Greetings, this is my first build and I have created a wish list that I was hoping to get some advice on. I will be keeping my current video card (radeon9800xt) and a 500W psu. I'm going for budget price and it will be used mostly as a basic home pc with a possible upgrade in the future with a 4850 for moderate gaming. Is everything compatible including the radeon9800xt? Am i forgetting anything? Any advice is appreciated.
The cooler you've selected does not list the LGA775 as a compatible socket, and looking at it I only see an AMD-style bracket. Considering the uses you have listed for this machine, it does not look like you will be overclocking (or not much), so the stock cooler should be fine. If you want another cooler, this one is less hard-core than the Xigmatek, but is another good choice: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835186134
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There is ALWAYS a drone. Exactly where, or how many drones you will encounter may vary, but that there will be at least one will not.
For the video card, something like a 2600Pro will be cheap enough to replace later if you need a gamer card, but it will handle your current list pretty well. I put one in my father's PC and I can play Guild Wars on it at 1440x900 and not feel like I'm suffering. The one I got him is now $50 after MIR: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814161098
Message edited by jtt283 on 07-25-2008 at 05:55:43 PM
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There is ALWAYS a drone. Exactly where, or how many drones you will encounter may vary, but that there will be at least one will not.
Thanks for all the quick replies! I don't plan on overclocking this computer at all so I'll just stick with the stock cooler. Shame that the radeon won't work, as the previous card just died so we got it as a cheap replacement off of eBay and then realized that the current 170W psu was not near enough power. Figured this 2003 dell was at the end of its days and might as well build a new one. Haven't actually bought the new psu yet but i was looking at grabbing this one at staples.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817371007 I was going to get that one sooner so i could get the old system up and running to transfer my files to an external HD.
Also, I saw this motherboard as a possible P45 model. Would it be a good investment or should i go with the earlier suggested gigabyte?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131296
I think i'll probably end up just getting the 4850 now. Would I be able to use my current xp license without purchasing another install disc? Are 4GB of ram still used even thought the system only shows 3GB?
You can use the xp install disk that the dell came with (or any other Windows XP OEM disk for that matter). If it fails to activate, hit the telephone button that'll you'll see during activation and tell them you change the motherboard (i've done this like 12 times). Use the Licence key off the old dell case.
32 Bit versions of windows only uses roughly 3gb of ram if you install 4gb. Less, I believe, if you choose a 1gb videocard. It has to due with the limitations of 32bit addressing. You can only address 4gb of memory and xp (or vista 32) reserves the later part of the memory block for the system and the video card.
Windows xp (not sure on vista) will usually only address up to 2gb of ram PER application also, though some games have a work around this.
Any 32-bit OS only uses ~3GB of RAM (I think it's actually like 3.3 or 3.5 or something). But with 2x2GB being so cheap right now it almost doesn't make any sense not to buy it even if you're not going to use all of it.
That 2x2GB Mushkin you listed is only $65 after MIR. You really can't go wrong with that.
Message edited by Wanker79 on 07-25-2008 at 06:40:18 PM
Your Dell came with an OEM Windows anyway, which means it will refuse to activate on your new PC and tell you it's illegal to install on another machine, etc etc.
The best choices IMO these days are Vista Home Premium 64-bit and then XP 32-bit. Go with XP if you have some older programs or hardware that don't work on Vista and you can't replace. Otherwise, Vista 64-bit is better because it has DirectX 10 and it can use all 4 GB of RAM.
Unless you have a particular need of getting lots of ram, I would sugest that you dont get a 64bit OS, as they tend to have more driver problems (at least they did, I havent really looked into it recently). All you need is an xp install disk that came with any OEM PC (maybe borrow a friends?) your dell number will work with it. Just be sure you dont get an upgrade or retail version and get a home version if you have a home key (or pro if you have a pro). They are pretty common, I got like four of them laying around. Just be sure to spend the time to update it properly. install service pack one (or two) BEFORE you install the motherboard drivers too. The HD audio on the newer motherboards require it before those drivers will go in (ive tried going straight to service pack three only to unistall it and put two in becasue of the HD aduio problem).
64-bit OS, yes. When you get that 4850, you'll want Vista DX10. I doubt the Dell OS CD will work, they aren't stock XP Install CDs. AFAIK, it's worth a try.
Message edited by pcgamer12 on 07-25-2008 at 07:01:46 PM
OEM Vista wont install on another motherboard. Windows XP absolutly will (all OEM XP versions will). Dont confuse Window Install disks with restore CD's. Restore CD's usually wont go into another machine. Dells came with an XP install disk though, and as long as you have a valid key you can put it into another machine and activate it.
if it fails to automatically activate though the internet, do this
On activation screen, hit activate by telephone
On that screen, hit UPDATE PRODUCT KEY (this is the only time and place you can change the product key)
enter your key code there
go back and try to activate over internet again.
If that fails, hit telephone and dial the number
enter the 40 digit number
last time I did this, an automated system asked several questions. Be sure to answer NO when asked if this key is used in another machine. Then it will ask like if a major hardware change has occured. answer Yes. I think it then asked if I changed the motherboard and I said Yes. Then it read a 40 digit number back to me and the system activated.
All other times (like over ten) that ive done this, some guy from india came on and all i needed to do was tell them I changed the motherboard and that its not installed onther system
This is perfectly legal also. I've told microsoft that i was taking a XP OEM key off a dead laptop and told them I was putting it on a new desktop and they gave me the activation code.
the only benefit to going to vista is it looks prettier (but is less compatible with older stuff). they only thing it does that xp doesnt is dirextx 10
Dirextx 10, though caple of making games look a little nicer, usually slows a game down a great deal
Vista is a resource hog needing much more ram and processing speed (which your specs cover), takes forever to boot, and has many annoying quirks if your used to xp (but you can get over them).
The most annoying thing about vista that i find though, is unless you buy the RETAIL version of it, you can only activate it on ONE motherboard. So if your motherboard dies or you decided to upgrade again, you'll have to purchase it again (unless you can find an identical motherboard).
But I digress. I'm only stating that I think its a better value to have a xp machine with 2gb of ram and a hd4850 than a vista machine with 4gb of ram an a hd2600
How is that power supply?
The video card marked up the cost a bit but, as I understand it, the 4850 is worth the price.
The dell, with its XP install, is still going to be used as a backup so I added 64-bit Vista.
Any other changes you guys think I should make?
