Can I use my old HP pavillion case to build a new desk top?

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44surf

44surf

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I want to try and build my own PC. Can I use my old 2008 HP Pavillion case? My system crashed...the motherboard is bad according to the repair tech. He said not to sink another penny into it. I am interested in learning how to build my own system and was hoping I could use the case. Any ideas out there?
 
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Hey guys...The kid and I discussed, and we have decided that rather than upgrade the graphics we should get a new monitor first. Ours is about 10 years old...an old hp pavilion f1703. I have been perusing newegg and tiger, but there are a myriad of styles and price ranges so I thought I would ask for your opinions. Thoughts? Thanks!
 
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http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009275
$134.99
Acer G215HAbd-1 Black 21.5" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 ACM 50,000:1
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I knew I could count on my team!

One question though...Is there any benefit to getting high definition...because of course this is what the kid wants. But he is using his money...Christmas gifts from the grandparents.
 
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^
stay with this one and use the money for the gfx card....
HD5670 1GB DDR5 will be a nice match with that monitor.
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OK...I have one last question...I promise! Shouldn't my system fan be blowing air into the case? It definitely blows air out. It seems like it would keep things cooler blowing in. I put the fan back the way it came with the system...but does not make sense to me. It seems backwards.
 
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fans towards the bottom and the lower front blow in while fans towards the top and upper back blow out.
you cpu fan/heatsink blow out as well.
it's about keeping a constant directional air flow for most cases I can only assume that is the norm.
depending on your case, you might be able to screw in a 80mm or maybe 2-80mm ($5 each) fans in the back of it (blowing out)..
extra cooling is always a good thing.
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This system fan is towards the bottom back. I am thinking that I should turn it around so it blows in. Thoughts?
 
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COOL THREAD! I love modding factory cases. Keeping with the HP theme, I present a truly challenging the creative build:

HPmachine004.jpg


HPmachine002.jpg


That's my HP computer. Case is from 2001 (actually the case from the first computer I ever purchased, when I started college). HP used this case in a lot of their entry level computers from 2000-2001. It is a hard case to upgrade given it's short height. the CD drive actually slides right next to the top 1/2" of the mATX motherboard, making it very hard to find a motherboard with components placed low enough to not collide with the CD drive. It's running a Jetway m26GT3-SVP and now a BE-2400 (was a sempron LE-1100 initially). Also upgraded the SFX power supply from the original 90 watt Bestec to a 200 watt Rosewill unit. With only 2 1/2" clearance for the CPU cooler, I cut a factory AMD heatsink in half and it just barely clears the floppy drive right above it. Even though its primarily a low power consumption daily internet rig I've put an HD4650 in there at one time to play a few older titles. The 200 watt rosewill sfx PSU handled the load just fine. too bad that psu is no longer available from newegg. The computer may look hard to work on, but the mobo tray actually swings out on the other side of the case, making upgrades and swaps pretty quick.
Pic of the mobo, see how the ram slots are a ways away from the top of the mobo, allowing it to clear the CD drive. This mobo fits like a freaking glove!:
M26GT3-SVP.jpg
 
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just get the one I found and roll with it...😀
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Hi Mal~I was just boxing up the old components from my former system and I was thinking that the reality is that I will never use them...LOL. I was wondering if you wanted them? I would be happy to mail them to you. I have the intel dual core CPU and 3 sticks of the DVR2 memory. Let me know.
 
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Absolutely not!

ETA...I will try and mail it out in the next few days. One stick of RAM may be bad...it is the one that came with the computer. I replaced it when I first started having memory issues back in September...but since it seems that it was the MoBo afterall...it may still be good. I will mark the one that may be bad with a piece of tape.
 
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It's in the mail. It should arrive in two days. I also sent you the old MoBo. I had to get the medium box because of the fan and I had so much extra space, so I thought "What the heck!" Maybe you could make use of it. Let me know when you get it.
 
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You're very welcome!

That is a little beyond me! LOL All I know is two different computer repair places said it was not worth fixing. The first place did not charge me for that info...the other place gladly pocketed my $85.00! Now I know to come to Tom's whenever I have a problem.

Have fun building!
 
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first, sold your E2200 ($40) on eBay and the single 2GB stick for ($25) too
and the finished product is..........:

----------------------
E7600 (3.06GHz) Wolfdale - ($100 eBay)
ASUS P5N7A-VM LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 9300/nForce 730i HDMI mATX - ($40 eBay)
4GB Micron DDR2 800MHz - (your RAM 4GB kit)
MSI GTS250N Twin Frozr 1GB DDR3 - ($70 eBay manufacturer refurb.)
Seagate Barracuda 320GB / ST3320620AS - ($30 eBay manufacturer refurb)
ASUS DRW-24B1ST DVD-RW SATA - ($20 newegg)
3.5in card reader - ($5 eBay)
Cooler Master RC-341C-KKN1-GP Elite 341- ($55 eBay)
BFG Tech GS-450 450W ATX Power Supply - ($25 eBay manufacturer refurb)
----------------------

out of pocket money, $280.
happy kid, priceless..😀

I do not mind manufacturer refurbs nor do I mind eBay as long as the approval rating is 98+% with over hundreds of transactions.
But if it wasn't for the auctions and other item options sometimes newegg and even tiger can be better.
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Nice kid rig. HOOAH!!!
 
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Wow! Impressive! I guess I should be braver about ebay.

You know it's ironic that you posted this today...because I am having trouble with my mouse. The laser mouse I had froze the other day. Yesterday I replaced it with the same mouse. It worked fine for a day and is now frozen again. I am going to try replacing it with an optical mouse...but I am concerned that it may be the MoBo? Any thoughts?
 
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Are you plugging the mouse directly into the mobo or into a USB expansion connector (bracket with USB headers that connects to the mobo)?

 
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are you using the drivers (disk) that came with the mouse or are you using whichever drivers windows 7 installed when you plugged/installed mouse.?
meaning you didn't install any drivers and it just started to work.
also are you still running on the on-board video or did you finally get the dedicated plug-in card that was discussed earlier in the thread.?
how well does the aero feature work in windows 7 with the on-board video if using it.?
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Hey guys! The mouse did not come with drivers...just plugged it in and it worked. I have had no problems previously which makes me suspect something with my system rather than the mouse. I just got back from Fry's so I am going to try the new mouse. I have to get my son's homework!
 
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It is plugged in the back under the monitor port so it is connected to the MoBo. I tried connecting it to the front also...but it still did not work.
 
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Well...I just plugged in a cheapy (not a real word I know 😀) Logitech optical mouse and it's working for now. The laser mouse worked yesterday too so I guess I will see what happens.

Hopefully it is the mouse...although it seems very strange that I would happen to get two bad ones.
 
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