Jacob Santos

Details

I generally have a PC, which I do all of my coding and web surfing on. I also use it for games, but I want to focus on another PC for that and just have games installed on it. That way, I don’t hinder the performance with services that aren’t needed for development. Right now, it is my only PC, so I have everything on it.

Components

1. Case:
   • Thermaltake Media Center
2. Motherboard:
   • ASUS
3. CPU:
   • AMD
   • Althon 64 X2 5600+
   • 2.81 GHz
4. DVD Burner
   • DRW-1814BLT
   • Connector: SATA
5. RAM:
   • Corsair VS1GB667D2 1GB (x4)
   • 667 Mhz
6. Hard Drives: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB (2)
   • SATA-II
   • 7200 RPM
   • 32MB Cache
   • 8.5 sec Access Time
   • 1.5 TB (3TB total)
7. VisionTek TV WonderTM HD 650
   • PCI Express
   • TV Tuner
   • Will be moved to the Media Server, when it is built.
8. ASUS Radeon HD 3870
   • 512MB 256-bit GDDR4
   • PCI Express 2.0
   • DVI to HDMI adapter

Upgrades

After I buy the hard drives, I’m going to install the 64-bit version of Windows Vista. The upgrades will seriously remove the clutter from the computer and will improve the air flow. Going from four DIMM modules to 2 DIMM modules. Going from 6 hard drives to 2 hard drives. I’m also going to recycle all of my hard drives, as I’m not going to reuse them.

1. Corsair XMS2 Xtreme Performance 4GB PC2-6400
   • Price: $107.60 (x2 $53.80)
   • 8GB total
   • 800Mhz DDR2
2. Cooler Master Centurion RC-541
   • Price: $64.99
   • 6 bays (2 5.25″, 2 3.5″, 2 HD)
   • Will allow the current HTPC case to be used for the Media Center PC.

Partitions

The partitions are a little dynamic since I’ve converted to Linux as the main OS. The Windows partitions are virtual, so that basically I can extend and limit them as I want. I mostly use my second Hard Drive for storage between the Windows and the Kubuntu systems. In the future, I might move away from Linux, or I might refine what I’m doing with Linux, but currently I’m using one entire drive for Linux and the other for storage. I still have the other drives, so if one of them fails, then I can pull the other drives and get my files back.

First Drive

1. OS – 200GB
   • Windows
   • Programs
   • Page file
2. Documents – 100GB

   Will store all of the Documents, web development, and project code. Will also contain pictures that I have archived on my system.

3. Videos – ~1.2TB

   Will contain all of the videos that I have on various hard drives and will obsolete the hard drives.