DO you know about computers? I need some advice...

[Pernod]

Hi all,

Thought I would ask for some non-astina advice while I'm here :)

My computer finally has so many things going wrong with it that I have decided to upgrade...

I know a reasonable amout about computers, but have never had to much experience in the hardware side of things (other than the usual PCI cards etc).

Consequentally I thought someone here might be able to help me out???

I have found this which from my limited hardware knowledge seems not to far off what I'm after
http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/auction_detail.asp?id=6879209

Can anyone give me any insight on what I should be finding out, and how much something along these lines should be worth? (Bear in mind the one in the auction above is in $NZ, not $Aus ;))

Any advice would be great!

Shane

P.S. I'm only after the box as my old screen etc are still perfect!

[sirex]

Firstly, I would evaluate what you want from your machine and how much you are prepared to pay. Then you can be more specific about components and quality and if you are prepared to buy 2nd hand.

As for the computer above, it seems to decent specs. But then it is 1.5 years old, and presumably out of warranty. The biggest things I have always said to people when purchasing new machines "is to not cut corners now as it will come back in bite you in the arse in a years time", and "if you have the time, money and paitence you should build your own machine/customize the specs.

Haha, well I have double standards. Rule 1 is to not buy crap, but we have a P4 1.6ghz, 512megDDRAM, machine which was a bundled machine at a good price about 22 months ago. However, its pretty cheap and nasty. The preinstalled software did not come pre installed and about a month after the warranty expired the CD writer and Modem both shat themselves. So I have esstentially rebuolt half the machine. :?

Um, I also believe that it is more important to have greater ability to multi task (lots of ram) and high stoprage capacity (at least 80 gigs) over flash video cards or top of the line processors whihc will outdated the next day. I would reconomend a machine that has at least: 2ghz+, 512DDRAM, 80gig hard drive, ethernet card/network card (conect all your periphals together), CD-R, perhaps even a DVD-R (realtivley cheap these days) and perhaps an ADLS modem, otherwise a V.92 standard modem, then your run of the mill video and sound cards. Of course, your preferences may change and thus you require greater gaming capability, but hey IMO thats what X-Box if for :P

I would reconmend visiting http://www.atech.co.nz/ + http://www.ap.dell.com/ap/nz/en/gen/default.htm + http://www.quay.co.nz/ they are my favorites. But here's a few competitively priced ones as well http://www.e-one.co.nz/ + http://www.oemcomputers.co.nz/.

My 2 cents :D

PS. sorry if my typing is incoherent, but I slashed my hand tonight and now have 3 stiches and can hardly typer properly :oops:

[Pernod]

Thanks for that...

I know building your own is always the best way to go, but I'm a bit concerned / worried that I'd F#*k up something along the way?

How much is there that could go wrong???

What on earth did you do to your hand?

[sirex]

Sure, there is lots that could go wrong, but with today's hardware it is pretty much plug and play and straight forward. The hardest bit IMO is programing the primary and secondary drives. I can hook you up with software if you want?

Oh yeah, the hand. I sliced my right index finger down to the bone and tendons about an hour after I saw you. The fun bit was driving all the way over to Newtown with one hand, trying to coordinate the gears and wheel in the Friday night traffic :( .

[andrewgrazier]

you cvan get a cick ass machine for around $1000 without a monitor
and you can get a 15 inch LCD sdcrreen for about $350

here is a qucik market price computer
u can get them to buiild it for you for almost NO COST because
even though there is a build fee, you also might get a discount from buying all of your **** from one dealer. so it cancels each other out

ATX Mid Tower Case, 350W power supply, 4*5.25" & 2*3.5" Bays with two front USB port build-in $100.00
this is a heaps good looking one but you can get a crap looking (plain) cause for around $65 which also has a 35o W powersulpply

the processer and motherboard depend on what you want
you pretty much have INtel pentium 4 or a AMD XP series
the mother boards are around the same cost but you cannot run an INTEL P4 in a AMD motherboard and the other way around

Pentium-4 2.66G CPU (FSB800) $305.00
XP 3000+ CPU (Socket A, 333FSB, Retail pack with fan) $360.00 1YB


56Kbbps Modem you can get for $20
LAN card $15

$200 for a devcent 3d card! probably a radion 9600 128 MB with video in and out

120GB hard disk u can get for about $160

200$ for the motherbvoard to get a good one

RAM Is pretty high at the moment but about 512MB is $140
get 512 or More depending on how much u wanna get

$100 for a good sound card

$100 for a TV tuner card ;)

$20 for FDD drive

$100 for some speakers n a sub

$100 for wireless keyboard an optical mouse

I duno depends on what you want. oh add about $300 for a DVD Burner but the DVD burners can also burn Normal cds as well

[Pernod]

Thanks for that. its my job this weekend to sit down and work out what I need...

the bits I plan to scavenge from my current set up are the keyboard mouse screen etc, CD writer, some pci cards etc.

Any advice on the AMD/Intel thing...?

[KittyKatSmack]

Having had old AMD and now have new INTEL, my pref is actually for AMD.

Just my 2.2c worth......

Lots of good advice, don't forget that from your currect setup you can scrounge floppy drive, possibly your RAM depending on whether or not you upgrade mother board or whether or not you can upgrade your chipset....

er....

talk to local support about what you have based on your specs and what you want.
you may find that a new chip + ram + secondary hard drive + some tweaking on your operating system might get you thru without having to spend the big $$$$

the way PC's are constantly being updated, you could be better off waiting until after Xmas sales even... or if you wait 6 months for end of financial year.....


just make sure you think about all your alternatives before you go spending your hard earned cashies.... that could be money better spent on the ASTINA!!!!!

:lol:

[Pernod]

Our current set up is not at all happy - the final straw was when our 512 ram stick cooked itself so we are down to just 128 :-(

My plan is to still leave the old one in a working state, and then turn it into either a MP3 box for the house or car, or try linux on it.

The problem is it wont cope with the stuff we want to use it for, and its not worth 'upgrading' as the only things salvagable are the case and the things listed above :|

[KittyKatSmack]

ew linux


*bolts*


Good luck Shane!

[Pernod]

ew linux


I've never realy used it (has anyone here?) Thought I might try as a challenge(?) and because it will have more of a chance of being stable on this machine... :roll:

[JynX]

I use linux everyday. Better then windows IMO but I am biased i guess.