Noob Compatibility Help :(

[pcriminal]

This is my first time building my own computer, so I'm having doubts about quality and compatibility. I've compiled a list of the items I'm thinking about getting, and I would really appreciate it if someone would help me look them over and rate / criticize / change what you can to make it better. I'm trying to be a little cost efficient, so please keep that in mind xD

Here is the rig as is:

NZXT Nemesis Elite
Antec TruepowerII TPII-550
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro
MSI P965 Neo-F Socket T
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400
Sapphire Radeon X1800XT 256 MB
OCZ DDR2 2GB PC2-6400
2x Seagate 400GB 7200 RPM 16MB Buffer



Please let me know if I'm missing something crucial or important, or if there is a compatibility issue! The total is under 1400 without shipping and tax, so please keep that in mind! Thank you all in advance!

 

[Mr_Breeze]

The processor you want comes with a fan and heatsink, and the Case comes with a power supply. Unless you have a reason for buying extras you should drop those from the list. Everything looks compatible. /Edit I would go with a cheaper case and get better components.

 

[Mr_Breeze]

Yes it's better, but does he need it? Considering his components.. I think no.

/edit If he want's to buy a PSU he should get a cheep case that doesn't include one. You can buy the same processor at tigerdirect for less http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2341557&CatId=2398

And if you want to pick out your own fan and heatsink buy the OEM version that doesn't include it http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2280515&CatId=2397

 

[pcriminal]

Thanks for your help! I also have a question about the hard drives--they're in PATA, and I was wondering if I could put 2 in the mobo and RAID-0 them. The hard drives I'm really concerned about because I had already ordered them before I really checked them out! Help please!

 

[MindFlare327]

It says PATA 1 x ATA100 up to 2 Devices so I think you should be good to go.

 

[Mr_Breeze]

The mobo you picked says it supports 2 PATA devices. "PATA 1 x ATA100 up to 2 Devices "

I don't know anything about setting up RAID though.

/Edit you should have shopped around http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2273387&CatId=0

Whoops I mean http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1723262&CatId=0

 

[pcriminal]

Thanks for the links to tigerdirect, I think I will change the CPU so I can use my own heatsink and fan.

 

[pcriminal]

Is the PSU really unecessary? Because I think I can upgrade other components a lot if I take it out. But if taking it out means lowering efficiency at all I'll have to consider it.

Also, if I upgrade the video card to a x1900xt, would I need the better PSU after all? Would a GeForce be better, for the same price? (around 360-380, assuming I can use the stock PSU from the case)

 

[elpresidente2075]

You won't be able to raid those drives without any extra hardware. The way this motherboard is setup, you have to put them on the same IDE channel, which unfortunately causes RAID to not be an option. An alternative is getting a pair of these. This will enable you to use the PATA drives as SATA drives and then RAID them together. Since you already ordered the drives, I would recommend a pair of these so you will have room on the IDE channel for your CD drive (you didn't have it on the list, but you need one). You may even want a third for your CD drive, just to make all your drives SATA.

I hope that you understand me, as I'm not sure of how much explaining I need to do. If you have any more questions, you can always ask, thats what these forums are here for, right?

And just about any of those adapters will work for you. I have the SYBA one that is 13 or so bucks, and I like it a lot. Good luck!

 

[pcriminal]

Wow, I'm really interested in the hardware that allows me to use PATA as SATA. Could it be this one that you refer to as the one you like?

And as for the CD drive, how many of these do i need? Assuming I will get a DVD burner and a DVD drive? Is it the same one as the link?

Sorry for the noob questions, this is seroiusly an area where I have absolutely no knowledge

 

[Mr_Breeze]

What exactly do you want to do with this PC?

 

[pcriminal]

college + gaming

 

[elpresidente2075]

Yeah, thats the one.

CD drive? Sorry, I was meaning by that "Optical drive", just generically referring to any optical drive. And if you are getting two optical drives (dvd, cd, etc), get two burners. The burners of today are on the same read speed level of the dedicated readers and have the capability to burn disks. Not to mention, if you look hard enough, you can often find them for the same, if not lower prices than just the readers.

Also, you can have as many as you have space for in your case. I personally think it is overkill to have more than 2, just because one never has need for more than two optical drives unless one is doing duplication work.

On a side note, I like the idea of converting normal PATA optical drives to SATA, but the fact is that it sometimes just doesn't work. But you can always try!

 

[pcriminal]

So I would need an Adapter to change the PATA to SATA (assuming that works), and 2 adapters for each optical drive, right?

 

[elpresidente2075]

You would need one for each drive. You would then plug the adapters into the drives themselves and connect that to the motherboard via the SATA connectors. In your case, I believe it is the block of four blue connectors next to the PATA connector.

 

[pcriminal]

Okay this is going to be a very noobly question, because this is my first build, but doesnt it only take 1 cord to connect the HDDs to the mobo? So that would take 1 converter. As for the Optical drives, is this the same cord that's used with the hard drives? or does it use a different cord?

I guess what I'm asking for is a deeper explanation. Could you tell me how it works, in terms of something like...

HDD1 > Wire > HDD2 > Same Wire > Converter > Motherboard


Or whatever the case may be? Thanks a lot for your help already!

 

[Onthefarside]

I do belive you'll need 2 adapters, you can't have them on the same cable if you want to raid them i belive.

 

[pcriminal]

And this does not include optical drives like dvd rom or dvd burner? do optical drives go with another cable?

 

[iMatt711]

the two hds can go on one cable, and you can raid them, however it will be slower, also with two hds theres no room left for optical drives, i reccomend an ide to sata adapter. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822998001

 

[fainis]

This is my first time building my own computer, so I'm having doubts about quality and compatibility. I've compiled a list of the items I'm thinking about getting, and I would really appreciate it if someone would help me look them over and rate / criticize / change what you can to make it better. I'm trying to be a little cost efficient, so please keep that in mind xD

Here is the rig as is:

NZXT Nemesis Elite
Antec TruepowerII TPII-550
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro
MSI P965 Neo-F Socket T
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400
Sapphire Radeon X1800XT 256 MB
OCZ DDR2 2GB PC2-6400
2x Seagate 400GB 7200 RPM 16MB Buffer



Please let me know if I'm missing something crucial or important, or if there is a compatibility issue! The total is under 1400 without shipping and tax, so please keep that in mind! Thank you all in advance!

ok.....now...everything looks good apart from the drives..
now..do you intend to use these drives in raid configuration or stand alone...?

and also these types of drives (seagate 400gb) are quite loud...

 

[elpresidente2075]

the two hds can go on one cable, and you can raid them, ...

That is incorrect, I am afraid. Raid in that configuration is not possible in any version of ATA. Unfortunate, yes, but a fact nonetheless.

About the adapters: You need one for each drive. What you do is you plug the adapter into the drive, then with a SATA cable, connect the adapter to the motherboard via a SATA slot. Unfortunately the product pictures don't show it properly, but the adapter is a male PATA connector and a male SATA connector.

If you did this with your hard drives you would then use the cable that would have gone into your hard drives and use that on the optical drives. You do have the option of doing with the optical drives what you need to do with the hard drives, but sometimes there are compatibility issues.

Perhaps I need to clarify some things before I continue. This is a PATA cable, also known as IDE. This is a SATA cable. Here is the picture of your motherboard. The IDE cable would plug into the long orange plug in the top right. The SATA cables would plug into the smaller blue plugs a bit more to the right.

I will now describe in depth what a setup would be like using the techniques I have been describing and with two hard drives and two optical drives.

First you need 4 of the adapters. Then you need 4 SATA cables (unless they are included). Then, after installing the drives in the computer, you connect the adapters to the drives themselves in the space where the PATA (IDE) cable would have gone. At that point you are ready to start connecting cables. You plug one end of a SATA cable into its recepticle on one of the adapters. Then you plug the other end into one of the SATA slots. Repeat 3 more times. Then you plug in all the power (don't forget to power the SATA adapters!) and turn it on. The computer should recognise everything right off the bat and you should be able to setup the boot order to your liking. Good luck!

 

[leadtrombone]

This is truly my opinion but I would change the pata hard drives to sata you might loose some space but you gain a lot of transfer bandwidth.

I suggest this one
Western Digital 320@ newegg

P.S. What are you going to do about cd/dvd drive?

 

[enforcerfx]

This is my first time building my own computer, so I'm having doubts about quality and compatibility. I've compiled a list of the items I'm thinking about getting, and I would really appreciate it if someone would help me look them over and rate / criticize / change what you can to make it better. I'm trying to be a little cost efficient, so please keep that in mind xD

Here is the rig as is:

NZXT Nemesis Elite
Antec TruepowerII TPII-550
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro
MSI P965 Neo-F Socket T
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400
Sapphire Radeon X1800XT 256 MB
OCZ DDR2 2GB PC2-6400
2x Seagate 400GB 7200 RPM 16MB Buffer



Please let me know if I'm missing something crucial or important, or if there is a compatibility issue! The total is under 1400 without shipping and tax, so please keep that in mind! Thank you all in advance!

Change the drives to SATA, for faster transport speed. The LCD monitor on the top of the case, the temps are entirely false, all the time. How i know? I own the exact case. May want to get a few case fans if your up to it. The x1800xt got slashed again at newegg.com. Its now i believe 202.00
PSU looks good, toss or hold onto the PSU that comes with the case, either way, its garbage.