2+2

Thanks for the tips guys....software/os is not a problem. Besides, I actually hate all the unneccessary "programs" these builders put on new systems. They typically suck, take up space and clutter up the desktop. Per Chris, I will have to look further into Barebones as well.

Anyone know what happens if I peak out my Power Supply using a new board and CPU? I would think you would need all your drives running to use up 200Watts. Will this fry my hardware?

Thanks

dave120

I don't think it would fry it, but it probably won't work. I'm pretty sure if you're going to run any of the newer Athlon processors and motherboard you're going to need a 300W. Yeah an aftermarket power supply costs almost as much as a new case, but they typically come with a lot more power leads and plugs than your average onboard case one does, so if you have a lot of drives it makes it so you don't have to use so many Y cnnectors for power.

Chris_924s

Nope- 200W is a small PS- as long as you have OUTPUT of 12 V +/- and
5 V+/- you should be fine.
If you are gonna plug a new MB in your existing case... Make sure your new MB/Combo is and AT or ATX- match your output power plugs to the old MB. (AT has 2 plugs, blacks together, ATX has 1 plug)
You have to worry about current draw on a new motherboard, and unless specified - a 200W PS should suffice.

Brian McCoy

When a PSU goes (to many things drawing to much for to long), it tends to send LOTS of spikes out just before melting itself. This normally results in frieds CPUs, mobos, memory, hard drives, etc... I've heard of everything in a computer going when the PSU fails, and not just from power strain either - cheap PSUs just don't seem to have the life that the 'established' leaders have.

I'll 3rd the barebones approach. There's no cheaper way to have a PC up and running. I bought a rather well built barebones for $300 last Christmas for my inlaws here in Atlanta. It wasn't up to My standards, but for what they use the thing for ~ it rocks.

Chris_924s

mobo.. I first heard that term about 3 years ago- I LMAO!

2+2

Thanks gents.
I will have to price out some power supplies as well as some bare bones systems before proceeding.....

Peace...

cjeckert

From my experience in the field DO NOT POUDGE TOGHETHER new components especailly mobo's and chips with old technology. The new anthlon 2000's need at least a 300watt ps, a p4 needs at leat a 350 with a 12 volt output. There is no reason not to buy a new PS i cant tell u how many times i have pulled fried components out of home built cocmputers because of this. I would highly recomend using a ASUS motherboard becuase of ease of installe and and unlike MSI they are not overyly compleaxt to set up/ ie bois jumpers and the like. IN the question between the intel p4 and AMD XP processors i would recommend a P4 do in part manly becuase i see a propartionate number more AMD XP burn out them P4s.

The computer i use is a monster used manly for autocad and programing it runs two intel p4 at 3.36 gigherts on a asusp4p800 mobo. it is in a raid 9 5.5 bay case with 470watt power supply, 7 case fans so as not to water cool the cpu, about 280gig of drive space, 52-24-52 cdr-cdrw, dvd drive, sound blaster audigy platnum, ati 8800 all in one radion, raid card, scsi 3 ultra card. and a host of other goddies. it sutes my needs very well but most people dont need this level of performance for normall computer usege. I dont mind answering any q's on system configuration ive built many many p4 and AMD based systems at work.

j_overly

NewEgg stay away from Tiger. I would buy another Dell before I bought from Tiger.

btw: Dell has an EPP program (employee purchase program) any company can sign up for. The discount varies but is typically 5-10%.

j_overly

Antec cases and power supplies.. again go to NewEgg and read the reviews. They are extremely helpful.

Fishey

Even if you wanted to you couldn't use the case and you deffinitly cannot use the PSU.. Because the case isnt standard ATX, and the PSU isnt standard ATX if you plug it into an ATX board it will go "BOOOOOOM" and frie everything

Fishey

2months later you will be looking for a new board if you buy ASUS... Same goes for the worst MOBO COMPANY EVER !!!!!!! ! ABIT... NEVER EVER EVER BUY A ABIT......

4 boards all sucked.....

I recomend Iwill (great quality not always the fastest though)

So far my MSI board has been great but I had a video card from MSI (geforce 2 GTS Pro) that fried 2 times.

Ag951

I've been pricing a $300 low power/heat setup. Since I don't want another space heater (my AthlonXP 2000+ gaming machine with the GeForce 4 Ti4600 hits 160deg F! inside), I decided to go with a cooler running, but more buck for the bang 2GHz Celeron (Pentium IV core). Here's what I came up with:

Shuttle AV49N $50 (mobo. excellent, inexpensive P4 mobo according to tomshardware.com)
Celeron 2GHz $64 (cpu. retail with 3y warranty and fan)
maxtor 120GB $80 (HDD. 7200rpm UDMA 133)
GeForce4 MX 440 $37 (great 2D video, pretty damn good 3D too, 64MB DDR SDRAM)
a-pro Atlas 501 $48 (case w/350W P4 PS)

All prices include shipping, but being four days old, the parts might be cheaper now.
The first four parts are from pricewatch. The case price is from A-pro.com . A-pro.com has great cases at the best prices I've found on the net. That one is a simple mid-tower with two ball bearing fans and a good power supply.
I didn't include RAM in the list, since I have some DDR333 sitting around, but that wouldn't be much more.

Fishey

You are retarded....
Celeron 2.0ghz get spanked by my 1.4ghz T-bird....... (so sad)
Also if heat is an issue then buy a 2500+ as it runs extremely cool.......
Geforce 4mx is same as a geforce 2.....

dave120

I've had 4 MSI motherboards so far and they're the only ones I haven't had problems with! I had an Nforce 1 from MSI, took a lightning hit though, my NForce 2 I have now and the one I built for my brother both work great..no problems. Same with their video cards..GeForce 4 ti4200..no problems, GeForce 2 GTS, no problems...

Ag951

Fishey, do you have to practice to be such a dick, or does it just come naturally?

Do you know anything about computers? First off, the Celeron 2.0GHz is faster than a 1.4GHz thunderbird. Tomshardware does lots of benchmarking of various chips. The 2.0GHz celeron (based on the pentium 4 northwood core) scored higher in every benchmark! It also can make use of DDR333 or DDR400 RAM.
Secondly, the 2.0GHz Celeron produces a max of 57W. The closest AMD chip is a 60W Duron 1300MHz.
Unlike you I actually did research to decide what to buy, rather than listening to what some ignorant *** (e.g. Fishey) says.

Also, the GeForce4 is a more advanced chipset than the 2. It runs cooler, it has more advanced pipelines, and it has a better memory interface.
I've been working with computers, since before you took your first "How to be a tactless *******" course. I've got several years of professional experience, a Bachelors in Computer Engineering, and will have my masters in a couple years. I think I'll trust my years of acquired knowledge and expert sources like tom's over an idiot named fishey.