Configuration info for desktop PC

Configuration info for desktop PC

"HomeBuilt #1"

(built Jul-Aug 2007 --- most parts ordered from
Tiger Direct, FL ; 1-800-888-6111 ; www.tigerdirect.com)

1. Component 2. Notes

CPU :
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+, Socket AM2 CPU $79.99 ; AMD Tech Support 408-749-3060 ;
support.amd.com/consumer/EN/

MEMORY :
Kingston HyperX 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz LL $149.99 for 2GB, in two 1GB sticks

MOTHER BOARD :
Gigabyte M57SLI-S4 Socket AM2 motherboard $129.99 ;
Gigabyte Tech Support 626-854-9338, ext 205 or 207

POWER SUPPLY :
Coolmax ATX 450watt with silent 120mm fan, black $44.99

HARD DISK DRIVE, first :
Seagate 80GB serial ATA, 7200/8MB/SATA-3G $49.99

HARD DISK DRIVE, second :
same as first hard drive $49.99

EXTERNAL HARD DISK DRIVE :
Maxtor "Basics Personal Storage 3200", 160GB
(for backups from the 2 80GB internal hard drives)
NOTE: Could easily be attached a different computer. USB 2.0 and 1.1 ; 8MB cache ; 7200 rpm ;
bought on sale at Radio Shack, circa 2006 ;
"123,000 JPEG photos* -OR- 11 hours of DV video* -OR-
2,650 hours of MP3 music*" depending on ...

CD or DVD DRIVE, first :
Philips 20xDVD-RW SPD2413BD SuperAllwrite (retail,black) $39.99

CD or DVD DRIVE, second :
LiteOn 52xCD-RW/16xDVD-ROM combo drive (retail,black) $24.99, incl. Nero 7 Essentials ;
LiteOn Tech Support 510-824-0066

USB PORT(s) :
2 front (on case), 4 back (on motherboard)

VIDEO CARD :
EVGA GeForce 7600 GS 256MB PCIe w. DVI/HDTV $74.99 ; EVGA Tech Support 1-888-881-EVGA

SOUND CARD :
built in to motherboard (see above) Ports : side, rear, ctr ; Mic, LineOut, LineIn

SPEAKERS :
? may use a 5.1 speaker set that came with the Cyberpower
computer that I internet-ordered in 2005 from
CyberpowerPc.com

NETWORK CARD :
built in to motherboard (see above) Port : one RJ45

WIRELESS CARD/CHIP :
none (?) ... unless built into motherboard. See motherboard specs at
a web site such as TigerDirect or Gigabyte. (There is no
obvious antenna on the motherboard.)

MODEM :
none (?) ... unless built into motherboard. See motherboard specs at
a web site such as TigerDirect or Gigabyte. (There is no
modem port on motherboard backpanel among other ports.)

CASE :
Thermaltake Soprano RS101 ATX case, black w. window $69.99 ; Thermaltake Tech Support 626-968-9189

DISPLAY TERMINAL :
Mag Innovision 700P, 19 inch LCD, mfgd Mar2006, model LT717s Bought at BestBuy in 2006 for about $180.
May switch to a different display in the future.

KEYBOARD :
Acer model 6511-HW keyboard, mfgd 12/29/1995 ;
from an old Acer computer that I bought at Costco (?) around 1995 may switch out to a different keyboard in the future

MOUSE :
GE optical mouse, 97986 Rev. 3, WK3205 ;
bought at BigLots (?) around 2006 may switch out to a different mouse in the future

OPERATING SYSTEM(S) :
Mandriva Linux, Spring 2007 edition.
NO Microsoft security-hole-filled crap. No "surreptitiously connecting and sending info to Microsoft (and the PC manufacturer and other software makers) whenever I am connected to the internet" crap. I.e. no built-in spyware of the usual Microsoft type --- which I notice on my Microsoft computers when ZoneAlarm alerts me of such actions.
I downloaded a Linux '.iso' file from mandriva.com after assembling the computer.
I downloaded the '.iso' file using an old HP XL753 desktop computer --- using the (old) Mozilla 1.7 web browser. Then I used "Easy CD Creator 4.02" to burn the '.iso' file to a CD, using the old HP CD-Writer Plus drive on the desktop computer.
I installed Mandriva Linux in mid 2007 using the .iso file that
I had burned to a CD.
I booted up Mandriva Linux from the Live CD and used an install icon on the desktop to do the install to the hard-driveS (two!).
NOTE: I originally tried to install Mepis Linux, but the GUI 'Parted' partition editor used by Mepis did not recognize that I had a second hard drive ... which is where I wanted to establish the /home directory. Mandriva's 'DiskDrak' disk partitioning utility worked much more nicely. No 'manual' moving of the /home directory to the 2nd drive was required.

1. Component	2. Notes
CPU : AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+, Socket AM2 CPU	$79.99 ; AMD Tech Support 408-749-3060 ; support.amd.com/consumer/EN/
MEMORY : Kingston HyperX 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz LL	$149.99 for 2GB, in two 1GB sticks
MOTHER BOARD : Gigabyte M57SLI-S4 Socket AM2 motherboard	$129.99 ; Gigabyte Tech Support 626-854-9338, ext 205 or 207
POWER SUPPLY : Coolmax ATX 450watt with silent 120mm fan, black	$44.99
HARD DISK DRIVE, first : Seagate 80GB serial ATA, 7200/8MB/SATA-3G	$49.99
HARD DISK DRIVE, second : same as first hard drive	$49.99
EXTERNAL HARD DISK DRIVE : Maxtor "Basics Personal Storage 3200", 160GB (for backups from the 2 80GB internal hard drives) NOTE: Could easily be attached a different computer.	USB 2.0 and 1.1 ; 8MB cache ; 7200 rpm ; bought on sale at Radio Shack, circa 2006 ; "123,000 JPEG photos* -OR- 11 hours of DV video* -OR- 2,650 hours of MP3 music*" depending on ...
CD or DVD DRIVE, first : Philips 20xDVD-RW SPD2413BD SuperAllwrite (retail,black)	$39.99
CD or DVD DRIVE, second : LiteOn 52xCD-RW/16xDVD-ROM combo drive (retail,black)	$24.99, incl. Nero 7 Essentials ; LiteOn Tech Support 510-824-0066
USB PORT(s) : 2 front (on case), 4 back (on motherboard)
VIDEO CARD : EVGA GeForce 7600 GS 256MB PCIe w. DVI/HDTV	$74.99 ; EVGA Tech Support 1-888-881-EVGA
SOUND CARD : built in to motherboard (see above)	Ports : side, rear, ctr ; Mic, LineOut, LineIn
SPEAKERS : ?	may use a 5.1 speaker set that came with the Cyberpower computer that I internet-ordered in 2005 from CyberpowerPc.com
NETWORK CARD : built in to motherboard (see above)	Port : one RJ45
WIRELESS CARD/CHIP : none (?)	... unless built into motherboard. See motherboard specs at a web site such as TigerDirect or Gigabyte. (There is no obvious antenna on the motherboard.)
MODEM : none (?)	... unless built into motherboard. See motherboard specs at a web site such as TigerDirect or Gigabyte. (There is no modem port on motherboard backpanel among other ports.)
CASE : Thermaltake Soprano RS101 ATX case, black w. window	$69.99 ; Thermaltake Tech Support 626-968-9189
DISPLAY TERMINAL : Mag Innovision 700P, 19 inch LCD, mfgd Mar2006, model LT717s	Bought at BestBuy in 2006 for about $180. May switch to a different display in the future.
KEYBOARD : Acer model 6511-HW keyboard, mfgd 12/29/1995 ; from an old Acer computer that I bought at Costco (?) around 1995	may switch out to a different keyboard in the future
MOUSE : GE optical mouse, 97986 Rev. 3, WK3205 ; bought at BigLots (?) around 2006	may switch out to a different mouse in the future
OPERATING SYSTEM(S) : Mandriva Linux, Spring 2007 edition. NO Microsoft security-hole-filled crap. No "surreptitiously connecting and sending info to Microsoft (and the PC manufacturer and other software makers) whenever I am connected to the internet" crap. I.e. no built-in spyware of the usual Microsoft type --- which I notice on my Microsoft computers when ZoneAlarm alerts me of such actions. I downloaded a Linux '.iso' file from mandriva.com after assembling the computer. I downloaded the '.iso' file using an old HP XL753 desktop computer --- using the (old) Mozilla 1.7 web browser. Then I used "Easy CD Creator 4.02" to burn the '.iso' file to a CD, using the old HP CD-Writer Plus drive on the desktop computer.	I installed Mandriva Linux in mid 2007 using the .iso file that I had burned to a CD. I booted up Mandriva Linux from the Live CD and used an install icon on the desktop to do the install to the hard-driveS (two!). NOTE: I originally tried to install Mepis Linux, but the GUI 'Parted' partition editor used by Mepis did not recognize that I had a second hard drive ... which is where I wanted to establish the /home directory. Mandriva's 'DiskDrak' disk partitioning utility worked much more nicely. No 'manual' moving of the /home directory to the 2nd drive was required.

Cost of computer :

$79.99 CPU
$149.99 memory (2 x 1Gig)
$129.99 motherboard
$44.99 power supply
$49.99 hard drive, 80 Gig
$49.99 hard drive, 80 Gig
$39.99 DVD-RW drive
$24.99 CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive
$74.99 video card
$69.99 case
$0, operating system (thanks to thousands of 'volunteers')
-------
$714.90 total without shipping (~$35)
and without monitor (~$190), keyboard (~$15), mouse (~$10)

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Page created 2008 Jan 05. Added External Disk Drive info 2010 Apr 27.