completely off topic but...
PoweredByDodge
Posts: 4,185
i'll be assembling my first "home made" computer in the next few weeks (Well over the next few wks bit by bit).
its a gift for somebody else, and they wanted a desktop not a tower - so i got an old 486 case and completely gutted it... ripped out everything including hte power supply.
only things i kept where the power on/off button, the "hard drive spinning" LED, and the "power" LED. -- might use the old 3.5" drive -- a 3.5 is a 3.5, those dont tend to change.
anyway -- the plan is to use a micro ATX board, as it will fit in there, with a 300 - 350 watt power supply -- not doing any gaming, buying an intel board that has integrated video / audio / ethernet / usb / parallel / and seriel all ready available for direct hookup.
was thinking of using a 1.8 GHZ - 2 GHZ celeron cuz they're cheap.
also - a memorex cd burner and a 40 gig western digital hard drive.
if i have my way we'll do a DVD as well.
256 mb ddr ram
shopping list is
cdrw
dvd
40gig h
256mb ram
56k modem
300w ps
celeron
pair of amped speakers
intel micro atx board
anyway, total cost for all this is ballparked around 400 shipped to my door for all new brand name parts in retail packages from www.newegg.com
so my questions are.
1- has anyone dealt with newegg ? opinions?
2- is this a fair price for what i've described?
3- does this sound sufficient for windows XP pro ?
4- is there anything i shoul dbe aware of as far as "not normally known ****" when putting together a computer? i've done basic upgrades, everything short of a motherbaord on my own before, but that was in the days of 486's and P1's -- haven't really screwed around with my P3 yet.
5- the uatx board dosn't line up with the holes of the 486 case, however, i've got hte old 466 pin outs -- i dunno if any of u remember but the parallel and seriel ports didn't used to be soldered to the board, they used to be screwd to the case and then a little wire ran (one for each pin) to the board. well since the uatx board is small it leaves me enough room to put the old (or even buy new ones) plugs into the case's holes and then run the wires (and put the appropriate pin plugs on them) to just plug them right into the uatx board's normal outs -- kinda like little 6" long extention cords basically... is that something thats ok ?? that way i wouldnt have to saw the back of the old case off and then try to fabricate a new back.
i can't believe this 486 case though -- its literally 15 years old, yet after a good brillo / alcohol / paint thinner cleaning it looks not a day over a year old - almost new. one little scratch in back but other than that its nice -- i was gonna paint it black, but now that i look at it, i may not.
its a gift for somebody else, and they wanted a desktop not a tower - so i got an old 486 case and completely gutted it... ripped out everything including hte power supply.
only things i kept where the power on/off button, the "hard drive spinning" LED, and the "power" LED. -- might use the old 3.5" drive -- a 3.5 is a 3.5, those dont tend to change.
anyway -- the plan is to use a micro ATX board, as it will fit in there, with a 300 - 350 watt power supply -- not doing any gaming, buying an intel board that has integrated video / audio / ethernet / usb / parallel / and seriel all ready available for direct hookup.
was thinking of using a 1.8 GHZ - 2 GHZ celeron cuz they're cheap.
also - a memorex cd burner and a 40 gig western digital hard drive.
if i have my way we'll do a DVD as well.
256 mb ddr ram
shopping list is
cdrw
dvd
40gig h
256mb ram
56k modem
300w ps
celeron
pair of amped speakers
intel micro atx board
anyway, total cost for all this is ballparked around 400 shipped to my door for all new brand name parts in retail packages from www.newegg.com
so my questions are.
1- has anyone dealt with newegg ? opinions?
2- is this a fair price for what i've described?
3- does this sound sufficient for windows XP pro ?
4- is there anything i shoul dbe aware of as far as "not normally known ****" when putting together a computer? i've done basic upgrades, everything short of a motherbaord on my own before, but that was in the days of 486's and P1's -- haven't really screwed around with my P3 yet.
5- the uatx board dosn't line up with the holes of the 486 case, however, i've got hte old 466 pin outs -- i dunno if any of u remember but the parallel and seriel ports didn't used to be soldered to the board, they used to be screwd to the case and then a little wire ran (one for each pin) to the board. well since the uatx board is small it leaves me enough room to put the old (or even buy new ones) plugs into the case's holes and then run the wires (and put the appropriate pin plugs on them) to just plug them right into the uatx board's normal outs -- kinda like little 6" long extention cords basically... is that something thats ok ?? that way i wouldnt have to saw the back of the old case off and then try to fabricate a new back.
i can't believe this 486 case though -- its literally 15 years old, yet after a good brillo / alcohol / paint thinner cleaning it looks not a day over a year old - almost new. one little scratch in back but other than that its nice -- i was gonna paint it black, but now that i look at it, i may not.
The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
Post edited by PoweredByDodge on
Comments
-
oh i just wanted to note i intended to extend all the plugs in abck...
that means not only the seriel and parallel and video which will screw to the case, but also the three audio "headphone jack" ones which i'll just radio shack some plugs that are on a flat penel or something, cut a hole and go with that... far as the PS2 ports, i was gonna get 1 foot extentions and use grommets and just let the extentions stick 4 inches out the back of hte case. the USB i'll prolly just buy a front panel usb port thing and put it on the back and wire it to the motherboard's "front panel" pins.The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge -
Haha... at last i can help you out with something...
Ok.. newegg.. probably one of the best place to get comp stuff... they reliable and price are pretty good...
To asnwer your questions.. 400 seems about right.. and it be more than sufficient for xp :P
but... nowadays.. computer are so cheap that its better off at times buying one... unless u building a pro high end comp its not really worth it..
Since you at the 400 range.. why not take another 200 bucks and get a laptop :P
Compaq 2100T 2GHz 128MB 14.1" $619 at HP Shopping
Choose Notebooks >Compaq Notebooks >2100T >Customize with: 128MB DDR, 20GB Drive, MS Works, 24x CDROM, 14.1" XGA LCD. This brings your total to $799 - 10% coupon code PC9018 - $100 rebate [Exp 12/1] = $619 with free shipping. Other specs include:
Celeron 2.0GHz, 10/100 + 56k, Radeon 7000. Upgrade to 15" LCD for +$50, 54g Wireless LAN for +$50.
or if you really really want a desktop how bout this..
it gives u everything u need... plus a 15 LCD :P then grab a 50 bucks cdrw or upgrade for addtional 20 bucks or so and call it a day...
Dimension 2400 2.2GHz 128MB 15" LCD $573 at Dell Home[/]
Grab this Dimension 2400 as configured for $599 - $25 off $500 coupon code B036FDAB63CA [Exp 2/29] - $100 rebate + $99 shipping = $573 with no tax for most.
Pentium-4 2.2GHz 400MHz FSB, 128MB DDR, 40GB Drive, 48x CDROM, 10/100 + 56k
Dell Keyboard/Mouse, 15" LCD, Integrated A/V, ADA215 Speakers, XP Home
Save you time... and even support... not like they have A+ support but its at time better than nothing when u need warranty.. they do it directly
Hope this helps! -
If you are going to buy a Compaq, just take a gun and shoot yourself now. save the 600 bucks for your funeral because that is what you will end up wanting to do anyway.Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
compaq is dog **** -- my girl has a compaq now and after replacing the hard drive, ram, some drives, and reformatting it about 20 times and ghetto rigging windows 98se, we finally ahve it running sorta stable... and its only 2 yrs old.
far as buying a laptop - her dad wants/needs a reliable desktop.. he has a new keyboard, optical mouse / flat panel LCD monitor, just wants a new comp -- and he's dead set on wanting a desktop (flat) not a tower (up and down tall one). ... thats why we're building -- else we'd buy a dell refurbed for 550 with the same features in a tower and actually slightly better.The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge -
you could get a docking station for a lap top...
-Cody -
A docking station is going to add another 300-400 bucks and that doesn't include a printer. Just the docking bay, monitor and some other small accessories.Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
the only laptop i'd trust enough to put the hardcore use he's going to put on it would be alienware or dell, either of which would cost a small fortune to get the same features in a laptop as it would in the "case" style...
luckily he's got a nice hp photo jet printer that's pretty new so the only thing i actually have to do is build the comp itself.
soldered up all the extentions.... but now i need a few things...
- two 1 foot PS2 (mouse / keyboard) extention cords.
- one front USB port (preferably dual) thingy.The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
