OK this is really weird. Ive just tried to do a repair with the new kit and after it copied the setup files it restarted as usual. Then not long after that it switched itself off. Now when I turn it on it switches itself off again after a bit. I think it might be the PSU!! Fortunately I dont mind that Ive had to upgrade but this definitely sounds like a PSU issue right?

could also be an issue with heat to be fair.  if you bought the Retail package at it was already gunked then check that the motherboard settings have the heat protection set to a sensible level.  I had an MSI thing a few weks back that had the cutoff temp set to 30C!

I dont even get anything on my monitor now

The then turns itself off after 10s or so. It must be a temperature related issue!

check your clips, make sure they are tight.  Check that the CPU didnt have a stupid clear pad over the compound, and make sure the HSF is spinning up.

OK clips are tight and everything else is fine! HSF is spinning too, Im baffled.

I had it running in the bios this evening for 5 mins but the idle temp of the CPU was 62c! Is it quite possible the heatsink isnt screwed down tight enough then? Ive just pushed it down at the moment and screwed it anti-clockwise. That seems right to me.

isnt it on clips?  That temp is WAY too high.  Even my 6000+ doesnt run at that temp!

It sounds to me like the HSF isnt tight enough for certain.  

Cypher could you point out a decent mobo/cpu combination for myself then please?

I really have no clue about all of these new chipsets and all that.

Im stuck in the olden days of Athlon 2500+

Is C2D really that much better than Athlon now?

Is C2D really that much better than Athlon now?

its now purely dependant on your budget, or if you decide to overclock or not.  Personally ive yet to find anything that troubles my 6000+/2Gb/X1950XT at all.  Also when i was buying the rig an E6600 which was the equivelent Intel chip was about £40 more for the CPU, and about £50 more for a board with the same features I have on the AM2 board.

"Buy Core 2 Duo or nothing" gets on my nerves when it gets repeated as a mentra.  They are good CPUs, but most people dont overclock, so most often the C2D and CD stuff isnt going to make a difference.  

Ive decided to go with a dual core Athlon. The AM2 variety of course. Looking at the mobo, would it be worth getting one that will support Phenom cpus in the future? Or will it be a matter of early revisions will be limited to earlier Phenoms and therefore not worth the bother?

Now onto gpus and all that. Nvidia 8800GT looks nice but is quite expensive. Is there anything comparable around for cheaper? Or will they really be cheaper in a couple of weeks?

Im struggling to bide my time here, g/f just got a nice £1000 tax rebate >_<