Need a new computer...

[DOSMAN]

Hey everyone, I used to come here a lot, but kind of faded out after I started college a few years ago. I remember when this used to be Icrontic actually, but that's another story.

The reason I'm back is that I need a little help. My computer appears to be dead. It's rather old (3-5 yearsish), and rather than debug I'd rather just buy a new mobo/cpu/memory and start over.

I currently have an Athlon XP 1800, which worked fine for me, but apparently something isnt happy, because it no longer works. I had done something a few months ago with computer controlled lights (discolitez.com), and I think it drew a bit too much current, because shortly therafter my computer failed to boot. Funny noises were heard from a hard drive, so I unplugged it and went happily on my way for a few months. But now, it won't boot again and I am hearing more funny noises from a different drive.

It gets to the Windows startup screen, but then just reboots. Same issue when trying safe mode, and I can't get Knoppix to load either. I assume the mobo is bad since the hard drive I removed a few months ago seemed to work fine in my USB enclosure. I tried unplugging all my PCI cards, CD drives, and all hard drives except the one that has C: on it, but all with the same effect.

So basically, it's probably time that I upgrade anyways. Honestly, although I know quite a lot about computer architecture from a college standpoint (how to build an out of order CPU, designing transistorized IC's), I haven't kept up with the practical hardware stuff since high school. So basically, I need a little help choosing a new motherboard/cpu/ram, etc.

Does anyone have recommendations? I don't want to go super cheapo, but I'm not much of a gamer either, so I don't want to shell out all my rent money on a system I'm not going to use to the max.

It's probably time I get a new graphics card also, since I'm running an a Radeon 9000....

I suppose this is also a good time to get Vista and enjoy all the flashy little features of Aero, and the likes... At least that will be free (thanks to UofM's deal with microsoft).

So anyways, could you guys help out? This community has always been great with advice in the past, and I'm looking forward to system recommendations again.

Thanks in advance,
DOSMAN

[primesuspect]

yuo get teh "F" dosman.

[airbornflght]

Wow, talk about a system that is a blast from the past. Maybe we can bring you up to speed. How much are you wanting to throw down on this rig?

[DOSMAN]

yuo get teh "F" dosman.

Oh the memories. I still have a few episodes of the addaboy radio show on my computer, assuming that the hard drives aren't dead as well.


Wow, talk about a system that is a blast from the past. Maybe we can bring you up to speed. How much are you wanting to throw down on this rig?

I'm all about blasting from the past. After all, I am DOSMAN.

Ideally, I'd like to spend a few hundred, but I could be pressured upwards if it was necessary. As I said, I'm not a gamer, so the graphics card doesn't concern me too much.

[primesuspect]

If you want to do vista, the graphics card should concern you. Vista needs high end graphics as badly as most current games :-/

[airbornflght]

Mobo: ASUS A8N5X (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131569)
Proc: AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 2.4GHz (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103037)

Basically if all you need is a mobo and processor that is in your budget. I don't think you should need new ram if you are happy with your current amount. Your going to have to find a pci-e video card though, as AGP has died.

I would just get a cheapie ASUS EN6200LE (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121019) if you are going to stick with xp and all you do is web surfing. If you want to run vista I can guarantee you that card will cry when it tries to run aero. How much memory do you have now? If you don't have at least 512 I would get that at least. Now days that is pretty much the bare minimum that you want to be caught with.

[primesuspect]

for vista you pretty much need 2gb to have a good experience. 1gb is what I would consider the "realistic minimum"

[airbornflght]

too true. I have 1gb now and when running inDesign and photoshop my computer begs for mercy. I'd like to have 4 gigs. and even then more would be nice. Vista has so much hardware overhead I don't see how people will stand it but w/e...people will eat up whatever ms throws there way. I just hope that 64 bit cuts down on processing times. aside from just allowing me more than 4gb of memory.

[DOSMAN]

I only have 512 MB of ram right now (i feel like such a n00b :) ).

Some friends suggested that I run memtest86, which I am doing now. They also recommended I try a different power supply, although that had the same effect as before.

[DOSMAN]

memtest ran all night, and it didn't look like there were any errors.

I had an idea, that since the last time, I "fixed the problem" by removing one of my IDE hard drives, I decided to move the drive containing C: from IDE0 to my SATA converter. I was able to boot Windows.

I was able to backup my Outlook calendar and get it transfered to my laptop (without it, I'd be lost and confused).

Does this sound like a motherboard problem? I'd assume that it is, since the IDE ports seem to be at fault, not the hard drives. I just want to make sure that I'm replacing the right parts, because I'd hate to shell out a few hundred bucks just to find out that something was wrong with my hard drive.

Thanks again

[airbornflght]

memtest ran all night, and it didn't look like there were any errors.

I had an idea, that since the last time, I "fixed the problem" by removing one of my IDE hard drives, I decided to move the drive containing C: from IDE0 to my SATA converter. I was able to boot Windows.

I was able to backup my Outlook calendar and get it transfered to my laptop (without it, I'd be lost and confused).

Does this sound like a motherboard problem? I'd assume that it is, since the IDE ports seem to be at fault, not the hard drives. I just want to make sure that I'm replacing the right parts, because I'd hate to shell out a few hundred bucks just to find out that something was wrong with my hard drive.

Thanks again

my guess would be that the ide controller is on the fritz. Because you say that once you put it on the sata channel that it works. so that tells me the hdd isn't at fault. the only other thing it may be is the ide cable.

[DOSMAN]

Changing IDE cables didn't help. It must be the ports. I guess it's time to buy a new base-system.

Alternatively, I could do what I always do...

When my sound card on my motherboard broke, I went without sound for a month until it bothered me too much I bought a sound card (not a new motherboard, just a new sound card, until more stuff broke and i had to get a new mobo)

When my 2nd video card broke, I went from using 3 monitors to just 2. I never bought another one. Still have a 3rd monitor in my closet just sitting there.

Now, I'm running on just 1 of my 3 hard drives. Although I just bought 2 USB enclosures online, so I can still use the drives, even though my IDE ports are bad.