Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

HELP CHANGING MY PC CASE TO A NEW CASE!


  • Please log in to reply

#106
WinCrazy

WinCrazy

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 324 posts
Retail stores carry only a very limited variety of models from a limited number of manufacturers. Many, if not most models in each store are sold on the basis of price not quality or good value. Unlike autos, a system in the store cannot be test driven. So, the vast number of people have no idea what they are getting since they know nothing about components and what the buzz words mean. They base their choice on price, color and other meaningless qualities. They also have no understanding of the limitations of any particular system and what factors make a better choice. The see buzz words like "DVD writer" and "dual core" and so they think they are getting something relatively good.

What the companies don't tell you is that all of their systems are nonstandard: You can't replace a motherboard or power supply without getting it from the manufacturer. And you can't upgrade the processor in the future, either.

A thousand bucks is not a lot to spend on a complete system (printer, monitor, speakers). This is hardly "top of the line". I'm not a gamer, but these are the systems that are pushing the edge of technology of non-server systems. Do some research into serious gaming boxes and you'll see what I mean. No decent gaming machine is based on an OEM system (Dell, HP, etc.). They are much too limiting. Its like trying to make a race car out of a Chevy - start with any model of Chevy and then replace every single piece of it. That makes no sense, so don't bother to try. This is why there is such a big market in computer components - if you want something that is good then you will have to build it yourself from components.
  • 0

Advertisements


#107
superstar

superstar

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
Yes but your missing the point...

These are brand new parts I bought in the past two months:

- Mutant Mods Atx/Micro Atx Case

- LG Dvd Ram +/- R/RW

- 450 watt psu

- 80GB Western Digital IDE Hard Drive


What your saying is cool. But I am supposed to still be able to use these new parts I bought. The only things new things I should be buying/replacing are:

- Motherboard

- Processor

- Ram

- & Possible a bigger hard drive which may be partitioned into 2 parts if neccessary


I'm asking what new parts I should be buying and how to know which ones I need, or how to determine the language/understanding of the parts I need so I get the best ones. or just recommend the best to me. I can obisouly still use my new case, my new hard drive, my new psu, and dvdr.

As far as the Oem stuff on hp pcs, and dell or whatever you mentioned. You said something about how you can only upgrade with there parts if you have there kind of pc. Well I had a flat hp vectra vl400 that ran in a vcr sitting case, off a special small psu. Well I reconfigured the mobo, and put it in the new case I bought and attached a newer psu that I bought at a store that was'nt even an hp psu, and I got it to work. So there are ways to make that chevy run like a beast! lol.

Just give me the facts.

Sammm???? SRX600????
  • 0

#108
Samm

Samm

    Trusted Tech

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,476 posts
Hi Superstar

$1000 budget will be plenty for upgrading your system. Bare in mind, you don't need the very latest processor/motherboard etc, so Wincrazy's estimate of $1000 for the cpu alone, is rubbish.

First off, you need to decide whether you want to go for an AMD or an Intel cpu. Personally I would recommend AMD but there's no reason why you couldn't get an Intel chip if you wanted.

If you decide to go with AMD, then here's an example of the type of thing you could get. All these prices are taken from Neweggs website & therefore are in US dollars.

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Venice HT processor (socket 939) single core - $154.00
OR
AMD Athlon 64 x 2 4200+ Manchester dual core (socket 939) - $357

Asus A8V K8T800 Pro (AGP, 5xPCI, 2 x IDE, 2 x SATA, DDR400) - $66.99
OR
MSI K8N Neo4-F (1 x PCI Expressx1, 1 x PCI Expressx16, 4 x PCI, 2 x IDE, 4 x SATA, DDR400) - $74.99

Crucial 512MB DDR400 - $44.99

The Asus motherboard is just an example of one that still supports AGP video. If you wish to upgrade the video as well, then you will have a far greater range of boards to choose from, such as the MSI board I listed.
Make sure you select a board that is NOT micro ATX (i.e get a full size ATX board with plenty of PCI slots).
Also choose the manufacturer carefully. Stay away from brands such a PC Chips, ECS, Biostar etc. The best manufacturers are DFI, Abit, MSI, Asus (most the time), Asrock. Even with these manufacturers, it's still possible to get a buggy board so check out the reviews for any particular board before buying. Also check CPU & RAM compatibility.

RAM - stick with the better brands such as Crucial, Corsair, Kingston, OCZ. Never buy generic stuff.

BTW. Many new boards now support 24pin ATX PSU. Assuming you currently have a 20 pin ATX PSU, then you'll need to get a 20pin to 24pin ATX converter.
  • 0

#109
superstar

superstar

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
Thanx for the info Samm. [bleep] I always love hearing from you. & yes I have my new psu has a 20-24 pin connector converter on the end of it already. It's 450watt, I hope that's enough???

Yah I kinda thought wincrazy was going overboard with pricing there for a minute. $1000 for the processor alone? Wow that must be a pretty superfast pc processor. lol.

Samm I have concluded that after calculating your prices I will end up spending between $400-$600 depending what parts I want. That's a really good bargain for an upgrade. Both of the mobos you recommended said stuff like 2x IDE, & 2x SATA. Does that mean I can still use my new 80GB western digital IDE hard drive, and still be able to use a SATA drive too?

If so that's good news.

I still have a lot to learn about specs on mobos, processors (intel vs. amd), and ram in order to make the right decisions. If you have links for tutorials, read files, or anything that will help me learn more about these hardware pieces and how they work let me know. I don't even know what the difference between an amd chip, and an intel chip is. lol. Not to mention that I want to have this upgrade last me for a very long time.

Thxxx

:whistling: :D :D :) :blink: :)

And Samm your so smart! You impress me everytime you leave a post. The smarTest girl I know! HANDS DOWN!!!!

:help:

Edited by superstar, 13 May 2006 - 01:06 AM.

  • 0

#110
Samm

Samm

    Trusted Tech

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,476 posts
Yes, you can use your 80GB drive plus Sata drives at the same time.

Check out this website for info/tutorials on computer hardware :
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/
  • 0

#111
superstar

superstar

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
Can I buy a new big flat lcd widescreen? Or will it slow down my pc somehow? Would it work on my this pc? I mean only reason I'm buying it is to buy the upgrades for the inside of my pc later. Basically taking care of the outside before I take care of the inside you know? Because I won't be buying a new mobo, ram, and processor for some time!

By the way I'm buying a video card for this pc... Maybe ya'll could check out that new thread too. I need the best one out of the list of vid cards I made on the thread. The new post is called:

"I've Listed Some Video Cards. Which One Is The Best?
I only want one out of all of the cards listed. EVERYONE POST!!"


If you check that out please compare them all to the last vid card posted which is one my friend is trying to sell to me, and is the only used one on the list. He claims it's better than all of the brand new ones I posted at that thread even though his is 3 years old!

Help me before I make some BAD PURCHASES!

THANX

SRX600/SAMM/WIN CRAZY

Edited by superstar, 18 May 2006 - 12:04 AM.

  • 0

#112
Samm

Samm

    Trusted Tech

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,476 posts
No, a large flatscreen monitor will not slow your system down at all.
  • 0

#113
superstar

superstar

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
HOW ABOUT A LARGE FLAT LCD WIDESCREEN MONITOR?

SAME THING?

By the way I bought a "ATI Sapphire Radeon 9550 256MB 128Bit AGP8X V+D+T" video card...

Seems like it works fine with some of the games I have run. It use my desktop at 1152x864 resolution. I believe I had it on 24-Bit before on the desktop properties, and now that the agp vid card is in it's pushed it to 32 Bit on the desktop properties (on the desktop....right click>properties... you know what I mean).

Well before I installed the card my average free ram was at 320mb, and now after the card it's at about 270. I wonder if this has anything to do with a 32 bit desktop. I thought you said that a video card would free up my system ram because it would'nt use the integrated graphics Samm???

I mean when I installed the card all I did was turn off my pc, slip it in the agp slot, plug the vga monitor to the agp card, and turn on my pc. It recognized the card since it got to the desktop. I mean I restart my pc now, and it still loads the imaging from the agp card. But maybe I still have to disable the integrated graphics somehow????

Another thing it came with is an overclocking program. I have no idea what that is or what it does.

Should I be having this card running at its max, well I mean what it can with on default settings with its drivers and program, or should I lower the settings, and if so what?

I mean my ram seems to be of a lessor average free number now. This agp card lets me run games now... I mean I thought it would give me sharper imaging when I play a dvd movie in my dvd optical drive. But it still seems the same. I don't see a change whatsoever. I know I could'nt play 3d games before, oh I know that. But the dvds I play look the same... That sucks. Maybe I don't have the card configured right. Maybe that is why it's dragging down my ram.

Contrary to popular belief I will say this again. My system has always ran fine for what I need it to do. But after adding this agp card I was certain that my ram would be higher and that I would be able to do more as Samm said. Maybe I need to lower my screen res, or desktop bit res. I dunno.

Theres a reason why it is lacking...

I mean the 3d games I got for this pc all need the following pc system minimum requirements:

This specification will be sufficient for you to enjoy most compatible games with good graphics, sound and control, subject to correct configuration and some limitations.

Intel Pentium 3 700Mhz or AMD Athlon 800Mhz CPU*
128MB system RAM
200MB free hard drive space
additional 20MB-100MB free hard drive space per game, depending on game and number of saves you make
100% Microsoft DirectX 7 compatible video, sound and input devices**.
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft DirectX 7 (default plugins), DirectX 8 (all included plugins)
*the plugins contain SSE optimisations, early Athlons did not have SSE.

**The video device must be a primary device, have at least 16MB local memory and two texture units. Depending on the features supported by your video card some content may not be displayed correctly and thus some games marked as compatible may suffer glitches or not be playable on your system. The exact features required vary from game to game.

nVidia GeForce256 and ATI Radeon (early models) are suggested as realistic minimum video hardware. In conjunction with good quality drivers they have the required features. Newer cards mainly allow better resolutions, filtering, anti-aliasing and so on.

The following chipsets (thus any and all graphics cards based on them) can be considered below minimum specification:

3dfx Voodoo 1,2,3 (1,2 - not at all, 3 - poor image quality)
ATI Rage128, Rage Pro (poor image quality)
Intel i740, i810 (poor image quality)
Matrox G200, G400, G450 (poor image quality)
nVidia Riva128 (poor image quality)
S3 Savage 4, Savage 2000 (particularly bad, these cards hang)



I meet all of that. Another prop I get is when I play games the audio skips badly. I lowered the audio to off, since I do not want to sync sound, or have the audio buffer at a higher rate because this will make my gameplay lack. I assume this is because I need a pci soundcard instead of using my integrated sound on my mobo?

I just want to have this card working in my favor. Not too much, not too little. Just right. So I can go on without worries.


Thank You.


P.s.
Forgot to say... My card is AGP 8x but it is backwards compatible. I mean I think my mobo supports agp 4x, so its on that. I dunno if that means the speed it runs at or something. Maybe if I find out what that overcloking program it comes with on the cdrom I can get it to work better?

Edited by superstar, 21 May 2006 - 04:49 AM.

  • 0

#114
Samm

Samm

    Trusted Tech

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,476 posts
This is just a quick reply for now cuz I'm off to bed...

Re. the video card & ram question :
If you have, for example, 256MB of ram installed & an integrated video card which is configured to use 8MB of the system ram, then your total system ram left available would be 256 - 8 = 248MB. By disabling the integrated card & using an add-on card instead, you should have access to the full 256MB as system ram.
This is what I meant when I said about freeing up ram.
  • 0

#115
superstar

superstar

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
1. I assume a monitor does'nt use ram, or the system at all. I'm guessing I can attach any monitor to my pc with no bad effect. But can I hook up a 19" wide-screen LCD to my pc without slowing down my computer? Basically would it run the same as if my crt monitor was hooked up?

2. I play games now with my nice radeon 9550 256MB 128 bit card, everything is fine but the sound skips when I play games. I'm using the integrated sound on my mobo. There is no way for me to change the buffer for the sound on the games I play. I'm assuming the vide card is displaying the game fast and the integrated sound cannot catch up. Some of the help files for the games say that having a decent sound card is a requirement for good sound. I am not sure that means quality of sound, or playback rate. I'm getting a sound card regardless since I am an audio engineer, and need it for good sound. But if I add a sound card like a "sound blaster live 24 bit" pci card to my system will this fix the problem with game audio playback?

3. My mobo supports 4x on an agp card. My vid card is 8x but backwards compatible. Since my mobo supports 4x, does this mean my videocard is running slower than what it would on an 8x agp slot?

4. Last thing. I have heard the last Ghz the p3 processor went up to was 1.2GHZ, or the later 1.4Ghz tualatin processor. There selling pentium 3 processors at a store close by for about $10-$20. They even have those 1.4Ghz tualatin p3 processors. What is the highest GHZ and specs of a pentium 3 processor I can use on my "HP Vectra VL400" socket 370 mobo? Because for $10 I'll get that 1.4Ghz tualatin processor or whatever I can use on this pc. I heard theres convertors or something like that as well that let you put certain processors on your mobo if it does'nt except it. If I need that for a 1.4Ghz tualatin or higher p3 chip let me know what I need. (ie: socket convertors, etc). Letting me know the specs of the highest processor I can use would help too. Hey it's only $10.00

5. Does my "HP Vectra VL400" support the single Tualatin range of processors? (ie: one tualatin processor on desktop mobo, not two as on a server).


Thank You

Edited by superstar, 25 May 2006 - 04:07 AM.

  • 0

Advertisements


#116
superstar

superstar

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
...

Edited by superstar, 26 June 2006 - 06:40 PM.

  • 0

#117
superstar

superstar

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
ALRIGHT ALRIGHT... So I have'nt been on here for a while. IGNORE THE PREVIOUS POST I MADE A LONG TIME AGO ABOVE! I've been busy working at my new job. Hours are 5am to 11pm.

Yes hectic I know.

WEll here comes a new serious question...


Please respond as I will be working very much of this week. So I probably won't be able to reply for a bit.

Well I just bought a new "LG DVD Writer" optical drive to go with the same model of the same one I bought a few months ago... Here is the link to the drive:

http://www.canadacom...d...&cid=CR.184

I bought the exact one a few months ago. So with my recent pay at my new job I bought one to match. Before I just had the LG and an old cd-rom drive that dates back to like 1999. LOL!

Anyways the drives were positioned like this in my pc before I bought the LG to match:

1. The CD Rom drive jumper was set to master, and it was plugged in using the end of the ribbon.

2. The LG Drive (which is the same model as the new I bought) had its jumper set to slave. And it was placed on the middle of the ribbon.


Well now this weekend I bought another LG dvd writer drive to match. & had everything set the same way except the old cd-rom drive was taken out, and I replaced it with the new matching LG dvd writer. Jumpers and ribbon were set the same way.

The problem I am having?

Well when I insert certain media into the new drive it doesnt ask me what to do with the disc with the prompt that win xp does with any optical drive.
As in asking you what to do with the disc as (ie: open folder, play disc, write to disc, etc). I tired putting in blank dvds, blank cds, etc. & it wont work. It wont even read them. It will show an icon in "my computer" showing that there is a disc in there. But as for prompt, or "details" of the media (ie: mb/gb size) in "my computer", that doesnt show either. If I try to click on the drive with a disc in it windows makes a message that says "drive is inaccessible". I tried blank dvd, cds, cdrws, etc. Nothing automatically gets prompted when you insert a disc. Yes the properties are set the same way as the first LG drive I bought which is of the same model. So its probablly not that. Only disc that works in it is audio cds from record stores, and with those it properly prompts me asking me what to do with it. So something is wrong. All media works in the first LG drive I bought months ago which is the same model... so I dunno. Today I took the drive back to the store and exchanged it with the same one. I put it in my system and its doing the same thing again.

Funny cuz even the old cdrom drive I had there before prompted me with what to do with the disc. and showed me details of the disc in "my computer". I dunno what it could be. I have an "HP Vectra VL400" for those of you who forgot!

It cant be the drive cuz its doing the same thing, and I just exchanged it with another one at the store. Same brand. So now I have two LG drives that are identical in my case. One works fine, and the other isnt. They are the same model. What could it be?????? This is stopping me from burning media with the new LG one, and playing discs, or reading discs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a pain.

Even the old cd-rom drive worked fine like the first LG i bought.

HELP.

I have to sleep.. I have work at 5am. See you later...

P.s. Sam and SrX600!!! Whats up? Take it easy guys. Stop working too hard! Hope yall respond.. Maybe I have a bios problem. Or I have to uninstall all the software that came with the first LG Drive I bought months ago and re-install it. I forgot to mention the first lg drive i bought came with a free software disc. That drive was also manufactured at a previous date. the software was just nero, and some other junk to watch movies. No driver stuff from what I know. The new Lg drive that I just bought is identical to the first, but it comes with a newer version of the free software cd, and the drive date is manufactured at a more recent date. But the cd with the newer manufactured lg drive seems to have the same ole programs, I don't read any driver stuff on it etc. Why would a dvd writer bring drivers anyway? Dam thing gets me mad. Just when I thought I had a perfect system!!!!

Edited by superstar, 25 June 2006 - 10:07 PM.

  • 0

#118
superstar

superstar

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
Yah sorry guys I fixed the last problem. Turns out you can't enable more than one optical writer in a pc under the windows xp o/s. Hope they fix that issue in Vista and allow people to use more than than one optical writer. What a drag.

Hey do any of you know if I buy a widescreen lcd flat monitor if video games will play in widescreen mode? Or if they will be risized awkwardly?

I have never heard of anyone speak about playing video games on widescreens. I wonder how they image would look or be resized as. Maybe it gets streched and distorted? I dunno. If you have pics of what games look like on widescreens post that too.


Thanx.


I'm aiming at getting a LG widscreen (12ms)
Oh by the way I have a "Sapphire ATI Radeon 9550 128Bit 256MB DDR Memory" agp vid card.
  • 0

#119
stettybet0

stettybet0

    Trusted Tech

  • Technician
  • 2,579 posts
Quadruple post FTW!!! I'm posting here, because I'm pretty sure 5 posts in a row on a forum would tear a hole in the space-time continuum, thus destroying this dimension.

As for your widescreen question, some old games may look weird on a widescreen. As for newer games, just choose a widescreen resolution and you will be fine.
  • 0

#120
superstar

superstar

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts

As for your widescreen question, some old games may look weird on a widescreen. As for newer games, just choose a widescreen resolution and you will be fine.


What year was this widescreen resolution option in pc games implemented? That will give me an idea of when this was put into place. So I know what games from certain years won't work. Obviously if you tell me this widescreen option was implemented in games in say 2004, than I know that most games after 2004 can do so, and that the ones prior to 2004 can't.


Thx
  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP