Author Topic: Mike's How-to Build a Cheap Kickin' New PC! (Read 10863 times)

mike · « **on:** September 03, 2005, 05:28:35 AM »

Hey Rob,
If you're looking for a newer faster system for least amount of money:

i just did this in May. My parents bought a new Dell, you know one of those basic models for like $3-400, and were gonna throw away their old Compaq Presario 500MHHz machne. I nabbed it and upgraded it myself for about $200.
Now it's one of my current desktops (2.93 MHz/512MB RAM/160GB hard drive/CDRW), XP loaded from my laptop HP OS CD.

If you can break down a motorcycle, this is a breeze and can be done in a day. Everything's plug and play now days on home desktops, so it makes it easy for anyone to do. Plus the new stuff comes with step by step instructions for where to plug what in, cpu cooling fan install (takes all of 5 min), plugging the cpu into the motherboard (another 5 min), etc... anyway you get the picture it's all easy for someone who knows how to read basic instructions and uses a computer everyday.
*************************************************************
This is how you do it, and what you'll need:
Pull from the old PC:
Floppy, CD.
Save from the old PC setup:
Keyboard/mouse/monitor/speakers.

Order Items (here's a list I just slapped together from tiger).

ATX Micro-Tower Case $30
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1242218

Mach Speed Motherboard and Intel 2.93GHz Processor $50
This motherboard has onboard Sound, Video, and Ethernet.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1179396

CPU Cooling Fan $13
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=235454

512MB RAM - DDR 400MHz $40
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=586829

52x32x52x CD-RW $25
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1042933

Maxtor DiamondMax 160GB $50
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1477502

Now put it all in the new case and load whatever OS CD you have,
and waahlaa! New PC (Intel 2.9 GHz, 512MB RAM, 160BG hard drive, Sound, Video, Network, CDRW, CD, Floppy).
DIY for around $200, or $150 if you reuse your old hard drive.

Half the price of a new machine, and really has more features than a new base PC (which would have 256MB RAM, no CDRW, and less than a 100GB hard drive).

Maniac · « **Reply #1 on:** September 07, 2005, 11:29:01 PM »

Good write up, Mike!

Gonna toss a link out to http://www.newegg.com as well. Between them and Tiger-Direct, your probally gonna get some good deals and be set with good support.

Hardest part about building a PC? Picking out the parts and installing Windows.

PitterB4 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 08, 2005, 06:56:15 AM »

Yeah, thanks Mike.

This post was in an answer to me in another thread. I thought it deserved it's own home so I moved it here.

You're right, Maniac. This would be perfect for me if I had ANY clue where my OS disc was!

ant_129 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 08, 2005, 11:41:56 PM »

Wow nice post. I didn't realize computer stuff is getting that cheap. Maybe its time to upgrade again.