i was presented with a nice challege

[Mr. Chambers]

a lady my mom works with just tried upgrading internet to cable, but was told the computer was too slow (still runs windows 3.1)

anyways, she was thinking about buying a new one, my mom mentioned that i build them for people all the time, have sort of a buissness going with my pops, and that i have no life, and way way too much computing knowledge :D

anyway, she and her husband (no kids she is like 50) use it for the norm, email, occasional solitaire or tripeaks game... THATS it.. cheap cheap cheap is todays favorite word.. what sorta components should i price quote her? i was thinking duron, kt266a board, onboard sound, cheap nic (for the cable) etc etc.. what do you guys think? how low could we go so to speak? thx

[Ridenow]

Go low, but not bottom. Remember, she is going to call you if something goes bad. And never skimp on a PSU.

[jadams]

Check some of the computer stores, sometimes they have ok packages for good prices. I've bought some before, then tore them apart (if they won't give them to me in pieces) and used the parts in other machines, and replaced some parts with better parts.

[Mr. Chambers]

if i am going with store boughten i'll just charge her a tiny bit for my time. what sorta brands would i be looking at? emachines? refurbished HP's or Compaqs?

here is the lowest "I" personally would go with.. but then again, she knows next to nothing about computers, and uses it for next to nothing.. unlike me.. hm.. well heres my first try:

maxtop atx case
350w PS (used several, fairly sturdy lines)
sunon 80mm case fan x 1 (exhaust)
thermaltake 6Cu cpu fan
amd duron 1.2ghz
ecs k75sa board
256mb pc133 sdram
onboard sound
onboard nic
seagate 40gb 7200 HD
keyboard and mouse
windows 98se (she already has a copy she informed me, the old computer just wouldnt take it.. lol)

video card is one thing i'm stuck on.. i know they'll never use it for games or the like.. other than the occasion card or yahtzee game.. any ideas guys?

[ed8150]

i built a really nice comp for my aunt 2 months ago for around $400 no monitor.

duron 1 ghz
Asus A7N266-VM - sound, lan, video(integrated gforce2)
kingston 128x2 - ram prices have skyrocketed as of then
maxtor 20gb 7200 rpm
$14 mouse and keyboard combo
ENLIGHT MICRO ATX CASE MODEL # 76020B1

the beauty of this combo is that you start with a duron at 1 ghz. if need be later you could upgrade to an xp or even a thoroughbred. perhaps with a bios flash. by then pc 2100 will be alot cheaper so if need be you could plot some more in there. this is a very cost efficent, forward compatible system that runs all modern games perfectly(jk2, mohaa). as a matx it is pretty small, and could be furthur shrunk by aquiring a smaller case as the case for this is pretyt large as matxs go. it has a 300w psu. and the case comes equiped with a rather large case fan. good times :)

[Mr. Chambers]

yes very similar to my system ed.. im going to try and convince her that spending alittle more will really help prolong the systems life IMHO

[Penguin4x4]

Gigabyte BAREBONE PC,GB-GMAX6CU RETAIL, Intel Celeron (Pentium III based) 900MHz FCPGA Processor, KINGSTON KVR133X64C3/256 VALUERAM 256MB PC133, CTX VL510 15 INCH (13.8inch Viewable) MONITOR - RETAIL, MAXTOR 20GB 5400RPM Model # 2B020H1 - 541DX OEM, DRIVE ONLY; $369 from NewEgg.

Or go Utimo Cheapo, Mivo 2000 from CDW (http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=310918).:D

[Mr. Chambers]

forgot to mention that she doesnt need a monitor! ;)

[Penguin4x4]

Then it'd be 276.

[IFMU]

No offense here guys, but to be honest, I think your still goin a lil overboard.
IMO, go even lower.
Check out the classys here and a few other places maybe.
Id get a really old system, say maybe a 500mhz or so.
If all shes doin is surfin, solitare and mail, that will be way more then enough.
Most of that stuff you could get REAL cheap too.
Say go with an older motherboard. Just try to stay in ATX age.
Then say something like a K62 500 or something. Maybe a celery.
256 ram, just so your covered that route. SDRam obviouslly.
an older 10gig 5400 would be more then enough, but I can understand going with a 7200. (I have personally noticed the difference between the 2.)
Laser mouse, so much better in the long run, much less fuss tryin to keep clean. (*EDIT* Not to mention she will prolly see this as Neeto! LoL)
Then just get a nice lil case with a nice PSU of some kind.
Add in a cdr just so she has it if she ever wants to do something with it, yea never know! Lol

Again, IMO, that would be more than what she would really need. And in comparison to what she has now, would be a speed demon.

I would almost be willin to say you could get all that for under 300-250.

[Penguin4x4]

Alright, IFMU, MSI Hera (MS-6218 6218-010) KLE133+686B SLIM PC - RETAIL, Duron 800, KINGSTON KVR133X64C3/256 VALUERAM 256MB PC133 - OEM. $206, the same as the Mivo 2000.

[IFMU]

Now THAT is what Im talkin about. A very nice machine, for a very cheap price.

Im sure if she was to get something like that, and you added in say a 10-15% charge for all the hassle and all. She would simply love it.

Much better pricing, and a very nice machine there for a hellllla price.

[Penguin4x4]

Oh, while your at it, put in a Delta 120 FFB1212EHE Fan in the there, scare the ***** outta her.:D :D :D :eh?: :beer: :beer:

[Steelforge]

This sounds like a job for [fanfare].....EMACHINE!!!

Kidding.

Does she really need DDR RAM?

Probably.

What about one of those nForce boards?

[John Jr]

Dude,
Tell her buy an E-machine. They have a warrenty, come with everything, monitor, printer and all. You will not have to fix it, they work ok if you DO NOT DO ANYTHING TO THEM. Leave it as it was put together and it is about $399.99. You will not be able to build crap for that price and YOU WILL NOT BE MARRIED TO HER PC FOR LIFE!!! Take it from me, aka nice guy builds for free to family friends, it sucks to always be called for dumb stuff they can't figure out. know E-machine, ooooh yuck. But it is cheap and freedom for you.:eek: