Re: Your Very First Comuter.......
I was always interesting in computers but never had any money to toy with one. We had a really tall Gateway (I didn't know what it had, then) that stocked a PII MMX @ ???MHz.
Then I met my uncle who built computers for a living. We bought a computer from him (I still have the hardware around somewhere and when I find it I'll let you know) But I know it was AMD; it was upgraded to a PNY Verto FX5200 so I could play GTA VC on PC and it had 3 RAM banks. (so it used PC-133 or PC-100U). I still wasn't that knowledgeable in the field. I knew what a GB was and how many MB it equaled but that's not very in depth at all.
I got to know computers better when I got my own computer. I remember it vividly as it is/was the first Trisha. Gateway 300L (slim) Pentium 4 @ 2.0GHz (with the 512Kb L2) stock gateway board with I don't know what chipset) no AGP slot so I had to use a PCI MX4000 graphics card. It had 1GB of RAM (PC-2100) And a 40GB HDD which I added in a 160GB. Then I got more in depth as I began to have systems to play around with - It didn't feel risky at all. It was a Pentium III 933 @ 933MHz. was a stock Compaq board with 768MB of PC-133 RAM. I dropped the FX5200 in there to have a little fun. And to top it all off, it had a 20GB HDD.
Trisha lasted me a VERY long time. Then I guess in summer 2008 I decided I wanted to start getting better performance on my P4 ...I started with buying some cool add-ons like temperature gauges and basic stuff. I modded the side panel and put a fan on it so "improve cooling". I really had no idea what I was doing so looking back it was really pointless for that tower. Further, I read a few articles on overclocking. And I soon learned that there was nothing I could do with my processor, but Riva could help me with my GPU. Now, since Riva is a fairly professional tool, it doesn't really limit you. Well, one thing lead to another, and instead of increasing clocks by the 5MHz at a time I intended, it was more like 50. I guess I overdrew the PCI port for power and really jacked up the board. I also ran the board without the heatsink on the CPU a couple times. :| Well, it ended up dying and I knew I needed a computer and I didn't want to go with another pre-built. I knew you could "build your own computer" but I always had it in my head that it was like, grab out the solder gun and put on all the parts. Then I realized how simple it really could be. I'd always run single cores, so I moved right up to a quad. The Q6600 - Fresh off the market and in good spec. I think I had a complex about intel at that point so I wanted an Nvidia chipset. I looked at the XFX 680i LT and saw the price and thought it was perfect. I read a few reviews and decided the Evga 680i T1 was exactly what I needed. My initial build was going to have 8500GT's SLI'd. But then I only wanted an 8600GT. I think I emailed Logan at TigerTV and he said get the 9500GT because it was new technology and about as expensive. Then I settled for the 9600GT and since I had grown to like the name Evga, I chose theirs. I immediately saw the 4GB of "SLI ready" RAM and thought "I need that!" because my board said "SLI ready" I didn't really know what SLI was. I knew it was multiple cards, but I thought everything had to say "SLI ready" PSU, board, RAM, the whole nine yards. I didn't get new HDD's as I already had the ones from my previous computer. and I chose the Ultra Aluminus for my case. I picked the OD I currently have (LiteON super all-read/all-write with LS). Last but not least, I had to choose a PSU. In my mind I was building the best computer the world had ever seen, And I was fresh with this idea and intent on not asking a soul for help, not to mention using the PSU guide TD put as a link. Which said I needed about 650w. I know now that was easily a 500w rig. Anyways, I picked up an 800w for 100 dollars and called it a rig. Threw in the 775D, some el cheapo CM fans, 2 HDD coolers, and 2 5.25 intake bays. Bought some 80mm's, those classy looking laser cut grills, and a fan port bank from FCPU. Bought a Type-R badge off of Ebay and called it Trisha2.
Wow, that was a lot of typing. All we need now is a picture of a camp fire.