Transfer to Barebones

[Moloch]

right now I have an obsolete computer that manages to run some modern games. However, online and with new games, there is lag between the processor and cable modem blah blah sob story
Anyway, I may soon buy a barebones comp with a 2ghz processor, new mobo, and pretty much nothing else. I want to transfer my current hard drive, hercules 3d prophet ultra, soundblaster SB live, mouse, keyboard, and anything necessary for my cable hookup to the barebones comp.
However, my dad says there will be unsolvable problems with compatibility between my harddrive and a brand new mobo, bus, bios, etc. I am not a hardware whiz, and I was wondering, could somone could help me find a way to transfer the above stuff into a barebones computer without fucking it up real bad?

[Zatrais]

You should be fine... ATA 133 bus and cables are backwards compatible... list what parts you bought so i can check out to be sure.

edit: now why the hell did i say dma instead of ata... to manny acronyms

[Moloch]

I;m getting the parts soon, don't have them yet, but I don't know how to transfer, really. I may just get a new mobo, processor, and ram, instead of a barebones, and insert it into my current comp after removing my current mobo.

[mistled]

you might have to go barebones instead of just buying the board if your old case is really old... all your new boards are going to take atx power supplies (and cases to fit them in), so if your old comp isn't atx, you'll probably have to buy barebones anyway.

[Moloch]

actually, I went to Microcenter and the guys there told me I basically had to buy a new comp because I have ME and all the good boards go wit XP, sp I might have to get that damn OS, spending about 729$

[Navaron]

WTF my rig was that much, tell those guys to let you off the barrel. Post what you have, want, and how much you can afford.

[Moloch]

have:
p3 500mhz genuintel
128 mgb ram
Hercules 3d prophet ultra
SB Live! wave out
DEfault system bios
Win ME
Acer LCD screen
Labtec Keyboard
Microsoft Intellipoint Optical mouse
All this stuff came from Dell, cept the vid card, screen, mouse, and keyboard

Want:
2ghz processor (requires new motherboard)
512 mb ram
^in addition to what I already have. However, they told me at microcenter that I couldn't just put a new motherboard and processor in place of my old one, because the dellness on the hard drive would recognize it as non-dell and wouldn't accept it because to reinstall my OS after a format, I would have to use a dell recovery CD which we have. A non-dell XP is several hundred so With that, mobo costs, and processor costs, combine those and it would cost as much to buy a new PC. I haven't done the math yet, but they offered me this:

512mb ram
2ghz processor
some mobo, don't remember, 500 mhz FSB, I think, maybe a bit less
32 mb SHARED memory vid card
some sound card
standard ports
Win XP
the above and other small shit for 729.
I have about 500 saved but I can get maybe 200 more from my rents to pay back later.
btw, how much would an AMD Athlon XP cost? I think the one at MC was a 2 gig or 1.8 gig and the processor was 209, I dunno if this is overpriced or not. I don't wanna get an athlon though, I heard they just crash when they overheat, but p4s regulate their clock speed so they don't overheat.

[Zatrais]

If you buy that then you're getting ripped off....

I'd recomend this:
Asus A7N8X $118
AMD Athlon XP 2100 $93
Glacial Cooling Fan Socket-A 25dB (Copper) For All AMD CPU (Up To XP2700/MP2100) $30
BLUE CHIEFTEC Server Chasis Workstation Tower with Plastic Front Cover and Side Panel Fan whit a AMD approved 450W PSU. Model nr Model#: DX1BLD SF U2F 450W. $65. (looks like it's up to spec, has the proper voltages)
CORSAIR MEMORY 512MB PC2700 VALUE SELECT. DDR RAM - OEM $77
IBM 60GB 7200RPM Model # IC35L060AVER07, Part # 07N6655 - OEM, DRIVE ONLY $90 (IBM's hd's actually rock, belive it or not hehe)

= $473

If you don't know how to install it yourself then get someone else to do it or go to a shop.

All prices based on www.newegg.com

Soundcard and vidcard, CD rom, burner etc you just steal from your old PC.. That dell HD thing confused me abit tho, dell dosn't use standard HD's? cause if they do then it's really not a problem if you want to keep your old stuff, just set the old hd to slave, copy what you want and reformat. You keep the monitor, mouse, keyboard etc ofcourse.

As for the AMD heating issue, well it's really not an issue annymore. AMD's used to overheat but they're alott better now and whit a good fan (don't ever go for a cheap cpu fan, you'll find cheaper than what i recomended but don't get them) they don't crash.

[Moloch]

so if I bought all the stuff you suggested I'd have min reqs for planetside?

[Zatrais]

Well, no.... the 3d card you got is only a geforce2....

Should get a Gf4ti4200 also

everything else tho is well above the minimun specs.

[powdahound]

What they told you about the hard drive is total crap. I've transfered hard drives out of prebuilt machines (Dells and others) and never had a problem. You could buy a new hard drive and keep the one from your dell and put them both in your new machine. That way you'd have a nice, fast, new hard drive and could easily copy all the files you wanted off the old one. :)

And the rig Zatrais recommended is :thumbsup:. If you get the xp2100+ (which you should) make sure you get the "Thorobread B" core, it's newer. I have an xp2100+ (defaults to 1.73ghz) overclocked to 2.2ghz with a minor temp increase. Just need a good heatsink/fan. :)

[Zatrais]

Yeah be sure to get a Thorobread B" core chip... stay away from barton, it performs slower than the Thorobread B" core in most cases.

[BLuE_ZeRO]

Barton stock cpus are still damn good and they overclock pretty damn well. I'm OC'n my amd 3000 this weekend to 2.5ghz and if it performs like it should it beats out the P4 3.06 ghz in most tests. I'm waiting on my new cooling system because this gets hot as hell, literally. I just wish this damn cpu worked with the A7N8x deluxe mobo though. Conflicts arise between the 3000 and the nforce2 chipset which won't allow you to install XP which is a bummer so I'm using the KT400 chipset. =|

[Moloch]

for the Asus a7n8x, it says it uses DIMM ram, isn't that not as good as the other kinds? And will it support the DDr ram you recommended? Or is that all I can get in my price range? Or do I not know what I am talking about(likely)? I just heard someone say dimm was older or worse or sumptin.
I searched for the a7n8x and it had 2 a7n8xs, 1 ws 124.99 and the other was 159.99. I chose the 124.99 for price checking. Also, are you SURE the tower has the right voltages? if I fuck up I'll never get the "I told you so"s from my dad out of my head, especially cuz the things are non-refundable.
Sorry about so many questions, I don't know muc about hardware:(, but thanx alot for the help.

[Zatrais]

DIMM is just the name of the slot that the ram uses... all DDR use the DIMM slot so thats fine... geting the cheaper on delux board is fine too, unless you need the onboard stuff like the soundcard and network interface controller, or network card..

and yes the voltages are correct.

[Moloch]

thank you very, very much. I can feel the little "DOOM" cloud that has been hovering nearby quivering in dismay.

[Zatrais]

hehe, well glad to help..

If you got more questions then feel free to ask.

[Moloch]

AAHHH, the doom cloud! HD is outta stock, but powda said I can work with my current one, if I buy XP, but will it fit on a 13 gig HD?
also, the cheaper mobo has a 333/266/200MHz FSB. I know enough to know that the BUS has alot to do with CPU performance, will this be detrimental if I overclock or anything?
lastly, will the heatsink Zatrais reccommended be enough for the overclocking powda did?

[Zatrais]

Yup 13 gig is big enough... barely.. you won't have room for anny newer games since they take alott of space. PS for instance will take roughly 2 gigs.

get this instead
WD WESTERN DIGITAL 60GB 7200RPM EIDE HARD DRIVE MODEL # WD600JB (600JB) - OEM, DRIVE ONLY $96

Western digital are good HD's also, thatone also has a 8mb cache.

edit or this:
WESTERN DIGITAL "SPECIAL EDITION" 80GB 7200RPM EIDE HARD DRIVE MODEL # WD800JB - OEM, DRIVE ONLY 20 gigs more for $6 more or $102

[Moloch]

sorry, I edited my post again, with MORE questions.

[Zatrais]

thats the FSB range the motherboard supports, the actual FSB depends on your CPU. This is changed when you OC and the A7N8X has a stepless fsb scaler...

As for the cooling, you'll need some case fans also if you want to OC.. that fan i recomended is made for 2700 chips so i imagen it'll let you OC some. Best to have powda discribe his own cooling system tho.

[Moloch]

:hug:
okey dokey