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Technology Thread: Building a Desktop Computer

awakeandready said:
YOU'RE A GENIUS!! Somehow the mute button was checked? Why it do dat?

The green bars showing volume up/down/mute still aren't showing up, though.
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Sometimes the program that creates that effect fails. You might have to try restarting.
 
cookoutdeac said:
TW, I think she's saying her sound isn't functioning correctly, except for the system error beep.

So it's either a sound card/mobo issue, or it's turned down/off somewhere she doesn't realize.

Or her speakers are busted.
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BOOM.

Didn't realize it was a laptop or I would have skipped straight to that part.
 
Okay - I'll try that. Thank you!



*Although I kind of wanted to have an excuse to get a new laptop*
 
awakeandready said:
Okay - I'll try that. Thank you!



*Although I kind of wanted to have an excuse to get a new laptop*
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I feel you. I'm planning a desktop computer build, but I'm also still thinking about possibly buying a laptop instead.
 
You can build me a computer!! HTTD and I have 4 of the R60s between us but only 1.5 (mine is the .5) of them work.
 
awakeandready said:
You can build me a computer!! HTTD and I have 4 of the R60s between us but only 1.5 (mine is the .5) of them work.
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I would probably have to outsource the job to cookout as he is closer to you, but I would do it in a heart beat. I love building these things.

Sadly, you can't build laptops :(
 
Very close to deciding on computer parts.

Microcenter doesn't have the 2500k in stock, so I might just go for the i7-2600k for about $100 more.
 
Watercooling can be super expensive, especially when you get into buying GPU waterblocks and individual fittings etc..

I priced a single block unit to about $300. I would never want to mess with GPU cooling as the radiator space you would need would be huge.
 
What is the aim of that kinda computer? Single/Dual monitor gaming and facebooking?
 
Yay, ram install success.

So I upgraded the computer from 512 to 1GB of RAM, which is all the computer will support. I'm going to get this computer in about 6 months as a hand-me-down with a carte blanche to do whatever I want with it.

I think many of the components will be fine (video card, sound card, etc) but what should I look at to replace first? What will make the most difference? Should I replace the motherboard so that I can go over 1GB memory and if so, what should I look at. Its a Dell Dimension 2350 from about 10 years ago...
 
It'd probably be a nightmare to find/replace an old motherboard like that? Why do you say it only supports 1GB of RAM?
 
ellisat2 said:
Yay, ram install success.

So I upgraded the computer from 512 to 1GB of RAM, which is all the computer will support. I'm going to get this computer in about 6 months as a hand-me-down with a carte blanche to do whatever I want with it.

I think many of the components will be fine (video card, sound card, etc) but what should I look at to replace first? What will make the most difference? Should I replace the motherboard so that I can go over 1GB memory and if so, what should I look at. Its a Dell Dimension 2350 from about 10 years ago...
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This big issue you will run into with a Dell from that era is the fact that they used a lot of proprietary connectors and hardware. You most likely will have to replace the case and PSU if you want to upgrade the motherboard.

If you upgrade the motherboard, you'll most likely have to upgrade the CPU and ram and quite possibly the video card.

You could do away with the sound card, though, as most motherboards have onboard sound nowadays.

edit: This is assuming you'll want to modernize. Which, is probably the route you should take anyway, as matching your new parts to 10 year old parts is almost always a recipe for a high priced, drastically underperforming build. Good news though, you could probably upgrade all of that stuff for <$500.
 
So I guess my question would be whether its worth it to upgrade the computer or to just go to Dell's factory outlet site and get a refurb one?
 
cookoutdeac said:
It'd probably be a nightmare to find/replace an old motherboard like that? Why do you say it only supports 1GB of RAM?
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Because Crucial's RAM scan says that each of the slots will only support 512MB, and there are only 2. It said the most I could upgrade to would be 1GB, so I bought 2 new 512's and put them in.
 
ellisat2 said:
So I guess my question would be whether its worth it to upgrade the computer or to just go to Dell's factory outlet site and get a refurb one?
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IMO, it would be 100% worth it and would provide more value in the long run. However, you would still have to support it in the event that something breaks or malfunctions. You obviously wouldn't have a Dell warranty.

If you are up for supporting your build and learning about computers, I would definitely build it.
 
ellisat2 said:
Because Crucial's RAM scan says that each of the slots will only support 512MB, and there are only 2. It said the most I could upgrade to would be 1GB, so I bought 2 new 512's and put them in.
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Yuck, how old is this thing? A decade?
 
TWDeac said:
This big issue you will run into with a Dell from that era is the fact that they used a lot of proprietary connectors and hardware. You most likely will have to replace the case and PSU if you want to upgrade the motherboard.

If you upgrade the motherboard, you'll most likely have to upgrade the CPU and ram and quite possibly the video card.

You could do away with the sound card, though, as most motherboards have onboard sound nowadays.

edit: This is assuming you'll want to modernize. Which, is probably the route you should take anyway, as matching your new parts to 10 year old parts is almost always a recipe for a high priced, drastically underperforming build. Good news though, you could probably upgrade all of that stuff for <$500.
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would there be anything from it that you think I could salvage? If not, or the parts are unimportant, then I might as well start over.
 
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