Time to build a new system - seeking component advice

[Grimm]

OK, I'm going to build a new system. I have built six of my previous systems. I intend to construct a mid-range budget system. I have not had time to keep up with the information on components recently. So here’s what I’m thinking.

CPU: Athlon T-bird 750 ($134 locally)
MB: ASUS K7V with sound ($120 locally)
Mem: 128 MB PC133 from AccessMicro ($56)
HD: WD 45GB 5400 rpm ($159 at Fry’s electronics)
Video: Diamond Viper II 32mb from Computers4sure.com ($40 after rebate)
DVD: I could use some help here, Fry’s has a RAITE 8X MAX DVD-ROM for $77 but it does not include a hardware decoder. I plan to watch movies on the system so I believe I will need a decoder card.

Do you know of better deals for these components or better components that won’t cost too much more? I chose the T-Bird 750 for the clockability, but would $30 more for an 850 be better?

Your input would be greatly appreciated.

[Aristo]

5400 rpm is bit slow to me. However, I believe you can pick up a Maxtor DiamondMax 7200 rpm 30GB about that price. If you are gonna overclock, I'd rather use a quality of memory. The one sold at AccessMicro is generic OEM. Am I correct? Perhaps you'd like to purchase memory from Ebay. I bought all my memory from EBay, except the Mushkin's one. Have fun building.

[sbp]

CPU: Athlon T-bird 750 ($134 locally)

MB: ASUS K7V with sound ($120 locally)

Memory: I'd buy better quality ram. http://www.memman.com

HD: WD 45GB 5400 rpm ($159 at Fry’s electronics) is okay. 7200 Maxtor or Quantum hard drive would be better choice.

Video: :puke: Diamond Viper II 32mb from Computers4sure.com ($40 after rebate) Voodoo 3 2000 or GeForce 2 MX would be better choice for sure.

DVD: RAITE 8X MAX DVD-ROM is okay. Pioneer 10X or 16X DVD-ROM would be better choice. Use soft-dvd decoding.

[Edited by sbp on 11-03-2000 at 04:54 PM]

[Grimm]

Thanks for you input sbp and dodo90024. I've already ordered the ram and Viper II card. I plan on replacing the card in a fer months anyway. I just wanted something to get by on for a while. I will get an IBM 30GB ATA-100 7200rpm drive for $149 at a local store. If the memory doesn't work out I'll drop it in my Celleron 300A system and get something better.
Know where I can pick up the Pioneer DVD cheap?

[tophenhaw]

you want the a7v, not the k7v. and you want it without sound, not with.

ati's radeon would have been your best bet as a video card since it's fast, great for dvds, and cheap.

[sbp]

tophenhaw is right. You want the Asus A7V motherboard.

Pioneer's DVD-Rom drives tech information:
http://www.pioneerusa.com/cd_dvd_singledrives.html

available from: mwave:
http://192.216.185.10/mwave/ProdPIONEER.hmx?UID=&CID=&updepts=MM-CD&DNAME=%3Cb%3ECD+ROM%2FDVD%3C%2Fb%3E&back=ProdPIONEER.hmx?

allstartshop: http://www.allstarshop.com/shop/Subsection.asp?dept%5Fid=53&sid=6QPFT5U553SR2HAB080205RWQLWE7421

http://www.paradisepc.com/Templates/frmTemplateH.asp?SubFolderID=50&SearchYN=N

http://www.gogocity.com//product_details.asp?dept%5Fid=225&pf%5Fid=CO2828DVD024&mscssid=DFT3AAGXN0S92JEP00JP42PFCUUV0JD4

http://www.computer123.com/searchcx.asp?did=123&act=catlist&name=cattree&val=COMPUTER%3ACD%5FDRIVE%3ADVD%3ADVD%5FINT&cattree=COMPUTER%3ACD%5FDRIVE%3ADVD%3ADVD%5FINT

Personally I prefer the slot loader DVD-ROM.

[Grimm]

I got the A7V.
I got them mixed up when I was reading the specs on the boards. Asus A7V, Asus K7V, how could I make such a mistake.

I think I will go for the Pioneer DVD-105s (or 104s if I can find a better deal on it). The Computer123 price of $112 looks like the best I will find for now on the 105s.

I'll try the beta drivers on the Viper II. All the reviews I've read have indicated that it would be a good card with better drivers. I have low expectations anyway, I am still using a RIVA TNT.

Thanks to everybody.

[giambona]

For hard drive I would get the IBM 75GB, if you can afford it. It's 7200 RPM and has glass platters instead of the standard aluminum. I've heard great things about that drive. I would only buy an IBM or Maxtor.

For video, definitely go with a 3dfx card.

[Grimm]

Bwaaaaaaaaa....

I fried the A7V MB when I bumped up the clock speed. I wonder if the CPU is fried too?

[sbp]

What the hell happened evilcyclops? Is your motherboard really fried? Test it out.

[Grimm]

I bumped up the FSB to 133. The manual said that if it didn't work that it would automaticaly reset it to 100. It didn't. I manualy reset it to 100 and tried it in 3 different cases. No dice. It starts the cpu fan, accesses the hard drive and then nothing. No video, no beeps, nothing.
I will attempt to return it because I didn't do anything to break it. I think it was flakey to begin with.
Any ideas what I should say to the returns guy?

[Aristo]

Just tell them the unit is defected when you received. That happened to me before when I bought my first ABIT motherboard.

[Dave_7]

Yes, I have fried exactly one motherboard... and it was an Abit POS... errr... I mean VA6.

Blew out the Via Chipset... still can't figure out how I managed to do that. Literally blown... sparks, small flame, smoke and all. All this while overclocking a Cele600. That SoftMenu II is worth just about nothing. NEVER AGAIN! SoftMenu III, however... is VERY nice.

Enough...



Dave.

[sbp]

Athlons won't run at a FSB of 133Mhz. 110Mhz is a more realistic option.

I sure hope that Athlon was unlocked by using the mechanical pencil trick. http://myhome.netsgo.com/wesleycrushr/Hardware/ovr000803a-2.htm

First get the cpu running at its default speed. Once you are satisfied its stable begin to carefully overclocked by changing voltages and FSB speeds.

[Grimm]

Sigh, now I know better. My sister is going to return the MB for me. She works like 3 blocks from the store. I will leave the FSB at 100mhz, I will OC by bumping up the multiplier instead. Like I should have in the first place. I'm just going to take it up a little, may be 800 or 850. 900 if it doesn't require too much more juce.

Arrrgh!!!!!

I looked a Fry's ad, They have an Athlon 750 with an Abit KT7 for $264. I know better than that! I should avoid looking at hardware ads for at least a month after buying a new system. Bad evilcyclops, Bad!

[Grimm]

The system is up and running fine. The motherboard was the problem, the CPU was OK.

Thanks again for the help.

[Aristo]

Great. Enjoy your new Athlon system. :D