Building A New Desktop System

[Firefoxx]

Ram is ram, as long as you're not overclocking. There's no difference between el-cheapo ram and super-premium ram, as long as you run it at spec. If you want to buy the premium ram, you can get it at the Busitek and Jedi shops.

[francois]

Ram is ram, as long as you're not overclocking. There's no difference between el-cheapo ram and super-premium ram, as long as you run it at spec. If you want to buy the premium ram, you can get it at the Busitek and Jedi shops.

hi'

but there is a big difference between "value" ram and low latency ram,

just because of the waffer quality, if you want good quality look for samsung or winbond chips

meaning, any brand gets it's value ram, cheap and not performing like their counterpart low latency.

corsair value pc3200, runs at 3.3.3.8, the low latency runs at 2,5.3.3.5, and this makes a difference, may be not in office work, but in video or gaming!

and 2x1gb is fine for the same reason, video and gaming, but also a big improvement in system stability.

this is what was said since months in any OC and techy forum and I can tell the same since I get 2x1gb ram, the improvement is obvious

mine is OCZ pc4000 running in turbo mode 2,5.3.3.6

OC? of course yes;)

francois

Edited March 20, 2006 by francois

[poorfarang]

Im still not sure what to look at when I go back to Pantip for RAM. How much can I expect to pay for 2GB low latency ram?

[Tywais]

Im still not sure what to look at when I go back to Pantip for RAM. How much can I expect to pay for 2GB low latency ram?

I payed a little more then 8k for 2 1GB sticks of Corsair XMS(eXtreme Memory Speed) memory (lifetime warranty). Ordered from 7days.com

[francois]

Im still not sure what to look at when I go back to Pantip for RAM. How much can I expect to pay for 2GB low latency ram?

I payed a little more then 8k for 2 1GB sticks of Corsair XMS(eXtreme Memory Speed) memory (lifetime warranty). Ordered from 7days.com

hi'

good news

that's what you need!

go for this

francois

[MikeWill]

How Much RAM Do You Really Need? (from Tom's Hardware: http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/12/13/how...eed/page12.html )

Indeed, 1 GB of system memory will most likely be enough for the average user and for people.

It will allow you to play new games at their highest quality settings, given that you have an adequate processor and a powerful graphics solution.

You won't have to shut down non-critical applications when you want to play a game.

You can (accidentally) press the Windows button while in a game without dying from a stroke during the seconds it takes to read Windows back into system memory from the swap file.

If you go from 512 MB to 1 GB, you will notice the difference all the time. Starting up Photoshop while working with Word, an Internet browser, e-mail client and Acrobat Reader will go so much faster, and switching between the applications is a breeze.

Still there are situations where more than 1 GB is what you want.

If you are a professional user, you might need more than 1 GB for really heavy applications.

If you intend to do heavy multitasking, especially if you have more than one CPU or CPU core. Running RAM intensive games such as World of Warcraft, downloading files via high speed FTP or encrypted protocols, Bittorrent or any P2P program; decompressing large archives and playing large size video files in a window or on second monitor all at the same time can max out your system memory pretty fast - if your CPU can handle it.

Another question is about a Floppy Drive. Floppy Drives are quite cheap ~ THB 300.00. I'm not sure if USB Flash Drives are an adequate replacement for the Floppy Drive.

Which Flash Drive (probably of 1GB capacity) would you recommend?

refer to: http://www.thanni.com/index.php?main_page=...sort=20a&page=2

[Tywais]

Another question is about a Floppy Drive. Floppy Drives are quite cheap ~ THB 300.00. I'm not sure if USB Flash Drives are an adequate replacement for the Floppy Drive.

Which Flash Drive (probably of 1GB capacity) would you recommend?

As for floppies, haven't used one in a very long time. The time you might need one is if you need to update (flash) your mainboard bios or if you are going to setup RAID where XP will ask you if you need to install 3rd party drivers. The first one could be done by making a boot CD with the flash software and binary, the 2nd could be integrated into a slipstream XP installation (what I'm doing now).

Wow, flash drives sure have dropped in price since I got mine. I have 1GB and a 2GB imation and very pleased with them. Reason for two, the 2GB wasn't yet available and needed a large capacity flash drive for my multimedia work.

The Kingmax you show looks very nice, very similar to my Imation - very small and the fold top is ideal.

[poorfarang]

I havent used a floppy drive in at least 4 years, but when I bought my case/mobo/cpu I had them throw in a floppy drive because my girlfriend still brings them home from university and expects them to work on my system.

I need to buy her a thumbdrive already...

[MikeWill]

As for floppies, haven't used one in a very long time. The time you might need one is if you need to update (flash) your mainboard bios or if you are going to setup RAID where XP will ask you if you need to install 3rd party drivers. The first one could be done by making a boot CD with the flash software and binary, the 2nd could be integrated into a slipstream XP installation (what I'm doing now).

Wow, flash drives sure have dropped in price since I got mine. I have 1GB and a 2GB imation and very pleased with them. Reason for two, the 2GB wasn't yet available and needed a large capacity flash drive for my multimedia work.

The Kingmax you show looks very nice, very similar to my Imation - very small and the fold top is ideal.

You probably referring to this one (see pic). For 1GB model it is THB 1850.00.

But still, in Thailand maybe it's worth to have a Floopy as well.

[mrbojangles]

1. Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Dual-Core CPU - THB 14,550

CPU AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800

Hi guys,

i'm just setting up a new business and to start with, i need to network 2 computers. I'm a bit of a learner with computers and so I would love your views on the best way to set up. Maybe best if i start another thread...not sure.

Anyways, back to topic, i have been shopping around today and had this Athlon 64 3400+ processor stuffed down my throat and i haven't the foggiest what it is. I've been told, if i don't buy a computer with this, it will soon be outdated and not compatible.

I'm pretty sure that i was being given a sales pitch but could someone enlighten me as to what it is and or does/

Cheers

MrBoJ

[MikeWill]

64-bit CPU AMD Athlon 64 3400+ uses Socket 754, which is rather outdated. It costs THB 10,260.00.

The current Socket is 939 and new coming soon will be AM2.

P.S. Update:

The current price for Dual-Core Athlon 64 X2 3800+ CPU Socket 939 is THB 13,700.00.

So yes, you were being given a sales pitch...

[mrbojangles]

64-bit CPU AMD Athlon 64 3400+ uses Socket 754, which is rather outdated. It costs THB 10,260.00.

The current Socket is 939 and new coming soon will be AM2.

P.S. Update:

The current price for Dual-Core Athlon 64 X2 3800+ CPU Socket 939 is THB 13,700.00.

So yes, you were being given a sales pitch...

Cheers condo,

Excuse my naievety but what do you mean by "socket". And does this mean Pentium, Celeron processors are outdated now Buying a new set up is a nightmare

[MikeWill]

Socket is a (female) plug in the main board where you install the processor (also called CPU). The same as the electric socket with 2 or 3 pins. The number of pins for Athlon CPU is 939 pins.

Pentium and Celeron are names for Intel's processors, but we are speaking about AMD's processors - one of them named Athlon.

AMD and Intel are 2 leading manufacturers of CPUs.

You need someone that have a clue in computers to advise you...

Edited March 21, 2006 by Condo_bk

[poorfarang]

Condo: Have you finished your system yet?

I will be finished soon. I need some RAM, a Power Supply, Hard drive and vide card. Just been so busy lately. I might just pay the premium and order online so I dont have to go anywhere.

[The Coder]

The only time you care about the socket is when somewhere down the line you want to upgrade your system by plugging in a newer, faster cpu. For AMD:

754: The current socket for mobile cpu's

939: The current socket for desktop cpu's*

*this is near end of life. around June new AMD cpu's will be for the new AM2 socket. What this means is if you buy a fast socket 939 desktop system today, years down the line you won't be able to upgrade unless you replace the mobo because the plug is different.

This whole thing about an outdated socket is fairly moot to me. If you wait for the bleeding edge AM2 socket, you'll have to pay the price premium for buying "the latest" and also have to wait for the delay of the technology arriving in Thailand. I'd wager it would be cheaper to buy a cheap "end of life" socket 939 system today, and years down the line replacing it with a cheap AM2 mobo & cpu when they are mainstream.

There are also people who argue you are outdated if you don't get dual core or don't get a 64-bit cpu. Again, not a simple answer and depends as both of these can be an advantage, or a disadvantage (dual core can sacrifice performance, 64-bit can sacrifice battery life).

Condo Bk - one bit of advice. The 6600GT video card is significantly faster than the regular 6600 with the same amount of RAM. Highly recommend you opt for that if you can.

[Tywais]

This whole thing about an outdated socket is fairly moot to me. If you wait for the bleeding edge AM2 socket, you'll have to pay the price premium for buying "the latest" and also have to wait for the delay of the technology arriving in Thailand. I'd wager it would be cheaper to buy a cheap "end of life" socket 939 system today, and years down the line replacing it with a cheap AM2 mobo & cpu when they are mainstream.

Condo Bk - one bit of advice. The 6600GT video card is significantly faster than the regular 6600 with the same amount of RAM. Highly recommend you opt for that if you can.

I agree fully Coder. It took a very long time before dual-core showed up in Thailand and at a premium price at that. The same will happen with the AM2 but add to that when the AM2 boards will be available and their price... There are ASRock boards available now that support 939 and can support AM2 later but I wouldn't trust their efficiency since they are not optimized for AM2. And there is DDR2... One has to decide to keep waiting or get something now that will perform very well for some time to come.

Another thing, the 939 will not be phased out for some time yet and as the premium processors such as the FX series are modeled down to, let's say, 7900 their prices will drop and upgrade to the current top performing machine level will be possible and cheaper with existing mainboard.

The problem with Intel CPUs is that they change socket types way too often forcing both a motherboard change and processor change when upgrading to a new generation CPU.

Also the 6600GT would be better.

Edited March 22, 2006 by tywais

[MikeWill]

The only time you care about the socket is when somewhere down the line you want to upgrade your system by plugging in a newer, faster cpu. For AMD:

754: The current socket for mobile cpu's

939: The current socket for desktop cpu's*

*this is near end of life. around June new AMD cpu's will be for the new AM2 socket. What this means is if you buy a fast socket 939 desktop system today, years down the line you won't be able to upgrade unless you replace the mobo because the plug is different.

This whole thing about an outdated socket is fairly moot to me. If you wait for the bleeding edge AM2 socket, you'll have to pay the price premium for buying "the latest" and also have to wait for the delay of the technology arriving in Thailand. I'd wager it would be cheaper to buy a cheap "end of life" socket 939 system today, and years down the line replacing it with a cheap AM2 mobo & cpu when they are mainstream.

There are also people who argue you are outdated if you don't get dual core or don't get a 64-bit cpu. Again, not a simple answer and depends as both of these can be an advantage, or a disadvantage (dual core can sacrifice performance, 64-bit can sacrifice battery life).

Condo Bk - one bit of advice. The 6600GT video card is significantly faster than the regular 6600 with the same amount of RAM. Highly recommend you opt for that if you can.

I take off my hat... and stand being corrected.

As an aside note, it is my believe that you'd strongly support advantages of 64-bit and dual-core CPUs against their disadvantages. The technological progress can not be disregarded because of some minor disadvantages, isn't it.

Actually, I am going to buy a MOBO (ASUS A8N-SLi Premium) with socket 939 myself (to stay safe behind the curve).

Re: VGA Card

I have ordered the ASUS "EN6600GT/TD/128" nVidia GeForce 6600GT 128MB GDDR3 128-bit DVI TV-Out PCI-Express Retail - THB 6,550.00

Hopefully, it is fast enough. Appreciate your comments...

I also ordered the:

- Seagate 300GB Barracuda 7200.9 16MB Cache S-ATA II NCQ Hard Disk Drive Model "ST3300622AS" OEM - THB 4,950.00

- Cooler Master 550W Power Supply w/120mm Fan Active PFC Retail RS-550-ACLY - THB 4,610.00

All these items are from Thanni. I've transferred payment (THB 16,305.00) on 20/03/06 and hopefully they will be delivered by carrier tomorrow (keep my fingers crossed).

I still have to buy the ASUS A8N-SLi Premium MOBO (THB 7,090.00) and Athlon X2 3800+ CPU (THB 13,700.00) both at Busitek. Plus RAM, fan for the case and other parts.

What kind and version of BIOS ASUS A8N-SLi Premium is uses?

I'm trying to learn on the whole issue of setting the BIOS.

[MikeWill]

In continuation to the above post, the specs for the VGA card are here: http://www.thanni.com/index.php?main_page=...2af83764b4c3f3a

Re: BIOS for A8N-SLI Premium

Here is what I was able to find...

Multi-language BIOS

The multi-language BIOS allows you to select the language of your choice from the available options. The localized BIOS setup menu helps you configure your system easier and faster.

ASUS CrashFree BIOS2

The CrashFree BIOS2 feature now includes the BIOS auto-recovery function in a support CD.

Users can reboot their system through the support CD when a bootable disk is not available,

and go through the simple BIOS auto-recovery process.

ASUS motherboards now enable users to enjoy this protection feature without the need to pay for an optional ROM.

BIOS 4 Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3

ASUS Update V6.10.02 Install Program for Windows 2000/XP/2003 & for Windows 64bit XP/2003.

BIOS Version 6.10.02 (on 2005/10/06) update

A8N-SLI Premium Beta BIOS 1011.006 Latest beta BIOS

BIOS Beta Version 1011.006 (on 2006/03/07) update

(refer to: http://support.asus.com/download/download....N-SLI%20Premium )

Maybe poorfarang can inform us what kind of BIOS he got with his new Board. Is it "8N-SLI Premium Bios version 1011" or not?

Also, on the version of drivers (see: http://support.asus.com/download/download....N-SLI%20Premium )

More info on BIOS could be found at: http://www.techspot.com/drivers/driver/fil...mium-bios-1011/

Edited March 22, 2006 by Condo_bk

[ianc66]

Just a thought last July I built myself a system not unlike yours

XP pro SP2

AMD Athlon 3000+ socket 939

Gigabyte Mainboard GA-K8NXP-9, NVidia nForce4 Ultra 2 SATA controllers ethernet and lots USB ports

GigaByte 6600GT

Kingston 4x 512MB For a total of 2GB 1 Gb cards were expensive

Floppy disk (only 240 Baht ) and I needed it to get the XP SATA drivers in

4 (FOUR!) Seagate 180Gb Serial ATA

Enermax 600 Watt dual cooling fans Nvidia SLI support

Coolermaster Wavemaster TAC-T01 sooo cool

and some other stuff. LCD screen DVD writer external disk for backup etc

This all works well and looks like I have an upgrade path for the CPU in future.

The one item I've not seen suggested in this discussion is making use of the SATA capabilities obviously the slim cables help but...

What I have done is put two disks together as a RAID 1 set for the system disk -- that way a single disk failure don't kill you, another disk for long term data and the fourth for temporary data and a hot spare

Edited March 22, 2006 by ianc66

[Firefoxx]

4 harddrive isn't actually a very large number. I do a lot of video work, and I have 7 drives, 4 are 250GB, 2 are 160GB, and 1 is 120GB. And I'm running out of space, both in the case and on the drives.

[The Coder]

What I have done is put two disks together as a RAID 1 set for the system disk -- that way a single disk failure don't kill you, another disk for long term data and the fourth for temporary data and a hot spare

An interesting statistic for data loss say 15% of the time it is due to a hardware failure and 85% of the time it is due to software/user like accidentally deleting something and RAID doesn't help you with that. Don't forget to backup regularly, and ideally store the backups off site where they are not susceptible to loss with the machine in case of fire, theft or flood.

[MikeWill]

Urgent Update

Just now I got the items ordered from Thanni:

1. ASUS "EN6600GT/TD/128" nVidia GeForce 6600GT 128MB GDDR3 128-bit DVI TV-Out PCI-Express Retail (EN6600GT/TD/128) = 6,550.00

2. Cooler Master "RS-550-ACLY" 550W Power Supply w/ 120mm Fan Active PFC Retail (RS-550-ACLY) = 4,610.00

3. Seagate 300GB Barracuda 7200.9 16MB Cache S-ATA II NCQ Hard Disk Drive Model "ST3300622AS" OEM (ST3300622AS) = 4,950.00

Previously I ordered and got the CoolerMaster Centurion 532 case = 2,235.00. So, I can say that my experience with Thanni was positive.

Subtotal of items purchased on the Web from Thanni - THB18,540.00

The saga continues...

[ianc66]

What I have done is put two disks together as a RAID 1 set for the system disk -- that way a single disk failure don't kill you, another disk for long term data and the fourth for temporary data and a hot spare

An interesting statistic for data loss say 15% of the time it is due to a hardware failure and 85% of the time it is due to software/user like accidentally deleting something and RAID doesn't help you with that. Don't forget to backup regularly, and ideally store the backups off site where they are not susceptible to loss with the machine in case of fire, theft or flood.

Sorry I probably did'nt explain myself very well. The issue is not just data it is downtime and the pain of reinstalling operating system utilities etc. if the drivbe should fail.

[MikeWill]

Speaking about hard drives, here is a nice free utility called SpeedFan < http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php >.

Check it out, the latest version is 4.28.

SpeedFan is an extremely powerful tool. It can help you a lot to find the reasons for an unpredictable reboot or for a failing hard disk. It can tell you whether you are likely to experience temperature related issues and can help you to greatly reduce the noise at work or while watching a movie. But this great power requires access to a lot of resources on your motherboard and it might be that your hardware does not like such kind of access. SpeedFan is used worldwide since 2000 and there are so many happy users out there, but you should always remember that no program can be perfect and that I can't be held responsible if SpeedFan causes any damage to your system.

[francois]

How Much RAM Do You Really Need? (from Tom's Hardware: http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/12/13/how...eed/page12.html )

Indeed, 1 GB of system memory will most likely be enough for the average user and for people.

It will allow you to play new games at their highest quality settings, given that you have an adequate processor and a powerful graphics solution.

You won't have to shut down non-critical applications when you want to play a game.

You can (accidentally) press the Windows button while in a game without dying from a stroke during the seconds it takes to read Windows back into system memory from the swap file.

If you go from 512 MB to 1 GB, you will notice the difference all the time. Starting up Photoshop while working with Word, an Internet browser, e-mail client and Acrobat Reader will go so much faster, and switching between the applications is a breeze.

Still there are situations where more than 1 GB is what you want.

If you are a professional user, you might need more than 1 GB for really heavy applications.

If you intend to do heavy multitasking, especially if you have more than one CPU or CPU core. Running RAM intensive games such as World of Warcraft, downloading files via high speed FTP or encrypted protocols, Bittorrent or any P2P program; decompressing large archives and playing large size video files in a window or on second monitor all at the same time can max out your system memory pretty fast - if your CPU can handle it.

Another question is about a Floppy Drive. Floppy Drives are quite cheap ~ THB 300.00. I'm not sure if USB Flash Drives are an adequate replacement for the Floppy Drive.

Which Flash Drive (probably of 1GB capacity) would you recommend?

refer to: http://www.thanni.com/index.php?main_page=...sort=20a&page=2

hi'

they just forget to say that with 2gb of ram you don't need exchange file anymore, the system is running on memory and doing so run faster!

you don't loose the pagefile.sys, but it remains at the same size than your ram and never move, neither fragment!

francois

Edited March 23, 2006 by francois

[astral]

they just forget to say that with 2gb of ram you don't need exchange file anymore, the system is running on memory and doing so run faster!

you don't loose the pagefile.sys, but it remains at the same size than your ram and never move, neither fragment!

francois

That sounds like a bug in Windows,

or at least, lack of foresight.

On second thoughts, it is probably a limitation of their 32bit OS............

Edited March 23, 2006 by astral

[MikeWill]

More on RAM

but it also related to BIOS...

(from TomsHardware http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/01/04/bio...o_z/page11.html ) :

26. Change RAM Timing Settings

Every SDRAM and DDR memory module includes a Serial Presence Detect (SPD) chip, which stores memory timing values settings. RAM vendors specify SPD values designed to guarantee safe, stable operation. Most of the time, however, it's worthwhile to experiment with tighter timing values, as this can improve overall performance by as much as 10%.

The relevant option may be named something like "System Performance", "Memory Timings", or "Configure DRAM Timing". As a rule, the default value for this option is "By SPD". This instructs the computer to read recommended timing values right from the memory module itself, and to automatically use those values for memory access. The alternate value "Enabled" is likewise unlikely to cause problems for your PC.

Those who want to tweak their systems for speed should instead select the values "Disabled" or "User Defined" if and when they're available (see Screenshot K.) Then set the parameter values yourself, as described in the tips that follow next.

27. Lower The RAS-to-CAS Delay Value

It's best to think of system memory as a kind of two-dimensional table. Accessing data first requires identifying a row using a signal called Row Address Strobe (RAS) and then a column using Column Address Strobe (CAS), to uniquely identify a specific memory location. A pause is required between the RAS signal and the CAS signal, to be sure that memory is correctly addressed. This RAS-to-CAS delay normally consumes two or more clock cycles.

The value for the "SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay" lets you specify exactly how many clock cycles must elapse between sending a RAS signal and then following with a CAS signal. Possible settings usually fall in a range from 2 to 5, where 2 is fastest. Reduce this value one cycle at a time, and test your system for stability with each change. The better the RAM, the smaller the value at which your system will keep working properly.

28. Reduce CAS Latency

When memory access is underway a particular time period must elapse between specifying a memory address and accessing its contents; this is called latency. This interval for a memory cell may be set to 2T for two clock cycles, 3T for three clock cycles, and so on. A smaller value for "SDRAM CAS Latency" means faster performance; higher means slower performance.

The safest and most correct value for "SDRAM CAS Latency" is usually printed on a label or etched directly onto the memory module itself. Typical values are 3T or 2.5T for lower-cost memory modules. Change this setting to 2.5T or even 2T, then test your system for stability. Some memory manufacturers claim that 2T-capable memory can also handle higher memory clock rates. If tightening CAS latency succeeds, you may also want to try boosting the memory clock rate by increasing the value for the "Memory Frequency" option.

Warning: Make only one change at a time, then reboot and test its effects by running a benchmark. This makes it easy to back off only the right value when instability rears its head and requires a rollback of some kind.

29. Reduce Memory Load Time

With the correct settings, memory cells acquire the electrical charge they need to operate more quickly. Set a value for the "SDRAM RAS Precharge Delay" option (in clock cycles) for the interval when the charge level is building and when the RAS signal is sent. Smaller values, such as "2", set the tempo faster than larger values, but larger values ensure more stable system operation. Reduce the number of clock cycles one at a time and test your system for stability after each such change.

30. Shorten The Delay Before The Next Memory Access

The "SDRAM Active Precharge Delay" option is also specified as a number of memory clock cycles. It indicates the delay between subsequent memory accesses, so reducing it can speed up overall memory access.

A typical rule of thumb for this value is: Active Precharge Delay = CAS-Latency + RAS Precharge Delay + 2 (added as a safety margin). As with other experimental value tweaks, reduce this number by one clock cycle at a time to determine if faster values work, as is often the case. As soon as stability problems appear, bump this value up by one to ensure trouble-free operation.

31. Read RAM Timings

RAM Timings: Incremental changes to settings help speed RAM performance (Screenshot L).

The recommended values for the settings in Tips 27 through 30 appear most often on the memory module itself. A set of values that reads "2.5-4-4-8" is specified in clock cycles, and means the CAS Latency is 2.5 cycles, the RAS to CAS Delay is 4 cycles, the RAS Precharge Delay is 4 cycles, and the Active Precharge Delay is 8 cycles. These represent the setting values that the manufacturer recommends for the memory's specified clock frequency. Smaller values may very well work, but they also risk system crashes. To improve performance, reduce these values incrementally one at a time, and test each change for system stability and performance, as shown in Screenshot L.

32. Increase RAM Input Voltage Levels

When RAM runs faster, it needs more voltage. That's why you must boost input voltage levels to match clock rate increases.

The "DDR Reference Voltage" option permits voltage levels to be raised in increments of 0.1 volts. Increasing this value makes sense only when you've reduced one or more timing values or have increased the frequency of the memory clock, and when stability problems begin to manifest.

Warning: Setting input voltage levels too high can destroy memory modules in some cases!

Edited March 23, 2006 by Condo_bk

[MikeWill]

they just forget to say that with 2gb of ram you don't need exchange file anymore, the system is running on memory and doing so run faster!

you don't loose the pagefile.sys, but it remains at the same size than your ram and never move, neither fragment!

francois

That sounds like a bug in Windows,

or at least, lack of foresight.

On second thoughts, it is probably a limitation of their 32bit OS............

Would you please clarify your thoughts.

[Tywais]

Well Condo_bkk and poorfarang are your new toys alive yet?

My last component, the mainboard, finally arrived this afternoon so will be busy this weekend. Just finished building a slipstream XP CD with SATA/RAID drivers (no floppy disk will be required), SP2 and all uptodate security patches in it so won't have to worry about a multi-step process to install XP.

Final complete configuration: Note: * are parts migrated from the old system.

1 - ASUS A8N32-SLI-Deluxe MB

1 - AMD X2 3800+ dual core processor

2 - 1GB Corsair XMS memory

1 - ASUS N6600GT silencer 256MB PCI-eXpress video card

1 - Cooler Master Centurion 530 Case

1 - Cooler Master 450W Real Power power supply

2 - 250GB 16MB cache CNQ SATAII internal drives configured RAID 0 (500GB total internal)

2 - 250GB external (USB/Firewire boxes) drives for a total of 1 TeraByte of Disk space!

2 - USB 802.11g Wireless network adapters for my media center PC link. Media center PC connected to a VGA port on a 42" plasma. All video files are on the main (new) system and wireless (file sharing) access to them.

1 - Round IDE cable for the DVD (improved air flow)

1 - Additional Thermaltake 12cm silent fan for exhaust

*1 - Wireless Logitech MX-Laser mouse

*1 - Wireless keyboard

*1 - Lite-on DVD Writer 8X write dual sided

*1 - Genuius 4800dpi bed scanner

*1 - Lexmark Z55 color printer

*1 - 19" Samsung LCD monitors

*1 - 17" LG LCD monitor (before 19" were affordable)

*1 - Creative desktop speakers with sub-woofer

Will try to take pictures so perhaps others who would like to DIY can see the process. I've built hundreds of systems but for some reason I'm more excited about this one. Perhaps due to three of us building similar systems at the same time. Let the games begin.

Edited March 24, 2006 by tywais

[MikeWill]

Good luck, tywais.

I will probably start with my system next week. Still need to purchase some items.

It would be very nice to see the pics and your reports/thoughts on the assembling process.