My build

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

So here's where I am at with this.  Due to some financial bullstuff, I am looking at starting this approximately the last week of December.  That way I'll be on break from school and have plenty of time to work on it.  Also, Asus is having some major supply problems with this new board.  Newegg is only getting 2 or 3 of them in at a time.  So for those reasons and a few personal ones I need to delay this briefly.  Here's what I'm looking at now:

Thermaltake XASER, Armor Series VA8000BWS Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811133154

ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813131568

eVGA Geforce 7800GT 256-P2-N517-AX Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814130249

AMD Athlon 64 4000+ 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819103529

OCZ OCZ600ADJSLI 600W Power Supply - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817711001

Western Digital Raptor 74GB 3.5" Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822144160

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS SB0350 Sound Card - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16829102178

SONY Black Internal Floppy Drive Model MPF920 Black - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16821103116


As far as memory goes, I've narrowed it down to 2 choices, both the same type with similar timings, same prices:

OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Dual Channel Platinum System Memory - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820227210

CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820145575


Also, I plan to add a Thermalright SI-120 heatsink with Arctic Silver 5.  Newegg just recently stopped displaying it on their site.  I think this is the result of a supply problem, but I can get it cheaper elsewhere.  I also plan on running a 120mm over it with the provided fan clips, probably one of the same Thermaltake 120's that the case uses just for uniformity.  I won't need much there, no plans to OC right away.

The soundcard is also a big ? now.  I'm not sure how good the onboard sound is, I know it's 7.1.  I rarely use speakers, and always use a headset when gaming.  I may hold off on it.

RAM is also an issue.  I have read many reviews about good compatability between that OCZ ram and that board.  But I do know that Corsair is widely used.

The PSU is another thing I am keeping an eye on.  It would be great if that OCZ PSU was modular.  Not saying that's the main thing I look at in a PSU, but it would be nice.  Plus it's expensive as hell right now.

The Asus board is now at rev. 1.01, they say a minor problem was corrected, but I can't find out any specifics.  No good for the people who got 1.0 right when it came out, lol!

So that's where I am.  Couple of questions.  Are fan controllers really worth getting into or is it best to set up temperature controlled fans.  I have a feeling thats a geek factor thing.  Also, any good, detailed, instructional guides out there for building?  I downloaded the manual for the board and it's pretty in-depth.  I'm pretty confident in the actual construction phase, it's the POST and BIOS setup stuff that I get lost on.  I appreciate all the help people are providing answering all my questions lol.  Like I said before, I've been out of it for a while with the new technology.  I'll take some digital pics when I build it and put them up here.

[THEKATZ*{MEOW}*]

OMG Smooth, you could light up New York with that! 

[Ultra*{MEOW}*]

When I built mine I bought a Aerogate II fan controler I used it for a few then went back to letting the motherboard control all my fans. I find it much easer and with the ASUS board it will take u right out of a game or anything u are doing if one of your temps are to high. So I would have to say save your money.

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

Rgr that, thanks Ultra.  Zalman had a nice 4+2 channel controller, but no LCD display for temps.

[Kat*{MEOW}*]

Smooth, If your ot overclocking, you don't need a big heat sink and fan.  The retail one will work just fine.  As for the PSU, if you want modular, go Antec NeoPower 550.  It's got three 12v rails each at 18a.  It's pure over kill,        but if that's what ya want.  ;D

$112 here: http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA21970


Again, if your not going to OC the computer, you can save some on the memory.  No need to go top line high voltage, burn your eye sockets out memory, just to run at stock speed. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820220010

You will never notice the difference between 2 and 2.5.


As for Bios set up, this guy is the best on that.

http://www.rojakpot.com/default.aspx?location=1

Good luck, sounds like a killer rig.

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

Nice looking PSU there Kat.  Good sleeving on the cables, SLI cert, and not that I would have much of a need for it, PFC.  Only thing I would be concerned with is the single 80mm exhaust.

[Kat*{MEOW}*]

Antec makes a PSU with no fans.  Believe it or not, the fan noise from a computer or any fan can hurt your hearing after long exposure.  There's a move a foot to cut down on fan noise in computer cases.  Anyway, here's the idea behind the NeoHE.  The PS is mounted at the top of the case.  Hot air raises into the vents on the bottom of the PSU and the fan then exhausts it.  The fan pulling the air out of the PSU creates a low preassure area, and more warm air rises into the PSU.  No need for the second fan and the noise it produces.  It's gotten very good reviews. 

Building a dream system is fun.  I've speced mine out, just can't afford it. I think mine came in at $2,000 or there abouts.  That was with a new $200 case.  :)  $1800 with out the case. lol

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

As far as the $$$ goes, I'm hoping Christmas will help with that.  Plus I may not be able to do it for a long time after when I plan to due to some bigtime expenses headed my way (flying is not cheap, especially the fast ones!).

[CraZyKaT*{MEOW}*]

Computer looks great smooth, Although I have had trouble with the CORSAIR XMS  ram.
Its not worth the money i spent on it. OCZ is the better buy. I would go with that if i where you.
Just an FYI, I have 2 sticks or xms and i gave them to my wife. I'm running ultra sticks at the moment and
they run better then that crap.



Just my 2 cents

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

Yeah rgr Crazy.  Both are about 215 after rebate for a 2 gig matched pair.  I think that OCZ runs at 2-3-2-5 and the Corsair at 2-3-3-6.  They are pretty similar, so I'm mainly focused on which will work better with that mobo and cpu.

Also, another question has come up.  I've read that plugging case/cpu fans directly into the motherboard will fry the connectors if the RPM's get too high.  I assume this is true for the fan's power cables, not the sensor cables right?  So I should connect the case/cpu fans directly to the power supply then?  How is this done?  I'll have 4 case fans, plus 1 cpu fan, so will I need a splitter for the power supply cable that is used for fans?  What about if I use a fan controller?  I'm guessing you would plug the fan's power cables into the controller, then provide power to the controller via an internal USB connection or something similar?

[CraZyKaT*{MEOW}*]

Well I havn't had a case fan burn up anything in my system yet.
 But there are case fans out there that plug into the PS and not the
board itself. Ultra makes a pretty good fan. Splitters work fine but clutter up the
case fast. A controller would be the way to go. I'm sure newegg has some pretty good
deals on them. I myself havn't used them. But everyone i've talked to that has them seem to
like em.

[THEKATZ*{MEOW}*]

At least two should be connected to the board. For sure the CPU.? That way you have control and can view the RPM and set them accordingly.? I run 4 of my 5 fans off the board with one straight from the power supply.? Never had an issue or heard of any issues with that.

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

Right on the monitoring TK, but I thought most fans had dual connectors, 1 for powering it, and 1 sensor connector to plug into the board or controller?

[Kat*{MEOW}*]

Nope.  If your lucky a fan may have both power connectors.  The small one for the MoBo which also has a sensor wire included or a large two wire Molex for connection to the PSU.  It's a one or the other thing, from my experience.

[THEKATZ*{MEOW}*]

Right on the monitoring TK, but I thought most fans had dual connectors, 1 for powering it, and 1 sensor connector to plug into the board or controller?

I think SOYO had a board that accepted a fan sensor at one time. The set ups I have seen and like my own ABIT is you can go straight to power with an adapter but in my case, the MB has 4 fan connectors that are controlled by the MB.  The board tells them to speed up and slow down and that is done by oscilating the power to the fans.