Rather large update coming up.
Hello Facepunch, I asked about relatively cheap parts for a first time build (I want to learn how to build PCs, without fucking up anything expensive). I stated that I had a Pentium 4 @ 3ghz and various graphics cards, but I'll be honest, I seriously doubt that any of those work anymore. I have a brand new graphics card in a bag that I got for free a while back, but because I've never built a computer before I don't know anything about it, I don't even know what slot it goes in or ANYTHING. I have a rather high powered PC at the moment, so I don't want anything that is too overpowered, I was just wondering on cheap parts that offered future upgradability and would be able to run games on low (I won't use this build for gaming, but I don't want to build a complete turd).
So, I set off on my merry quest to find cheap parts, with no fucking idea what I was doing or what to buy. I quickly learnt about motherboard sockets and how you couldn't just stick any old part in any other motherboard (I never thought you would be able to, but it is slightly more picky than I imagined). I decided that my Pentium 4 @ 3 ghz was either a socket 48something or a 775, and found cheap motherboards for both. Then disaster struck, it was the socket 48something one, which was very old and offered virtually NO upgradability. Also none of the boards seemed to have PCI-E2 slots which is apparently what most graphics cards use these days (Couldn't find any cards I'd heard of that used PCI-E1) so I'd be building a super pile of shit. This lowered my morale quite a bit, and the words 'Fuck it' came to mind many times. I really want to build a computer, but am seriously limited by my lack of money and knowledge. I am now in search of the cheapest possible build that offers upgradability or at least a very cheap system. I have about £100 at the moment, and the only thing I can say I have is a graphics card, but I am not sure on what slot it is. I think it is a radeon 2000 series, and was going to be added to a computer, but a 4670 was added instead (so they would have probably used the same slot).
I want to know if FP can come up with any stupidly budget builds that will be half decent and good for a first time builder. I am not building for performance, so I don't mind if the parts are quite shite at the minute. I would like the majority of the cash to be spent on a decent motherboard that has room for expansion (I'd rather get a decent motherboard and a shitty CPU so I could upgrade it later).
Parts Needed :
Processor - I do have a P4, but it is a socket 478, and those motherboards are harder to find/do not have much upgradability, so I would like a new processor if possible. Also, there is no saying this P4 even works, it is stuck to it's heatsink :(
Motherboard - Very important, I know basically nothing about motherboards other than you have to get one with the same socket as your processor. When working at a budget I really can't ask for much, but the better the slots (PCI-E2?) the happier I'll be.
Case + PSU - I DO have a few cases, but they are yellow and smell of cat piss (the cat goes in the attic alot >.>) and I wouldn't trust the PSUs I have as they are incredibly old and shitty. I don't care too much for the case, but if you could get one with LEDs that would be nice (I saw a case + psu for £32 and that had LEDs)
RAM - I will only need 512mb of it, and I don't care for the speed, provided it works with the motherboard. Cheap as possible here
Parts I DO NOT NEED :
Graphics Card : I do have a Radeon 2000 series card, aswell as a half broken X1650 and even some old Geforce 4 cards (possibly AGP cards :O), so I'm sure one of them would work, I really have no expectations of this machine graphically, just to turn on and work would be a start.
CD Drives : I have a shit ton of CD Drives lying around, and do not require one
Hard Drive : I have alot of hard drives lying around too, but it is mainly to keep the cost down.
Also, please keep in mind that I have no idea on what I'm doing, and will need some help to get going.
BUDGET : I basically have £100 of my own money to get as much as I can, my Dad said he would be happy to pay some money towards it, but I'd rather keep it to myself. I know I'm asking alot here, but we're going for extreme cost cutting. If you cannot get it that low (I don't expect you to, the cheapest I could find was £200) then please still post what you manage to get.
Final Notes : I do NOT want to buy a total piece of shit, but I do not expect the best. I know I am asking alot and I thank you guys for merely reading this :).
My advice is to go to a flea market, find a pentium 4 @ 3ghz or more, and then get an AGP HD3650 or something.
I actually have a Pentium 4 at 3ghz from an old computer, so all I really need is a motherboard to put it in (the ones I have may be fried and do not have instructions so I dont know where to plug the case lights in), a cheap graphics card and a case. Oh and maybe some RAM, not sure.
I DO have two cases, but they are old and quite shitty. I think I have RAM aswell, all I really need is a motherboard that will hold a pentium 4 and a very cheap graphics card cause i hate onboard.
[editline]10:47PM[/editline]
Okay, from a bit of experimentation and looking around I have a case that will do, disk drives that I don't use anymore, a Pentium 4, a Radeon X1650 (fan is broken, but it works), some Geforce 4 cards (the pentium 4 was with a geforce 4 back in the day) and that stuff should work. I need a motherboard capable of holding a pentium 4 with AGP and maybe PCI slots (if you can?) and a power supply that would hold it together (400w?) for under 100 and preferably around 80 quid.
What's your computer now, just out of interest
i7 920, Radeon 5870, 6GB ram. It's quite good, I just want to try building a budget piece of shit to get some confidence. I've done some homework and found this motherboard
[url]http://www.microdirect.co.uk/home/product/40616/Biostar-motherboard-P4M900-M4-with-2-year?source=googleps[/url]
Says it supports pentium 4s and has a PCI-E slot which is where my shitty X1650 pro would go until I can afford something better.
[editline]11:11PM[/editline]
Do certain power supplies go in certain motherboards or will they pretty much work with anything, this could be cheap lol
That's real nice
Maybe go down to a scrap heap and look for old computers.
People throw great shit away
What about a power supply? I have also just found another graphics card that I believe is an ATI 2000 series (no idea what it is, just a 2000 and something) that is either PCI or PCI-E (how do you tell, anyway), so all I really need is a power supply and it should theoretically go together. Would I need to apply thermal paste or anything?
[editline]11:24PM[/editline]
Found this for a power supply, whaddya think and would it fit with the mobo?
[url]http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/46594/MD-Value-PSU-620W-ATX-12cm-SATA-24-Pin-Model-400X[/url]
Just get any old rubbish.
If you have a £100 get: [url]http://www.ebuyer.com/product/182095[/url]
+ PSU you just linked
Will the PSU fit the mobo? Do all PSUs fit all Mobos?
[editline]11:34PM[/editline]
Any non shit £30 cases?
[editline]11:37PM[/editline]
Look what I found :D
[url]http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/40512/CiT-1007-Black-Micro-ATX-Case-NEW-Design-24pin[/url]
Case AND a power supply for £25 ish
Any PSU fits in any mobo
Aslong as it's 24pin so it supports all mobo's
[editline]11:45PM[/editline]
This is you like Neon:
[url]http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/Components/Cases/Cases/Novatech/GALAXY3.html[/url]
This for something simpler
[url]http://www.ebuyer.com/product/105811[/url]
Or just sift through this page
[url]http://www.ebuyer.com/search?sort=pricelow&ca321=With+PSU&store=2&cat=23&maxprice=49.99&limit=10&page=1[/url]
Loving the neon case, going to swap the one I had planned for it :D
I recommend ebuyer, super cheap there(sometimes)
Is that site trustable?
Both novatech AND ebuyer actually :)
[editline]11:59PM[/editline]
Allright I've learnt so much in such a short time.
What motherboard would my pentium need, I think it needs a socket 4xx (I'd tell you but I forgot) but it MIGHT fit in a socket 775 (Says core 2 duo support, but i read that pentiums would also fit). Do I need any thermal paste for it?
[editline]12:12AM[/editline]
Okay! :D. Another sum up because I'm getting confused. I have (I think) a Pentium 4 3Ghz lying around that isn't in use, as well as a graphics card. All I actually need is a Mobo and a power supply, but I might aswell get a case too cause the ones I have smell funny and are ugly as shit. That case with the neon lights and power supply would do, it's just a toss up between these two motherboards, cause I'm not sure if the 775 one would support my Pentium 4.
SOCKET 478 MOBO : [url]http://www.microdirect.co.uk/home/product/40616/Biostar-motherboard-P4M900-M4-with-2-year?source=googleps[/url]
SOCKET 775 MOBO : [url]http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/Components/Motherboards/Intel775AllChipsetMotherboards/Gigabyte/GA-G31M-ES2L.html#top[/url]
THIRD MOBO THAT APPARENTLY SUPPORTS PENTIUM 4 : [url]http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/39162[/url]
Which one guys? :D
I still have an agp geforce 6600le. That was pretty good with my single core pc
How do you know if a PSU will fit inside a case?
THE PSU - [url]http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/46594/MD-Value-PSU-620W-ATX-12cm-SATA-24-Pin-Model-400X[/url]
THE CASE - [url]http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/47315/CiT-Saturn-Gaming-Case-with-red-LEDs-NO-PSU[/url]
There is a standard known as form factor which applies to the motherboard, power supply and case. You're going to want an ATX case and power supply. And don't get either of those, they're both shite, although if you must get the tacky case DO NOT get the £13 600W power supply.
I recommend this [url]http://orders.ebuyer.com/customer/shopping/index.html?action=cHJlY2FydA%3D%3D&stid=[/url]
and this
[url]http://www.ebuyer.com/product/160805[/url]
I want it to look nice and be cheap, I did find a slightly nicer looking PSU though :).
[url]http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/39282/CiT-450W-Black-PSU-12cm-Dual-12v-CE-PFC-Model[/url]
[editline]01:24AM[/editline]
The PSU also matches the make of the 'tacky' case so it should all fit in nicely.
[editline]01:26AM[/editline]
I'm not bothered about performance, I just want it to not set on fire and be able to do tasks when asked to (browse net, probably have linux installed e.t.c)
Dude the cases i recommended where <30 and came with a psu
Put it this way, I would like to get a tacky looking case with funky LEDS (Preferably red), a PSU and a mobo for under £100 and preferably more around the £80 mark.
[editline]01:30AM[/editline]
[QUOTE=derlicious;22911907]Dude the cases i recommended where <30 and came with a psu[/QUOTE]
Shit, so they were :D.
I know right.
Bargain hunting
[editline]01:31AM[/editline]
[QUOTE=ferrus;22911661]There is a standard known as form factor which applies to the motherboard, power supply and case. You're going to want an ATX case and power supply. And don't get either of those, they're both shite, although if you must get the tacky case DO NOT get the £13 600W power supply.
Dude he doesnt need quality in this build. It's just to learn how to make a computer and stuff[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=derlicious;22911925]I know right.
Bargain hunting
[editline]01:31AM[/editline][/QUOTE]
Right, so at the moment I need a Case (with LEDS, has to have LEDs lol), a PSU and a Mobo for as low as possible but not so cheap that it will set on fire. I'm thinking that novatech one with some form of mobo that will fit?
[editline]01:37AM[/editline]
OKAY :D
THIS MOBO - [url]http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/Components/Motherboards/Intel775AllChipsetMotherboards/GA-G31M-ES2L.html[/url]
WITH THIS CASE + PSU - [url]http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/Components/Cases/Cases/Novatech/GALAXY3.html[/url]
They both seem to be ATX, although one is a micro ATX, does that matter?
Yeh that case supports Micro ATX so its all good in the hood
So it'll all just screw in and be all happy :D. Do I need thermal paste for the processor?
Yes and you'll need a cpu cooler if you don't have one
As far as I am aware there should be one with the processor. It was taken from a dead PC, so I presume it had a cooler there.
At the minute I have a case, psu, motherboard and some arctic silver 5 in my basket. I need to make sure that I actually have this pentium 4 I'm sure I have (parents MAY have thrown it), and then make sure I have all the bits i'll need then I think I'll have a crack at ordering the parts. As far as actually building goes, is there any parts that are difficult? (Graphics cards just slot in) and would anyone be willing to tell me what to do or help me out with it when I get there?
Just look for some tutorials on google and youtube.
All of them are good
Found that Pentium 4, or at least it looks like it. It is actually in a motherboard, but one of the clips for the ram slots is broken and to be honest I don't know what the fuck to do with it. Do I just unscrew everything that's attached to the processor and get it out of there?
[editline]06:07PM[/editline]
Can't get the heatsink off. You have to push on these two AVC tabs to get it off, but there is a lump of metal behind the tab and it will NEVER fit through the gap, the heatsink looks almost soldered on :/
[editline]06:25PM[/editline]
Okay, I can and have taken the heatsink off, I think the processor is stuck to it. It is a socket 400 something processor, will it still fit in the 775 board?
Nope, don't think so.. That would really surprise me atleast.. Maybe you could fit a really shitty AMD AM3 something core, and a AM3 mobo, then you would have some upgradeability..
Updated the OP to save making a new thread, can you guys show me some budget builds from safe UK sites? :)
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