RedOctober

My operating system timeline... Mac System Software 6.0 (1988) (my parents first computer) Year of Birth (1991) Windows 3.1 Windows 95 (we had that computer forever! up until XP, i think) Windows ME (frickin hated that p.o.s!!!, upgraded to 2000 Professional) Windows XP (still running) Windows Vista (still running) Windows 7 Release Candidate Windows 7 Home (my rig)

unfortunately you have to reformat your hard drive to go from vista to XP. you have to do what is called a 'clean' install. but i don't suggest going back to XP. i dont know your reason but you can upgrade to 7 real easy from vista.

so i just downloaded Chrome OS from the torrent link in this forum and i ran it as a virtual machine using VirtualBox. it is pretty good if all you want/need to do is check your e-mail and watch youtube. i tried doing some school work in it but i couldn't stand the 'word' tool. i took some screen shots so ill post those when i get around to it. the overall feel of it was like if u ever had to use "blackboard" for school but only more refined. (hopefully someone will know what I'm talking about) p.s i saw no way as for now to add games or steam

@ Fullmetal well there is no "downloading" everything is stored on the web. all your "programs" and files are stored in googlies servers. I don't trust Google with my shit. u dont know if they are going to have a huge crash...? programs are just a web app. that is loaded when you run a file. Like if u run a word document it opens up a wed based application that has the capability to run like the Microsoft word program. the big question is... what if your away from the internet? like on a car ride or something. then your laptop is COMPLETELY useless. you cant even do any work or word processing!

it doesnt, it isnt an operating system. It is basically just an web browser. Google Chrome OS it defiantly revolutionary but i like having programs and a REAL operating system

my school computer lab with about 50 other computers using the internet also... (kinda sucks for about 45,000 tuition a year!)

fo-shizzle?!? ....your spending too much time with those frat students

im not really sure what he is looking for? i can assume his price range is ~$600 because of the like he posted but other than that...?

NO. I just upgraded from a 19" to a 22" and i wish i went bigger! Go for an ACER 24" if you are price sensitive but if you can afford it Dell actually makes really good monitors in my opinion. (Check Newegg! Become a part of their e-mail service. They have good deals on monitors about once every few weeks if you dont mind waiting)

Well to expand on Potshot so bluntly stated... just build it yourself. You will save a bunch of money and get exactly what u want/need. I built my first computer about 5 months ago and i didn't know shit about building computers but im glad i did. I learned alot. (ask around for help on selecting components for your build. People on this forum are more than willing to help when you ask someone to help you pick out parts)

dude why are u looking at the guy in the far right! dont u see the creepy guy in the middle! lol

LOL! FUCK YOU! People these days. Man....

hey tweezy, from my experience i had a AMD Phenom X3 8650 in my old build and i later upgraded to the Phenom x4 but both of those processors rocked. Obviously the quad core is way better than the AMD Phenom X3, but for your build your better going with the x3. i dont know what Allan will show u with his build (he might have a decent deal) but if you stick with the build u intended originally and add 2 gigs of ram you wont regret it.

awesome! i just reversed the fan! good idea

So I just installed my new CPU cooler (about 20 minutes ago) and to my demise i just found out that the air direction arrows on the fan were pointing in the wrong direction! (aka. hot air is going back into my computer) for the past hour i just painstakingly removed all the old thermal paste and applied the perfect amount of new paste. I don't want to do it again! My question is: Do i have to remove and apply all new thermal paste to turn my new CPU cooler around or can i just spin it around because the thermal paste hasn't set yet?

i think it looks good. but i suggest you get more than 2 GB of DDR2 memory. Most new operating systems like vista, snow leopard and even Win 7 dont work that great on anything less than 3 GB. And if your going to game you should throw another gig just so u dont have a bottleneck problem. long story short~ go for 4 GB of Ram ps. if u get more than 3 gigs of ram make sure your OS is 64 bit

i wish u posted this sooner. i already ordered the cooler from newegg. oh well, thanks anyway

ya it does.... if you have 64 bit that is.

i just bought these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106455 they are on sale and every review i heard about these said that they are THE BEST pair of over the ear headphones for under $50. i havent gotten them yet, they just shipped out today, buy i hope they are as good as everyone sais they are. * Sorry, i didnt see the part where you wanted a mike with the headphones also... anyway if u want a decent pair of headphones and just want to get a table mike this will work well for you

i was considering the tuniq tower but my ram is sitting too close to my cpu fot it to fit i think im going with the slightly more expensive Noctua http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608014 ... that just means ill have to get a cheaper pair of the new headphones i wanted...

i didnt know that! thanks. i have a pretty large case, Coolmaster Storm Sniper. It is built extra wide to fit huge heatsinks plus case fans on the side panel.

it wont work, it was a 3 pin and i have a 4 pin slot on my mobo. thanks for the advice everyone, i got good advice and i can figure it out from here.

thanks to everyone! im going to take some case measurements and make sure all these options will fit. @ Potshot- at first i thought it was my GPU fan but i checked with rivatuner. its definably the CPU fan, the 80 mm fan is just creating such an annoying high pitched whir.

i have an AMD3 cpu slot and i was wondering if this was a good cooler. (i have an asus crosshair iii motherboard) (i dont plan on overclocking, i just want a SILENT one. im tired of my computer sounding like a blow-dryer) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835702007 im open to any references as ling as they are quiet and cool well.

how exactly do u get it for so cheap? is it from less than legal ways? ;)