I need tons of help!

[billshintos]

Okay, I am a big slaker and i need to build a computer for my senior project. Not a big problem right? Wrong, I don't know jack about computer hardware! I mean i don't know the reason for RAM!:Q I mean what is wrong with me? I have gone through my parts that i hope are decent and i need to know what each part does and means. Confused? well i am. i am going to list the parts and then post my questions. please don't tell me to go somewhere else or to talk to someone else unless it would be much better. Here are the parts:

MEMORY-128 Mb SDram PC-133

CPU-INTEL P3 600 E SLOT 1
-AMD Duron 800MHz socket A

MOTHERBOARDS-INTEL D815 EREA (815 EP Chipset)
-ASUS CUV4X-C133 MHz Socket 370

HARD DRIVES-SAM SUNG 30GB Ultra DMA 100 IDE (5400 RPM)
-WESTERN DIGITAL 30 GB Ultra DMA IDE (7200 RPM)
-MAXTOR 30 GB Ultra DMA IDE (7300 RPM)

MODEMS-INTEL 56k PCI/voice (Hardware)
-DIAMOND SupraMax PCI 56k w/voice (Hardware)
-US ROBOTICS 56k PCI winmodem/voice

SOUND CARDS-CREATIVE LAB SB 16 PCI
-CREATIVE LAB PCI 128
-CREATIVE LAB Live! Value 5.1 Digital PCI

CDRW-SONY CD-RW 12x8x32 IDE
-RICOH 12x10x32 IDE
-CREATIVE LAB 8x4x32 IDE
-TEAC 12x10x32 IDE

MOUSE-LOGITECH 2 Button w/wheel PS/2
-MICROSOFT Intellimouse PS/2

KEYBOARDS-Enhanced 104 Keys PS/2
-MICROSOFT Internet PS/2

VIDEO CARDS-ATI Expert 2000 w/32MB AGP
-ATI All-in-wonder pro 128 w/32MB 4X
-ATI Rage Fury Maxx w/64MB 4X AGP
-ASUS V7100 Geeforce2 MX 32MB w/TV out

PC CASE/ -midium tower ATX w/250w
POWER SUPPLY -midium tower ATX w/300w

Now that's all over!
It's time for the Questions!
Memory-
1.How is more ram better?
2.What does PC-133 mean?
3.What is the purpose of RAM?
CPU-
4.What does MHz do for my computer?
5.What does socket A mean? What is it for? How is it better/worse?
6.What does E Slot 1 mean? What is it for? How is it better/worse?
Motherboard-
7.What does D815 EPEA mean? What is it for? How is it better/worse?
8.What does CUV4X-C133MHz mean?What is it for?How is it better/worse
9.Why is there MHz on that one motherboard and not the other?
Hard Drive-
10.What does IDE mean? What does DMA mean?
11.What does RPM do?
Modem-
12.What does 56k really stand for? What is voice for?
13.What does PCI mean?
SoundCard-
14.What does PCI mean? What is value 5.1 for?
CDRW-
15.What does IDE mean? what does 12x10x32 stand for?
Mouse-
16.what does PS\2 mean?
Keyboard-
17.same as 16
Video Card-
18.What is the point of having mb for video cards? what is AGP?
19.what is 4x do and mean?
PC case power
20.what is ATX? What is the difference in 250w and 300w? which is better?

I know that is alot but anything will help.
i need this info as fast as possible.
out of the products that i have given, what would you perfer?
is there something better in the same price range?
Thanks
Bill:frown:

 

[j@cko]

My suggestion is go out and buy a book about basic computer hardware.

 

[elchen]

try tomshardware.com
plenty of info.

 

[Jex]

Holy moly... That is a lot of info you're asking for. I'll do my best to quickly answer your questions...

First, the parts I would choose from that list:
RAM - You only got the one choice
CPU - AMD Duron 800
Mobo (motherboard) = Uh, without looking into these boards specifically, it looks like you don't have a mobo that will take the Duron (am I wrong guys)? So that puts you back to the P3 for the CPU. I think the Intel is a slot mobo, so you have to use it. The Asus is a socket which your P3 won't fit into.
Hard drives - if you want just 1, plug in the Western Digital or the Maxtor
Modem - if you system is gonna be windows, go with the US Robotics winmodem
Sound Card - The Live! Value 5.1 should be the simplest
CDRW - Sony, I guess maybe the Teac (faster re-write, I'll explain later)
Mouse - just use the Microsoft Intellimouse. Should be the easiest to install.
Keyboard - doesn't matter, either one
Video Card - Asus Geforce2 MX is a safe bet
Case - go with the 1 with the 300W power supply (more power is better, right?)

Ok, for your questions. I'm gonna try to give simple answers:

1) The more RAM you have the more software your computer can load into RAM. RAM is much faster than the hard drive (hd) so the comp "loads" programs into ram when it runs them. The more you have, the more you can run and the faster your computer will run.

2)PC 133 refers to the speed your RAM can be accessed at. In this case 133 MHz or million cycles per second

3) See #1

4) MHz is a measure of frequency. When a processor is rated at 800 Mhz that means it can do 800 million instructions a second.

5)Socket A is the type of connector that your CPU plugs into. The Duron needs a mobo with a socket A.

6) Connector for a slot style cpu. As opposed to the Socket A.

7) 815 refers to the chipset in the mobo.

8) again, model number and chipset id

9) ??? refering to the front side bus probably (I won't go into that)

10) IDE is the channel or connector for the hard drives, cdroms, etc that you'll plug in.

11) RPM - reveloutions per minute. how fast the platters in your hard drives spin. faster is better

12) 56k - 56 kilibits (I think) - how fast the modem can transfer. Voice means that your modem has the capability to record and send sound.

13) PCI is a bus on your mobo that your cards plug into. It's an expansion card type.

14) see #13. Live! Value 5.1 is the type of sound card. Value is the model and 5.1 means it supports 5.1 speaker surround sound.

15) see #10. 12x10x32 means writes at 12x speed, re-writes at 10x and reads at 32x

16) PS/2 is a type of connector

17) see #16

18) MB on vid card is the ram on the card for just for video purposes. AGP - Andvanced Graphics Port - bus for the vid card.

19) 4x is the speed of the AGP bus.

20) ATX is a "form factor". IF you have an ATX mobo, you need an ATX case. 300W is the amount of power it supplies. more is better.

Hope this helps.

 

[Buzzman151]

here's your homework for ya
1.How is more ram better? its not always better, it just depends on how many programs you want to have open at a time and how much space they need
2.What does PC-133 mean? the max speed the ram is rated to opperate
3.What is the purpose of RAM? temp space for quick access/transfer of data while program is in use
CPU- compute data
4.What does MHz do for my computer? speed proccessor runs

Sorry dude... the g/f just called. I'll have to finish this later.

Good luck

 

[j@cko]

Memory-
1.How is more ram better?
A: Memory acts as a temporary storage area for the data. Every programs requires certain amount of buffer to run. Since memory acts very fast compare to hard drive, the more memory you have the more programs that will use the space in memory the less time of executiion or run time.

2.What does PC-133 mean?
A: PC-133 is just a standard of Memory. 133 indicates the speed of the memory in Mhz.

3.What is the purpose of RAM?
A: Refer back to question #1.

CPU-
4.What does MHz do for my computer?
A: MHz means the vibration per 1/1 000 000 of second. For example, 1 MHz means every cylce of execution, the CPU vibrates 1 000 000 times within that second. The higher MHz is the more rapid CPU vibrates, which produces more heat, but more execution.

5.What does socket A mean? What is it for? How is it better/worse?
A: Socket A is just another standard created by AMD. Used for Athlon/Duron CPUs.

6.What does E Slot 1 mean? What is it for? How is it better/worse?
A: Again Slot 1 is a standard created by Intel. E is used by Intel to distinguish b/w their CPU. E means 100MHz FSB (Front Side Bus or System Bus). B is 133Mhz FSB.


Ya, other people will do the rest. Or you should check Tomshardware, like the one said above.

 

[monahan]

Dang, JEX

 

[Jex]

Well, I thought I'd be helpful... Got nothing else to do but watch the King's game and wait for Redhat 7.1 to install.

 

[travws]

i'll try to make brief answers:

1. more ram means you can have more programs open at the same time..more is better..up to 256
2. the memory runs at 133 mhertz or something...faster is generally better
3. without ram your comp won't run....it's for storage of programs you are actually running as opposed to stored on harddrive.
4. the larger the mhz the faster your comp...kinda like horsepower for cars.
5. 6. slots for cpus...different types
7. 8. names for parts..you have to look at the pieces to see what they are
9. don't know
10. ide is a interface between stuff like harddrives and cdroms to your motherboard. dma is good ( but don't know exactly what it is)
11. revolutions per minute..how fast the hd spins..usually faster=better
12. 56k is the fastest dialup modem
13. pci is a slot type that takes daughter cards (i.e. sound, modem), good
14. 5.1....4 satelites, i center channel, i sub...for sound, like home stereo
15. 12 burn, 10 rewrite and 32 speed cdrom....all X basic speed of 150 kb/s
16. ps/2 is a type of plug that you stick the cord of the mouse into the comp...usb is usually better (but it depends)
17. same as 16, except keyboard
18. more mb on vid card...better resolution and color, more is better, agp is a faster port than pci for vid cards...agp=good
19. don't worry about it , 2x is fine, 4x is good
20. atx is a standard...300w is more power to computer..w is watts...more is better


This is just quick answers to your questions...you should study up like j@cko suggested.

Here's my take on the hardware:

128 sdram of 133=256mb would be better...you could also get pc100
amd duron=cheap and good
asus=good board
wd or maxtor because at 7200 rpm=faster (usually)
either of the hardware modems....winmodems=suck
sound card..depends on what you need...you have them listed in order of increasing ability...there's also sound cards other then cl..but these are fine
any of the cdrw's are fine i think..but faster is usually better
keyboards...whatever feels good to you is the key
same with mice..although scrollwheel is great
vid card...the geforce mx is prolly the best card you have listed...but if you are willing to go above $150 there are better cards (radeon and geforce 2)
a good case is key...i used an antec sx830 with a 300w ps..search and you can find them...more w is better

ahhh, i was wondering if i was going to be able to show my ignorance tonight...thanks!!!

 

[Muadib]

I can't help but wonder, when is this due?

 

[Jex]

This might be helpful too.

Step by step guide on building a computer

 

[Varmot]

Do we ge credit for doing your homework??

You would be better off just buying a computer and disassembling it.. that way you would know all the parts will work together.

 

[Shagga]

Played Jex and travws. Nice ppl in here init!

Their names should go in the Acknowledgements section