I'm attempting to build my first computer

2007-05-21 19:27:37

#1

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|7039|Mountains of NC

I have done slight upgrades on my other computers but this will be my very first custom-built computer. I'm exicted and hope everything goes smooth. Now I want to do this on a budget and I know I could go bigger but I have money line that I won't cross.
Please post suggest on my best approach to this whole job. I have rebuilt engines in the past so I'm pretty handy with tools.

Case

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/11-129-021-18.jpg

power supply

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/17-116-001-08.jpg

chip

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/19-115-017-03.jpg

motherboard

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/13-121-059-02.jpg

4xmemory

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/20-231-121-02.jpg

hard drive

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/22-136-011-03.jpg

2nd hard drive

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/22-144-122-06.jpg

card reader

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/20-302-003-02.jpg

1st driveDVD Burner

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/27-136-118-02.jpg

2nd driveDVD drive

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/27-106-067-02.jpg

video card

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/14-150-189-07.jpg

sound card

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/29-102-005-08.jpg

https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/17445/carhartt.jpg

2007-05-21 19:30:09

#2

S3v3N: lolwut?; +685|6989|Montucky

Putting the bastard together is easier than rebuilding a 350. Installing the software on the other hand was annoying for me anyway.

2007-05-21 19:31:10

#3

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|7039|Mountains of NC

yeah software I don't look forward to espically the OS

2007-05-21 19:32:26

#4

S3v3N: lolwut?; +685|6989|Montucky

If you need help let me know, i've built 3 Computers to date.

2007-05-21 19:34:04

#5

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|7039|Mountains of NC

how does the hardware look

2007-05-21 19:36:37

#6

BeerzGod: Hooray Beer!; +94|7041|United States

You're on a budget but chose a 150GB Raptor? I would drop that for something else because they're not all they're hyped up to be. 7,500 vs. 10,000 isn't a noticeable change, and despite what a lot of people think, Raptors do not give you any advantages or boost gaming in any way whatsoever. With the extra money you'll save from that, I would suggest getting a more prestigious brand of ram, or a better motherboard. I would also add a CPU cooler to your list because the ones bundled with the Intel chip do not work that well. Other than that, I would say it's a so-so system... good luck to you on your first one.

2007-05-21 19:38:14

#7

Darkfire: Helping you help yourself; +34|6949| Texas

the case is very nice i actually just got one for myself and love it

2007-05-21 19:38:36

#8

Winston_Churchill: Bazinga!; +521|7209|Toronto | Canada

My (uneducated) opinion is that you should invest in a DX10 card and not waste your money on a DX9 card that will become outdated once DX10 is in use. Consider it a future investment.

Also, if you do that you might want to get a bigger PSU... 550W

2007-05-21 19:40:38

#9

[-DER-]Omega: membeR; +188|7298|Lithuania

Everything on your list is top-of-the-line except for the PSU and GPU.

Given your other hardware choices, you're probably building this rig to prepare for the future generation games, so why not get an 8800GTS/GTX (for the sheer power & DX10) & a PSU such as This

Last edited by [-DER-]Omega (2007-05-21 19:41:07)

https://bf3s.com/sigs/fe717ed1eb823c939460a42f15bced7dd0057c51.png

2007-05-21 19:40:51

#10

Scorpion0x17: can detect anyone's visible post count...; +691|7236|Cambridge (UK)

1. Get yourself an antistatic wrist strap (and use it).

2. Install CPU and RAM onto mobo, outside of case.

3. To begin with install mobo (with CPU and RAM), main HDD video card and one CD/DVD drive only into case.

4. Install Windows and make sure mobo, ram, cpu, hdd and video card are all happy.

5. Install sound card, 2nd HDD and other drives all individually and test test test before going on to the next component.

Some utils you might find usefull:

memtest86
Sandra
3DMark and PCMark
Hitatchi Drive Fitness Test (I believe it'll work OK with non-hitatchi drives).

Last edited by Scorpion0x17 (2007-05-21 19:42:43)

2007-05-21 19:42:14

#11

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|7039|Mountains of NC

I was trying to find a good case with good air flow to keep the heat down

and the DX10 card well I havn't heard any prices and so far the only game on DX10 that looks interesting is Crysis

2007-05-21 19:42:17

#12

S3v3N: lolwut?; +685|6989|Montucky

BeerzGod wrote:
You're on a budget but chose a 150GB Raptor? I would drop that for something else because they're not all they're hyped up to be. 7,500 vs. 10,000 isn't a noticeable change, and despite what a lot of people think, Raptors do not give you any advantages or boost gaming in any way whatsoever. With the extra money you'll save from that, I would suggest getting a more prestigious brand of ram, or a better motherboard. I would also add a CPU cooler to your list because the ones bundled with the Intel chip do not work that well. Other than that, I would say it's a so-so system... good luck to you on your first one.

Corsair Ram is recommended by me, and i suggest the same about the Harddrives. I've run XFX graph cards for a year now and I have no complaints.

4 gigs is a bit overkill, i'd go with this for ram.

2007-05-21 19:45:36

#13

jsnipy: ...; +3,277|6993|...

just get a second burner. You are spending the money anyway, get the x-fi with the front panel.

2007-05-21 19:48:07

#14

Scorpion0x17: can detect anyone's visible post count...; +691|7236|Cambridge (UK)

SEREMAKER wrote:
yeah software I don't look forward to espically the OS

what OS d'u plan to use? - it's pretty easy - for windows anyhoo - just boot from the CD, make sure you load any SATA drivers if you need them and follow the prompts...

2007-05-21 19:48:08

#15

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|7039|Mountains of NC

looking around I found this

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/14-121-072-02.jpg

a DirectX 10 card

Last edited by SEREMAKER (2007-05-21 19:48:30)

2007-05-21 19:48:29

#16

Winston_Churchill: Bazinga!; +521|7209|Toronto | Canada

What OS are you going with? 4GB with XP really isnt needed, even with Vista I can run anything on max easily with 2GB. Until later things come out the money from the extra 2GB can be used towards something else. Do you have everything else? Mouse? Speakers? Keyboard? Monitor(look up my monitor )?

Oh, and I have that case and its beautiful at night (as in right now).

2007-05-21 19:48:52

#17

BeerzGod: Hooray Beer!; +94|7041|United States

SEREMAKER wrote:
I was trying to find a good case with good air flow to keep the heat down

and the DX10 card well I havn't heard any prices and so far the only game on DX10 that looks interesting is Crysis

The DX10 cards are just better, period. Doesn't matter if you're playing any DX10 ultilized games or not, you have to think about what's coming out in the next few months. So the question is do you spend a little bit more money right now to save yourself money in the future or not? 4GB of ram is also very overkill... Windows only supports 3GB doesn't it?? 2GB is more than enough to run anything and everything, but if you want more, just get 3GB instead, and it'll save you more money. I would also recommend not getting a PSU any less than 700W, but that's just a personal opinion. I'd rather have more than enough power to feed to my components than there be the slightest chance that anything is starved of juice.

2007-05-21 19:49:32

#18

Winston_Churchill: Bazinga!; +521|7209|Toronto | Canada

SEREMAKER wrote:
looking around I found this
http://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ … 072-02.jpg
a DirectX 10 card

go with 8800GTS or GTX - far better bang for your buck

2007-05-21 19:49:35

#19

jsnipy: ...; +3,277|6993|...

Actually when you go to the os, slip all of your drivers, setup info in on one shot ... http://www.nliteos.com/ easy

2007-05-21 19:51:44

#20

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|7039|Mountains of NC

I was thinkin Vista 64 bit but I'm not sure with all these complaints I've heard

2007-05-21 19:55:21

#21

Winston_Churchill: Bazinga!; +521|7209|Toronto | Canada

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6814130082
Look there 8800GTS 320MB with a combo deal for an 850W PSU

2007-05-21 19:57:40

#22

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|7039|Mountains of NC

Hows this one

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll200/14-130-082-10.jpg

Last edited by SEREMAKER (2007-05-21 19:58:11)

2007-05-21 20:03:18

#23

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|7039|Mountains of NC

oh can a DX10 8800GTS card run in a XP m.c., INTEL Pent.D 3.0 Ghz, 2 GB RAM ??????

2007-05-21 20:17:35

#24

Scorpion0x17: can detect anyone's visible post count...; +691|7236|Cambridge (UK)

SEREMAKER wrote:
I was thinkin Vista 64 bit but I'm not sure with all these complaints I've heard

If you've got the cash, buy Vista Ultimate Retail (not OEM) - then you get both 32bit and 64bit - 32bit Vista is a little more stable, but 64bit is what you want for the future.

Oh, and don't listen to the people saying "don't get 4GB ram" - they're right in that you'll almost certainly not need it right now, but I can guarantee that if you do only get 2GB you'll be wishing you'd bought 4 within a year - particularly if you go with 64bit Vista.

Oh, and regarding DX10 - DX10 cards will work with XP, just not as DX10 cards - it'll work as DX9 only - for DX10 you need Vista.

2007-05-21 23:00:32

#25

The Stillhouse Kid: Licensed Televulcanologist; +126|7112|Deep In The South Of Texas

Here's what I'd change:

PSU: Corsair HX520W
Well built PSU with plenty of amps(40 total on the 12V)

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB
x2 in RAID0

Video Card: EVGA 8800GTS
DX10

Sound: X-Fi XtremeGamer
I have the Fatal1ty Pro, and it's really not worth the extra $$ compared to the regular XtremeGamer

BF2S Forums I'm attempting to build my first computer

BeerzGod wrote:

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