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Hey,
I haven't built a computer or cared for hardware in like 10 years so I have no idea anymore what to buy. Everything seems to have gotten pretty complicated too.
Until 3 weeks ago I ran a 3800+ AMD Single Core with 2 GB Ram and a 7600GT. Then my computer started crashing. I couldn't really make out a pattern, but since it powered down without warning (the lights just went out) I figured it was a cooling problem, so I disassembled the CPU and Cooler to see what was wrong. Unfortunately, being the noob that I am, I broke some pins of the CPU in the process and now it's broken. So I need a little upgrade.
I'm extremely short on money so i just want to buy a new mainboard and CPU+Cooler. I'm not sure if I have to buy new RAM, I think the one on my old board is DDR or DDR2.
So my question is what should I buy for less than 200 €, preferably even less. Do I have to buy a new PSU / RAM / Case? I'm planning on using my old graphics card.
Thanks in advance for your help, I know a lot of you guys are pretty knowledgable on this subject.
P.S.: Do you think just buying a new CPU / Cooler (the old ones are glued together) is an option? I still don't know why the damn thing started crashing...
EDIT: Thanks again all! I applied some new thermal paste, used the old cooler and bent the pins of the CPU back in place. It seems to be working fine now. What a relief...
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200 € is about 280 $
150€ is about 210$
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You can actually get a decent low-end conroe core 2 with ~$280. Look for mobo+cpu bundles on newegg, tigerdirect, and ncix. Sometimes if you're lucky, you can find an amazing deal, especially when they clear out the older-gen stuff.
As for RAM, yes you need to buy some DDR2 sticks, as your current ones are most likely DDR. But RAM is cheap as dirt these days, you can get 2x2GB for around ~$50.
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And yes, buying a new CPU is fine, I assume your mobo is socket 939, because that's what 3800+'s are used on. You can still probably find a cheap athlon 64 S939 for less than $50.
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with overheating, I think you'll generally see BSODs
if your PC was randomly shutting down, I think the likely problem is a faulty PSU
the CPU & cooler are also not glued together, just pull really hard in a twisting fasion to attempt to separate the CPU & cooler. try to avoid using tools so you don't scratch the cooler
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With that kind of budget, I wouldn't bother upgrading half-heartedly. I'd just buy an old CPU that fits into your mainboard for some cheap bucks and save the money for a larger upgrade at a later point. You won't enjoy a reasonably fast CPU if the rest of your stuff is old and slow.
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I think you can buy a budget AMD setup with good upgrade path for that money.
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You'd better find out what was wrong with your pc first. If the problem is the PSU, you'd better fix that first  Ask someone local to have a look if you don't know what you're doing, pc fault diagnosis over forum isn't the easiest matter :p
If everything is alright, another option would be to just buy a new CPU, cheapest solution, and you weren't dissatisfied with your original setup, no?
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how can I find out wether my PSU is faulty?
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probably overheating try to apply some new thermal paste , about your cpu pin are they broken or just twisted if so you can fix it. Remove dust too. Then if that works buy a new graphic card with the money instead 
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On August 10 2009 17:48 distant_voice wrote:
200 € is about 280 $
150€ is about 210$
when you're buying hardware in Germany 1 EUR = 1 USD or so it seems to me
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EPT
