Want advice on a new build? Read this before posting!

[thefultonhow]

We've seen a lot of "new build" threads lately where people have not provided all the information we need to recommend parts. Sometimes it takes several posts to coax all the information out. It makes it a lot easier for us if you provide all the information up front and do your homework first:

1. Before you ask any questions, use the search feature. Search for "$1000 AMD gaming" and you will find a number of threads with $1000 AMD gaming builds. If none is current or you can't find something that meets your needs, go to step 2.
2. Have a look at Panama Red's sticky on what parts to use for a new build. That should give you a general idea/checklist as to what you should be looking for -- that way you can do a little homework first if you needed information about what parts you needed to put in your configuration.
3. When you post a new thread asking for advice, provide us with as much information as possible. A bad first post would be, "Hey, what parts should I use for my new rig?" A good one would be, "Hey, I'm looking to build a gaming system, and would like to go AMD. My budget is $1000 and I want to use the latest technologies. What parts should I use?
4. Tell us what will be included in the system. Is it just the box or is it a complete system with monitor, speakers, keybaord and mouse? Do you have any parts you'd like to recycle?
5. If you have anything specific in mind, say so. Don't wait for several replies to say, "Oh, and by the way, I want the build to have x and y and z, and none of your suggestions includes those components."

If you provide us with this information, it will make it considerably easier for us to recommend something that meets your needs.

[doctorgonzo]

If I may add something here, I think that when you post a list of components, that it would be a good idea to post the details in addition to posting just a link to the product at Newegg or wherever.

In other words, post this:

Gigabyte GA-M51GM-S2G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128009 AMD Athlon 64 3800+ Orleans 2000MHz HT Socket AM2 Processor Model ADA3800CNBOX - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103631 OCZ 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model OCZ2P8001GK - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227082 Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3808110AS 80GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148107 COOLER MASTER Centurion 541 RC-541-SKN1 Black Aluminumm bezel, SECC chassis MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119088

Instead of just this:

Here are my parts for my build, are they any good? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128009 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119088 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148107 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103631

That way, we can quickly see what your parts are, and then click on the link if we need more information or are unsure about something.

[glc]

I recommend you use the below linked procedure to validate your core components BEFORE putting anything into the case:

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=132409