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Making a computer (finally).
Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 10:54 pm
by Verence
After ten-or-so years of making due with crappy second-hand Dells I'm finally making my own computer. If anyone has any suggestions or comments please lemme know.
Here's the list as of right now, though it might be revised. I won't actually start buying until my tax refund gets deposited.
RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black SECC STEEL ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail
$89.99
MSI K9N SLI Platinum Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
$122.99
EVGA 256-P2-N615-TX GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
$109.99
(I'm planning on putting another 7600GT in at some point.)
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Windsor 2.6GHz Socket AM2 Processor Model ADA5200CSBOX - Retail
$229.00
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400 - Retail
$209.00
Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600JBRTL 160GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - Retail
$72.99
SONY Black IDE DVD-ROM Drive Model DDU1615/B2s - OEM
$18.99
SONY 16X DVD±R DVD Burner With 5X DVD-RAM Write Black IDE Model DRU120C - Retail
$45.99
Total $901.93
Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 11:02 pm
by Mericks
Wow...That's way more expensive than my computer, which is just 1 requirement under running Oblivion sadly...
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:12 pm
by RurouniQ
Don't buy the Hanns-G monitor. They sell them at the store I worked at and they're crap. Spend the extra $50 and get a Viewsonic.
Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:16 am
by Verence
I decided on just sticking with my current monitor.
It's a CRT, but it works just fine.
Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:58 am
by eXistence
Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 7:10 pm
by Jbrown
nice! Man I thought the FX-60 was like 900 dollars. Ive missed alot since Ive been out of the loop
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:33 am
by eXistence
Jbrown wrote:nice! Man I thought the FX-60 was like 900 dollars. Ive missed alot since Ive been out of the loop
I love you Jbrown
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:37 am
by Jbrown
eXistence wrote:Jbrown wrote:nice! Man I thought the FX-60 was like 900 dollars. Ive missed alot since Ive been out of the loop
I love you Jbrown
<3
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:37 am
by eXistence
Jbrown wrote:eXistence wrote:Jbrown wrote:nice! Man I thought the FX-60 was like 900 dollars. Ive missed alot since Ive been out of the loop
I love you Jbrown
<3
Yeahhhh that's right
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:44 am
by Verence
Alright, I just put my orders in with Newegg.
Whew, I do not often drop that much cash.
I ended up with a slightly different setup, I went with less RAM and a cheaper case and a seperate (but better) power supply.
Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600JSRTL 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$59.99
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Windsor 2.6GHz Socket AM2 Processor
$215.00
CORSAIR XMS2 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model CM2X1024-6400
$109.00
ASUS Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model DVD-E616A3T - Retail
$20.99
ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard
$134.99
EVGA 256-P2-N615-TX GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
$109.99
Rosewill R5601-BK 0.8mm SECC Screw-less Dual 120mm Fans ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
$44.99
COOLMAX CP-500T EPS12V 500W Power Supply
$49.99
Total: $744.94
Not bad, not bad.
I planned it out with upgradability in mind, so I'm gonna' add a second video card and a second 1Gb stick of RAM some day in the future.
Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:48 pm
by Verence
Okaaaay, so I got all the parts and assembled the computer.
...
And it doesn't work.
I think the motherboard is defective, it doesn't even make it as far as the BIOS half the time, let alone letting me install an OS.
I'm depressed.
Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:23 am
by Richie
Ah, the joys of building your own computer.
It could very well be your motherboard; it's happened to me on more than one occasion. Or it could be something as simple as a stick of RAM not fully seated.
Got more details? Like, play-by-play of the startup?
Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 2:23 am
by Verence
It's pretty random.
It goes something like this:
1st startup: Loud beeping, nothing on monitor.
(checked all connections, RAM, etc.)
2nd: Loud beeping, nothing on monitor.
(Disconnected all uneeded devices and moved RAM to another slot.)
3rd: Screen appears showing all connected devices as being connected and recognized. Screen also mentions CMOS error. I try to go to BIOS setup, but system freezes.
(I reset CMOS. (Remove battery, switch CMOS jumpers, wait, switch jumpers back, re-install battery.)
Still doesn't work.
My current plan is to return the motherboard for either another of the same type or one with similar capabilities.
Whadda ya' think?
Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:36 pm
by Richie
Yeah, give it a go, I guess. Got any tech-savvy friends around? Have one of them give you a second opinion. It'd be much better to have one of them find the problem, then wait two weeks for an RMA.
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 3:14 am
by Verence
I'm the Tech-savviest of them all, I'm afraid.
I researched the problem, evidently it is just a bad board. Even replacing the BIOS chip doesn't help. Quite a few people have had this problem with DOA boards of this model.
I think Asus should foot the bill for the RMA shipping.