[lug] Question about new system

[D. Stimits]

Chris Brotherton wrote:
> I am planning on building a new amd 64 machine.  Here are the specs:
> 
> AMD 64 3200
> ASUS A8V Motherboard
> 1 gig memory
> 2 x 160 GB Hard drives
> 1 CDROM
> Video Card without a Fan
> 
> My question is how big of a power supply will I need?  Others have recommended
> a 400W power supply, but I am not sure if I need that much.  
> 
> If I do, can anyone recommend good cases?  I usually use ANTEC, but the online
> vendor I usually go with only has cases with 350W and they don't have ANTEC
> cases without a power supply.

When you don't have sufficient power supply, but it is close, you will 
have some memory errors that look like bad memory, or drives that have 
errors and it isn't really the drive's fault. If you add more drives, or 
a bigger/better video card at some future date, you will probably regret 
the smaller power supply. With AMD I also have not known them to be 
particularly tolerant of momentary power drains such as from a hard 
drive starting. You might get away with a smaller supply forever, but it 
probably isn't worth getting a smaller supply if you plan to keep the 
machine and maybe upgrade it over time (especially if you upgrade the 
video and add drives).

Some of the supermicro cases are pretty good, although they tend to have 
ribbon cable connectors that make it easier to use them with their own 
motherboards. One place I've had good luck dealing with is:
http://next.night.net/
(they've done well above average in dealing with any problems)

D. Stimits, stimits AT comcast DOT net