Setting up my first pc...

[pcgodintraining]

I was thinking of going with an AMD Athlon XP 3000+/512 cache/200 mhz. (400ddr) FSB/ socket A/ Barton Core/ Processor,
which means I will need pc3200 RAM.

Should I go with a socket A or a socket 754? I don't want to use other sockets, such as socket 939, because many people have told me that no current OS is yet optimized for such sockets.

?

 

[True_Orb]

The way I got into learning about computers is basically I did what you're doing, look for people to give you links to different places.
Read up as much as you can on the basic parts, and as far as individual parts go, surf the boards and read other people's opinions. That will give you a great understanding of what the industry standards are for the respective equipment and brands.
After you have read both much fo the forums and any guides you can find, if you still have questions, then by all means take them to the forums.
Ask around and be humble and I guarentee you, within a few weeks to a month you will know more about computers than you ever imagined.
(Not that I am smarter than most here, by any means, but I can't believe how much I've learned in so little time.)

 

[{DeathKnight}]

Dont worry to much when putting your pc together it aint that hard ive been building computers since i was 12. And im sure theres people here who started way earlier so if a 12 year old can do it you should be able to do it with ease.

 

[geo3tech]

I don't want to use other sockets, such as socket 939, because many people have told me that no current OS is yet optimized for such sockets.

????? what???? that's not true
It's not the socket that is not supported but the fact that an athlon 64 is 64 bit and the current os's only support up to 32. sockets do not interfere with OS, but it's just how it runs other stuff, such as the dual channel memory. ( BTW, the athlon 64 is different from athlon xp but most the same price)

But, the new windows 64 bit is coming real, real, real, really, i mean now, soon.There are even betas out for it. Why don't you just get a more advanced cpu if the price is almost identical and are just......... say.... more better? and new products are coming out which will support it and make it, say, about 2 times faster, for the same price?? Edit: Maybe not two but somewhere around there

Also, do you know what it means that it is not optimized for such sockets?? It means that no product has yet been able to run at the speed the athlon 64s can. That means, the athlon 64 has so much more potential within them that it is just waiting for it's speed to be released. It's like driving a ferrari at a local street. The max speed limit is 40 mph but your car can go over 200 mph. So you're just so eager to go over 40 mph but you're worried that you'll get caught by the police. When a high-way comes, you will go over 200 mph, cuz you're high. The highway is the new windows xp 64bit that is about to be released.
basically, the athlon 64 is running at the same 32 bit as intel but when windows xp 64 bit comes out, it's gonna blow their cpus away in to the dumpster.
Even if it's a OS not optimized for it it's still basically the same speed as the regular ones. It's not " not supported", it's a whole new different thing.

 

[geo3tech]

alright to help you more.....

Atlon XP have almost the same price as Athlon 64. It is just that the athlon 64 is a "new" technology that runs stuff at 64 bit. It's an amazing technology because not even intel could copy it. Well, they made it but basically the same architecture at the amd ones but suckier and not truelly 64 bit.

The socket 754 does not support dual channel memory, only just seperate mem sticks added together. The socket 939 supports dual channel memory, which basically means it increases bandwidth, so faster speed and potential. Dual channel basically just requires you to have two identical rams and have to be used in pairs.

the lower end athlon 64s such as the 2800, 3000, 3200 are now being produced at socket 939s at basically no additional charge from the socket 754 ones so it's better to get the 939 because it supports dual channel.

I hope all this writing that i did helps ya.

 

[pcgodintraining]

Oh, for sure it does Geotech3. It helps me a bundle. The main problem about learning this type of stuff is that everyone seems to have a different opinion. The only issue with the Win 64 bit edtion that is coming out is that it will no doubt be buggy as all hell. So I could wait a year or so for that.

 

[pcgodintraining]

This is by NO means final, but would these components at least WORK with eachother? Are they compatible? Be honest. I am trying to get an idea here.

nVidia GeForce4 MX 440 / 64MB DDR / AGP 8X / VGA / Video Card

Abit NF7-S2 nVidia Socket A ATX Motherboard / AGP 8X/4X / Audio / 10/100 Ethernet LAN / USB 2.0 / Serial ATA

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ / 512KB Cache / 1600MHz FSB / Socket 754 / Processor

Kingston 512MB Non-ECC, CL3 PC3200 DDR 400MHz Memory

TDK veloCD / 52x24x48x CD-RW / CD Burner

Just 4 PC - Beige Mid-Tower Case with AMD Approved and Intel Pentium 4 Ready 425 Watt Power

Grand total exluding shipping and handling comes to $564.90 Canadian...

 

[geo3tech]

oh yeah, if you want to switch over to athlon 64 you have to get a different mobo because that nf7-s2 doesn't support socket 939s. so how's this one

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-181&depa=1

it's one of the best out there.

and the other thing. It's really worth it to buy a dvd burner. It's not much more expensive then a cd burner, some are only like 10 dollar difference. I bought a cd burner instead of a dvd burner and i'm having trouble keeping free space in my hard drive cuz i download so much stuff.

here's a link to a good one

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-129-156&depa=1
if you download stuff, then i really recommend you getting a dvd burner
Pssh..... it's the best in burning games and such.... psssh...
who said that????

Edit: oh i just noticed that your getting the athlon 64 3000 SOCKET 754. get the socket 939 as the mobo i recommended up top is only for socket 939. And if you get identical 256mb mem sticks, you can make it dual channel and increase the speed of it.''

just my thoughts, don't need to do what say

But, you do need to change the mobo or the processor because the mobo doesn't support the cpu. the mobo u currently chose is for athlon xp