Help new builder.

[winamq]

Hey guys, been a member for a while but rarely post. I think I am going to attempt to build my first computer. Have a few questions.

1. First of all I bought a Antec 900 but really don't like the inside of the case being a silver finish, so I am having a friend paint the inside. Would you do flat or glossy black?

2.I already have a Asus M3A32 MVP deluxe motherboard. Details
I really want to make sure I am buying the right parts. I would need a SATA Hard drive and SATA dvd drive correct?

3. What memory should I be buying pc8500 or 6400? I really don't have a budget, I just want to make sure I get the best type for my setup.

4.I plan on getting this video card Card details. will I have any problems with it fitting inside my antec 900?

5. which power supply do I need? I plan on having 4 gb of ram, 1 HD (500gb), 1 dvd drive, the video card, and a amd phenom quad core.

6.I have a foxconn 2zr71-086. Its brand new and looks like this.

My question is, is that supposed to be the thermal compound or would I still need to apply arctic silver?

Also is the gray portion a sticker I need to remove because I found this as well.

Sorry for asking so many questions, I guess we all start as noobs at some point. Any help you guys can give would help me greatly. Thanks again.

 

[lowteckh]

1. Your preference, I'm not gonna read minds and try to think what you like.
2. You don't need SATA, but that is what everything "new" these days use.
3. You should buy based on what you expect to do with your processor i.e. overclock.
4. No
5. Do you want modular or not? Search and you will find plenty of suggestions
6. Yes that is the TIM, you will need extra if it's been used and your are replacing. AC5 is one TIM, there are many others.

 

[tiraides]

I'll play along and answer your questions as well.

1) Your preference. Personally, I'd leave everything as it is... but that's just me.

2) You don't need SATA, but the faster hard drives use it. There's virtually no difference performance-wise between IDE and SATA optical drives, but the smaller, thinner cables that SATA use makes cable management easier.

3) The best deals on DDR2 memory are often found for DDR2 800 (PC2-6400) RAM. It also provides some headroom for overclocking the processor. I recommend only getting DDR2 1066 (PC2-8500) RAM only if you are planning on (and your motherboard is capable of) performing a major overclock of the processor. (Speaking of which, which processor are you using?)

4) You'll have no problem fitting the GTX 260 inside your case. But your motherboard supports CrossFire, which only works with AMD/ATI video cards. The AMD/ATI equivalent to the GTX 260 is the 1GB HD4870, which can be found for around $260-$300 USD. (Out of curiosity, which monitor/resolution are you using?)

5) With your current plans, look for a power supply of at least 500 watts that has at least 35A of power on its (combined) 12V rail(s). You should get one that uses active PFC and is certified for the 80 Plus energy efficiency standard. (One that has a good review from here, AnandTech, and/or JonnyGURU is also a plus.)

6) That "sticker" may actually be the TIM for the heatsink. Some people like to use aftermarket thermal compound/TIM to help the HSF run cooler. I recommend thermal compound without any curing time, like the Arctic Cooling MX-2. (Arctic Silver 5 is still a good option, but it takes around 200 hours of curing time before any noticeable cooling improvement takes place.)

If you're using that particular HSF to cool a Phenom, you may want to research its capabilities further. If you're planning on overclocking the processor, however, I would recommend an aftermarket CPU cooler. (See FrostyTech.com for ideas.)

Now I have a question for you: Specifically, what does your entire build look like? Which parts are you buying, and which (in addition to your motherboard) are you going to reuse?

 

[winamq]

Thanks to both of you for your help! to tiraides:

My system will be the following.
1. Asus M3A32 MVP deluxe motherboard (new)
2. AMD Phenom Quad core (new)
3. the fox conn fan (new)
4. Sata HD (500 gb)/DVD burner (new)
5. 4gb of 6400 (new)
6. GTX 260 (new)
7. power supply (new).
8. Antec 900 (new)

Everything is going to be new and not used from any other computer. The only parts I have of right now: motherboard, processor and fan.

1. I am painting it because it is going to be on display on occasion hooked up to a dlp tv.

2. Thanks, I didn't know if I had to use sata or not, I will more than likely use sata because fry's/newegg seem to have alot of deals on sata.

3. Thanks for clearing the ram decision up. I thought I needed to go with 8500, however I am not over clocking and always see deals on 6400. So my choice is easy there.

4. I knew that my motherboard only supported crossfire. Reason for my choice in cards is my friend has the same card and I have seen it in action. Also I always have used nvidia and been happy. I doubt I would ever want to run 2 cards. Also the monitor I have is the Dell 20 inch wide screen, but I also plan on occasion to hook it up to my 56" dlp.

5. Could you recommend me a certain power supply or link me? I just don't want to buy the wrong thing.

6. So apply Artic MX-2 over the gray patch that is on there now?

Also I don't plan on over clocking but would you recommend me using a different heatsink/fan? I have used zalmans in the past and have been happy. The fan I have now was free anyway, and I would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[hossdaddy]

check out these;

mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 $42.99 after mir free shipping

Antec NeoPower 650 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Modular Active PFC Power Supply $89.99 + free shipping

to answer your questions about the gray patch there now, the answer would be no. Clean it off with 80%+ isopropyl alchohol and then apply a couple of small drops on the heatsink, cover your finger with some glad wrap(or equivalent) and spread teh paste yourself to ensure even distribution.

 

[tiraides]

You never really answered a couple of my questions:

- Which monitor/resolution are you using? (720p? 1080p?)
- Which specific processor did you buy?

As for the rest of your components, I recommend the following:

$39 - Xigmatek HDT-S1283 & ACK-I7751 retention bracket (free shipping & $10 mail-in rebate on CPU cooler)
$50 - G.Skill 2x2GB DDR2 800 kit (free shipping)
$25 - Samsung SH-S223F DVD burner (free shipping)
$75 - Western Digital WD6400AAKS HDD (free shipping)
$290 - BFG GTX 260 216SP (free shipping & $25 mail-in rebate)
$155 - Antec Nine Hundred and NeoPower 650 combo deal (free shipping on both)
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$634 - Subtotal (not including shipping, taxes, or rebates)