The Build Your Own Desktop Starter Thread - Page 2 - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

kutulu · 04-29-2009, 08:13 AM

It's amazing how much a difference a good heat sink can make. I got mine in the mail yesterday and there is about a 20 C drop in temperature at full load.

biznatch · 04-30-2009, 07:04 PM

Question: how does this Quad-core stack up against this Dual Core, in terms of games?

Frosstbyte · 04-30-2009, 08:14 PM

For this very moment, higher speed dual core is better than lower speed quad core. Most games aren't really programming to use quad cores right now, but I'd imagine that will change as more cores become more prevalent.

Radio Monk33 · 04-30-2009, 10:23 PM

biznatch: the dual vs quad core debate has been around for a long time. Generally speaking, higher clocked 2's are better than lower clocked quads. With the exception of a few newer games. Some believe quads are more future proof..others say theres no such thing as future proof and point out the slow pace of adoption of software utilizing multi-cores.

I say split the difference and get an AMD tri-core that is somewhere in between obviously; more cores, higher clock speed.

But if you're stuck to Intel, the 8400 is generally known as better value than the 8500.

biznatch · 05-02-2009, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio Monk33

biznatch: the dual vs quad core debate has been around for a long time. Generally speaking, higher clocked 2's are better than lower clocked quads. With the exception of a few newer games. Some believe quads are more future proof..others say theres no such thing as future proof and point out the slow pace of adoption of software utilizing multi-cores.

I say split the difference and get an AMD tri-core that is somewhere in between obviously; more cores, higher clock speed.

But if you're stuck to Intel, the 8400 is generally known as better value than the 8500.

In my setup right now I have the 8500 Wolfsdale, 3.16GHz, but what I want is better performance. The 8500 does perform better than the 8400, right? Or are they fucking with numbers again, and making things senseless?

Frosstbyte · 05-02-2009, 10:35 AM

For games, the higher clock speed 8400 performs better than the lower clock speed 8500.

He said it's a better value because if you can afford an equal clock speed quad core, of course that will give you better performance.

Radio Monk33 · 05-02-2009, 02:39 PM

Whoops, forgive my mistake/sloppiness. When I was referring to the 8400 I was thinking of the E8400 C2D not the Q4D--this processor seems to be the value gamers part of choice up til the Phenom 2's arrived.

As for the 2.66 Quad, you're obviously never gonna reach the OC of the 3.16 for those games that rely purely on clock speed. I'd call it a toss-up as to what is the better CPU depending on your usage characteristics. If you already have the 8500 I wouldn't bother upgrading for another year or two when there's a more compelling argument to add more cores. As it is, it seems the software hasn't caught up to the hardware capabitilies (CPU-wise) if you ask me. Save your cash for more RAM or a higher end GPU.

denton · 05-03-2009, 05:35 PM

I just built my first pc last weekend (re-using old case, monitor, etc. for now)
Used for web, medium gaming, word processing, movies/music,...possibly audio recording when I get to it.
Here is what I got, all from Newegg:
ASRock A780GMH/128M AM2+/AM3 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard $69.99
AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 Kuma 2.7GHz AM2+ 95W Dual-Core Black Edition CPU $59.99+$7.59 s/h
OCZ 4GB (2x2GB)240-pin DDR2 SDRAM 1066 (PC2 8500)Dual Channel mem. $47.99
Corsair CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V Power Supply $74.99
Sapphire Radeon ATI HD4830 512Mb Graphics Card $84.99
Total shipped $345.54
I'm very happy with it so far, only game I've played yet is Oblivion IV. Graphics turned up to max on most things and medium on a few others. Very COOL!

About a month ago I had my heart set on a 4800 series ATI card but forgot that my outdated mobo was PCI only!
So I settled for a PCI Radeon HD2400 and 1Gb RAM upgrade. Played Oblivion IV for 3 days(lightly choppy but vastly superior to my nvidia FX5200 which couldn't even play the game) Then the computer was just dead when I woke up one day. I was quite distraught but decided to go and try a first build.
Now I end up with the card I originally wanted, so it worked out.

Thought I would mention the couple of hitches I encountered for those contemplating a 1st build to consider:
-Removing screws for old mobo and the last one is not a screw, it's like a thing that must be crimped from 4 sides in order to remove. As if a special tool would be needed. And it was a very tough location to reach! Tools needed: needle nose pliers.
-Case fan hookup on new mobo in different location. Old case fan wire wouldn't reach it. Had to splice in some wire to get it to reach (temporary fix). Tools needed: elec. tape, wire strippers (or teeth).
-4 days after having it up and internet ready, it just wouldn't access the net anymore! I spent an hour with DSL customer service (not to mention several hours of my own fumble-fucking around with network connections), they said it was connected and my computer was at fault. The next day after another hour on the phone we discovered that my DSL modem has an internal password and it had somehow reset itself. Oh RLY?

Sorry for the lengthy post, I don't post very often.

biznatch · 05-05-2009, 12:31 PM

Hey guys, finally, I ordered my PC. I would post that in the thread I started about it, but this one seems more current, and it's not a bad idea to have a mega thread for desktop building anyway.
Since it is my first build, I will probably run into a couple problems. Currently I don't yet have a tracking number, so I have no idea when it'll be here. But I think I'll be asking questions here as soon as I get it, at least for stuff google can't answer. The thing I'm most intimidated by is putting processor in place. I'll try and keep a cool head.
Goddammit, I can't wait! Final build is here:

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

$54.95

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8500 - Retail

$184.99

Logitech 967740-0403 Black USB Standard Internet 350 USB Keyboard - OEM
Item #: N82E16823126012

$9.25

Sony Optiarc 24X DVD/CD Rewritable Drive Black SATA Model AD-7240S-0B - OEM
Item #: N82E16827118030

$23.99

XFX PVT98WYDFH GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814150314

$134.99

Thermaltake TR2 W0070RUC 430W ATX12V Power Supply - Retail
Item #: N82E16817153023

$35.99

Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - OEM
Item #: N82E16822136098

$49.99

ASUS P5Q SE PLUS LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813131347

$96.99

Rosewill RFA-120-BL 120mm 4 Blue LEDs LED Case Fan - Retail
Item #: N82E16835200049

$4.99

Crucial Ballistix 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT25664AA80A - Retail
Item #: N82E16820148212

Nvidia Gift Call of duty - World at war - OEM
Item #: N82E16800999088

Total, including shipping, amounts to about $660. Now pray that everything works.

crazybobmarley · 05-07-2009, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biznatch

......The thing I'm most intimidated by is putting processor in place.

The actual physical labor involved in this nowadays is probably the easiest part. There's no longer motherboard jumpers to set, at least for fsb and multiplier, nor do hdd's have them anymore.

They've even changed the brackets on the heatsinks so you no longer have to use a screwdriver or other nasty sharp object close to fragile silicone (Assuming you're using the OEM Heatsink, but most 3rd Party ones provide the same funtionality.)

All of these components are keyed to only fit the correct way, so the most important information I can give you is....

If it doesn't go in easily, it ain't meant to go in that way

Frosstbyte · 05-07-2009, 05:21 PM

There are two times when you'll be forced to push something uncomfortably hard to put a computer together. The first is when you're putting RAM in. I always feel like I'm going to snap something for how hard I have to push to get the damn thing to click in and set. The second is (depending on the processor and mobo design) securing the processor in place with the little lever apparatus that you use to lock it down.

There are a ZILLION online guides for building computers, many of them with very clear pictures accompanying the instructions. I used 3 or 4 in parallel along with the instruction manuals for my parts when I put my computer together. It was very smooth.

Be patient, be gentle but be firm if you need to because, occasionally, you do.

biznatch · 05-08-2009, 08:17 AM

Well, I had meant to take pics and document the process as I went, but as you can imagine, after weeks of careful planning, when I got my boxes yesterday, I just pushed everything off my desk and tore those boxes open.
After about 6 hours of careful reading, cross checking 3 different manuals (case, mobo, PSU), moving things around so they fit better (my CD and HDD had to be close together since their SATA power connectors were so darn close. Making sure I don't need to fuck with jumpers was stressful too, I'm glad I don't have IDE drives though.

When I put in the GPU (which is huge), I almost shit my pants. Seems like PCIe cards "snap" into place with a lever kind of thing...I definitely don't remember that with my old AGP. This one made a really loud noise whem I pushed it in, my first thought was that I cracked the mobo, or the GPU.
Anyway, booted to BIOS, glad I didn't need to RMA anything. It's still one 2 gigs of ram until I figure out what I wanna install first. Probably Vista 64bit. Also, anyone aware of any problems with dual booting the new Windows 7 release candidate and Vista?

biznatch · 05-08-2009, 10:29 AM

Windows 7 is on it, now. Had nothing else to install, except for ubuntu, but I couldn't wait to install Left 4 Dead on this beast.
Windows 7 instantly recognized my 5-6 year old wireless PCI card, so that's good, and I am now posting from it.
For a build that was started late last night, I gotta say I'm pretty impressed with myself, and there is indeed nothing more gratifying than watching your machine run smoothly.

Next steps: install drivers for GPU, run windows update, and then clean up the mess I made while building this.

Radio Monk33 · 05-10-2009, 03:50 PM

Hey guys first time builder here..

Would love to see some feedback/compatibility check before I pull the trigger on this build:

Case: Cool, simple, roomy and cheap from a good brand.
Canadian Prices: Cooler Master - Cooler Master Centurion 5 - Blue ATX Mid-Tower Case with... - CACT05UB
Cooler Master Centurion 5 - Blue ATX Mid-Tower Case with Front USB, Firewire and Audio Ports
54$

Mobo: Crossfire, AM3 support, cheap DDR2 ram
Canadian Prices: Gigabyte - Gigabyte MA790GP-UD4H AMD790GX ATX AM2+/AM3 Sideport 2PCI-E Sound... - GAMA790GPUD4H
Gigabyte MA790GP-UD4H AMD790GX ATX AM2+/AM3 Sideport 2PCI-E Sound GBLAN HDMI CrossFireX Motherboard (GA-MA790GP-UD4H)
$144 after 10 rebate

Power supply: Cheap and modular for cable mgmt
Canadian Prices: OCZ - OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W Power Supply (OCZ700MXSP) - OCZ700MXSP
700W OCZ power supply
70$ after 30 rebate

or

Power supply: More expensive, but higher quality.
Canadian Prices: PC Power & Cooling - PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad Crossfire 750W ATX... - S75CF
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad CrossFire 750W ATX V2.2 EPS12 24PIN Active PFC Power Supply Red
100$ after 20 rebate

CPU: Gaming, overclocking value.
Canadian Prices: AMD - AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition Triple Core 2.8GHz 1.5MB L1 Cache... - HDZ720WFGIBOX
AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition Triple Core 2.8GHz 1.5MB L1 Cache 6MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95Watt 45nm - Retail
$170

DVD drive: lightscribe for ~2$, why not.
Samsung SH-S223Q/BEBS 22X DVD+-RW SATA DVD Writer Black Lightscribe OEM
NCIX.com - Buy Samsung SH-S223Q/BEBS 22X DVD+-RW SATA DVD Writer Black Lightscribe OEM - SH-S223Q/BEBS In Canada.
30$

(I have some plain 4gb ram, a 500gb hard drive...and would budget 100-150$ on a gpu though that build should work with an integrated gpu on the mobo).

crazybobmarley · 05-14-2009, 02:47 PM

That's a great mobo, I built my friends with that but the non crossfire model.

If you don't need crossfire I'd imagine that the model without it is cheaper, and you don't unless you plan on playing on a very large monitor at very high resolutions (Plus with a 150 dollar budget for video you're not going to be able to get 2 cards anyways, unless you're thinking of expanding in the future).

I'm a little confused at the Integrated GPU comment, you're listing the CPU as gaming/overclocking. There is no Integrated GPU on the market that you'll be happy gaming with, and this motherboard also doesn't have one.

Case is really nothing but aesthetic preference, but my recommendation is earlier in this thread.

Deltona Couple · 05-18-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Then we move on to the motherboard, which requires that you know what kind of processor goes with a given motherboard. Above with my gaming rig, I chose the Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8GHz processor, which means you need a motherboard that has a "socket 775" interface for the Intel CPU I chose. The second consideration when choosing a motherboard is how big you want it. I'm partial to MicroATX, as it's a bit smaller but is still able to pack quite a punch, but you can choose what you want. Just bear in mind this will affect which case you'll eventually need.

You'll be needing memory for your computer, so once you've chosen your motherboard, check that motherboard to see what kind of RAM it takes. If the RAM it needs is a bit too slow for your tastes, you may want to pick a better motherboard. The motherboard I chose for my gaming rig requires DDR 2 PC6400 RAM, and can go up to 8GB, though as I understand it that would be useless in a 32 bit system. If you're just doing the bare minimum or normal computing, you really only need maybe 1.5-2GHz of RAM. More powerful computers, however, will require more RAM. For gaming, this means you really should have 4GB. Don't worry, RAM prices have dropped quite a bit (unless you want something brand new like DDR3 1066MHz RAM, which is still very expensive).

If you look specifically at the items in colour, you will notice that you have mentioned a duo core processor, which is the processor required for 64 bit software, so if you install Windows 7 or Vista in the 64 bit configuration, then the extra memory would be just fine.

Other than that, your write up and research is spot on. I am looking forward to seeing your new rig and finding out how it performs. I have been building PCs since their inception. My first one was a 286 SX 16 Mhz, with 1 mb of ram, and a 40 mb hard drive.....so if you look at the specs, it has been a while since my first one. Since then I have NEVER bought a pre-made computer. I have always built them by hand, and in the older days changed the jumpers and created liquid cooling systems to over clock for fun. I can remember the first time I made my old 66 mhz computer run a full 30 minutes at 160 mhz before the magic smoke came out.....ahh the good old days. lol.

Willravel · 05-18-2009, 09:01 AM

Oh, I'm used to thinking of it in terms of XP. Not to derail, but what are your thoughts on Windows 7?

It's going to be strange not to have a piece of fruit adoring my computer. Maybe I'll give OSx86 a shot.

Redjake · 05-18-2009, 05:13 PM

Windows 7 is the shit.

biznatch · 05-18-2009, 06:21 PM

Windows 7 is indeed the shit, IMO. Haven't has a single problem with it, the current RC really seems very stable. And it looks amazing, and is easier to interact with, IMO.

Deltona Couple · 05-20-2009, 10:33 AM

I too have heard nothing but good comments on Windows 7. I am interested in getting the RC of it, but I have yet to find a place to download it!

Radio Monk33 · 05-20-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deltona Couple

I too have heard nothing but good comments on Windows 7. I am interested in getting the RC of it, but I have yet to find a place to download it!

Microsoft is offering the ISO and keys for downloading! I have to admit that I haven't installed mine yet, but I hear nothing but good things about it.

denton · 05-20-2009, 11:25 PM

I just downloaded Windows 7 RC from Microsoft the other day. It is very cool, too bad my crappy Lexmark x85 printer/scanner hasn't the drivers for it (or Ubuntu, or XP 64). I was real excited about using it for awhile. I know--I should just buy a new printer. (everything has to be so difficult!)
Screw you, Lexmark!

Radio Monk33 · 05-21-2009, 12:38 PM

I just ordered a bunch of parts!

AMD Phenom II 720 BE
Asus M4something AM2+/3 DDR2 Mobo
Seasonic SSHT 650w
Ati 4850 (115$ after 20 rebate)

For 500$ Canadian...or I guess 420-450 US. Planning on getting a Cooler Master 690 Case to finish it off..

biznatch · 05-21-2009, 02:16 PM

In terms of cases, I haven't tried many, but I definitely love the Antec 300. Very nice design, with lots of thoughtful additions: a cable compartments for tucking them in, the handy fan cages in the front, just about everything just felt right when putting this PC together.
If I had a bigger budget, though, I would have liked to get something with a couple 25cm fans. Nice, cool and quiet.

denton · 05-24-2009, 07:59 PM

Just got the Antec 900 last week from Newegg for $109 shipped, very nice case. It's the only case I've ever bought so I don't have much to compare with--but I really like it. I have an Arctic Cooler 64 Pro coming Thursday to try and cool this processor down some more. For some reason I have become obsessed with CPU and case temps.

Radio Monk33 · 05-25-2009, 03:35 PM

All my parts are in! Time to finally start this project after maybe a year of looking around at parts.

Any particular online guides or quick personal tips for a first time builder?

Willravel · 05-25-2009, 03:38 PM

Don't forget the spacers! Like MikeSty said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeSty

Make sure you put the spacers on the case before you screw down the motherboard or else you will short out the motherboard.

Frosstbyte · 05-26-2009, 01:04 AM

I used this as a guide:

Lifehacker - The First-Timer's Guide to Building a Computer from Scratch - Hardware Installation

I also used another site that I'm looking for but can't find. The manuals that came with your components-especially for case and motherboard-will also serve as a good guide when the online ones aren't quite cutting it. I'll keep looking for you, though.

Edit: Found one of the guides I liked from Maximum PC.

You can find the simpler, quicker guide here: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fea..._pc?page=0%2C1

You can find a newer and more thorough guide here: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fea...ide?page=0%2C9

kutulu · 05-26-2009, 12:54 PM

Aside from Willravel's comment about the spacers, just start plugging things in. Each cord only fits in one plugin. It you have to force it, it doesn't belong there.

Radio Monk33 · 05-27-2009, 08:41 AM

Well I'm up to my arms in power cables. Feeling not bad so far, but still abit overwhelmed.

-Case is all set up, got the DVD drive in and hooked up SATA and power.
-PSU mounted
-Brass standoffs mounted and motherboard installed, IO shield grudgingly mounted.
-CPU and heatsink mounted without any problems at all YAY! CPU fan hooked up
-Hard Drive mounted, power and SATA connected
-RAM installed
-(just gonna use the IGP gpu right now to limit possible issues while building)
-USB and firewire connections to front panel
-Rear chassis fan (3 pin?) hooked up to MOBO
-Front chassis fan 3 pin hooked up to MOBO
-20? 24? pin main power to MOBO hooked up. However, there is also a 4 pin sort of plug off in another corner of the MOBO, I've heard that I should not plug in both..can I get confirmation?

What's left to do:
-There is a side fan, but only has molex connection..uh I guess this goes to the PSU?
-A couple of lose case cables that I don't recognize. AC97? HD audio?
-Gotta connect some light led's, sound etc to the MOBO but Asus provides a nice plastic piece that seems to hold the lose 1 pin cables.
-I don't seem to have a power supply fan cable to connect my PSU to the mobo? What's up with that?
-Side fan with a molex...no way to connect to motherboard, does this go right to the PSU?

Would love to hear any thoughts or advice as I try to complete..

Willravel · 05-27-2009, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kutulu

It you have to force it, it doesn't belong there.

That's what she sai.... nevermind.

RadioMonk, that sounds great. I don't have any specific advice, but I'd love to see maybe a pic or some tests when you've got it done.

ExtremeTech just released their <$800 gaming rig specs for 2009 and they're really good. The competition in the CPU and GPU markets are really driving prices dow, which means this year's rig is much faster than last year's. The specs are as follows:
CPU: Core 2 Quad Q8400, 2.66GHz ($195)
MoBo: ASUS P5Q SE Plus ($120)
GPU: EVGA GeForce 260 GTX Core 216 SSC ($220)
Memory: OCZ's 4GB DDR2-800 ($35)
Case/PSU: Cooler Master RC-534 w/ 460w PSU ($100)
Hard Drive: Western Digital 320GB @7200rpm ($52!)
DVD Burner: Sony Optiarc DVD burner ($26)

That's $748 for a gaming PC that won't have to be upgraded for a few years. It's a heck of a deal.
The $800 Killer Gaming PC - How To by ExtremeTech

Radio Monk33 · 05-27-2009, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willravel

That's what she sai.... nevermind.

RadioMonk, that sounds great. I don't have any specific advice, but I'd love to see maybe a pic or some tests when you've got it done.

Ask and ye shall receive. I got up my nerve and hit the PSU power..then the moment of truth...and it's live.

No hitches at all. Super glad that there were no DOA components or incompatibilities as far as I can tell. Looking forward to putting in my 4850 for some hardcore gaming action.

I feel great for having finally accomplished it on my own after months of looking at pictures and reading stories about building computers. What can I say, good luck to all the other potential builders out there.

Frosstbyte · 05-27-2009, 11:38 PM

Paging Dr. Ziptie!

Congrats on getting it all together. I agree that it's a pretty amazing rush to finally push that button and have everything light up and purr like a kitten. Just get those cables cleaned up, slap your GPU in there and off you go.

Decided to post some pictures of my computer which I built in January based on the lovely advice of people here (largely Lucifer).

Tried to get some pictures which show off the lightning but I guess my camera really isn't cut out for that. The picture with the case open, incidentally, was taken with the computer on and running WoW so everything's on and spinning. I am shocked that my camera was fast enough to caught the fans as if they were standing still, but there it is.

Radio Monk33 · 05-28-2009, 06:46 AM

Dammit I think I spoke too soon...gonna start a new troubleshooting thread to keep this one positive for people. :/

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/tilted-...ter-build.html

(would appreciate help from all the computer savvy people here!)

denton · 05-31-2009, 01:26 PM

frosstbyte, do you have your power supply fan facing down?

Frosstbyte · 05-31-2009, 02:31 PM

I'd really like to say "no I don't" but instead I'll say "You wouldn't believe how fast you can swap out a power supply when someone points out a mistake like that."

Can you tell this was my first build?

kutulu · 05-31-2009, 06:14 PM

Here's the mine, I put it together in February.

denton · 05-31-2009, 06:24 PM

frosstbyte:
The reason I noticed is because I have the same case and power supply (mine's only the 450 watt though).
I was thinking "wow that all looks very familiar, except why is my CORSAIR upside down and that ones right side up?"
(This was my 1st build also.)

kutulu:
what kind of heatsink/fan is that?

kutulu · 06-01-2009, 07:11 AM

It's a Noctua NH-U12P and it is awesome. It lowered my load temps from 90C to 60C. It's also nearly silent. This particular model is for Socket 1366 but they have another that works with multiple sockets.

Newegg.com - Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 120mm SSO CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks

denton · 06-06-2009, 09:55 PM

90c? wow you couldve almost boiled water in there.

Anyway, looks like a bad motherfucker.

I just put an Arctic Cooler Freezer 64 Pro last week on mine, working very nicely. I don't check load temps much but while idling I see about 10-15 F lower than the shredded tin can that came with my AMD dual core.

04-30-2009, 07:04 PM	#42 (permalink)
biznatch Junkie Location: France	Question: how does this Quad-core stack up against this Dual Core, in terms of games? __________________ Check it out: The Open Source/Freeware/Gratis Software Thread

04-30-2009, 10:23 PM	#44 (permalink)
Radio Monk33 Psycho	biznatch: the dual vs quad core debate has been around for a long time. Generally speaking, higher clocked 2's are better than lower clocked quads. With the exception of a few newer games. Some believe quads are more future proof..others say theres no such thing as future proof and point out the slow pace of adoption of software utilizing multi-cores. I say split the difference and get an AMD tri-core that is somewhere in between obviously; more cores, higher clock speed. But if you're stuck to Intel, the 8400 is generally known as better value than the 8500. __________________ "Punk rock had this cool, political personal message. It was a bit more cerebral than just stupid cock rock, you know" -Kurt Cobain

05-02-2009, 02:39 PM	#47 (permalink)
Radio Monk33 Psycho	Whoops, forgive my mistake/sloppiness. When I was referring to the 8400 I was thinking of the E8400 C2D not the Q4D--this processor seems to be the value gamers part of choice up til the Phenom 2's arrived. As for the 2.66 Quad, you're obviously never gonna reach the OC of the 3.16 for those games that rely purely on clock speed. I'd call it a toss-up as to what is the better CPU depending on your usage characteristics. If you already have the 8500 I wouldn't bother upgrading for another year or two when there's a more compelling argument to add more cores. As it is, it seems the software hasn't caught up to the hardware capabitilies (CPU-wise) if you ask me. Save your cash for more RAM or a higher end GPU. __________________ "Punk rock had this cool, political personal message. It was a bit more cerebral than just stupid cock rock, you know" -Kurt Cobain

05-05-2009, 12:31 PM	#49 (permalink)
biznatch Junkie Location: France	Hey guys, finally, I ordered my PC. I would post that in the thread I started about it, but this one seems more current, and it's not a bad idea to have a mega thread for desktop building anyway. Since it is my first build, I will probably run into a couple problems. Currently I don't yet have a tracking number, so I have no idea when it'll be here. But I think I'll be asking questions here as soon as I get it, at least for stuff google can't answer. The thing I'm most intimidated by is putting processor in place. I'll try and keep a cool head. Goddammit, I can't wait! Final build is here: Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $54.95 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8500 - Retail $184.99 Logitech 967740-0403 Black USB Standard Internet 350 USB Keyboard - OEM Item #: N82E16823126012 $9.25 Sony Optiarc 24X DVD/CD Rewritable Drive Black SATA Model AD-7240S-0B - OEM Item #: N82E16827118030 $23.99 XFX PVT98WYDFH GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail Item #: N82E16814150314 $134.99 Thermaltake TR2 W0070RUC 430W ATX12V Power Supply - Retail Item #: N82E16817153023 $35.99 Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - OEM Item #: N82E16822136098 $49.99 ASUS P5Q SE PLUS LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail Item #: N82E16813131347 $96.99 Rosewill RFA-120-BL 120mm 4 Blue LEDs LED Case Fan - Retail Item #: N82E16835200049 $4.99 Crucial Ballistix 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT25664AA80A - Retail Item #: N82E16820148212 Nvidia Gift Call of duty - World at war - OEM Item #: N82E16800999088 Total, including shipping, amounts to about $660. Now pray that everything works. __________________ Check it out: The Open Source/Freeware/Gratis Software Thread

05-08-2009, 08:17 AM	#52 (permalink)
biznatch Junkie Location: France	Well, I had meant to take pics and document the process as I went, but as you can imagine, after weeks of careful planning, when I got my boxes yesterday, I just pushed everything off my desk and tore those boxes open. After about 6 hours of careful reading, cross checking 3 different manuals (case, mobo, PSU), moving things around so they fit better (my CD and HDD had to be close together since their SATA power connectors were so darn close. Making sure I don't need to fuck with jumpers was stressful too, I'm glad I don't have IDE drives though. When I put in the GPU (which is huge), I almost shit my pants. Seems like PCIe cards "snap" into place with a lever kind of thing...I definitely don't remember that with my old AGP. This one made a really loud noise whem I pushed it in, my first thought was that I cracked the mobo, or the GPU. Anyway, booted to BIOS, glad I didn't need to RMA anything. It's still one 2 gigs of ram until I figure out what I wanna install first. Probably Vista 64bit. Also, anyone aware of any problems with dual booting the new Windows 7 release candidate and Vista? __________________ Check it out: The Open Source/Freeware/Gratis Software Thread

04-29-2009, 08:13 AM	#41 (permalink)
kutulu Junkie	It's amazing how much a difference a good heat sink can make. I got mine in the mail yesterday and there is about a 20 C drop in temperature at full load.

04-30-2009, 08:14 PM	#43 (permalink)
Frosstbyte Winter is Coming Location: The North	For this very moment, higher speed dual core is better than lower speed quad core. Most games aren't really programming to use quad cores right now, but I'd imagine that will change as more cores become more prevalent.

05-02-2009, 10:35 AM	#46 (permalink)
Frosstbyte Winter is Coming Location: The North	For games, the higher clock speed 8400 performs better than the lower clock speed 8500. He said it's a better value because if you can afford an equal clock speed quad core, of course that will give you better performance.

05-03-2009, 05:35 PM	#48 (permalink)
denton Crazy	I just built my first pc last weekend (re-using old case, monitor, etc. for now) Used for web, medium gaming, word processing, movies/music,...possibly audio recording when I get to it. Here is what I got, all from Newegg: ASRock A780GMH/128M AM2+/AM3 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard $69.99 AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 Kuma 2.7GHz AM2+ 95W Dual-Core Black Edition CPU $59.99+$7.59 s/h OCZ 4GB (2x2GB)240-pin DDR2 SDRAM 1066 (PC2 8500)Dual Channel mem. $47.99 Corsair CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V Power Supply $74.99 Sapphire Radeon ATI HD4830 512Mb Graphics Card $84.99 Total shipped $345.54 I'm very happy with it so far, only game I've played yet is Oblivion IV. Graphics turned up to max on most things and medium on a few others. Very COOL! About a month ago I had my heart set on a 4800 series ATI card but forgot that my outdated mobo was PCI only! So I settled for a PCI Radeon HD2400 and 1Gb RAM upgrade. Played Oblivion IV for 3 days(lightly choppy but vastly superior to my nvidia FX5200 which couldn't even play the game) Then the computer was just dead when I woke up one day. I was quite distraught but decided to go and try a first build. Now I end up with the card I originally wanted, so it worked out. Thought I would mention the couple of hitches I encountered for those contemplating a 1st build to consider: -Removing screws for old mobo and the last one is not a screw, it's like a thing that must be crimped from 4 sides in order to remove. As if a special tool would be needed. And it was a very tough location to reach! Tools needed: needle nose pliers. -Case fan hookup on new mobo in different location. Old case fan wire wouldn't reach it. Had to splice in some wire to get it to reach (temporary fix). Tools needed: elec. tape, wire strippers (or teeth). -4 days after having it up and internet ready, it just wouldn't access the net anymore! I spent an hour with DSL customer service (not to mention several hours of my own fumble-fucking around with network connections), they said it was connected and my computer was at fault. The next day after another hour on the phone we discovered that my DSL modem has an internal password and it had somehow reset itself. Oh RLY? Sorry for the lengthy post, I don't post very often.

05-07-2009, 05:21 PM	#51 (permalink)
Frosstbyte Winter is Coming Location: The North	There are two times when you'll be forced to push something uncomfortably hard to put a computer together. The first is when you're putting RAM in. I always feel like I'm going to snap something for how hard I have to push to get the damn thing to click in and set. The second is (depending on the processor and mobo design) securing the processor in place with the little lever apparatus that you use to lock it down. There are a ZILLION online guides for building computers, many of them with very clear pictures accompanying the instructions. I used 3 or 4 in parallel along with the instruction manuals for my parts when I put my computer together. It was very smooth. Be patient, be gentle but be firm if you need to because, occasionally, you do.

05-08-2009, 10:29 AM	#53 (permalink)
biznatch Junkie Location: France	Windows 7 is on it, now. Had nothing else to install, except for ubuntu, but I couldn't wait to install Left 4 Dead on this beast. Windows 7 instantly recognized my 5-6 year old wireless PCI card, so that's good, and I am now posting from it. For a build that was started late last night, I gotta say I'm pretty impressed with myself, and there is indeed nothing more gratifying than watching your machine run smoothly. Next steps: install drivers for GPU, run windows update, and then clean up the mess I made while building this. __________________ Check it out: The Open Source/Freeware/Gratis Software Thread

05-10-2009, 03:50 PM	#54 (permalink)
Radio Monk33 Psycho	Hey guys first time builder here.. Would love to see some feedback/compatibility check before I pull the trigger on this build: Case: Cool, simple, roomy and cheap from a good brand. Canadian Prices: Cooler Master - Cooler Master Centurion 5 - Blue ATX Mid-Tower Case with... - CACT05UB Cooler Master Centurion 5 - Blue ATX Mid-Tower Case with Front USB, Firewire and Audio Ports 54$ Mobo: Crossfire, AM3 support, cheap DDR2 ram Canadian Prices: Gigabyte - Gigabyte MA790GP-UD4H AMD790GX ATX AM2+/AM3 Sideport 2PCI-E Sound... - GAMA790GPUD4H Gigabyte MA790GP-UD4H AMD790GX ATX AM2+/AM3 Sideport 2PCI-E Sound GBLAN HDMI CrossFireX Motherboard (GA-MA790GP-UD4H) $144 after 10 rebate Power supply: Cheap and modular for cable mgmt Canadian Prices: OCZ - OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W Power Supply (OCZ700MXSP) - OCZ700MXSP 700W OCZ power supply 70$ after 30 rebate or Power supply: More expensive, but higher quality. Canadian Prices: PC Power & Cooling - PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad Crossfire 750W ATX... - S75CF PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad CrossFire 750W ATX V2.2 EPS12 24PIN Active PFC Power Supply Red 100$ after 20 rebate CPU: Gaming, overclocking value. Canadian Prices: AMD - AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition Triple Core 2.8GHz 1.5MB L1 Cache... - HDZ720WFGIBOX AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition Triple Core 2.8GHz 1.5MB L1 Cache 6MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95Watt 45nm - Retail $170 DVD drive: lightscribe for ~2$, why not. Samsung SH-S223Q/BEBS 22X DVD+-RW SATA DVD Writer Black Lightscribe OEM NCIX.com - Buy Samsung SH-S223Q/BEBS 22X DVD+-RW SATA DVD Writer Black Lightscribe OEM - SH-S223Q/BEBS In Canada. 30$ (I have some plain 4gb ram, a 500gb hard drive...and would budget 100-150$ on a gpu though that build should work with an integrated gpu on the mobo). __________________ "Punk rock had this cool, political personal message. It was a bit more cerebral than just stupid cock rock, you know" -Kurt Cobain

05-14-2009, 02:47 PM	#55 (permalink)
crazybobmarley Psycho Location: weeeeeeeeeee	That's a great mobo, I built my friends with that but the non crossfire model. If you don't need crossfire I'd imagine that the model without it is cheaper, and you don't unless you plan on playing on a very large monitor at very high resolutions (Plus with a 150 dollar budget for video you're not going to be able to get 2 cards anyways, unless you're thinking of expanding in the future). I'm a little confused at the Integrated GPU comment, you're listing the CPU as gaming/overclocking. There is no Integrated GPU on the market that you'll be happy gaming with, and this motherboard also doesn't have one. Case is really nothing but aesthetic preference, but my recommendation is earlier in this thread.

05-18-2009, 09:01 AM	#57 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	Oh, I'm used to thinking of it in terms of XP. Not to derail, but what are your thoughts on Windows 7? It's going to be strange not to have a piece of fruit adoring my computer. Maybe I'll give OSx86 a shot.

05-18-2009, 05:13 PM	#58 (permalink)
Redjake I'm a family man - I run a family business. Location: Wilson, NC	Windows 7 is the shit. __________________ Off the record, on the q.t., and very hush-hush.

05-18-2009, 06:21 PM	#59 (permalink)
biznatch Junkie Location: France	Windows 7 is indeed the shit, IMO. Haven't has a single problem with it, the current RC really seems very stable. And it looks amazing, and is easier to interact with, IMO. __________________ Check it out: The Open Source/Freeware/Gratis Software Thread

05-20-2009, 10:33 AM	#60 (permalink)
Deltona Couple Addict Location: Spring, Texas	I too have heard nothing but good comments on Windows 7. I am interested in getting the RC of it, but I have yet to find a place to download it! __________________ "It is not that I have failed, but that I have found 10,000 ways that it DOESN'T work!" --Thomas Edison

05-20-2009, 11:25 PM	#62 (permalink)
denton Crazy	I just downloaded Windows 7 RC from Microsoft the other day. It is very cool, too bad my crappy Lexmark x85 printer/scanner hasn't the drivers for it (or Ubuntu, or XP 64). I was real excited about using it for awhile. I know--I should just buy a new printer. (everything has to be so difficult!) Screw you, Lexmark!

05-21-2009, 12:38 PM	#63 (permalink)
Radio Monk33 Psycho	I just ordered a bunch of parts! AMD Phenom II 720 BE Asus M4something AM2+/3 DDR2 Mobo Seasonic SSHT 650w Ati 4850 (115$ after 20 rebate) For 500$ Canadian...or I guess 420-450 US. Planning on getting a Cooler Master 690 Case to finish it off.. __________________ "Punk rock had this cool, political personal message. It was a bit more cerebral than just stupid cock rock, you know" -Kurt Cobain

05-21-2009, 02:16 PM	#64 (permalink)
biznatch Junkie Location: France	In terms of cases, I haven't tried many, but I definitely love the Antec 300. Very nice design, with lots of thoughtful additions: a cable compartments for tucking them in, the handy fan cages in the front, just about everything just felt right when putting this PC together. If I had a bigger budget, though, I would have liked to get something with a couple 25cm fans. Nice, cool and quiet. __________________ Check it out: The Open Source/Freeware/Gratis Software Thread

05-24-2009, 07:59 PM	#65 (permalink)
denton Crazy	Just got the Antec 900 last week from Newegg for $109 shipped, very nice case. It's the only case I've ever bought so I don't have much to compare with--but I really like it. I have an Arctic Cooler 64 Pro coming Thursday to try and cool this processor down some more. For some reason I have become obsessed with CPU and case temps.

05-25-2009, 03:35 PM	#66 (permalink)
Radio Monk33 Psycho	All my parts are in! Time to finally start this project after maybe a year of looking around at parts. Any particular online guides or quick personal tips for a first time builder? __________________ "Punk rock had this cool, political personal message. It was a bit more cerebral than just stupid cock rock, you know" -Kurt Cobain

05-26-2009, 01:04 AM	#68 (permalink)
Frosstbyte Winter is Coming Location: The North	I used this as a guide: Lifehacker - The First-Timer's Guide to Building a Computer from Scratch - Hardware Installation I also used another site that I'm looking for but can't find. The manuals that came with your components-especially for case and motherboard-will also serve as a good guide when the online ones aren't quite cutting it. I'll keep looking for you, though. Edit: Found one of the guides I liked from Maximum PC. You can find the simpler, quicker guide here: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fea..._pc?page=0%2C1 You can find a newer and more thorough guide here: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fea...ide?page=0%2C9 Last edited by Frosstbyte; 05-26-2009 at 01:09 AM..

05-26-2009, 12:54 PM	#69 (permalink)
kutulu Junkie	Aside from Willravel's comment about the spacers, just start plugging things in. Each cord only fits in one plugin. It you have to force it, it doesn't belong there.

05-27-2009, 08:41 AM	#70 (permalink)
Radio Monk33 Psycho	Well I'm up to my arms in power cables. Feeling not bad so far, but still abit overwhelmed. -Case is all set up, got the DVD drive in and hooked up SATA and power. -PSU mounted -Brass standoffs mounted and motherboard installed, IO shield grudgingly mounted. -CPU and heatsink mounted without any problems at all YAY! CPU fan hooked up -Hard Drive mounted, power and SATA connected -RAM installed -(just gonna use the IGP gpu right now to limit possible issues while building) -USB and firewire connections to front panel -Rear chassis fan (3 pin?) hooked up to MOBO -Front chassis fan 3 pin hooked up to MOBO -20? 24? pin main power to MOBO hooked up. However, there is also a 4 pin sort of plug off in another corner of the MOBO, I've heard that I should not plug in both..can I get confirmation? What's left to do: -There is a side fan, but only has molex connection..uh I guess this goes to the PSU? -A couple of lose case cables that I don't recognize. AC97? HD audio? -Gotta connect some light led's, sound etc to the MOBO but Asus provides a nice plastic piece that seems to hold the lose 1 pin cables. -I don't seem to have a power supply fan cable to connect my PSU to the mobo? What's up with that? -Side fan with a molex...no way to connect to motherboard, does this go right to the PSU? Would love to hear any thoughts or advice as I try to complete.. __________________ "Punk rock had this cool, political personal message. It was a bit more cerebral than just stupid cock rock, you know" -Kurt Cobain

05-28-2009, 06:46 AM	#74 (permalink)
Radio Monk33 Psycho	Dammit I think I spoke too soon...gonna start a new troubleshooting thread to keep this one positive for people. :/ http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/tilted-...ter-build.html (would appreciate help from all the computer savvy people here!) __________________ "Punk rock had this cool, political personal message. It was a bit more cerebral than just stupid cock rock, you know" -Kurt Cobain Last edited by Radio Monk33; 05-28-2009 at 06:49 AM..

05-31-2009, 01:26 PM	#75 (permalink)
denton Crazy	frosstbyte, do you have your power supply fan facing down?

05-31-2009, 02:31 PM	#76 (permalink)
Frosstbyte Winter is Coming Location: The North	I'd really like to say "no I don't" but instead I'll say "You wouldn't believe how fast you can swap out a power supply when someone points out a mistake like that." Can you tell this was my first build?

05-31-2009, 06:14 PM	#77 (permalink)
kutulu Junkie	Here's the mine, I put it together in February.

05-31-2009, 06:24 PM	#78 (permalink)
denton Crazy	frosstbyte: The reason I noticed is because I have the same case and power supply (mine's only the 450 watt though). I was thinking "wow that all looks very familiar, except why is my CORSAIR upside down and that ones right side up?" (This was my 1st build also.) kutulu: what kind of heatsink/fan is that? Last edited by denton; 05-31-2009 at 06:26 PM..

06-01-2009, 07:11 AM	#79 (permalink)
kutulu Junkie	It's a Noctua NH-U12P and it is awesome. It lowered my load temps from 90C to 60C. It's also nearly silent. This particular model is for Socket 1366 but they have another that works with multiple sockets. Newegg.com - Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 120mm SSO CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks

06-06-2009, 09:55 PM	#80 (permalink)
denton Crazy	90c? wow you couldve almost boiled water in there. Anyway, looks like a bad motherfucker. I just put an Arctic Cooler Freezer 64 Pro last week on mine, working very nicely. I don't check load temps much but while idling I see about 10-15 F lower than the shredded tin can that came with my AMD dual core.