Nice to be back with you all to build a new computer..

[ukdave]

Hi everyone

Back in Feb 2006 thanks to a superb response from this forum, I was able to build my computer system based around the Intel D955XBK motherboard which as I write is working fine, and has done since day one. Without your assistance on that occasion, there was no chance I would have succeeded, so I am very grateful.

Today is the beginning of another journey! But I have no idea about things other than as usual to look around the internet in general and suppliers in particular in an effort to come up to speed on how things have changed since those heady days back in Feb 2006!

So if I may, I would like to get a shortlist of say maybe a "motherboard" or "case" or whatever and come back and take pros and cons from the forum in respect of suitability together with cost involved. At this point I do know that I will not be a candidate for the "gaming" computer, so I will at least mention that, because it might be helpful. My own photography, and music creations together with my personal interests in website design for myself are the considerations I have to make when building my new machine.

On that point, it all costs money don't we know! Now I am not a poor guy neither can I afford to splash out unreasonably (when other items demand careful planning at home) - which would be possibly unneccesary anyway sometimes. For example (not to discuss here at the moment) I viewed a Lian-Li case (one of the top ones at present) - this would cost around £175 including VAT in the United Kingdom. Well for me trying to build a fairly new spec computer when I come to discuss everything with you, I will probably find that a suitable case might come in at around say £60. It is this sort of approach I will be using, which I hope sounds OK.

For the moment I will leave it at that and come back as time passes and my knowledge grows on the computer component market today.

Thanks as usual to all of you out there who give of their free time to give the best advice they can to assist as we all struggle to get it right with components and cost.

David

 

[alcattle]

We can suggest some things, sounds like you need a system for about £800. Might be too much, but it will run anything but the top games.
Where do you plan on buying parts?
Are you willing to overclock?
What OS are you going to use?

 

[ukdave]

We can suggest some things, sounds like you need a system for about £800. Might be too much, but it will run anything but the top games.
Where do you plan on buying parts?
Are you willing to overclock?
What OS are you going to use?

Thanks and OK "alcattle" nice to know the forum can help me as time passes. £800 will be I think right on the extremity of what I would want to spend, but to build the machine I want at the present time, then that is to be expected.

Three good questions from you. My answers:

1. Not had too long yet to have a look around. But will probably purchase all my components in UK. Just had a quick look round and here are a few links that I will look at:

http://www.xcase.co.uk/
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/
http://www.crucial.com/uk/
http://uk.insight.com/content/homepage/business
http://www.misco.co.uk/indexuk.asp?
http://www.dabs.com/homepage.aspx
http://www.cclonline.com/

However, I appreciate there are many others possibly and even some well-known suppliers not in the list above, but for personal reasons I have not included the ones I can think of, because regardless of component prices there being attractive I simply would not give them my custom.

Nevertheless I am going to say now that I welcome some suggestions and if they were to include the ones I am thinking of (no names!) then I would simply not go there, but others would certainly be looked into. Actually when I think about it - I can only recall 2 companies I would leave alone!

2. Overclocking - no not for me thanks. I am a typical default man that's how I have been. If it is working reasonably day to day - I am grateful for small mercies! A bit boring I suppose but it is how I am.

3. What OS am I going to use? Well now, wouldn't THIS make the posting continue and continue and continue.... ! but I will do my best and hope to avoid a long discussion on it, possibly because at this moment in time it is probably too early to draw conclusions like OS (a) no chance and OS (b) definitely and so on. I think you know what I mean.

But for my own part, having just come back on the scene and knowing little, but had a look around the internet and magazines (just two!). I think unless persuaded very differently over the next however many weeks, I will stick to what I am currently using viz. Microsoft Windows XP Professional (SP2).

Vista ? well what can I personally say. Very little objectively but in the small time I have pondered... I have a feeling that for many it might be a nightmare. Could it be something to do with the UAC and "Administrator" function being very different from XP. Also are there currently a few difficulties with drivers being unavailable for a number of programs to run satisfactorily?

But in fairness I suppose trying hard to be objective, maybe you do have to get down to wading through the "rules" with regard to the "Administrator" point I raised above and providing you do ALL that is required in ALL circumstances as the programmers want you to do - Vista will work fine most of the time. For me that seems a bit "heavy" to undertake after having experienced a reasonable day to day activity in the last year or so using Windows XP Professional, without much effort honestly.

With regard to drivers, if you are wanting to run a number of programs successfully and the updated drivers were not available it would be a situation you would not want to find yourself being part of from my point of view.

Say no more about it ---- because basically I do not know with any kind of authority what I am talking about. But for me PROBABLY I will stick with XP for certainly about 15 months or so I think. Bit of a cautious guy as you have guessed......!!

That's it for now "alcattle" and you raised good questions. Appreciated.
Be in touch.

David