility™ Radeon® X700
- Anti-Glare TFT Technolog
15.4" Screen Anti-Glare Wide XGA 1280 × 800
AMD Turion 64 Mobile MT40 2.2GHz
Microsoft®Windows® XP
Home Edition w/ SP2
2 x 512MB DDR333MHz
ATI Mobility™ Radeon® X700 128MB
Hard Drive:
80GB 7200RPM ATA
Optical Drive:
Single Optical Drive with Dual-Layer DVD Burner Support
13.98" (L) x 10.04" (D) x 1.18" (H)
Weight:
6.39 lbs.
http://www.abs.com/app/notebooks_compare.asp
The X700 is a better card for gaming. The X700 is 4th from the bottom in the Radeon Xxxx series. Where the X300 is the smallest and compairable with the X1300
ABS is in the gaming laptop area, what Dell is to the work station dito.
Posted by: thepreacha619
well ive got a discount and its only 800$
and i called them and have talked to people and u can play the games at decent settings and they are ok. u just cant run them on high.
and yes, its the 1400 not the 1300. its on the site, have a look..
(just customize the comp and go to graphics)
Posted by: goranpaa
O.k my error.
I looked into what the notebook forums have to say about the Mobility X1400. And it seems pretty compairable with X700 just a little slower. But that could be fixed with ATI Tray Tools overclocking I guess. http://www.guru3d.com/article/atitraytools/189/ So then you have got yourself a nice deal with the Dell for that price. The 256mb of memory on that card, will make the deal even better.
Actually, there whas one guy at one of the forums. Who had just recently bought the same lappy. And he seemed pleased with it.
Posted by: thepreacha619
ok. thank you goranpaa, thats what i wanted to hear. i hope it turns out well
Posted by: goranpaa
I dont think you have to worrie. And gettting a core duo, 1 gig of RAM and that graphics. I cant think you could have done a better deal for that price. You would probably have to shell out at least 300 to 400 bucks more, minimum to get something just slightly better.
This is something you will find handy to have for that lappy. At least when the temperatures starts to raise again next spring or early summer.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16834999336
Posted by: matt.modica
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16834224060
This is a nice laptop. Newegg had one with a Mobile Athlon 4000+ @ 2.6 GHz and an X700 128 MB, but its gone (???). This one has an X1600 and a Turion MT37 @ 2.0 GHz. Should be about as good at gaming. And a bit more mobile.
Just a note, the Mobile Core 2 Duo doesn't have the Conroe core (it uses the Merom core), and its not all that great at gaming. The regular Core Duo's, while being excelent at multitasking, are horrible gammers. AMD is still the way to go for mobile gaming.
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