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Building a New Computer, Need Some Help

A

actonric

Junior Member
this is only the second computer ive built, Im hoping Im ready to purchase the parts and put it together but I was hoping someone could be generous enough to read the system info (below) and answer my questions, and in general, just check it over, give me their thoughts, any problems they see, etc. What concerns me most is the power supply and the motherboard/chipset/processor being complete and able to support the additional items. The board is compatible with the AGP card, I've checked that (1.5 V) and the board is SATA compatible Im pretty sure, but I couldnt get info on the number of connectors for the power supply and the type of connectors needed for DVD drive, HD, and AGP card. Is that becuase its standard and not necessary to check for compatibility as everything is compatible with everything in that field? Is the power supply too much at 550W? Thanks to anyone for answer my questions!!

Intel 875P chipset on Intel Desktop Board D875PBZ (from http://www.axiontech.com/prdt.php?src=PG&item=36101) (comes with chipset right?)
With Audigy2 Platinum THX 6.1 sound
And ATI Radeon 9800 Pro AGP card
With Power supply: http://www.antec-inc.com/pro_details_powerSupply.php?ProdID=20550
And a DVD+_RW drive yet to be determined
Monitor with standard VGA connector
Creative Inspire 6.1 6700 Speaker System
Barrucuda 7200.7 SATA 160GB (Serial, ATA/150, 7200 RPM)
few questions:
1. when you buy an intel motherboard, it comes with a chipset preinstalled, correct?
2. will power supply be compatible for AGP card, motherboard, and hard drive. I?m not familiar with power connectors, etc. will I have to purchase correct ones, will it come with only certain ones that have to match the devices, how do I know there will be enough connectors of the right type?
3. will 550 be enough for the system (AGP card is 330A)?
 
------FROM ORIGINAL POSTER--------
a little addendum...what would be the requirements of a case for this system, ATX, flex ATX, mATX, how could I find that out, would like the smallest possible but cant figure out if the barebone cases would work, and what would be the minimum power req.'s for the system? again, thanks a lot to anyone who takes the time to answer these questions
 
Your biggest problem is, you're confusing the term chipset for processor. The chipset is the set of instructions and whatnot that are on the board that let it ferry data between your graphics card, hard drives, processor and RAM. Your processor is the expensive part. Look to add another 500 bucks for a processor, probably a 3.0 or 3.2ghz.

If you want the smallest case available... I don't think you can get micro-ATX w/ an 875 chipset.
Buy any case that doesn't say it comes w/ a motherboard, your motherboard will fit in most any case. Usually when things say barebones, that means it comes with a motherboard. Most micro-atx cases come barebones, because you can't just go out and buy the kind of tiny boards they use.

Your CD\DVD\whatever connects via IDE connectors. Your HDs, if you so choose, can connect via SATA. THe advantage being, SATA has a higher theoritical bandwidth (which you'll never use) and the cables are very small and don't obstruct the case. If you don't have a SATA HD, you can get a PATA to SATA adapter for around 20-30 bucks from your local fry's, or off the internet. These usually come w/ a SATA cable.

550w is overkill. You don't really need that much power, and you're paying quite a premium for it. You could go w/ a 350, 400 or 450 for less money.

Any more questions?
 
right thanks, I clear with the motherboard/chipset stuff and the barebone stuff. So I'll get a midtower ATX case, what about fans, will they come with the case or do I have to buy them separately?
 
The case should come with enough fans for you... I don't really care about the size or sound of my computer... I'm using a HUGE full size file server type chieftec w/ window... 5 80mm fans, all Antec Blue LED.... 2 Coolmaster 3 HD coolers, both w/ 2 blue LEDs in front, and 1 fan a piece... as well as the 2 fans on my 450w power supply.

Most cases come with space for more fans.. but only come with 2 or 3 fans installed.
 
...yet another question
Let say I want to blow a few hundred more dollars and use my computer as a TIVO, what current ATI products could I do that with (software and hardware)? Can it actually be set up to change the channel of my cable reciever at the appropriate time to function as a TIVO or would i have to manually record shows I wanted recorded, thanks again
 
Sorry, but you're asking the priest about satanism... my nice fancy case, which houses my beastly system, also proudly displays a small sticker that says "****** The Way It's Meant To Be Played"

You can fill in the blank(s).
 
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