Base system for first time builders

[rcf84]

Well this is what you look to Buy: Intels are the most easy to set up.

Intel P3 700MHz processor
I815(E) Motherboard (Much easier to setup)(not PC CHIPS MOBO)
128mb Pc133 Sdram - DIMM
Maxtor 20gb 7200rpm - HARD Disk
ATi all-in-wonder 128 32mb AGP (family PC) or ATi Radeon 32mb ddr (gamer PC)
Sound blaster live! Value
2 piece speakers w/ sub woofer
6x DVD (or 32x cdrom)
10/100 network (for DSL or Cable), Pci v90 56k modem
Lexmark z52 Printer, ScanJet 4300Cse
3 1/2 floppy, Standard ps/2 keyboard, ps/2 mouse, atx case
15in or 17in CRT monitor
winME w/ sun star office 5.2 (FREE)(www.sun.com)

There a simple machine that does everything you want for a good ( $1200 - $1500 ) it will do.

plz dont bush me! This is for First time builders who know the basic's atleast.

Cel 533 - 256mb sdram
15gb HD - ati radeon 32mb ddr (200/200)
SB live! mp3+ - win98 Beos

 

[Guest]

but i hate intel
true you dont have to worry about via's drivers but don't you need drivers for intel's chips also?
i know the 430tx i had needed them.

who is more foolish...
the fool, or the fool that takes his advice?

 

[Arrow]

I'd also say get an IBM hard drive for the system. Recommendation for motherboard: Asus CUSL2-C.

Rob
Please visit <b><A HREF="http://www.ncix.com/shop/index.cfm?affiliateid=319048" target="_new">http://www.ncix.com/shop/index.cfm?affiliateid=319048</A></b>

 

[rcf84]

Updated:


Intel P3 733(EB)MHz processor
Asus CUSL-2 Motherboard
128mb Pc133 Sdram - DIMM
IBM 75GXP 20.57 GB - HARD Disk
ATi all-in-wonder 128 32mb AGP (family PC) or ATi Radeon 32mb ddr (gamer PC)
Sound blaster live! Value
2 piece speakers w/ sub woofer
6x DVD (or 32x cdrom)
10/100 network (for DSL or Cable), Pci v90 56k modem
Lexmark z52 Printer, ScanJet 4300Cse
3 1/2 floppy, Standard ps/2 keyboard, ps/2 mouse, atx case
15in or 17in CRT monitor
winME w/ sun star office 5.2 (FREE)(www.sun.com)

OK, is that better.

Cel 533 - 256mb sdram
15gb HD - ati radeon 32mb ddr (200/200)
SB live! mp3+ - win98 Beos

 

[Grizely1]

Intel is awful. This is a simple machine that will do everythingk you want:

AMD Duron 800 MHZ processor
ASUS A7V or ABit KT7 motherboard
256MB PC133 SDRAM
IBM 30GB Hd
GeForce2 MX Graphics (or Radeon)
Sound Blaster LIVE! Value
50x CD-ROM
Plextor 12-8-32 CD-RW
17" Monitor

(not saying stuff like floppy, mouse, keybaord etc)

There. You cna get that for the same or less of what your computer is and it's better.

 

[rcf84]

Grizely1 your a Pro in PC. the i815 can kick the VIA kt133 butt any day. if there was an Intel Athlon chipset everyone would get the intel board. no one should prove me wrong. Heck speaking about i have an AMD K6-2 on a Intel chipset. Run better then any VIA chipset with the K6-2

My first PC :*)
K6-2 300/66bus @ 375/75bus
Aopen Ax5tc (430tx)
256mb pc100 SDRAM
13gb 5400rpm ATA/33
Voodoo3 3000 pci
Soundblaster 512
3dmarks: 1200

Tell me How long it took my first PC. 4 hours setup + 4 hours for software. Cause the intel chipset was easier to setup the any VIA chipset.

my friend PC using a VIA chipset:

k6-2 450/100bus
Aopen AX59 Pro (VIA MVP3)
128mb Pc100 sdram
(2)10gb 5400rpm ATA/33
Aopen PA700 Pro (savag4 32mb)
sound Blaster 128

well it took 3 days to get it right this was a nightmare.

Cel 533 - 256mb sdram
15gb HD - ati radeon 32mb ddr (200/200)
SB live! mp3+ - win98 Beos

 

[Grizely1]

Yes, but I wouldn't be willing to move over to Intel processors and lesser quality things just for easier setup.

If I wanted an easy setup I would go buy a 486.

 

[Crashman]

Why don't you tell people to build a K6-2 system for a starter, based on the MVP3 chipset. It's cheap, and the learning curve is VERY HIGH on that one!

Suicide is painless...........

 

[phsstpok]

The 75GXP series are great performers but don't buy an OEM version. IBM will not cover these with any warranty. Spend the extra bucks an get a retail, boxed version.

I believe the Maxtors are underperformers, at least compared to the IBM drives. However, Maxtor will provide warranty service for OEM drives (as long as you make an effort to deal with the vendor first).

I, for one, will not buy a hard drive without a warranty.

 

[Ncogneto]

Actually you are incorrect in your assumption of the I815e against the kt133. The minute difference in performance ( and this only depends on what I815e and what kt133 if there even is a difference) is far outweighed by the Duron being far superior than the celeron. You may or may not have a slight argument if we were talking athlon vs p3 here but you choose the celeron. Remember the celeron is a 66 mhz bus and your memory bandwith will be cut drasticly vs the duron which can run its memory bus at 133 mhz. As far as ease of setup, it will take you all of about 2 minutes more with the kt133 to install the via agp driver ( this is all you need and all any AMD user should ever use).

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing!

 

[Arrow]

I think IBM does cover warranty on OEMs for the last 2 of a 3-year warranty period. The first year is served by the company selling the drive.

Rob
Please visit <b><A HREF="http://www.ncix.com/shop/index.cfm?affiliateid=319048" target="_new">http://www.ncix.com/shop/index.cfm?affiliateid=319048</A></b>

 

[phsstpok]

sorry, I was just repeating something I read in MaximumPC magazine.

A reader wrote in and questioned why IBM would not replace his broken 2-month old IBM hard drive. The editor said IBM will under no circumstance replace, under warranty, an OEM version hard drive. These drives are intended to be sold only in complete systems by reputable computer manufacturers. The computer manufacturer is solely responsible for warrantying the hard drive or in some cases the vendor.

If IBM sells some drives to one company (for example) and that company buys too many and later liquidates them to another company then any customer buying one of those drives has no one to turn to for warranty service. Unless that third company offer his own warranty.

 

[phsstpok]

Thanks but I don't own a 75GXP. I have a budget Maxtor DiamondMax 40 VL which I bought for $99. That was for a retail version at CompUSA. (However, I'm still waiting for my $50 rebate).

 

[Guest]

My experience with IBM drives has been pretty bad I have had two total failers causing a great deal of grief on was a SCSI drive which failed within weeks of purchase the other was a laptop drive which failed in under a year. I have 170Gig of Maxtor disks in my workstation which have been totally reliable.

 

[Guest]

I am curious what is it that makes the intel boards so much easier, the newest Intel Board I have is a Epox Board based on the Bx chipset and it was easy to set up but so was the GA7IX,A7V and the KT7R that I have. I can't say for the newer Intel cipsets but assume they much the same as all of the others. PLS note I don't like or dislike AMD or Intel, just the last few times I have looked for kit I could get the AMD stuff at the right price at the right time.


M

one of the first UK T-Bird users....

 

[Guest]

I'd be forced to agree with you on this one, I've been throwing systems together for folks for a couple of years now and have never had a single problem with an AMD based setup. I generally go with the best motherboard available as it's a false economy to go with anything else (I've an Asus A7V and with a Duron 700 sitting in my room along with a shitload of other stuff ready to be assembled for a mate). If you're careful and read the MoBo manual!!! properly first, any confuguration should come together with little or no fuss, Intel of AMD. I personally currently prefer the AMD option for the moment as price/performance ratio is so good. The only qualm I have is the difficulty of fitting heatsinks on the AMD processors. My advice is to be very sure about what you want before you spend that money. Always think about upgradeability too.


Fat Chucky

 

[phsstpok]

Over the years I have had probably 4 or 5 hard drives fail but only 1 was covered by a manufacturer warranty. That was a Western Digital. One was an OEM drive, also a Western Digital, but the vendor replaced it and that was only because it was DOA. The other failed drives were a Seagate which had no warranty and a Maxtor which failed shortly after the warranty period. I can't remember what the fifth drive was but it was pre-IDE.

None of my past experiences make me favor one brand or dislike another brand. I have learned that hard drives do fail and fail often. I always get a warranty, (at least now I do).

I used to like Fujitsu drives simply because they carried the longest warranty, 5 years, but I decided that I would not use a drive that long. Drives get so much faster and larger with each new generation. A 3-year warranty is good enough. I can now buy basing on price and performance and I don't worry about obtaining the longest warranty just an adequate one.