The (new) Official PC building thread!

It"s called thermal tape...the good thing is you did not void your warranty...the bad news...your memory is probably running hotter with the heat spreaders on...the tape is thermal tape...designed to transfer heat...to heat spreaders...which it is not doing...since you did not remove the wax paper...all you are accomplishing is blocking air flow to memory chips with spreaders on...

In close to 20 years of building computers...I have only had one stick of memory go bad...it was a stick of micron...they swapped it...No problems...I have never bought cheap or generic memory...a fan blowing on motherboard is all you really need to keep memory cool...

There has been lots of debate over heat spreaders...and there effectiveness at cooling memory...some believe that all spreaders do...is block air flow to memory chips on the PCB...The one thing I like about spreaders is the bulk and the strength they add when installing...

I am not 100% convinced they actually cool memory better then...no spreader and a fan on door...blowing on Motherboard and Memory...

 

Thanks, bro

 

speaking of heat sink's. i ordered me a P4 2.8 ghz northwood 533mhz CPU for my mobo i have now. big upgrade from my little celeron p 340. im not sure if it has a heat sink on it? id say it does. if it does will that be heat sink on the celeron now be ok for the new CPU im getting or do i need a new one for the P4?

 

Retail will have Cooler...OEM will not...your old cooler should fit...not sure if it is rated for the new chip...probably is...

There was also a $99 P4 Motherboard/CPU combo at Frys...That would have been a big improvement over the board you had...they were basically giving you the Motherboard for Free...

To bad you couldn't swing the $179...Duo Core 6300 Motherboard/CPU combo I listed in PM...really would have been the way to go...You could have used all your old components...case...Power Supply...Memory...had on board video...AGP...and support for DDR2 for the future...

 

On a side note, that 533fsb cpu should be fairly OC friendly, if your mobo is OC friendly as well. Will probably need a better hsf though. Should be able to get 3.2ghz or better pretty easily with only a zalman 7700 or better.

 

@lp531 im still thinking about that combo.prety awsome deal heck that cpu is 189..lol

 

I also would like to know. I want to make sure I am getting the best bang for my buck...(Corsair memory is not cheap!!!)

 

@Cincyrob
They were giving the motherboard away...basically...it would allow you to update at your own pace...and it was micro atx to fit your case...upgrading to the P4 chip is not going to make a big difference...going from a celron to Duo Core 6300 will be huge...My buddy bought one just for the chip...thats how I knew about it...

Test your system with Sandra SiSoft...

http://www.sisoftware.net/index.html?dir=&location=downandbuy&langx=en&a=

 

@lp531

is that a normal price for them at FRY's... or is it just a sale going on? i do want that combo, but might have to wait till next week to get it.... cant pass up a deal like that.... yo say i can use my other stuff on my old board. its only 250w PSU is that big enough for that core2duo??? and what about mem. only have pc133 on it now 2 sticks of 256.????

 

cincyrob,

You'll need some DDR2 memory for a C2D. 250 watt psu isn't big enough for anything imo. I'd say 350 watt constant power bare minimum, 450+ for higher end (not high end) gpu's and multiple drives. 650+ for high end gpu's and multiple drives.

 

Mort81 if I may add? You guys make sure to get a good solid PSU, don't skimp out here. I learned a lesson on this but thank goodness not the hard way. There are plenty of good psu makers and they aren't that expensive just ask Mort81 or Lp531 for exact makers. lol. Sorry more work for you guys.

I can comment on makers of friends but NOT personal experience. Antec, Corsair, Enermax, PC Power & Cooling, Silverstone, Seasonic, and OCZ just to name a few. These come from docTY, Brobear, and if I remember right Mort81 even suggested a couple of these to me. I'm sorry that I can't give first hand experience on more than just the Antec. As you can tell they cost more but in this respect you get what you pay for.

HTH someone.

....gm

 

i have the Thermaltake 750-Watt PS thats a really good one to consider also

 

Oops forgot to mention Thermaltake....:S...lol

Also want to mention that the lower end products (especially Antec) are not what I'm talking about. The upper end stuff like $100 or more most of the time. You can get some if it for less than $100 but with MIR normally. Just sumting to ponder!! I'll leave the rest up to you gurus.......

....gm

 

if your going with Antec get the True-Power

 

Let us not forget about the Hiper Modular Type-R SLI Ready PSU- the modular cabling makes things easier and comes in many different colors.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/3...ck_HPU-4K580-MS_V2.html?tl=g11c26&id=PTkhTZIo

Thought I would add to greenmans list of good PSU...

Note:

Not sure if anyone has gone though FrozenCPU,com, but they are good people- Fedex lost my 5.25 lian-Li guage [temp monitor] and a 1 GB flash drive [the drive was $13.99]- I called them and reported what Fedex told me I had to wait 48 hrs to tell me my stuff is losed? LOL..anyways FrozenCPU told me dont worry about and that they will resend it... COOL

 

@cincyrob
Are you sure you only have 168 pin pc133 memory...

The spec's on the Hp system you gave me said...single stick 512mb DDR...184 pin...pc2700 memory...

Link:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/gener...encodeUrl=true&

It says your system came out in 2005...not all that old...does that sound right...

I was hoping it had a 300wt or above PS...knew that was were you might be marginal...but with no video card...and only one stick memory...I was hoping it would be ok...

It is a special...but they have been running it a lot...fry's seems to run same specials often...until they sell out there supply of the items...

Link to Duo Core Combo:
http://newspaperads.mercurynews.com/ROP/ads.aspx?advid=32664&adid=4104634&subid=14986408&type=

Link to Motherboard specs:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813135027

 

Hmm, that mobo supports C2D cpu and DDR memory. I learned something new.

 

@Mort81
What do you think about the Combo...I think Cincyrob actually has DDR memory...and I am hoping a 350wt PS...The system is not all that old by link he gave me...

They are selling combo for less than chip by its self...from most places...basically giving board away for free...

@Cincyrob
Pull off cover...and write down specs from side of power supply...

 

sorry LP531 my bad. i was talking now about a older computer i was gonna get that combo for. it is a old FIC II mobo im sorry... getting everyone confussed..lol if i was to get that combo it would go in my old box.. its a big one that only has a 250w psu.that hp system you were talking about there is what im useing now, it does have a 350w psu i think. if i get that combo im gonna leave the HP alone for the wife to have.

 

That looks to be a very good deal (free mobo). I don't have any experience with it or that brand. No idea of OC capabilities. Good deal though for someone wanting to upgrade to a C2D especially if you already have some good DDR memory.