Second Build

[lenny]

I am strictly a low end user of a computer, but I have a great interest to improve my skills
and to fully understand the functions of the components to be used in their support and
dependability to each other in their performance for their maximum potential.
Have researched earnestly believing my selections would address my needs for my
second build, since I made many errors on my first build for which it will be used as a
back system as I go along with the second build.
The list is as follow:
motherboard>asus a8n-e socket 939 nvidia nforce ultra atx amd (newegg#n82e16813131530)
processor>amd athlon 64 3200+venice 2000mhz ht socket 939(newegg#n82e16819103535)
memory>ocz 1gb 184 pin ddr sdram ddr 400(pc3200) (newegg#n82e16820146969)
harddrive>western digital caviar re wd2500yd 250gb 7200 rpm (newegg#n82e16822136010)
combo drive>samsung 52xcd-r 32xcd-rw 52xcd-rom (newegg#n82e16827151086)
floppy drive>samsung 1.44mb 3.5 internal (newegg#n82e16821103203)
videocard> gigabyte gv-n52128ds 128mb74-bit ddr agp 4x/8x (newegg#n82e14125191)
soundcard> creative sound blaster (newegg#n82e16829102003)
keyboard&mouse > microsoft comfort curve & mouse(newegg#n82e16823109156)
modem>u.s. robotics usr5670 56kps (n82e16825104001)
case>aspire x dreamer11 atx mid tower power supply 420w (newegg#n82e16811144026)
windows xp home edition

[glc]

Not too bad, but a few suggestions.

I'd get a dual channel ram kit - I prefer the Corsair Value Select 2x512 DDR400.
I'd recommend a Lite-On DVD burner instead of a combo drive.
You can't put an AGP card in that motherboard, it's PCI-Express.
You don't need a sound card - the onboard sound is quite decent.
I'd recommend a USR 2973 *hardware* modem from Mwave.
The power supply in that Aspire case is not suitable for a PCI-Express motherboard and video card, and it's also low quality.

[lenny]

glc:
Took your advice and changed to dual channel Corsair Value Select(n82316820145440)
Added DVD Burner Lite (n82e16827106019)
Looking at CASE XION XIONII XON-103 Power Supply 450W (n82316811208008)
Looked for USR 2973 "hardware" modem from Mwave, no luck yet, will stay wit the current one. Came across a very interesting article about PCI-Express will study the graphical display for a better understanding of its functions.
Thank you----Lenny

[lenny]

glc:
Took your advice and changed to dual channel Corsair Value Select(n82316820145440)
Added DVD Burner Lite (n82e16827106019)
Looking at CASE XION XIONII XON-103 Power Supply 450W (n82316811208008)
Looked for USR 2973 "hardware" modem from Mwave, no luck yet, will stay wit the current one. Came across a very interesting article about PCI-Express will study the graphical display for a better understanding of its functions.
Thank you----Lenny

[minsonngo]

Everything looks good now except for the PSU in the case. It probably would be better to replace the PSU in the case for a quality one: Find one that is ATX 2.x with over 500w of power.

Here is a list of good brands to look for: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=131195

EDIT: Looks like the PSU in that case is made by OKIA, a unreliable brand that made it to the bad list of PSUs at the link above.

[jayb1234]

Antec is one of the very few brands that come with decent quality power supplies in thier cases.

However they are normal looking cases without all the windows and lights.

If you must have a flashy looking case, get one without the power supply and get a decent quality PSU to put in it.

[glc]

You need a PCI-E video card - whether you want to or not, that's all that motherboard accepts. If you are not a gamer, why not just get an A8N-VM board and use the onboard video? That has onboard GeForce 6100 video - actually quite decent.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131571

If you don't need a flashy case, you cannot beat the quality of the Antec Sonata II and its included power supply.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129155

Here's the modem:

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec....iteria=AA28240

I didn't research all your links, but make sure your external drives match the case color! Beige drives look like crap in a black case.........

[lenny]

my revised list is as follow:

motherboard> asus a8n-vm socket 939 nvidia geforce 6100 micro atx amd
processor>amd athlon 64 3200+venice 2000mhz ht socket 939 (newegg#82e16819103535)
memory>corsair valueselect 1gb (2x512) 184pin ddr sdram dual channel(newegg#n82e16820145440)
harddrive>western digital caviar 250 gb sata 3.0gb/s (newegg#n82e16822136010)
floppy>samsung 1.44mb 3.5 internal (newegg#82e16821103203)
lite-on16xdvd burner w.litescribe5xdvd-ramatapi/e-ide m (newegg#82e16827106019)
keyboard& mouse>microsoft comfort curve& mouse (newegg#82e16823109156)
modem>usr 56k/v.92datafax hardware modem#2973 us robotics (mwave.com)
case>antec life style sonata II piano atx midtower 450w (newegg#82e16811129155)

I thought I should be a low end user, but i certainly will take up the challenge and I am
most grateful for the opportunity presented.
thank you ---lenny

[minsonngo]

Looking good.

[blue60007]

Might try this hard drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822144701

That one you've got there is the RAID Edition, which isn't really necessary.

[lenny]

glc:
Regarding the change of the motherboard asus a8n-e to asus a8n-vm which has
northbrige nvidia geforce6100 and southbrige nvidia enforce410 which has support
for onboard video and PCI express slots should be the correct motherboard along
with other features?? I am trying to use logic for the change, thus I may begin to
understand the process based on the readings of jon "hannibal stokes of arstechnicia.

http://arstechnica.com/articles/paed...are/pcie.ars/1

The core logic chipset acts as a switch or router, and routes I/O traffic among the different devices that make up the system.

In reality, the core logic chipset is split into two parts: the northbridge and the southbridge (or I/O bridge). This split is there for a couple of reasons, the most important of which is the fact that there are three types of devices that naturally work very closely together, and so they need to have faster access to each other: the CPU, the main memory, and the video card. In a modern system, the video card's GPU is functionally a second (or third) CPU, so it needs to share privileged access to main memory with the CPU(s). As a result, these three devices are all clustered together off of the northbridge.

The northbridge is tied to a secondary bridge, the southbridge, which routes traffic from the different I/O devices on the system: the hard drives, USB ports, Ethernet ports, etc. The traffic from these devices is routed through the southbridge to the northbridge and then on to the CPU and/or memory.

Am I on the right track?
Thank you----Lenny

[glc]

I've never gotten into the theory - but the advantage to the 6100 is it has a video controller intergrated into the chipset AND it supports the use of a PCI-E video card for an upgrade. The only real downside of the integrated video controller is it shares system ram instead of having its own dedicated ram - and with 1gb of system ram it will not affect you adversely. The vast majority of the business systems I sell these days use integrated video, I only sell video cards to gamers and heavy graphics users such as CAD users. If you find the need for better video performance later, it will be easy to simply add a video card and disable the onboard controller.

[lenny]

I believe I have finalized my second build, I will use my first build as a back up.
motherboard>amd asus a8n-vm socket 939 nvidia geforce 6100 micro atx (newegg#82e16813131571)

processor>amd athlon 64 3200+venice 2000mhz ht socket 939 (newegg#82e16819103535)

memory>corsair valueselect 1gb (2x512) 184pin ddr sdram dual channel(newegg#n82e16820145440)

harddrive>western digital caviar se16 wd2500ks 250gb 7200rpm 16mb cache sata 3.0gb/s (newegg#n82e16822144701)

floppy>samsung 1.44mb 3.5 internal (newegg#82e16821103203)

lite-on16xdvd burner w.litescribe5xdvd-ramatapi/e-ide m (newegg#82e16827106019)

sony 52x cd-rom ide drive model cdu5225 (newegg#82e16827101134)

gigabyte video card gv-n52128ds geforce fx5200 128mb 64-bit ddr agp 4x/8x (newegg#n82e16814125191)

keyboard& mouse>microsoft comfort curve& mouse (newegg#82e16823109156)

modem>usr 56k/v.92datafax hardware modem#2973 us robotics (mwave.com)

case>antec lifestyle sonata II black atx mid tower 450 w (newegg#n82e16811129155)

windows xp home edition
I am getting advised by family members to make sure that the system would be capable of
handling all of the family photos and additionals incoming photos sent to me, presently I have
9 greatgrand children photos in stock ,etc.. (and I want to be a low end user.)
would appreciate some guide lines---Lenny

[Cricket]

Replace the CD-ROM drive with a DVD drive. A Sony DVD drive would be fine.

The 250GB hard drive should be big enough to store all the photo you get for some time to come, but you could always add a second hard drive when necessary. Using an external hard drive is also an option.

Cricket

[minsonngo]

Looking pretty good. Good luck with the new build!