Proposed System

Alright, I've put together a list of stuff for a new computer:

Asus P4P800S-X Socket-478 I848P ATA - Sound Lan USB2 800FSB SATA Retial Box

Intel Pentium 4 2.8GHz Prescott Skt478 FSB533 1MB Cache Retail Boxed CPU

Western Digital Cavier SE 80Gb 7200rpm 8mb Cache Hard Drive - OEM

Corsair (VS1GB400C3) 1024MB, DDR400 / PC3200, non-ECC, 184 DIMM, unbuffered, CL3, 64Mx8 DRAMs

Casetek CK-10162A Blue And Beige Atx Case With 350WATT PSU

Samsung 16x48 IDE DVD-ROM Drive - Retail Box

Sony OEM 3.5 Floppy Drive

XFX Geforce Mx4000 64MB DDR AGP8x TV-Out Retail Box

As you can see the graphics card is crap, but that doesn't matter to me, it's not a gaming machine. Anyway, I'd like to know if all this stuff is compatable? I've never built a computer before. Will there be any problems?

Thanks in advance.

Get a 800FSB processor, not a 533FSB. Also, try and get one with 512kb cache, not 1MB. The hard drive would be a bit better if it was SATA, not IDE

Otherwise it looks fine

Avoid the p4p800s it uses the 848 c/set, get the p4p800 it uses the newer and better 865 c/set and is about the same price.

As said above get a 800mhz chip - they also have HT, the 533 ones don't, theres nothing wrong with prescotts imo even though they're a tad warmer.

Get CL2.5 ram or better, don't worry about Corsair. Geil and Crucial are good and cheaper.

You can get Corsair Value Select that runs at CAS2.5, but not in a single 1Gb stick - you would have to buy 2x512. Cheapest I know of is Komplett, just under £118.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skattrd

Avoid the p4p800s it uses the 848 c/set, get the p4p800 it uses the newer and better 865 c/set and is about the same price.

As said above get a 800mhz chip - they also have HT, the 533 ones don't, theres nothing wrong with prescotts imo even though they're a tad warmer.

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If you can get a northwood over a prescott, it would be a bit better but if you cant find one its not the end of the world.

Alright I've made some changes. Here is what I plan to get now:

Asus P4P800-X Socket-478 I865PE ATA - Sound Lan USB2 800FSB SATA Retial Box

Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz Prescott Skt478 FSB800 1MB Cache Retail Boxed CPU With 3 Year Warranty

Western Digital Caviar SE 80GB SATA150 7200rpm 8mb

Corsair (VS1GBKIT400C3) 1024MB (2 x 512MB Matched Pair), DDR400 / PC3200, non-ECC, Unbuffered, CL3, Lifetime Warranty

Casetek CK-10162A Blue And Beige Atx Case With 350WATT PSU

Samsung 16x48 IDE DVD-ROM Drive - Retail Box

Sony OEM 3.5 Floppy Drive

XFX Geforce Mx4000 64MB DDR AGP8x TV-Out Retail Box

PC Cooler Universal (PA9C-38CUAL) Compatible to AMD 64bit, AMD XP and Pentium 4 processors

I've changed the motherboard for one with the 865 chipset, and the hard drive is now SATA. Also the memory is 2 512 MB sticks rather than 1 GB one. Also changed the CPU for a 3.0 Ghz 800 FSB, and I've added the cooling thingy because the prescotts apparently get hot.

Any opinions on the system now?

Thanks in advance.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by m3trj

Also the memory is 2 512 MB sticks rather than 1 GB one.

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The problem before was not that the fact that it was 1Gb, but rather that the 1Gb stick had a CAS latency of 3. The reason I suggested 2x512 was that you can get the Corsair Value Select with a CAS latency of 2.5, but not in a single 1Gb stick (that only comes in the CAS3 form). So what I would suggest is 2x512 PC3200 Corsair Value Select, but with a CAS latency of 2.5.