building new PC

[TacitBlue]

Im so excited, I have to tell someone. I ordered all the parts on E-bay.

PCchips motherboard 400Mhz FSB (cheap, but seems to be good)
AMD 1.6 Ghtz CPU (will upgrade later)
Nvidia 128MB Video card (dont remember what kind exactly) has VGA, S-video, DVI out
Black ATX case with CPU temp monitor screen right on it.
20GB Hard drive for starters
450W power source

Thats about it, but it will make my current PC look like a commodore 64.

[beaky]

Enjoy! I built my first machine last summer, and I don't know which is better: the anticipation as you wait for your parts, unpacking the boxes, or that moment when you power up and smoke doesn't come out! And NewEgg rules!

[beaky]

d'oh!! you said eBay, not NewEgg. Anyway, Newegg rules!!

[TacitBlue]

Newegg! Im glad you said that, because I was trying to remember the name of that site.

[flyflyflyaway]

d'oh!! you said eBay, not NewEgg. Anyway, Newegg rules!!

Newegg does rule, im in the process of building my first, and im gonna buy a lot from them...

[Gixer]

Have fun guys  ;D  It feels good building your first ever system.  I musta built over 5 systems now and the current one I just keep upgrading at the moment as I like the case.

Just take your time and care, especially when applying thermal paste to the CPU (If you have to do this).  Then you gotta work out all those little BIOS tweaks to get the best outta your system  ;D  Great fun!!!  ;D

[TacitBlue]

hey, I have a question. My CPU heat sink has a square of sticky stuff with a piece of plastic over it to be peeled off. is that thermal paste? or do I need to get that seperetly?

[Gixer]

Thats pre-applied thermal paste.   I tend to wipe that off and use Artic Silver stuff, but if you dont have any paste then just use what is on there.  Applying paste takes a while to get just right anyhow.  Took me 3 builds to find the perfect amount, I was using too much in the first place.  You only need a really thin smear (Almost that you can see through)

[TacitBlue]

OK, thanks for the info. I guess Ill leave it on this time.

[GunnerMan]

Gixer you bring back memories... my first build I had AS5 with a Zalman HSF, I put a bit of grease on didnt look like mich so I put more on and after seeing my CPU ovrheating I wa slike hrrrm more grease! So by the time I figured out my HSF wasint touching the CPU I got it screewed on tight and all and the grease was just speewing out all four sides , god but even with excess I was gettin 35C! LOL

[Gixer]

hehehe, my first few builds had a bitta spew outta the sides too!  I kept reseating on my last machine, and managed to gain a whole 2degs C by getting the right amount of Artic Silver on my cpu (XP2800 back then)

I know its not much but goes to show what effect a little too much can have, and if you want to overclock then you want the best temps possible.

[TacitBlue]

Yay!!! everything has arrived in the mail except for my 512 ram stick. Cant wait to get off work and start putting things together!!

[Gary R.]

customsmurf, you should have went for the 2800 chip initially.

[beaky]

Oh my, the thermal paste... built my first rig last summer, and thought I'd be slick with the thermal paste. So excited, I forgot to remove the factory paste first! (there's a lesson there). It all worked out in the end though- no problems.

Still think NewEgg rules, but the bear for me (in my Analog Age-born ignorance) was figuring out what would be compatible with what.  It would be a mighty task, but if NewEgg could provide that info., they'd really have it all! Maybe even a "For Dummies"-style page with some basics...

[TacitBlue]

I BOUGHT A LEMON!!!!!!!!!!!!! my #$%* mother board is &^@# defective!! there arent enought letters in a four letter word to express my anger at the guy who sold it to me! I will never buy computer stuff on E-bay again! oh, and what ever you do, dont buy anything from "Kutty2000".