Any small form factor computer enthusiasts here? Biostar

[me63401]

Ive never built a computer before.

Ben kicking around building one using a small form
factor model such as the Biostar models. see link

http://tinyurl.com/pfkh

I know this wont be exactly "building" a PC from
scratch.... as with the Biostar units all you do is
insert a cpu, hard drive, etc..... but I thought it be
a safe way for me to start. And..... besides that I
like the looks of a sff computer.

Anyway..... has anyone built up one of these Biostar
machines before? Have good success with it? Any
advice?

John

 

[Dave C.]

Ive never built a computer before.

Ben kicking around building one using a small form
factor model such as the Biostar models. see link

http://tinyurl.com/pfkh

I know this wont be exactly "building" a PC from
scratch.... as with the Biostar units all you do is
insert a cpu, hard drive, etc..... but I thought it be
a safe way for me to start. And..... besides that I
like the looks of a sff computer.

Anyway..... has anyone built up one of these Biostar
machines before? Have good success with it? Any
advice?

John

Never built one myself, but I don't see anything wrong with the idea, as
long as the finished system has plenty of room for the drives and expansion
cards you intend to use for as long as you use the system. You're in luck,
as Tom's hardware did a review on these puppies recently. Happy
eading. -Dave

http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20040107/index.html

 

[me63401]

Never built one myself, but I don't see anything wrong with the idea, as

long as the finished system has plenty of room for the drives and expansion
cards you intend to use for as long as you use the system. You're in luck,
as Tom's hardware did a review on these puppies recently. Happy
eading. -Dave

http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20040107/index.html

Thanks!!

There is such a wide variety to chose form I don't know
what to buy.

What brand and model would you get if you want to stick
with Intel as a cpu?

John

 

[Fitz]

I've built 2 Biostar systems recently...one using the M7NCD and one with the
M7NCG mini-ATX with IGP. Have had no problems with either system. The
mini-ATX has everything you need to build a reasonable system. The onboard
graphics will expand to 128MB. On board LAN and sound work fine. Easy to
assemble the hardware part. Three PCI slots, 1 AGP, but if you use all the
onboard stuff, you won't need more. Don't skimp on RAM, as you will need it
for the graphics and system.

The only concern I would have is that Biostars manuals leave a lot to be
desired. They seem to assume a level of knowledge or experience that 1st
time builders won't have.
The documentation is very short, and the English translation isn't perfect.

It can certainly be done- it may just take a little figuring and playing
with the BIOS settings (and maybe some post back to the forum). They are
good solid boards at a reasonable price.

Fitz

 

[me63401]

I've built 2 Biostar systems recently...one using the M7NCD and one with the

M7NCG mini-ATX with IGP.

Ok Fitz.... thanks!

Question...... basically all you have to add to these
bare bone systems is the cpu, hard drive, and any
optical drives, right?

If yes.... can you give me a ballpark figure of what
the total cost of one of these system would likely run
after having bought and added all that?

John

 

[me63401]

I've built 2 Biostar systems recently...

Well Biostar is one Ive been looking at

Tell me....if I wanted to build one using a Biostar
system....and want to "occasionally" use it for Autocad
and other type apps.... as well as surfing the Net and
email.... which Biostar model would you go for?

Again.... want to stick with Intel cpu.

John

 

[Dave C.]

Thanks!!

There is such a wide variety to chose form I don't know
what to buy.

What brand and model would you get if you want to stick
with Intel as a cpu?

John

I'd probably be inclined to check out the AOpen model that Tom's Hardware
reviewed, but I've always been partial to AOpen motherboards. I've also
built with Biostar boards, and have had very good luck with them. -Dave

 

[Fitz]

AutoCad, to my understanding, is graphics and memory intensive. I don't know
that I would use onboard MX video. I'd probably go with an AGP card with 128
MB of onboard memory. Never having built an Intel system, I'm not familiar
with what boards/options are available to you. I won't try to convert you to
AMD, but that's all I've ever used. Hopefully, someone with experience with
Pentium will offer some advice.

Good Luck,
Fitz

 

[Ilya Slutsker]

Ok Fitz.... thanks!

Question...... basically all you have to add to these
bare bone systems is the cpu, hard drive, and any
optical drives, right?

If yes.... can you give me a ballpark figure of what
the total cost of one of these system would likely run
after having bought and added all that?

John

We recently built one at work, although it was Shuttle, not Biostar,
but I think the cost is about the same.
We used Model SB51G for $229,
added Pentium 4 2.66 for $164
Western Digital HD 80 G with 8 M buffer for $72
Crucial PC2100 512 M for $63
CDROM $20
Total cost = $548

We already had monitor with speakers, keyboard and mouse,
OS and software.
For Video/Audio/LAN we used all onboard components.
It took us about 40 minutes to get it together, following the
instruction
manual precisely.
We use it as a web server, and for occasional video conference.
Just for the interest I ran 3dmark2001 and got about 1500 points.

The Biostar model IDEQ200T uses the same chipset (INTEL 865G) as what
we used
and costs $262. It also can use 800 FSB ( ours was limited to 533).
So I guess you can use 2.8 CPU and some PC 3200 ram for a little bit
more money, but then it will be faster.

All prices are from newegg.com , that is where we bought all parts
from.

Good Luck,
Ilya

 

[me63401]

I'd probably be inclined to check out the AOpen model that Tom's Hardware

reviewed, but I've always been partial to AOpen motherboards. I've also
built with Biostar boards, and have had very good luck with them. -Dave

Yeah that AOpen model did get good remarks in Toms.....
didn't it!

John

 

[me63401]

All prices are from newegg.com , that is where we bought all parts

from.

Good Luck,
Ilya

Thanks for reply Ilya!

Crazy question here...

But if a person wanted to really be cheap abt this.....
and since I already have a PC with a cdrom drive and
Win XP Pro...... would it be possible to buy on of
these small form factor computers and only put the cu
and some memory in it.... and hook it up via my LinkSys
router to my other PC and use its hard drive and
optical off it..... as well as load Winodws form it?

John

 

[Dave C.]

But if a person wanted to really be cheap abt this.....
and since I already have a PC with a cdrom drive and
Win XP Pro...... would it be possible to buy on of
these small form factor computers and only put the cu
and some memory in it.... and hook it up via my LinkSys
router to my other PC and use its hard drive and
optical off it..... as well as load Winodws form it?

John

Yikes. I'm not sure that would even be possible. At the least, you'd have
to have a server version of Windows running on the other PC. XP would also
choke on the new detected hardware. When I say choke, I mean it will
literally lock you out of the OS. -Dave

 

[me63401]

Yikes. I'm not sure that would even be possible. At the least, you'd have
to have a server version of Windows running on the other PC. XP would also
choke on the new detected hardware. When I say choke, I mean it will
literally lock you out of the OS. -Dave

OK.... like I said it was probably a dumb question on
my part. Just a thought I had. <sheepish smile>

John

 

[Gary Tait]

Thanks for reply Ilya!

Crazy question here...

But if a person wanted to really be cheap abt this.....
and since I already have a PC with a cdrom drive and
Win XP Pro...... would it be possible to buy on of
these small form factor computers and only put the cu
and some memory in it.... and hook it up via my LinkSys
router to my other PC and use its hard drive and
optical off it..... as well as load Winodws form it?

John

Optical, yes. I do that all of the time on my home network (with only
one of my up to 4 PCs having an optical drive)

 

[Gareth]

Crazy question here...


But if a person wanted to really be cheap abt this.....
and since I already have a PC with a cdrom drive and
Win XP Pro...... would it be possible to buy on of
these small form factor computers and only put the cu
and some memory in it.... and hook it up via my LinkSys
router to my other PC and use its hard drive and
optical off it..... as well as load Winodws form it?

I don't know if this may help
http://www.via.com.tw/en/VInternet/mini_itx.jsp
I was hoping that this is where the thread was going.
Any comments, observations about the above.
Where else could one find low cost circa 800Mhz integrated Mobos ?

Just curious.
Keep on Groovin'
gareth
http://www.backstage.co.za/gareth/