My NEW PC: PLEASE COMMENT .. please

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
T

Terrapin

Member
Nov 12, 2000
163
0
0
Greetings:

I am about to order a new PC and would greatly appreciate your input.

Albit TH711 motherboard
Intel 2.2 Norwood CPU
512 Corsair 800 Rambus
Western Digital SE 100mg 8mb Cache Hard Drive
Visiontek Geoforce 4 Ti 4600 128mgs
Plextor CDRW 40/12/40
Toshiba 16X-DVD/48X-CDROM
Creatives Audigy Platinum
Teac 1.44 (for ole times sake)
SuperMicro SC760A Full Server 400 watts
Windows XP Pro.
Klipsh Promedia 5.1 Speaker System

This is the first time in 10 years I have not gone scsi. Hope I don't regret it.

Your feedback would be really appreciated before I go ahead with purchase.

Regards and thanks in advance,

Terrapin
 
M

mpitts

Lifer
Jun 9, 2000
14,732
1
81
I would go with the ASUS P4B266 and DDR RAM. I would not recommend going with RAMBUS.

Otherwise it is really nice. :D
 
T

Terrapin

Member
Nov 12, 2000
163
0
0
It has just come to my attention I will need a LAN CARD. Can someone recommend the BEST one please ?

I was told to go 3Com. If so, which one ? http://192.216.185.10/mwave/ProdNET...nterface+Cards</B>&Back=ProdNET-NIC-3COM.hmx?

mpitts: The Albit711 has been shown to handle overclocking the 2.2 very well. Also has proven to be extremely stable. Both reason I chose it. RAMBUS has been proven to be the fastest choice with the P4. Am I wrong?

Terrapin
 
M

Mavrick007

Diamond Member
Dec 19, 2001
3,198
0
0
I don't know how other people feel if they're the best, but I really like my 3com 10/100 3c905b-tx card.
I find that 3com tends to offer very fast and reliable cards.
 
M

mpitts

Lifer
Jun 9, 2000
14,732
1
81
I also like the 3Com 3c905x series of NICs. We have quite a few here at work and they have never given me any problems.
 
M

Mavrick007

Diamond Member
Dec 19, 2001
3,198
0
0
Just wondering, but have you priced out this mean machine?
Hehe Nothing like getting the best(and most expensive) of everything huh?
 
T

Terrapin

Member
Nov 12, 2000
163
0
0
mpitts:

I don't think because Intel is dropping its support of RAMBUS, that means I shouldn't be buying RAMBUS today.

With a Norwood 2.2 CPU and an Albeit MB, I have the ability to overclock. This system I am building will be a solid machine for 2-3 years, based on my experience over the past 12 years of building state of the art systems, and watching the curve.

So; if I have to purchase a new MB, Memory and CPU in 2-3 years, that's what I'll do. Likely what will happen, is what's happening now; I will just build a new pc and give this one to my kid.

If anyone sees anything wrong with me purchasing RAMBUS in this system today, given the recent news, please let me know your thoughts.

Thank you,

Terrapin
 
T

Texmaster

Banned
Jun 5, 2001
5,445
0
0


<< Greetings:

I am about to order a new PC and would greatly appreciate your input.

Albit TH711 motherboard
Intel 2.2 Norwood CPU
512 Corsair 800 Rambus
Western Digital SE 100mg 8mb Cache Hard Drive
Visiontek Geoforce 4 Ti 4600 128mgs
Plextor CDRW 40/12/40
Toshiba 16X-DVD/48X-CDROM
Creatives Audigy Platinum
Teac 1.44 (for ole times sake)
SuperMicro SC760A Full Server 400 watts
Windows XP Pro.
Klipsh Promedia 5.1 Speaker System >>




Nice system Terrapin! A few points from experience. Dont buy any Rambus but Samsung. Trust me on this.

Geforce4 very nice! I'm waiting for the Gainward myself. :D
Your case is OUTSTANDING. Few people recignize the genius of Supermicro full Towers :)

One other question, are you overclocking? If you are you might want to go with the Asus P4B266. I tired both kinds and perferred the DDR combo in every aspect.

Cheak my link for my specs

Good luck to you!




<< This is the first time in 10 years I have not gone scsi. Hope I don't regret it. >>



*marks down Terrapin in book* another scsi Traitor! :D

 
D

DanTana

Junior Member
Mar 15, 2001
11
0
0
Terrapin, Sounds like a sweet system, I too just purchased an Abit TH7-II RAID, P4 1.6a Northwood, 2 sticks of 256 meg Corsair high density RDRAM, ATI Radeon 8500, 2-60gig 7200 rpm IBM drives. Make sure when you order or pick up the board, that it has BIOS #38 on it. I bought mine with BIOS #37 and it would not POST. BIOS #37 does not recognize the Northwood cpu. I had to RMA it for another with BIOS #38, but now it works great. I made an RAID array and Windows XP has built-in drivers for the HPT 370 controller, so you don't even have to do the F6 option during install. As far as RDRAM goes, it offers higher bandwidth than DDR does now, and with 512 meg I doubt you will ever need to buy more. Intel is still going with RDRAM when it comes out with "official" support of 533mhz bus and PC1024 RDRAM. I hear the Corsair will do 1024 with little problem. Here is an excerpt from the article, "Intel will continue using Direct Rambus memory with its network processors. Also, although not new products, the next iterations of its 850 and 860 chipsets, supporting a 533MHz front-side, will support RDRAM when they arrive, probably in the second half of this year." So, I don't understand what the fuss is about. Good Luck and just make sure you get BIOS #38 on that board, or have an old Willy around to flash it with.

 
M

mboy

Diamond Member
Jul 29, 2001
3,309
0
0
DAAAMNNNNN! I bet the sucker cost more then my main XP rig AND my new 32" Flatscreen HDTV. Nice rig tho :D
 
J

JackBurton

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
15,993
14
81
I'd DEFINITELY go with RDRAM. DDR memory just doesn't give the P4 the memory bandwidth it needs. You might be able to get a P4 Northwood to run at a higher clock speeds on a DDR board than on an RDRAM based board, but the RDRAM based set up will outperform the DDR set up (ie. P4 2.6GHz RDRAM = P4 2.8-3.0GHz DDR). There have been SERVERAL benchmarks to show that RDRAM is the way to go, and the TH7II mobo is a perfect board for that Northwood.

And Intel not sticking with RDRAM in the future should have NO influence on your decision. As long as they stay with the same socket, it will work with RDRAM and the i850 chipset. ;)

And I will agree with Texmaster, go with Samsung memory. It's some good stuff. :) The only thing I would change is your DVD-ROM. I'd get a slot loading Pioneer 16X drive instead. Why? Because slot loading drives are just too cool. ;) And for the case, I'd get the
Addtronics 7896A instead of the Super Micro case. When I see teh SuperMicro case it just reminds me of a cheap version of the 7896A. Hey, if you are going all out, go all out.
 
T

Texmaster

Banned
Jun 5, 2001
5,445
0
0


<< I'd DEFINITELY go with RDRAM. DDR memory just doesn't give the P4 the memory bandwidth it needs. You might be able to get a P4 Northwood to run at a higher clock speeds on a DDR board than on an RDRAM based board, but the RDRAM based set up will outperform the DDR set up (ie. P4 2.6GHz RDRAM = P4 2.8-3.0GHz DDR). There have been SERVERAL benchmarks to show that RDRAM is the way to go, and the TH7II mobo is a perfect board for that Northwood.

And Intel not sticking with RDRAM in the future should have NO influence on your decision. As long as they stay with the same socket, it will work with RDRAM and the i850 chipset. ;)

And I will agree with Texmaster, go with Samsung memory. It's some good stuff. :) The only thing I would change is your DVD-ROM. I'd get a slot loading Pioneer 16X drive instead. Why? Because slot loading drives are just too cool. ;) And for the case, I'd get the
Addtronics 7896A instead of the Super Micro case. When I see teh SuperMicro case it just reminds me of a cheap version of the 7896A. Hey, if you are going all out, go all out. >>



Actually you can get about 85% of the rambus bandwith with the 3:4 ratio option on the asus P4B266

Ugh Addtronics :D

Addtronics used to make Supermicro cases thats why they are a few generations back on design.
 
Wolfsraider

Wolfsraider

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2002
8,305
0
76
drool and very sweet

the th7II mobo note to self if it doesn't come with the 38 bios get on phone to asus and order #38 bios chip 10.00 plus shipping and you won.t have to wait as long or heck order it now for a spare just in case

ok i am biased and happen to agree with mr burton on rdram as the way to go;)

and a 15000 screamer should lead the charge lol

hope this helps

 
M

MikeMike

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
45,885
66
91


<< Greetings:
SuperMicro SC760A Full Server 400 watts
 >>




Why not Antec? they make the most reliable cases and best cases out there and you could spend more money on an all black case with all of the drives black!! now that would b a sweet lookin case

Antec SX1040B would be a black case (ive heard it is more charcoal) and
Antec SX1040 would be beige
 
J

jcmkk

Golden Member
Jun 22, 2001
1,159
0
0
I don't see how a case is reliable. And, I like your choice on the case, everyone has one of those Antec cases, and I really don't like them personally.
 
T

Terrapin

Member
Nov 12, 2000
163
0
0
Arrrrrrrg... this is so frustrating. I am going to buy the components from Mwave and also have the build it. They don' have Corsair or Sumsung RAMBUS. They only have Kingston.

Is Kingston considered Good Rambus ?

Terrapin
 
T

Texmaster

Banned
Jun 5, 2001
5,445
0
0


<< Arrrrrrrg... this is so frustrating. I am going to buy the components from Mwave and also have the build it. They don' have Corsair or Sumsung RAMBUS. They only have Kingston.

Is Kingston considered Good Rambus ?

Terrapin >>



sigh. if you must go with Corsair not Kingston.
 
P

Pabster

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
16,986
1
0
TH7-II is a bad choice. You're quite likely to receive a board with BIOS 37 or earlier which won't POST with a Northwood core. So unless you happen to have an old Willy laying around, you'll either have to return it or order a BIOS chip from ABIT (which they'll charge you for.) TH7-II also has some issues, and is rather pricey (particularly the RAID version, which isn't too spectacular anyway.) As usual, ABIT ... you get questionable quality control with a sky-high price tag :D

Grab an ASUS P4T-E if you are insistent on RDRAM.

In reality, the DDR offerings are a better choice. I'm also a little surprised you're ordering a 2.2GHz Northwood. Why pay $500 or so when you can grab a 1.6A for <$150 which is all but guaranteed to run at that speed (but faster because of the 133 FSB). You might be able to do 2.6-2.8, but the RDRAM configuration is going to withhold your maximum overclock.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom