Hi all, Yes i've read the guide to building first but there is more to my question than it would first seem. SO some background. Im currently running the following (please dont laugh) very old system. Case: God only knows MB: Foxconn Series 946GZ7MA-8KRS2H http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000206 CPU: E4500 2.2ghz with stock cooler http://ark.intel.com/products/30781/Intel-Core2-Duo-Processor-E4500-(2M-Cache-2_20-GHz-800-MHz-FSB) GPU: Inno3D 8500 GT 1GB DDR2 http://www.inno3d.com/products/graphic_card/gf8/8500gt.htm Memory: 2gb OCZ Copper DDR2 HD: 82.35 GB primary and a 300.07 GB secondary connected via IDE PSU: Something cheap but effective at 400w but it works beautifully OPTiCAL: DVD Re-writer Now this plays COD MW2 and Star Trek Online the main games I play it also is quite effective with photoshop and video editing. Having said this im sure you can tell I need to move on. Now I cant get everything at once for my new rig and I want to buy the components in an order that if the ones in my current rig die I can use the new ones till I get everything so heres what im planning to buy and build. Case: Corsair 800d CPU: I5 2500K or I7 2600K with H80 cooler GPU: MSI GTX 560ti stock cooler Memory: 8gb Corsair Vengeance, Dominator or Dominator GT HD: OCZ 120gb Solid 3 primary and a 1 or 2 TB sata 3 secondary (WD Cavier green) PSU: 600W OCZ ModXStream Pro Modular Optical: Same drive but connected on sata (as it is now) So what I need to know is which part to buy first on the prediction something in the current machine will die and need to be swapped out. I have been having a few problems with something lately that gives me blue screen off death (on WXP SP3) when watching videos and crashes photoshop regulary and had to reformat once. That suggests hard drive and or graphics card to me. But if i bought them first would they fit in my current configuration. Thanks for you help I appreciate it
You need a new motherboard too. I'm not sure what is currently recommended as they have phased out my mobo of choice (msi p67a-gd53). Essentially the only things that have half a chance of running in your old system are the PSU and SSD. The 560Ti draws too much power for w/ever cheap PSU is in there, the RAM is too fast and the CPU is the wrong socket type. My advice is to buy the CPU - nothing that AMD has brought out will make Intel drop their price, so you might as well buy it now before inflation makes your money worth even less! You also really don't need a Dominator kit for anything other than benchmarking - you're extremely unlikely to notice the difference between it and a much cheaper Vengeance 8gb kit. The 560Ti is a good card, if you can stretch to the Twin Frozr II/HAWK models that would be great (as they have improved power phases and better coolers).
Don't forget you'll need to buy a copy of Windows 7 for your new machine, honestly I know you're having issues with your old machine but it would be better to just buy everything together and build the new one, this way if you have issues with any parts you can send them back either under 7 day distance regulations or a quick RMA under the first 28 days. You could salvage the DVD drive out of your old machine, I'm switching from a laptop to a PC which is frustrating as the laptop has a blu ray drive so my plan is to just hook it up to my TV and use it as a blu ray player (ACER arcade deluxe withstanding, that software causes more issues than anything else).
I'd say drop the Corsair 800D in favour of something else. The 800D doesn't do that well on Air cooling, so unless you intend to Watercool all of your new hardware; it's not worth it. See if you can't pick up a Fractal Design R3 or similar, bonus being it'll drop the price of the components a little, too! As far as the order goes: Pick up PSU and GPU, those are the only components that'll fit into your current Machine, then work on buying everything else. Does mean you'll have a hilariously mis-matched system for a while, but it will help you break up the cost into smaller chunks.
Thanks for all your replies, appreciate it. to address a few things that came up Bede i will be getting a new mobo and it will be that one msi p67a-gd53 as ive seen a few places that still have it in stock. And thanks for the dominator vs vengeance head up ill switch to vengeance and save some cash Arednel why do I have to get windows 7 i mean i was planning to anyway but wont these components work under XP (i know the memory issue thing) Tundra ill be using a Corsair H80 on the CPU but the gpu and PSu will be aircooled. But if those will fit in the fractal i might have to take a look and save some more cash If this changes your opinion please let me know
The case is a very personal thing - it's worth looking at a lot of cases to find the one that suits you. The Fractal Define R3 is supposed to be very quiet, though its cooling is average. The memory limit is a big problem for 32-bit XP, though if you have that funny old 64-bit XP then you could stick with it. Windows 7 is thought to be a good successor to XP - it is a lot better than Vista certainly, though frankly even OSX is.
It was more a reminder for considering it within your budget and not adding it on top afterwards.I keep forgetting it myself as well as a wireless card that I need to include in my build I will learn from my own words at some point and then I'll worry also Windows 7 may seem a big jump if you're still using XP but driver support will be much more readily available and once you get used to it it is much smoother. I transitioned from OSX (10.3.9) to Vista and changed to Windows 7 the day of launch, the only issue I've had is when it randomly ate my partition but I think that hard drive was starting to fail anyway.
You've also got to remember the extra features supported in Windows 7, such as better AHCI support, TRIM for SSD's, and DX11.
I see here occasionaly someones sig (the name eludes me) "Got new hardware? Put XP on it? You don't deserve help!" Wise words... I stuck with XP for a long long time but once I swapped to 7 I would never go back. Much smoother interface, handles new hardware much better in my opinion and seems to be more effecient with your resources. not to mention to addition of native trim support, better ACHI support and DX11 as mentioned above.
A lightbulb just went on above my head, lightning struck my brain, I had an epiphany, and... i just realised I have hidden somewhere an EZcool 700w psu that I never used that means i could get the GPU and use the new supply and Id have enough power right?
also.... arednel I figured you were just reminding me but wasnt sure. Kinda worried me when you said had to lol. and the 700w psu is designed for current socket 775 (i bought it first before my 400w one and then realised... way to big, i was just lured in by the modular bit) but im sure it also have the 6+2 the GPU would need. ohhh im thinking buy gpu now
