Server Help

[Assassin2684]

Ok well I really need help right about now. I need to upgrade my computer, I was going to wait for christmas but thats way to long for me to wait. I need to help though. I pretty much want to upgrade everything starting with my graphics card. I just need to know a couple things though.

1. Is the graphics card the same as a video card?
2. When I want to go buy hardware how will I know if its right for my comp? I really dont want to go get it and the nit not work.
3. Do you think purchasing on www.newegg.com is better then buying it from a store?

I hope you guys can help me.. I want to play half-life 2 really bad =D.

[BDwinsAlt]

[SuSE]

One time I found a shrinkwrapped quad opteron in a pawn shop for $5.

(only not really)

[xsp0rtsfanx]

lol.. amd > intel though

apparently the 3800+ amd dual cores are going down in price.. i need to upgrade too.. but first i have to find a job

[Smong]

1) If you are thinking of playing some recent games make sure the graphics card is directx 9, not just dx 9 compatible.
2) The newer pentium 4's supposedly get hotter than the old P4's (and they take like 100 watts...).

[Yoink]

If you're an AMD fanboy, I suggest..

Thermaltake PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153023
ASUS A8N5X
AMD Athlon 64 3700+
nVidia Geforce 6 or 7 Series
Kingston ValuRAM (DDR 400) 2x512MB
Western Digital 250GB SATA
NEC DVD/CD R/RW - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153023
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Indulgences -
Audigy 2 (sound card)
Logitech X-530 (speakers)
17" LCD (*)- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824001072

That, plus a nice ATX case, a monitor, a keyboard / mouse, a cheap microphone (TS/Ventrilo), should cost...

Power Supply - 50$
Motherboard - 80$
Proc. - 200$
RAM - 90$
Vid Card - 100-200$
Optical Drive - 40$
Hard Drive - 90$

Plus your indulgences...

Sound Card - 60$
Speakers - 90$
Monitor(listed as a perk because CRTs are much cheaper) - 200$

So, that's less than 1100$ with shipping. Slap Ubuntu on it (x86-64) and you'd have a pimpin' nice machine.

[Assassin2684]

Might as well just buy the new comp I want for $1500. Thanks for your help guys..

[Cyan~Fire]

You mean a pre-assembled one? I'd recommend building your own, you almost always get a better deal.
_________________
This help is informational only. No representation is made or warranty given as to its content. User assumes all risk of use. Cyan~Fire assumes no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use.
Wise men STILL seek Him.

[Dr Brain]

I just bought myself a new computer. Ordered the parts and put it together. Total came to about $1200 not counting rebates.

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (dual core) $300
250GB SATA II HDD $80
MSI K8N Neo4/SLI motherboard -- I forget how much, I want to say $60
1 GB PC3200 corsair "value" memory (two 512 sticks) $85
Sapphire ATI X1800GTO $185
El Cheapo DVD burner $30
Logitech MX1000 laser mouse (totally sweet) $55
Hanns G N199D 19" LCD (never heard of them before, but a truely superb buy) $220 w/ $70 rebate
Run of the mill multimedia keyboard $10
Windows XP Pro $70 (bad deal, got a pirated copy, working on tracking the dude down to get my money back)
Xion light-up-my-room-at-night case $55

All the prices include shipping, but are approximate, as I don't recall exactly. If you wan't more info (like exact prices) I can provide it.

EDIT: The monitor is truely awesome, but the speakers are not great. I still need to get myself a nice set, and that isn't acconted for in the total.
_________________
Hyperspace Owner

Smong> so long as 99% deaths feel lame it will always be hyperspace to me

[Agurus]

You dont HAVE to upgrade if you have a half decent computer to play games such as Half Life 2. I know of this great tool which enhances the computers performance greatly, pm me if intrested and I will pull it out.

Basicly the tool edits your computer tasks/processes etc... to "up other attributes" of your computer.

Pretty dandy if you would ask my opinon but if your computer is real out dated then dont bother
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X-SSCI Halo CTF Administrator

"I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too."

[Muskrat]

[Confess]

There are also some barebones that you can get very cheap. I'd imagine you are looking for an AMD, so here is an example.

AMD Athlon 3500+
Biostar Geforce 6100-M9 NVIDIA Socket 939 MicroATX Motherboard
Okia 450-Watt ATX 80mm Fan 20/24-Pin Power Supply
Masscool AMD K8 Cooler Fan
Ultra 512MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz Memory
---
Basically all it needs is a GFX card (you can get a good 256mb for about $50), some more Ram (est. $50), fans..?, and an HD (which you probably already have.

This would total up to $290 after rebates, maybe a little bit more.
---
I suggest going to Tigerdirect and clicking on "BareBones". A lot of the times, they have cheap things that fit exactly into what you are looking for.
_________________
I know that I myself cannot do anything, that I will fall, and that I am a sinful man, but I know that I can do ANYTHING through God Almighty, whom strengthens me.

[Assassin2684]

Those look nice, and agurus I wil ltry that program. Take a look at the computer I might be getting for christmas specs.

Total
$2,291.00 as low as $69/mo.
Processor: AMD Athlonâ„¢ 64 X2 4600+ Processor w/ HyperTransport and Dual Core Technology
Motherboard: Alienware® Approved NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI Motherboard
RAM: 2GB DDR2 PC-6400 SDRAM at 800MHz - 2 x 1024MB
Harddrive: 500GB RAID0 (2 x 250GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7,200 RPM w/2 x 8MB Cache)
Graphics Card: 256MB PCI-Express x16 NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7900 GT - DVI Dual Link Supported
Sound Card: High-Definition 7.1 Performance Audio - Standard

Also comes with: Alienware® Respawn Recovery Kit - I can restore my computer from the day it left the factory. I also get a free t-shirt and mouse pad =D.

Heres what they say about it:
Auroraâ„¢ 7500

Advantage

* AMD Athlon 64 FX-62 : Fastest Gaming Processor
* AMD Dual Core Processors
* NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GTX
* SLI Multi-GPU Technology

Standard Features

* NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI
* High-Definition Audio

So what do you guys think?

[BDwinsAlt]

Where do you live? I'm gonna come check it out. Im j/k but looks nice to me. Don't tell your friends or they will steal it.

[Dr Brain]

I'm guessing that you could build that for 1500 to 1600 (no monitor).

[Cyan~Fire]

Alienware is pretty sweet, but expensive. If you're willing to pay that much, it's probably worth it, but I wouldn't.

[Assassin2684]

See I would build a computer but this one coems wit ha FREE t-shirt! No lol, thats not that reason.. Its because I want to use my current comp for my own personal server. Also I wont have to worry about viruses and what not. Theres also some problems with inside the computer that makes noises. Also, im not going ot be paying for it all at once, my mom is paying for half and im paying for half.

[Yoink]

[Assassin2684]

I dident mean it wouldent protect me from viruses I mean I wont have to worry about viruses I currently have (if ay). I start wit ha clean new machine. If I want to save a dollar every month I could change the power supply. Everything in that computer is currently better then what mine has right now and mine is built by a friend. I really like alienwares and still, I need 2 computers for what I am going to do.

[Cyan~Fire]

You could still build a new computer for cheaper...

[Assassin2684]

Yes... I could. But I rather just buy one.. Its eather, buy the cew computer all at once or keep buying pieces for a new computer.