Tag: processor

Playing with new Computers!

My last post was about me playing about with old computers, the update is that I have reverted back to Puppy Linux as Zenwalk Linux kept throwing up “Disabling IRQ #10 – Nobody cares” and that was the IRQ the network card was using so I would lose the network!

This post is about me playing with new computers, or more specifically, I was building a new computer for my mum.
The computer I built is loosely based around my computer, its got a similar motherboard, the same memory and power supply, and its got my processor!

I brought myself a faster processor and a heat sink and I put my old processor in my mums computer!

Here’s a handy hint for trying to remove the heat sink from a processor, make sure the processor and heat sink is warm, because when the thermal paste is cold, it sticks like super glue!

Yes, I did manage to pull the processor out of its socket just by trying to get the heat sink off 😳 lol!
I also had trouble putting the new heat sink on to the new processor, I applied the thermal paste alright, I just could not get the clips to clip into place! And I swear all of the thermal paste has squeezed out of the sides!
I’ll find out when I next try to remove the heat sink! 😀

Till next time
Happy building!

Finally Updated!

I must start this post with an apology to anyone who is subscribed to my feed!

Earlier today I finally upgraded my blog to WordPress 2.5. At the same time I took the opportunity to clean out my database, quite literally I reformatted my blog!

This involved me exporting all my posts, and blogroll, deleting all WordPress files, apart from my theme and wp-config.php, and then deleting all the WordPress tables from the database!
Then I installed the new version of WordPress and ran through the install. I then deleted the test post, and updated some of the options. I then imported all of my old posts into the fresh install.

That was only this morning, now what have I been doing for the past two weeks since my last post?
The answer, nothing much!

The only notable exception is that I have finally got my new computer up and running!

I installed both Fedora 7 and Windows XP onto the first hard drive, Linux on 100Gb, and Windows on 60Gb.
I am using the 500Gb hard drive for all of my files, on Linux this is mounted as /home

The new computer is working brilliantly, and its so much quieter than my previous computers!
I’ve just got to get a set of speakers, and possibly a new heat sink/fan for the processor, and that will be it sorted!

It’s getting quite late now, so thats it for this post
Till next week!

I’ve Finally Done It!

Way back in September I posted details about my new computer wish list, well I’ve gone and ordered the main parts of it, thats the CPU, Motherboard, Case, Memory, and PSU!

Processor: AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core BE-2350 2.10GHz (Retail AM2) £46.95
Product Details: http://amdqrg.getspringbox.com/gb-en/desktop/details.aspx?qsearch=true&opn=ADH2350IAA5DD

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA69GM-S2H AMD 690G Socket AM2 Motherboard £34.95
Product Details: http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2579

Memory: Corsair 2GB PC2-6400 C4 XMS2 (2x1GB) £49.95
Product Details: http://www.corsair.com/products/xms2.aspx

PSU: Thermaltake TR2 RX W0146 450W Modular PSU £29.95

Case: Nexus Caterpillar – Silenced ATX case £41.95
Product Details: http://www.nexustek.nl/NXS-nexuscaterpillarsilentsystem.htm

Thats a total of £203.75 exc VAT
Delivery was an extra £11.86
The VAT came to £37.73
Which brings the grand total to £253.34

It should all be delivered tomorrow (Tuesday), I hope it does, it was an extra £4 for next day delivery!
When I receive the parts I’ll take some photos and upload them to my Flickr account.

Till then,
Happy computing!

New Computer Specs/Wish List

I have been doing a lot of research over the past couple of days, and I have some of the final specifications for my new computer all sorted out!

Processor: AMD 64 X2 3800+ – About £40

Motherboard: MSI K9N SLI-2F – £44.25
Its a motherboard using the NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI chipset

Memory: Corsair 2GB PC2-6400 XMS2 (2x1GB) – £49.99
Its just 2GB of memory!

Graphics card: ATi Radeon X1950 PRO 256MB PCI-Express – £69.95
I know it’s not top of the line, but it is going to be way more powerful than what I have at the moment, and what I will b using it for!

Total: £204.19
The price doesn’t include a Hard drive, PSU, CPU cooler, case, or an optical drive (DVD/CD drive), but it is the base system, and gives me an idea of how much it will all come to!

I am stuck on what case to get, I could do with one that puts the motherboard on the opposite side of the, which would mean the motherboard is upside-down!
This is because the computer will be sitting on my right, and the left side (looking at the computer) will be up against the side of the desk
At the very least I don’t want any vents or cooling fans on the left side!

The missing components for my computer will be:

  1. A 200GB SATA hard drive – About £30
  2. A 450W – 500W PSU – About £50
  3. A combo DVDRW and CD-RW SATA drive – About £20
  4. CPU Cooler – About £20
  5. Case – About £50

Total: £170

Total1: £204.19
Total2: £170.00
Total: £374.19
VAT @ 17.5%: £65.48
Total: £439.67

Nearly £450 for a computer, some of the figures are estimates, but post and packaging hasn’t been added to the total, so it could be more!
I don’t think the specifications for the computer are that bad, it will mainly only be used for web browsing, and general home use, I wont be playing games on it!

One thing that is on my wish list that I haven’t added is a TV card, but I’ll add that at a later date!

I will create a separate post when I get more details on pricing for the other components

Until then,
Bye

The prices for the above were taken from the Aria website