OK
so a lady gave me a pc today.. and ive decided to start a little project..
like super budget

so im gonna use the hdd that came with it.. and just format the hell outta it.. as i was told it had a virus..

the motherboard is fried .. so im thinking of getting the open box asrock micro atx from newegg for like 17 bucks..

1 gig of hyper-x ram 117 dollars
the crap stick of 256 that was in it can be donated elsewhere

and some sort of case.. to be honest this is a perfect chance for my lian li cube plan..
Newegg.com - LIAN LI PC-V300A Silver Computer Case - Retail

now i have to figure out weather or not i want to use the POS power supply that is in the pc now.. or go with a better unit. but after thinking about it.. ill have to get a full size power supply for that case. so upgrade here i come.

the real problem comes with cooling.. as i do plan to air cool untill i can afford to water cool it..
and i need a GOOD air cool setup in there..

i was thinking the thermalright si-97a with a vantec tornado..
think itll fit??

i figure ill slap a copy of ubuntu on there for now and see how i can make it work

anyways..

think its worth the $$
or should i just ditch the whole box..
start from scrath..
then again.. im poor.. lol

thanks..
j

I wouldn't put a $90 case and $120 of memory into an A1400.

The 1400 also wasn't a spectacular overclocker, as most "top-of-their-breed" CPUs are.

Quote: Originally Posted by Hak Foo I wouldn't put a $90 case and $120 of memory into an A1400. The 1400 also wasn't a spectacular overclocker, as most "top-of-their-breed" CPUs are.

what would be a solid setup for under 400 dollars..
something worth spending the $$ on??

edit**

make that about 300..

as the case would cost like 100 shipped..

Well, I'd maybe put only like 512M of memory in it (ideally raid the spares boxes), and put it in an inexpensive case you will not feel guilty about hacking to pieces. Ideally go to your local comp graveyard and pick up something for five bucks, maybe it will even come with a sacrificial optical drive or video card.

Quote: Originally Posted by Hak Foo Well, I'd maybe put only like 512M of memory in it (ideally raid the spares boxes), and put it in an inexpensive case you will not feel guilty about hacking to pieces. Ideally go to your local comp graveyard and pick up something for five bucks, maybe it will even come with a sacrificial optical drive or video card.

512 would work
i could cheap that up too..

i do want to get the case tho.. cause ive wanted to mod one of those for a while now..
i could just do it later with better guts tho..

i have a opt drive with the pc already.. should work. its some kind of cd burner..
ill poke around for cheap cases.. but i dont know of any pc graveyards around here??
even tho im pretty close to VA tech

maybe ill swing by the high school

what makes them bad clockers??

If you're looking at trying to get a computer under $300 I would recomend going with a nice new computer. I just priced this out on Newegg and it comes out to $415 shipped and it will wipe the floor with that current setup.

AMD Athlon 64 3200 AM2
512mb DDR2 667 PQi
400w Fortran PSU
160GB Western Digital Hard Drive
Lian Li Cube Case
Biostar T-Force 6100


I've got pretty much the same setup (only with a Sempron 2800 @ 2.0GHz) and it doesn't have a problem with anything. The integrated graphics arnt great but they'll manage most games at 800*600. Plus the mobo will give you quite a bit of OC headroom.

Quote: Originally Posted by eascarface If you're looking at trying to get a computer under $300 I would recomend going with a nice new computer. I just priced this out on Newegg and it comes out to $415 shipped and it will wipe the floor with that current setup. AMD Athlon 64 3200 AM2 512mb DDR2 667 PQi 400w Fortran PSU 160GB Western Digital Hard Drive Lian Li Cube Case Biostar T-Force 6100 I've got pretty much the same setup (only with a Sempron 2800 @ 2.0GHz) and it doesn't have a problem with anything. The integrated graphics arnt great but they'll manage most games at 800*600. Plus the mobo will give you quite a bit of OC headroom.

He said he already has a HDD, so -52 bucks. Even cheaper.

Quote: Originally Posted by phantommaggot 512 would work i could cheap that up too.. i do want to get the case tho.. cause ive wanted to mod one of those for a while now.. i could just do it later with better guts tho.. i have a opt drive with the pc already.. should work. its some kind of cd burner.. ill poke around for cheap cases.. but i dont know of any pc graveyards around here?? even tho im pretty close to VA tech maybe ill swing by the high school what makes them bad clockers??

On an abstract level, each core seems to have a celing-- most chips won't go any further than it, even with fairly ridiculous cooling, and regardless of initial speed grade.

Look at hwbot for examples. Bartons, regardless of speed grade, top out at 2700-2900, with an average of 2300-2500.

Start with the lowest-clocked model, and you'll end up in about the same place, but it will represent a far more impressive overclock than what you got out of the top-end model.

The chips with great OC reputations, things like the Celeron 300A, the P4 820, possibly the Duron 1.6, weren't famous for where they end up so much as how far they went to get there.

escarface-
woa!
cheap...
thanks for looking all that up.

well hows about this..

i take the socket 939 chip i have here
( 3500+ winchester)

and use that chip.

then just get a new motherboard/ processor for my box.. and go dual core!

should have thought about that before..

Newegg.com - AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+(65W) 2.2GHz Socket AM2 Processor - Retail
Newegg.com - CORSAIR 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM Desktop Memory - Retail
^id add another one later..
some sort of mother board..
put that in my current system

use whats left to do a cube project..

thats like ~450$.. which isnt terrible..
when am2+ rolls around.. those prices may drop a little too.. i hope..

i already have a BFG 6600GT. so ill just keep that..

how does that sound?

hak foo-
i see what your saying..
eventually the core tops out.. no matter what its original speed was..
thanks for clearing that up

so.. ill pay 16 bucks and get a board so i can play with this box for now..
maybe a dirt cheap case.. as the one its in now.. is .. no longer useable..

you guys are awsome!

Well if you've allready got a graphics card and hard drive then I would see about going the Intel route. The performance difference between a Core 2 Duo and any of the Athlons is staggering. (The slowest Core 2 can match an FX-62---AMD's top o' the line!) If you've got a Fry's nearby they'll ussually have a nice deal on a Core 2 Duo E6300 + Cheap motherboard that will probably cost around $180. Throw in some nice memory and you'll have a screaming fast computer.

However if you're going to go the AMD route I would pick up this processor instead. The speed difference is negligable and you'll save quite a bit.

check out wordbikers post...

pick up a 1800 for 25$

http://forums.pcapex.com/trading_pos...ness_sale.html

ok
my current setup is
asus a8n sli deluxe 939 (no dual core support )
amd 3500+ winchester
bfg gforce 6600gt pci-e
dvd r\w
dvd rom
160GB sata hdd
250GB sata2 hdd
(about to buy a 400GB sata2 so i can dedicate the 160 elsewhere.. )
1GB (2x512) corsair xms memory

got that setup a few years ago..

so..
saying i kept everything i could..

id have to swap
motherboard
chip
memory
at least..
correct?

what is the deal with the L1 cashe on duos vs amd x2..
i realize the L2 cashe can be bigger on duos.. but the L1 wont choke it?

Yup. At minimum you'll have to replace the mobo, processor, and ram. As for any questions you have about Core 2 check out this review.