Build Advice Advice on new build, starting with motherboard manufacturer, for touchscreens, floppy disks, which Windows version ?

[Richard1234]

Hi,

I have built a few PCs over the years, I built this one around 2010, and because its becoming a bit obsolete, time to build a new one with a complete overhaul, in the past I would recycle components, but this time I think I need to upgrade most things. I will only recycle the loudspeakers, mouse and keyboard.

the motherboard is the startpoint for building a PC, and this one's is by Gigabyte and is ATX.

I would firstly like advice as to which motherboard manufacturer, eg ones with more or better early startup facilities, eg ability to boot from USB drives. I also want ancient floppy disk support, because I have dabbled with writing software on floppy disks which boot directly without operating system. I dont know if all ATX's support the ancient floppy drives. Also a manufacturer whose motherboards are reliable.

this Gigabyte one has been good but after 13 years of use, the USB seems to sometimes malfunction for the wireless USB dongle, I think the USB support on the motherboard is somehow worn out. And eg hard drives attached to the USB hub attached to the machine will vanish.

I would also like legacy support for PS/2 mouse and keyboard, ie PS/2 sockets at the back for mouse and keyboard. Basically I want as much legacy hardware support as possible, as I have programmed PS2 mouse and keyboard directly for my floppy booting software. I know USB can emulate legacy, but I would like the legacy hardware directly.

Some months ago I bought a laptop with touchscreen and windows 11. I dont know if one can buy touchscreen monitors for PCs? Also can windows 10 support such, or does it have to be windows 11. As I would need to buy Windows also. I have some spare licensed copies of Windows 10 not yet installed, bought so they can be used when windows 10 is no longer supported.

Then advice on tower cases for the system, I would like a transparent one where I can see everything inside the machine without having to open up. But I would like one also which uses old school slotting, my existing one has nonstandard plastic things, which I find very confusing, and some have broken. I would like as many bays as possible, eg I have lots of SATA drives.

any advice on specific such tower cases, and specific UK vendors who sell these, I dont know if I am allowed to ask such advice on this forum. I found PC World no use for tower cases, and had problems finding anything any good on ebay.

with my existing machine, I found the expansion slots a bit cramped, where the graphics card is too near the slot I use for the USB3 adapter, I dont know if this is a limit of the ATX specification, or if it is a manufacturer design limitation. it would be nice if there were more space between the sockets.

This existing system, has various bare wire USB sockets on the motherboard, which I found a bit confusing to connect up, I would prefer proper USB sockets on the motherboard accessible at the back. But maybe all have this problem?

I think I would like DV-I and hdmi support, with my existing machine, its hdmi doesnt do audio, I dont know if newer machines have integrated audio into the hdmi, and what to look for to get hdmi with audio. that way I could record a session on the machine for say Youtube. I dont know if this is a graphics card question rather than a motherboard question, and if a graphics card question, advice on which graphics cards.


it is lots of questions, and the central question is which motherboard manufacturer, and the constraints of both ancient hardware eg floppies and ps/2 but also modern hardware eg touchscreens, which might constrain which version of windows or the graphics card etc.

with my touchscreen laptop, I found the early startup controls a bit limited, and it doesnt allow enough time for the external USB bluray drive to get ready to boot say Linux mint, I had to configure the hubs a certain way before I could get that to boot, which is a limitation of the early startup.

anyway, many thanks for any advice
Richard

 

[Richard1234]

ok, 908pm some quiet knocks on the door, and DHL delivered the mobo! with the plastic encased parcel covered in rain!

also the guy didnt take any signature, but if you look at the earlier screenshot it requires my signature as it is £728.99, so he isnt following protocol.

I have a doorbell, mains powered so it always works! it was installed in 2012, so has been working for 12 years, I dont understand tradesmen who knock on a door which has a doorbell.

I think this delivery driver is a delinquent one, I'll put a negative review on Trust Pilot, and also complain to the ombudsman, I have been buying things on the internet since 2003, and I have never had anything delivered after 7pm before in 21 years!

and in fact the only delivery after 530pm was a DHL delivery at 6:54pm on 1st Feb which was other components for this PC.

a screenshot of what the DHL tracking now says is this:

http://www.directemails.info/tom/DHL_delivered.jpg

Its not the fault of morecoco that DHL is incompetent, but I will put a negative review on morecoco for having a customer support email address which returns emails instantly as undeliverable.

in the modern era you have to put negative reviews on TrustPilot for firms which misbehave, so they go bankrupt.

anyway I now have everything EXCEPT the HDMI and USB4 extender cables, which I will collect from the amazon lockers tomorrow. Tomorrow I have to do a shopping trek around town, and chilling out in the evening, so I hope to begin the installation on Saturday.

really I should read the mobo manual first like you advised, havent done that yet as I follow the protocol of only acting on things I already have. eg when I sell online, I only release goods after money has arrived at my bank, or according to ebay or paypal etc, or I have cash in hand.

I hope the mobo manual explains the precise info on the thermal grease for this specific cpu and mobo, the specific thermal grease is in this photo:

http://www.directemails.info/tom/component1.jpg

as regards sizes of blobs I'd prefer millimetre diameters rather than "pea sized", as peas come in different sizes! I buy the petit pois smaller very sweet peas!

one other thing, with that article of the PSU with iron filings, beware of misinformation and disinformation and stooges. dont necessarily believe everything you see on the internet, there are people who will fake a rival offering to be bad. you need to check also the reputation of the person alleging they found iron filings, do their other posts sound like those of a reputable person.

legally with disputes, the opposing side is always asked for their version of events. with that iron filing PSU, a reputable journalist will always ask the PSU manufacturer for their take.

hypothetically I might get a job at Corsair, then buy a Seasonic and fill it with iron filings, then post online photos saying "loook what I found in a Seasonic"!

 

[Richard1234]

I have removed the postal outer of the mobo, and uploaded photos of the product box and the outer view of the contents:

http://www.directemails.info/tom/mobo1.jpg

http://www.directemails.info/tom/mobo2.jpg

http://www.directemails.info/tom/mobo3.jpg

not unboxed any further, tomorrow is all chores and chilling out, so wont start on the install till Saturday, and will try to read the mobo manual. I cant wait to mothball this 2010 PC! but at the same time I need to proceed carefully.

 

[Ralston18]

Calling a "time out"

152 posts since December 19, 2023.

Not at all certain about the circumstances and current status.

"Do over" time.

@Richard1234 :

If and as necessary start a new thread specific to any immediate problems or issues.

Be sure to provide applicable specs and details.

Closing this thread accordingly.