So is Your PC built or bought?

[taks]

vista is too new... XP pro works fine and i don't have to worry about compatibility issues or lack of drivers. i don't have a DX10 vid card, either. that and i don't want to spend the money it will take to upgrade to vista when i have a perfectly legit copy of XP pro sitting at home (wife and son use XP home).

 

taks

[Sand]

I didn't have a legit copy of XP on disc. I only had Windows ME on disc prior getting Vista.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

Custom naturally, and I won't be touching vista for atleast another year.

[taks]

I didn't have a legit copy of XP on disc. I only had Windows ME on disc prior getting Vista.

for your situation, that made reasonable sense other than the driver/compatibility issues. i got XP pro probably 2 years ago, well before vista was on anyone's radar. i never fell for the ME trap, btw.

 

taks

[Gorth]

Custom builds... Just couldn't imagine buying a computer which I didn't know inside out.

 

Going to build a new one in the near future. I had to "cheat" a bit to get a Windows XP Pro for my new computer to be. The retail stores claim that they don't have XP on stock anymore and all they wanted to sell me was Vista. Time to find a less than legit version of XP and make it fail the genuine windows test thing. Microsoft then offers you to buy a legit version shipped directly from Microsoft (and much cheaper than the old retail store price). I am such a crook. Ironically, I had to do it twice because the first one I found passed the check.

 

I'll wait for Windows Vienna (at least, thats what I think it's code name is) which should be out in two years time.

[Sand]

I didn't have a legit copy of XP on disc. I only had Windows ME on disc prior getting Vista.

for your situation, that made reasonable sense other than the driver/compatibility issues. i got XP pro probably 2 years ago, well before vista was on anyone's radar. i never fell for the ME trap, btw.

 

taks

Yes, it was shameful of me to get ME but I feel I did okay with Vista. My old Sempron runs Vista Home Premium jut fine so my new computer shouldn't have any major issues. ME was just one continual crash.

[Kelverin]

Custom Built

[Dark_Raven]

The one I am using now for my internet access and games is custom built. My other one is store bought.

[Hurlshort]

I've had custom build computers since 1996.. I don't trust companies to build anything or install anything for me - I'm a degenerate control freak when it comes to computers..

 

Still, I buy a new one so rarely that when it's time to upgrade I feel like I'm starting all over again (getting to know the market).

 

I'm the same way. It's usually a full day going out and buying the parts, reading the motherboard configuration manual, and getting the OS installed. Still, it's a bit like riding a bike. It takes awhile for me to shake the techno cobwebs out, but after awhile, all the pins start to line up right.

 

I bought a store bought model once, and it was a disaster. It got too hot when I put a new video card in it, and it lasted only about 2 years as a decent machine, whereas my custom models usually go for about 5 with some tweaking.

[SteveThaiBinh]

I bought all the bits for my computer from the same shop, Novatech. I sent them a list of what I wanted, and asked their tech guys if they could foresee any problems, and they said no, it was fine. So I went and got it all and put it together and it didn't even start up. Turned out the processor wasn't compatible with the motherboard. So I rang them and they offered to replace the motherboard with one that did work and to build it for me. So I guess it's store-built, but only by accident.

[Hurlshort]

Actually, if you have a boutique build it for you, it's really still custom built. Store bought, for the purposes of the poll, seems to refer to the mass produced models that sell at major electronic stores.

[Rosbjerg]

I've had custom build computers since 1996.. I don't trust companies to build anything or install anything for me - I'm a degenerate control freak when it comes to computers..

 

Still, I buy a new one so rarely that when it's time to upgrade I feel like I'm starting all over again (getting to know the market).

 

I'm the same way. It's usually a full day going out and buying the parts, reading the motherboard configuration manual, and getting the OS installed. Still, it's a bit like riding a bike. It takes awhile for me to shake the techno cobwebs out, but after awhile, all the pins start to line up right.

 

I bought a store bought model once, and it was a disaster. It got too hot when I put a new video card in it, and it lasted only about 2 years as a decent machine, whereas my custom models usually go for about 5 with some tweaking.

 

I usually end up using something akin to two months before making my final decision.. and then a day putting the thing togehter - my previous com was still able to run most semi-modern games quite decently, despite the fact that it was severly aging.. custom build computers are so much easier to tweak and balance, because you know every bolt and bit in it.. and just how to push it to the edge.

[mkreku]

Last time I built a computer, the PSU came with one cable missing. It took me two weeks to get that cable sent to me. So basically I take on average between one day and two weeks to build a new computer.

[LadyCrimson]

i typically rotate parts out giving the ejectees over to my wife's rig.

That's what usually happens here, only it's the other way around.

Hubby always needs/can use computer parts for work pc's that don't have to be 'powerful.' When I decide I need a new computer so I can occasionally pretend to be more up to date with the tech, he takes my old parts and builds a couple more pc's to put on his table. Or maybe he uses them in the garage on his super-secret mad scientist projects ... like I know.

[kalimeeri]

I've had custom build computers since 1996.. I don't trust companies to build anything or install anything for me - I'm a degenerate control freak when it comes to computers..

 

Still, I buy a new one so rarely that when it's time to upgrade I feel like I'm starting all over again (getting to know the market).

 

I'm the same way. It's usually a full day going out and buying the parts, reading the motherboard configuration manual, and getting the OS installed. Still, it's a bit like riding a bike. It takes awhile for me to shake the techno cobwebs out, but after awhile, all the pins start to line up right.

 

I bought a store bought model once, and it was a disaster. It got too hot when I put a new video card in it, and it lasted only about 2 years as a decent machine, whereas my custom models usually go for about 5 with some tweaking.

 

Usually getting 'up to speed' happens while I'm doing the homework--deciding which video card or whatever is the best quality for the $. I'm pretty picky about hardware, to the point of obsession on some components (I'll never cheap out on a motherboard, for instance). But what I find sadly funny is that a lot of folks think a home-built rig is 'not good enough' or a POS, when what's inside is usually 20 times better--for those people I just smile and recommend Dell, LOL. They're happy, and so am I, because then I don't have to listen to them whinge about how it's the machine's fault when they screw it up.

[WITHTEETH]

Withteeth built. No fingers or toes.

[taks]

i'm about to get updated myself, btw. i dread the thought, but i need to invest the money for a legitimate, non-gaming related purpose: the simulation i'm writing for my dissertation. as it stands, it takes 5-10 minutes to do a 100 iteration monte carlo simulation. at some point, we're going to test bit-error rates, which will require 50k iterations (512 "bits" per iteration) which works out to nearly a week per run. not feasible. there are some simplifications i'll write to speed things up, but also some complications i have to add such as channel modeling (search for the term "rayleigh fading" if you're interested).

 

at any rate, the 3200+ AMD processor with 1 GB of memory ain't up to snuff. particularly if i want to do other things (such as research, or writing) while a simulation is running. currently, when matlab runs, it takes over. nothing else can happen. i can barely move the mouse. not so on the core2 here at the office, however. i like two cores.

 

taks

[kalimeeri]

at any rate, the 3200+ AMD processor with 1 GB of memory ain't up to snuff. particularly if i want to do other things (such as research, or writing) while a simulation is running. currently, when matlab runs, it takes over. nothing else can happen. i can barely move the mouse. not so on the core2 here at the office, however. i like two cores.

 

taks

 

I just upgraded my daughter's 3200+ to an X2 3800+, and that was a big leap in speed from what I can see (while still allowing me to use the socket 939 motherboard). I'd originally bought it to upgrade my extra 'media center' comp which is still running on an AthlonXP, but was utterly defeated before I got the thing out of the box. She does video work, and still has stars in her eyes and a big smile on her face. On startup, my single core rig keeps up, but only just. Can't get her away from the dual core long enough to test it more thoroughly for myself.

 

At any rate, there's something to be said for keeping a second machine around for special purposes (particularly intensive ones); provided you've got the room, you may as well put the unused rotated parts to good use. I've come to the conclusion that with software as heavy as it has become, one machine can't hope to do everything all at once, or at least not without straining or bloat. I look at it this way: with a lean, clean Windows install and only minimal apps, the 3200+ can turn in a decent performance and free my machine to do other things--and I didn't need to go on starvation rations to do it. Of course, I've got the space for it--not everybody does.

[taks]

E6600, P5B-E mobo, 4 GB OCZ RAM (2x2), an 8800 GTS 320 MB and a thermaltake 600 W supply on the way. sooner than later i suppose.

 

my wife will get much of my current rig, including the new 7900 GS vid card, and her old rig will become the "standby." i think i'll use it for something... dunno what yet.

 

taks

[Guest Accept]

Vote: Store Bought.

[WITHTEETH]

E6600, P5B-E mobo, 4 GB OCZ RAM (2x2), an 8800 GTS 320 MB and a thermaltake 600 W supply on the way. sooner than later i suppose.

 

my wife will get much of my current rig, including the new 7900 GS vid card, and her old rig will become the "standby." i think i'll use it for something... dunno what yet.

 

taks

Very very nice. I take it your going to run vista? I have virtually the same machine essentially except i only have 2 gigs of OCZ mem and a 7900GTO. Let me recommend that you use only SATA products so you wont have to use the JMicron chip that controls the legacy eide/pata/ide atapi stuff. Its been known to have issues when at first configuring it. But you seem capable either way.

[taks]

i already have a 250 GB seagate, 7200.10 SATA drive. it is currently housing my linux partition, which i never use (when i installed linux, i was working with linux for my job, i left that place so the need is gone).

 

i _will_ run vista, but not till they settle out all the issues. i'm happy with XP pro for the moment. once DX10 becomes more widespread, i'll think about it more.

 

taks

[WITHTEETH]

Is it possible to get 4gigs of ram running under winXP?

[kalimeeri]

I think Windows XP 32-bit will only ever see 3 gigs; for 4 gigs you would have to go to WinXP 64-bit, which can access up to 12. (Also, the pagefile is considered part of physical ram.)

Edited May 20, 2007 by kalimeeri

[Diamond]

Theoretically a 32-bit system will give you up to 4Gb, but there is a known problem in Windows which does not allow you to get it. Also, kalimeeri, maybe you are talking about virtual memory when referring to swap?