Computer help again.

I was going to go to Frys tonight and was told to take my checkbook.

But I chickened out.

I want at least a 1.5ghz 512mb 80+gb 'puter.

I DO NOT want a propritary hunk like a Compaq or HP or Gateway.

I also am not certain I can buy everything I need to build it myself (and not sure there would be enough info to plug everything in correctly!).

What would you do?

Any good online sites to get something built the way I want?

Or give me a good shopping list for a DIY 'puter?

Or try to find a shop like built my K5-166 machine all those years ago? (It went bye bye about a year ago). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

try anandtech.com, they have a review every month or so about their *suggested* parts for building PCs. Also tomshardware.com has articles about all sorts of things reviews on parts, the latest and greatest. If you are going for that type of computer you probably want to consider something like a AMD xp 2500 or 2800 or so I don't think you can find a 1.5ghz except in the bargain bin or closeout laptops.

Joe, I worked at a computer shop that built the K5 computers you are talking about. Actually we sold a lot of K6's. I build/customize my own but I don't recommend it for people with general computer needs as you can buy something off the shelf much cheaper now. You won't be able to find anything new as slow as a 1.5G computer you are talking about. Go to the Dell web site and see if there is anything there that suits your needs. They allow some customization of some of the components.

P.S. I highly admire you for holding out as long as you have and making due with your K5 system. I'm trying to put a date stamp on your system but I am guessing at least 7 or 8 years old.

NewEgg

Tiger Direct Barebones

I've bought from both. A lot of NewEgg stuff has free shipping.

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geepondy said:

P.S. I highly admire you for holding out as long as you have and making due with your K5 system. I'm trying to put a date stamp on your system but I am guessing at least 7 or 8 years old.

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I'm not that far behind him. My "badass" machine is K6-2 350. It's sooo smoking fast /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif
STAND BY FOR SHOCKWAVE, STAND BY...
All kidding aside, a new one is in the works and it's gonna make up for lost time.....

hey... I got you beat... I had a K6-266 and figured out how to upgrade mine to a K6-2-450. The manual said I couldn't even use higher than a 233.

I thought about it some more. Oh and by the way, I think I got it (the K5) in '98. It's had memory, a Hard drive and a CD burner since then. It still does what I NEED it to do, just not what I WANT it to do.

My main want in a new system is a video card rather than onboard video. My K5 with whatever was decent in '98 has better looking pictures and video than the 1ghz AMD Athlon machine at work!

Most of the around $500 machines have onboard shared video and no slot for a card.

Point me at a machine that meets THAT criteria and I will probably bite.

I also want to play with Linux! Thanks to Raggie!

1.5ghz was just a figure I threw out. A minimum if you will, also minimum 512 Ram, and MINIMUM 80G Hard Drive.

Again most $500 class machines have 256K and 40G (and not very fast of either).

.

The integrated graphics have gotten much better and most would be ok for normal use outside of games. My sister's integrated graphics plays dvd movies with no problem that I can tell.

The main problem with integrated graphics adapters is they usually share system memory and system memory runs slower than the memory on video cards and by using it there is less of it for running programs unless you put more in. So you end up adding memory back into the motherboard when you could have bought the same card as the chipset on the board with memory on it for a little bit more and it would run faster.

Exactly my point Lynx_Arc.

MOST of the systems with shared video don't have a video card slot. The Mobos are cheap for a reason!

Is it so wrong to be opinionated about this?

These "Bare Bones" systems I hear about. I presume you get a case, PS, mobo, cpu and little else. That about right?

So add memory, HD, CD drive(s) and go?

I have seen some screaming deals on HD at Frys and other ads.

Maybe I will make it to Frys today to graze.

I'm surprised to hear about motherboards without a video slot. My old HP Pentium 3 has video and also an AGP slot. My Intel d865 boards have video and also an AGP slot. I've never encountered a mobo without a video slot, but I don't get around much.

The on-board video on my Intels seems good enough for anyone except a gamer. I want dual-head, so I still install a video card.

Of course the latest thing is to use a 16x serial PCI slot instead of AGP for a video card.

My old HP Pentium 3 machine is standard, not proprietary. The only non-standard thing was the power supply that was physically smaller than standard so it could fit in the small case. Putting it in a larger case allowed me to use a standard PS, and more important, allowed me to use a larger quiet fan.

I like the idea of the motherboard bundles. The CPU and memory are installed and tested. JNCS apparently does this well, but are probably more expensive than some. Directron also will test before they ship. At least they say they do. When I asked them how they could have tested mine without removing the memory from the sealed package, they cheerfully refunded the $15 fee. Everything worked, so I'm happy.

With memory specs constantly changing, I'm afraid I'll order the wrong memory for the mobo unless I have them test it.

.

yep my mobo on bst is a cheaper board with on board video but it also has a agp slow to add a video card. some cheap mobo,s are ok but if ya are wanting a fast machine id get something along the lines of asus or abit or shuttle maybe even epox

I'm building a machine based on an ASUS A7V400, and while the speed is OK, I've found out that Red H at Linux doesn't detect the on-board AC(& sound chip correctly and disables the sound. Now it's a project to rip that driver out of the kernel and install a new one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

Bottom line, if you're looking for a Linux or dual-boot system, ask around about MoBo issues first. If y ou're building a Windoze machine only, it's not an issue.

Linux is picky and if you don't get linux drivers with your mobo you are taking chances you will have a long wait till someone makes one for it As for onboard video without an AGP slot etc... the cheapo mini ATX boards with perhaps 2 pci slots have gone this way often. They are great for office machines and terminals/servers but any heavy graphics and they are a paperweight. You can always put a PCI video card in a slot if there is one left but beware, PCI video cards are bottom end and cost sometimes twice as much as the AGP version. My system has PCI video because it is an old socket7 system and I had to spend $60 for a card slower than a $35.00 AGP version because they didn't offer anything faster at the time. It helped some, mostly the fact I could run 1280x1024 with 24bit color instead of 1024 and can run limited games full speed in 3D mode, otherwise it was almost a waste of money.

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PhotonWrangler said:
..Bottom line, if you're looking for a Linux or dual-boot system, ask around about MoBo issues first. If y ou're building a Windoze machine only, it's not an issue.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto for FreeBSD.

Playboy,
In an earlier post you mentioned not being able to get as much memory or as big a HDD as you might like. Consider coming at this from a slightly different direction:

Before you buy check how much ram the unit can take and how many ram slots it has. If you buy from a store, get just enough ram at purchase time so that in the future you can fill out the rest of the slots and max out the capacity -- without having to throw away the stick(s) that comes with the unit. Ram prices will probably fall by half in the next couple years and adding ram is a very cost effective way to extend the useful life of a computer.

I wouldn't worry about the HDDs either. I buy a newer, bigger HDD every couple of years anyway -- they're not going to last for ever. They're getting cheaper, bigger, quieter and faster every year.

With the above strategy you do want a bigger power supply, however, but that's never a bad idea. Everything that you add to a computer (even sticks of memory) put more strain on the power supply. Most low end computers come with empty bays and slots for expansion but often the PSU is so wimpy that it will barely run the box when new.

The above strategy will also be much more practical if you make sure that the computer you buy has an ATX motherboard, which is very common. Any components will be easier to find and they'll be cheaper, too.

It's making my head do the exorcist thing on top of my neck!

In stark, brutal reality my K5-166 48M does the things I like it to do. I fly simulators of F117 A10 F15E etc. They are all older games that will play on this box. F117 acts like it would like better video or more memory though.

I don't see heavy gaming online in my future, I don't really see burning DVDs truthfully.

A bare bones budget system would probably do all I require.

But this is my first new box since about '98. If you say most of even the budget boxes will take a video card, and if they'll take at least 512M of Ram...

I guess even an AMD Sempron would cut it.

And I presume all the latest BIOS are plug and play (will understand a new HD without problems)?

I am going to hit Frys on a weekday. Make it part of doing some business/smoozing on the north side.

I wouldn't be totally against a Shuttle sized unit, but I think I want two CD drives and they only allow one.

I have a general feel for what I'm looking for, and made a list off of Anandtech.com

I'll take it with me to Frys and see if any of it computes. Also see what else they have.

Speaking of wimpy PSUs, I popped my K5 open to blow out the dust and just kind of look aroud. It has a 230W PS!

My HP Pentium3 had a 185 watt PS. It worked okay too. I replaced it with a standard 300 watt because the temperature controlled fan started making that PWM growl when it was turning slowly.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

Finanaces are starting to get skinny again.

They are thinking $400-500. They just want me to be happy.

I really don't want to skimp on some stuff. A nice case and PSU, decent Mobo (Asus baby!) decent processor.

Online buying would likely be best, but even with some off brand stuff recommended by Anandtech it comes in nearer $600.

I say "I just won't buy another computer". They say "Shut Up" "We just don't want to hear it".

I am way conficted and caught between a rock and a hard place.

They just want me to be happy, but I can't promise them it's even possible...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif