Choosing a case? (Caution! Minefield)
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From: Orlando, Florida
Putting it together (was:Choosing a case!).
I have project "Deep Thought" in progress. The building of my first home made machine - dual core chip, 8gB RAM, 2 x 512mB video cards, 2 x 500gB HDDs (RAID). 64 bit Vista Ultimate.
I'm nearly there with the shopping list which, fur various reasosn, is all from www.newegg.com but still need case, power supply and DVD drive(s) - and maybe some extra cooling fans.
Cases, to my uneducated brain are just steel boxes - so why are some $20 and some $200?
I thought I'd found a reasonable combo with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129024 as for US$110 it includes a 500W power supply (which would retail for $US55 on it's own) and free shipping (no tax payable).
But then I find another 500W supply http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817148027 for just $40 (dropping to $25 with rebates).
I also saw a PSU with "SLI" technology for only $40 after rebates at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817159054
and, whilst I don't understand what "SLI" is - it matches the promotion for the video cards and the motherboard.
Front sockets (USB/Firewire/Audio) I may have built in, I may purchase a "media centre" panel to fit in one of the large drive bays.
Where do you begin?
I'm nearly there with the shopping list which, fur various reasosn, is all from www.newegg.com but still need case, power supply and DVD drive(s) - and maybe some extra cooling fans.
Cases, to my uneducated brain are just steel boxes - so why are some $20 and some $200?
I thought I'd found a reasonable combo with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129024 as for US$110 it includes a 500W power supply (which would retail for $US55 on it's own) and free shipping (no tax payable).
But then I find another 500W supply http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817148027 for just $40 (dropping to $25 with rebates).
I also saw a PSU with "SLI" technology for only $40 after rebates at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817159054
and, whilst I don't understand what "SLI" is - it matches the promotion for the video cards and the motherboard.
Front sockets (USB/Firewire/Audio) I may have built in, I may purchase a "media centre" panel to fit in one of the large drive bays.
Where do you begin?
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From: Twickenham, home of rugby
For SLI information, google is your friend:
http://www.pcmech.com/article/sli-technology/
Cases, cases!
Write down your requirements, particularly around quiet operation, cooling fan requirements, number of internal / external drive bays, toolfree operation and appearance / lighting (this latter leaves me totally cold). Probably more, but that's a start.
Select case, based on the above, assuming that EMR shielding is equal for all (it isn't, but how are you going to tell).
If buying from a website, there are often reader reviews that give clues.
Don't expect the cheapest case to be well finished (but then many expensive ones aren't either).
Read the small print - some cases come with a lot more screws, cables, adaptors than others.
SD
http://www.pcmech.com/article/sli-technology/
Cases, cases!
Write down your requirements, particularly around quiet operation, cooling fan requirements, number of internal / external drive bays, toolfree operation and appearance / lighting (this latter leaves me totally cold). Probably more, but that's a start.
Select case, based on the above, assuming that EMR shielding is equal for all (it isn't, but how are you going to tell).
If buying from a website, there are often reader reviews that give clues.
Don't expect the cheapest case to be well finished (but then many expensive ones aren't either).
Read the small print - some cases come with a lot more screws, cables, adaptors than others.
SD
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Not that you can necessarily tell from the price but some cases are built to be easy to open up (but can be more expensive) whilst others are quite the reverse. The former are great for those who like to fiddle with their innards whereas if you're the sort of person who is likely to put it together and not change anything for the next five years then the latter will suit.
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From: The Land of Beer and Chocolate
Agree with NeoDude, Antec cases are good for the price and are nice and easy for access (you still want to get into it easily to build the PC, after all. You don't want to be pulling out the PSU just so you can fit the motherboard like some cases force you to do.)
Coolermaster is another brand I like, but these ar just my personal choices.
Oh, one other thing, I would go for a PSU larger than 500w if possible, won't do any harm and since the psu will be stressed less it should last a heck of a lot longer
Coolermaster is another brand I like, but these ar just my personal choices.
Oh, one other thing, I would go for a PSU larger than 500w if possible, won't do any harm and since the psu will be stressed less it should last a heck of a lot longer
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From: Witnesham, Suffolk
I thought cases were just tin boxes till I bought my last PC.
It's got a 700 watt power supply, and there's one screw to undo to take off the top or the sides. That one screw is designed for fingers, not screwdrivers. The slight snag is that it makes opening up the case TOO easy.
It has 4 full-size drivebays, 4 HDD bays, 2xUSB and 1x Firewire on the front, plus an LCD panel, headphone socket, switch for the flashing lights (always switched off), floppy drive and PCMCIA slots.
In other words, totally over the top. But you may be sure my next PC will have a similar case. After years of simple boxes with 300 watt power supplies that feel like ovens after they've been on for a couple of hours, this cool device (with its two large fans) is the bees knees.
Strangely, there's no maker's name on it.
It's got a 700 watt power supply, and there's one screw to undo to take off the top or the sides. That one screw is designed for fingers, not screwdrivers. The slight snag is that it makes opening up the case TOO easy.
It has 4 full-size drivebays, 4 HDD bays, 2xUSB and 1x Firewire on the front, plus an LCD panel, headphone socket, switch for the flashing lights (always switched off), floppy drive and PCMCIA slots.
In other words, totally over the top. But you may be sure my next PC will have a similar case. After years of simple boxes with 300 watt power supplies that feel like ovens after they've been on for a couple of hours, this cool device (with its two large fans) is the bees knees.
Strangely, there's no maker's name on it.
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From: Bucks, England
I have project "Deep Thought" in progress. The building of my first home made machine - dual core chip, 8gB RAM, 2 x 512mB video cards, 2 x 500gB HDDs (RAID). 64 bit Vista Ultimate.
Vista will run fine with 8Gb of RAM.
2x512 Graphics cards will suck juice from the 12 volt rail like it is going out of fashion, so make sure that whatever power supply you buy will be Sli ready. If you want to future proof look fo a 1000W model.
You can pay a hell of a lot for a case as this will help with cooling, some of the more expensive cases are machined from a single bloc of alloy.
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From: Orlando, Florida
Order placed. Thanx folks.
Ended up with 1000w PSU to be installed inside a very lenghty named "COOLER MASTER Stacker 830 Evolution RC-830-KKR3-GP Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case"
Fingers crossed.
Ended up with 1000w PSU to be installed inside a very lenghty named "COOLER MASTER Stacker 830 Evolution RC-830-KKR3-GP Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case"
Fingers crossed.
Joined: Jun 1997
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From: auckland, new zealand
It's not too late to ditch the fascist gatesware and go to Linux.Don't be sucked in by the "ease of backup" claims of Ultimate: they are b/s.
If you are looking to encrypt: lots of luck - more gateswareb/s. Go to the knowledge base forums and look around.
Are you used to being able to install/move/uninstall/delete files on your own computer? Lots of luck with Ultimate, mate.
Run Linux, run Apple,Run Away from Vista.
Declaration: the only reason I am running a single-boot XP system is because I can't afford to be shagged by gatesware on a dual boot linux machine.
edited for fat fingered spelling
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From: Orlando, Florida
The Linux training starts shortly after the installation of this machine (tagged "Deep Thought").
An old laptop, running what has turned out to be an illegal copy of WinowsXP (an upgrade from original legitimate 98SE) will be converted to Linux as a test bed.
It's first job is to become a telephone exchange for the house (and route calls into/out of the internet, rather than copper pair rented from the phone company).
I'd also like it to run "SAM4 Broadcaster" from Spacial Audio - but not found out if SAM will run under Linux yet.
It's a fairly low powered machine, but will try to run a Second Life character on it, too.
Any other suggestions as to what to do with a hi-speed connection and a Linux machine?
An old laptop, running what has turned out to be an illegal copy of WinowsXP (an upgrade from original legitimate 98SE) will be converted to Linux as a test bed.
It's first job is to become a telephone exchange for the house (and route calls into/out of the internet, rather than copper pair rented from the phone company).
I'd also like it to run "SAM4 Broadcaster" from Spacial Audio - but not found out if SAM will run under Linux yet.
It's a fairly low powered machine, but will try to run a Second Life character on it, too.
Any other suggestions as to what to do with a hi-speed connection and a Linux machine?
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From: Twickenham, home of rugby
It's first job is to become a telephone exchange for the house (and route calls into/out of the internet, rather than copper pair rented from the phone company)
SD
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From: Orlando, Florida
Cell!
I have actually considered that, as during the hurricanes of 2005, the only service to stay connected to our home was landline telephone.
Cable TV went, electricity went, cellphones went, phone stayed connected. Radio was OK, lol.
I have actually considered that, as during the hurricanes of 2005, the only service to stay connected to our home was landline telephone.
Cable TV went, electricity went, cellphones went, phone stayed connected. Radio was OK, lol.
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From: The Land of Beer and Chocolate
Piece of pee to do it.
First, in your case, READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUALS!! Taking the power supply out can give you more room to work but that depends on the case.
Insert the CPU and fit it's cooler before you fit the motherboard into the case as it can save scraped knuckles and gives you a nice lump to hold onto. Fit RAM before fitting mobo into case too as space could be limited. Make sure "jumpers" are set properly (if necessary, some mobos don't have that any more) before you fit the motherboard in the case. Fit motherboard in case next. Connect up things like "speaker"/hdd light/power/reset/usb panel/etc wires next. Fit all components after you fit the motherboard into the case, they'll only fit one way so if you have to force things you are doing it wrong so don't force anything. Once all components are fitted, add all cables. That's it basically. Oh, if possible, make sure it's easy to add anything else in the future (put your dvd drive in the bottom drive bay so if you add another it's easier to fit that in above the existing one, as an example). Many cables, etc, are now colour coded so it's even easier than in the past.
Ultimately, take your time. Patience is a virtue and since you'll spend so long installing software an extra few minutes doing the build will not make a difference to things.
Oh, make sure at least one part of your body is touching the case when you add things as static can cause havoc.
First, in your case, READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUALS!! Taking the power supply out can give you more room to work but that depends on the case.
Insert the CPU and fit it's cooler before you fit the motherboard into the case as it can save scraped knuckles and gives you a nice lump to hold onto. Fit RAM before fitting mobo into case too as space could be limited. Make sure "jumpers" are set properly (if necessary, some mobos don't have that any more) before you fit the motherboard in the case. Fit motherboard in case next. Connect up things like "speaker"/hdd light/power/reset/usb panel/etc wires next. Fit all components after you fit the motherboard into the case, they'll only fit one way so if you have to force things you are doing it wrong so don't force anything. Once all components are fitted, add all cables. That's it basically. Oh, if possible, make sure it's easy to add anything else in the future (put your dvd drive in the bottom drive bay so if you add another it's easier to fit that in above the existing one, as an example). Many cables, etc, are now colour coded so it's even easier than in the past.
Ultimately, take your time. Patience is a virtue and since you'll spend so long installing software an extra few minutes doing the build will not make a difference to things.
Oh, make sure at least one part of your body is touching the case when you add things as static can cause havoc.
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Maine
Anti-static
As an after thought in preparing for assembly perhaps consider some procedures to follow. Anti-static methods such as gloves, mat, and wrist strap can help to keep the equipment free of contamination. Gloves especially might be the most beneficial. Components such as the CPU, video cards, memory sticks are packaged in clean rooms and even contact with skin will contaminate their surfaces making them more prone to dust and conduit to static particles.
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From: Twickenham, home of rugby
If you are adding CPU, cooler and RAM to the motherboard before installing the mobo in the case, make sure that the mobo is well and uniformly supported to ensure you don't flex it.
Take particular care that the mobo mounting studs are the correct length for the correct location in the case. The mobo is flat, but the "bottom" of the case need not necessarily be!
Sometimes it is easier to install some of the audio / CD cables before all of the PCI cards, and similarly it may be easier to plug the mobo ends of IDE and SATA cables in before installing the drives.
Be prepared to remove drives, cables and cards to change the installation order (don't screw them down until it all fits together) to get everything to fit!
It's well worth getting some cable ties and / or or cable tubing to tidy up the cabling inside, as this can aid airflow, reduce irritating noises and make working on the system easier in the future.
SD
Take particular care that the mobo mounting studs are the correct length for the correct location in the case. The mobo is flat, but the "bottom" of the case need not necessarily be!
Sometimes it is easier to install some of the audio / CD cables before all of the PCI cards, and similarly it may be easier to plug the mobo ends of IDE and SATA cables in before installing the drives.
Be prepared to remove drives, cables and cards to change the installation order (don't screw them down until it all fits together) to get everything to fit!
It's well worth getting some cable ties and / or or cable tubing to tidy up the cabling inside, as this can aid airflow, reduce irritating noises and make working on the system easier in the future.
SD
