Just built a new desktop system - any system builders here?

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#1 Post by **K. Eng** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 3:31 pm

I'm curious as to how many people here build their own desktop computers. For the past four years, I have always kept a single mid-tower in addition to my notebook.

The bulk of my work I do on my ThinkPad, but I keep a desktop around for backup (both redundant computer & file server), watching DVDs (I don't own a TV, VCR, standalone DVD player), games (don't own any consols), and music (I don't own a stereo, only a small clock radio).

I just built a new mid-tower a couple weeks ago to replace my Dell Dimension XPS T750r (1999 era Pentium III machine):

Antec SX630II case
AMD Athlon 1.83 GHz (2500+ Barton, 512KB L2)
Abit AN7 (nForce2 Ultra with everything & the kitchen sink integrated)
512 MB RAM
40 GB WD400JB HDD, 40 GB Maxtor DiamondMax 40+ (recycled from old system)
ATI Radeon 9100 (Rebadged 8500LE, recycled from old system)
Sony CRX320E CD-RW/DVD (52x32x52/16x)

Cost me about $370 incl. shipping to build since I recycled some parts from the old tower and kept the monitor, speakers, and keyboard.

#2 Post by **JHEM** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:37 pm

I've built all of my desktops since my one and only purchase of a 286 AST many, many moons ago.

My present backup/desktop system was built from bits and pieces taken from either broken systems and cobbled together or are holdovers from my earlier systems. IBM MB from a dead Netvista, 2.6GHz P4, 220GB in 4 HDs, 1GB RAM, etc., etc.

About the only thing I've actually broken down and purchased recently was a new DVD burner.

Regards,

James

Daniel · #3 Post by **Daniel** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 7:06 pm

I left my desktop since I picked up the Thinkpad. Always had it there for backup when I was using the Toshiba Satellite though.

It had an Athlon XP 1700+ with the Soyo Dragon + mobo. 512MB RAM, All in Wonder 8500DV, 160GB WD hdd (it also had another 120GB RAID 0 setup but one of the IBM 60GXPs died so I just sold both) Plextor 24x burner + Creative DVD.

ldbobby · #4 Post by **ldbobby** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:20 pm

Been building my own systems ever since my first Gateway PC back in '98.
Currently using...
Antec 1080AMG Case
Antec 430watt PSU
Athlon 1700+XP OCed to 3200+
Abit AT7-MAX2 mobo
512MB Corsair XMS + 512 Kingston ValueRam
DVD-ROM, Lite-On 4x flashed to 8x DVD+/-RW, Lite-On 40x CD-RW
2x Seagate 120GB RAID 0, 60GB Seagate, 80GB Maxtor
ATi Radeon 9800Pro 128mb

#5 Post by **carbon_unit** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 9:47 pm

K. Eng wrote:I'm curious as to how many people here build their own desktop computers. For the past four years, I have always kept a single mid-tower in addition to my notebook.

The bulk of my work I do on my ThinkPad, but I keep a desktop around for backup (both redundant computer & file server), watching DVDs (I don't own a TV, VCR, standalone DVD player), games (don't own any consols), and music (I don't own a stereo, only a small clock radio).

I just built a new mid-tower a couple weeks ago to replace my Dell Dimension XPS T750r (1999 era Pentium III machine):

Antec SX630II case
AMD Athlon 1.83 GHz (2500+ Barton, 512KB L2)
Abit AN7 (nForce2 Ultra with everything & the kitchen sink integrated)
512 MB RAM
40 GB WD400JB HDD, 40 GB Maxtor DiamondMax 40+ (recycled from old system)
ATI Radeon 9100 (Rebadged 8500LE, recycled from old system)
Sony CRX320E CD-RW/DVD (52x32x52/16x)

Cost me about $370 incl. shipping to build since I recycled some parts from the old tower and kept the monitor, speakers, and keyboard.

If you were to spend a few bucks on a faster (7200 rpm) hard drive you would have a pretty decent mid range system.

I have been building my own desktops since '99 when I built an abit BP6 with two celeron 366's OC'd to 550 with 256 MB ram. It was pretty fast for 1999.

Currently I have an enlight case, biostar mobo, Athlon XP 2200+, 640 MB DDR ram, a couple of 30 gig Maxtor HD's.
It was respectable 1 1/2 years ago but it is showing it's age now. About time to build a new one and give this one to my wife to replace her Duron 1000, 768 MB ram "hand me down" computer.

#6 Post by **K. Eng** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 11:58 pm

I don't know if I could find a faster 7200 RPM IDE drive for a reasonable price. My Caviar SE WD400JB is 7200 RPM, has an 8MB cache and has a 40GB platter density.

The Maxtor is also 7200 RPM but it has a smaller 2MB cache and lower 10 GB platter density.

If you were to spend a few bucks on a faster (7200 rpm) hard drive you would have a pretty decent mid range system

Nabeel · #7 Post by **Nabeel** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 5:38 pm

I helped my teacher build his rig, and I built the desktop I have now. I use my TP full time now though. But my teachers desktop...*drool*

Just built a new desktop system - any system builders here?

Just built a new desktop system - any system builders here?

Re: Just built a new desktop system - any system builders he

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