Howdy,

I'm putting existing parts into a new case (long story) & while I'm at it I wanted to check that I have an adequate mix of components. A guy put this together for me about 3 yrs ago:

Abit AL8 mobo
Intel P4 3.2 ghz
4X512mb Samsung DDR2 memory
Leadtek GeForce 6800GT 256mb video card
Seagate Sata II 1TB HD (brand new)
Western Digital Sata II 500GB HD (only about 1 year old)
Pioneer DVR-110D dvd burner
Thermaltake XP550NP 430w power supply

Is that power supply adequate for this mix, especially with the Leadtek & AL8/P4?

I broke one of the 2 usb ports on the front panel of my Cooler Master Centurion 5 case, plus I'm having what I think is a hardware problem causing system freezes & crashes, so I'm starting with a new case & working from there.

I'd like to get the same case as above, but had a problem with power surges (& the break) on that front usb. Anybody have a better recommendation for another case that's:

well-cooled
has 2 front usb, 1 IEEE, mic & headphone jacks
about $50 or so
but, unlike any cooler master, comes in beige??? (I know, but a screw-up & I ended up w/ a beige Pioneer dvd-r)

This post has been edited by MikeBoa: Jul 20 2009, 12:14 PM

There is nothing like the feeling after putting a whole system together and getting it fired up for the first time, for the most part anyone who is capable of DIY should be able to do this, there are obviously small points that vary and can cause worries while doing this, but once you know them theres not much to go wrong as long as you follow basic safety measures and don't go too heavy handed you should be fine, but it is often one of those jobs that you may wish you never started when things go wrong, fitting the heatsink can be a major nightmare in some builds, but at least your spared that this time.

The fact unplugging the lead hasn't helped does start to suggest there may be damage to the board already, unfortunately there is no easy way to check this, it's hit and miss really ruling out other components so there is nothing else left, so it can be very tricky figuring out such faults and often requires a leap of faith with no safety net.
The best advice I can offer about the power surges is to get a surge protector, and plug EVERYTHING to do with your PC into that, a UPS would be even better, but may not be affordable, but well worth it if you can stretch to getting one, they stabilise the power so you don't get surges, but make sure you plug the modem into it as well, as thats often where a surge will come from.
Should you still be getting power issues I strongly suggest getting the PSU checked before getting any new components, because if this is where the issue lies you will be wasting money as it will damage whatever you put in there.

Putting the "new" build together is best done with forethought, take pic's and notes about the wires on the motherboard, specifically the front panel wires, note what colour wire is on what pin for each plug (often 5 or 6 plugs), it will help in identifying the new wires, because unfortunately makers do not standardise these parts, so you will often find wires labelled in a way that makes no sense to the current wires, so figuring these out to start with will save headaches down the line, and if your memory's like mine you will not remember what went where lol.

The only other quick points to mention are the I\O (backplate) plate, thats the bit that fills the back of the case connections where the motherboard offers up it's connections, eg where you plug the mouse\keyboard into, you will need to remove the one from the old case, and swap the one in the new case so it suits the board, because they all vary and each board comes with it's own plate, cases only use a generic plate that always needs swapping.
To remove this tap it from the rear into the case, obviously remove the board first, but with the case empty it just pushes out into the case, fitting is the reverse where you push it into place from inside the case toward the back, just make sure it clips in securely all round.

Static is the other main point to cover, using a static wrist band is the ideal, but most settle for touching something earthed before handling components, often a copper pipe for a radiator, as long as it's not painted that is, but that discharges any static you may have, just remember to touch the pipe every so often so any static is discharged safely, once you get the case have a look and feel free to holla if you have any areas of concern, and we will do our best to guide you, good luck.