building a new computer

[roverkim]

hi, i want to build myself a computer from scratch. i want it to be a really ggod performance computer, but it's not going to be a gaming computer. has anyone got any suggestions for what i should go for in terms of my motherboard , processor, hard drive. i would appreciate any help you can give me.

[peanut]

Your budget will make most of those decisions for you. One thing to keep in mind is that all parts need to be compatible. For instance, when looking for a motherboard you will notice a socket # such as "socket 754", your processor needs to follow suit. Then you need to see if the motherboard has its own sound and video and if not, you will need to get seperate cards for that. The hard drive is simply a matter of preference. Now you need cooling fans. One on the processor (with a heatsink) and at least one blowing air in and another blowing out. You also need memory, read the motherboard manufacturers recommendations for that. I use a Asus motherboard and AMD 64 processor, 2 Maxtor hard drives, 2 dvd drives, 1 hard drive, Radeon video card, Centon 1 gb memory. I have alot of money tied up in this but you dont nessesarily need that. When buying a case, you need to be sure it has a good power supply (400 watts or so) and if not you will need to get one of those too. Back to motherboards, this is a very important part of your investment. there are alot of things to look for. 1. compatibility with the case, 2. how many pci slots, 3. memory compatibility, 4. # of usb ports, 5. socket # as stated above. There are several critical things to look for so maybe someone else can help shed some loght on this.

[peanut]

sorry i meant light.

[peanut]

boy i screwed up a bunch of stuff, its 1 floppy drive not 1 hard drive, and its an AMD Athalon 64 processor.

[vehelpfulguy]

If this is your first time building a PC then maybe go for a barebones system and then add the parts you need.

A barebones system normally consists of a case, motherboard, CPU, fan and memory which have all been chosen by the supplier so they work together.

You can either buy them as separate parts and you build it, or buy it pre-built.

You need to then add the hard drive, DVD or CD drive, operating system, keyboard, mouse, speakers.

As an example, here are some Novatech barebones systems.

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/barebones.html

[vehelpfulguy]

You should also go to computer fairs as you can get everything at a good price. They happen every week all over the country.

Here is a list of some computer fairs.

http://www.theshowguide.co.uk/

Try to buy all the main parts from the same supplier at one of these fairs as they will ensure they all work together.

This includes case, motherboard, CPU and memory.

[vehelpfulguy]

May be worth buying MicroMart magazine as they list all the UK computer fairs.

Here is their web site.

http://www.micromart.co.uk/

They also have some online forums for PC builders.