New Home Built System What do YOU Think??

[gmarsh]

Here is what I have been assembling based on lots of research...what do you all think?
I've read up on everything at Sharkey and several other sites...

Any mistakes coming at me?

I am planning to use my current 300W power supply, my current HD's and CDROM, Firewire&WD Firewire HD, ATI all in Wonder Pro 128 AGP card. I'm currently running ATX Form ABIT BE6, P3-500...512megRAM, 200 gig HD space on four physical drives...

I want to do a better job with my digital video and be able to make DVD compatible CD's later on...I know I'll need to by a DVD writer...that's coming at Christmas in December..not JULY!! ;}

Here's what it is going to look like...
The New System—Max-V QUOTE

AMD XP 1900(or better) (1.6 gHz) Socket A, 266 Megabyte FSB $150
ABIT KX7-333 Motherboard $120
Socket A, 3.5GB DDR-SDRAM, 333MHz FSB
Connectors: Floppy - 34 pin Header
IDE - ATA/EIDE/ATAPI 40 pin Header
Infrared - iRDA Wireless (iRDA-SIR)
Keyboard - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2)
Mouse - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2)
Parallel - ECP/EEP
Serial - Fast UART 16550
USB - Universal Serial Bus "A"
Controller Type: Floppy Controller
IDE (Ultra ATA 133) Controller
IDE/EIDE Drive Array (RAID)
Ultra DMA 100
Ultra DMA 133
Ultra DMA 33
Ultra DMA 66
Processor Socket: AMD® Socket A (Socket 462)
System Board Style: ATX
Video Bus: AGP 4X
Bus Speed: 333 MHz
Memory Technology: DDR(DDRRAM)
Number of AGP Slots: 1
Number of PCI Slots: 6
Maximum Number of Processors: 1
Processor Class: AMD Athlon Thunderbird, Duron and Palomino (XP)
Processor Speed: 1.8 GHz
System Chipset: VIA® KT333
Description
The Abit KX7-333R is a Socket-A based motherboard which supports AMD Athlon/Athlon XP/Duron processors with FSB up to 333MHz. It also features four 184-pin DIMM sockets which support 8 banks up to 3.5GB of registered DDR-SDRAM.

Memory
2 x 512 Meg Unbuffered NON ECC DDRRAM $282
From Crucial.com

CDRW
Manufacturer: Sony Model: CRX195A1 40X/12X/48X (IDE) $100

Tax, S&H $75
TOTAL $727
:rolleyes:

[BipolarBill]

More details! What type of metal is used on the PS/2 ports? :p

Looks good, but what about USB 2.0? I guess you can buy a card...

I would put a 400W PSU on my shopping list, but it looks like you're almost ready for DooM III. ;)

[grimfandango]

You got a real good setup For NOW ATLEAST.


WHAt video card are you going to use for this setup.?

I would suggest a gf4 ti series.

[Bigjakkstaffa]

Im with bill on this one too -- bit of a meatier PSU - maybe around 450W...

Apart from that Veeeery Nice (Oh yeah and gf4 ti cards are great also :D)

--Jakk:t

[iceblue]

gosh theyre cheap these days... plus- wouldnt u wanna wait for a mobo that supports 8x? could save u the trouble of doing it over again. probably would include integrated usb2.0 which means extra slots.

[grimfandango]

The difference between AGp 4x and 8x is not all that great.

maybe 200-250 points more in 3dmark 2001.

[iceblue]

wouldnt make a big difference for u, but for him it would since he is building a new one.

[TweakerXP]

Welcome to SYSOPTS........

System Looks godd but could be had for le$$........

www.pricewatch.com

www.pricegrabber.com



Go here to see if the vendor you want to buy from is worth you time and money.......

www.resellerratings.com


Do a little shopping and comparing and you can save enough to get that SWEET DVDRW at Christmas time.

GOOD LUCK and have fun!! I built my first system right here too!!

[gmarsh]

Thanks ALL for the feedback--this will be my FOURTH homebuilt==

gonna use my current ATI AllInWonder Pro 128 vid card because I like having the TV input...I can watch the feed on my 17inch Samsung LCD monitor whilst I drool over the new hardware sites on the Net...cable modem is the way to live btw...

Hmmm...a new PSU..450W....I guess that means MORE POWER!!!!

Thanks for the hint...I'm in a full tower with three fans so it couldn't hurt!

Used to be on the boards here some years ago...nice to be back around the smartest peeps on the net.

Best Regards...G

[RamonGTP]

If you're not gonna do any gaming, your system looks just fine... If you are, that video card isn't gonna cut it.

-Ramon

[Bigjakkstaffa]

For good performance to price ratio, all i can say is gf4 ti4200,

goddamn i love this card :)... i have been known to make a few duff choices when picking up vid cards in the past, but this baby was £130 well spent... if you rlooking at gamin g- this is the card for the gamer on a budget -- if your not the 8500 should be fine

:)

--Jakk:t

[gmarsh]

Well ALL--The new system is UP and running...I opted instead of the ABIT mobo to get the Gigabyte GA-7VRXP because of the USB 2.0 interface. Also wound up getting the AMP 2100+ instead and the ANTEC 400 PS...all in all, it cost $515 including S&H from Mwave.com...There service was perfect..2days order to my door.

ISSUES:

The HD plugs are too close together, the manual doesn't explain squat..it just lists the options of what BIOS switches are, but not WHAT each setting could yeild or WHY...

Install of Mobo was easy, physically, the CPU and HS were preinstalled and they DID have the CK speed set correctly.
First boot was perfect POST and that lovely "BEEP" said all was well...BUT, NO HARD DRIVES would communicate...with the WinXP system.

A little thinking revealed that I needed to switch to the correct ATAUDAMA cables instead of my old IDE for the HD's...once that took place, I booted using XP disc and let XP run the set up program. A few minutes later, I was ON THE PHONE with MS Customer service getting a 48 digit number to reauthorize my use of the software that, apparently, we are LEASING...from Billy Gates....what a crock...

CPU temp holds steady at 106F with little load, up to 111 with gaming going on...

I did put a 120mm fan in the top of the box ( I have my entire tower on it's side to fit into a rolling wire rack...I'd sure like to try one of the 4U rack mount boxes some time) with a lexan top..sort of a poor man's MOD case...)and have about 70cfm of air flow...

I put a seperate thermistor IN the heatsink air flow and it registers about 90 F consistently...

Now if I could just get my Yamaha 4416SX SCSI CDRW to burn and find an XP driver for my "old" Acer 310S scanner...but that's another post...

happy day to all and thanks for the tips..a fine machine I have to make DV's on...

Go HERE to see some pics>>>
<img src="http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/pubimage.asp?id_=511981&uid=12444" width=640 height=480 >
<img src="http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/pubimage.asp?id_=511982&uid=12444" width=640 height=480 >
<img src="http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/pubimage.asp?id_=511983&uid=12444" width=640 height=480 >

If those HTML Tags don't work, just cut/paste the HTTP part only...

Geo.

[TweakerXP]

ROCK ON DUDE !!!!!!!!!!! :r

[MalRic]

You can get the same MB & CPU for less at Bunta (http://www.bunta.com) Abit KX7-333 $78.00 and Athlom XP1900 $111.00 also Ocsystem (http://www.ocsystem.com) you can get good Memory prices and other stuff

[gmarsh]

Wallijon--is that because I have the HDD's in a vertical position? Will gravity cause them to warp?

Ultimately--in a month or two, I am going to build a lexan case and reposition everything in its "native" horizontal positions...

Why do you say I'll have trubs reading things later?

Regards..
G

[gmarsh]

WJ--thanks very much for the clear info and explanation...spose I should get them back to horizontal PRONTO!!

G