# Looking to build a new computer.



## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

I will be honest it's been about 4 years since I did a good computer build so lacking behind on technology abit. 
I still now how to build one etc but im starting my BTEC National in IT in a few weeks so thinking maybe building something fresh and getting back in the know abit.
Have't set a budget as of yet but going to order a case soon and will be building it as and when I get the money.

Im going to look into watercooling and wondering how loud it is because I've done my share of loud computers and it's soo nice to have a quiet one for a change so want to keep having a quiet one but don't know where to start on parts for water cooling.
Also cases, if I build my own computer I like to have a nice case to show everything off. I'd love to use my HP Compaq computer im using now for bits but the fact remains the motherboards the wrong way round so nothing can be swapped over 
I would like to have a nice solid state hard drive aswell, something nice and quick but how reliable are these?

Also whats the deal with processors these days? Is it still Intel for basic reliability and ease of use and AMD for gaming etc? 

Graphics cards? ATi or Nvidia? I would like to run a split screen system too, when I last build a computer you could get cars with two VGA's on them, can yous till get them? Or Paul mentioned today the ones with VGA and DVi on them, you can get an adapter to use both? 

Any other advice would be welcomed as I want to get a nice list wrote up of what I need to get to keep it the spec I want.

The Pc wont be used for much but it's nice to have the power as and when I need it. Mainly internet usage and college work though allot of my college work I'l just do on my Hp Compaq computer as *touch wood* it's bloody reliable provided I keep the dust out of it.


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

budget lad ?


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## Janitor (Feb 14, 2006)

Get a Macbook Pro or an iMac and be done with it


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

Janitor said:


> Get a Macbook Pro or an iMac and be done with it


Not my thing sorry. Used my mates for a week and couldnt get on with it and I spend quite a bit of time on msn and you cant get a decent copy of MSn with MSN+ for Mac's and eventually did my head in trying to work out who everyone was.

And as I said, I havent got a budget... maybe about £400 - £500


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

thats me out , i could spend that on a graphics card lol  

trying looking on scan.co.uk , novatech.co.uk ,yoyotech.co.uk for prebuilt systems or even on overclockers or techpowerup forums for good second hand systems


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

stoneyfordni said:


> thats me out , i could spend that on a graphics card lol
> 
> trying looking on scan.co.uk , novatech.co.uk ,yoyotech.co.uk for prebuilt systems or even on overclockers or techpowerup forums for good second hand systems


Don't want to buy somthing ready built though. No fun in that and I learn nothing. I bought my current computer and just annoys me it has 64bit this and SATA that and I havent a clue  I'm still living in the world of IDE's and VGA's :lol:


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

well if you dont know that , your gonna need a full spec list and cost drawn up , get on the forums i mentioned n read , youl not learn much plugging in a few sticks of ram and a hard drive


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

With SATA HD's how are they connect to the mother board? Do they have a separate power supply and SATA lead or are they all in one? Does the HD come with a SATA lead or do you have to buy them separately?


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

the HDD will have sata power and sata data ports , most enthuiast motherboards come with 1 sata data cable for each sata port on the board , the power supply unit has at least one lead with maybe 4-6 sata power plugs on it , some psus have more than one sata power lad tho to cover multiple drives etc , sata dvd burners etc all use the same principle


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

Thank you. Will issue 'Thanks' when I've finished with the thread 

Erm... How would you go about fitting slimline disc drives to a computer?


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## keyd (Mar 28, 2009)

Bailes I actually have a full pc build list for myself which is very good, let me dig it out and I'll pm you the list, also with rough cost as well. I wont include the case, or CD/DVD drive as you can pick those yourself based on your preference.


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

you mean such an external dvd drive , prob have a usb2.0 connection surely 

or do you mean an internal


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

stoneyfordni said:


> you mean such an external dvd drive , prob have a usb2.0 connection surely
> 
> or do you mean an internal


Internal... I like to have two cd drives for copying and I was thinking if there was away to get two slimline laptop disc drives into one slot?


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## dholdi (Oct 1, 2008)

Well its a couple of years since I built my last one but its still plays cod at full specs and it didnt cost much more than your budget.
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Conroe945 mboard
2 gig ram
250 gig sata drive
2 dvd writers
Nvidia 8800 GTS video card
Fatal!ty soundcard
It has been the most stable pc I have ever had and I put this down to the motherboard chips being intel which must get on with the intel processor.
The graphics card will drive 2 monitors having dual dvi outputs, you will get a dvi to vga converter with the card ( usually ) which will let you use a vga monitor if yours isnt dvi.
What I would say is dont buy a cheap case, get the best you can afford and one which you like the look off, I got a tsunami dream by thermal take and when I upgrade in the future the case wont be getting changed.
You say the pc wont be getting used much so this would be probably wasted for what you want it to do, but your surfing and college work would fly.


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

dunno about two drives in one slot , but have you no room for 2 standard ones , plus most good burn software can do disc to disc copies with one drive by storing an image on the hard drive before the burn stage


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

Whats XP Media Center like? Can you run it like a normal computer? And whats its advantages over normal windows? I listen to music all the time, so would it be any good for that? Saying that I also use itunes due to my ipod?


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

xp is away back there <<<< somewhere , get a beta version of win7 , its less of a resource hog too so better suited to less powerful systems imo


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

stoneyfordni said:


> xp is away back there <<<< somewhere , get a beta version of win7 , its less of a resource hog too so better suited to less powerful systems imo


Didnt think about that  Only thing im scared about is if when it does eventually come out I might not be able to afford to buy windows 7 so will have to wipe the HD and downgrade to XP.


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

think it switches off every two hours or so after march2010 or something silly like that , ive been using the betas since year 0 and theyve been great tho , everything works 100%


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

With Vista, can you just revert back from windows 7 with interrupting anything?


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

nope , needs a full installation , just have your data and your OS on seperate drives tho and alls grand


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## keyd (Mar 28, 2009)

Bailes said:


> Whats XP Media Center like? Can you run it like a normal computer? And whats its advantages over normal windows? I listen to music all the time, so would it be any good for that? Saying that I also use itunes due to my ipod?


Have XP MCE installed on a pc and to be perfectly honest have never used Media center as a program. Although the Xbox 360 does link up with a pc that has media center and can stream music, photos and video nicely.


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

If I was to buy 2005MCE and preorder windows 7 can I just do a straight upgrade when the time comes?


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

no , full install

http://mossblog.allthingsd.com/files/2009/08/windows-upgrade-chart.png


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

Bugger  Hate doing full installs. Thinking about it, If i build the computer bit my bit over a few months it should be out by the time I finish the computer.


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

i had my latest build of win7 on a bootable flash drive and i installed on a raid 0 array in 7 minutes from power on to the welcome screen , it doesnt take long , think my best for a dvd was 11 minutes for build 7100


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

Hmmm, thanks for the advice. Just wrote out a list. Not looking for a mega powerfull computer just somthing a bit more upto date and abit quicker than what I have now. I could upgrade mine for £150 but I don't know weather to do that or just build my own?


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

which works out better , u might make a few quid on ebay with the old bits too


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

stoneyfordni said:


> which works out better , u might make a few quid on ebay with the old bits too


I can upgrade my current computer to 4GB of ram, 1TB of hard drive, keep the standard AMD 64 Athlon X2 CPU, get a decent graphics card, a second CD drive, might have to upgrade the fans (know where I can get silent ones?) for about £200 - £250. Looking at double that for a fresh build.


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

thats the way to go , does your motherboard allow overclocking of the cpu ? as increasing its speed is the best way to help things along


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

stoneyfordni said:


> thats the way to go , does your motherboard allow overclocking of the cpu ? as increasing its speed is the best way to help things along


My CPU rarely goes over 30% to be fair, the 1GB of ram I currently have an the onboard graphics and sound cars abit dodgey so might benefit from upgrading them too.


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

what slot is your graphics upgrade , pci-e, agp etc ? 

finding an old agp is gonna be tough 

what motherboard have you


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

It's a fairly new computer, about 18 months old. It's a PCi-E slot and uses DDR2 ram so fairly modern aswell as SATA hard drives etc.


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## stoneyfordni (Aug 28, 2006)

ahh your laughing , have a look at ATIs card if your on a budget 4670 or something should keep u happy 

n thats coming from an nvidia fan :$


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

stoneyfordni said:


> ahh your laughing , have a look at ATIs card if your on a budget 4670 or something should keep u happy
> 
> n thats coming from an nvidia fan :$


This computer I ended up buying as it was a Christmas peasant and wanted something a bit more upto date.

The computer I had before that I build on a £300 budget, sacrificed 2 older computers and was running a decent spec and it still used downstairs for my Mum when she wants to use the internet, the main parts of it are the past part of 6 years old :doublesho


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