Advise on motherboard purchase

[Basil Chupin]

On 04/10/2010 23:42, Franz Waldmüller wrote:
> Hi r,
>
> r wrote:
>    
>> On 01-Oct-10 16:51:06 Franz Waldmüller wrote:
>>      
>>> Hi,
>>>        
>>      
>>> I am about to assemble a new PC as my really old ones are dying. I don't
>>> like to buy a new machine every two years that is why I am looking for
>>> some "future proof" components.
>>>        
>> I built a PC about a year ago, and one problem I found out after
>>
>> assembling was that the motherboard had a huge amount of USB on
>>
>> the motherboard, but the tower only had a few sockets.
>>
>> Most of the USB couldnt be utilized, these are the sockets which
>>
>> connect to the ones at the front of the tower.
>>
>> Unless someone knows how to utilize these.
>>
>>      
> I will take care of this topic when selecting the tower.
> At the moment I am considering these cases:
> http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=MjEyMw==
> http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=MTgyNg==
> or something more elegant:
> http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=289&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=63&g=q
>
>    
>> USB3 is the main reason I need to upgrade also, as it seems to need
>>
>> a PCIexpress card, but the current motherboard has just 1 PCI express
>>
>> slot used by the graphics card.
>>
>>      
> There are multiple PCIe-slots on the selected motherboard. Unfortunately
> when using a big video card some of these slots will be blocked.
>
>    
>> I like the transparent tower cases, as there is more light for making
>>
>> changes, less need for a torch. Also they look cool with neon light
>> components.
>>
>>
>>      
> Case wise I am looking for a case with a hot-swap harddisk bay. Or at
> least a case in which I can easily change hard disk. (I had some problem
> with 1,5 TB seagate drives and spend a lot of hours under the table
> exchanging harddisk.)
>    

I have an Antec tower. Marvellous piece of gear.

But, when looking for a case, think about the size of the motherboard 
which will go into the case, and the drives/CDROMS/DVDs which go into it.

I have one case (the one I am using right now :-( ) where it is not 
possible to install a DVD writer bacause the mobo is too close to the 
back of the case and the DVD writer will simply not fit.

Check the size of the case and the size of the mobo which will go into 
it. First consideration.

Second consideration, re your concern about changing hard drives.

The simple answer is: use, and install the HDs, in cradles. There hasn't 
been the need to "hardwire" HDs into a case now for years - just use 
cradles for the HDs. All my HDs are so 'installed' - when I want to try 
out Ubuntu Maverick, say, I simply power down, pull out the current HDs 
with 10.04.1 and insert the other set of HDs. Been doing this sort of 
process for years.

But just make sure that your case (such as the Antec) has the ability to 
allow you to install the cradles. For example, I would never buy 
anything HP or Dell or similar because when I look at their cases all I 
see is an opening for the CDROM/DVD and possibly a floppy. I think you 
know what I mean.

BC

-- 

"So where's the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?"
           Christina Aquilera