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Alright, I've decided to go ahead and build my own PC for the first time. I thought I would post here to make sure everything checks out, and that I have everything I need. I'm trying to keep everything on Newegg so I can buy it all in one purchase just to be sure I remember to order everything. I still need to find the right power supply, so if anyone could tell me the proper one, that would be great. I'll be looking for a keyboard, mouse, and monitor at a later date since I already have good enough ones for now. Just to be sure, my video card will support 1920x1080 correct? I found a guide, and I think I have everything I need. The only thing I'm wondering is how will I connect to the internet? What part am I missing, or is that built-in to the motherboard? Also, I won't be buying anything for a few months since I still need to get a job. Here's what I have so far: (1) AZZA Solano 1000 ATX Full Tower (2) Western Digital 1TB Internal HDD (2) HIS H467QS1GH Radeon HD 4670 (2) CORSAIR XMS3 4GB DDR3 (1) GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 Motherboard (1) Intel Core i5-660 (i7 seems a little too expensive) (1) ASUS Blu-ray Drive
If you're getting it in a few months yet, chances are the ATI 4670 won't be around because the 5-series is taking over. However, if you want to game at 1920x1080, you'd want a considerably beefier card. The 4670 would support that resolution, but then you'd have really horrible framerates. The best bet is to ask again when you're ready to order, because prices change and competition is fierce in the GPU department. Heck, if you're primarily concerned with gaming, maybe consider an AMD based system. Their Phenom quads are cheaper than Intel's, and while not as fast for things like encoding, are more than fast enough for games. The money saved can go to a better GPU. Your HD is a Caviar Green, so it won't be the fastest around. If you don't need 1.5GB, then pick one of these up instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&cm_re=samsun g_spinpoint_f3-_-22-152-185-_-Product The Spinpoint F3 is really, really fast for its class, and considerably cheaper than the WD you posted. Edit: Yes, internet connectivity is built into the board.
Gah, I didn't even realize time was that big of a factor. I guess it's a good thing I asked then. I'll keep this thread in my bookmarks so I can take a look before compiling my next list. Thanks for the help.
It's also good that you're going to do it in a few months as opposed to now, because the prices of memory have gone up as of late due to supply issues. Plus, it's good to state a budget, because eagle-eyed enthusiasts around here may be able to spot a couple deals that'll maximize your dollar. Also mentioning what you want to do with it, like encoding video, storing tons of movies, etc or just gaming helps a ton. You'll wanna check out these sites' suggested builds, too. http://www.techspot.com/guides/buying/ http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/buyers-guide/2010/02/03/what-hardware-should-i- buy-february-2010/1 Bit-Tech updates theirs on a monthly basis, so it's a good one to check out. Also, TomsHardware and Hardware Canucks are both great resources for reviews.
My budget is hopefully around $1,500-$2,000. I want to game and hopefully get a nice rig that can play most if not all games on very high to max settings. I probably won't be doing much else than downloading music, movies, and browsing. I would also like a blu-ray drive. Also, I don't think I'm too interested in SSD right now since the price is so fucking high right now. I'll just get one down the road when prices come down. Another thing, is crossfire/sli a must? With the higher end cards, it gets pretty expensive, so is it really necessary with high end cards? Is i7 really worth it? It seems I can get a much faster i5 for much cheaper. If there aren't many advantages, I don't really want to spend money for a slower cpu.
your probably better going for a i5-750 rather then a i5-660 the i5-660 is only dual core which is why it seems you can get a much faster and cheaper cpu then the i7 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215 cheaper then the i5-660
You're saying you hav e a 1500-2000 budget right? then WHY ON EARTH are you using a Ati HD4670? I would at least go for an HD5830 but better a HD5850/HD4870.
Boofst0rm wrote on Sat, 06 February 2010 02:49 your probably better going for a i5-750 rather then a i5-660 the i5-660 is only dual core which is why it seems you can get a much faster and cheaper cpu then the i7 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215 cheaper then the i5-660 Would the loss in Ghz be worth it? What if I chose an AMD-based system like nikki said and went with this cpu? Would it be better? EvilWhiteDragon wrote on Sat, 06 February 2010 04:01 You're saying you hav e a 1500-2000 budget right? then WHY ON EARTH are you using a Ati HD4670? I would at least go for an HD5830 but better a HD5850/HD4870. That is exactly why I posted. I have no clue about any of this. I had to start somewhere The HD 4870 looks like a better choice. What's the difference between 128 & 256 bit? Is there an equivalent that is DX11 ready?
I have a 4870, and it's a great card. But it's more or less gone from retail now and has been replaced by the 5770. For what you want, a 5850/5830 would be up your alley. If you're not planning to overclock, than I'd recommend the AMD Phenom 955/965 over the Intel i5 for the sheer GHz, and the reasonable cost. But, if you intend to OC, and get monster numbers, then the i5 is for you. I use an AMD system with a 955 for gaming, and it's still way overkill for my needs. As for your budget, it's huge. In fact, I think you can get a really awesome system for $1200, if not less, if you swing it. Heck, if you look around, you could add an SSD into the mix. My PC has two SSD's, and it's simply awesome.
Artec 1200 full tower atx case...bets ever
nikki6ixx wrote on Sat, 06 February 2010 13:05 I have a 4870, and it's a great card. But it's more or less gone from retail now and has been replaced by the 5770. For what you want, a 5850/5830 would be up your alley. If you're not planning to overclock, than I'd recommend the AMD Phenom 955/965 over the Intel i5 for the sheer GHz, and the reasonable cost. But, if you intend to OC, and get monster numbers, then the i5 is for you. I use an AMD system with a 955 for gaming, and it's still way overkill for my needs. As for your budget, it's huge. In fact, I think you can get a really awesome system for $1200, if not less, if you swing it. Heck, if you look around, you could add an SSD into the mix. My PC has two SSD's, and it's simply awesome. What's overclocking and what would I benefit from that? As for the 4870, which brand would be best? Sapphire is the cheapest one, but is cheap good, or am I losing quality? (SSnipe) -BLU3Y3Z- wrote on Sat, 06 February 2010 13:05 Artec 1200 full tower atx case...bets ever Yeah, I'm actually for a case like that. A black case with Blue LED's is kick ass.
Basically, overclocking is tweaking your components to go faster than their defaults. It may mean you get better performance overall, like higher framerates in games. However, it does void your warranty, and carries a sizeable risk of hardware damage if you do it improperly. Also, it can shorten the life of the components, depending on how much you stress the hardware. As for the 4870, I don't think any brand is terrible. XFX has a warranty that is really flexible, and even lets you transfer it to another individual providing you register the card after you have purchased it. This may let you resell it for a slightly higher price because XFX's reputation with the warranty is very high. I'd still recommend looking for a 4890 at the very least, for 1920x1080. ATI's upcoming 5830 will replace it, and support DirectX 11. Even better would be a 5850.
nikki6ixx wrote on Sat, 06 February 2010 15:40 Basically, overclocking is tweaking your components to go faster than their defaults. It may mean you get better performance overall, like higher framerates in games. However, it does void your warranty, and carries a sizeable risk of hardware damage if you do it improperly. Also, it can shorten the life of the components, depending on how much you stress the hardware. As for the 4870, I don't think any brand is terrible. XFX has a warranty that is really flexible, and even lets you transfer it to another individual providing you register the card after you have purchased it. This may let you resell it for a slightly higher price because XFX's reputation with the warranty is very high. I'd still recommend looking for a 4890 at the very least, for 1920x1080. ATI's upcoming 5830 will replace it, and support DirectX 11. Even better would be a 5850. Yeah, I don't think I'll be wanting to overclock, so the Phenom sounds good to me. When will those upcoming cards be released?
The 5850 and 5870 are out now. Ditto for the 5770. The 5830 is supposed to be out like, a week ago but I've no idea what the deal is. nVidia is debuting their new series of cards sometime soon, so when the time comes, ATI will likely drop their prices a bit. You should have quite a few options from either nVidia or ATI. Don't discount the Intel route, because I've looked up some benchmarks, and it seems the 'slower' i5-750 outpaces the 965 in quite a few applications. Your best bet is to just find the best deal, because really, you can't go wrong with either brand.
Ok, now what kind of motherboard should I choose? I'd like one that's capable of Crossfire so I can still have that option down the road. Depending on which processor I get, what would the best option be for the Intel or AMD?
If your budget is that much you might as well go with an i7. And you ought to ask yourself if you really need a Blu Ray drive. You also need to look into a PSU.
tactic356 wrote on Sat, 06 February 2010 21:39 If your budget is that much you might as well go with an i7. And you ought to ask yourself if you really need a Blu Ray drive. You also need to look into a PSU. Before I decide, I need to look at motherboards too, which I still need help on. That first list is basically worthless now. You also make a good point, I already have a PS3, so no, I don't need one. I also thought that getting the rest of my parts right would be best before choosing a PSU.
Thing with multi-GPU configurations is that you'll have to be careful to make sure that the PCI-e x16 slots do not split to x8/x8 when two cards are present. It's not a terribly huge problem right now, with the difference being a few frames per second, but in the future it may be more of a concern, especially if you want the best of the best, and are gaming at higher resolutions. The Intel P55 and AMD 790X/790GX boards will go x8/x8 with two cards. Intel's X58 and AMD 790FX chipset will supply x16 to each of the two cards. With that being said, I don't think you should place too high a concern on Crossfire or SLI. In order to maximize their usefulness, you'll have to wait for drivers to support the newest games. Instead, find a board that has the features and reliability and support you want, and if it's great for running two GPU's, then that's just fringe benefit. As for suggesting a board, you'll have to do some research on what's out there, before we can help much in that department. These articles will be a good place to start: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lga-1156-motherboard,2463-19.html http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/790fx-socket-am3,2277.html
Ok, I noticed something about northbridges and southbridges. I also noticed that the ASUS P7P55D PRO does not have a southbridge. If I got my facts right, that means I have no connectivity to the HDD. So, the MSI 790FX-GD70 looks to be the better choice, correct? Plus, the MSI 790FX-GD70 seems to have more features, so should I go with that one?
No, the Asus has a southbridge. :/ You might be thinking of the northbridge, and the reason it's not on the board is because it's integrated into the P55's CPU's. http://fastrackcomputing.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2656&stc=1&am p;d=1204891452 The MSI 790FX board is a good one. However, it may not be as user friendly as the Asus because MSI's customer support is not as great as either Asus' or Gigabyte's. Gigabyte would get a hearty recommendation from a lot of enthusiasts, because they're known for their quality and stability. As for 'features' , both the Asus and MSI are pretty jam packed with goodies. Do keep in mind that the 790FX will be replaced by the 890FX pretty soon. Not to knock the GD-70 though, because that's the board I own.
Ok, so if I got the Gigabyte P55 and an i7 CPU there would still be a southbridge? Just for the fact of the customer service, I think I'll go with that and the i7. Now, does it matter which one I get, or do I just pick the fastest one?
Yes, there'd be a southbridge. Don't worry about it, they're on every motherboard. Pairing an i7 CPU, like the i7 860 to a P55 board is only really necessary if you're doing a lot of multimedia encoding and productivity applications because the i7's have 'Hyperthreading.' Hyperthreading is not that useful for games though, so you're better off sticking with an i5-750. The money saved can go to a better GFX card. This would be a decent combo right here. http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.338965 When it comes time to buy, always be on the lookout for combo deals because they can save you a lot of money in the end.
Alright, I'll probably take that deal. Is 2.66 Ghz still good enough to play on high settings? What would be a good CPU that is 3.0 Ghz+? So this in combination with the HD 5870 would be good?
the GHz don't matter a ton its more about how good the actual CPU is and how it is integrated. You probably want the cheapest i7 because you could overclock (you shouldn't close yourself off to it). Playing on highest settings is something a $1000 or so rig will do for like 2 years. If I were you i'd go with the i7 for sure
Glock~ wrote on Sat, 06 February 2010 13:25 nikki6ixx wrote on Sat, 06 February 2010 13:05 I have a 4870, and it's a great card. But it's more or less gone from retail now and has been replaced by the 5770. For what you want, a 5850/5830 would be up your alley. If you're not planning to overclock, than I'd recommend the AMD Phenom 955/965 over the Intel i5 for the sheer GHz, and the reasonable cost. But, if you intend to OC, and get monster numbers, then the i5 is for you. I use an AMD system with a 955 for gaming, and it's still way overkill for my needs. As for your budget, it's huge. In fact, I think you can get a really awesome system for $1200, if not less, if you swing it. Heck, if you look around, you could add an SSD into the mix. My PC has two SSD's, and it's simply awesome. What's overclocking and what would I benefit from that? As for the 4870, which brand would be best? Sapphire is the cheapest one, but is cheap good, or am I losing quality? (SSnipe) -BLU3Y3Z- wrote on Sat, 06 February 2010 13:05 Artec 1200 full tower atx case...bets ever Yeah, I'm actually for a case like that. A black case with Blue LED's is kick ass. i OWN one and trust me the features, space, strength, fans, compatibility, water cooling capable, whole bakc area for all the wires, 12 bays, or 1 fan for 3 bays, lot of connections, fan filters to clean out the dust, side fan,top fan, psu on bottom of case,fans have low med high setting, reset button and front panel buttons, etc
Alright how about this cpu and this motherboard? Then the HD 5870 for a graphics card?
i personally wouldn't recommend an asus mobo (and i've been flamed for this before) since I know a decent number of people who have had to RMA them a few times before they got a working one. The boards good once they got a working one though.
Asus gets a bit of flack, but I think that's simply because they sell the most boards, and so with the sheer numbers of sales, comes a proportionate amount of problems. That Asus board is good, but keep in mind that it won't do SLI, if you ever decide you want to use nVidia in the future. Also, you might want to see if you can find a board with USB 3.0 and SATA 6G, and go with one of those if the cost isn't that much higher. I'm thinking that it might be a better bet to go with a 5850 instead of a 5870, because for your purposes, a 5870 will likely be overkill, and the 5850 will save you some coin. This review here, with gaming benchmarks will give you an idea on how the 5850 stands: http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/24095-xfx-radeon-h d-5850-1gb-gddr5-review.html
Well, then I'll get that board. But isn't Crossfire the exact same thing, just ATI instead? Wouldn't either do just fine? And yes, I'll go with the 5850 then. Also, should I get nVidia now? I just saw some post about how windows 7 drivers for ATI don't work
could always get a intel http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/index.htm?iid=subhdr+prod_boards
Sladewill wrote on Sun, 07 February 2010 17:09 could always get a intel http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/index.htm?iid=subhdr+prod_boards This seems like a good board. It has Crossfire/Sli support plus an i7 cpu in the combo. And holy shit, that board does look awesome. Max supported memory: 24GB LOL! I think I want that one! Seems a bit overkill so, should I get that combo I stated up there?
LOL NO WAY!!! Instead, maybe consider this combo as a start: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.339802 You'd then add a Phenom 955/965 to it, and go from there. My buddy has an older version of this board, and he absolutely loves it. He's in the same boat as you because he wasn't interested in OC'ing, and just wanted some awesome HD gaming. However, if you ever do decide to OC in the future, this board will handle it really well.
Alright then! I'll get the Phenom 965. I'm also going to add an extra two sticks of memory. Now, what's left to buy? I need a case, which I think I will get the one SSnipe suggested. Then how does two of those Spinpoint hard drives sound? Also what god damn power supply do I need? Is that it then?
Is there a reason for the extra memory? 4GB is more or less all you need. SSnipe's suggestion is in the top tier, and is really popular. However, the AZZA Solano you picked is also supposed to be really good for the price. The Spinpoint's are a good drive, and if you need two for storage, then you'll be real happy. Ok, for a power supply, I'd recommend this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&Tpk=corsair% 20750 So that's the: CPU MoBo RAM HD PSU Case Pick up a cheap DVD-Writer, and you should be golden. Just make sure your copy of Windows will let you do a full install. Be sure to post the total cost of the components before buying! I'd still recommend an SSD as a boot drive because it really makes a huge difference. I have my games on an SSD, and it's just awesome.
Well, my running total is about $1,000 so why not add 4GB? However, I think I'll take it off for a small-sized SSD. Which one should I get? Preferably around $200. Would this one do?
I'd roll with one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227461&cm_re=ocz_ag ility-_-20-227-461-_-Product You get the rebate, and OCZ's support for their drives is the tops compared to other brands. One word about claiming rebates: You gotta be on the ball with them. Make sure you print out the forms, and follow the instructions to a T. The forms should be found in the pages where you see the combo deals, and you should also be able to find them here: http://www.newegg.com/Special/Rebate.aspx?name=Rebate-Center OCZ's rebates can also be a bit of a pain, but you'll get your money eventually.
Alright, since the SSD is 2.5", do I need this adapter? Also, thank you so much for your help
No, not that sort of adapter. Lucky you asked, because that's completely different than what you'd need. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811995034&cm_re=ssd_mo unting_kit-_-11-995-034-_-Product My SSD's don't have an adapter, and I just leave them at the bottom of my case. There's no moving parts to worry about, so unless having the most organized case around is a big deal, you can likely do without a mounting kit. I should also mention that your CPU comes with a heatsink/fan. If you intend to OC, then you'll need to buy a third party heatsink because the one included won't likely handle the extra heat too well. If you do decide to OC in the future, you can take off the AMD heatsink, but you'll need to clean up the old thermal compound off really well. This is just something you should know for the future. No worries about the help. I got a huge amount of help from people here, and other places for my first, and second builds. Hopefully, you'll get some second opinions though. Homey is really good with this stuff.
Yes, I would like to have an organized case. So, just to be sure, this is all I need: Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W LIAN LI HD-520 Internal 2.5" HDD / SSD Mounting Kit AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition OCZ Agility Series OCZSSD2-1AGT60G HIS H585F1GDG Radeon HD 5850 GIGABYTE GA-790XTA-UD4 AM3 AMD 790X OCZ Gold 4GB Total: $1,163.93 + Shipping
Hmm, I just looked at the combo's for the case, and saw this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.326235 If you get the Antec 1200, and the Corsair PSU, it'd be the same price, BUT, you gotta deal with a rebate first. Antec's well known for their power supplies, so maybe go with that combo. Always be on the look-out for similar components and combo's that help you save on money. The less money you spend, means you get to buy more games, or sock some coin into the bank account.
Oh, nice. Thanks for the find. However, looks like I'll be getting it faster as a deal for graduation Thanks a LOT for your help. One more question though. How the fuck do I put it together? Will this guide suffice? I looked it over quick, but I just want to make sure. Also is any soldering involved?
Oh nice! Still, if you can shave off a couple dollars here and there, then go for it. I'm sure the parents will appreciate it. As for building it all, here's a good guide. http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/page-274745_13_0.html In all honesty though, it's not rocket science. Many things are either colour coded, or will only fit in a certain way. Just don't rush the job, and plan things out as you go, and it'll be fine. Also, static electricity is a problem for builds. If you're putting it together, don't wear socks, and if possible, work on a tile floor, or at least an area like your kitchen table where there's no carpet. Be sure to keep one hand on the case to discharge the static as you go. And no, no soldering is involved at all. It's all plug n' play!
Oh, shit. Ugh, I really hope I don't fuck it up. I'll definitely take it as slow as possible. I got a pretty big table that I should be able to lay all the parts out. Fuck, I forgot all about a CD drive lol! Which one would support 64-bit? I found one, but it didn't support 64-bit as said in a review, so what should I get? Also I need this version of Windows 7 right, not the upgrade?
Um, any DVD Writer should work with a 64-bit system. Anyhow, just roll with one of these. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204&cm_re=dvd_wr iter-_-27-135-204-_-Product Now, if you have the upgrade version of Win 7, you might be OK, because it seems people can get around the upgrade limitation. http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/10/27/clean-install-windows-7-with-upgrade-me dia-and-product-key-on-formatted-or-empty-blank-hard-drive/ I've never done this though, so I can't say it works. I'd research a bit and see. This is only worthwhile if you have a Win 7 upgrade disk. If you don't, then get this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754&cm_re=window s_7_oem-_-32-116-754-_-Product It's the full version, but much cheaper. The reason it's cheaper is because MS won't give you much support with this version. But really, you don't need that support if you know a thing or two about computers. If you can solve your problems through forums and Google, then you're fine.
Yeah, I got Windows 7 in download form through a student deal from my sister. What do you mean 'less support?' Will I still get updates and such? Could I also overwrite it with the download installer I bought?
Hmm, if it's a digital download, then you might be in a bit of a jam. Unless you mount and burn it to a DVD... and I'm not sure that'll work either. That'll have to be your call. Less support means that if something goes wrong, you can't really dial up MS and ask for tech support. You'll still get updates as per normal. Not a big deal anyways, because smart people get their help from Google and forums instead of waiting three hours to talk to John Bombay.
Alright, I guess I'll go with that then. Thanks for all the help, I can't wait to get it hooked up.
Alright, well after several tries to isntall the OS and getting the BSOD, I thought I'd post here. I've finally narrowed it down to one problem. I keep getting MEMORY_MANAGEMENT error, which I have figured out is to do with my ram. I have a 750w power supply, so I'm pretty sure power isn't the problem. I think the problem is that my RAM is crap. I tried changing slots, but the fucker won't go back in. Luckily, I only took one out. The reviews for the OCZ Gold aren't very good either, stating that it's very unstable. It doesn't list any specific problem, just MEMORY_MANAGEMENT & STOP: 0x0000001A. Is there any fix anyone can figure out?
First thing I'd do is to switch the sticks, and see if you get that error again. Memory should go in and out with no issue, and with very gentle force. Just make sure everything lines up. Hopefully that'll be what does it. Bad memory happens and I've had it before; sucks eh? However, I've used OCZ stuff myself, and didn't have an issue. If the install goes through with one stick, I'd contact newegg and see what they say. You might be able to RMA through them, or head to OCZ and see what they say. Here's OCZ's support: http://www.ocztechnology.com/support/ Keep updating here, and good luck.
Yeah, it doesn't go through with one stick, either. I did email someone on the OCZ forums, so if I don't get a reply I'll see what I can do. I should be having one of my mom's friends coming over to help me out one of these days, too. So, I'll see where I am after that. If he can't get anything to work, then I'll have to give OCZ a call. Thank you.
If you've gotten help from your friend, and it seems other solutions don't work and OCZ isn't too co-operative, be sure to leave negative feedback on Newegg. OCZ has reps who check that bad comments, and they may be a bit more, inclined to help. Really, good luck with this. I feel bad that you're having problems, especially on your first build, too.
May have already been mentioned, but... Instead of going for one, big, slow 1TB hard drive, why not go for two quick 500gb hard drives in a RAID0/1 array? (depending on speed or reliability you want) Not only will this increase read/write speeds (not physically), but it'll also be less weight for the motor to spin, which increases the lifetime of your drives. Plus if something goes horribly wrong (in a RAID1/5 arrays only) you can easily replace the drive and rebuild your data on it. The motherboard you've got (which is the model under the one i've just bought for an i7 machine) has a RAID controller instead of a Southbridge, which makes it fantastic for doing lots of things at once. It even supports multiple RAID arrays for that added durability. My configuration is two 200gb drives in a RAID0 array for speed with my OS on it and other programs that need to be accessed quickly, and two 750gb drives in a RAID1 array for data that i don't really want to loose. Bare in mind when using RAID systems though, RAID is not recognised by the OS as individual drives. In a RAID0 array (using mine as an example), two 200gb drives will show in the OS as one 400gb drive, whereas two 750gb drives in RAID1 does not show as 1.5tb of drive space, but only 750gb. RAID1 is a mirror RAID method which will write data to one drive, and copy it to the other, so if one fails you have the other to rely on. RAID0 on the other hand will write data to both drives depending on the byte size you define in the RAID setup. The only negative to this is if you loose one drive due to drive failure, you've lost all the data on that drive and it cannot be rebuilt. In short: Go for RAID arrays with multiple drives for speed, instead of space with one drive which is slow.
nikki6ixx wrote on Mon, 22 February 2010 00:11 If you've gotten help from your friend, and it seems other solutions don't work and OCZ isn't too co-operative, be sure to leave negative feedback on Newegg. OCZ has reps who check that bad comments, and they may be a bit more, inclined to help. Really, good luck with this. I feel bad that you're having problems, especially on your first build, too. Yeah, I've noticed that they do that lol. I'll still haven't gotten a reply, so I'll go and do that. BSOD after BSOD is really discouraging. @Zion Thanks for the tips, but I already bought everything, so there's not much I can do about it. I'll keep that in mind when I'm looking for more drives, though.
Maybe give them a call on their 1-800 number, and see if that will net you any help. Also, check their forums, and search for this error, and your modules, and see if anything comes up. Their memory section is actively staffed and moderated, so if you give them all the details, you should get help there. Edit: I quickly poked around, and you'll probably have better luck just searching for 'MEMORY MANAGEMENT' without the numbers.
Yeah, my mom's friend came over and we have found the problem. Turns out only ONE STICK was bad. So, I'm able to load the OS and everything. I just need to get a replacement and it'll be fine! EDIT: How the fuck do I connect to a wireless connection? I went to connect to network, but it doesn't give me a list of networks. My mobo is able to connect wirelessly right? Also, the 1tb hdd isnt showing up. It detects it on startup (it shows all the drives connected) but it doesn't show up in My Computer. It also showed it as an option to install Windows. I loaded up Crysis and I'm getting extreme screen tearing while watching the intro. I also just plugged in my headphones and theres a high-pitched whining. It only happens in the front headphone port. I also don't think I'm getting any audio. Soundtest works fine, and audio settings in the game are all the way up, but it's silent. I installed the ATI and mobo driver discs!
Well that's a bit of a relief about the RAM. Just stay on top of OCZ about it, and you should get the stick(s) exchanged. As for your HD, see if it appears in Disk Management. Simply put: diskmgmt.msc ...into the search bar in the Start menu, and then click the utility that pops up. You should find it in there, and be able to format it to NTFS, and/or assign a drive letter. I'm assuming Crysis is tearing because VSync is off. That'd be the first thing I'd check. Also, did you use the ATI drivers off of the CD, or did you download them? If you used the CD, I'd recommend uninstalling those drivers, and getting the latest ones from ATI: http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=win7/windows-7-64bit The audio hiss might just because the Realtek utility has the volume set very high. Providing you've installed the utility on your motherboard's driver disk, it should be accessible in the taskbar button at the bottom right. It'll look like either an orange speaker or a blue crab like thing. Play around with it and see what happens.
Alright, well what about connecting to the internet? I've tried connecting but it wants me to setup a connection using a user name and password. It gives me no list of networks. Also, where do I enable Vsync?
Well, I'm assuming VSync is an option in Crysis' menu. :/ Quote: Vertical Sync: Just a note that VSync is disabled by default in Crysis, and this provides the best performance. However if you wish to enable it, either force it via your graphics card's control panel, or use the r_Vsync console command. Note that if you do enable VSync using either method, I strongly recommend also enabling Triple Buffering using the d3d9_TripleBuffering setting, or if using DX10, via one of the tools in the Triple Buffering link just above. Update: As of the 1.1 Patch, Crysis now has an in-game VSync option to control Vertical Sync. This controls whether VSync is enabled (ticked) or not (unticked), whether in DX9 or DX10 mode. http://www.tweakguides.com/Crysis_5.html Unfortunately, I can't help with the wireless network thing. I'll try and dig out my wireless USB dongle later and see if I can figure out what you're coming up against.
Alright, thank you EDIT: Are you sure my mobo has a built-in wireless card? Windows 7 seems to think it doesn't, and the Gigabyte website says nothing about one in the specifications. Also, I've got the BSOD during Crysis twice. The last error was page_fault_in_nonpaged_area, I think. Also, Renegade crashes whenever I start a game
As a standard your motherboard does not contain any wireless chipsets for wireless connectivity. If you want to connect to a wireless network you need a Wireless Internet Dongal (either 3G or similar phone services or 802.11b/g/n) or a Wireless Addin Card, which is usually PCI (or PCI-E x1) as standard. What i think you're trying to describe is you're trying to connect to a dialup or PPPoE network connection. This is the popup window requiring you to supply a username or password. Your motherboard is a Gigabit LAN port at the back (it's fairly large, and should have 8 gold pins inside it). This is used to connect to the internet with an Ethernet modem or router. If you have a personal home network going through a router in your home (assuming you do based off you trying to connect wirelessly), you need to connect it in with an 8P8C Ethernet Cable (sometimes known as CAT5e or CAT6). This is what you'll need to connect to the internet.
Zion, you big furry! Jeeze, stop going away and just stay already!
I am Reborn, forever and always. Are we celebrating it's 8th year this Friday? ^^
Glock~ wrote on Mon, 22 February 2010 20:01 EDIT: Are you sure my mobo has a built-in wireless card? Windows 7 seems to think it doesn't, and the Gigabyte website says nothing about one in the specifications. Oh, I don't recall you asking in this thread that the board have wireless. :/ Also, you'd be a bit hard pressed to find a board with wireless built in, anyways. You'd have to buy a wireless PCI/PCIe card or USB dongle for that. Glock~ wrote on Mon, 22 February 2010 20:01 Also, I've got the BSOD during Crysis twice. The last error was page_fault_in_nonpaged_area, I think. Also, Renegade crashes whenever I start a game Hmm, I'd consider downloading an ISO of MemTest, and burning it to a CD. Then head into the BIOS, and set your PC to boot from the CD/DVD drive. Exit the BIOS, saving the new setting, and then when your PC is restarting, fire the CD in there and have MemTest do its thing. You'll likely have to let it run for a while for it to detect errors. This will let you see if that 'working' module is any good at all. Seems like this may be similar to your issues: http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/Blue-Screen-Death-happens-to-me-when-playing-Crys is-t179299.html You may need to set compatability settings for Renegade. I think that's what I had to do.
Well, damn, I could have sworn I saw it had a WLAN before. I'll be checking into a dongle then. What exactly should I be looking for? I see that my Crysis problems is due to faulty memory. Well, I have to send my sticks in anyways, so I'll be trying to do that today or tomorrow. Sorry for the endless questions, but how do I set compatibility settings for Renegade?
I think you head into the directory for Renegade, and right click the .EXE. The menu that pops up should offer a 'Compatability' option in the first couple of options. Chances are, setting it to run on XP Service Pack 3 might be what does the trick. I think that's what mine is on. If you're looking for a card/dongle, always check the deals newegg has. Often you can find some good prices. I have a USB dongle, but it's a bit shitty for some reason. Maybe a card might be a better option for better signal, but I don't know for sure. That really sucks about the RAM. I feel like a total dick for recommending OCZ. Hopefully their customer service will come through. Chances are, they'll be sending a similar pair of sticks, so you may not be out of the woods yet. Fingers crossed though.
Alright, I was also considering getting a 100ft ethernet cable, but people might get drunk and trip over it lol. So, I'll keep my eye out for one. What kind do I get if it's an internal card? Something like this? Don't worry about it, it's not your fault. I actually have to send it through Newegg, so who knows how long it will take to get it back up and running.
Glock~ wrote on Tue, 23 February 2010 17:25 Alright, I was also considering getting a 100ft ethernet cable, but people might get drunk and trip over it lol. So, I'll keep my eye out for one. What kind do I get if it's an internal card? Something like this? That's for laptops. I'm thinking more along the lines of something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320048&cm_re=wirele ss_pcie-_-33-320-048-_-Product You'll want to use one that will work well with your router's frequency.
Yeah, that one will work perfectly. Although, $40 is a bit too much, so I think I'll just go with a 100ft ethernet cable. Thanks for your help!
Glock~ wrote on Tue, 23 February 2010 18:01 Yeah, that one will work perfectly. Although, $40 is a bit too much, so I think I'll just go with a 100ft ethernet cable. Thanks for your help! Would 100 feet of Ethernet cable even carry a signal from a router to a PC? :/
Google results seem to think so. Even if I run into problems, I found one for only $9. Just to be sure, it is the correct type of cord, right? I swear this is my last question
Glock~ wrote on Tue, 23 February 2010 22:06 Google results seem to think so. Even if I run into problems, I found one for only $9. Just to be sure, it is the correct type of cord, right? I swear this is my last question Yeah that's the correct cable. I'd be frightened to walk at night with that on the floor, though. No worries about the questions; I'm always picking up ideas and learning stuff from them anyways. Just be sure to update every so often about how things are going, especially with the RAM problem.
Lol, I feel like I've asked a billion questions. But yeah, I'll definitely update once in awhile.
nikki6ixx wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 00:43 Would 100 feet of Ethernet cable even carry a signal from a router to a PC? :/ Of course. My school network has reels of 1000ft CAT5e which is used all across the network, between switches and the main database, to ports in trunking for the computer. Larger networks have to travel ever more distance, although sometimes the opt for fiber instead of copper. Personally i think 100ft is way too long if you just want to go up to a bedroom in a two story house. You should be looking at at least 25/50ft to get that far, of course compensating for router and machine placement. If you want to go for wireless, go for a card, not USB. Unless your board supports USB 3.0 and the dongal supports USB 3.0, it'll just bottleneck your connection.
Zion wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 01:13 nikki6ixx wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 00:43 Would 100 feet of Ethernet cable even carry a signal from a router to a PC? :/ Of course. My school network has reels of 1000ft CAT5e which is used all across the network, between switches and the main database, to ports in trunking for the computer. Larger networks have to travel ever more distance, although sometimes the opt for fiber instead of copper. I always figured that the hardware used in those sorts of applications may have pumped out a more powerful signal than a regular consumer model, hence they could send a signal further. But I'm used to being wrong when it comes to this stuff.
Double post, and this is for Glock to check out. Now that you got your PC up and running, you need to tweak it for that fast new SSD of yours. Windows 7 has some features that will help maintain your SSD's speed, but you need to do some tweaks yourself. Here's a good guide. http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1661 Just make sure you thoroughly read the instructions, and know what you're doing exactly. I'd ignore disabling the Pagefile right now, because you're a little short in the RAM department. Once your PC has 4GB, and is all up and running, you can then set it to something small, like 128MB, or turn it off.
Zion wrote on Tue, 23 February 2010 12:58 I am Reborn, forever and always. Are we celebrating it's 8th year this Friday? ^^ Only if you promise to wear your tail!
reborn wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 10:05 Only if you promise to wear your tail! Granted. ^^
nikki6ixx wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 01:53 Double post, and this is for Glock to check out. Now that you got your PC up and running, you need to tweak it for that fast new SSD of yours. Windows 7 has some features that will help maintain your SSD's speed, but you need to do some tweaks yourself. Here's a good guide. http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1661 Just make sure you thoroughly read the instructions, and know what you're doing exactly. I'd ignore disabling the Pagefile right now, because you're a little short in the RAM department. Once your PC has 4GB, and is all up and running, you can then set it to something small, like 128MB, or turn it off. Oh, nice. I'll take a look at that once I get my sticks back.
I'd recommend at least disabling automated defragmentation, and a couple others. Defrag is murder on SSD's and can shorten their life and use very quickly.
nikki6ixx wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 13:12 I'd recommend at least disabling automated defragmentation, and a couple others. Defrag is murder on SSD's and can shorten their life and use very quickly. Wow, then that will be the FIRST thing I do when I get my PC back.
Alright! I got my RAM back and got it installed. I installed the WLAN adapter and everything is working GREAT! Many, many thanks to all of you who helped me. I couldn't have possibly done it without you guys. Also, just to be sure, I need to purchase a sound card to get surround sound, correct? I ask this because I'm not getting sound out of the center and rear speakers, so this was the first thing that came to mind.
No, the motherboard is equipped with surround sound. You might just need to fiddle with the Realtek program to get your sound working properly. :/
nikki6ixx wrote on Tue, 09 March 2010 00:52 No, the motherboard is equipped with surround sound. You might just need to fiddle with the Realtek program to get your sound working properly. :/ Oh ok. See, I was getting a little confused since it had the outputs, but no sound. I'll keep trying the settings then.
Glock~ wrote on Tue, 09 March 2010 02:03 nikki6ixx wrote on Tue, 09 March 2010 00:52 No, the motherboard is equipped with surround sound. You might just need to fiddle with the Realtek program to get your sound working properly. :/ Oh ok. See, I was getting a little confused since it had the outputs, but no sound. I'll keep trying the settings then. Try clicking the black input in realtek and selecting rear speakers. I think black is rear (sleepy so correct me if it's center/sub). Anyways it should be in there and you just have to select the right one if that's the issue. P.S. Pics or it never happened!
I'll try that one out. And yes, I didn't forget about pictures! I have them saved to my comp, but they are WAY to big to upload, so I'll get them on my lappy tomorrow and scale them down.
Oh dear. I feel retarded. I totally forgot to plug the cables from my computer into my sub (the central hub for all the speakers). I looked back there and the plugs were dangling right out the back. LOL! At least there was nothing wrong with it. And, without further a adieu, I give pictures, glorious pictures! As you can see, I'm not quite up to speed in cable management, but everything is mostly clear of the hardware. I accidentally took out the noise dampeners (didn't realize what they were at the time lol.) out of where the SSD is currently sitting. I need to get them back one of these days lol. Toggle Spoiler Toggle Spoiler Toggle Spoiler Toggle Spoiler
Yuck, stock cooling. Cables could do with looking tidier, but other than that, it's pretty cool. Good job. ^^
Zion wrote on Wed, 10 March 2010 01:17 Yuck, stock cooling. Cables could do with looking tidier, but other than that, it's pretty cool. Good job. ^^ Lol don't hate! This is my first rig after all. Since you mentioned it, what type of cooling do you prefer, that would fit my right, of course. I am planning to do the cables one of these days, I just can't keep myself out of my video games. Plus I just got BC2, so who knows how long it will be. I'm pretty proud of myself.
Cable management is overrated. It takes quality time away from what's important, like kicking ass in Arkham Asylum.
Clearing the cables out the way actually increases performance because it will increase the airflow inside the case, which will keep your parts cooler. So you can play that stupid Batman game for longer. The cooler i have is this, and it's currently fanless and after playing Second Life (Ultra Graphics settings, 1920x1080, AAx4, ASx16) for 5 hours, still keeps the CPU temperature below 40 degrees C. It can take two 140mm fans too, if you really want. 'Tis a bit fiddly to install, and you may need a hole in the motherboard tray to fit the backplate, so it's not for beginners.
Lol, yeah I think I'll just stick with fans then. Maybe I'll tackle that later. I'm still able to install two fans, so I'll just stick to that for now.
Looks good man, like others have said you can tuck the cables away and use zip-ties for that. I'd replace the stock heatsink if you plan on overclocking the CPU. Other than that, glad it's working. (I want a monitor pic as well )
I have stock cooler and keeping my pc running 24/7 for months now, using it during night to encode videos, during day to play games and other stuff, and sometimes keeping the Boinc client running for the whole night using 100% cpu for hours and never had a single overheating problem. The only thing you have to remember is to connect the fans, you don't really need to spend money for additional coolers/heatsinks
Cunin wrote on Wed, 10 March 2010 20:31 The only thing you have to remember is to connect the fans, you don't really need to spend money for additional coolers/heatsinks Not always true. This is totally dependent on the specific CPU and the model. Try running an i7 920 at full load 24/7 on the stock cooler. And of course, any overclocking makes good use of an aftermarket cooler. Most dual core CPU's at stock settings are just fine though.
Yeah, I'm not doing any OC'ing, but here's the picture just for you Homey. I am going to pick up a full HD monitor one of these days so it's still not complete! You can also see my shitty desk. It's a part of a bunkbed lol. That's another thing I need to add to the list. Hey, by the way, Sapphire put out a 2nd gen 5850. That will still work with my current one right? Toggle Spoiler
Same link, but yeah it won't be a problem.
Homey wrote on Thu, 11 March 2010 15:25 Same link, but yeah it won't be a problem. Oh crap, sorry. THIS one is my current card.
I don't know much about computers but from what I've seen as self built computers in the past (13 to be exact) this is the best one I've ever even seen not to mention coolest looking. Glock~ wrote on Thu, 11 March 2010 16:31 Oh crap, sorry. THIS one is my current card. Just out of curiosity... how much was that card?
Glock~ wrote on Thu, 11 March 2010 16:31 Homey wrote on Thu, 11 March 2010 15:25 Same link, but yeah it won't be a problem. Oh crap, sorry. THIS one is my current card. Wait, you're not already looking to Crossfire two 5850's?... :/
@Zeratul: Thanks for the compliment And the card was $300 when I bought it, but now, as you can see, it's unavailable, at least on Newegg. The 2nd gen is out though, which is in the link above. @nikki: What do you mean?