May Get a New PC!

[Metalogic]

So my current PC (that I've had since 2006) is on the frizz. Alittle over a year ago the Hard drive crashed. This time, I can log in and it'll start to sign me in, then it'll freeze. When it freezes, the colors go out of wack. Of course this started was when I left it alone to go run some errands, and when I came back I had the blue screen of death, on a Vista. Ever since then I've been having problems getting it to run. I'll have it looked at this weekend by a computer geek in the family. The problem is probably minor easy to fix. However, it has me thinking about whether or not I should get a new machine and use my current one at work.

So, has anyone else had something like this happened to their PC? Also, has anyone else build their own PC? I'm thinking about doing that, because my theory is, that if I build it, then in theory I should be able to make minor upgrades as time goes on. A new motherboard here, a new harddrive there, etc. However we will see.

[Gerik]

Never happened to me, but I just bought all my new parts two nights ago for a new computer at a grand total of $785.

Windows 7, here I come. lol

[Morpheus]

i mounted my own one long time ago, maybe 3 or 4 years.
I wish i could do same on notebooks

[standby]

My desktop PC is about 3 years old... but still stable (Intel C2 1.76, 2 GB RAM, 3x250 GB HDDs hardware RAID 5 - total usable 460 GB, ATI Radeon 1600 Pro)... only video I will change... this day will test one ATI HD4670 with 512 MB GDDR4 to see is it good for me.
My laptop is what I need to change, because of it's poor Nvidia 8400 - cannot handle what I want... system is not bad at all but not upgradable.
Both systems I use with server OS - Windows 2003 - most stable and tunable OS done from Microsoft till now (Server 2008 not fully tested for such use).

MxO was run on both... still have my original installation on desktop PC.

[Broker]

Also, has anyone else build their own PC?.

I've built my last two. Both lasted a few years, although this one has gone 5 years now. Definitely time for an upgrade. Although, MxO runs fine at maximum settings, so why mess with a good thing?

[EichDee]

Yeah me too, I built my last two lolll =P

This one should last me for a good 4 years more though, got it last summer.

And yeah, let's just say MxO's not the hardest thing to run these days xD

[Metalogic]

Ok, so I have a question. Who has the best processor and motorboard right now? I ask that because that's what I'm going to build my new computer around.

Thanks for your help!

[cloudwolf]

I've been a build-it-yourself kinda guy for a good ~8 years now.

First system I built was an AMD64 3200, Radeon 1800XL bad boy.

Been steadily upgrading/overhauling since and currently looking at a AMD Phenom x3 720 OC'd to 3.3ghz and a Radeon 5850.

Also had work on the side with a few builds for friends of the family/mates at college/uni.

What you buy all depends on budget but I'd have to say the DIY route is definately back in fashion (went out for a while there, with the recession and all) with integrated systems on smaller dies cutting prices down no end. Being able to upgrade on your own timescale (not defined by warranty) is nice too.

What sort of price range are we looking at for the whole thing? (not 100% on american markets right now but if you're working in pounds I could throw you a decent spec list up if you wanted).

[Metalogic]

Well I discovered the problem, my GeForce 8800 GT card finally gave out after four years of service. So I will be upgrading to a GeForce 9800 GTX card. So I'll go ahead and fix that and then start to save up for a new system.

[Weskie]

Ok, so I have a question. Who has the best processor and motorboard right now? I ask that because that's what I'm going to build my new computer around.

Thanks for your help!

If you want to make a top-of-the-range one. I'd wait for the Intel i9 to come out, it should be out in a month or so. It's a 6 core-CPU with HT meaning it has 12 threads. Asus Rampage motherboards (intel) or Asus Crosshair (AMD) are normally one of the top range motherboards. Also they have auto-overclocking options if you don't know how to do it yourself. What's kinda cool as the i9 prototypes have been overclocked to 6ghz odd so far. 8o