I'm going to start lining up the parts for the PC I want to buy when I get my tax returns.

I'm looking at starting with this for a barebones kit:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Se...details.asp?EdpNo=2928330&CatId=332

I picked it because it's cheap, upgradeable to 4G of ram, and has the fastest processor in that price range. If it's a bad idea off the bat, say so.

My first question: The mobo in the kit has two IDE and 4 ata connections. What is for what? Should I be looking for ata or ide harddrive(s)?

For components, I was looking at:

HP dvd +-R with lightscribe $50
Memory: ultra PC3200 400mhz 2G - $180
Radeon x1650pro 512MB pcie video card
creative soundblaster audio card - $35 (just need it for the midi)
All in one memory card reader (fits in 3.25 bay slot) - $15
Firewire X4 card - $15
Windows Vista - $120 (bout time I got a legit copy of windows on my PC)
Seagate 400G harddrive (16mb) - $125


Anyway, can anyone think of anything else I'd need? Is there anything I could get cheaper without sacrificing performance? Is there anything I'm not seeing with the parts I've picked that will effect performance? How will the components use the ata/ide inputs on the mobo? Will I need ata harddrive or ide? (I'm assuming that the dvd drive will use up at least one of the ide slots?)

This system is mostly going to be for gaming + graphics (dvds, HDTV if I ever get a monitor/tv that can handle it.)

there were just seagate 500GB 16mb cache for $119 like a couple days ago

definately go with Sata interface on the hard drive. much faster and the cable is a lot easier to manage inside the case. I would say you should go with a newer dual core processor like AMD's X2 or Intels Core2Duo but that 4000+ is still pretty smoking.

and if you wanna go with Vista then go ahead....your funeral. Complete resource hog. Youll get a lot of flashy cool looking effects for a big drop in performance. Oh and DRM, so don't expect to be downloading any music or movies or watching any HiDef videos. I would say stick with XP except for the fact that the marketing geniuses at Microsoft seemed to have made Vista and XP the same exact price. Probably so they could just say "hey why not upgrade...look, they're the same price" to get unsuspecting people to fall for their trap.

sorry about that rant. You system looks pretty solid though.

oh yeah and i work at staples and just saw a maxtor 500GB sata drive go on sale for 79.99. i think the regular price is somewhere around 140.

the ones I saw were SATA, but you can't get SATAII (3G) cheap...

I'm really unsure of vista myself. I've heard it was pretty intense. I like XP, but I thought xp couldn't run the new dual processors?

dertoxia said:

Can I get a case, mobo, and one of them processors for $179? I'd love an amd X2, but I don't know if I can get one so cheap. The 400W power supply is a good thing too.

yeah thats the thing is the dual cores are still up around 300 bucks. if you go with that 4000 youll probably have to upgrade in 6 months to a year. with a dual core youll be set for a while.

and i run xp with an intel centrino duo.

oh and you should be careful running a 400w PSU with that video card. it might not be able to handle it. those "came with the case" power supplies are generally shit and are rated beyond their ability. if it says 400w then it's probably peak power and is actually around 320w or so. theyre also known to be unstable and the voltages can fluctuate burning out your components.

Most people never think about their power supply because they dont think that it can directly affect the performance the way good RAM can but the truth is a shitty power supply can give you tons and tons of problems. even getting a cheap name brand PSU is wayyyyyy better than the shit they bundle with cases.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Se...etails.asp?EdpNo=2948216&CatId=1916

I think I just spermed myself.

Is there a catch? The other X2 kits are $500+. Why is this so cheap, and with so much shit?

dude i can see windows people being windows people but honestly are you gonna pay microsoft? they get soooo much $ from every comp that is sold basically. just fucking download that shit...

sxealex said:

Basically, no. This is a barebones kit. There IS no fucking OS. I could throw lindows, red hat, unix, or whatever I want on there. And yes, for $119 I'll get windows. They get $$ from every OS sold, not every computer. A few years ago, WAL-MART tried selling dirt cheap PC's with really nice quality components. They could afford to sell these systems for $300 or less, because they didn't include windows. Instead, they used a linux hybrid that mimics windows, callled Lin-dows. They sold like shit. No one wanted them, they preferred to go elsewhere and spend several hundred more for systems with worse components, just to have a nice familiar windows box.

As for downloading, I'm all set. I can install any damned Microsoft OS all the way through XP pro and media center from one disk. The PC I own now is running a ripped copy of XP, because I didn't want to buy something again that came with the computer, and Best Buy never gave me a restore CD or serial (the computer was a replacement under their lemon policy.) It's a pain in the ass, updating is nigh impossible, security flaws are stuck wide open, and you have no technical support. These things, to me, are worth that $119.

I think you have to pay if you sell a machine with Lindows

lindows became linspire. they lost a lawsuit with microsoft that i think walmart paid most of.

u just contradicted me saying that microsoft does not make money off basically every computer.
or... you thought that I was talking about your computer somehow...
if the later ok fine mistake.

but, if u really believe they dont make money off of practically every machine being sold, check out the law suits having to do with selling back windows. now... or at least last i heard, manufacturers are required to pay you for the copy of windows should you wanna return it and not use it. to avoid monopoly problems they have to put this in the windows user agreement or license that ships with it.

In other words: Save your money. There should be no guilty conscience to pay off. Gates and friend shant starve.

sorry no offense but the technical support issue is dumb. paying microsoft will not get you better support. Imagine everyone in the world who has a MS license calling microsoft for support... if u want support buy a real supported system that doesnt charge people for work they did once by themseleves, and one which charges for REAL support they give you in relation to works by millions that are trying to accomplish real goals. Ps... i would never buy mac os x if this helps you understand. I use it everyday... but honestly companies could shift their efforts from gaurding their precious 0s ans 1s to helping their users that need the help. Kind of like educators should not focus on selling their written material but rather their skilled time should come first.

also a benefit of this for non-open-source compaines would be to replace their advertising campaigns with funds toward making the actual product better... so people would probbaly just use the best shit availible if it were all free. then the same dumb asses who ask me to fix their computer everyday could pay a fucking company that could handle this instead.