Help me build the most stable system (aka "Yes, another of those threads").

T

Tzeentch

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Dec 16, 2002
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Hi everybody.

Tax return is in. My old computer should be out (my AMD 1.2ghz with 512mb ram and an old via motherboard is testing my patience).

All I'm probably going to keep from the old computer is the video card (ATI 9600XT). My current system has always been unstable, even with all the upgrades. The only thing I never changed is the motherboard (probably the only thing that I should have really changed), which is working on an old via chipset that, I hear, is the source of most of my instability problem. :mad:

So, I really want my next system to be the mother of all stable system. And for that I think I'll need input from other people, as simple review and benchmark really don't tell much of that tale. I'm scared of buying the hottest and newest for those reason: 1st not enough cash ; 2nd probably not tested enough to know if it really is stable.

Yes, I'm a gamer, and yes, my video card is not the greatest, but I will have to do for now...one less thing to buy, and unless you tell me that I really really really really have to go with PCI express for stability, I'll pass for now.
I'd like to be able to do raid.
No overclocking is gonna happen (boo!)...I really want that thing to be stable.
I'd like to stay with AMD...unless concensus says something else.

So what's your super stable setup suggestion? What's your experience with your hardware in terms of stability? Anything I should completly avoid?
 
I know that some boards have cap problems, might even be what is happening with your board. leaking capacitors.

As far as stable goes Athlon64 3200+ clawhammer and epox 8kda3j is what i have, Its been in since august and have not had a problem with it. Id recommend epox to anyone. I didn't trust them at first because i never heard of them, but i read some reviews and the price was right 99usd ($65 now) so i went with it.

Abit/Gigabyte/MSI/DFI/Epox are all good companies. I'd stay away from Chaintech and soltek, I've personally had some problems. There is no real reason to jump to PCI-E now if you dont want to, cards are still coming out for agp.
 
~ Since your staying with AGP then I'd go with the MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum 130$

~ If you want to go PCI Express I'd get the DFI Ultra D (what I use now) 150$

~ socket 939 3000+ or 3200+ (depends on your budget) 150-180$

~ OCZ VX Value ram PC3200 2 X 512 Here 150$

~ Power supply Unit PSU 50+

~ Hard drive get a SATA seagate 90$

~ DVD Burners ( nice ones ) 50-60$

~ whatever case you like


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything I recommeneded is being used by me now or has been. All the parts are overclockable even if you dont want to and later one would consider it you'd be set. All are nice and cheap and extremely stable. The PSU plays a great deal on stability so if you buy cheap sh*t expect it. Money may be an issue but it saves a lot of heart ache.

The motherboard and the CPU combos listed above is some of the most if not most popualr A64 pc combos being used today IMO.

Oh yea, since you do know that this is "yet another" there's a search button here for that, you can read previous post instead of making "yet another" one. :rolleyes:


Goodluck,

MaMMa
 
Superfly3176 said:
I know that some boards have cap problems, might even be what is happening with your board. leaking capacitors.

As far as stable goes Athlon64 3200+ clawhammer and epox 8kda3j is what i have, Its been in since august and have not had a problem with it. Id recommend epox to anyone. I didn't trust them at first because i never heard of them, but i read some reviews and the price was right 99usd ($65 now) so i went with it.

Abit/Gigabyte/MSI/DFI/Epox are all good companies. I'd stay away from Chaintech and soltek, I've personally had some problems. There is no real reason to jump to PCI-E now if you dont want to, cards are still coming out for agp.
Click to expand...

I dont know about their newer products, but I had an Epox kt133 board crap out after about 18 months of service.
 
MaMMa said:
Oh yea, since you do know that this is "yet another" there's a search button here for that, you can read previous post instead of making "yet another" one. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Did that first... and to be on the safe side I made 2 searches, one with the keyword "stable", and the other with the keyword "stability"... Read tons of thread, lots of them about very specific stability problem...none really geared at building a new system with stability in mind.
I guess the problem with "Help me build a system" thread is that everybody got specific needs, plus this is an ever evolving hobby...a week later and a thread might be too old to be of use.
Plus I think that thread like this (could be "help me build the best most quiet system", or "...the best fireproof system", or "the best firewall system", you get my drift...) can really bring interesting discussions on hardware... don't you think?
 
Tzeentch said:
No overclocking is gonna happen (boo!)...I really want that thing to be stable.
I'd like to stay with AMD...unless concensus says something else.
Click to expand...

You might want to check out some Intel threads. Their boards are supposed to be very stable. [/HEARSAY]
 
eggrock said:
You might want to check out some Intel threads. Their boards are supposed to be very stable. [/HEARSAY]
Click to expand...

No more stable than AMD platforms like nForce 3 and nForce 4.

Opt for an nForce 3 board and Athlon 64 3200+ on Socket 939 if you must have AGP and use your 9600, or if you intend to do some gaming, get an nForce 4 board with an eVGA 6600GT on PCI-Express. You should be aware though that you will be severely limiting yourself video card upgrade-wise if you pick a board with AGP.

Grab 2 512 MB sticks of DDR400/PC3200 Corsair Value Select. Also, grab a good Seagate 7200 RPM hard disk, or a couple .. an NEC 3250A DVD+/-RW drive w/ Dual Layer support, and an Antec True430 or Enermax Noisetaker 420 power supply. Also snag a good case with 120mm fans for quiet, like Antec's Sonata or other Lifestyle series cases (which come with great Antec 350W supplies, negating the need for a separate power supply.)

Unless the machine is running out of spec, using incompatible parts, or something is damaged .. it should be stable. :) Also, with the AMD Athlon 64 platform there is very little issue of heat harming performance-- while the newer Pentium 4s suffer from servere overheating issues quite often.

Enjoy the machine!
 
Epicenter said:
Opt for an nForce 3 board and Athlon 64 3200+ on Socket 939 if you must have AGP and use your 9600, or if you intend to do some gaming, get an nForce 4 board with an eVGA 6600GT on PCI-Express. You should be aware though that you will be severely limiting yourself video card upgrade-wise if you pick a board with AGP.

Grab 2 512 MB sticks of DDR400/PC3200 Corsair Value Select. Also, grab a good Seagate 7200 RPM hard disk, or a couple .. an NEC 3250A DVD+/-RW drive w/ Dual Layer support, and an Antec True430 or Enermax Noisetaker 420 power supply. Also snag a good case with 120mm fans for quiet, like Antec's Sonata or other Lifestyle series cases (which come with great Antec 350W supplies, negating the need for a separate power supply.)
Click to expand...

All Nforce3/4 worth the same stability-wise? I'm thinking of either getting an Asus, or a Gigabyte nforce4 board atm. I thinking getting a new vid card as well and just can't find no eVGA here. So how about Asus or Gigabyte's? Any reason I should/should not go with those? Any options, if not?

Corsair value select I found. 1024mb (dual kit). Seagate also 2 120gb. Antec SX600-II and Antec 430W truepower p/s... all found.

Thanks for the answers :)
 
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