# Any problems with this new computer setup? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 12, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336 "2002-04-12T23:11:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/1 "2002-04-12T23:11:59Z")
Abit AT7 (KT333) motherboard 256 mb pc3200DDR Athlon 2000XP Maxtor ATA133 7200RPM 80GB hard drive Anything wrong with those parts? Should I switch one with another brand/type? Anything I am forgeting? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/2 "2002-04-12T23:21:08Z")
Fan, case (check the voltage requirments) & an operating system. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/3 "2002-04-12T23:27:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muad’Dib \* > \*\*Abit AT7 (KT333) motherboard > 256 mb pc3200DDR > Athlon 2000XP > Maxtor ATA133 7200RPM 80GB hard drive > > Anything wrong with those parts? Should I switch one with another brand/type? Anything I am forgeting? \*\* There’s something fundementaly wrong with them! They are not in **my** computer! Mine’s not all bad though \ ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/4 "2002-04-12T23:28:32Z")
I suppose a monitor, keyboard and mouse would be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/5 "2002-04-12T23:58:23Z")
Muad’Dib, It sounds like an excellent setup, assuming you don’t need a parallel or serial port. Planning on replacing the old printer? ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/6 "2002-04-13T00:11:38Z")
Ok, I should have mentioned that I already have a monitor, keyboard, mouse speakers, and will be using an old gateway case. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/7 "2002-04-13T15:28:29Z")
Yeah. PC3200 RAMs don’t exist and neither are the chipsets that support them. The latest, IIRC, is PC2700. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/8 "2002-04-13T15:36:12Z")
Are you sure that old case has enough voltage? ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/9 "2002-04-13T16:30:16Z")
More like “are you sure the old case (the power supply in it, actually) has enough wattage?”. It is true that people sometimes don’t give enough thought to cases. Athlons require adequate cooling, also, which an old case may not provide. AMD publishes case reccomendations - you might look at them. IMO, Addtronics makes wonderful cases. You also have not mentioned the video card, which you may have to / want to upgrade. I’m sure some of the game fanatics here will have plenty of opinions on that topic. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/10 "2002-04-13T17:27:36Z")
Yeah – double or quadruple the RAM. Why?[list=“1”][li]It’s cheap, andAssuming you will be running some Microsoft software, it will reduce the time between crashes.[/list][/li]Many people feel 256MB is the MINIMUM for XP, for example. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-problems-with-this-new-computer-setup/103336/11 "2002-04-13T20:12:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muad’Dib \* > \*\*Ok, I should have mentioned that I already have a monitor, keyboard, mouse speakers, and will be using an old gateway case. \*\* You don’t happen to mention if these are new or old accessories. I’m assuming you know this already, but that motherboard doesn’t have **any** legacy ports. No keyboard, no mouse, no serial, no parrallel, etc.