Preserved Topic: Computer Building Fun.

Ok then. After starting my new job at the start of this year, I'm finally getting close to saving up enough money to build a totally new computer, just for little ol' me...nothing that I have to share with the rest of my family. I'll be using the computer primarily for 3D modelling and rendering, as well as some gaming.

Now...this is the first computer I've totally built from the ground up with the components I choose. I know what Iwant to have in terms of memory, hard disk space and processor speed, but I've heard that you can't run some pieces of hardware together with other pieces of hardware, processors, etc...and I wanted the opinions of my fellow inmates as to what you would stick in this computer. I'm having two hard disks, one small, one really large (the first one is about 2 1/2 gig, for system files only, with a partitioned off space for the swap files etc. The other one is general storage). I'm going to need a pretty hefty 3D accellerator, I was thinking the GeForce 4 Ti4200 Chipset. Sound is another issue, Sound Blaster Audigy aught to do me (BTW: I have a budget of about $4500 here ), I was also thinking of dual processors, pentium 3, and MAYBE (really maybe) dual monitors...anything else?

Please...give me your opnions on what I'd need in here. I'm also kinda playing 'My computer is better than yours' with a mate of mine. Just for the fun of it.

Koan 63, written on the wall of cell number 250:
Those who Believe
Can
Those who Try
Do
Those who Love
Live

i dont think it makes sense to have the swap files on the same disk. even if it is partioned.

you say its 2,5 gigs. and the other one very large. make sure, both are about the same speed! 7200rpm.
also attach them on different ide ports!

but you don't want your CD and a harddrive on the same cable (master-slave relationship) because the CDROM will slow down your harddrive read speeds...
I've never had any hardware incompatibility issues and i've been switching hardware left, right and center....
had an old network card, switched to 10/100 network card, had ad-lib sound, switched to avance 3d, had junky graphics, got s3 vision 968, just added monster 3d ii...
as for harddrives, started out with a 1g, added another 1g, switched to a 2g, switched to a 4g and 1g, got an 8g.
cdroms: had 24x cdrom, switched to another 24x cd cuz old one broke
BTW: cpu is Pentium 150 MHz


[ Padded Room #623 ] [ a-bb@gmx.net ]

Dual processors will help with with the 3D rendering apps but with a budjet of $4500 (we talkin australian or US $$$ ?) You might be better with a an AMD and an entry level Professional GL renderer as opposed to a gaming 3D card. But that might limit your gaming abilities and even the entry level GL cards are rather pricy.

Or if you more partial to having two monitors then you might be better off with a Raedon 8500 otherwise you'll have to pick up a PCI adapter as well. If I had the cash I'd get a 8500DV in a flash for all the Video in-out stuff but that's just me. Their about $1000 AU though... =(

Hmm.... If ya gonna go with dual P3's will you be able to get DDR RAM? If not than I'd seriously re-think it....

As for the swap files being on a seperate partition. All that'll do it decrease the ammount your disk fragments when it uses virtual memory, having it on a different IDE channel will speed it up somewhat. You could also look into RAID solutions or SCSI Drives, or maybe those Cheater XL 15000 RPM suckers! Always wanted one of dem for mah PS scratch disk.

Hmmm...if you really wanna do some rendering choose
a bigger harddisk for your system even the swap
file isn't on the same.
You better spend your money for highly compatible
components (Board, CPU) else in dual processing. Since
not all programms run with dual you got less power so.

But for work is dual monitoring a wonderfull thing I think.
Never tried it but I am still dreaming from my SG machine *gg*

cu
~Xdreamer.ch~

save for another month and build a dual xeon machine.

Good things come to those that wait.

Dual Xeon? How much am I looking at for one of those?

That is $4500 AU, and it is alot for a computer over here.

Koan 63, written on the wall of cell number 250:
Those who Believe
Can
Those who Try
Do
Those who Love
Live

Whatever you do, you need one of these.
http://www.fancycase.com/remote.html

Your most important consideration should be your motherboard. You want something that will run everything you're planning to buy, but that should be upgradeable for the next few years. I've had really good experiences with ASUS and ABIT. They both make quality boards, and give you alot of control over BIOS settings.

If you're going to go dual processor, you have to make sure you have software which supports dual processor configurations. Apart from Unix/Linux, windows 2000 is a good bet for this.

Another thing you want to do is check the support pages for whatever components you're going to buy. For example, soundblaster cards had certain problems with certain VIA chipsets. Always do the research before you put any money down.

Also, as far as your swap file goes, you can download this handy little utility that will benchmark you hard drives. Test out a couple of drive configurations and put the swap file on the fastest drive.

For $4500AUD, you should be able to get a good system. I was able to put together a really fast system for less than $1000USD, so your budget should be fine.

:edit:
Also, partitioning and putting your swap file on the first partiiton will speed up access times to the swap file. For a good explanation of why, go here.



[This message has been edited by silence (edited 06-25-2002).]

with that kind of money , I would definately go dual CPU's, and dual monitors. And if money is of concern, you might try Athlon MP . However, I have a friend that runs the xeon dualies and it is sweet. And I would also recommend the Ti4600 opposed to the 4200.

Over here the 4600 costs about $1200, so it would really depend on how much I have left to spend once I've got the rest of it.

Hmmm...I have to go with Intel processors unfortunatley becuase of my 3D modeeling programs, MAX doesn't run to well...in my experience...on AMD chipsets. I think Discreet and the other companies like Alias/Wavefront have contracts with Intel, so that they have code which slows down program response time on AMD processors.

Koan 63, written on the wall of cell number 250:
Those who Believe
Can
Those who Try
Do
Those who Love
Live

quote:

---

Hmmm...I have to go with Intel processors unfortunatley becuase of my 3D modeeling programs, MAX doesn't run to well...in my experience...on AMD chipsets. I think Discreet and the other companies like Alias/Wavefront have contracts with Intel, so that they have code which slows down program response time on AMD processors.

---

Thats just some small bullshit, sorry.

cu
~Xdreamer.ch~

quote:

---

Thats just some small bullshit, sorry.

---

Well he did say:

quote:

---

MAX doesn't run to well...in my experience...on AMD chipsets

---

so bullshit it may not be, but i digress.

And you can always get the GF4 4200 and easily overclock to the specs of a GF4 4600. That seems like the popular thing to do.

A separate disk (hardware) not drive just a letter (partition) is best for swap files. If they're on different partitions of the same drive, all advantages are lost due to increased seek times between the partitions. Put your Windows swap file there too, along with the TEMP directory, SPOOL directory and Temporary Internet Files.

With that budget, go for dual-monitors (or triple with the new Matrox board) before dual-processors. Dual procs will only really help 3D rendering. Dual displays will increase your happiness (and productivity) whenever you run more than one app or have more than one window open. In PS I put all the tools and crap at the edge of one monitor leaving the second one for the canvas.

My twin LCD displays and ATI dual monitor card are the best US$1,200 I ever spent.

And it impresses the hell out of everyone, not just fellow geeks.

"the most incredible feats are often accomplished by
those who have had the most incredible challenges"

[This message has been edited by brucew (edited 06-25-2002).]

thanks el_grande. X-dreamer...it HAS been my expiuerience that it happens. I run an Intel at the moment. When we briefly had an AMD chipset, altohugh it was a higher Mhz rating, it still ran slower than my Intel.

BTW: I don't appreciate when people tell me I'm bullshitting, try not to do it in future...if you think you need ot say something like that, say it by email, not here on the board.

Koan 63, written on the wall of cell number 250:
Those who Believe
Can
Those who Try
Do
Those who Love
Live

Anyway...Here's where I need some help.

After doing much searching, I have failed ot locate a motherboard that I can use with a Pentium 3 porocessor that is Dual Procesor cpaable...I think I may go with the Pentium 4 and only have one processor, but does anyone know of any motherboards which are capable of handling two Pentium 3s?

Koan 63, written on the wall of cell number 250:
Those who Believe
Can
Those who Try
Do
Those who Love
Live

Well...here's the final system specs for what I plan to get:

Case: Dual Fan, P4 Ready, Front Mount USB, Mid-tower, 350 W power
supply
MoBo: ASUS P4B266 i845 DDR
Processor: P4 2.2GHZ
Memory: 2 x 512 Mg DDR
Heatsink/Fan: Volcan7
Video: Asus V8440 128mb GeForce 4 Ti 4400 DDR, DVI OR Leadtek MSI
A250 Geforce 4 Ti4400 128 Mb
Sound: Creative Soundblaster Audigy Platinum
HDD: W/D 20GB, 7200 RPM / W/D 120GB, 7200 RPM
Optical Drives: 16x DVD / 40/24/10 CD-Rewriter
Monitor: 19" Philips Flat Screen CRT
1.44" Floppy Drive
Network: 10/100 Base
Peripherals: Microsoft Optical Mouse and Internet Keyboard
Speakers: Jazz 2 Satellite and Subwoofer.

Whaddaya think?

Koan 63, written on the wall of cell number 250:
Those who Believe
Can
Those who Try
Do
Those who Love
Live

I think you're a pig! <LOL> Can't believe how far behind I am. Enjoy!

personaly I would go with the AMD chipset. It is the same or a little slower in most tests but the Intel chips don't justify the extra price for the gained performance in my experiences. I don't know the motherboard that you have choosen but one that has USB 2.0 would be best.

Otherwise that is about what I would get for my computer in terms of memory, drivesd and expansion cards.

__________________________
This is a sig virus. Please copy it to your sig so it can spread.

Sounds like one hell of a system you put togethor. It's gonna smoke.

All this PC building talk has got me unsatisfied with my old clunker, and that has started a search for the latest and greatest components available. Go big or don't, but I wanna go big. I have found this motherboard.



Yep, your right. That is 4-channel onboard RAID. 2 HDD's for the OS and 2 HDD's for goodies and swap files. Drooling yet? There are also no P/S 2 ports; that's the way of the past. 6 onboard USB 2.0 and an included header for 4 more. Only AGP 4x but the MAX edition, to be released soon I believe, supports 8x and also one ups this board by adding another RAM slot. It's so ridiculous it makes me want to cry, but I MUST have it. Then again I will probably make do and want for Serial ATA. Who knows?

After reading all that you may be wondering if there was a point to that ramble of a post........if your not then thanks for reading, but if you are then raise your hand and I will be right along to......(SEE BELOW)



[edit] Yeah, I am gonna make this longer. I remembered another cool motherboard I found. This one uses technology of a slightly different era. Can you spot it?


Click for bigger.

Yep, that's a vacuum tube for audio output. All you hardcore audiophiles will dig this.

I think that's enough for today.[/edit]




[This message has been edited by el_Grande (edited 07-04-2002).]