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General discussion

Budget PC configuration

Aug 4, 2005 7:01AM PDT

My dad is looking at upgrading our current PC (old P3 Windows 98 machine), but doesn't want to spend too much. So I've been looking at a budget upgrade, and wondered if this PC sounds all right/will work etc.

Motherboard: Asus P4V8X-X SKT478 VIA P4x533 Sound LAN USB 2.0 533FSB SATA150-RAID
Processor: Intel Celeron

Discussion is locked

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uh, as to the PSU
Aug 4, 2005 7:37AM PDT

unless you have a high end unit you have a single 12v rail, and it should have over 18A on it

in addition the unit should be from a good maker

in addition consider casing, the components you've selected will get hotter than a Pentium 3

the hard drive should work fine, as long as the board has 2 IDE channels (so the optical drives go on 1 and the PATA hard drive goes on the other)

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OK, so
Aug 4, 2005 7:58AM PDT

I would have the DVD drive, CD-RW drive and old hard disk on one IDE channel, and the new hard disk on its own channel?

The casing should be OK - it's not the the case the computer originally came in, and I'll get some case fans etc. to get some better cooling going on.

I will check the power supply - thanks for the 18A recommendation.


Thanks for your reply,
Adi

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Just a thought.
Aug 4, 2005 8:22AM PDT

I don't know what your going to pay for all those parts, but

A few days ago I received a flyer from STAPLES.

It showed a basic/budget system for 300 bucks after rebates.

The system (which is probably 4X what dad has now) included pc/monitor/printer and came with XP home.

Hardly seems worth the effort to build a budget system.

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Wow
Aug 4, 2005 8:36AM PDT

Looks like it might be easier to look out for budget deals then. Although don't know if we get stuff that cheap in the UK Happy But thanks for mentioning it. At the mo the upgrades I've mentioned would probably cost about