1st Computer

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endlesszeal

Senior Member
I have finally started assembling my first computer. I have been waiting for almost a year for money and for the right parts at the right prices. Heres a list of what is in it:

Processor: AMD 64 3000+ Venice Core
Motherboard: DFI Ultra-D Nforce 4
Memory: 1X512MB Corsair Value Select
Vide0: eVGA 6600GT
Optical: Plextor 716SA DVD+/-R Combo
Optical: Lite-On 16X DVD-ROM
Hard Drive: 160GB IDE Seagate
Hard Drive: 80GB IDE Maxtor
PSU: OCZ Modstream 450 Watt
Case: Aerocool JetMaster Jr
Speakers: Logitech X-530
Input: Microsoft Standard Wireless
Moniter: TBD

Hopefully the DFI isnt too picky with my value ram and let me overclock the venice to at least 2.2ghz from 1.8. People have gotten up as high as 2.8ghz with air and better memory. I got some of the stuff for major cheap. The PSU was only $60 after rebate from monarchcomputer.com. Its 450watt, but peaks at 520 plus its a 24pin supply. The video card is only $150 after rebate from the same place. The deal is still going for those interested. The seagate is only $60 after rebate at Circuit City and that is still available. If you're lucky you can get them to price match Wal Mart for additional $20 off. Wasnt too worried if it was SATA even though that was my initial prefence, but saving $40 was too good to pass over. The microsoft keyboard was only $21. At newegg, its 50 plus shipping. Got it off some front store at pricegrabber. Hope it gets here. I got a $10 rebate from microsoft and additional $5 from the store. Yeah yeah, im cheap and im a patient person who waits for rebates.

Anyway, here are some temp. picture until everything arrives and i can put it together. Oh yeah and i got a free copy of Far Cry and Half-Life 2 at monarchcomputer.com with a purchase of a cpu and mobo. KICK ASS!

Case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16811196001

Mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16813136152

Video Card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16814130214

PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16817104154

Speakers:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16836121118

Hopefully everything will be here on Friday. I wont have pictures avaliable until at least Sunday because im turning 21!! I will be way too drunk and hung over on Saturday to even mess with my computer.
 
Congrats on the first build and turning 21. Im savin up some cash for my rig. I think im gonna go with a 1tb storage system. Im not sure though. Big thumbs up on the free games too!
 
1) You'll want more than 512mb of ram
2) YOu can't put just 1 ram modual in with DDR, you need to install 2 at a time. Just pick up annother and go up to a gig. You'll thank yourself when you find out that windows will actually run on your computer then.

Also, don't run Windows 64-bit edition. Yeah its free, but it also blows and is unstable. Either run Linux or just run 32-bit windows on it.

other than that, looks good :thumbsup:
 
Ive heard some good and bad things about the 64-Bit Windows edition my self. Linux is a year ahead of windows in about every aspect it seems. Another good point Insane made is to pick up another stick of 512. Oh hell if you got the cash 2 more :p I saw a deal on new egg that you could get two sticks of 512 in a bundle for like 80 bucks or somthin like that.
 
Originally posted by Citizen_Insane@May 26 2005, 10:22 PM
1) You'll want more than 512mb of ram
2) YOu can't put just 1 ram modual in with DDR, you need to install 2 at a time. Just pick up annother and go up to a gig. You'll thank yourself when you find out that windows will actually run on your computer then.

Also, don't run Windows 64-bit edition. Yeah its free, but it also blows and is unstable. Either run Linux or just run 32-bit windows on it.

other than that, looks good :thumbsup:
[post=504191]Quoted post[/post]​


#2 is not true. You CAN run DDR in single modules, you just can't use the Dual-Channel feature that is in most modern boards. You should return the single 512 and buy a "matched set" so you can run DDR DualChannel. Makes it MUCH faster.
 
Depends on the ram and motherboard, I know some boards won't boot with an odd # of ddr sticks.
 
Originally posted by Citizen_Insane@May 27 2005, 12:22 AM
1) You'll want more than 512mb of ram
2) YOu can't put just 1 ram modual in with DDR, you need to install 2 at a time. Just pick up annother and go up to a gig. You'll thank yourself when you find out that windows will actually run on your computer then.

Also, don't run Windows 64-bit edition. Yeah its free, but it also blows and is unstable. Either run Linux or just run 32-bit windows on it.

other than that, looks good :thumbsup:
[post=504191]Quoted post[/post]​


Don't squander that system with a 32 bit OS... go with Linux.
 
Some good news and some bad. First of, the I dont get the rebates for the keyboard and mouse anymore because the fu*ker sent me an OEM box instead of a retail with a UPC that I need. Hes wrong, but wont admit it and blah blah. So i have him a bad rating on pricegrabber. Oh well not much else I can do. The other bad news was setting up the friggin DFI board. This thing is a bitch. I had to run one stick in its second slot and upped the voltage on the ram to 2.7. Then it booted, but still got the BSOD. I had to reformatt my drive and reinstall windows. Now everything is peachy.

Good news is i have a new system up. Ill post pictures later. Finally have a real graphics card and processor. Moving from a Geforce MX400 and 1700+ XP is a HUGE difference. Oh yeah and i meant to say 2x512MB of RAM. This motherboard is really picky about what kind u use. Ill stay away from windows 64 because of too many bugs. More good news is that my bday was kick ass. Drank for 12 hrs. 5PM - 5AM. Had a shit load of Heikken, some Bud Light, some jager (sp), some bailey's, some corona, and some smirnoff for the ladies. In all about 300 for beer and liquour. Its not official tell 30th of May, but my brother is here from the Air Force visiting and is leaving soon. So no biggie.

The only real gripe Im having about my new build is why did it stutter during far cry?? I thought this video card and processor can handle it. Maybe my settings were too high. Anyway, im still playing with the settings and stuff and getting comfy with it. Hopefully with good cooling i can reach 2.7ghz !! =)

And thanks for all the comments guys.
 
If the settings are too high, EVERYTHING stutters in FarCry. The draw distance is just too much for a lot of comps. Have you tried patches/drivers/updates?
 
The stock voltage is at 2.5V. However, in order to boot properly and have no errors in memtest86, I needed 2.7V. And all is gravy. Corsair warranties their memory up to 2.9V and I dont need to go that high. I still need to prime and memtest86 again soon to make sure everything is stable and error free. Right now I am at 2250mhz from 1.8ghz. The CPU is around 35C idle and 42 loaded. Thats a pretty good overclock for a chip that cost $160. I might go higher if I have proper cooling. = )

Post the results of my tests later.
Oh yeah SuperPI in 37seconds.
 
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