18 replies to this topic

[MikeBoa]

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)

Edited by MikeBoa, 20 July 2009 - 12:14 PM.

[MikeBoa]

I went ahead & ordered that new Cooler Master Centurion 5, albeit w/ the blue trim so it's some different than the old broken one. I'll try to be more careful plugging into the front usb. Hopefully that broken jack was what was causing the power surges, & not a defect in this case design. So on my above case inquiry - nevermind. Would still like to know opinions on the above & the power supply. Also, do you think, at minimum, heatsinks for the RAM is necessary here? Figured I could pick up 4 aluminum heatspreaders for the 4 ram sticks found for only $5 apiece. thanks!

[8210GUY]

I'm no expert with such things, and by todays standard many may feel that is a small PSU for these modern systems, but that doesn't mean it is no good for your situation, I guessed at some parts and got a result of around 250w for a PSU, but if you want to run your own numbers (as you know more exactly what you have) through the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator, you will get a better idea, but it seems to suggest you should be fine with that PSU.

I don't follow them as closely as others do, so I'm not as aware of the ones to avoid, all makers can have a bad line, doesn't make the maker bad in itself, but it highlights the point that just because a name is good it doesn't mean everything they do is.
I personally only use 1 make, in what appears to be contradiction to what I said, these are considered the Rolls Royce in PSU's, and the sheer peace of mind having something that reliable is really worth it, more so if your running a high spec rig, and again if overclocking, but for just bog standard systems the average PSU is usually plenty, just a case of being aware of whats hot and whats not..

As to the ram it would serve no real benefit IMHO, such things only become beneficial when your system has bad cooling\air flow, or your overclocking the ram, for the majority of us just using everything at stock etc, they don't make a big enough difference for us to notice, thats my understanding anyway,
As a thought check out eBay for a front bezel for your drive, I believe there are plenty available, but haven't looked personally, but thought it worth the mention, sorry I can't be of more use to you here, but hope it helps a bit anyway.

[MikeBoa]

thanks again, guy! ya, the PSU looks fine, & I think Thermaltake is good quality. did find a cooler master black front bezel kit to try & stick on that beige drive for $10 total. thanks to you - didn't even know those existed, though does seem to be an aesthetic need now that most cases are black. maybe when I move everything to a new case it'll fix that freeze/crash problem I'm having. trying 2 brand new ram sticks didn't help. I'm afraid that problem above w/ the usb might have zapped my mobo & damaged it though. you've probably figured out I'm the guy you were helping out before in the hardware section.

[8210GUY]

NP, glad you got the bezel sorted, many come with a black and 1 other colour, fitting them is simple(ish), BUT, if you have not got the instructions it is not something easily figured out, so see what you get and holla if your stuck, and I will try and explain what to do or something, but it's easiest to do with the drive out, thats what I found anyway. TT are a good maker generally speaking, but PCP&C are as good as it gets where PSU's are concerned, it may be worth getting a PSU tester, can't recall what we did in the other thread (memory span of a goldfish lol), but your symptoms can be explained by a PSU on the way out, but there are other causes as well, a new case will help rule out the USB as being a cause, so see what happens when you fire it up in the new case and see if it behaves, but what you could try is unplugging the front USB header plug from the board, that will stop it causing problems for now.

[MikeBoa]

It'll be a lot of firsts for me on this rebuild procedure so hopefully it goes well. I did unplug the usb on the case's front panel, but that didn't solve the computer problems. I was getting those power surges when plugging into the front usb for awhile as I thought it was ok, but in hindsight I should have quit using that defective usb jack as I'm afraid it zapped my mobo. I couldn't find the part or really see anyway to fix the existing case by replacing that front i/o panel, so looks like only way is to replace the whole case. Will be like building a whole new computer for me.

[8210GUY]

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.

[MikeBoa]

thanks much again, guy - great info & tips! didn't even think of taking a pic beforehand. apparently that tab inside that front usb jack broke off (& is now nowhere to be found), so now that jack is completely unusable. it must have been damaged before as I could use it but was frequently getting a usb power surge & Windows required it to be reset before trying again. I did get a new surge protector to be be sure, but haven't had any problems from surges from the electrical system, as far as I know. have the occasional electrical thunderstorms here, but I have a surge protector on the power box outside the house too.

[8210GUY]

Yeah when the tab breaks in the case the likelihood of repairing it is not that great, obviously anything can be repaired within reason, but at what cost is usually the sticking point, so replacing the case is often cheaper and more convenient, unless you can source that part separately, or have a broken\scrap case of the same lying around, even if you did the working space is often so restrictive it's near impossible. The case wires can be a nightmare to figure out, even now I still have to struggle sometimes getting manuals for the case and the board side by side and even the old case details, then you can slowly decipher what wires are what, fortunately for the most part it's not that bad, but when you see this situation for the first time it may as well be written in Greek, this is why I suggested paying special attention to these wires to be safe, as in my experience they can be the hardest things to figure out. The surge protector is a must TBH, so it's good you have them, but a couple of points to note with these, first they must be plugged into the ring main directly, you must NEVER plug them into an extension or they wont be able to function fully, the next point is make sure the modem\router etc passes through this as well, because often it's an electrical storm hitting the phone lines several miles away with a lightning strike that travels down the line that takes you out, unless this goes through the surge protector as well it's a waste of time plugging the PC into it. And lastly, such a protector will NOT cover you against your PSU, so if your PSU is the problem then this will not protect you against that, because it only filters the power coming into the system, not the power that is already in there, just so you know.

[MikeBoa]

Well, not off to a good start: got that Cooler Master metal black front bezel in the mail today & the eject button on my Pioneer dvd drive is too far left to match up w/ the slot on the tape-on black bezel. Also, I see that bezel would cover up the drive's led & manual eject pin-hole anyway, so waste of $10 there. Hate to get another drive just for aesthetics. The Pioneer I have is a good one. Oh well, new case is arriving today & maybe the beige drive will look better w/ the new blue trim beside it.

[MikeBoa]

On 2nd thought & look, It might be nice to get a new Sata dvd burner that's faster & w/ lightscribe. What do you guys think of the Plextor PX-880SA? Or anything better w/ the above feaures & a budget of $50 or under, & definitely in black?

[8210GUY]

You can't get just any old bezel, you have to get the one for the exact drive you have, so it's no wonder it didn't line up right, have you asked the seller if they would take it back ? That drive looks good if you decide to go that route, it even does dual layer burning, and the last I knew Plextor were the best drives about, wish they were available here, I got possibly one of the last ones they did over here, and that came with a black bezel, and that one shows in black, so unless there is some small print somewhere you should get it in black, not sure what drive you have, try Pioneer directly, you may get lucky and they just ship one to you, can't hurt to ask, hope they take the bezel back for you.

[MikeBoa]

Guy, yes I checked ebay for the specific black bezel for a Pioneer but no luck. Cooler Master advertised it as fitting about anything & a few reviews I read said they got it to fit on a Pioneer, but no way w/ mine. It's ok, it was only $10 (much less than pounds) & actually my girlfriend has a beige case computer w/ no burner so she can have my old Pioneer.

Edited by MikeBoa, 24 July 2009 - 09:25 AM.

[8210GUY]

As long as you happy, but if they suggested it would fit then you should be able to return it as not fit for the job, or else sell it yourself, but returning is best if you can.

[MikeBoa]

I ordered that Plextor drive yesterday, so I'll wait for that to get here before I do the rebuild. One thing I've been wondering: would it be possible for an old crt monitor that's starting to go to actually crash/freeze a computer? I have a Sony Trinitron CPD-200ES that's about 15 yrs old.