Going overboard building my new PC?
 

Well, about every three years I get a new PC that I use as my daily personal system. The one I currently use, and I am about to replace with a new system I am building now, is a Compaq 1 Ghz Athlon. It's really loaded up, and still actually does the job for the most part, but I just couldn't resist I guess as I've had it for at least three years now. I was just itching for something new. And, like my Mustang, I just had to build a hot rod from hell.

Here's what I am building, do you think it's bad enough?. HA HA HA :p

• Gigabyte 8SQ800 Ultra2 Motherboard (AGP 8x, Serial ATA, IDE RAID, IEEE 1394, USB2.0, 6-channel 5.1 digital audio, and DualBIOS technology, and Dual Channel DDR 400+ ram support)
• 3.06 Ghz Hyper Threading P4 (Overclocked to 3.6 Ghz)
• 1 GB of ultra low latency dual channel DDR400 RAM (two matched 512 MB modules with aluminum heat shielding)
• ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon 128 MB 9700 Pro video card
• Customized PC2-601BW Koolance liquid cooling case system with four extra 80mm internal cooling fans, fan speed control switches custom mounted, blue neon lighting, etc. Provides heat exchangers for CPU, motherboard chipset, and video card chipset. Also it is outfitted with a 550W power supply.
• Three Maxtor 120 GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache ATA133 hard drives. They will be run in a RAID configuration as drive C.
• One Western Digital 100 GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache ATA133 hard drive. Drive D, for digital video storage.
• Lite-On 16/48x DVD-ROM drive
• Sony DRU-500AX DVD-RW drive
• Mitsumi floppy drive
• Auravision EluminX Illuminated (blue) Keyboard
• Logitech optical, cordless mouse
• Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 Personal Audio System

Don't mean to be bragg'n, I'm just excited about getting it all together now... ;)

Ballpark?
 

Hey Dan, give us a ballpark cost to duplicate something like that. Can one just order it from Dell or some other retailer?

Rev

yeah, you should be able to take over for NASA if their systems go down, with that system. 4 hard drives? must do alot of downloading... lol

:eek: Well, honestly I'm spending way too much on building something this extreme, but isn't that the way it goes when you want to build a hot rod? :p

I don't think there's anywhere that you can just buy a system along these lines pre-built. Not with the liquid cooling set-up AND customizations this will have. TigerDirect was doing some Ultra gaming systems at one time with the Koolance liquid cooling set-up, but even those weren't this cutting-edge or extreme. If anyone knows of a company you can buy something this bad pre-built, post away. Although, I'll bet it's way more expensive than this.

I scoured the Web for deals when I ordered everything. Here's what I basically got everything for (with shipping):

Motherboard: EXPENSIVE because it's cutting edge, and somewhat hard to find --- $275.00

CPU: $600

Memory: $350

Hard Drives: $400

Video Card: $375

Customized FrozenCPU Koolance system: $540

DVD-Rom: $45

Floppy: $15

Illuminated Keyboard: $99

Four Quad Blue LED 80mm Fans: $40

DVD-RW: $300

Mouse: $50

Klipsch ProMedia Speaker system: $350

Grand Total: ~$3500

Actually, I put this kind of power to use for other things besides mega frame rates in 3D gaming. I like to play some 3D shooters, but that's not the whole point for me to build something like this. I will actually make use of it for serious digital video editing. Because of Mustang Works, I do a lot of work with digital video that we shoot at the events. Furthermore, I do lots of work with large PhotoShop files and other development programs. The faster the better for me.

As for storage space. This thing will have 360 GB on the RAID array and 100 GB off the other drive (pulling it from my existing system that has a 40 GB drive and the 100 GB drive). For example, right now I have over 100 GB in digital video files on my system. So, I wanted TONS of storage capacity for all the video stuff I play with and work on. Among everything else.

Thanks Dan
 

Thanks for the info Dan. That's alot less than I had imagined. I can see you shopped a good bit. What a killer sysem.

Rev

i like your setup. How much will it cost for a MAc to be equivilant as that?:D :D

Dan, i do most of my shopping at NewEgg. They seem to have the best overall price and value. They get my stuff delivered quickly without any problems. Are you still running windows 2000? I cant remember what exactly you are running.

James

ahaha, like a fortune dude.

No, I am running Windows XP Professional as will be the new PC. Yeah, I've been on NewEgg a few times too.

Dan is now know as "Nick Burns" The company's computer guy.


Nick Burns

Sorry, I couldn't resist.:D

NICE rig dan, I would toss in a fast plextor cdr/rw and some cold cathodes too (since you seem to be going for the cool factor as well as speed.

I really hope you use that thing to play a few games on it, looks perfect for that chore!

what case are you going to use by the way?

All that hardcore computer stuff, and your still funning a floppy drive?!?

Hey, if u wouldn't mind, but if u could donnate your old comp to the nedy, say, ME!!! I still don't have one yet, and right now I'm drooling over your new one.

I'd probly own one by now if I'd sop buying project cars, like the '84 I just bought.

When u get it all done, I want to see pics of it when it's light, and dark, for the lights.

Nice rig Dan, great video card and CPU.....

one question....why did you opt out of using a motherboard that supports RDRAM @1066MHZ instead of DDR400(mhz)? It only costs about $344 for 1,024MB. Just wondering.... you know it's all about memory! Do you run pagefile.sys on a seperate drive?

I really don't want to sound like I'm bashing your system....I couldn't afford to build one like it for home use! You'll have to post some pics!

oh yeah....mustangman.....floppydrives can still be utilized in many ways that regular users wouldn't bother to know about, or perhaps even need to.

I understand that, I was just kinda a joke, he has all the mordern computer stuff, but is still putting in a floppy drive. I would do the same.

Re: Going overboard building my new PC?
 

It seems in your list, you overlooked the lead apron for your lap ??? lol :eek:

Sounds like a awsome system ;)

If ya got the money,I say go for it :D

It will have a Sony DVD-RW drive it that does DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, CD-RW, CD-R, etc... The case is a Koolance case with liquid cooling (see link above) and is customized. It has dual blue cold cathode lighting, plus all the 80mm case fans are quad blue lit too.

I'll play some games on it... Ohhh yeah, but the really killer thing for me with it will be the processing power for digital video and other development stuff I do.

Oooppss, it's already sold to my best friend once the new systems going... :p I'll definitely post pictures of the new system though! ;)

Very sweet! So sweet in fact that I would be happy, no HONERED ;) to frag ya in Spearhead or BF1942 regardless of how cool it looks ;)

*note to self: order a 9700 pro...

Hey, when I get back, my friend and I always play BF1942. He has two comps in his room, so we always team up with each other with tanks, and kill everyone else. It's funny, when we play seriously, we always win. But half the time, we just fool around ans steal planes and go on bombing raids. On the Ohmaha Beach map, I single-handedly turned the game around when I was a sniper, and put myself below the boat, next to the ammo bunk. I had about 30+ kills before I died. It was too much fun!

I think my friend built something like that a little while ago...yeah...I think it came to life and secretly switched places with him. What became of him no one knows... but his girlfriend didn't seem to mind:D Be careful!;)



*In Memory of Rich, who once built a computer so beautiful he could no longer separate himself from it*:p

Huh? I'm still stuck back in the Counter-Strike days... :rolleyes: HA HA HA Actually, no I do have Battle Field 1942 though...

Ahhh, most likely he was hypnotized by the pretty blue lights and lulled into submission. :p

Whoo hoo! Parts are starting to arrive:

http://media.mustangworks.com/data/3..._Parts-med.jpg

You can view pictures as I add them to my PC project album in my Media Center gallery too. I've already posted photos of some of the parts.

Dan,

All I can say is, CAN I HAVE ONE?

I'll e-mail you my home address... you can ship it there. ;)

Da! I already have your home address. It's on the way! Bwahahaha. :p

Thats funny, yours address and dans must be the same place, for thats where all the parts are going:D

screw the liquid cooling you should liquid nitrogen cooling.

Yes they actually have this and it keeps the CPU at -35 C!!! Its like 600 bucks though. I cant remember the real name of it, my friend showeed it to me. Crazy

So that explains all the gay porn magazines I've been getting with your name on it. :D

It's called the Prometeia nitrogen cooling system. You can read a review of it here. It's very expensive at around $780 US.

Oh, reaaaal funny! :rolleyes: Well, what I actually meant was that I already have your address in California. Guess those mags actually have your name on them after all. :p

Wow!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

LOL I remember I was the fastest kid on the block with my pent III 750mhz with 512 megs ram....

those were the days!!!

Sounds awesome Dan! I couldn't even imagine!

That is one badass MB! Very colorful too....Gigabyte boards are always so colorful! Anyway, does someone you know have a similar setup? Why have you determined before you even put it together how much you will overclock it? Kinda strange, given the hardware you listed I don't doubt it could be done, I'm currently running my P IV 2.0GHZ at 2.66GHZ without the need for additional cooling hardware....I'm just not sure why you'd make a definate assumption. Maybe you know something about overclocking that I don't, that's all.

Again it seems like I'm bashing you.....I really don't mean it, as a matter of fact I answered the question I asked earlier......I couldn't find a motherboard that supported all the things yours has, that also utilized RDRAM, which sucks. I guess you have to decide on what you want to trade! That is one cool MB with the dual BIOS and IDE Raid controller!

Well, I have done a lot of reading on the forums on Overclockers.com and I also discussed the set-up with the guys at FrozenCPU.com. The P4 Northwood is only safe to run a VCORE voltage of 1.75V. Any more and it will start to suffer gate deterioration and fail. With that VCORE you can get the 3.06 Ghz processor to go at least 3.58 Ghz. The liquid cooling system will keep the temps low enough to keep it dying from heat too.

The motherboard I have has dual channel DDR400 memory support. Ultra low latency DDR400 dual channel memory is faster than RD1066 memory now... This board has the best of everything.

Parts Update
 

WOW. UPS had to come twice today... :p

Got the Koolance case and liquid cooling system today, the keyboard, and all the drives. Here's an updated parts photo.

http://media.mustangworks.com/data/3...arts_2-med.jpg

I put up more shots in my Media Center Gallery too.

who can resist a friendly argument?:D

PC3200 DDR400 memory works at 200MHZ*2=400MHZ
it has a bandwidth of 3.2GB per second.

PC1066 RDRAM memory works at 533MHZ*2=1066MHZ
it has a bandwidth of 4.2GB per second.

I fail to see how DDR400 is faster, I understand that the lower the latency, the better that particular grade will perform(ex. DDR400 @ 2.5 CAS Latency will not perform as well as DDR400 @ 2 CAS latency), but it simply does not compare to 1066MHZ RDRAM.

Another point someone might argue is that the RDRAM would be a better match to YOUR PARTICULAR CPU, Dan, because your CPU bus runs at 533MHZ(given you use a board that supports 533MHZ FSB) which is a multiple of 1066MHZ all components will be "IN SYNC" with the system clock and that is a major benefit.

.......as far as I understand it, anyway ;)

No, the new DDR400 will eat RD1066. Here's why...

With the brand new dual channel DDR technology each DIMM has it's own independent memory controller. As such, it allows for double the bandwidth if used in conjunction with two matching modules. With single channel DDR400 you only have 3.2GB of memory bandwidth; however, with dual channel DDR, using two matched XMS modules of DDR400 you would get 6.4GB of memory bandwidth. That's what this system I am building will have, which is 2.2GB more than RD1066. :)

I realize this is a Mustang forum, but hell, I feel so comfortable asking you guys questions, and you seem to know so much about computers...

I bought an ATI 64mb vid card and tried installing it into my computer. I loaded the software on my computer and installed the card, but something went wrong. Here are a few notable issues...
1. I had monster 3D fx card in before (tried to salvage it from another older computer), and I tried to uninstall it. BUT! when I open my "display" from control panel, a pop up says "cannot find monster 3D fx card".

2. I read that I needed to download something from a website to get this ATI card to work with my systemax, which is a gigahertz computer so its relatively new... have you guys encountered that? Why would they sell something which you need to get online to get peices for???:mad:

3. The computer with the ATI card (couldn't get online at home to download s--t) in was choppy and simply stopped sending signal to the monitor (either through the vid card hook up or the original monitor hook up). I took the card out and the computer works fine..:confused:

FOR THE LOVE A GOD PLEASE HELP ME!:confused: :rolleyes: :(

lx5091 scrolls to top of thread.....


you said DUAL CHANNEL, didn't you.....more than once.....hehe.....um....I'll just shut up now...hehe:p

Assuming that this card will perform well with your system, here's what you would do. Get the model # off the card you want to install...you said it's an ATI card so go to:

http://mirror.ati.com/support/driver.html

Fill in the appropriate information and you should be directed to a download page for the correct driver for your system. Download it to your desktop and then turn off the computer and install the video card.

When your reboot, hold down the [F5] key, this will allow you to boot into safe mode and you can open the driver program you downloaded from your desktop and it should install the correct driver. Restart your system and everything should be good.....if not, repost or PM me with actual details and I'm positive it'll get resolved for you.

:D :D THANKS! I'll give this a try after work this evening. I'll be downloading from a 56k but I'm determined! I'll hopefully be able to let you know either way tomorrow. Thanks again!:D

Hey Dan, if u have the time, could u do me a favor? I was wondering what could be built for a low buget of say, $1000-$1500? I'm mostly a gaming and internet user, and I like to make web sites sometimes. So what I am asking is, if u could, not build, but design a comp for me withen this buget. If I do this right while I'm over here, plus my tax return, and the money that is owed to me, I might have enough left over for a comp.

mustangman65_79,

Do you need the monitor and other stuff included in that, or will you use your existing monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc? If so, then you can actually build a really nice and fairly fast system for $1500. Do you have any preference between using a P4 or Athlon XP processor? I'm actually an Athlon fan, but right if you're look to build that absolute fastest (like this one I'm building) the high end P4's are currently king. But, for what you are doing perhaps the Athlong XP would be better since they are cheaper in price and still you can hit 2 Ghz.

Let me know your preferences...

Oh hey, got something else and want your opinion. I found that my laptop and tv (40some inch, I think, well, just plain big) both have an s-video input/output. I got an s-video cable (wow, pretty expensive for a cable) and hooked them up. I have a HUGE monitor now!:D I was wondering if there is any drawbacks to using my tv as a monitor.... long term problems with the tv losing picture maybe? Or maybe the tv having too few colors to display things properly? Let me know, but for now, I think it's slicker than S##t!:D

As far as I am aware of it should cause you any problems at all. That's what it's for. Once I get this new system built, I'm going to be running cabling through the basement to my big screen out in the living room, as the video card I'll have will do all the TV, video recorder functionality, etc... and has a wireless remote that lets you control it all (and the whole computer really). It can also be an video entertainment center... :)

rice hunter:
the only thing that COULD be a problem with using a tv as a monitor is the refresh rate of the TV, if it doesn't refresh fast enough it could cause a headache to look at for an extended period of time....but if that was the case you wouldn't be doing it! Some TV's though, just wouldn't work because of there refresh rate.

mustangman:
I use athlon XP's alot when building PC's because of the price....much cheaper and perform well. But for my personal PC's I use P4's because they just seem to process threads better. I couldn't explain it, I'm not a CPU engineer, but I find that when benchmarking similar xp and P4's that the XP chip will run some programs faster....but for overall use of your PC and mainly the functions of the operating system seem to gel better with the Pentium class chip.

all:
What most people don't realize is if they think their PC is outdated and want a new one....99% of the time their case and drives are pretty new and all you need is a motherboard, CPU and memory which could cost as little as $300 for a 2GHZ Athlon system! Instead they go to circuit city and spend $1000-$1500 on a whole new system.

Good point... ;)

Ok, here goes, I like the Athlon, so would like to use that, as for a monitor, mouse and keyboard, don't have one, but might get a used one, well, I am going to get a optical mouse. The speakers, I'll just use my stereo system, so I'd like to have the lastest and best version of sound blaster LIVE, I think it's what it is. I'm a little out of the loop lately on comps for that I used to follow them until I joined the AF, then I became mostly a car person. Oh, one last thing, it has to have a ethernet card, for that my friends and I always have a lan party(I use one of theirs).

Well, for example you could build something like this:

• BAREBONE SYSTEM W/ BIOSTAR M7VIP & AMD XP-2800+ (case, power supply, motherboard, CPU) - $475
• 512MB PC-2700 DDR333 BRANDED ECC REGISTERED RAM - $170
• Ethernet Card - $20.00
• Floppy Drive - $15.00
• TOSHIBA 16X/48X DVD ROM DRIVE - $50.00
• 100 GB 7200 RPM ATA133 Hard Drive - $100
• Radeon 9700 Pro Video Card - $330

The motherboard has on-board 6-channel digital audio already, so you won't need a sound card. This is also not really even shopping around big time for the best deals on every single component. I just pulled this off a place I've gotten bare bones systems from in the past. You can also drop down the price of the bare bones system over $100 by dropping down to the XP 2700 CPU. You can pick up a keyboard, mouse, and monitor on eBay used. In December I bought a mint 19" monitor on there for $130. If you really shop around the Net and everything, I'd say you can build this for $1000 to $1200 complete...

How good is this Barebones system? I never even heard of them.

Also, how much for a second 50 GB hard drive?

Nothing wrong with them. Bare bones just means it's a PC already assembled minus the memory, drives, and peripherals. On the drive, a 60 GB one, you're looking at around $70.

Now, if I can ever get off my lazy but, maybe I will get one when I get back home.