Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Hi folks, feel a little silly asking, but thought that it was worth a try on here.......

Basically, I am trying to build a rig for a very good friend, who through no fault of his own has had a pretty hard and unfair life. He is actually one of my cousins.

Basically, he got severely mangled as a young teen when a drunk driver sideswiped his parents car whilst they were driving him home from school, hitting his side of the car square on at high speed. Suffice to say that mild brain damage was inevitable. He fought his best to come to terms with it and developed a keen interest in computers. He sparked my interest in them, which turned to a passion and career for me

He had even managed to secure himself a mild tech support job, which was looking like it was really going places for him, even with the brain damage. This was until he unfortunatly went into london one weekend, where he got mugged on the underground, beaten to within an inch of his life and that included being repeatedly and viciously kicked in the head [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Suffice to say the brain damage is now worse and the pain is so severe that he cannot work at all and can barely sleep atm. However, he is a real fighter and is trying his very best to overcome all of this.

Sorry for the novel, almost done.......

He is living in and out of ymca's etc and generally has pretty poor prospects and quality of living atm and I feel that I owe him, so as a surprise to him, free of course, I am doing what I can for him in the best way that I know and am building him a new PC. This guy is still on a 486!! I am hoping that the new machine decked out with software will really help him to help try to achieve some of his goals again, you never know

Now, this is what I have provided myself so far:

Nvidia TNT2 Ultra 32mb Graphics Card
384MB PC-133 CAS2 Crucial RAM
AMD Duron 800 CPU
8Gb HD (Gonna dual boot xp/98, so space may be tight along with apps )
24x CDROM
3Com Pci Internal Modem
Aureal Vortex 2 Soundcard
Floppy drive
2xCDR(Courtesy of the great Mr Lawson )
300W PSU

I am really on the hunt for a cheap KT133a mobo more than anything tbh. Gutted as ebay froze when I was making what was prob a winning last minute bid of £14 for one 2nite

Now guys, I am not asking for freebies by any means, but I am not loaded by any means like oh sooo many of my fellow techies on here , I was just wondering if anyone had some parts perhaps that they feel would be better than the above that they would be prepared to sell cheap to help me help him out. Happy to pay postage obviously and cheap parts are good, free parts even better!

Any parts/ideas, please post up on here with prices etc and I will be most grateful


[Edited by Mr Footlong - 1/22/2003 10:59:35 PM]

[Edited by Mr Footlong - 1/22/2003 11:21:26 PM]

[Edited by Mr Footlong - 1/22/2003 11:27:08 PM]

DemonDave

iTrader: (13)

Nick,

Besides the mb ... anything else might have a old 56k internal pci modem lying around ... I can also have a hunt around boxes in the loft

Dave.

super_si

Got loads cases, Few sound cards. floppy disk drives.

Si

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Dave, thank you very much for your swift and kind reply

Just remembered that I have one in that lot too, so have updated the list

Help appreciated

Si m8, will talk online

Cheers,

Nick

Iain

Got an Abit KT7 motherboard.

It's lying ina box doing nothing at the mo.

Iain

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Nick,

I have some bits that I won't be using in my new build:

350w (P4 ready) ready new PSU
Brand new CPU cooler that doesn't fit my P4
Red/Green/Blue neon fan (used for 1 hour)!!

No cost to you! Some people have **** luck, but it's how we cope thats the important thing! I may have some more bits and piece, let me know!

Cheers
Andy

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

And maybe a stick of memory!!!

Stueyb

I can donate 3com 10/100 PCI card, ms mouse (ps2 but brand new) poss a 4* CD Writer too. Any good ?

Edited cause I cant read !

[Edited by Stueyb - 1/23/2003 12:00:54 PM]

Foot_Tapper

You seem to have the hardware sorted , well what i have spare anyway.
Any software requirements ??

richs2891

Drop me a mail as per my profile and I will try and sort you out with some

Richard

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Cheers for the posts guys, will start replying shortly

Cheers,

Nick

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Iain, That is very, very tempting. Please let me know if you would like me to email you to discuss price etc or if you want to discuss on here mate.

Andy, I feel really bad taking the fan,psu and cooler off of your hands for nowt mate, doesn't feel right tbh. again, let me know if you are 100% sure or how much you might want

StueyB, got LAN and Mouse, thank you

Interested in the 4x writer for him tho

Again, let me know if you want email to confirm price etc

Foot_Tapper, Thank you for the offer, I have the software side lagally sorted

Rsarj, anything that you think might be of interest?

Obviously, as I think I have alreday posted at the very least I will pay for all postage costs, which is understandable


Thank you so much again guys

Cheers,

Nick

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Forgot to say, altouhg Iain's kind offer will be spot on for him, I would love to get me hands on a kt133a board, but like I said, vary happy with Iain's offer

Anyone got anything like another 8gb drive lying around at all?

Cheers,

Nick

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Nick YHM!

Fosters

I have an Asus A7V KT133 mobo. takes SDram and up to a 1.2ghz Athlon/Duron.

you're very welcome to it.

[Edited by Fosters - 1/24/2003 2:17:11 PM]

Stueyb

MrF,

you can have it for nowt mate, bar postage. Sent you a mail

Regards

Stuart

Stueyb

I haven't got one to give, but what about a monitor ? Has someone thought of that

super_si

Ive got a 15" and some epson printer. Not sure if it works though. its a bit hit and miss sometimes

Si

Mark Underwood

I have a PIII at 450Mhz with MB and 128 Mb SDRAM

I also have a PIII 677Mhz with a 133FSB but no MB

I have a brand new V92 modem...I use broadband

I have an original Microsoft Office 97 Professional edition

Also I have SuSe Linux 7.2

I have already emailed you.

mj

You seem to have everything sorted, and I am sorry There is nothing i have to donate other than a set of speakers. They are the type that clip onto the side of a HP monitor, but they will stand up on their own. they are still unopened,never used.
If they are of any use mail me your address and i'll pop them in the post on monday.



Without trying to lick your arris or anything, I think what you are doing for him is absolutely mint - it is a very sad story, people that prey on the afflicted are pond life.

cheers,

mike.

ETS- have also got a cheapie usb scroll mouse gathering dust if its any use.





[Edited by mj - 1/24/2003 6:58:51 PM]

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Hey guys

Just to say that the machine is nearing completion, bar a couple of components still outstanding/negotiating or me awaiting them. I will be making a proper thank you to everyone upon completetion, but to those that have helped out so far, thank you soooo much

Could anyone help out in the Hard Drive department by any chance?

The 8Gb drive that I provided just doesn't hold quite enough nowadays. Does anyone have any HD's lying about, around that size or larger? Obviously the same offer of at least paying for the postage and also money if wanted/needed no problem.

I think that everything else is just about covered

Cheers,

Nick

Luke

I cant offer anything........ but his story is sickening. Did the fucers get caught...... If so remember their details......I would be happy to torture them.

ChrisB

Nick,

I've got a Maxtor 10GB 5400rpm HD that's been in my cupboard for ages. Was pulled from a DeskPro EN that got upgraded as soon as we got it at work. Model 5T010H1. Still has a year or two of Compaq warranty on it

Your's for a couple of pints at some time...

Chris.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Luke, no, they never got caught. Being the size of a small oak tree and about the same weight, I would also let them know my intense displeasure with what they did to him, putting it mildly. The world shouldn't have to come to that, but hey, they would prob get a pat on the back from the courts and extra blankets in the clink, if they ever ended up there.[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Chris, you sir, are a true gent and a scholar!

I will mail you tomorrow to arrange things. Highly appreciated

I am planning on giving you my views on TwinMOS ram as per your earlier post on here. Will hopefully get it cranked out tomorrow morning.

Thanks again guys,

Nick

Luke

Mr Footlong ,in that case you need to go on a diet !!

ChrisB

Sounds like a fair deal to me Nick.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Well folks, after a few month of scavenging extra bits and performing the near-legendary Footlong Tweakage, I got the machine finished (which stonked along considering the spec)and gave it to him a couple of weeks ago. To say that he was surprised and chuffed to bits was putting it mildly!

The finished spec was as follows:

Old Prometeia Case with 2 additional 80MM silent fans in the side and a 120MM fan in the top running silent with 7V
Asus A7V RAID Motherboard (Thanks to Fosters)
AMD Athlon 1100 @1250Mhz (Max Mobo Support)
512MB Crucial PC133 CAS2 RAM
Geforce 5 Ti200 64MB (Heavy Footlong Moddage)
10GB Maxtor 7200RPM HD (Thanks to ChrisB)
20GB IBM Deskstar 5400RPM HD
40xCDROM
4x Sony CD-Writer (Thanks to Stueyb)
SB PCI 128 Soundcard (Thanks to Super Si)
10/100 LAN Card
USR 56k V.92 External Modem
New Keyb and Mouse
Some new big Coolermaster Cooper Cooler


I stuck on a load of VB and web dev software to hopefully peak his interest and of course a load of games that I no longer play.
Thanks to Si selling me a load of random kit pretty cheaply, I got a GF2Ti from him, modded it somewhat and sold it on for £30, buying a GF3Ti200 in for £45.
I really went to work on that puppy with major lapping done to the core of the card itself, banged flat and lapped the Crystal orb cooler purchased for it and lapped. The Hercules Ramsinks were removed, lapped and thermal epoxied in place. This took the card from it's stock speed of 175/400 right upto 240/480 with great reliability. However, as this machine was meant to be trouble-free, I settled on 220/450, still above a normal GF3 and 1000% stable.

The wiring job done inside by me was top notch and immaculate, meaning that all parts of the PC were easily accessable and changeable if necessary without disurbing any of the cabling.

Thanks also to Attu, who originally sent me an Athlon 900 which I originally used in her, but I stumbled across an Athlon 1100 a couple of months ago at a good price new, so got one of those


Anyway, basically a big thank you to everyone

Cheers,

Nick

DemonDave

iTrader: (13)

Nick,

I have some original games with boxes that I don't play as well

Let me know if you want any more

Dave.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Cheers m8, but trust me, he has enough to keep him busy for a looooooong time

I am hoping that he get the code monkey bug back again really

Stueyb

Nick,

I have a couple of printers if one would be of any use, including a nice colour Epson A3 one, if u want it. Nowt special, but urs if u want em