Upgrading Own Computer... Need Ideas

[NETWizz]

I am considering upgrading my own computer. I have replaced my computer at work maybe three or four times already since 2010, but it has occurred to me I am using the same computer at home since 2005 or 2006.

History:

In 2008 I upgraded from nForce 680i /w Nvidia 760 GT to Core 2 Duo 8 GB Ram and Nvidia GeForce 8800 (storage remained 3 x 250 GB in RAID 5)

2009: I upgraded the chassis only and the fans

In 2010, I upgraded the RAID to RAID 1 /w two 1.5 TB drives

In 2011, upgraded to an Intel Motherboard, with an Intel i7 2600k 16 GB DDR3

In 2012, I swapped the DVD burner for a Blu-Ray Player /DVD burner (though I used it less than 1 hour total since then most likely)

In 2014, a Hard Drive died and I got two matching drives from Western Digital to replace them both one at a time.

2014, the Power Supply died, so I upgraded to a modular one.

2014, the Video Card started glitching, so I upgraded to a GTX 750Ti /w Display Port just incase I ever buy a new monitor

2014, I accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 when the computer was asleep by pressing spacebar or something when asked to confirm, lol

In 2019, I upgraded to an SSD just because I had a spare from a project. It was actually for a firewall logging appliance and the manufacturer sent two of them because there was a known defect and the first time they simply never tracked that the sent one out. It was just a 2 TB SATA III unit from San Disk, but it was free, so I upgraded.

I also did clean install of Windows onto said SSD!

2020: I have replaced half the fans in my computer because the lifetime warrantied Vantec Stealth double-ball bearing fans were not designed for the computer to outlast the fans.

****

Upgrade Goals:

1. I want to focus on the Motherboard, CPU, and RAM because those are all 10 years old now!
2. I want something relatively future-proof, so built in 2.5 Gbps copper Networking, Latest Intel Generation standards for storage, PCI-Express, USB, etc.
   (In reality, I have this PCIe NIC that supplies me 2 SFP+ slots: https://www.fs.com/products/75600.html and connect to my home network via 10GBase-Sr and an OM4 LC to LC fiber patch cable)
3. I want it to be focused on reliability and productivity, which means I want it to simply work and for a long time
4. I want Intel NOT AMD (just a preference) and something modern like i7 or i9 11xxx or whatever it is now... DDR4 64GB???
5. I want it to have a slot for something like m.2 or whatever the latest SSD standard is though I will continue use the SATA 3 SSD for years (because I am cheap)
6. I want the chipset to be Intel Northbridge, Intel South Bridge because (Intel, Intel, Intel) seems like a good combo.
7. I do NOT want too much built-in fluff like built-in video is just more stuff to go wrong.
8. I want it to have a TPM chip even if it is a separate component because I use Bitlocker for everything.

I simply want to upgrade this computer, so I can keep it going a while longer.

Recommendations for motherboard, processor, memory, TPM etc? Any got yous?

Presumably, I will make an image of this beast before shutting it down in case all hell breaks loose... and probably run Sysprep on it for good measure before shutting it down (assuming that is still in Windows 10) before booting it on a new motherboard, CPU and RAM. After it coms up, I will update drivers, run Windows Update, and Activate Windows.

Thoughts? I don't do this crap anymore exclusively working on networking, but it seems pretty trivial and is stuff I used to do, so it should be like riding a bicycle. I don't imaging it would be any different than it was with Windows 7, which was the last time I did any PC support type role... well except I suspect driver support is better in that Windows Update probably will take care of 95% of all drivers these days. I would certainly expect all the Intel Chipset, Storage, and Networking drivers to be a non-issue.

 

[NJW]

So, you have a nicely burned-in, working machine and you want to replace everything for more reliability? With the current state of the semiconductor industry, too?

 

[Nathan Igo]

If you really have to upgrade, even though now is the time, go prebuilt. With that age of computer your almost better off going the amazon refurb route and waiting until prices settle down.

 

[NviGate Systems]

Actually, Windows Update for drivers can be the cause for real issues with a system. I've disabled automatic driver updates on a number of systems because it can cause crashes with some legacy devices.

I agree with the refurbishment suggestion, right now there is a shortage of silicon, and there are lots of threads where someone built a PC, but no graphics card due to lack of cards or scalper prices.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I use to LOVE building higher end systems, had a side biz for a while building gaming rigs, and video editing rigs for clients.
LOVED building my own computers that I could "pop the hood" off and show off the inside.

But I'll be honest...these days, with components being so small now, I love the Tiny Form Factor computers. Those tiny thin boxes you can slap on the back of the monitor in a VESA mount. Minimize cable mess, no "shin knocker towers" on the floor with cable messes, no desktop real estate taken up by a desktop unit or tower. It's not an "all in one"...but the TinyPC types..can be similar to an all in one.

Need decent graphics still? Something like a TinyWorkstation from Lenovo.
Something like the P340

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Can get them with nVidia Quadro with 4x miniDP for quad monitors like I have at the office.
Stuff 'em with ram, 2x M.2 slots for a pair of drives.
From i3 to i9 processor options.

 

[Diggs]

Those tiny thin boxes you can slap on the back of the monitor

I've been using Intel NUCs for this but they don't offer the amenities that a thin-client does.

 

[Markverhyden]

Not sure what all your needs are but have you considered Supermicro motherboards? They've got high end workstation motherboards full of features, including dual processor, 16 DIMM slots, 10g nics, etc, etc. But they aren't cheap. The motherboard alone will run in the $600-800 range.

 

[Big Jim]

Wow, that is a long time for a "techhead" to run a PC for.

I hate slow computers so always upgrade the machine where I can if budget allows it.

I recently upgraded my "office" PC to a 10th gen i7, I have always kept it running on 2nd hand hardware, ie the guts of my home PC when i upgraded it, but this time I wanted to iron out the gremlins it had so went with new in the hope it won't need any further attention for at least 5 years.

 

[timeshifter]

No matter how you slice it, you're not upgrading your computer, you're replacing it. Well I guess technically you can re-use your case and power supply and fans - the shell.

You never mentioned what you're using the computer for. If it's just general computing tasks then any recent i5, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD will do. Maybe just get a new or recently refurbished Dell OptiPlex desktop tower?

I used to like building computers too, but these days I appreciate the clean design and build quality of modern desktops.

 

[seashore]

No matter how you slice it, you're not upgrading your computer, you're replacing it.

Ain't nothing wrong with that.

 

[Stever]

Wow, that is a long time for a "techhead" to run a PC for.

Real tech heads never get around to putting the sides onto the case due to the constant changes to it

 

[Stever]

I am considering upgrading my own computer. I have replaced my computer at work maybe three or four times already since 2010, but it has occurred to me I am using the same computer at home since 2005 or 2006.

History:

In 2008 I upgraded from nForce 680i /w Nvidia 760 GT to Core 2 Duo 8 GB Ram and Nvidia GeForce 8800 (storage remained 3 x 250 GB in RAID 5)

2009: I upgraded the chassis only and the fans

In 2010, I upgraded the RAID to RAID 1 /w two 1.5 TB drives

In 2011, upgraded to an Intel Motherboard, with an Intel i7 2600k 16 GB DDR3

In 2012, I swapped the DVD burner for a Blu-Ray Player /DVD burner (though I used it less than 1 hour total since then most likely)

In 2014, a Hard Drive died and I got two matching drives from Western Digital to replace them both one at a time.

2014, the Power Supply died, so I upgraded to a modular one.

2014, the Video Card started glitching, so I upgraded to a GTX 750Ti /w Display Port just incase I ever buy a new monitor

2014, I accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 when the computer was asleep by pressing spacebar or something when asked to confirm, lol

In 2019, I upgraded to an SSD just because I had a spare from a project. It was actually for a firewall logging appliance and the manufacturer sent two of them because there was a known defect and the first time they simply never tracked that the sent one out. It was just a 2 TB SATA III unit from San Disk, but it was free, so I upgraded.

I also did clean install of Windows onto said SSD!

2020: I have replaced half the fans in my computer because the lifetime warrantied Vantec Stealth double-ball bearing fans were not designed for the computer to outlast the fans.

****

Upgrade Goals:

1. I want to focus on the Motherboard, CPU, and RAM because those are all 10 years old now!
2. I want something relatively future-proof, so built in 2.5 Gbps copper Networking, Latest Intel Generation standards for storage, PCI-Express, USB, etc.
   (In reality, I have this PCIe NIC that supplies me 2 SFP+ slots: https://www.fs.com/products/75600.html and connect to my home network via 10GBase-Sr and an OM4 LC to LC fiber patch cable)
3. I want Intel NOT AMD (just a preference) and something modern like i7 or i9 11xxx or whatever it is now... DDR4 64GB???
4. I want it to have a slot for something like m.2 or whatever the latest SSD standard is though I will continue use the SATA 3 SSD for years (because I am cheap)
5. do NOT want too much built-in fluff like built-in video is just more stuff to go wrong.

I simply want to upgrade this computer, so I can keep it going a while longer.

Recommendations for motherboard, processor, memory, TPM etc? Any got yous?

Presumably, I will make an image of this beast before shutting it down in case all hell breaks loose... and probably run Sysprep on it for good measure before shutting it down (assuming that is still in Windows 10) before booting it on a new motherboard,

Let's start with the CPU, what will you be using it for and will more cores be of use to you ?
There is something called "The critical path" that decides if more cores are a benifit or will just sit there drumming their fingers, Dave Plummer explains this well at the start of

Next let's look at your card slot requirements, a single PCIe NIC, hold that thought

Intel is a must

M2 slot, all modern mobo's have them, but do you want Raid 1 with a hot spair ?

I used to pref Nothing on board, but these days everything is on board ! I am sure that most folk reading this will have come accross a card that works perfectly until you put the screw in The trick here is to put a fiber washer under the tab before putting the screw in. These days I do not worry about the onboard stuff as it can be dissabled if it goes wrong and a PCIe card used instead.

For a new mobo do a clean install otherwise Windows is going to have a head fit when booted to the new mobo, also stuff such as the old mobo's monitor utilitity may not be calibrated for the new board, with voltages and temperature not being correctly reported

Every tech has a different card that they want to move over to the new pc, with nothing on board you are looking at a full atx mobo with slots for everything and probably and older plain vanilla PCI slot for something "just in case".

 

[NETWizz]

I am going to be using it to run Office Applications, Web Browsers, occasionally play a Youtube video, and perhaps Outlook for email.

I might occasionally fire up GNS3, a Cisco, ASA, Juniper etc. emulator. I sometimes fire-up Hyper-V or VMaare, but it is rare these days being I do not have the motivation I usually do.

 

[NJW]

I am going to be using it to run Office Applications, Web Browsers, occasionally play a Youtube video, and perhaps Outlook for email.

I don't know about the rest of your list, but the bit I quoted will run happily with the Intel integrated graphics. Ditch that graphics card (at ~50 W) and you'll stress the power supply less, run lower TDP and save around the equivalent power use of changing to a newer processor (i7-2600K: 95 W; i7-11xxx: ~30 W; i9-11xxx: ~65 W).

Do you need double (i7-11xxx) to quadruple (i9-11xxx) the CPU Mark performance? Is anything on your list even capable of using eight cores?

Not intending to snipe here, but from a personal, purely practical point of view (head over heart, if you prefer ... ), I might upgrade to a more efficient processor (cooler, quieter, cheaper, etc.) but I really don't need to go to 11. You can't even justify it as 'future-proofing', because that's just a myth in modern technology. Isn't there any other little side project that you could spend the money on, for at least as much fun and probably more satisfaction? If you satisfy your wishlist, you'll still only have a PC that boots to Windows, maybe 1 or 2 seconds quicker.

 

[NETWizz]

I am so slow at doing projects that are my own because honestly I barely care. If it wasn't for Windows 10 requiring a newer processor than my i7 2600k and a TPM (yes, I know there are work-arounds to bypass the checks), I would not bother upgrading.

At any rate, I had a client who bought an Intel i7 11700k and 32 GB ( 2 x 16 GB DDR4 3200) to upgrade his Dell... Long story short the processor is NOT compatible with his Dell which uses an older socket, but the memory is compatible. The CPU cannot be returned to Newegg, so he offered to give me the old 2 x 6 GB DDR4 (12 GB) AND the 11700k for doing the RAM upgrade.

Here is my upgrade going in. I bought the motherboard and Intel original equipment cooler, so I have all of $219 in this... It's an MSI Z590-A Pro motherboard, which has an Intel Northbridge and Southbridge Chipset. I went WITHOUT WiFi because that is just something else to go wrong. The less on the board the more reliable most likely is my thought...


What are your thoughts? Also, should I keep my Nvidia 750 Ti or just go with the onboard graphics

 

[frase]

Nice looks like a hotel overlooking the bay area