for nothing but folding purposes. Can be the most unequipped tower PC in terms of no floppy drive, no writers, no 56k modem, no graphics/sound cards/tiny HDD/no other ancillaries.... I just need tower, good CPU, decent RAM... and thats about it (assuming board has onboard LAN though)

Can anyone help me with this? I've found my new everyday PC, which I'm joyfully utilising now... Its just I want to up my folding rate... I don't mind use of second hand bits, especially with regards to HDD and towers... Its just good CPU and plenty of RAM I'd like.

PM me / post with any help. I hope to be at Castle Combe on the 23rd if any techie types are going too?

You tried those all-in-one mATX mobos? Just add RAM, CPU, HSF + PSU. Don't need a case really if you're after saving cash

What sort of budget?

Rob.

You tried those all-in-one mATX mobos? Just add RAM, CPU, HSF + PSU. Don't need a case really if you're after saving cash

Erm.... IIRC (and I've owned a few now) the Mini-ITX boards already have CPU/FAN etc.

All you need is an HDD, a PSU and some way of loading on an OS.

If power isn't a major concern and you just want something small, quiet etc, check out the self-build packages on www.mini-itx.com

I'd just buy the cheapest board, a bit of ram, the case and one of the low-output adaptors (like laptop power bricks), scrounge a small HDD of someone and off you go.........

Does it have to be a tower??!? Seems a bit overkill for nothing more than number-crunching.........

I guess size isn't a factor at all. Budget? I don't know - for the right system - perhaps

Got the new system up and running AMD 64 3500 ...1024 mb ram......160GB SATA hard drive.( started as a bare bones system).....there is quite a noticeable difference from my old AMD 700............BUT any of you clever people know how to find and copy over my e-mails and favorites list.....please

www.ebuyer.co.uk often has good deals on barebones machines but usually around the

mini-ITX = not very good for folding use. Underpowered, only exception being the P4 mITX board and they're way, way, waaaaayyy overpriced for what you get

Emails - depends on the program but if it was say Outlook (not Express) it is a pst file.

Easiest is to export the emails, copy the file to your new machine, and import them again.

any of you clever people know how to find and copy over my e-mails and favorites list.....please

What OS and email program are you using on the old machine?

In IE there is an import/export function in the File menu for your favourites

What OS and email program are you using on the old machine?

In IE there is an import/export function in the File menu for your favourites

IE is sorted then I'll just export to a disc .........Got XP pro and it's just the office outlook 2003 that I need to get the emails/addresses out of now sorry to hijack your thread Jason....but chech these systems out

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/barebones.html

That novatech stuff looks quite good, but even they come with stuff I don't need. If I could get hold of those systems with a small HDD/cheap CD ROM, and no graphics/sound extras that would be ideal.

Jason, I have a 10GB HDD here? I'm pretty sure it works, I'll test it now. It is old, about 5 years now, Fujitsu make.

EDIT: Has date printed on HDD, 1999-09, blimey!

IE is sorted then I'll just export to a disc .........Got XP pro and it's just the office outlook 2003 that I need to get the emails/addresses out of now

Ok , file - import/export again.

Export to a file , then pick "outlook personal file (.pst)" and select what folders to copy.

Then it's just the reverse on the new machine.

You could have run the files&settings transfer wizard if both machines were using XP , and done the whole lot in one batch

Jason' date=' I have a 10GB HDD here? I'm pretty sure it works, I'll test it now. It is old, about 5 years now, Fujitsu make.

EDIT: Has date printed on HDD, 1999-09, blimey![/quote']

Yep it works. It's like a step back in time for me, it has all my Paris piccy's on there plus my pic's from my car thrashing day.

And some 'tasteful' music from years gone by

Sounds like you need to buy DIY bits Jase, rather than barebones. Especially if some of the systems from Novetech (who I was going to recommend) come with bits that you think you don't need. Have a look at www.komplett.co.uk for good prices on parts.

Or if you really want to do it on the cheap, check eBay for bits and pieces. As you say you only need a tower and PSU, m/board, CPU, HDD & RAM.

Steve

as said, mATX mobo, cpu, fan, hdd, ram & psu is all you need. Wouldnt even bother with a case as it will probably add to the price. A cheap case may include a PSU already though and actually work out cheaper overall, in all fairness.

You should be able to buy the parts for a couple of hundred if you buy it all new, at that includes HDD/cdrom and a 2G or thereabouts CPU, 256 MB RAM

Little footnote - mini-itx is not great for folding, but it's absolutely ace for low power, low noise computing and well worth a look, esp. if you are considering in-car at some stage

Well - I'm getting there slowly - Just won a 2ghz athlon off ebay for a smidge over

Sounds alright that matey, just the ticket

Do you know what motherboard comes with it? Is it a complete system with tower, or just a collection of bits?

Steve

Complete system. No mention of the type of board though - Never thought that was a really essential part of the PC's performance. :confused:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5185561946

Sounds OK to me. The current tower I use now (1.8ghz 1gig ram) Mesh machine was

It does mention the motherboard, a LEX BN790E. Was just interested to see what you'd got for the price.

I'd consider it essential, as it's what every bit of the PC connects upto

Great for the money really, cheap postage too

Steve

XP minimum size is just over 2G to get it to install. In reality 3GB is minimum for an easy life

I'd consider it essential, as it's what every bit of the PC connects upto :)Steve

I go with that. There's always a bottleneck on any PC and the last place you want it is on the mobo IMHO. I always look for a brand/model that has not been slagged in lab tests.

XP minimum size is just over 2G to get it to install. In reality 3GB is minimum for an easy life

:iagree: - also need room for a swap file.

For the price of them, if you're trying to cut costs, go with a 2nd hand 10gb for about a fiver! You can get a 20-30gb for not much more anyway, seeing as new 40gb units are around

Just won a 2ghz athlon off ebay for a smidge over