[Solved] Gaming and Compatibility

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: March 26

BUDGET RANGE: (e.g.: 500-800, +200/year upgrades) After Rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: OpenGL Dual Monitor 3d Games, 3d Linux DE, Video Storage, Virtualization and Multi-Boot, Internet browsing, etc.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: OS, Keyboard, Mouse, Monitors, Speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com, amazon.com, tigerdirect.com

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: The United States of America

PARTS PREFERENCES: I would like to use a i5 cpu, with the 1156 chipset, nVidia graphics card, and DDR3 RAM.

OVERCLOCKING: No

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Later

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1280x1024 and 1600x1200

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: There is a specific game that I like, [link], written for the graphics intense Spring RTS engine, [link], which has dual monitor support. However, when I hooked up an external monitor to my laptop, the game could not use the extra monitor. A friend recommended these fora to ask about hardware that will allow me to play this game with dual monitor support before I lay out the cash. Extra thanks if you know of a graphics card which has good linux drivers and OpenGL support.

My financial plan relies on upgrades, the hardware needs to be capable of easy expansion.

MORE INFO: Full Ubuntu Forum Post [link]

Thanks so much for answering my question. I basically started with this and then figured out what I could shave $20 bucks here and there on. For now I'm going to loot my external drives for DVDRW and HDD.

I got the build to under $700 by getting the Antec 300 Illusion case ($60), a geforce 9500 gt ($45), the Corsair tx650w PSU, and the MSI GD65.

I did some research, links to which I will post if requested, which unanimously proclaimed nVidia the way to go for Linux, otherwise I would have been down with ATI the whole way.

If anyone has any further interest in my build I will post full specs.

My little brother has also commissioned me set up a build for him, prospective parts for which I have posted elsewhere.

Speaking of crappy psu's... my lil brother wants to play SC2 with me, and seems able to build his own computer.
I have created a frankenstein out of cheap newegg parts for him which looks like it can play SC2 smoothly on low settings.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/285145-31-computer

Well, uh.... something like this?

CPU: AMD Athlon II X2 240 Regor 2.8GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

RAM: Kingston HyperX 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

MB: ASUS M2N68-AM PLUS:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

GPU: POWERCOLOR AX4650 512MD2-H Radeon HD 4650 512MB:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD2500AAKS 250GB:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

Case: LOGISYS Computer Area 51 CS51WBK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 480W Power Supply :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

DVD-RW: ASUS Black 24X:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 63938&SID=

Total: $327

Nah the Case combo turned out to be more expensive than getting a case with free shipping and a separate psu.

So you put the HDD's in slots 3 & 6. And no problem?

I think those are some bad sata ports.
And those hdd's. Did you used them on a different mobo in the past and you throwed them in your new build or you bought them together with new PC parts?

But i'm pretty much sure it's a sata port problem.

*throws nuts as depicted*

ok, post when switch is done