Boring stable build v2

PretzelB · Post by **PretzelB** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:56 pm

After some reading and thinking I got a rough idea for my stable yet boring build for the girlfriend's next machine. It won't be doing much beyond office applications and Tetris like puzzle games. The most it might do is some recording of TV shows via a Hauppage tuner card and MCE. Any advice is appreciated:

ABIT IP35-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Allendale 2.2GHz LGA 775 65W Processor Model BX80557E4500 - Retail
Scythe SCMNJ-1000 80mm Sleeve "NINJA MINI" CPU Cooler - Retail
Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model
XFX PVT86SWAHG GeForce 8400GS 512MB (256MB on Board) 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready Video Card - Retail
CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply - Retail
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

The MB was picked because the pro version was mentioned as recommened in this forum and I used to like Abit. The PSU is probably overkill but I like the modular cables and it might serve as a backup for my game rig if something goes wrong (I realized my backup PSUs are getting old). The memory is what I think matches the MB requirements. I used to get good results with Crucial so I stuck with them. Either way, no OC will be done so I thought I should pick the matching memory. The HD was picked so I can work on the new machine in parallel to the current one. She has a 7200.9 250g drive now that will probably be used for backups after the switch. The video card was just something silent, cheap, but in the 8000 series. Oh, I prefer Nvidia also so I mostly just looked at price and name brand for the video card.

Thoughts?

mentawl · Post by **mentawl** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 8:48 pm

Just a quick note from me - the IP-35E doesn't have the uGuru fan control gear that the Pro has, but is otherwise a really nice motherboard. I have one in my main machine, and aside from the lack of fan control I don't regret buying it in the slightest =).

FlorisNielssen · Post by **FlorisNielssen** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:38 am

About the memory: don't you think 2Gb is a bit overkill for Office and some MCE? If you're going to use Vista all right, but not if you're going to use XP. (Definitely not if you're going to use Ubuntu. And I hope you am, although I doubt it.)

You could swap the Seagate HD for a Samsung, they tend to be quieter.

What case are you going to use?

PretzelB · Post by **PretzelB** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:08 pm

The case is going to be reused but to be honest I forget what kind of case it is. I think I got it for practically nothing after a mail in rebate. It's a mid sized steel ATX case with no special features. It kind of looks like every other mid sized ATX case out there. It does a decent job though.

The 2GB is probably excessive but I think the memory I picked was only around $80 and I would prefer to get more than I need in case something happens and I need it later. I haven't done a Vista system yet but I'd hate having memory bottlenecks so I always go overboard with RAM, especially when it's not too expensive.

I think I picked Seagate because IIRC their warranty was 5 years compared to others which were 1, but I will check into that.

/edit
I think I found the case. It's an Ultra Wizard. Frys had it for free with rebate. Here's a link to a site that has pics. http://www.ultraproducts.com/product_de ... ductID=250

PretzelB · Post by **PretzelB** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:43 pm

One thing I didn't ask, and maybe it should be a separate post, was how the Scythe Mini and the CPU I picked would work together, and/or would I need a fan to go with it.

RedAE102 · Post by **RedAE102** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 3:15 am

While I don't have experience with that particular Seagate 7200.10 drive, I do have a 7200.10 400GB. If you want a quiet hard drive, I must implore you to look elsewhere. It is quite a bit noisier than I'd like it to be, though its idle noise is actually quite pleasant now that I've lived with the metallic ringing of my spare 5400 rpm WD Protege 120GB and my howling 7200 rpm WD Caviar 40GB drive. Seeks with this drive, however, leave a LOT to be desired. If I use the standard silicone damped drive mounting in my Solo, the seeks resonate throughout the case, which is no small feat given the large amount of metal it has to move to accomplish that. Suspension mounting quells it considerably, but the seek noises are still clearly audible from 10+ feet away.

Mine is currently on its way to Seagate for replacement due to a chirping sound it developed after only a few months. When I get the replacement, I'll be trying out Hitachi's drive tools to see if I can enable AAM on it to quiet it down.

PretzelB · Post by **PretzelB** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 6:42 am

Thanks for the info on the hard drive. I did a quick look around for 250gb sata drives and it appears the normal warranty is 3 years compared to the 5 years I was looking for. I think 3 is probably good enough so maybe I should consider switching from Seagate. I had really good luck with them in the past so old habits die hard. But I just moved my stuff into a P182 case and now I can hear lots of hard drive noise so maybe it's time to switch.