View Full Version : spec me a new (cheap) pc
I'm pretty sure that my motherboard has just died because the computer's been having some strange problems this week and now it just sits there humming with a completely blank screen. Monitor doesn't even come on.
SO I need a new system, and I say system because I still run on the old type of ram (can't remember what it's called). I will also need a new hard drive since I don't have any spare and I can't format the 2 I have because they have photos/work stuff on them :( I have very little wonga floating around atm due to operation kitchen, so I can't afford to spend much at all.
Soo, please can someone suggest a good, CHEAP combo of....
Motherboard (MUST be able to run IDE hard drives)
Memory
Chip
gfx
sound? (happy with built in)
and a cheap HDD
Thanks in advance
Right, just had a browse in Ebuyer and come up with this little lot. The motherboard only has 1 IDE slot for a HDD so I may as well get a bigger SATA drive to transfer 1 HDD's worth of stuff onto. Will this all work together? Any suggestions for a better/cheaper combo???
Seagate ST3250410AS 250GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 16MB Cache - OEM
£32.99inc vat
quickfind code: 131301
AMD Athlon 64 LE-1620 SKT AM2 2.4 GHz L2 1MB Cache Energy Efficient 45w Retail
Boxed Processor
£25.95inc vat
quickfind code: 134746
MSI K9N6SGM-V GeForce 6100 Socket AM2 onboard VGA and 8-channel audio mATX
Motherboard
£27.99inc vat
quickfind code: 126138
Extra Value 1GB DDR2 667MHz PC5300 240pin Extra Value Ram
£13.00inc vat
quickfind code: 115961
Akasa AK 860SF - Processor cooler - ( Socket 754, Socket 940, Socket 939, Socket AM2
) - aluminium
£4.53inc vat
quickfind code: 126790
Innovision GeForce 6200 256MB DDR2 64Bit AGP Graphics Card
£24.14inc vat
quickfind code: 119720
Total £141.60 :(
Not a better solution, but how would an AMD XP2500m or barton chip and mobile fit? Used to be my old server. Takes DDR (your old) ram. Its not going to be a gaming spec, but it'll run most stuff without any issue :)
I even have a hdd knocking about, 40gb and an 120gb iirc thats IDE
Justsomebloke
29-06-2008, 11:12
Could you not just buy a replacement mobo & a small HD say an 80GB.
Rebuild using the new HD & then once up & running hook up your other HD's.
Post your Full specs anyway so we can see what we have to work with.
Do you want to borrow my old Shuttle Kate? It's sitting in the garage doing nothing, was fine when I left it though :) Can have it as long as you like, I'm sure you dont need to be spending anything with the kitchen and all.
[edit]If you'd rather sort it out on your own, I'd suggest this:
http://www.hotukdeals.com/item/191415/dell-vostro-200-desktop-base-with-v/
Little more but everything will be new, if you wanted to upgrade it you wouldn't have to hunt for older parts, and you get a years NBD warranty. Plus you can be sure it'll all work together.
Del Lardo
29-06-2008, 12:15
If it helps I'm sure to have an 80GB IDE drive lying around here somewhere.
Thanks for the comments and offers of help guys. I think my gfx card is also pretty much dead, which is why I was thinking of just going for a new system rather than trying to codge this one together for another few months until something failed. Also, I don't think they actually sell any motherboards like mine anymore. I forget what it is, but it's helluvaOLD.
Daz - the Dell one you've suggested. Could I reformat it (i.e. get rid of the Dell software) and upgrade it if needed?? Would I be able to transfer it to my Coolermaster case? This is always my worry when buying off-the-shelf computers. Also, could I plug my existing HDDs into it. One at a time would be fine. I only reformatted one a few months ago so there's not too much on it.
Format it no trouble, transfer it probably not - the motherboards sometimes have custom fittings and the power supplies are proprietary. Hard drives - the internal mountings are usually custom but the hard drives are standard, so you could nick the mounts off whatever's in there and put your own in. Windows will unlikely boot though if you're thinking of doing that.
I've got an external caddy if it's just for transferring old data though :)
Upgrade wise you'll be set for a lot of it - those cases will take a standard full height GC, you can put your own RAM in and you could upgrade the CPU if you wanted, though they're not really designed with upgrading in mind (business systems - designed to survive a life-cycle then get refreshed).
Davey_Pitch
29-06-2008, 19:41
I may have an old gfx card knocking about you can have Kate. Not sure what type it is any more, but you're welcome to have it :)
Hmmm, I think I'd rather have something that I can modify without having to worry if Dell have done something to prevent me from messing with it in all honesty. I know it's more of a faff to put it together, but it's a lot less faffing if I want to upgrade something or a component fails and needs replacing. I would also want one of my IDE drives in there permanently to back up my photos. I also already have a perfectly good case, PSU, DVDRW, mouse, keyboard etc. so I'd rather spend the money on the components only.
Thanks for the offer of the gfx card Davey. I honestly don't know if that's the culprit or not though. I can't even get it to display anything let alone boot so I don't know if it's mobo or gfx card. I suspected one or other of them would cork it soon though. Either way, there's not much point in me fiddling around for hours to salvage it. My computer was slow and couldn't run some programmes. Firefox and Media Player crashed constantly and I knew I'd have to replace it soon. Just a bit crappy timing. I can take some money out of my car fund and pay it back over the next 2 months to get a new system though.
In terms of the system I posted up. Any thoughts??? I want something that'll run Photoshop CS2 (and The Sims occassionally :p ), but no hardcore gaming requirements or anything.
Chuckles
01-07-2008, 08:54
I'm sure that would all work. RAM is cheap at the moment though and I think for the sake of another 13 quid you should go for 2GB if you are running a lot of Photoshop.
^
Just what I was about to say.
The total actually includes 2GB ram. I just forgot to say so :o
The only thing I wasn't sure on was the gfx card. Is that one OK for the mobo/chip combination? I just went for the cheapest ;D
Good job you mentioned that, I hadn't checked. No, it's not going to work. It's an AGP graphics card but the motherboard has a PCI Express slot.
Lemme have a look and find one that'll work.
Ah OK. How about this one - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140582
MSI 7300 256MB GDDR2 (512MB TurboCache) DVI VGA TVO PCI-E Graphics Card
£18.49inc vat
quickfind code: 133004
That should do the trick. I've no idea how good the 7300 series is but it should be fine.
Ah OK. How about this one - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140582
That'd do the trick. It's got an DVI and HDMI output so depending what input your monitor has you may need a DVI-VGA convertor. Graphics cards often come with them but I've got a couple spare if you need one.
Ah, brilliant! A cost reduction too :cool: Thank you
Will go for the one you suggested... I've just got a bog standard monitor.
Bog standard as in CRT? If so you may need one of the adapters. Shall I chuck one in the post to you anyway? If you don't use it then just bin it, I've got a couple spare at home and loads of the things in the office.
Yep, CRT :o If it's no trouble, that would be fantastic. Thank you :)
Not entirely on topic, but are you sure the graphics card isn't what's dead?
As that sounds like what happened to my parents PC recently and £25 on a new graphics card and it's right as rain again. No point dishing out £150 on a whole PC while you can't afford it properly if a graphics card will sort it, hell someone here might have a spare AGP card you could have.
As I've said, I'm not sure if it's motherboard or gfx card, but either way the computer was on its last legs anyway so I'd rather just get a new system that's not going to break down in another couple of months because something else has died. It's a pretty old computer, made up of bits that I've begged borrowed or stolen. It's slow as hell, doesn't run the progs I want it to and I'm a bit sick of it in general really.
Yep, CRT :o If it's no trouble, that would be fantastic. Thank you :)
Okie dokie. I think I've got your address, but if you email it to me I'll shove an adapter in the post either today or tomorrow.
Fair enough.
I take it £150 is really the limit then? As if you're willing to overclock a bit, CustomPC did a nice spec and guide on building a Core2Duo machine, for about £400, but that was including a £130 graphics card etc.
I'll dig the magazine out but if you could stretch a bit more and are willing to try overclocking (which, with a C2D is child's play really) then you'll have a much much faster machine...
Nope, £150 is top whack. I don't really need a super dooper overclocked beast anyway. This is already a massive upgrade from my old PC, which was OK until it started crashing, slowing down and generally being awful :) Thanks for the suggestion though
Pumpkinstew
01-07-2008, 23:27
That processor should have a stock cooler in the box with it.
You could use that fiver to get a slightly better graphics card.
Or in fact the next CPU up is only a fiver more.
AMD Athlon 64 Socket AM2 LE-1640 (2.6GHz) Energy Efficient L2 1MB Cache Retail Boxed ProcessorQuickFind Code: 141243 | Mfr part #: ADH1640DHBOX
Or there's always one of these:
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/114785
Thanks for the heads up. I read on one of the reviews something about it coming with a fan, but couldn't find anything in the specs and ordered one anyway. Amazingly, despite me picking supersaver (free) delivery, it all turned up today so I can't really change my order.
I really don't want to tempt fate, but this is the easiest re-build I've had yet. Put everything together and in the case and it just seems to be working. Shocked tbqfh :)
Thanks for the help guys!!
When buying CPU's if you buy a retail box it'll come with a cooler whereas an OEM package won't.
Glad to hear it's all working :)
Yeah, Leon told me that too... as I was opening the box :p Nevermind, it was only £4!
Thanks again for the adaptor :D
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