$2,400 worth of parts. My first computer build thread (pics)

[VietPho]

The total cost was $2,400.

This will be my first time building together my own computer.
I will continue to post questions in this thread if I need help with anything as I put together my components.


Here's the list of things I've bought (I might have forgotten to list a few items):




Monitor:
22'' V7 Monitor For - $200


Keyboard:
Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard - $38.00


HardDrives:
Seagate FreeAgent Desktop Drive 320GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive - $80
Maxtor 500 GB HD - $100
WD Raptor X 150GB for - $159


Mobo:
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R ATX Intel Motherboard - Retai


Processor:
Q6600 g0 - $310.00


Ram:
Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop - $69.99


Speakers:
Logitech Z-5500 Digital Speaker System for - $220


SoundCard:
Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Sound Card - $49.99


Video Card:
EVGA 640-P2-N821-AR GeForce 8800GTS 640MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card


Computer Case:
Antec Sonata II Mid Tower Case W/ 450W Antec SmartPower 2.0 PSU $30 After $50MIR - $80 (They screwed me over with rebate. I'm never shopping with Antec company again).
CASE SILVERSTONE|TJ09-BW BK RT - $290.00


Cooling (Heatsinks and Fans):
Heatsinks:
Thermalright Ultra-120 extreme - $60.00
Thermalright HR-03 plus - $50.00


Fans:
(5x) 120mm Yate Loon D12SL-12 BLUE LED 38.5 CFM, 25.4
dBA) - $31.25

(2x) 120mm Scythe SFF21F S-FLEX™ Case Fan (63.7 CFM/28 dBA) - $28.00


Other:
LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black SATA Model LH-20A1S OEM BK - OEM - $30.00

Arctic Alumina Adhesive 5grams Part A and B - $6.00

ArctiClean Thermal Material & Surface Purifier - 60ml - $6.00

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - 3.5 gram tube - $6.00

(20x) 4" Translucent White (Natural) Zip Tie - $1.00









Self notes list of links to help me with this build:


http://www.barrys-rigs-n-reviews.com/reviews/2007/hardware/tj09/tj09_1.htm

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OFEOd7nQbuQ (how to install LGA775 processors)

http://www.thermalright.com/a_page/main_support_installation_u120_775.htm (Installation Guide Ultra-120-L775)
http://www.thermalright.com/a_page/main_support_installation_u120_extreme.htm#775
http://www.thermalright.com/a_page/main_support_installation_lga775_install.htm (Installing 775 bracket)

http://www.thermalright.com/a_page/main_support_installation_hr03-plus.htm (Installation guide hr-03 plus) [Currently confused to what type installation to do]

Close up picture of my motherboard (ga-p35-ds3r):
http://www.xbitlabs.com/misc/picture/?src=/images/mainboards/ga-p35-ds3r/board.jpg&1=1
This one with description:
http://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/productimage/13-128-050-04.jpg

How to apply Arctic Silver 5 on Q6600:
http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_quad_wcap.pdf


Demonstration on how to put together the Ultra-120 Extreme and such (In spanish but useful for visuals):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lg0haysNUjU (pt1)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=klM4BCFbp-4 (pt2)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=bQOybDJUCnA (pt3)






Here are pictures of my install so far:




Ultra-120 Extreme Side View:

Ultra-120 Extreme Base View:

Ultra-120 Extreme Base View close up:

HR-03 Plus Front View:

HR-03 Plus Front Base View:

HR-03 Plus Side View:

HR-03 Plus Top View:

HR-03 Plus RAMSinks View1:

HR-03 Plus RAMSinks View2:

HR-03 Plus 120mm Fan Hanging:

HR-03 Plus Top View of 120mm Fan Hanging:

HR-03 Plus GHETTO FAN ZIP TIE SOLUTION1:

HR-03 Plus Fan GHETTO FAN ZIP TIE SOLUTION2:

HR-03 Plus Ghetto Tip Tie closeup:

HR-03 Plus Ghetto Zip Tie Flatview:

HR-03 Plus Ghetto Tip Upright:

Right side view:

Inside the case:

To be continued (Time to sleep after staying up for 40+ hours without sleep)...

 

[makotech222]

yikes that a lot of money... looks nice though.

 

[VietPho]

heh not many comments. I hope I did everything correctly.

Anyone know where I can buy this: http://www.svc.com/cbl-extend-12v.html
(12" 4-PIN EXTENSION CABLE FOR ATX 12V CONNECTOR )

at a local store around Portland Oregon?

 

[bruce555]

I don't understand, you have 2 cases there and one crap of a PSU that would be really pushing it for that system. Get a different PSU no matter what.

 

[aevm]

I can't believe you're spending that much and aren't even getting an 8800 GTX.
I wouldn't mix hard disk brands. Don't like Maxtor.

Here's my own list:

TJ09, 2 stock fans, added 3 Scythe SFF21E
Q6600 + Scythe Ninja
GA-P35C-DS3R
BFG 8800 GTX OC2, no aftermarket cooler (I like the HR-03 but don't need it for this card and case and the 5 fans)
Vista Upgrade 2x2GB DDR2-800
WD5000AAKS (3)
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W
PX-810SA, LG GSA-H62N
Altec Lansing speakers + LG 20" widescreen (I'll upgrade to Z-5500 and 27" when I have the money)
X-Fi XtremeMusic
+ modem, tuner, cheap Microsoft KB, $40 Logitech mouse (who the heck pays $140 for the MX Revolution???)

I believe Crucial Ballistix and Thermalright Ultra 12 Extreme are better choices than what I got, but my choices were a bit limited here in Canada.

 

[weskurtz81]

-1 Maxtor
+1 on different PSU (even though that PSU will probably work for a while)

 

[cruiseoveride]

I worked for an OEM for many years, and just thought i'd let you in some oem insider news.

Western Digital has been one of the best hard drives for over 10yrs now. Almost all OEMs today ship ONLY WD.


In the early '90s Seagate had some amazing drives, and hence all major OEMs shipped Seagate at that time. However for the past 10yrs Seagate has always been considered a cheaper, inferior product, and hence only very few, and that to, Low End OEMs will carry Seagate since.

Maxtor in the late '90s was probably the best money could buy, and was seen used in Mid to High end server and workstation class OEMs, but then in the early '00s they started cutting corners to compete with Seagate (which has always been considered the cheap alternative, and hence sold the most numbers at the time).

By about 2003, Maxtor became the worst drive you could buy, causing all major OEMs to drop it.

At this time Seagate started improving quality and hence many OEMs from 2002-2004 will have Seagate drives.

The year is 2007, all major OEMs ship WD.
Maxtor has improved quality considerably
Seagate has not changed its position in the market. And is still considered Low End/Cheap solution.

I don't have any cold facts to prove the above, But only my experience in the OEM industry.

 

[Kari]

[completely offtopic]
OP has nice big pictures and stuff but I got these stupid scrolling bars there aswell, and since my screen has plenty of widht that scrolling bar is allmost in the middle of the screen and it just looks so stupid and it is completely unnecessary.. So how do I make it go away? its driving me nuts (
[/completely offtopic]

Nice rig, but as others has mentioned, the Maxtor really wasn't a good idea but lets hope it'll last for couple of years. and who knows they might be getting better

 

[VietPho]

Man, I spent 100$ on that Maxtor and 120+ probably on that PSU! People tell me the Corsair 620HX is a good psu...

 

[ausch30]

Don't worry the Corsair is a very good PSU, I'm sure he was talking about the Antec PSU that comes with the Sonata which you still have listed on your first post. As far as the Maxtor I'm sure it will be fine and 500gb for $100 is cheap so just be sure you backup anything you don't want to loose and you'll be fine.

$2400 is a lot to spend and still not have a GTX but you did buy a really nice (and expensive) case as well as the video cooler and external hard drive so you got a lot for your money. In fact I spent about $2400 for the system in my sig (not including the speakers which I already had) about 6 mos ago and look at the difference. So all in all I think it was money well spent, enjoy.

 

[deusex]

Ausch is correct there. The Corsair 620HX is a great PSU - you can find it sometimes for around 130$ AR if you look around...I have it powering a 8800GTX/Q6600 without even pushing 500W, and heard it can push SLIed 8800GTXs...

2400$ is a little too much for a 8800GTS build - my 8800GTX build was roughly 1900$, with a good eye for bargain deals, and a quality 20" Samsung LCD (synthetic 8-bit panel)


Do you really need the Digital output/RMS of the Z-5500s? - you can get the Z-5300e for 100$ less than the Z-5500s...To tell you the truth, I would go ahead and get a HTIB if I was paying more than 200$ for speaks...


The G0 Q6600 can be found for ~280-290$...wheres the 310$ at? (I'm doubting you're not including tax)

Also, the Thermalright Ultima 90 is a great cooler for smaller spaces (I'm talking if you don't have a fullATX), second to only the 120 ultra extreme itself...

 

[VietPho]

The G0 Q6600 can be found for ~280-290$...wheres the 310$ at? (I'm doubting you're not including tax)

I bought it a while ago at some website I saw posted on slickdeals.net

This was a guarantee Q6600 G0 for $300 +ship (no tax in oregon)

I know there are places to get Q6600 at the time. However, these places didn't guarantee a "g0"


Hey guys here are some readings in my bios window for my stuff so far.



Here's what everything looks like in my PC HEALTH:
VCore OK
DDR18V OK
+3.3V OK
+12V OK

Current SYS Temp 40 celcius
Current CPU Temp 25 Celcius
CPU FAN SPEED 528 RPM
CPU SYS FAN 2 Speed 948 RPM



I find it weid how the system temp is so much higher than the cpu temp. What's going on?
Why are my fan speeds so slow? (They're 120mm scyth) fans

How do I get temp readings from my 8800 gts?



Here are some readings from my cmos:

CMOS Standard:

IDE Channel 0 Master - None
IDE Channel 0 Slave - None
IDE Channel 1 Master - Lite On DVD...
IDE Channel 2 Master - WDC (Raptor HD)
IDE Channel 3 Master - Maxtor HD
IDE Channel 3 Master - None
IDE Channel 4 Master - None
IDE Channel 4 Slave - None
IDE Channel 5 Master - None
IDE Channel 5 Slave - None


Drive A [1.33M, 3.5'']
Floppy Support - Disabled

- Base memory 640k
- Extended Memory - 2046M
- Total Memory - 2046M

anything wrong?