Computer's busted. Any recommendations for a new one?

[Corzan]

Hey people. This is my first topic ever on here, which I find quite interesting considering my join date. ;)

So a quick background:

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So recently(yesterday) my computer decided to shut down on me. It must have happened sometime during the day while I was at work. I came home, turned it on, booted up Minecraft, the usual. About ten minutes in, my computer froze. Nothing would start up, only thing working was the mouse. I could move it around, click stuff, but nothing would start. So I hard rebooted and just continued on, as this has happened before, but rarely.

My friend logs into Skype, I call him, we talk while playing our respective games, you know. Then it happens again. Frozen. I can still talk to him, but it's like just my UI is frozen or something. So I start to think something is actually wrong. I restart again, in safe mode. Apparently my monitor is the wrong size or something for safe mode, so I grab my other monitor that I use for a second screen for my laptop and use that. It freezes after a few minutes in safe mode too. So I open up my computer and look around carefully inside. It all looks fine. So I try booting into ubuntu. That works fine. Somehow my windows installation is buggered.

Thankfully I have all my stuff synced over Dropbox(<3) or backed up on my laptop. I'm not looking for tech support persay, though if anyone has any it would be appreciated, maybe I can sell this old computer.

Because, seeing as I have to start fresh anyway, either reinstalling windows or using Ubuntu, which I personally don't like, I'm going to purchase a new computer. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I'm looking for something under $1000 that can run minecraft well and perhaps Skyrim or games of the like. I also have a recent addiction to Just Cause 2, so something that could run that would be cool. I was able to run these games before on my current computer, but only in like 800x600 resolution. It sucked.

I'm currently looking at this. If anyone has any better suggestions, or can tell me if this computer is a good buy, it would be appreciated!

[Katalliaan]

I'd recommend buying parts instead of a pre-built machine. It's not terribly difficult to do once you get the parts, and you can get the same machine for less.

For example, I estimated what it would take to upgrade your computer to similar specs (assuming that you can reuse your current case, power supply, and drives). It came out to around $440 from parts on Newegg. Now, that was just from some eyeballed averages, so you could probably get those parts even cheaper if you shop around.

[Corzan]

Hm. Thanks for the info. I've never actually built a computer myself, though I have heard it's cheaper than buying a prebuilt. Maybe I'll ask my brother(who is far more skilled in the computer hardware department) to help me out with that.

[Ulfengaard]

Hm. Thanks for the info. I've never actually built a computer myself, though I have heard it's cheaper than buying a prebuilt. Maybe I'll ask my brother(who is far more skilled in the computer hardware department) to help me out with that.

Definitely do this. My gaming rig cost about half what it would have if I had gotten it as a prebuilt. Weighing it at around $1400, it's a pretty amazing machine running Skyrim with highest settings and impressive filters.

[Gilberreke]

I made my own computer from ordered parts once. Grueling experience if you're not used to doing it. I wouldn't ever want to do it again.

[embirrim]

If you can have someone help you with assembling everything, go for individual parts. It's cheaper. But make sure you're buying the right stuff. Have somebody check your list thoroughly.

Just out of curiosity, you using Windows 7? I had some bad freezes and solved it.

EDIT: Your link seems pretty cheap to me. And pretty good. I had no idea price differences were so big from EU to USA.

[Corzan]

Thanks guys. If I do build, I'll be sure to check and double-check everything, and I'll get some of my more computer hardware-literate friends and family to help me out.

Just out of curiosity, you using Windows 7? I had some bad freezes and solved it.

I am running Windows 7.

[embirrim]

In my case, the mouse stopped working, and I could still hear my friends over TS but couldn't activate my voice button. Try this. It's a hotfix for 64bit win7 systems that randomly freeze. I had my installation for a full year before it started freezing.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2265716/en-us

[kamshaft1]

Before you buy a new one, check to see how many background programs are running. If there are too many, your computer may freeze when running programs such as Minecraft.

[Corzan]

In my case, the mouse stopped working, and I could still hear my friends over TS but couldn't activate my voice button. Try this. It's a hotfix for 64bit win7 systems that randomly freeze. I had my installation for a full year before it started freezing.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2265716/en-us

Actually, I already tried that one. Great minds think alike! Or yours did, anyway. It didn't work because I actually have a 32-bit windows, or I think that's why it didn't work anyway.

Before you buy a new one, check to see how many background programs are running. If there are too many, your computer may freeze when running programs such as Minecraft.

That won't be it. I've easily run multiple copies of MC in the background while skyping/checking forums/watchting youtube before. I have had like 6 gigs of RAM. Thanks anyway.

[embirrim]

Actually, I already tried that one. Great minds think alike! Or yours did, anyway. It didn't work because I actually have a 32-bit windows, or I think that's why it didn't work anyway.

=D They do!

[Corzan]

So at this point I am going to build a computer, thanks to all your great advice. I managed to recover the old one through some crazy process where I installed ubuntu, changed the partition size, then reinstalled windows into the new partition. So I have my old computer, albeit without any files. I have them all backed up though. Thanks again guys.

[magikeh]

I had the idea of building a computer for myself a while back (1 month) and since then i have been searching for parts. I have compiled a list of some things that will work with eachother very nicely. if you want to have a look at all the things that i have on my list you can follow this link.

Also some tips for you and your new system:
-Purchase a 60 GB SSD (solid state hard drive) and install Windows 7 onto that. Then you can purchase a HDD (around 1TB) and stick all of your storage things onto it. (boring programs and such) While the things that you want to be faster can go on the SSD (Windows 7 OS, Minecraft, Skyrim...etc)


PS: Also if anyone has anything to critque on my list i would be happy to hear from you!
PPS: The things on the list highlighted in green are the things that i personally prefer, and they will be the best package.