Building budget PC for friend

[Linux2003]

I have a friend that wants me to build a PC for him and has decided on a AMD CPU. He wants to use some of his old components from a HP PC he purchased in the year 2000, which will include a HP DVD and HP CDRW.

Will I have any problems with these components on a new system build? Also, we will be using the modem from the old HP since he is still on dial-up service. The PC will be mainly for email, Excel, Word, browsing the Internet. But he does play some graphic intensive games at times, such as Splinter Cell and MaxPayne with a PNY GF2MX420 video card at the moment.

I was thinking of buying a Fry's combo of the 2000+/ECS K7VTA, 2200+/ECS K7VTA, or a going with newegg and getting the AMD 2100+ and
Biostar M7NCD mobo. Here's the rest of the parts for the build, please comment.
Also, he's using WinME and I told him he should get WinXP home and do a clean install on the HDD.

AMD CPU 2000+, 2100+, or 2200+
Biostar M7NCD mobo
Kingston value RAM 2x256 PC2100
Coolmaster Aero 7 Lite HSF
Fortron PSU - FSP300-60PN 300W
Generic Case

Recycled from the HP PC
Keyboard, Logitech mouse
Hard Drive 40GB
GF2 MX420 Video Card
Modem
Monitor
Speakers
Floppy

 

[Bonesdad]

What's his budget? I'd go with an NForce2 board and a 2500+ with some PC2700 memory. You should have no problems with the older components, as long as you get any necessary drivers installed. I'm assuming the Max Payne you are talking about is Max Payne I not the new one...?

Look at the Shuttle AN35N and a XP 2500+

 

[Ionizer86]

I'd bump up to some 3200 memory since different speeds of ram are priced relatively similarly. The Buffalo CH5 512MB was like $70 last time I checked. Of course, it depends on the budget. If $ is very short, a Fry's combo and some free or super cheap ram will do.

If he wants to game, I say he'd need a much better video card.

 

[LouPoir]

I have hear a lot of good things about the Biostar board. Why not just get the BIOSTAR nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset M7NCD PRO - it has the onboard GF4 video for a few bucks more. XP2100 is an excellent choice. And spend a few dollars more and get 2 sticks of PC2700.

IMHO

Lou

 

[Linux2003]

Thanks for the replies everyone they have been very helpful. His budget is $250-$300 and the video card that he has was just purchased. He was trying to play Splinter Cell and the onboard graphics card could not hold up to the game so he went out and got that card just so he could play the game.

I was browsing at newegg and saw these, Geil Value Series Golden Dragon 256MB PC3200, for $39 each and the Buffalo 256MB PC3200 at $38 each, they both seem to have good reviews. Does anyone have experience with the Geil RAM?

But since the Biostar board is not dual channel I was thinking maybe the Buffalo 512MB PC3200 at $76 would do. I ask my friend to look at the Biostar M7NCG 400 with built-in video and see what he thinks about it

 

[mechBgon]

The GeForce2 MX420 video card is a step up from an HP's onboard i810 or i845G video, definitely, but the onboard GeForce4 MX on an nForce2 board would trounce it soundly, if the system has been set up with the memory in dual-channel mode.

You might consider the Shuttle MN31N, since it has the full meal deal: the nForce2 IGP northbridge with the GF4 MX, the MCP-T southbridge with the powerful nVidia audio processors, Firewire, USB 2.0, etc. Like every nForce2 board I've seen with onboard video, it also has an AGP slot for additional upgrading. Being microATX, it will fit in a microATX or standard-ATX case, and has three PCI slots.

Nice to see you've got a respectable PSU lined up to go with the stuff 😎 Good luck with the new system 🙂

 

[Bonesdad]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
The GeForce2 MX420 video card is a step up from an HP's onboard i810 or i845G video, definitely, but the onboard GeForce4 MX on an nForce2 board would trounce it soundly, if the system has been set up with the memory in dual-channel mode.

You might consider the Shuttle MN31N, since it has the full meal deal: the nForce2 IGP northbridge with the GF4 MX, the MCP-T southbridge with the powerful nVidia audio processors, Firewire, USB 2.0, etc. Like every nForce2 board I've seen with onboard video, it also has an AGP slot for additional upgrading. Being microATX, it will fit in a microATX or standard-ATX case, and has three PCI slots.

Nice to see you've got a respectable PSU lined up to go with the stuff 😎 Good luck with the new system 🙂

Agreed!! That MN31N is a REALLY nice board...think it goes for $87 bucks at Newegg.com. The onboard sound rivals some of the best PCI cards. $300 is plenty for this board, a 2500+ and a couple sticks of that Buffalo RAM. Good luck.

 

[dnuggett]

I have a hard time reccomending those Fry's combos because of ECS. Haven't played with the Biostar but sounds like that may be a good board. As far as the proc if you go with an nForce board you could go a little lighter on the rating (say 2100) and oc it to around 2800+ speeds (but 1/2 cache) if your buddy isn't hardcore about his Ghz rating. If he is go with the 2500+ since you can easily get to 3200+ and start w/ 512 cache.

 

[MiNkIm]

I upgraded using the fry's combo and have had no problems with the motherboard. Curently running a ECS K7VTA3 with a XP2400 and have had no problems. Runs 24/7 with one reboot a week.

 

[NasdaqTrader889]

Originally posted by: Linux2003
I have a friend that wants me to build a PC for him and has decided on a AMD CPU. He wants to use some of his old components from a HP PC he purchased in the year 2000, which will include a HP DVD and HP CDRW.

Will I have any problems with these components on a new system build? Also, we will be using the modem from the old HP since he is still on dial-up service. The PC will be mainly for email, Excel, Word, browsing the Internet. But he does play some graphic intensive games at times, such as Splinter Cell and MaxPayne with a PNY GF2MX420 video card at the moment.

I was thinking of buying a Fry's combo of the 2000+/ECS K7VTA, 2200+/ECS K7VTA, or a going with newegg and getting the AMD 2100+ and
Biostar M7NCD mobo. Here's the rest of the parts for the build, please comment.
Also, he's using WinME and I told him he should get WinXP home and do a clean install on the HDD.

AMD CPU 2000+, 2100+, or 2200+
Biostar M7NCD mobo
Kingston value RAM 2x256 PC2100
Coolmaster Aero 7 Lite HSF
Fortron PSU - FSP300-60PN 300W
Generic Case

Recycled from the HP PC
Keyboard, Logitech mouse
Hard Drive 40GB
GF2 MX420 Video Card
Modem
Monitor
Speakers
Floppy

Why not just get the AMD 2500+ now so you can take advantage of the higher FSB and get some Kingston PC3200 RAM that's in hot deals section right now. A stick of PC3200 is only $60 after MIR. Get two sticks since your board is dual channel, and get around the one per customer rebate by using your address and a friends addy.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
The GeForce2 MX420 video card is a step up from an HP's onboard i810 or i845G video, definitely, but the onboard GeForce4 MX on an nForce2 board would trounce it soundly, if the system has been set up with the memory in dual-channel mode.

You might consider the Shuttle MN31N, since it has the full meal deal: the nForce2 IGP northbridge with the GF4 MX, the MCP-T southbridge with the powerful nVidia audio processors, Firewire, USB 2.0, etc. Like every nForce2 board I've seen with onboard video, it also has an AGP slot for additional upgrading. Being microATX, it will fit in a microATX or standard-ATX case, and has three PCI slots.

Nice to see you've got a respectable PSU lined up to go with the stuff 😎 Good luck with the new system 🙂

I'd just like the echo the PS and motherboard recommendation. I built one sytem with the MN31N and it was flawless, quick, and easily the most painless build ever for me. Simply bumped the FSB to 200MHz with 2500+barton and stock cooler and has never hung or any anonmolies since...And scored 5400 3Dmark2k1 which is quite respectable for graphics and simply awesome for on-board graphics... GeForce 4MXish..so why waste the $..

That powersupply is way underrated and silent, I only have the 300W version in a much more demanding system (9800pro, 2 HD's 2 cds, OC Barton etc.) and it's never had a problem...$27🙂


Nothing wrong with ECS and Biostar though..