I've been out of the PC game for a while now. I have a desktop and I'm 90% sure the power supply just blew. So I need to get a new computer or replace the ps on a system that's a little old and always crashing anyhow.

All I use this system for is storage and transfering video off my tivo.

http://www.pricewatch.com/computer%5Fsystems%5Fno%5Fos/

I'm thinking about this one: http://www.computerlx.com/config.aspx?t=&product_ID=155
$350 or something like that. I just want a computer that I can put my 2 500GB SATAII drives in and then hang all of my other hd's off in USB cases. I would like a lower power consuming device cause it's just sitting there turned on all the time.
Also, I added 1GB of DDR2 to the system above and it was an extra $88. I want to be able to load VMware with a linux OS on it.

I also would like to add that I have a nice soundblaster 5.1 card that I would like to install and a ATI all in wonder 256MB card that I would like to install. so sound and video free is better.

Also, I'm buying a 24" dell monitor that I could use with this.

oh and "glavin"

Looks like it'd suit your porpoises just fine, and it's damn near impossible to find systems without integrated sound and video these days (unless you want to pay extra.)

the_reverend said:

I have one of those. You're going to absolutely love that fucking thing.

I didn't really look through these, but I think there's some good barebones deals in here: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/ca...lc.asp?CatId=1915&msg=M450-2400%20Q

my last 2 systems have been AMDs are they have ALL run super duper hot and have all be crazy unstable. I'm thinking of getting a 2-ish ghz dual core system or a Mobile processor system. since this computer is going to be on 24-7. the PC that just burnt out was "on" 24-7, but if I wanted to use it after about 10 hours, I would have to reboot it cause it would be dead.

also, if it's loud, then it drowns out the sound of the TV in front of it.

also...i will be able to back up my pics on it too

What AMD machines have you had in the past? I think the newer Intels are actually hotter than AMD now. My current (2 year old) system right now is my first AMD build. The thing idles between 35 and 40C. All the Intel xeon, p4, pentium D, and Core Duo servers I used to build in my last job used to idle really hot.. between 55 and 60C.

I've had a 700MHz thunderbird and a 1900+.
the 700Mhz would have heat all the time with 1 drive and a fan hole cut in the top.
the 1900+ runs at almost 80C a lot of the time and with 7 case fans, I would only get it to 75C. if I put in the extra 2 512MB ram dimms, it would go to 84C with in 10 minutes and shut down.

Jesus. Yeah, those old bastards used to run hot as hell. That's not the case anymore, though. I think the tables have turned and Intel has the hotter chips now. Weren't they getting criticized a year or so ago for trying to push the BTX form factor? Everybody was saying it was a way for them to deal with the heat their new architecture put out.

Check out the system building guides on AnandTech.com if you're intestered. They keep up on all the latest hardware and pricing crap. http://www.anandtech.com/guides/

yeah, but a 2.16ghz dual core. I looked it up and dual means 2. last time I looked, 2 was better than 1.

ok, that budget thing is great and all.. I'm just going to buy a system and then put in my ATI card, my hard drives and then my 2 SATAII 500GBs and then hang like 5 USB drives off this thing (16ft cable into the basement). actually, if the case doesn't have SATAII/I I would probably put even the 500's in the case in the basement.
it would be nice to have a small footprint computer.

just so you know, the Core 2's idle at around 50-60. I have a Core Duo and it idle's at 45ish. I guess intel decided that instead of trying to reduce their temperatures they would just make cpus that handle the high heat better. I know that the Core Duo has a high end of 100C which is unbelievably hot. I can only assume that the Core 2 is higher.

Older AMD's like the Duron and early Athlon ran really hot and had a low heat resistance. The new X64's and X2's run pretty cool and have a high heat resistance. My X64 3400+ idles at 34C.

I'd say if you're worried about heat stick with AMD, theyre made huge improvements in heat and power consumption. Intels get really hot but they can handle the high temps. My Core Duo laptop screams but burns my lap. The Core Duo and Core 2 are still amazing processors though.

I'm leaning towards the 2.13ghz daul core that I linked above. I care about the heat and all cause of the noise from fans. I wonder if shuttle PCs are still around. it would be slick to get a small footprint case. at one point, I had a case that was waist high! now, my case is just a normal tower.

http://www.pricewatch.com/brands/computer_systems_no_os/shuttle-1.htm
$$$ with crappiness inside, but small footprint.

which computer is better?
http://www.computerlx.com/config.aspx?t=&product_ID=148
http://www.computerlx.com/config.aspx?t=&product_ID=155

are you going to be upgrading to Windows Vista when it comes out? Even if you aren't you should still be looking to get at least 2GB RAM. If you're worried about heat and noise you shouldn't get a small footprint case. Those things have no airflow and the fans whine. Try to find a case with a 250mm case fan. Theyre pretty new so theyre harder to find but the 250mm fans are completely silent. Theyre so big that they spin at 1000rpm or under as opposed to 4000 but they still push more air than the 80mm ones.

actually that core 2 duo looks better. it has a larger cache and uses the 65nm process which is leaps and bounds over the 90nm. The X2 has double the bus speed but half the cache. So it's a tradeoff but the 65nm process breaks the tie. Go with the Core 2

DeRtOxIa said:

Wow, that's crazy. I heard the dangerzone for my Athlon64 3200+ Newcastle is 60C.

Unrelated note, I had my nVidia 6800GT GPU pushed to 115C at one point. The thing never popped and I had no visual artificats on the screen. haha.

that's crazzy.. you read the news that nVidia is going to jump into the processor ring? GPU into CPU. damn.

Really? I'm behind on my tech reading lately. Link me an article, niggah.

yeah the high temp zone for AMD processors is lower but they also tend to run cooler. Intel has rediculously high temperature resistance.

Thank nvidia thing probably isnt going to happen anytime soon. Theyre just hoping to split up the processing and have more powerful video cards that process more things like polygons which are generally done by the cpu. It will just take some stress off the cpu and let it concentrate on more detailed things. It means games will become more involved and video processing will speed up.

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=35216

heres an article about the cpu+gpu....it's in the Inquirer so take it with a grain of salt

menstrual_sweatpants_disco said:

"My god, it's full of stars!"

Looks like a good machine, except you need more RAM (512mb min) and a better HD (8mb cache makes a big difference especially with large files)

http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/19/nvidia-has-x86-cpu-in-the-works/

I have 2x 500GB SATAII drives

As long as you yank out the slow 7200/2m drive, you'll be OK

I was thinking of getting no drive in it... or getting a SATA160 or another 500.. still undecided

if you already have 2 500GB drives you should invest that other cash in more RAM

yeah, I'm going to spend $88 and get a 1GB over 256MB.
hopefully another 1GB will be cheaper in a 1/2 year when I need to um... LEGALLY GET VISTA MR MICROSOFT DREAM POLICE.

one of my friends had one of the first builds of vista along time ago

the_reverend said:

Doesn't matter IMHO as long as you aren't using a drive as slow as the original to load OS segments, etc. from.

oh yeah! don't your worry about that.
I have/had my system booting off the fastest drive I owned. I almost bought a seagate 10K/15K rpm drive as a boot drive, but the think sounds like je taking off

Yeah those are almost for servers only they're so loud. It bugs hell out of me when I see a fast processor, good RAM, good video, all waiting on some piece of shit hard drive with a 2mb cache. Oh and buy a couple thumb drives so you can heist warez from work...

I wish! I work for a network security company. I can't get anything through the firewall anymore. last couple times I tried, a dude was at my desk with in 30 minutes... or I got a phone call with in 10 minutes.

the_reverend said:

Get yourself a WD Raptor. The thing's pretty quiet and it allows you to boot up windows in 20 seconds flat.

or, if I wanted do something, I would get a RAM-drive.
imagine a SATAII PCIe RAM drive. it would load windows in 1/2 sec. (PCIe does 4GB/s and SATAII does 3GB)

fedora 6 is incredible they added the crazy 3d desktop thing to it that os x has its probably a lil buggy still but check it

sounds like enlightenment.

I downloaded core 5 last week.
and got the core 6 email today. lame.

http://www.freebsd.org/

Linux is for mulattoes.

freebsd? ahahahah that's what macs run you commie faggot.

Touche, mulatto!

the_reverend said:

Yeah but that would cost more than the Raptor and only hold 4GB of data. Practically useless.

I just got a few USB to SATA and USB to IDE cables to make a USB drive box out of an old computer case.