CPU + Motherboard upgrade for my Parents - < $200 - Request your help

[p1tin]

This is what happened as of now:
Went to my Parent's place in Chennai and tested with the new PSU ( Seasonic). CPU fan does not spin at all.
Dismantled the PC found the CPU fan wire is come off. Went to local shop in asked for a spare heatsink with fan. Rs.300 ($5). It will be available tomorrow.

Checked the board -ga-ma74gmt-s2--> with my friend's CPU + heatsink --> no display .
--> Went to Gigabyte service center and gave it for Warranty Claim( warranty till Oct '13).
Will be getting a refurbished board on 14th / 15th ...about 4 days after.

Just went to a shop and bought the M$A88T-M LE mobo for Rs.3650 ( rs.600 less than online stores) :
http://www.flipkart.com/asus-m4a88t...oard&ref=23bc7511-f5a4-4a15-b3a3-12da79e69509

What do you suggest that I do at this point ,given that I want a stable system?

Option 1: get a CPU heatsink Fan - For about Rs.300 + Use the new Mobo;

Option 2: Return the new ASUS mobo --> Get a new Intel G2010( only this is available in shops) + Intel H61 mobo ( they do not have the MSI board suggested here) --> Rs.7000 ( 115 dollars).

Option 3: Return the new ASUS mobo + Get the A8 CPU + MSI FM2-A55M-E33.

In all the above 3 cases, I will be retaining the same RAM- 4GB Hynix 1333Mhz;
Also once the old mobo returns refurbished , I am planning to donate or sell for peanuts.


Please let me know if you think of any very stable build or options other than these.

 

[vailr]

Was the system bootable even without the CPU fan running? If so, the CPU may have become heat damaged. As recommended by others: go with a Gigabyte board with the special anti-humidity construction that you mentioned, preferably using an Intel Ivy Bridge CPU + onboard CPU video output. Be sure to double-check the CPU, for it's ability for video output, as not every Ivy Bridge CPU has that function enabled.
There may be some online equipment vendors that can ship to India. Dubai or UAE could be external sources, as I recall. Good luck!

 

[p1tin]

My current choice is this: Return the mobo and get a GA-B75M-D3H + Intel G2010 or Intel 2020.
Wait for my replacement board + Install the AMD CPU + a coolermaster heatsink and donate it.
What say you?

 

[mfenn]

That's fine if you are in a time crunch. Otherwise I'd wait for the RMA and see if it solves the problem.

 

[p1tin]

Even if I wait for RMA, the CPU Fan needs to be changed as stock AMD CPU fan is kaput.
So ,

which one to buy:


-->>Should I buy this? --Rs.300 because the stock AMD CPU fan looks similiar to this.

The ones which the locals shops are chinese models ( the worst ones , I think).....It is similiar to this:
http://www.flipkart.com/cooler-mast...MGD7&ref=ff25c193-6f6a-4984-90af-bf556c70e3e6

or
Should I buy this -- Rs.1500:

http://www.flipkart.com/cooler-mast...ZAEZ&ref=6f3ee471-81c9-4ffc-9ce5-31ae38f402e3
or
this: Rs.490
http://www.flipkart.com/deepcool-ga...AY5Y&ref=e60a7678-535e-43bc-8ff3-851d9245a521

will the first one suffice for the mentioned usage criteria?

 

[crashtech]

If the cooling demands will allow it, I like to use a cooler that will allow fan replacements with very common 80mm fans, one like this, for instance:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103075

It doesn't have massive cooling capacity, but for a stock application it is plenty good, and makes maintenance very easy.

 

[mfenn]

The Hyper TX3 is certainly the best cooler out of the bunch, but it is not really required. You could buy 3 of the DeepCool Gammas for that price. It looks like a Zalman CNPS7500 knock off, so performance should be totally fine.

 

[p1tin]

Finally, got the system working.

First, I had to deal with back plate problem.
The mobo(M4A88T-M LE) did not come with a back plate(which would be fixed in the mobo) in the purchased box. I had to visit the store once again to let them know it did not get packaged in the first place and I did not lose it. the shop guy was supportive enough to get a new board from his brother's shop and gave the backplate.
and
the AMD CPU cooler problem...
I got AMD cpu cooler from the same shop which worked at the store ( testing) but did not work when I took it home. So again, had to visit the store and get it replaced with a new AMD stock cooler (Rs.500 / $9).

Whew!!!!

When installed windows 7 x64 with all new drivers, AV, copied songs & games - chess, bookworm, dweep angry birds and few other productivity softwares for them.

They were happy that a working system which wont trouble them

Thanks to all , for your support