[torifile]

My in-laws need a new computer. They're probably too old and set in their ways to learn how to use OS X, so I'm going to build them a PC. I want a nice, inexpensive build for them. One that'll be reliable but it doesn't need to run games at max settings or anything.

I'm thinking that since I've got a couple extra sticks of DDR2 RAM, I'd go with a DDR2 mobo. I'm looking at the Radeon HD 3650 since it's only $30 after rebate at newegg for a video card. I'm thinking of a corsair 400w PSU since they're reliable but not more than they need either. And a WD 500 gig HD. I need recs for a mobo and processor. Any thoughts? I'm hoping to get one built for around $400-500. Is that doable?

So far:
- $30 for 3650
- $30 for PSU
- $55 for HD

That leaves about $280 - 380 for the case, mobo and proc. Thoughts?

[torifile]

I've made a few more choices and this is what I've got so far:

Powercolor AX 3650 (newegg) - $23 after rebate
Corsair CMPSU-400CX (newegg) - $30 after rebate
PNY DDR2 RAM (already have) - $66
Gigabyte GAG31-ES2L (newegg) - $53
E6300 2.8 ghz Wolfdale (newegg) - $82
Antec 300 (amazon) - $60
WD 500 gig HD Caviar Blue (amazon) - $54
Samsung DVD-RW drive (amazon) - $31
Sony internal card reader (amazon) - $15

Total: $414 or about $425 shipped. Any thoughts so far?

[PB PM]

Sounds like a good budget setup to me.

[macleod]

I hate to say this, but have you thought about just a basic dell desktop? They have some really cheap offerings that would get you Windows 7, a keyboard and mouse, and it would save you some time and effort. I would still probably go the route your are going because I would enjoy putting it together and setting everything up, but I just thought I would ask.

[torifile]

Of course a pre built system came to mind but I'd prefer to build it myself.

[Eugene]

There's hundreds of ways you can build an inexpensive PC. Here's a gaming box I suggested in another forum.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/Pu...umber=10023331

But as reality sets in, for in-laws it really would just be better to steer them toward a prebuilt PC from HP or Dell.

[torifile]

I'd spend as much time uninstalling all the crap that comes pre installed as I would building a new machine. And they'd come back from the store on Black Friday with some piece of junk that cost $199 after 17 rebates. I think long term for trouble shooting it'd be better for me to build it.

[Unch]

Why even bother uninstalling? Wipe the disk and install just the stuff you want from scratch (you'd have to do that anyway on a new box). I've done that for friends and family a few of times now and it works a treat.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by Unch Why even bother uninstalling? Wipe the disk and install just the stuff you want from scratch (you'd have to do that anyway on a new box). I've done that for friends and family a few of times now and it works a treat.

With the OEM discs? My experience is that that just puts the crap right back on. Is that not right anymore?

[Capella]

No, not the OEM discs. Use whatever disc you would use if building your own box. When I got my Dell I used a standard Vista disc to wipe and reinstall.

[turtle]

It does, but the best way it just get an OEM copy if Win7 (via a torrent normally). Then use the key given with the PC and do a clean install. Then you get the ethernet port working if it isn't preinstalled in Win7 (which most are).

At this point when the system gets online Win7 will find the proper drivers and complete the setup. Your system will be clean and free from bloatware. Oh, and it's legal too because you have the valid license and you're not getting a cracked version of Win7, just OEM.

If you use the restore partition that comes on the machine then it will just reinstall everything without giving you the ability to remove it. I wouldn't both going that route.

[Luca]

Originally Posted by turtle2472 It does, but the best way it just get an OEM copy if Win7 (via a torrent normally). Then use the key given with the PC and do a clean install. Then you get the ethernet port working if it isn't preinstalled in Win7 (which most are). At this point when the system gets online Win7 will find the proper drivers and complete the setup. Your system will be clean and free from bloatware. Oh, and it's legal too because you have the valid license and you're not getting a cracked version of Win7, just OEM. If you use the restore partition that comes on the machine then it will just reinstall everything without giving you the ability to remove it. I wouldn't both going that route.

I can vouch for this as well. Did the same thing when I upgraded Vista 32 to Vista 64 on my machine (couldn't get a free 64-bit disc from MS since I got Vista from my school, which only offered the 32-bit version). Also did it for my girlfriend's computer, a laptop. Product key was printed on a sticker on the underside so I just torrented a Vista Home Premium ISO, burned it to a DVD, and installed it with her product key.

There's probably some questionable legality involved with torrenting the OS, but as long as it's not a cracked version or anything it will activate with MS without issue.

[torifile]

Or I could just build my own computer and avoid the headaches entirely.

[Maciej]

Originally Posted by torifile Or I could just build my own computer and avoid the headaches entirely.

I think he's caught the bug.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by Maciej I think he's caught the bug.

Oh hells yeah. I'm building a Core i7 rig now, too. Since my sister-in-law is buying my previously built hackintosh, I need to build myself another. That thread would be the exact opposite of this one - Expensive PC build. But I think I can figure that one out on my own.

[Unch]

I'm a bit confused. The last few PCs I set up for people had a Windows disc and driver disc(s) and application discs separately. I don't know why you'd need to torrent anything.

My Wife's Dell Inspiron that we got about a month ago has a Windows Vista disc and drivers + utilities disc. Wipe, reinstall just the stuff you want and off you go.

The 2004 Dell laptop that I used to have, had exactly the same arrangement (except with XP rather than Vista), so it's not anything new. I know that back in the dark ages it was not uncommon for some PC retailers to give you no media at all, so if it went wrong, it was back to the shop for a reinstall.

Perhaps things are just done differently this side of the pond.

[turtle]

Here in the US PC Retail market most computer do not ship with disks anymore. The manufacturers create a second partition on the HDD and put what used to be on the disks into that partition. Now when you do a wipe, it reinstalls the OS and all add-on software in one install process. I'ts been that way for years here.

[Maciej]

Originally Posted by torifile Oh hells yeah. I'm building a Core i7 rig now, too.

Did you go with the Lynnfield or Bloomfield chip?

[torifile]

Originally Posted by Maciej Did you go with the Lynnfield or Bloomfield chip?

Bloomfield. Specifically the 920. I needed to ensure that I could get SL working without too much trouble and I didn't find lots of info on the 1156 chips.

[Swox]

If they're in the i7 iMacs, the Lynnfields will work beautifully. Or so I'm told. I'm holding out until I know for sure.

[Maciej]

Originally Posted by Swox If they're in the i7 iMacs, the Lynnfields will work beautifully. Or so I'm told. I'm holding out until I know for sure.

It may be more of a motherboard issue - it's difficult to say until someone does it definitively.

[Swox]

Originally Posted by Maciej It may be more of a motherboard issue - it's difficult to say until someone does it definitively.

I think we need it to use the P55 MB. This stuff is confusing for me

[Maciej]

Yeah, but are P55 supported for hackintoshing?

I don't read much about any of that so I just don't know

[torifile]

Yeah. It's the motherboard thats the thing. Any of these Intel procs work. It's getting a compatible motherboard. I decided on a gigabyte x58 ud5 even though it's quite expensive just to make sure I got a board that works.

[Swox]

Originally Posted by Maciej Yeah, but are P55 supported for hackintoshing? I don't read much about any of that so I just don't know

Might be once the new iMacs come out, which isn't too far away. It's worth waiting for, IMO, because the chip are much better and they cost the same as the previous ones. People are having some success with them now, but it sounds like too much of a hassle to me upfront, not to mention every time there's an OS update. If the new iMacs don't make vanilla possible, I'll go with something else.

Have you thought about waiting a few weeks to see if a vanilla kernel works for the 860's, torifile?

[Maciej]

Keep us updated. Are you getting an SSD this time?

[torifile]

Originally Posted by Maciej Keep us updated. Are you getting an SSD this time?

It's not *that* expensive.

[Maciej]

Originally Posted by torifile It's not *that* expensive.

Yeah, I guess I got a little excited there. And I'm not even building the pc.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by Swox Might be once the new iMacs come out, which isn't too far away. It's worth waiting for, IMO, because the chip are much better and they cost the same as the previous ones. People are having some success with them now, but it sounds like too much of a hassle to me upfront, not to mention every time there's an OS update. If the new iMacs don't make vanilla possible, I'll go with something else. Have you thought about waiting a few weeks to see if a vanilla kernel works for the 860's, torifile?

Waiting a few weeks? Hell, I can hardly wait a few days when I get an idea in my head some times.

Reading through this thread doesn't give me a lot of hope for a socket 1156 mobo working easily. If I weren't going to be without a computer for a time, it'd be a different story but for now, I'm thinking it's best for me to go with the i7 920 and that gigabyte mobo.

Down the road, I'll think about experimenting with the 1156 mobos. This building computers (and reading about it) is pretty fun.

[Maciej]

And with the 1366 you've got a better setup for dual video cards - more PCIe throughput.