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[Yazus]

Uh what are you talking about exactly? They're both completely different kinds of "boosts". One is more memory, the other is faster memory.

Now, I don't think spending on DDR3 is worth it (unless you're running really memory intensive apps), but don't go saying stuff like that.

Sorry for my disinformation. I will think twice before posting stuff like that again.

 

[brain_stew]

Seems a little pricey...don't have time to check all the individual components since I'm at work, but...

I was under the impression that DDR3 really didn't do much on the AMD rigs, and that the Core i7 were needed to get the incredibly performance out of em. Anyone care to comment?

It doesn't even do much on core i7 rigs, at least DDR3 with speeds faster than 1066mhz (which DDR2 can manage just fine) don't have much of a performance impact at all in most cases, see:

http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=3589&p=10

Expensive memory is like the last thing you should be investing in if you want to get the most performance for your money.

 

[Minsc]

answer da question!

When those DX11 cards are out that have like 10x improvement, in 2010. Only 2x the computing power, but I'm sure the cards will fly.

GT300 itself packs 16 groups with 32 cores - yes, we're talking about 512 cores for the high-end part. This number itself raises the computing power of GT300 by more than 2x when compared to the GT200 core. Before the chip tapes-out, there is no way anybody can predict working clocks, but if the clocks remain the same as on GT200, we would have over double the amount of computing power.

If for instance, nVidia gets a 2 GHz clock for the 512 MIMD cores, we are talking about no less than 3TFLOPS with Single-Precision. Dual precision is highly-dependant on how efficient the MIMD-like units will be, but you can count on 6-15x improvement over GT200.

 

[brain_stew]

When those DX11 cards are out that have like 10x improvement, in 2010. Only 2x the computing power, but I'm sure the cards will fly.

That "6x-15x" figure is with regards to double precision speed, which is only really useful for GPGPU applications and not gaming.

Asking "how long will this last" is a silly question anyway, no one has a crystal ball and no one besides you knows what your personal"standards" are. If all you want to do is simply "play" your games, then you'll be fine for a very, very long time but then if you want 1080p/60hz with 4xaa/16af and max settings then things will be much different.

A lot depends on when the next consoles hit and what sort of performance upgrade they bring as well.

 

[fatigues_gasolini]

I have a cooler master 690, but im finding it cramped. Any suggestions on a roomier case?

 

[TunaMarshmallow]

Asking "how long will this last" is a silly question anyway, no one has a crystal ball and no one besides you knows what your personal"standards" are. If all you want to do is simply "play" your games, then you'll be fine for a very, very long time but then if you want 1080p/60hz with 4xaa/16af and max settings then things will be much different.

Hey man, I haven't had a PC that I could play games on in *years*. Heck, all I've wanted to do is play Civ 4, and I haven't been able to! :-(

So the fact that I've got a rig, for like $900, that'll play Crysis at high settings? Insanity. I can't believe it. If it even allows me to play games as they come out for the next couple of years, on medium/low settings, I'll be happy! I can't thank you enough for making this thread!

 

[Gully State]

So now that the myth of PC gaming being obscenely expensive has been thoroughly debunked, maybe it's time to address the "building/overclocking a gaming PC is difficult" excuse..

 

[Firestorm]

So now that the myth of PC gaming being obscenely expensive has been thoroughly debunked, maybe it's time to address the "building/overclocking a gaming PC is difficult" excuse..

Please do because I'm still scared of overclocking And although I could just get a friend to help me build it, I think I'd still go with paying $50 to NCIX for them to build it seeing as they give a 1 year warranty, test it all for compatibility, and nicely tuck your cables for you =)

 

[Yazus]

Please do because I'm still scared of overclocking

Its one of my biggest fear since the first time I overclocked it resulted into a Windows crash and no pass POST. I was so fucking scared something could happen to the PC. Holy jesus

 

[TheExodu5]

It doesn't even do much on core i7 rigs, at least DDR3 with speeds faster than 1066mhz (which DDR2 can manage just fine) don't have much of a performance impact at all in most cases, see:

http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=3589&p=10

Expensive memory is like the last thing you should be investing in if you want to get the most performance for your money.

Like I said the post right before that, it's only really important for memory intensive applications. Games do not apply.

I have a cooler master 690, but im finding it cramped. Any suggestions on a roomier case?

Never knew anyone could find the CM 690 cramped.

I guess you could check out the Coolermaster Stacker if it's still around. That case is huuge.

 

[fatigues_gasolini]

Never knew anyone could find the CM 690 cramped.

I guess you could check out the Coolermaster Stacker if it's still around. That case is huuge.

When I first got it, I didnt think so either, but with the power supply, huge cooler, and dual 4870's, I have a crapload of cables that cant go anywhere comfortably.

 

[brain_stew]

Hey man, I haven't had a PC that I could play games on in *years*. Heck, all I've wanted to do is play Civ 4, and I haven't been able to! :-(

So the fact that I've got a rig, for like $900, that'll play Crysis at high settings? Insanity. I can't believe it. If it even allows me to play games as they come out for the next couple of years, on medium/low settings, I'll be happy! I can't thank you enough for making this thread!

In that case sit back and enjoy the games. You won't need to be looking at PC game requirements for a long, long time.

 

[MoFuzz]

I'm piecing together a new build with some existing parts for my GF. It's not really going to be used for gaming.

Coming from Canada, would it still be a good idea to opt for the AMD Phenom II X3 720 & Gigabyte MA770-UD3 bundle from NCIX for $200 CAD? Seems like overkill for everyday browsing/media/internet use. Plus I would still have to find a low end video card, which I figure would be another $40 to $50 as that mobo has no onboard option.

Otherwise, I was thinking of something like this, which has an onboard VGA port (all I need at this point):

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=36027&vpn=GA-G31M-ES2L&manufacture=Gigabyte

paired with an Intel E5200 Dual Core

 

[Firestorm]

I'm piecing together a new build with some existing parts for my GF. It's not really going to be used for gaming.

Coming from Canada, would it still be a good idea to opt for the AMD Phenom II X3 720 & Gigabyte MA770-UD3 bundle from NCIX for $200 CAD? Seems like overkill for everyday browsing/media/internet use. Plus I would still have to find a low end video card, which I figure would be another $40 to $50 as that mobo has no onboard option.

Otherwise, I was thinking of something like this, which has an onboard VGA port (all I need at this point):

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=33181&vpn=BX80571E5200&manufacture=Intel&promoid=1078

paired with an Intel E5200 Dual Core

Well if she's not gaming, how about this for a video card:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=29729&promoid=1078
That's the cheapest I see and could be good for videos.

 

[TunaMarshmallow]

FYI, the 1GB 4890 has dropped in price significantly. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161276

I contacted NewEgg by LiveChat, and they were willing to refund me $40.

 

[BravoSuperStar]

I'm piecing together a new build with some existing parts for my GF. It's not really going to be used for gaming.

Coming from Canada, would it still be a good idea to opt for the AMD Phenom II X3 720 & Gigabyte MA770-UD3 bundle from NCIX for $200 CAD? Seems like overkill for everyday browsing/media/internet use. Plus I would still have to find a low end video card, which I figure would be another $40 to $50 as that mobo has no onboard option.

Otherwise, I was thinking of something like this, which has an onboard VGA port (all I need at this point):

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=36027&vpn=GA-G31M-ES2L&manufacture=Gigabyte

paired with an Intel E5200 Dual Core

I'd go with the fastest you can afford. Todays "overkill" system is tomorrows middle of the road PC.

 

[FromTheFuture]

Quick question. Planning on buying my PC today and I need to know whether or not upgrading a graphics card (HD4870) to 1GB over 512MB is entirely worth it, or unnecessary. Thanks!

 

[BravoSuperStar]

Quick question. Planning on buying my PC today and I need to know whether or not upgrading a graphics card (HD4870) to 1GB over 512MB is entirely worth it, or unnecessary. Thanks!

If you plan on playing at high resolutions (1080p) then yeah the extra memory helps.

 

[FromTheFuture]

Alright, I'm about to purchase this thing but I need to make sure everything looks ok before i buy it.

[Case] Antec Nine Hundred Two
[PSU] Antec Earthwatts EA 430W
[Mobo] GIGABYTE GA-MA770-UD3
[CPU] AMD Phenom II X3 720 BE
[Misc] Rosewill RCX-Z940-LX CPU Cooler
[RAM] G.Skill DDR2-1066 SDRAM
[GPU] PowerColor HD 4870 512MB
[HDD] WD Caviar Black 640GB
[Disc] Sony Optiarc 24X

[Total] $661.92 USD ; $740.81 USD with tax and shipping

Also, is it really necessary to purchase a CPU cooler?

Please let me know if everything looks alright, i can't wait to order the thing! Feel free to mention any ways i can improve/drop price if i'm overpaying. Thanks a bunch, everyone.

 

[Firestorm]

The 4890 and GTX 285 are equivalents right? Why the hell does the GTX 285 cost 150% the cost of the 4890 ; Anyone think the prices of those will be significantly lower in September or October?

 

[dasupremeone]

The 4890 and GTX 285 are equivalents right? Why the hell does the GTX 285 cost 150% the cost of the 4890 ; Anyone think the prices of those will be significantly lower in September or October?

yeah the 4890 looks like a really really good buy, but no cash...

 

[Truespeed]

The 4890 and GTX 285 are equivalents right? Why the hell does the GTX 285 cost 150% the cost of the 4890 ; Anyone think the prices of those will be significantly lower in September or October?

My only issue with the 48XX series is the insane amount of heat they generate.

 

[Truespeed]

Alright, I'm about to purchase this thing but I need to make sure everything looks ok before i buy it.

[Case] Antec Nine Hundred Two
[PSU] Antec Earthwatts EA 430W
[Mobo] GIGABYTE GA-MA770-UD3
[CPU] AMD Phenom II X3 720 BE
[Misc] Rosewill RCX-Z940-LX CPU Cooler
[RAM] G.Skill DDR2-1066 SDRAM
[GPU] PowerColor HD 4870 512MB
[HDD] WD Caviar Black 640GB
[Disc] Sony Optiarc 24X

[Total] $661.92 USD ; $740.81 USD with tax and shipping

Also, is it really necessary to purchase a CPU cooler?

Please let me know if everything looks alright, i can't wait to order the thing! Feel free to mention any ways i can improve/drop price if i'm overpaying. Thanks a bunch, everyone.

You're buying an OEM drive and chances are there's no SATA cable included. Unless you have one, you may want to include one.

Those SATA cables get no respect...

 

[FromTheFuture]

You're buying an OEM drive and chances are there's no SATA cable included. Unless you have one, you may want to include one.

Those SATA cables get no respect...

The HDD or the disc drive? Do i just buy any SATA cable? Maybe you could point one out for me...

 

[Resident Guru]

OK, this is what I have now:

[Motherboard (GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P)]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128387
[CPU (Phenom ii 940)]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103471
[RAM (G.Skill 4GB DDR2 1066)]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231241
[GPU (HIS HD 4890 1GB)]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161276
[HDD (WD Caviar Black 750GB))]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136283
[Blu-Ray Drive (LITE-ON Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA)]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106292
[PSU (Antec TruePower New TP-650 650W)]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371021
[CASE (Antec Nine Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower)]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129058
[CPU Cooler (Xigmatek 120mm rifle cooler)]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835233003
[Monitor (ASUS VK266H Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor)]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236048
[Keybored and Mouse (Logitech diNovo Wireless Keybored and Mouse)] http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126177

Subtotal: $1433

Any final thoughts? Any experience with this keyboard? Is it really better to get the 24in 1080p Asus, because I have no problem splurging for the 26in 1200. Also, yes or no for a SSD? Lastly, I really do want a 5.1 system for this comp, but I just don't want to own two of the same Logitech 5500 setups. Any other suggestions?

Also, all of this stuff is from Newegg. Someone mentioned all their prices went up recently, should I wait a few weeks, buy from somewhere else, or just go for it?

Finally, if I'm already spending this much for the system, should I switch to a Core i7 processor? If so, which one/which motherboard?

IMO if you are in that price range you would be making a poor decision if you didn't go Core i7.

 

[bill0527]

My only issue with the 48XX series is the insane amount of heat they generate.

I was very concerned about that also, but I've been using my HD4850 since the day it launched, almost a year ago and have not had any problems. Mine runs around 80C idle, and 90-92C full load. I had visions of the thing catching fire or the heat burning out other components in my system, but so far nothing after a year. I have good Zalman cooling fans in my case so I'm sure that helps. You can also manually increase the fan speed which will decrease your temps, from the Catalyst Control Center. The only tradeoff is that you'll have increased noise. Mine makes an annoying whine sound if the fan speed gets above 35%. Its not a loud jet-engine whine, but my case sits about 2 feet from my right ear and its definitely noticeable, so I don't keep my fan turned up. It is however, an option that's open if you're real concerned about heat.

 

[Sleeker]

That "6x-15x" figure is with regards to double precision speed, which is only really useful for GPGPU applications and not gaming.

Asking "how long will this last" is a silly question anyway, no one has a crystal ball and no one besides you knows what your personal"standards" are. If all you want to do is simply "play" your games, then you'll be fine for a very, very long time but then if you want 1080p/60hz with 4xaa/16af and max settings then things will be much different.

A lot depends on when the next consoles hit and what sort of performance upgrade they bring as well.

i want to thrash the fuck out of my games.

 

[Talamius]

So here's my first test with my newly put together rig, the SF4 Benchmark. This was the $500 PC, with the 4850 swapped out for a 4890 and no DVD drive (I had one laying around). Not sure why SF4 doesn't recognize the processor.

The highlights:
AMD Phenom X2 550 at stock settings
Sapphire Radeon HD 4890 with the newst Catalyst drivers as of tonight
4GB OCZ DDR2 800 RAM
Win7 RC1 32-bit

SCORE: 8610
AVERAGE: 98.82FPS
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate
CPU: AMD Processor model unknown
Memory: 4096MB
Graphics Card: ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series
Display Setting: 1680x1050 60Hz 4xAA

(c)CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. 2008, 2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

That was with 4xAA, 16xAF, all details set to maximum. The only part of the benchmark to dip below 100 FPS was the end with the original eight, which maintained high 80s-low 90s. The visual quality was amazing.

Edit: Builder's note: I had a time fitting the 4890 in the Antec 300 case. Didn't have to cut anything, thankfully, but I did have to move the HDD from the original spot I had it mounted. I'm also looking at adding the side fan to the case to help with the Radeon heat.

 

[Truespeed]

The HDD or the disc drive? Do i just buy any SATA cable? Maybe you could point one out for me...

I was referring to the HDD, but your DVD is also OEM so it looks like you'll need 2. Here'a a link to some good Rosewill cables for $1.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119229

If you don't want to pay Newegg shipping charges which may exceed the cost of the item then have a look at these Focal Price $1.24 SATA cables (1.5 feet in length) with free world wide shipping.

http://www.focalprice.com/ATA_SATA_Serial_Data_Hard_Drive_HD_Cable_Red_CA051R_648.html

 

[Fredescu]

That motherboard says it comes with at least one SATA cable, so I'd say he'd only need one extra. I've never had to buy a SATA cable though, my last mbd came with heaps of them.

 

[BravoSuperStar]

The HDD or the disc drive? Do i just buy any SATA cable? Maybe you could point one out for me...

That motherboard comes with two sata cables, unless you need to plug in more than your HDD and DVD drive you'll be fine.

 

[Hazaro]

Seems a little pricey...don't have time to check all the individual components since I'm at work, but...

I was under the impression that DDR3 really didn't do much on the AMD rigs, and that the Core i7 were needed to get the incredibly performance out of em. Anyone care to comment?

It's fine, the 5.1, monitor, case, and mouse/KB add it up.
I'd go for i7 instead though at the price, no reason not to unless you like AMD.

 

[FromTheFuture]

Thanks for clarifying, SuperEnemyCrab. I think i should be fine then. Can any PC people give me the ok on my build? It would be much appreciated.

Where's PC GAF when you need em?! D:

Repost:
[Case] Antec Nine Hundred Two
[PSU] Antec Earthwatts EA 430W
[Mobo] GIGABYTE GA-MA770-UD3
[CPU] AMD Phenom II X3 720 BE
[Misc] Rosewill RCX-Z940-LX CPU Cooler
[RAM] G.Skill DDR2-1066 SDRAM
[GPU] PowerColor HD 4870 512MB
[HDD] WD Caviar Black 640GB
[Disc] Sony Optiarc 24X

[Total] $661.92 USD ; $740.81 USD with tax and shipping

Also, is it really necessary to purchase a CPU cooler?

Please let me know if everything looks alright, i can't wait to order the thing! Feel free to mention any ways i can improve/drop price if i'm overpaying. Thanks a bunch, everyone.

 

[Fredescu]

It looks good. Keep the cooler since you'll be able to overclock with it, which is something you absolutely should do since it's basically a free CPU upgrade. You don't necessarily need DDR2-1066 RAM if you're looking for somewhere to save. DDR2-800 will do the job.

 

[Hazaro]

When I first got it, I didnt think so either, but with the power supply, huge cooler, and dual 4870's, I have a crapload of cables that cant go anywhere comfortably.

RocketFish Case (Rebranded Lian-Li)
Should be cheap and solid, might even find some still lingering around Best Buys for $48-$98

I have one and it's too big for my desk so it's sideways against the side :lol
(Not in this pic)

 

[FromTheFuture]

It looks good. Keep the cooler since you'll be able to overclock with it, which is something you absolutely should do since it's basically a free CPU upgrade. You don't necessarily need DDR2-1066 RAM if you're looking for somewhere to save. DDR2-800 will do the job.

Well the difference was extremely minimal, so don't mind so much. Now I'm gonna go order this bad boy, regret it for a few days and then be overjoyed at my purchase! Thanks guys.

 

[Dina]

I have a cooler master 690, but im finding it cramped. Any suggestions on a roomier case?

Antec, Antec, Antec.

Antec 902, Antec 182 or the Antec HAF 922 & Antec HAF 932 are all solid cases.

 

[Firestorm]

Canada
The ASUS being recommended in the US build is on sale here too: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236059

Use coupon CEMCLVLM35 for another $10 off making it $199 - $20 MIR + taxes + $1 brokerage.

 

[brain_stew]

Quick question. Planning on buying my PC today and I need to know whether or not upgrading a graphics card (HD4870) to 1GB over 512MB is entirely worth it, or unnecessary. Thanks!

100% yes.

You're buying an OEM drive and chances are there's no SATA cable included. Unless you have one, you may want to include one.

Those SATA cables get no respect...

His motherboard should include a couple.

 

[Dragmire]

So I got the original setup brain_stew posted, and got Windows 7 running on it, but every time it boots, it takes a very long time. The GPU has red lights that do a series of flashes for a little bit, which I read was normal (diagnostic tests), but there will be a long period where nothing happens at all. Possibly a minute total, sometimes a couple minutes, before the Gigabyte screen shows up. Then it begins booting up and loading Windows. I'm a n00b so I'm not sure what to do about this. Are there bios settings causing it to do that and/or is there a way to update my bios? Did I plug some things into the motherboard improperly? I've inspected the wiring to death and consulted the manual (and watched the video in the OP).

This is the setup:

XFX HD-485X-YDFC Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card

Antec Basiq BP500U 500W Continuous Power ATX12V Version 2.01 Active PFC Power Supply

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-UD3 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard

AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor Model HDZ550WFGIBOX

OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2N800SR4GK

I originally had problems booting at all, which I fixed by getting Dynex thermal compound from Best Buy and using that. I think at first I sat the heatsink on the cpu incorrectly or something. After using the new thermal compound, it worked. So that wouldn't be the problem, would it? When it finally loads into Windows, everything is fine.

 

[brain_stew]

Try booting wih just one stick of memory, then running memtest:

http://hcidesign.com/memtest/

Do this for both sticks.

Does it take just as long to boot if you choose to boot from a CD? Is your HDD set as the primary boot device? Run OCCT once in Windows to check your temps at both idle and under load.

Try reseating your cooler again, make sure you use a very small amount of thermal compound.

 

[FromTheFuture]

100% yes.

Well too late now, I've already ordered the 512MB version D:

Where were you when i needed you the most, brain_stew?!

 

[DaveKap]

Long story short:
When can we expect a new line of CPUs to be released from either Intel or AMD? Can we really expect the new line of GPUs to be released in August for DX11 purposes?

Short story long:
Here's my situation.

Something in my case is overheating. It's probably my GPU (considering it likes to freeze and simply lose drivers with ARMA 2 and L4D) but it may also be my CPU (considering when I begin to lose performance in those games, including GTA4, I will hear my case beep, due to being sad about... something.) Keep in mind it only conked out in L4D during an insanely large custom map someone made recently, while it's handled all normal campaigns just fine.

So, I have some disposable income, my rig is about 2 years old (I built it for Crysis,) and I'm ready to upgrade! I'm not dumb enough to buy the latest hardware, but I also want something I know will last. This would be my first time upgrading due to hardware age instead of needing higher performance, though I'm quite proud that my original $1k rig held up as long as it did.

My current rig is:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 (not OC'd at 2.66ghz - bought halfway through rig's life)
GPU: GeForce 8800 GTS (640mb)
MOBO: Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L/S3L (Jesus what a mouthful)
Couldn't tell ya what kind of memory, but there's 4x1gig sticks that aren't likely to overheat.
There's at least 3 SATA HDDs in there.
The case is a CoolerMaster that's still apparently selling well... though it needs a redesign in wire management. The damn front panel sound is shit and if I could get something that has easier accessibility without a giant boost in price, I'd be grateful.

So I know that we can expect new GPUs in August, but when can we expect new CPUs? I don't plan on buying a new GPU if there is going to be a new line of releases in August and I'd rather not plan on buying a new CPU if AMD or Intel is also going to release something within the next 2 months.

If nothing was coming out soon, I'd probably end up buying an Intel i7 920 and a Radeon 4870 X2. If something comes out soon... I'd still buy the same shit, but nicely discounted. You will not be able to convince me to do any sort of SLI/Crossfire, even if it ends up cheaper than an equivalent single-card.

Oh and if anyone is curious, my primary uses of the computer are gaming, streaming my desktop (and consoles) with Livestream, and sometimes displaying onto a 1080p TV via HDMI.

 

[Dragmire]

Try booting wih just one stick of memory, then running memtest:

http://hcidesign.com/memtest/

Do this for both sticks.

Does it take just as long to boot if you choose to boot from a CD? Is your HDD set as the primary boot device? Run OCCT once in Windows to check your temps at both idle and under load.

Try reseating your cooler again, make sure you use a very small amount of thermal compound.

I've tried everything in your post, and it's still taking a long time to boot. I didn't originally think the video card was doing anything weird, but after my post I checked it again and the LEDs keep flashing the entire time until it boots up. I mean, it's not a constant flashing. It's like a few quick flashes, then nothing for five seconds, then a few quick flashes, then nothing for five seconds, and so on. It does that for about a minute or two and then starts booting up.

Also, the OCCT program doesn't seem to be working properly for me. The visual effect it does only comes on for about twenty seconds and then disappears. I can play games. I've installed TF2 and Spore and tried them both briefly. They both run well, but if there's something wrong with my graphics card, I don't want it to overheat. If that happened, would it mess up the motherboard or anything? Also, OCCT says my GPU only has one core, and under CPU name it says 'AMD processor model unknown'. Is that just the program not detecting my setup perfectly or is there something wrong with the setup?

Like I said, I have the XFX HD-485X-YDFC Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card. Is it possible the power supply isn't powerful enough for this setup or that it's defective even though the computer still runs? Also, like you recommended, I made the thermal compound layer as thin as I can. Any more advice, brain_stew? Sorry if my questions are dumb. I appreciate the help a lot.

 

[Hazaro]

Long story short:
When can we expect a new line of CPUs to be released from either Intel or AMD? Can we really expect the new line of GPUs to be released in August for DX11 purposes?

I'd smack in a socket 775 Quad + a new GPU and stick with that, or are you looking for an upgrade path in the future?

As for overheating use RealTemp for CPU and stress it with ORTHOS / Prime 95
For memory testing use Memtest 86+
For GPU use FUR benchmark or ATiTool and measure temps with GPU-Z or RivaTuner

Above testing should take less than an hour.

Also, the OCCT program doesn't seem to be working properly for me. The visual effect it does only comes on for about twenty seconds and then disappears. I can play games. I've installed TF2 and Spore and tried them both briefly. They both run well, but if there's something wrong with my graphics card, I don't want it to overheat. If that happened, would it mess up the motherboard or anything? Also, OCCT says my GPU only has one core, and under CPU name it says 'AMD processor model unknown'. Is that just the program not detecting my setup perfectly or is there something wrong with the setup?

PSU is fine
Video card shouldn't have anything to do with it
Your graphics card won't overheat if the fan is running, they can stay at 90C for hours.

Sounds like a motherboard issue to me is memtest doesn't turn anything up.
Try booting an OS on a CD and see if that takes as long.

Triple check your wiring as well, is your motherboard power in? 20+4 plus another 4 pin?

 

[Rentahamster]

So how are the heat and noise on the Powercolor 4870s?

Is the heatsink on that thing any good?

I was eyeing the Gigabyte versions of the 4850 and 4870 since they have that Zalman cooler.

Any good recommended aftermarket GPU heatsinks?

 

[DaveKap]

I'd smack in a socket 775 Quad + a new GPU and stick with that, or are you looking for an upgrade path in the future?

Thanks for the help with the other stuff, I'll try that (and a WinXP reinstall can't hurt either.) Specifically, I'm looking for a "this year" upgrade path, since my 2 year old system will be showing its age fairly soon. I also figured now might be the best time to jump for upgrading as hardware costs have sunk thanks to economy and abundance of "newer shit."

 

[brain_stew]

I've tried everything in your post, and it's still taking a long time to boot. I didn't originally think the video card was doing anything weird, but after my post I checked it again and the LEDs keep flashing the entire time until it boots up. I mean, it's not a constant flashing. It's like a few quick flashes, then nothing for five seconds, then a few quick flashes, then nothing for five seconds, and so on. It does that for about a minute or two and then starts booting up.

Also, the OCCT program doesn't seem to be working properly for me. The visual effect it does only comes on for about twenty seconds and then disappears. I can play games. I've installed TF2 and Spore and tried them both briefly. They both run well, but if there's something wrong with my graphics card, I don't want it to overheat. If that happened, would it mess up the motherboard or anything? Also, OCCT says my GPU only has one core, and under CPU name it says 'AMD processor model unknown'. Is that just the program not detecting my setup perfectly or is there something wrong with the setup?

Like I said, I have the XFX HD-485X-YDFC Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card. Is it possible the power supply isn't powerful enough for this setup or that it's defective even though the computer still runs? Also, like you recommended, I made the thermal compound layer as thin as I can. Any more advice, brain_stew? Sorry if my questions are dumb. I appreciate the help a lot.

Hmm, it shouldn't be doing that, Try Furmark, see what that does.

Could be a dodgy GPU, anyway you can try booting up with another GPU? No friend/relative with a discrete card in their PC that'll let you borrow their's for an afternoon? Your GPU won't overheat, as it'll automatically throttle itself/shutdown if it gets too hot.

Fixing PC problems is all about ruling out as many possible problems as possible. So the morecomponents you can "substitute" with something else the beter.

Have you updated your BIOS to the latest version off Gigabyte's site? The 250 is a very modern CPU so support might be iffy with your current BIOS revision.

 

[brain_stew]

So how are the heat and noise on the Powercolor 4870s?

Is the heatsink on that thing any good?

I was eyeing the Gigabyte versions of the 4850 and 4870 since they have that Zalman cooler.

Any good recommended aftermarket GPU heatsinks?

I'm with Hazaro here, your system is still actually a pretty capable gaming rig but with GPUs so cheap, you might as well upgrade. I'd get this bad boy:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121311

Should be able to get a 1ghz GPU out of that, and still remain nice and cool!

A nice 12MB L2 cache, 95w Q9550 is a pretty good deal at $220:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041

I'd add a custom cooler to your order as well and clock that thing to 3.4-3.6ghz and you'll have enough CPU power to last you a long, long time.

Might as well make the switch to 7 whilst you're on, XP is ugly antiquated shit at this point, every enthusiast should be using a 64 bit OS in 2009.

 

[Broseybrose]

Well too late now, I've already ordered the 512MB version D:

Where were you when i needed you the most, brain_stew?!

as long as youre not gaming at 1920x you should still be able to throw AA and AF all over your games with the 512mb (though i woulda went with the 1gb). see how it works out, you can always exchange if youre not satisfied.