HELP ! Building a PC for my son for Xmas

[Vegeta]

Hello gang ! I hope you all can help me out . My son (14 )wants to build his own low cost PC and I need you opinions on weather the components he wants will work together . Please feel free to suggest other components you feel might work better . He already has a 22" monitor, 320 gig HD ,Speaker wireless keyboard and mouse and Wireless card from his old pc he plans on using in his new one . Keep in mind he is not a gamer and just really uses it for school projects and watching movies and stuff . THANKS IN ADVANCE !
Here is what he is wanting

Case http://www.xoxide.com/xoxide-alien-x-case.html

Motherboard/ processor http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3311758&CatId=1599

Power supply http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2974590&Sku=ULT33156%20K

20 pin+ 24 pin adapter
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1032945

Ram http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3089875&Sku=C13-6076

Video card http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3128204&CatId=1558

CD/DVD burner
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3427167&Sku=S203-8508

Fan/ cooler
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2943299&Sku=S457-1035

[Jamie Nixx]

What the budget for this?

[Vegeta]

Under $500 .

[Jamie Nixx]

You could build a much better computer for $500 or under.

Case is good, PSU should be ok, the memory is so cheap you might as well keep that as well (even though its gaming memory).

You should really change the CPU and motherboard though.

I would go for a P35 or 650i socket 775 board and get a nice core 2 duo to go with it.

That way the computer will last a long time without the need to upgrade.

An E4400 Core 2 Duo is $139.99 and you can get a decent motherboard for about $130.

The 8500GT won't play any games, bare that in mind even though you said your son is not a gamer.

So really i would just get the new motherboard and CPU, no need for the cooler, the CPU comes with one.

[Vegeta]

Thank you VERY much Jamie for your help ! I don't know much about this stuff .Would this be an alright combo http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3329227

[Jamie Nixx]

That is an AWESOME combo, very much worth the money.

And you never no, if your son wants to dabble in gaming, you can always get another graphics card, that would be a superb gaming computer.

[Vegeta]

Thanks you SOOOO much Jamie for your help ! Could you suggest a good inexpensive video card that he could use to play games if he decided to ?

[Jamie Nixx]

how much could you spend on one?

[Vegeta]

Not too much over $100 but 200 tops.

[Jamie Nixx]

This is $120 and its an excellent card.

Will play most games out with reasonable FR and its cheap.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131056

[Vegeta]

Looks like it's out of stock . And I can't find that same one on Tiger Direct either .These are the only Powercolor cards they have at Tiger Direct.Would any of these do the job instead Jamie ?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=Powercolor&image12.x=10&image12.y=15

[Jamie Nixx]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3441719&CatId=1826

Get this if you can afford the extra.

Awesome card, the computer will fly, and it will be capable of playing anything out now.

[Vegeta]

Kinda a little more then I wanted to spend on one. But I guess it will work . Thank you VERY much Jamie for all your time and trouble !

[Jamie Nixx]

If its too expensive mate, just change it, there are cheaper models that will still play games.

[Vegeta]

Jamie my friend I have one more question for you that I did not even think about till now . Which sux cause I already ordered everything the other day .Will the Hard drive I already have work with the motherboard you suggested ? The hard drive is a WD 320gb model #WD3200JBRTL . Man I hope so !

[Jamie Nixx]

Yep it will work fine.

[Vegeta]

Yep it will work fine.Thanks Jamie ! Would I be better off performance wise with this one though ? Since it is a SATA and has 16mb VS 8mb cache and 3.00mb VS 1.00mb . The reason I ask is I have till Jan to return the first one I bought for his old PC. And why not return that one to get him a better one with more space for the same price . Thanks for all you help bro . I'm just a NEWB to all this still . LOL !:)

[Jamie Nixx]

If you can send the older one back and get a SATA one, without much hassle then is definately worth it.

[Vegeta]

If you can send the older one back and get a SATA one, without much hassle then is definately worth it.
Thats what I thought Jamie ! Thank you very much kind sir !:D

[Jamie Nixx]

Hmm never been called Sir before lol, i am only 18 :D

And no problemo, i hope your son enjoys the computer and i hope it serves him well.

Cheers.

[jclaydon]

Hmm never been called Sir before lol, i am only 18 :D



Cheers.

Gee I NEVER would have guessed. I guess the younger generation is just a heck of a lot smarter than mine.. :D :p


ah well we're lucky that you requent this board then


take care,

-James

[Jamie Nixx]

Lol, i guess he he :p

Learning about computers isn't hard really, just takes time, plus i had the added bonus of starting early, i built my first computer just after my 13th birthday :D

[jclaydon]

That's really cool. I've been using computers for almost 23 years now*so don't tick me off, or I'll hit you with my cane :-P * I won't say exactly how old I am, but my first real computer was a commodore 64 which I got for Christmas in grade 7. Man I loved the games on that thing. :)

Sorry us old geezers tend to reminisce from time to time.. ;)

I just started learning how to replace the parts *hard drive and optical stuff, nothing to do with the motherboard or processor* in a computer about a year and a bit ago tho.

Then I came across the website.. I've always LOVED taking things apart and learning how they worked. The real challenge for me is putting it back together so that they work again *lol*

anyway take care,

-James

[Vegeta]

Got all my stuff on the 24th Jamie . And guess what ! I did not come with a processor fan . I guess when you by the bundle the fan does not come with the processor like it does if you buy the processor separate . That is pretty lame huh . So I a had to order one. So I did not get to give him a running pc . But he is cool with it since I explained what happened . We are gonna have fun building it together now .

[Jamie Nixx]

You should have got one with it, every bundle deal i have bought before has come with one.

Good luck with the comp and enjoy building it :)

[The Wise Monkey]

Probably an OEM version of the CPU - they don't necessarily come with fans.

[Vegeta]

Hay guys I have a strange problem that I need help figuring out . Pc has been running perfect from day one . I have it overclocked to 2.9 and tuned using the Nivida software that can with the MB . Have run all the common stability tests on it and everything .And it never flinched . So I tried to install a Trendnet TEW 443PI wireless card in it lastnite . But when I do my CPU usage goes to 100% and my CPU core temp goes up 12 degrees and my system lags real bad and hangs up and you can't shut it down. You have to turn off the power supply switch to get to turn off . So I remove the card and it goes back to normal . And I know the card is fine because it was in my other pc working great . Any ideas what could be causing this issue ?

[The Wise Monkey]

Have you got the latest drivers for it? I'm not sure if that would make a difference, but its worth a try. :)

[Vegeta]

Have you got the latest drivers for it? I'm not sure if that would make a difference, but its worth a try. :) Yes sir . Downloaded the driver straight from their site . It has really got me baffled . Why would adding hardware like a wireless card cause so much trouble with the system ? Beats the hell out of me .

[Vegeta]

I figured out what was causing the problem. Since i installed the wireless card and program called SVchost.exe has been eating up my CPU usage. I takes up atleast 80% of this problem. Does anyone know how to fix this? I dont see why this would happen just because i installed a new wireless card.l

[The Wise Monkey]

svchost.exe is an important Windows component - check this article out, as it might help you solve your problem:

http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_fix_this_high_cpu_usage_svchost_virus_or_ whatever_it_is.html

Whilst this is quite old, it may still apply. :)

[Vegeta]

svchost.exe is an important Windows component - check this article out, as it might help you solve your problem:

http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_fix_this_high_cpu_usage_svchost_virus_or_ whatever_it_is.html

Whilst this is quite old, it may still apply. :)Thank Wise Monkey I'll give it a shot and see if it helps .