# Computer components recommendation + bonus troubleshooting!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 23, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701 "2008-01-23T18:54:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/1 "2008-01-23T18:54:18Z")
I’m having problems with my computer. The monitor isn’t getting a signal, and it’s not the monitor, because it works from my laptop, and it’s not the video card, because trying another video card doesn’t work, and removing the card altogether and using the mobo’s onboard video doesn’t work. So I can only assume it’s the motherboard.
Current specs:
200g PATA hard drive
400g PATA (maybe has a SATA port, not sure)
generic PATA dvd burner
GeForce FX 5500 video card (AGP, but I have a PCI (not PCI-E) one I can substitute. I’m not a gamer)
AMD XP 3000+ processor on a generic mobo
1 gig of generic RAM
Generic 450w PSU
Newegging it shows that the one new socket 754 available through them has terrible reviews, and I realized that this would really only be a band-aid. I’d like to upgrade at least the processor and motherboard, but in doing so, I’m probably going to lose support for my hard drives, DVD burner, and RAM, and I really don’t have the money to replace all of them. I also don’t know anything about PATA -\> SATA converters, and whether or not they’re worth the effort. My budget is about 200-250 dollars. I don’t need a new monitor or case, unless there’s a barebones system that’s just absolutely juicy and wonderful.
Things I don’t need:
Overclocking potential
Gaming
Whizbang features
Things I do need:
To edit videos/photos
General web browsing
I was looking at the AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ (might go faster, budget depending) for 60 bucks at [newegg](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103774), this [motherboard](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128043) with a PATA connection for 60 bucks (reviews suggest it has on-board video?), [2GB Kingston Value Ram](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134488) (45 bucks), and a cheap SATA DVD burner for 30 dollars gives me a grand total of 195 dollars. This seems a little low. What am I missing? Any different recommendations? Thanks for input!
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### Author:  [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/2 "2008-01-23T19:23:59Z")
The replacement stuff looks fine, that MB does have video.
Does the current setup run powered up without the video? I wouldn’t rule out a power supply problem.
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/3 "2008-01-23T19:46:36Z")
What exactly do you mean? I can hear a post beep, fans run and hard drives spin, but the monitor doesn’t have a signal. This happens with my usual AGP video card, with a borrowed PCI model of the same card, and with no card at all, using the onboard VGA port.
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### Author:  [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/4 "2008-01-23T21:19:36Z")
So you’re not getting video signal from the onboard video OR the video card? Yeah, I’d bet mobo problems. If you said the monitor works on other systems, then I’d bet it’s something with the video connections on your mobo.
[afterthoughts…]
…Wait, did you install any new drivers or software before this problem started? When you tried other video cards, did you uninstall/reinstall the video display adaptors? (though I don’t know how you would with no display) Can you run in safe-mode? A hardware problem is likely, but I’m thinking there’s a possibility your computer is trying to display an image that isn’t compatible with your monitor. The FX 5500’s max resolution is 2048 x 1536@60Hz; can your monitor handle that? If not, it may be the reason it’s coming up black. Or, your monitor could be set as a secondary out and some other output the primary. I’ve seen that before, too.
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### Author:  [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/5 "2008-01-23T21:29:22Z")
Sorry, double post.
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/6 "2008-01-23T22:04:32Z")
[QUOTE=Flander]
So you’re not getting video signal from the onboard video OR the video card? Yeah, I’d bet mobo problems. If you said the monitor works on other systems, then I’d bet it’s something with the video connections on your mobo.
[afterthoughts…]
…Wait, did you install any new drivers or software before this problem started? When you tried other video cards, did you uninstall/reinstall the video display adaptors? (though I don’t know how you would with no display) Can you run in safe-mode? A hardware problem is likely, but I’m thinking there’s a possibility your computer is trying to display an image that isn’t compatible with your monitor. The FX 5500’s max resolution is 2048 x 1536@60Hz; can your monitor handle that? If not, it may be the reason it’s coming up black. Or, your monitor could be set as a secondary out and some other output the primary. I’ve seen that before, too.
[/QUOTE]
The most recent thing that was installed was at least a few days prior, but I can’t remember what it would have been. This monitor has worked just fine at all resolutions for the last year or so.
On a side note, I’ve never replaced a PSU. Is that hard to do? I might just wait a couple of weeks and get a new PSU and a smaller, less tacky case than I’m using now.
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### Author:  [@c0rr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c0rr)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/7 "2008-01-23T22:23:06Z")
[QUOTE=chaoticbear]
On a side note, I’ve never replaced a PSU. Is that hard to do? I might just wait a couple of weeks and get a new PSU and a smaller, less tacky case than I’m using now.
[/QUOTE]
Super easy to replace a PSU.
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/8 "2008-01-24T02:36:39Z")
Took the plunge. Ended up ordering the Athlon 64 X2 5000+, a power supply, case, DVD burner, and 2 gigs of ram. Motherboard is [this](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131172) one.
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### Author:  [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2008, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/9 "2008-01-24T14:39:11Z")
Sweet. Enjoy the new system!
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/10 "2008-01-24T19:23:07Z")
Oops, order didn’t go through last night. Upped it to 4 gigs of ram. (MIR on 2x2GB Geil ram! = 70 bucks! The last time I bought RAM it was 50 or 60 bucks for a 512MB stick!)
ETA: I’ll see you guys in a week or so when it comes in and I can’t get it to work!
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/11 "2008-02-01T17:56:34Z")
Put everything together last night. My retail processor didn’t have a heatsink for some reason, and I got a 20-pin PSU instead of 24-pin (which doesn’t equal 20+4 pin, as it turns out :smack:). Only scary part was getting the heatsink onto the bracket. The directions were terrible, and it turned out that I needed to loosen the screws, and then mount and tighten. And being my first complete build, I was terrified when I plugged it in and hit the switch.
As it turns out though, I do have one question. Speedfan reports my core temp as idling at about 6 deg C, and load at 13 deg C. This can’t be right, right?
Also, if I want to get into overclocking, how do I find out if my board has an IDE lock on it? My old motherboard didn’t and I sure did mess up my hard drive by increasing the FSB speed. Oops.
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### Author:  [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/12 "2008-02-01T19:13:37Z")
Congratulations on your first build!
You should be able to use a 20-pin PSU without problems. Speedfan is wrong, try [CoreTemp](http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp) or [HWMonitor](http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php), or the EasyTune utility that came with the MB.
The IDE controller runs off the PCI bus, so that’s the freq you need to worry about. I haven’t seen a board that doesn’t let you set the PCI bus freq separately from the FSB in a long time, just leave it at 33 MHz.
The MB you got isn’t good for overclocking, I don’t believe you can change voltages with it. Use Ctrl+F1 in the BIOS to see what options you have.
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-components-recommendation-bonus-troubleshooting/434701/13 "2008-02-02T03:03:03Z")
[QUOTE=yoyodyne]
Congratulations on your first build!
You should be able to use a 20-pin PSU without problems. Speedfan is wrong, try [CoreTemp](http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp) or [HWMonitor](http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php), or the EasyTune utility that came with the MB.
The IDE controller runs off the PCI bus, so that’s the freq you need to worry about. I haven’t seen a board that doesn’t let you set the PCI bus freq separately from the FSB in a long time, just leave it at 33 MHz.
The MB you got isn’t good for overclocking, I don’t believe you can change voltages with it. Use Ctrl+F1 in the BIOS to see what options you have.
[/QUOTE]
Nope, both of those report a maximum value of 13 deg C.
The board does have adjustable Vcore and VDIMM (although my RAM’s maximum voltage is 2.1V anyway), and my multiplier’s unlocked. Off to go see about the PCI bus.