Building my first PC from scratch….questions
My experience: I’ve built quite a few barebones, so I know what plugs are what, where they go, how to install components, etc.
What I dont know: This will be my first PC with SATA HDD’s.
– What method to power them is preferred? The SATA power cable or standard 4 pin power? Does it matter?
– I will be running RAID 5 with 3-4 drives. Im considering running software RAID in Windows Server 2008, or using onboard RAID. Im on a budget, so I dont really have the money to shell out on a really nice RAID card. What are the pros/cons of either way?
– Power supply. Im not running any crazy Video Card. Just a cheapo ASUS that is on sale for $19, after rebate that has HDMI out. This PC will mainly be used for storage, and encoded HD playback. Kind of an HTPC I guess, but I dont be running a Blu-ray drive. Is 500W going to be enough?
– Im looking on ebay, possibly for a refurb unit if the price is right. What am I getting myself into if I buy an OEM model with zero accessories? Is it all stuff that can be found easily at Frys or online for cheap?
– A board im looking at is an ASUS SLI board that looks like the model is a couple years old. Probably sold for $300+ when it came out.
What does OT think of it?
Thanks.
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