Yup, I constantly order PC parts as well for friends and family, as well as my own components, plus my hockey gear.

Last summer, They (UPS) delivered my youngest brother's Alienware M17x ($2000+) to my neighbor's house (left on his porch), at least he took it in and gave it to me later that night when I got home.

When I had my Apartment, I had roommates that were ALWAYS home during the day, and they either left the boxes in front of my door.
(for the other tenants to trip over and fall down the stairs, if they didn’t just steal it.). or they allowed random people that answered the door to sign for them.

When I Ordered some HDTV Parts (Chips and a Board), DHL left them at the Main Office of the Apartment Complex and asked the lady to sign for them, they (DHL) then left me a voice mail saying the package was not delivered to my apartment and was delivered to Apartment's Management Office.


I’m thinking that when I order the Mainboard, CPU, RAM, and GPU, I'll have them delivered to my Office.
Then I just have to worry about the other Manager's thinking the Parts are from Staples for their own office Computers. hahaha.

This Friday I'll prolly look at whats on sale, and get the H100 CPU Cooling System, and the DVD-Drive.
And Maybe the Harddisk (which I can test and partition ahead of time and place in back in box until I build).

I might have to wait for the screen until later and use the one I have, I also have a Spare 250GB Seagate HDD if I need it, but its not anything special or fast.


Also,

Changed the RAM to:
G.SKILL Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBSR
ASRock added it to their supported list, its a 16GB Kit so all 4 sticks are "Matched"
(unlike the AMD RAM, which isnt in Kits, but individual Sticks).

if i keep buying the parts in the staggered $200 shipments, by time i get my tax return, All I'll have left is the GPU.

The AMD 7950 is Rumored to be $400-$450 and launches in about 1.5 weeks.

So This weekend, Ordering the H100, HDD, DVD-Drive, Sending out the MIR for the PSU's/Case. ($45ish)
(Got a NavyFederal Visa Gift Card, dunno if New egg will use it or not.)

Next week Buy the Ram, Save the $15 Promo Gift card from the PSU, Then first weekend in Feb. Order Mainboard, Then week later order the CPU. By Then When the 7950s become available I'll have my tax return in the bank, so.... either a 7950 for $450ish, or hopefully newegg has some more 7970s instock (other than the MSI).

Then Wait till after everything is running to order the new screen(s).

H100 Shipped from TigerDirect w. Free Shipping ($20 cheaper than the egg)
HDD and DVD Drive shipped from Newegg.

Funny, the HDD had free shipping, the DVD Drive didnt, and the cheapo 3 day UPS Ground for the DVD Drive was $9
and they were still shipped together in the same box... lol....

Will post pics when I get them and do physical inspection.

PSU arrived, but it went into my brother's system, his is being sent out for RMA to Cali, so 3 weeks at least, i might end up buying another one... and keeping the RMA'd replacement as a spare.

1.5 TB Harddisk and the SATA DVDRW got here yesterday...
Hooked up 1.5 TB drive to my system last night to run the WD tests (the quick ones), passed, sounded fine, no weird chirps or clicks during the tests.
UPS, Just threw the box 2 feet to my front door, instead of placing it... what the eff part of "FRAGILE" did they not understand? big green sticker on the box!

Not to mention no knock or anything, I was sitting right by the window, watched him walk up do like a bowling ball throw and turn around and run back to his truck.

HDD was in its normal box, then the plastic end caps and static bag, DVD RW was in a clear plastic bag just thrown in the box, then a bunch of filler paper thrown in as well... Hrmmm, i need to test that DVD RW tonite...

H100 Cooler arrived today..
Leave it to the U.S.P.S. to be the ones to knock and wait for someone (they were about to put the USPS pink slip in my mailbox to come pick up the box at the post office, but my brother answered the door in time.) ...hint UPS.. hint...


As for the system itself, next week (oops, edit, rather tomorrow), I'll order the 16GB G.Skill Sniper set.
Then Tax return will be used for Mobo/CPU + GPU, then next week or after I’ll get the screen, which is gonna be 24 inches, havent decided which one yet, limit is like $150, so.. when its time I’ll give new egg a look at specials and promo codes listings and check reviews...

Im not installing Windows XP at all on this machine as it’s 32-Bit, and if i go with a 6950 or 7950 GPU, the 32-Bit address will nearly be filled up by the GPU and SPU alone. This would leave me 800MB or less ram to use for the system. The programs I Used in XP so far all worked in the Windows 7 XP Mode,

I'll also look at other VM Software options, as I know some offer configuration on how many cores/ram to use as well as DirectX Acceleration (ie VMWare/Virtual Box) .
Windows XP mode only asked about ram.

XP Mode has the benefit of not having to use another license, as for cores, I'll have to test it first, as I only have 2 cores now, so XP Mode runs on a Single core, Im pretty sure with the new system I can set the max amount of ram for XP Mode if its 32-bit (unless it runs 64-Bit XP Mode, then I'll set 8GB). And if it allows me too, allocate 4 cores (it will be nice having 8 cores… lol..)

i wont be running eyefinity till prolly next year or later this year... as I like it, but cant justify buying 3 screens right now..
I will however be using my old screen to have XP Mode Fullscreen on its own screen when I use it.

Any programs/games I need to run in XP will have the old system, which will still be bootable to XP since I’m not moving that license, minus the XFi Sound Card and the Intensity 10Bit Recording.
So it will run the 8800, and the onboard sound. (Actually I have another Sound Blaster Live 5.1 w/ 5.25 bay drive sitting around in a old retired box somewhere.)

Mainboard is ordered.. (missed the -$25 instant by a few hours, lol).

Will order GPU and CPU when tax return clears direct deposit, then the screen the next week.

i have pics of the parts as they arrive on my facebook, will delete the pics on here and repost the assembly pics when i start to assemble,

other than CPU/GPU im waiting on the PSU, which the one i ordered for my system was installed in my brother's while his was RMA'd and shipped to OCZ, which they've signed for, but I havent received any EMAILs about any form of Processing.. So I have to wait for that to process and return ship.

Everything bu the GFX Card and New Screen are here, System is assembled.

Booted Win7 install from USB Stick, and it went crazy fast.

Allen, your gonna Love the #%&*$# out of this CPU....

At least for me, coming from a Athlon 64 X2 6000+, this thing is effing insane...

For Some reason its Booting at 3.4Ghz instead of teh Default 3.1Ghz, but no argument from Me, I'll have to check the BIOS and Make sure it isnt OC'd there.

gotta love water cooling (FX-8120 Stock Settings):

Beefy system there sir! When I did mine two years ago I had to stagger part orders aswell... All I need now are three 24" screens to replace my three 19" screens.

I just got in yesterday two SATA Lite-On DVD-RW burners to replace my aging IDE ones. $17 each on the Egg. They too came wrapped in a plastic bag with filler paper. Seemed to be fine tho.

I'm already envious -- size matters

Oh well, I have my wife's 4 core FX4100 CPU to play with when it arrives. It will be interesting to see how it works on games that use only one or two cores well -- like Skyrim, some flight sims.

While writing this, I opened another tab to see when her FX4100 might be delivered -- today's the day

Her HD7750 HTPC graphics card won't be here until Monday.

For Fellow Facebook Junkies, I have a Album for this System Here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3030374568181.150472.1527387319&type=3

Im still adding photo's, and I'll be adding more tonight and once the GPU is here.

Also still havent acquired the "hotfix" from MS...

As for GPU & Screen, those will be ordered this weekend/early next week, so next week i'll be updating drivers and starting to transition the Platform Licenses from my old system to the new one.

Nothing against XFX, but I may go for the 900Mhz Sapphire, as it comes with HDMI Cable, HDMI-> DVI Adapter, MiniDP to Full DP.

as for screen, cant decide if i want to drop $280 for a 27 inch screen or just save $80 and go for a 24. (im thinking 24, as it would be easier to acquire more 24's for Eyefinity later on.

looking at a 2ms ASUS for $199.99, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236153

But if the XFX 7950 BE is availible, I'll get it.


Also, Started the AMD Stability test within the AMD overdrive last night but had to stop it as i was leaving and didnt want to leave that running with the case wide open and stuff, not sure what to think about temps, as the UEFI BIOS says its 30^C on boot, in windows AMD Overdrive says the Cores are anywhere between 12^C and 27^C (and it randomly goes up and down.) temps sat at 12^C for 10 minutes of the stability test i was running, with all 8 cores Pegged at 100%,

when the stability test started, all the Cores dropped to the stock 3.1Ghz and appeared to be randomly cycling from 15 ti 17.5 Multiplier Turbo.

CPUID Hardware Monitor says the temps are 10^C lower than AMD Overdrive's.

Agree with you on XFX vs Sapphire... when I was considering a 7970 I was going the same way, the XFX double lifetime warranty I had on my 4870 and 5870s is no longer offered for the XFX 7970 so not worth going with XFX anymore compared to the accessory set that comes with the Sapphire which has a good reputation as well.

Also I would echo the 24" versus 27" monitors if you are thinking about Eyefinity. I have 3x 23" 1920x1080 monitors and it is perfect for Eyefinity IMHO, the larger you go the harder the card will have to work with x3 monitor resolution (5760x1080 for me), also I recommend staying with 1920x1080 native resolution if you plan to use it with consoles, the XBOX and PS3 both do great with my monitors in 1080p mode, but if you go to some other resolutions you will have to deal with the monitor not running in native mode. Also make sure the monitors support native DP mode for maximum Eyefinity options without needing DP->DVI/HDMI active conversion etc.