Taking the dive into PC building

[Etra]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

Alrighty! Going to start buying the stuff tomorrow / Monday. Any input on what I have planned would be amazing. :3

Case: Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case with USB 3.0, Black Interior and Four Fans-1x 230mm front RED LED fan, 1x 140mm rear fan, 1x 230mm top fan, and 1x 230mm side fan

Optical Drive: Newegg.com - ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - CD / DVD Burners

CPU & Motherboard: Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

HDD: Newegg.com - Samsung by Seagate Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ/ST500DM005 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

RAM: Newegg.com - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B

Power Supply: Newegg.com - SeaSonic X750 Gold 750W ATX12V V2.3/EPS 12V V2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Full Modular Active PFC Power Supply

Video Card: Already have one. (Radeon HD 5670 -- Until I can afford a better one.)

Thoughts? Aaand probably a dumb question, but don't I need a sound card, too?

[Armando]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

That's a damned big case and a damned small motherboard. You're not overclocking or using double video cards or anything crazy like that so you don't need a case that big and bulky or expensive.

Likewise, I would pick a standard-sized motherboard since you're clearly not concerned with making a particularly tiny computer. It only has one PCI Express slot so once you put in the video card, that's it - you can't add any other cards. For example, you wouldn't be able to plug in a wireless network card and I don't think the motherboard has one built-in. It does have a sound chip so you don't need a separate sound card.

[Etra]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

That's a damned big case and a damned small motherboard. You're not overclocking or using double video cards or anything crazy like that so you don't need a case that big and bulky or expensive.

Likewise, I would pick a standard-sized motherboard since you're clearly not concerned with making a particularly tiny computer. It only has one PCI Express slot so once you put in the video card, that's it - you can't add any other cards. For example, you wouldn't be able to plug in a wireless network card and I don't think the motherboard has one built-in. It does have a sound chip so you don't need a separate sound card.

Yeah. I know the case is a bit big, but I figured why not. haha More breathing room is never a bad thing. :x

As for the motherboard, I'm not too savvy on which motherboards are the best or what-have-you, which is why I went with the bundle. The CPU will work with it, which is really my only concern. The wireless network card issue can be fixed with one of those USB dealies (isn't my vocabulary stellar?) and the tower would be right next to where the modem/router is, anyways. However, I'm definitely open to better CPU/Motherboard suggestions.

[Armando]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

If you're not comfortable with your ability to pick out a motherboard, and you're certain you won't ever need more PCI Express slots, then that one will probably suit your needs. You basically want to make sure the socket type matches - if you look at the details of both the CPU and the motherboard it says "CPU Socket type: LGA 1155." The motherboard also mentions the supported CPUs in the details. The other thing you want to check is that it supports your memory, which I don't think it does. The Corsair sticks you're considering are DDR3 1600 MHz and the motherboard says it supports DDR3 1333/1066. I'm not sure if you can put faster memory on a slower motherboard - maybe someone can shed some light here. The rest are bells and whistles - whether it has USB 3.0 and how many ports it has, how many PCI Express slots it has for extra cards, whether it has other ports like eSATA or an SD Card reader, etc.

I still think the case is overkill though, if anything because it's needlessly expensive for your computer and that's money that could be saved or used for better hardware. More room is better but only up to a certain point - that case is designed for really high end computers.

[Etra]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

If you're not comfortable with your ability to pick out a motherboard, and you're certain you won't ever need more PCI Express slots, then that one will probably suit your needs. You basically want to make sure the socket type matches - if you look at the details of both the CPU and the motherboard it says "CPU Socket type: LGA 1155." The motherboard also mentions the supported CPUs in the details. The other thing you want to check is that it supports your memory, which I don't think it does. The Corsair sticks you're considering are DDR3 1600 MHz and the motherboard says it supports DDR3 1333/1066. I'm not sure if you can put faster memory on a slower motherboard - maybe someone can shed some light here. The rest are bells and whistles - whether it has USB 3.0 and how many ports it has, how many PCI Express slots it has for extra cards, whether it has other ports like eSATA or an SD Card reader, etc.

I still think the case is overkill though, if anything because it's needlessly expensive for your computer and that's money that could be saved or used for better hardware. More room is better but only up to a certain point - that case is designed for really high end computers.

Ahh okay. I didn't even notice the RAM incompatibility, but I am aware of how to match up motherboard and CPUs properly (at least, I think I do? Just follow the Socket Type was all I was matching up.) Ugh. I'll have to poke around and see what sort of different motherboard I can get to after I get done work tomorrow morning. Unless someone makes a suggestion, I'll post again what I find and see how that goes. Guess it would be better to get a motherboard with 2 PCI-E slots, maybe? However, I doubt I'll be using two video cards any time soon, unless I match up my current one with the new one I eventually buy. So confusing!

As for the case, since it's my first PC I'm actually building from scratch (upgraded desktops/laptops multiple times before), I just feel more comfortable with a bigger "work area" if that makes sense?

[Armando]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

Guess it would be better to get a motherboard with 2 PCI-E slots, maybe? However, I doubt I'll be using two video cards any time soon, unless I match up my current one with the new one I eventually buy. So confusing!

There's very few things other than video cards that require a full-size (x16) PCI Express slot, but you can put just about any kind of card in an extra slot (e.g. you can put a smaller PCI Express card in a larger PCI Express slot and it'll work.) Never hurts to keep the option open.

Googled around a bit, it sounds like you could use the 1600 MHz RAM and the motherboard BIOS will automatically choose the correct speed. But again, it'd be nice if someone that's dealt with that before could chime in and clarify.

[Etra]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

Revised~!

Case: Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Optical Drive: Will buy something from Best Buy. (Gift Cards. Yay!)

Motherboard: Newegg.com - Intel BOXDP67BGB3 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

CPU: Newegg.com - Intel Core i5-2500 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I52500

HDD: Newegg.com - Samsung by Seagate Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ/ST500DM005 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

RAM: Newegg.com - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B

Power Supply: Newegg.com - SeaSonic X750 Gold 750W ATX12V V2.3/EPS 12V V2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Full Modular Active PFC Power Supply


Didn't realize there was a smaller version of the bigger case I wanted. Yay for saving money! Everything should match up nicely now. The case can fix the motherboard (ATX) and eventually two video cards for Crossfire/SLI. The RAM and CPU both match the motherboard, as well. Also love the modular power supply Absentia linked earlier. Total of $740. :3

[Etra]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

Bought a slightly better case (better air flow, apparently) and an SSD to run the OS off of. $839. Ugh!

Pray that I don't break it all putting it together. D:

[Armando]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

You'll be fine. Putting it together is the easy part =P

[Aeni]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

Etra could stick faster rams into a slower channel but then that's a waste of money. Armando is right in most points including the case. Trust me Etra, big is big, it's not even a question of ventillation at that point. You run the risk of dust accumulation with too much room and it can build up fast thereby nullifying any ventillation you think you're getting with that space. Also, it may seem counterintuitive, but too much space makes for less airflow, not more, unless you're willing to install 4-5 more case fans to cover all space, which will draw more power, which will then cause more heat to build up.

[Etra]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

Etra could stick faster rams into a slower channel but then that's a waste of money. Armando is right in most points including the case. Trust me Etra, big is big, it's not even a question of ventillation at that point. You run the risk of dust accumulation with too much room and it can build up fast thereby nullifying any ventillation you think you're getting with that space. Also, it may seem counterintuitive, but too much space makes for less airflow, not more, unless you're willing to install 4-5 more case fans to cover all space, which will draw more power, which will then cause more heat to build up.

Didn't even think of that at all. :0 Thank God all of you are around to help me out with this stuff. (This is the case I ended up with: Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper SGC-6000-KXN1-GP Black Steel, ABS Plastic, Mesh bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case )

Now I have to buy Windows 7 off of the Microsoft site and make an ISO so I have that ready. Went to BestBuy and they didn't have any copies of Home Premium. -_- And, no, I really don't like the idea of OEM versions. Just bothers me for some reason. lol

[Aeni]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

Now I have to buy Windows 7 off of the Microsoft site and make an ISO so I have that ready. Went to BestBuy and they didn't have any copies of Home Premium. -_- And, no, I really don't like the idea of OEM versions. Just bothers me for some reason. lol

Yeah, their OEM versions, which most people may not realize, installs itself to the BIOS. That means if, for whatever reasons, you want to move your install to another PC, you will need to call Microsoft Support and deal with the hassle of the virtual version of a TSA shakedown. Including the anal probing. Maybe.

Wish you the best of luck and hope to hear good tidings from you when you get it up and running and feel like you're moving at the speed of light ... until the feeling goes away and you want to upgrade again.

[Etra]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

The final question: I see people doing a full partition (so there's a small random partition of 100 megs and the rest of the drive) before install windows. Should I also make a full partition and have the piddly 100 meg thing on the side? I'm not really sure what all the tutorials are doing that -- none explain.

[Raydeus]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

It will make it automatically, and will always put it first on HDDs since that's the fastest part of the disk. So it's actually better if you have a clean disk and only create your C: partition on install. Then 7 will create the 100MB system one at the same time. You can partition the rest of the disk once you have installed the OS.

[Etra]

Re: Taking the dive into PC building

It will make it automatically, and will always put it first on HDDs since that's the fastest part of the disk. So it's actually better if you have a clean disk and only create your C: partition on install. Then 7 will create the 100MB system one at the same time. You can partition the rest of the disk once you have installed the OS.

This just made me more confused. Soooo I should ignore the tutorials and just install it without making that small partition?
Also going by this guide now: Sean's Windows 7 Install & Optimization Guide for SSDs & HDDs