Michael:
That beautiful case may have to remain just as it is: Empty. Most Compaq
computers use a proprietary motherboard/daughterboard construction, so
that standard AT or ATX motherboards won't fit in them. (I'm not sure
about the Presario series, though. If I'm wrong, a more knowledgable
lister will set me straight). You'll probably be buying an ATX factor
board, since the AT boards are becoming a thing of the past. Be sure
that you buy the proper case -- in general, cases are designed to accept
either AT or ATX shape boards, but not both.
There are some excellent links at PCBUILD to motherboard websites:
www.anandtech.com and www.motherboards.org are two of the best. Anand
has a series where he recommends several different setups each month
ranging from low-cost to break-the-bank.
Good luck --
Carroll Grigsby


Michael Scott wrote:
>
> Hello,
>    My name is Michael Scott (e-mail [log in to unmask]). I am very new to building pc's, though I've been using them for quite a while. Recently, my cousin built me a computer. I payed pretty close attention to him and I think it may be fun to give it a shot myself. Part I have now is a Compaq Presario case with no power supply, so obviously I have a ways to go. I read the article How to Build a PC by Bob Wright, and it seems simple enough to put all the stuff together. However, I want to make sure that everything I buy is compatible with everything else. I'm thinking about the following stats:
>
> PIII 600MHz Processor
> 128MB SDRAM 100MHz
> 20 GB HDD
> 48X CD-Rom
> Annihilator 2 Video Card
> Creative Labs AWE64 Sound Card
> 1.44MB Floppy Drive
> 56K V.90 modem
>
> The problem is, I'm not sure which motherboard would be best, whether or not to go with AMD's Athlon instead of the Pentium III, and whether or not to use this case (it's a beautiful case, and I'd hate to see it go to waste) or buy a whole new one. Anyway, suffice to say, I need a little advice. Anyone have any ideas where I should begin?
>
> Thanks in advance for any replies,
>
> Michael Scott
>

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