At last! First Build :D

[PotGuy]

Right after months and months and months of scrounging, i have just ordered the final componants for my new rig

Of course they won't come until monday, but that gives me time to pummel you lucky people with any questions i can think of

Only drawback is that ill have to order a replacement psu over weekend >< ill get that hiper one everyone likes so much

right anyway, the spec is as follows - if you can see any holes please tell me

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- Thermaltake VM3000BWA Tsunami Dream Tower Case -

- Thermaltake Black PurePower 480W Butterfly - Replace with Hiper

- AMD Athlon 64 3700+ Socket 939 Processor -

- Zalman CNPS7000B-CU Aero Flower Cooler -

- Asus A8N-SLi Premium nForce-4 S-939 Motherboard -

- 2x Hitatchi T7K250 250gb Sata II Drives in Raid 0 -

- Crucial Ballistix 1GB PC3200 Memory (2x512) -

- XFX nVidia GeForce 7900GT Extreme Edition -

- LG DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive -

- Sony 1.44MB 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive -

- Samsung 19" SM940B Black/Silver LCD TFT -

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Thats the basic spec. Can you think of anything else i may need, like fan controllers or whatever?

Is there a big risk of me getting it all wrong and creating a nuclear explosion or something? I'm kind of worried because this is my fist build and so I don't really have any idea how complicated it is

Still i trust you guys will give me the best advice around, so yay

 

[murdoch]

What about an Operating System?

 

[Me__2001]

nothing springs to mind other than why bother with the CPU cooler ?, you should have waited to see if you need it but i doubt you will as i think that case has some 120mm fans that should give you some decent air flow and they are pretty quiet so you wont need a fan controller

just take your time and double check everything

BTW nice spec

 

[PotGuy]

Sorry Murdoch its gonna be xp home. Wanted proffesional but heard that its touch and go setting up a network with xp pro and home.

thx me

so where do i put all the fan connectors? Surely the motherboard only has 2 fan connectors?

and I bought the cpu cooler because I think ill have a crack at overclocking it a little, and while I know that it still wont need such extravagant cooling, I'd rather be safe than sorry

Well, it also has a lot to do with the fact it will look cool

 

[Me__2001]

im pretty sure chris has this case so he can put me right, but i think that there is a fan controller already in the case so it will probably only need a 4-pin molex connector and the fans should be hooked up to that

the motherboard should have 3x 3-pin connectors for case fans plus it will have one for the CPU fan but the majority of case fans i think come with a 4-pin plug on them

 

[V_R]

I got a Tsunami dream. (Look here) It dont have a fan controller, but it does have two 120mm fans front and rear, and a 92mm fan on the side panel (if you get the one with a window.)

Nice Spec PG.

 

[ChristopherP]

The fans that come with it are 4 pin molex, and not three pin. That means you hook them up to the PSU, not the motherboard.

Don't bother with the CPU cooler, cancel that one, just use the Retail AMD one - its under warranty then, and the new ones run so damn cool anyway it wouldnt make a blind bit of difference to the temps probably.

Dont need a fan controller either that would be pointless.

Other than that, good spec.

p.s i hope you ordered the Dream with the window, its a top case, great for modding, and has a side fan

 

[muckshifter]

so it will probably only need a 4-pin molex connector and the fans should be hooked up to that

the motherboard should have 3x 3-pin connectors for case fans plus it will have one for the CPU fan but the majority of case fans i think come with a 4-pin plug on them

They do ... and my STONG advice is to use them ... do not, I say, DO NOT use the headers off the MB ... why have unnecessary power problems.

Nice spec ... I would have been tempted to get 2gig ram and not bother too much about what case I got, but then, that's me.

You will find the "stock" cooler will do the job ... only if you are going to be foolish and try overclocking would you need something a little more exotic. And even then, AMDs 939 coolers are very good at their job, dammed pleased with mine.


We have mobile & land-line phone numbers if needed.

 

[floppybootstomp]

That's got the makings of a very nice machine

I wondered though, although the Hiper PSU is a better choice, what's wrong with the Thermaltake 480W PSU? I thought they were Ok.

Also, hopefully you got the San Diego version of the 3700, it has a 1Mb cache.

The Zalman cooler is very good.

And two x Hitachi 250Gb drives in RAID 0 should fly - lovely stuff

If you have any problems during the build, just shout here, we'll be about to help should you need it.

 

[PotGuy]

yep - made sure i got a nice big cache

The Thermaltake psu only had an 18A 12 volt rail. I've been meaning to replace it for months but it slipped my mind as i was aiming to get the gfx card & monitor before the end of easter holidays - and i have

and yes Chris, i went the extra £10 and got the window - which may i add, looks the dog's...goolies...

Thanks for your comments guys

I wont be building until next week, as saturday deliveries are £10 more (!)

I bought the mobo back in about December I think, and since then - having done some further reading - I have found that some of the Premiums have reliability issues. I don't know how many, but nobody on here ever seems to have had a problem with them, have they?

It seems they sometimes decide to die randomly after about 10 mins, and have to be sent back to Asus. Any idea how likely it is this could happen to me?

 

[Adywebb]

I bought the mobo back in about December I think, and since then - having done some further reading - I have found that some of the Premiums have reliability issues. I don't know how many, but nobody on here ever seems to have had a problem with them, have they?

It seems they sometimes decide to die randomly after about 10 mins, and have to be sent back to Asus. Any idea how likely it is this could happen to me?

I have one which I used for a build around December and it works like a dream..

 

[V_R]

Have you thought about joining the PCR Crew Potguy?

That pc would make a great BOINC-er!

 

[Rush]

By Mucks

Nice spec ... I would have been tempted to get 2gig ram and not bother too much about what case I got, but then, that's me.

Damm i was gonna suggest that , because with a graphics card so good , top range games like BF2 would really appreciate 2GB

 

[psd99]

looks like a powerful machine there potguy

should be a cracker!

so how much is it costing you rouglhly?

i was going to upgrade but decided to delay and after all that comotion!

 

[gabriella]

Hey Potguy

You MIGHT just be able to help me. Tell me more about 'it's touch and go setting up a network with XP Home and XP Pro' PLEEEASE!!!!!

If people want me to start another thread, I will happily do so or Potguy send me a PM off site.

I need some help on this very issue and it's driving me MAD!!

Love

Gabriella x

 

[muckshifter]

Hey Potguy

You MIGHT just be able to help me. Tell me more about 'it's touch and go setting up a network with XP Home and XP Pro' PLEEEASE!!!!!

If people want me to start another thread, I will happily do so or Potguy send me a PM off site.

I need some help on this very issue and it's driving me MAD!!

Love

Gabriella x

Yep, XP home has network bits missing & Pro goes all snobby if you think you can get it to talk to the lowly home version.

Start a new thread Gabs ... easier to help you then.

 

[ChristopherP]

Home is great for networking.

We have 5 pc's running home here, talking to each other perfectly.

We also have my cousins PC hooked up when he comes over, that works too.

 

[PotGuy]

lol sorry gabs ive never networked before just remember someone here saying it a while ago

the total cost over the last 5/6 months has been about £1100 i believe

and yes so long as the build goes fine ill certainly do a bit of crunching for you guys

I can't afford to go 2gb atm. Crucial Ballistix is £100/gb, so ill probably upgrade when i get the money

Im going to finish the job and get the replacement psu today. I've looked at a few reviews of the Hiper Type-R and they all say that it is somewhat short of sata connectors, and the cables are awkward.

Did any of you find these problems? Or are they just finding things to review ?

 

[V_R]

and yes so long as the build goes fine ill certainly do a bit of crunching for you guys

Good stuff!

You will have a great pc there when its all finished. Just dont go and install nortons on there and spoil it!

 

[Me__2001]

if you really wanted 2GB of RAM you could have got some GEIL value for £110 and thats good stuff