Building Computer

Superman217

Solid State Member
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13
Hello everyone, i'm on a mission. My computer started getting all whacked out because I filled my hard drive full of movie files on accident and ever since its been going slow slow slow. So I go I know ill upgrade it, I bought a 250gb hard drive which because of dell's genious case design sits inside my computer not attached. Then I started thinking about it, and I was like why not just buy a new one? Well this weekend I found a magazine on upgrades and building computers, and I was like crap why not just build one. After doing a mind numbing amount of research (which only about 10% soaked in) im starting to get frustrated with all the choices and options out there along with the fact of all the compatibilty issues. So first off is it worth it? I love doing things myself, and enjoy the satisfaction of starting with nothing and building it up to something. Second is it still cost effective? Can I build a decent high end gaming computer cheaper then buying one on say Dell? Is there some way to narrow the search between all the diff processors, and which motherboards will accept them, which memory to use and all that stuff?

Sorry for the long message im just starting to get frustrated becasue I dont know enough any help would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. I need alot of help LoL
 
Yeah it's worth it. When it comes to computers, you will definitely get the most satisfaction from building it yourself. That way you don't feel like you over paid or got screwed into buying something you really didnt want or need.

Yes, it is cost effective. If you were to go to Dell and buy computer and then look at what the same computer would cost if you were to build it, you would find that building it yourself will probably save you about 15-20%.

First, to help you with that last question, let us know exactly what you plan to do with the computer whether it be heavy multitasking or gaming. Then we can help get you started with narrowing down which hardware you should choose to suit your needs.
 
I mostly game, the whole reason I first decided I needed an upgrade besides filling up my hard drive is because alot of the new games are glitchy on my comp now, and I plan on playing Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. I would like to be able to multitaskin in the sense of I like to be able to burn cd/dvds and actually be able to use my computer at the same time :) or surf the web while im playing a game. I cant really think of anything to heavy, but the number one priortiy is gaming lol Thxs for the first response
 
Building a high performance gaming machine is very cost effective. You can build a superior machine for almost half the cost of retail stores.
 
That's awsome, thats def what im looking for, now all I need is a
Then we can help get you started with narrowing down which hardware you should choose to suit your needs.
I cant wait to get started!
 
Maybe I should start another thread for this but, my DOS got delted and now I cant open anything that uses dos any way to get it back?
 
Did anyone have any helpfull pointers for either of my questions? I'd really appreciate some feed back thxs!
 
Superman217 said:
I mostly game, the whole reason I first decided I needed an upgrade besides filling up my hard drive is because alot of the new games are glitchy on my comp now, and I plan on playing Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. I would like to be able to multitaskin in the sense of I like to be able to burn cd/dvds and actually be able to use my computer at the same time :) or surf the web while im playing a game. I cant really think of anything to heavy, but the number one priortiy is gaming lol Thxs for the first response

Well first and foremost, you need to decide whether or not you want to go with an AMD based computer or an Intel based computer. Choosing the processor will be your first step. Today's, and more importantly the future's, games are beginning to rely on dual core processors so it is with no doubt in my mind that you are going to want to choose a dual core CPU (also for the purpose of multitasking, dual core at this time is a must). Take a look at the AMD Athlon 64 X2 processors (socket AM2) and the Intel Core Duo Dual-Core processors (socket 478) and decide which you want. If you're not sure, just post links to ones you are considering and then i can further help you make a decision. After that, you need to find proper hardware that will work with your choice of processor:

Motherboard - must be the same socket configuration as the CPU

Memory - must be supported by the motherboard/CPU ex. DDR2 or DDR3. Go for at least 1GB of memory (but 2GB or more is much better when it comes to gaming).

Graphics Card - because you are heavy into gaming, don't cheap out on a good graphics card. You should be looking at a high mid-range to high end GPU so you can be sure that you can run all your games comfortably

Power Supply/PSU - Your hardware is probably going to suck back a lot of power so look into getting a power supply that's no less than 500W. And yes, there are differences between PSU 'A' and PSU 'B' if they are both 500W. The amperage on the 12V rail is what's most important.

Harddrive - there is really no set rule as to which hard disk drive you should choose but it would be better to pick a faster harddrive since running games will be more effective. Look into a SATAII harddrive (assuming the motherboard supports it) - the higher the RPM the better.

Case - for a computer case, just make sure that it supports the form factor of the motherboard (ex. ATX, microATX)

I think that just about covers it aside from things like monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, etc. Those are all things that should be taken into account at the very end.

As far as your problem with DOS goes, im not sure what you did to delete it (and im not sure how your OS would be working without it) but im not sure how to recover it so unfortunately with that problem i can't help you. Your best bet would be do to some searching online for solutions.
 
Maybe I should start another thread for this but, my DOS got delted and now I cant open anything that uses dos any way to get it back?

What OS are you using? Do you mean you cant find command prompt on win XP? If so try

Start - > Run - > %SYSTEROOT%\system32\cmd.exe

Do you have a budget on your pc. If you want fast RAM, awesome graphics card, lastest CPU, your going into the 1000's.
 
so how much can u spend on this computer?

Here is something that comes to my mind:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 s775

some mobo that is compatible with the cpu, has pci-e and ddr2 slots, Sata2 support (look here: http://www.computerforums.org/showthread.php?t=41338&highlight=conroe+motherboard)

2gb of ddr2 ram, 800mhz would probably be good.

nvidia 7900GT

500gb sata2 7200rpm hdd

500W-600W high quality psu. Good quality means more money but with psus it's worth it.

case doesn't matter that much, just get something that looks good in ur opinion. Also having places for 120mm fans would be a good idea, they provide good airflow without much noise.

Thats just some basic stuff, it's easier to find exact parts when we know how much u can spend.
 
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