I've never built a PC before. In fact, the most serious building I've done is adding RAM/switching out optical drives. I planned on making extensive use of google for information on how to load BIOS/drivers and using a USB drive to transfer whatever I find from my old PC to the built one.
The most graphics-intensive game I'd be using this for would be Oblivion, and my budget is ~$500. My current system is an emachines pile of garbage that I upgraded with bigger RAM and a new PSU.
DVD Drive:
One of the writers I have sitting aound the house. Maybe the LG GSA-H42L. Maybe the old Plextor PX-716A. I don't intend to use the new machine for writing. The old one still works fine for that.
Total price: $494 + whatever I can get a copy of XP on ebay for.
The one thing that's bothering me is that 8-pin CPU power plug on the motherboard. None of my old computers had an 8-pin, and I can't seem to find a power supply on Newegg with that, either. I'm hoping the modular PSU I picked out has something for it.
So...These pieces will fit together and work, right? Like I said, I'm a n00b at this, but I think I was able to figure it all out with common sense, and I have to learn how to build a system sometime, because premade machines don't have everything I want. I figure jumping in head-first will be the best way to learn. ;)
