So I've bought/ordering some computer parts to build a home media computer/server and having never assembled a computer before was wondering if anyone had any advice?

Currently Bought Parts:
DVD drive out of old computer
750GB Seagate SATA HD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148134)
Intel E8400 (OEM version) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037)
ECS G32T-M (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135063&Tpk=ECS%2bG31T-M)
OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227267)
MASSCOOL 8WA741 92mm Ball CPU Cooler (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150082)
Foxconn TLM776-CN300C-02 Black Steel MicroATX (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811153078)

Haven't decided if/which video card I'm going to get yet, probably not a gaming one.

Read the Motherboard manual before you plug all the stuff in, although some of them are color coded... Still check the Motherboard manual first...

Install the power box thingy.

Put the proc on yer motherboard first, before you put it into yer case.

Oh and put yer ram in the motherboard too :D

Put yer harddrive in the case before too, makes it kinda easier without all the wires...

Screw yer motherboard into yer case, plug all the stuff in make sure they go in the right spot, so yer power button isn't yer reset and all that... Plug all the fans in.

Put yer gfx card in it's place.

Re-Read everything, like where you plugged all the wires incase you're not sure of where they go.

If all works, you should be able to start up, then install the OS

Hope that helps, that's how I built my custom machine...

#1) Don't buy an OEM CPU. Buy a retail one. OEM CPUs are often the ones that have been opened and returned, and a lot of them have been fucked with by people trying to overclock them. CPUs are all different -- even if they're the same model number. Some can overclock better than others, and a lot of people will order a CPU, see how well it overclocks, and then return it as "defective" if it doesn't overclock as well as they think it would. Generally, an OEM CPU is a piece of shit and you don't want one.

#2) When you're going to put it together, let me know. I'll go help you put it together, since you're only about 20-30 minutes away from me.

#3) I'd get a better motherboard. Go for a big name with better reviews (ASUS, Gigabyte, etc).

#4) A 300w power supply won't run all of that shit. Pick a case that doesn't come with a power supply and get a 500-700w PS separately. I suggest an ASUS, 'cause they make a handful of 'em with modular cables. MODULAR CABLES ARE A MUST IN ANY MODERN MACHINE!

LOL 300w, I can't believe they still make those lolol.

http://www.complang.tuwien.ac.at/anton/ ... ption.html
97W-179W
Core 2 Duo E8400 (45nm, 3GHz, 6MB L2), MSI P35 Neo2-FR (Intel P35+ICH9R chipset), PowerColor Radeon X850XT card with 256MB RAM, 4GB DDR2-800 RAM, Creative Audigy soundcard, NE2000PCI clone Ethernet card, 2 running 750GB SATA hard disks (WDC WD7500AACS-00ZJB0, SAMSUNG HD753LJ), 1 DVD-RW drive, 1 floppy drive, Enermax-EG365AX-VE(G) ATX12V power supply, Linux. Idle 97W-100W. Pure CPU loads (yes >/dev/null):

clock idle load 1 load 2
2000MHz 100W 111W 121W
2333MHz 101W 115W 127W
2666MHz 102W 118W 133W
3000MHz 103W 123W 140W

179W when running glxgears in addition to two instances of nice yes >/dev/null at 3000MHz. 150W-155W when running UT2004 without active background jobs.


I think I'll be fine on power?

45nm processors are really efficient.

Aww I think it'll be great Cooter.


Then again I think Blizzard games are CPU-related.

http://educations.newegg.com/tool/psucalc/index.html

I'd say get a 500w, because my system came with a 300w and I put a shitty video card and sound card into it and it wouldn't power on until I replaced the power supply.

If you're going to settle for the 300w in the hopes that it'll work, make sure you've got 120 bucks or so sitting aside so you can run up to fry's and buy a 500w in the event that it won't power up.

Yeah we will see, Fry's and Newegg both have really liberal return policies and I don't need the computer right away so I'm not going to get anything that doesn't work well.

Does anyone have an Radeon HD 2600PRO? If so what kind of FPS should I expect in source?

Also, does anyone know a video card that supports HDMI out with audio for less than $100?