a little help please

[Guest]

This is just my second post here and I'm just looking for very simple information I can understand!

I'm upgrading from a Duron 800 processor to an AMD 1500.My case is an e-star 230w with two fans installed, and I'm planning to get a Maxtor DiamondMaxPlus9 80GB HD.

My questions are three:


1.what kind of motherboard and cpu do you recommend to be compatible with my case without overheating it?

2. will the psu be up to running the new HDD as well as my existing one and a cd writer?

3.I'm just starting out doing semi-professional web graphics, so I need a video card that is pretty damn good. What do you recommend?

My current card is a 32MB GEFORCE" MX AGP. Is it good enough,or can I do better and still be compatible with the rest of my specs?

And will I be able to disable any onboard video/sound card that comes with the motherboard?

Any help really welcome. I'm sitting here not knowing what move to make first. My boyfriend hasn't a clue about technical stuff and I'm just learning as I go along.
Thanks
AngelAlice

 

[GeneticWeapon]

I'm just looking for very simple information I can understand!

I'll talk slow...

My case is an e-star 230w with two fans installed

Is that ATX, Micro ATX, SSF...??....big?, little?

what kind of motherboard and cpu do you recommend to be compatible with my case without overheating it?

Didnt you already say you were getting an AMD 1500?, I'ts also hard to recommend you a motherboard not knowing what size you case is. I dont feel like googling to find out your case dimensions. Just try to get a motherboard with an Nvidia Nforce2 chipset on it.

will the psu be up to running the new HDD as well as my existing one and a cd writer?

I wouldnt worry about your HDD or other drives needing more power, I would worry about a modern graphics card needing more. You should at least have 350watts.

I'm just starting out doing semi-professional web graphics, so I need a video card that is pretty damn good. What do you recommend?

Yes...the graphics on the web can push a video card to the max. You better get something big and loud.
Naaaa, I would get a Radeon 9600Pro. Tons of bang for the buck.

And will I be able to disable any onboard video/sound card that comes with the motherboard?

I dont know?....will you?
Have you ever messed around in a mainboards bios to find out how it works?

My boyfriend hasn't a clue about technical stuff and I'm just learning as I go along.

He would be the first thing I would replace

3DMark 03 = 4,183
<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=932041" target="_new">http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=932041</A>
<font color=red>AthlonXP 2100+/Radeon 9500Pro</font color=red>
<font color=red>Folding for Beyond 3D</font color=red>

 

[cleeve]

1. Well, I've yet to se an ATX case with two fans that wouldn't support an athlon motherboard. Should be fine, but that 230watt power supply will kill you. Replace with a 350 watt (at least!) name brand like enermax.

2. LIke I said, 350 watt name brand

3. Radeon 9600 PRO is a great card for the money like Genetic Weapon said.
But do you ever plan to play games? Because graphics cards have pretty much zero effect on professional work like using photoshop to create web graphics.
If you want to play games buy the most expensive Radeon you can afford, but if you aren't your Geforce MX will be just fine.

Yes, onboard sound can always be disabled in the BIOS.

Good luck,

- Cleeve

 

[xeenrecoil]

Quote: GeneticWeapon
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In reply to:
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My boyfriend hasn't a clue about technical stuff and I'm just learning as I go along.



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He would be the first thing I would replace
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ROFL pwned!

XeeN

 

[Guest]

Thanks guys - you've been great.

The motherboard is an ATX - so I'm guessing that means the case is?

So, if I get a 350w PSU (Enermax);a Radeon 9600 PRO video card (yes I do use it for games), a 1500 Athlon motherboard with an Nvidia Nforce2 chipset, and a DiamondMaxPlus9 80 gb HDD
will that be okay?

Also how hard is it to disable the onboard graphics/sound on the motherboard? Can you explain what I need to do or is it too much to go into here?

 

[cleeve]

Yes, you have an ATX case.

- 350w enermax is great;
- 1500+ with an Nforce2 chipset is great;
- 9600 PRO is great, but if you can afford it I'd step up to the 9700 non-pro. Much faster card for about $200
- I'd also definitely buy at least one more case fan, two if your case has the space for them.

Disabling the onboard grpahics and sounds is very simple. When the computer first boots up, press the "Delete" key to enter the BIOS screens.

Look around... don't mess with anything you don't know about, but somewhere (probably in the "Integrated peripherals" submenu) there will be settings for ONBOARD SOUND and maybe ONBOARD VIDEO.

Just set them both to "Disabled"

------------------
Radeon 9500 w/256 bit memory bus @ 367/310
AMD AthlonXP 2000+
3dMark03: 3439

 

[daddywags214]

Yeah, that 9700 Pro will cost just a little more, and will last you a good little bit longer.

One thing: Are you using a standalone soundcard, because if not you don't want to disable onboard sound. nForce2 comes with high quality onboard 5.1 sound.

Tit for tat, butter for fat, ATi's dog kicks nVidia's cat

(Maximum PC)

 

[TKS]

I'd go with a lil more CPU power than a 1500....you may not need it, but with CPU prices for AMD dropping like Michael Jacksons pants in Toys-are-Us, I'd definately pick up a 1800 or higher one...





Insert_ending_here,
TKS

 

[Willamette_sucks]

Yeah dude, that was my question.
Are you getting that 1500 (PR or mhz?) from a friend or a really gay local shop or what?
You can get a 2500 for around 90, wtf you doin playin around with 1500s?
I eat 1500s for breakfast.

"Every Day is the Right Day." -Pink Floyd

 

[Squints]

mmmmmmmmmm.... AThlon XP'Os. Great tasting crunchy wafers. Part of a complete breakfast!

 

[Guest]

Thanks again to all you guys, specially Cleeve, who is becoming my hero for explaining everything so clearly.

Just one more question -
what sort of modem would be good with this package? and
is there any special kind of fan I should get, or do I just get one and slot it in anywhere?
(okay it's really two questions!)

AngelAlice

 

[cleeve]

Any modem should be OK. Make sure it's not a softmodem... those are slow and unload most of the work on to the CPU instead of doing it on the model itself.

Ask your local computer dealer the difference, they'll steer you in the right direction.

Any computer case fan should do. Make sure it's the right size for your case... measure the holes if you have to. Generally it's a standard size tho.

Good luck!

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Radeon 9500 w/256 bit memory bus @ 367/310
AMD AthlonXP 2000+
3dMark03: 3439