Buy or rebuild?

**geekgrl** · April 6th, 2002, 08:48 PM

I have a HORRIBLE computer!! My friend and I built it with scrap parts from his dad's workplace about 4 years or so ago. If you pick up the PC you can hear screws that worked themselves out rolling around!

Anyway, my husband suggested we just start buying new things and upgrade, and I think we should just scrap it and buy a new desktop/tower.
What should we do???

**Richard Cranium** · April 6th, 2002, 08:57 PM

Use the parts to build a new one around a new mobo, case, power supply etc.

re-use the CD, floppy, modem and O/S

**HelpPlease** · April 6th, 2002, 08:58 PM

Buy everything completely new and rebuild. Buy case mobo ect. And if there is anything good about that computer take some things out of it. It will be MUCH MUCH cheaper unless you think time as part of the cost. Then it will run about the same price! :-) Your choice really though.

**kakyoin** · April 6th, 2002, 09:11 PM

You should build a new system.
Like Doc said, re-use some parts from the old one.
As for other parts, check in "Doc's Online Deals and Steals "forum
for best deals on the net

**geekgrl** · April 6th, 2002, 09:13 PM

Thanks, I think I will build a new one, and use some of my old parts. For example, I have a brand new sound card in there....
I think I want a new case too. My other one is ugly.

**snaggle** · April 6th, 2002, 09:28 PM

Hey Geekgrl,
Could I ask the what the spec of the Computer is?

___/Snaggle\___

**geekgrl** · April 6th, 2002, 09:47 PM

Yep, but it's bad. I've got a Pentium 233, 128 MB ram, 4g HD, and some 32 meg video card my husband bought so he could "enjoy life". :P Like I said, we used spare parts from my friends dads store about 4 years ago. So I didn't buy ANYTHING except the NIC and the video card for this PC.

**snaggle** · April 6th, 2002, 09:56 PM

So what are you planning on getting? any thing in particular, what knid of machine are you after?

___/Snaggle\___

**geekgrl** · April 6th, 2002, 10:00 PM

Well, I just want a faster machine... My husband likes to download videos and MP3s. He uses Kazaa a lot. I don't really do anything on the computer other than get on TechIMO

I'd like to upgrade to XP. Oh, also I'm going to get a CDRW drive, hopefully. My husband wants this upgrade more than I do, I think.

** Edit: Oh yes, and I need to be able to run some design software and a graphing calculator type software for my classes.

**no1_vern** · April 6th, 2002, 10:56 PM

Hi geekgrl, Couple of questions,
How much are you considering spending?
How much work do you intend on doing?

As a suggestion you could buy some fairly good systems on ebay check:

http://listings.ebay.com/aw/plisting...736/index.html
Hope this helps.

**geekgrl** · April 6th, 2002, 11:19 PM

Hopefully if I build a new one, I can replace parts slowly so it wont' be a big hit on the pocketbook.

**snaggle** · April 6th, 2002, 11:27 PM

We are here, If you bump into to any problemo's just give us a shout, let us know of your latest upgrades!

Good Luck GeekGrl!

___/Snaggle\___

**geekgrl** · April 6th, 2002, 11:32 PM

Thanks!

I'm looking at PriceWatch to find some good buys.

**CubKid** · April 7th, 2002, 12:00 AM

buy a new one. http://www.powerspec.com

**jerrygarcia** · April 7th, 2002, 12:51 AM

Give us a price range and I'm sure between all of us here we can find you the best deals around. It's kinda like when you thought your mom had eyes in the back of her head thing. We'll help you find whats right for you.

Here's what I've found for a new system just digging around for about 5 minutes for you.
Enlight 7237 case 340w PS locally here for $63.00

ECS K7S5A w/ XP1600+ for $115.00 +s/h 11.99-19.99
Part #S5A16 (Pricewatch-Pronet)
http://www.pricewatch.com/dealinfo/2785.htm
Go to the Website in the top right corner.

Cendyne 32x12x40 CDRW Drive for $55 after $30 rebate
http://www.slickdeals.net/?fromMonth...deals=Go#p2269

or

Lite-on 40x12x48 CDRW for $89 at Dell Home
http://www.slickdeals.net/?fromMonth...deals=Go#p2305

Maxtor 20g HDD 7200 $60.00 + $14.95 s/h+ins
http://www.pricewatch.com/dealinfo/1808.htm
Go to the Website in the top right corner.

Tell us what you are looking for and all of us will help you build what you need. Take a look at the PC kits(barebone) at Pricwatch also.

**DanU** · April 7th, 2002, 03:22 AM

Geekgrrl,

A nice place to shop on-line is newegg.com. I think other Techimo members will agree. I just purchased about $500 worth of parts from them to assemble a budget gaming system and they arrived within three days. One of the refurbished parts I bought turned out bad. I requested and RMA and they refunded my money as soon as they received it back.

**geekgrl** · April 7th, 2002, 11:31 AM

Thanks for all your input. I'm still digging. I think I'm buying a case/powersupply first.
So, here is a silly question: How do I know what kind of power supply I need?

**crystaldragon** · April 7th, 2002, 12:34 PM

The current general idea on power supplies seem to lean to at least 300 watts.

I can't believe no one from the distributed comoputing crew has dropped by to suggest building a new comp for yourself and putting the old one to work on one of the DC projects

**jerrygarcia** · April 9th, 2002, 12:16 AM

The Enlight case I mentioned above came with a 340w ps. AMD approved and P4 ready. $63.00 locally. Newegg has them for $60 + $19s/h.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...ry=1231&DEPA=1

Or they have the smae case eith a 300w ps for $44.00 + $19.00 sh

**HKS** · April 9th, 2002, 03:36 PM

build a new one.

That way you can start your own little network. Plus both you and your hubby wont have to fight to get online, you can just use the other computer. I will state that building a network is addicting, you just want to keep adding computers onto the network.