Upgrading PC?
 

My current PC is getting a tad old and finding some of the latest games a little tricky to run. This is my last year of state education, next year I'll be headed off to Uni and I've got myself a job. Simply put, this is the only time I'm going to have a (realistic) chance to upgrade my computer for the next X number of years, so I want to make the most of it.

I'll be gutting as much of my current PC as possible (namely the 5.1 surround sound, but quite possibly more). I'm about to crack it open so I can give you some stats on it. However, it's been ... far too long since I did anything to my PC so I need advice on what's good to buy if I expect to be playing on a static system for quite some time.

A brief overview of the stats I'm pretty certain of:

512 ram (in 2 sticks)
2.2 ghz AMD Athlon
256mb Radeon 9600
160gb HD

I know I'll need to upgrade the processor and RAM, and I also plan to get myself a beefier hard drive. I don't anticipate needing to change the graphics card because, to my knowledge, that remains fairly meaty even though it's a few years old.

My main beef with the current system is that it won't connect to the internet. I'm fairly certain it's not a settings problem because it used to be quite indecisive about whether or not it was going to connect, and now it won't connect at all (both wireless via router AND via a direct cable into it - still nada). So I'm guessing it's a hardware problem. If anybody has any idea where that would be (something not linking to the motherboard possibly?) then I'd be appreciative so I know what part I should scrap or take a closer look at. It's also REALLY noisy, so I want to get a quieter power unit. It also has a big, bulky monitor so I'll be switching to a nice thin one so that it ... you know, fits into my room when I'm at Uni.

So what I'm asking you for is advice on which of the following I should get:

Processor
Monitor
Power unit
RAM
Large HardDrive (I'm talking 200-300 gigs)

Also, advice on whether or not I should get a new graphics card, sound card or motherboard would be useful. I currently have a DVD RW, but another would be useful, so if anybody know a good brand on them I'd appreciate. And cases. And USB/Firewire ports.

And because I'm new to building a computer if there's anything important that I've missed ... best mention it eh? :)

I've been chatting with one of my techy friends while browsing an online shop (ebuyer). This isn't necessarily where I'd buy the stuffs from, and this isn't necessarily the final stuffs that I'm getting, but for a general idea of what I'm looking at (looks like I'm going for a ground up job)...

Monitor
DVD drive, to compliment my current one.
HDD
Case
Fan
Video card
RAM - I'll probably go for two of these.
Processor


Which, to my knowledge, leaves me in need of a Motherboard that could handle all of that and leave room to expand on the RAM. Price so far of £820 ish.

^looks good although i'd get a amd 64 bit dual core and a 19" widescreen monitor www.newegg.com is great for computer stuff but i don't know if they ship to the UK

You mean a monitor like this?

yessir

This is looking the likely setup:

I'll scrounge the sound card and DVD from my current PC.
Case
Fan
MotherBoard
Processor
Graphics Card
HDD
RAM x2
Monitor
Ports


The main question is, is that Motherboard suitable? That rig would cost be about £856 from that site. Would it last me?

You connect to the internet via USB or Ethernet?

USB, I have a wireless router in the house and the Uni halls I expect to be going to also have wireless (I think).

While we're at it, this is the latest setup that I'll be saving for. Currently nothing is much above posturing, I need a couple of pay cheques first. But in a few months, unless something happens, this is what I expect to have.

Monitor
Case
PSU
MoBo
Processor
Memory x2
HDD x2
Graphics Card
Expansions:
Port
TV