Question about build a computer

[mehguy]

Do you NEED to connect the front panel audio jacks and usb ports or can you leave them out?

[Ed Oscuro]

Do you NEED to connect the front panel audio jacks and usb ports

Nope. But why wouldn't you?

[shmuppyLove]

I have a guess based on experience:

He's installing a new off-the-shelf motherboard into a Dell/HP/some other OEM chassis, and the front panel connector is proprietary and won't connect to the new motherboard.

Am I close?

[blizzz]

You don't need any of the connectors from the case to start a PC. You can even skip the power button and start it by shorting two pins on the motherboard. All you need is a motherboard, CPU, one RAM stick and a power connection to the motherboard (both 24pin and at least one 4pin CPU connector).

[Ed Oscuro]

I have a guess based on experience:

He's installing a new off-the-shelf motherboard into a Dell/HP/some other OEM chassis, and the front panel connector is proprietary and won't connect to the new motherboard.

Am I close?

So that would mean the second motherboard was a lemon too. This cheap computer quest that mehguy seems to be on is getting more expensive all the time.

Think it might be a good idea to look at some of the $99-ish Intel all-in-one box solutions out there. I think some come with integrated Intel HD graphics - not the best stuff around, but probably just as good as any of the ancient stuff supported in these Pentium 4 machines and the like.

[speedlolita]

Pentium 4 are dog shit, and that's being kind. Get something a bit more modern. A P965 based chipset, with a Core 2 Duo should cost next to nothing on eBay.

[mehguy]

I have a guess based on experience:

He's installing a new off-the-shelf motherboard into a Dell/HP/some other OEM chassis, and the front panel connector is proprietary and won't connect to the new motherboard.

Am I close?

So that would mean the second motherboard was a lemon too. This cheap computer quest that mehguy seems to be on is getting more expensive all the time.

Nonono, the second mobo was fine. I'm just gonna get brand new parts and build a computer using the case of the pentium 4. So I'm gonna exchange the second mobo for a hard drive or something I can use to build a computer with.

[Ed Oscuro]

Kind of funny - I have like two or three not-cheap cases just sitting around with their core 2 duo / i7 920 processors still in them. Some random pentium 4 era case I'd probably have ditched a while ago (I actually have a really poopy case with a dual P3 motherboard in it, just can't part with it). Hey, recycling's good, but just be careful with that old stuff, you could get tetanus. Actually, I'm most concerned about old PSUs - some of the old stuff with molex-style connectors was pretty bad, especially the off-brand stuff. As in "this won't last for years and could possibly damage stuff when it dies."

[mehguy]

Kind of funny - I have like two or three not-cheap cases just sitting around with their core 2 duo / i7 920 processors still in them. Some random pentium 4 era case I'd probably have ditched a while ago (I actually have a really poopy case with a dual P3 motherboard in it, just can't part with it). Hey, recycling's good, but just be careful with that old stuff, you could get tetanus. Actually, I'm most concerned about old PSUs - some of the old stuff with molex-style connectors was pretty bad, especially the off-brand stuff. As in "this won't last for years and could possibly damage stuff when it dies."

Don't worry, I'll be replacing the PSU. I thought of which components I could keep, but to be honest, I can't use any of the old components (apart from the case) as they use IDE ports instead of SATA.

Also, is the amd a4 6300 a good processor for gaming? I won't be running brand new games or anything. The most demanding title i'll probably run is TF2 or something.

[brentsg]

Good grief, there are tons of awesome cases on the market that would be much nicer and not set you back much money. With all the Black Fridays incoming it'll be easy to snag something.

I think I paid $35 for my full size Antec case (P280) and it's great, though far from top end stuff.

[mehguy]

Good grief, there are tons of awesome cases on the market that would be much nicer and not set you back much money. With all the Black Fridays incoming it'll be easy to snag something.

I think I paid $35 for my full size Antec case (P280) and it's great, though far from top end stuff.

Well there's no point in buying a better case now, besides, the specs matter the most.