iSurvivedTheOutage
Member
Sometimes i lol @ how i didnt purchase an optical drive. Booted straight from USB.
"I need a New PC!" 2011 Thread of reading the OP. Seriously. [Part 2]
- Thread starter Hazaro
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Can't be said enough: change out that Raidmax PSU.darkblade77 said:
Lian Li PC-V354, SilverStone FT03, & Lan Gear Da Box 100
Fractal Design Arc Mini & Fractal Design Define Mini
Lian Li PC-C50 & SilverStone GD06
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=28035167&postcount=18247
The GD06 has USB 3.0
To the above I'd add:
Lian Li PC-V353
http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/produc...ex=582&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=63&g=f
SilverStone GD07
SilverStone GD08
Lian Li PC-C60
http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=580&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=62
*PC-C60, GD07, and GD08 are actually ATX, though.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=29822286#post29822286papercut said:
·feist· said:Thought I posted this weeks ago (not sure if anyone else has already), but for all the Fractal Design Define R3 and R2 users here, FD released a USB 3.0 front I/O kit some time ago.
+
Doesn't seem like it will become a running change on the R3, unless they do a proper Define R4, so current and future users just have to install it themselves. Very simple.
- Not huge, but arguably worth it, with the extra power and ram making a difference. 560Ti, is a better bang-for-buck, though.tuxor said:
- No.
- EVGA if you go reference, Otherwise, go with custom cooling: MSI TFII/III, Asus DCUII, Sparkle, Gainward Phantom, so on.
TurbulentTurtle
Member
I think I just needed someone to tell it to me straight about not sinking money into fancy bells and whistles. The P67 boards I was looking at before were a whole $30-60 cheaper than the Z68, before people told me I could spring for a fancier chipset with features I would probably never know about.Caerith said:
I guess I need advice on which motherboard to pick, since the negative reviews always seem to scare me. So if you guys have any experience with any of these three msi boards, let me know:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130582
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130571
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130576
I guess what really works for me is the third $90 board, but the lack of positive reviews scares me.
Okay, guys, I'm kind of scared. Like I posted about earlier, I managed to get everything going smoothly again by reformatting and reinstalling windows. However, I still think I have the same problem.
Just like last time, I cannot access Windows Update. Whenever I click on it, it hangs, and I have to use the task manager to close it. And now, the Windows Update thing is in the lower right bar, and when I hover my mouse over it, it says "Windows is downloading updates (5%)," and it's been like this for a while. The reason why I'm so worried is because the last I saw of my computer before the freak-out, it was installing updates as it shut down (I left it like that, since I had to go somewhere, and when I came back and turned the computer on, Windows gave me that error message I talked about a few pages back and had to repair itself). I think that Windows must have installed an incomplete update, fucking itself up, and I think it might happen again.
What should I do? I can't do anything involving Windows Update, since it just hangs on me. What does PC GAF think? What could be wrong?
Just like last time, I cannot access Windows Update. Whenever I click on it, it hangs, and I have to use the task manager to close it. And now, the Windows Update thing is in the lower right bar, and when I hover my mouse over it, it says "Windows is downloading updates (5%)," and it's been like this for a while. The reason why I'm so worried is because the last I saw of my computer before the freak-out, it was installing updates as it shut down (I left it like that, since I had to go somewhere, and when I came back and turned the computer on, Windows gave me that error message I talked about a few pages back and had to repair itself). I think that Windows must have installed an incomplete update, fucking itself up, and I think it might happen again.
What should I do? I can't do anything involving Windows Update, since it just hangs on me. What does PC GAF think? What could be wrong?
pirata said:
Reinstall Windows and then never update again.
Never auto-update anyway. Go to the site manually, and only choose the critical updates.
I have no idea why it would hang. I could see it doing it once, but after reformat and a reinstall of the entire OS? Very bizarre.
LordCanti said:
I know that! Whenever I try to open windows update, it hangs, and I have to close it like that. No, it's not even listed in the applications right now, can't end it like that. You know those symbols in the lower right corner? The symbol that I was talking about was in there, the one that I mouse over and says that it's downloaded 5% of updates. I suppose I should also say that earlier a thing popped up saying that I needed to restart my computer to install important updates, but I'm scared to do so, because I'm afraid my computer will freak out again.
Should I try installing Service Pack 1 from Microsoft's website? Would that supersede the (maybe) bad updates that I'm getting?
This whole build-your-own-PC thing is way more trouble than it's worth. I'm truly regretting it at this point.
I'm using CPUID Hardware Monitor to look at my temps in game and whenever I launch Starcraft 2, the temps on my GPU go straight to 65 - 69 degrees and this doesn't fluctuate much in-game or in the main menu. The moment I exit SC2, the temps drop very quickly to 40+ degrees celsius. Pretty strange, no?
pirata said:
Store bought PC's use Windows Update, the same as a computer you've built yourself.
Can you find the process in the task manager? Try clicking "Show processes from all users" (it may be hiding).
Go to "services" and kill the Windows Update service. See if that fixes it.
Otherwise, I have no idea how to stop it.
ElyrionX said:
Not at all, depending on how fast we're talking. When a game starts, your video card goes from P8 mode (2D, low usage, low power/heat) to P0 mode (3D gaming, with the max clock speed heat/power/etc).
I idle at 45 or so, and the second I enter a game, I'm up in the sixties, until it maxes in the seventies during gameplay.
If we're talking an instantaneous change from 40's to near 70 (as in, you can watch it on the monitor, and see it completely skip the fifties and sixties) then something may be weird.
Really need some help here, I just built this pc and can't get BC2 to run. When I launch from steam, I get to the main menu but the mouse doesn't select anything, and the game is running with widescreen bars on top and bottom.
I turned off scaling in the nvidia menu...maybe ill change that, but that doesn't do anything with the mouse. I did have trouble when my friend played starcraft, he put it in windowed mode and it started working. Don't know how to do that w/BC2 since I can't get to the visual options in the main menu.
Steam also seems to be running in some weird low res mode and the text is bigger than I remembered. The website looks infinitely sharper.
Batman AA demo and braid run perfectly from steam though.
I turned off scaling in the nvidia menu...maybe ill change that, but that doesn't do anything with the mouse. I did have trouble when my friend played starcraft, he put it in windowed mode and it started working. Don't know how to do that w/BC2 since I can't get to the visual options in the main menu.
Steam also seems to be running in some weird low res mode and the text is bigger than I remembered. The website looks infinitely sharper.
Batman AA demo and braid run perfectly from steam though.
The third board has a lack of reviews period. From what I can see though, only the first board will support a second video card should you ever choose to SLI, so the other two have the major con of you being bound to only one video card forever. All of them seem to have weird issues with board layout too: the first board with blocking SATA and the second with blocking the other PCI slots.TurbulentTurtle said:
Why those three though? There are quite a few MSI P67s on Newegg. Maybe try the G43?
LordCanti said:
Ahh I see. Thanks. And yes, I do see it drop gradually to the fifties then the fourties.
Also, any idea why CPUID is not showing the correct fan speed for my CM Hyper 212+? The CPU fan in CPUID shows 48 RPM, which doesn't seem correct. When I open up the Asus utility that came with my mobo, it shows CPU fan as 1100 RPM or so.
LordCanti said:
Ok, I ended the process, but I still can't change any of my update settings, since the "turn automatic update on or off" hangs whenever I click on it.
What the hell could be the problem? Did Microsoft send me a bad version of Windows?
EDIT: And how do I back stuff up, specifically games from Steam? I have an external harddrive, and if my computer freaks out again, I don't want to go through this whole process of reinstalling stuff again.
....
I really hope this thing still works when I turn it on again.
pirata said:
I'd suggest booting into safe mode and doing it, but you've said that you fear turning it off. Could the install discs be borked? I guess anything is possible.
Since you have to move tomorrow, you might as well try safe mode. If it won't boot back into Windows, you'll have time to re-install again (and not update...at all...ever...don't even plug the internet connection in until auto update is off)
Edit: Steam has backup functionality baked in. Load it, click "steam" in the upper left corner, and hit backup.
Whether this backs up saves or not, I have no idea (I've never had to use it).
I'm almost ready to install Windows 7 on my machine and I am thinking of if it's a good idea to create a special partition for just Windows.
The HDD is 300 Gb and before I had my programs, Steam and Itunes library on the same HDD.
Now I will at least be moving Steam to another Internal HDD with a partition of about 350 gb.
Is it a good idea if I divide my C: into smaller partitions to separate W7 from programs?
How large should a partition for Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium be?
The HDD is 300 Gb and before I had my programs, Steam and Itunes library on the same HDD.
Now I will at least be moving Steam to another Internal HDD with a partition of about 350 gb.
Is it a good idea if I divide my C: into smaller partitions to separate W7 from programs?
How large should a partition for Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium be?
darkblade77
Member
·feist· said:
What sort of carrying solution would you recommend for something like the GD05/06, or the PC-C50? I don't think a laptop satchel--even oversized--would cut it, or even an average backpack.
Lian Li's upcoming TU-200 is almost perfect for what I wanted and I'd almost want to wait for it... if the airflow wasn't expected to be terrible and the case itself wasn't for ITX boards at maximum.
I almost got drawn in by this case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108092
until I found out that it couldn't house a standard ATX PSU and the form factor it did support had no PSUs with modular cables and no max wattage beyond a lone 450W Silverstone PSU. The latter possibly might not be a problem now that I've heard that the quality is the defining factor, but the former really brought me up short there.
could someone recommend a wireless router for me?
the absolutely ONLY thing i'm going to use it with is with my HP Touchpad Tablet.
I will plug my desktop PC directly into it i guess? i don't really know shit about wireless routers, so i dont even know where to start. only thing i need is stability, and for i don't get hacked via packet sniffing or something.
i have somewhat faster internet if it matters 15mbps/1mbps.
i like newegg.
thanks.
the absolutely ONLY thing i'm going to use it with is with my HP Touchpad Tablet.
I will plug my desktop PC directly into it i guess? i don't really know shit about wireless routers, so i dont even know where to start. only thing i need is stability, and for i don't get hacked via packet sniffing or something.
i have somewhat faster internet if it matters 15mbps/1mbps.
i like newegg.
thanks.
I should be doing hw
Member
Looking to buy a Bluray R/W drive. Is this any good:
http://www.spotit.com.au/buy/83349_SAMSUNG_RETAIL_12X_BLU_RAY_COMBO_SATA.aspx?utm_source=myshopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Optical+Disc+Drives&utm_term=SAMSUNG+RETAIL+12X+BLU+RAY+COMBO+SATA+BLACK+INTERNAL+DRIVE+SOFT
Reading the specs, I'm unsure if this has any writing capabilities however...
http://www.spotit.com.au/buy/83349_SAMSUNG_RETAIL_12X_BLU_RAY_COMBO_SATA.aspx?utm_source=myshopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Optical+Disc+Drives&utm_term=SAMSUNG+RETAIL+12X+BLU+RAY+COMBO+SATA+BLACK+INTERNAL+DRIVE+SOFT
Reading the specs, I'm unsure if this has any writing capabilities however...
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
LordCanti said:
It verified the files, but still when I get to the menu screen, it has the widescreen bars on top and bottom, and the mouse moves around but only registers in a tiny part of the screen. I can only get the singleplayer and multiplayer menus to pop down by moving the mouse in that tiny area that doesn't correlate to the aforementioned menus location on screen.
can't I just re install somehow?
ATi 5770. GTX 460 768MBs, and 460 SEs can fairly regularly be found for ~$100 (as low as $80-90). If found for roughly the same price as a 5770, the 460 would be the better choice.element said:
You'd need something in the range of a moderately sized duffel bag/gym bag/pet carrier-type, small carry-on suitcase, or certain camera bags. There are some carriers suited to this type of use, like these:darkblade77 said:
Gear straps, and grips:
And so on. Just search for "lan bags," and you'll find a range of options.
Case wise, did you check out the NZXT Vulcan that MisterNoisy mentioned? Nice case with a handle, and very flexible cooling options. You may want to look into Lian Li's PC-A05NB, PC-A05NX, and newer PC-A05FN. They fit ATX, but are comparable to mATX case dimensions.
Finally got all my shit fixed with Steam/BC2. It all had to do with the compatibilities tab in steam properties. It really is amazing how much better it is than the PS3 version.
Now I just have to get the sound worked out too. I have optical running from my mobo, but am only getting Pro Logic, and it sounds all echoey and shit, a huge step back from the DTS soundtrack I'm used to from PS3. Apparently most mobos don't do digital sound through the optical out? I bought this one: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131730
Now I just have to get the sound worked out too. I have optical running from my mobo, but am only getting Pro Logic, and it sounds all echoey and shit, a huge step back from the DTS soundtrack I'm used to from PS3. Apparently most mobos don't do digital sound through the optical out? I bought this one: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131730
Jtrizzy said:
your motherboard can only output 2.0 digital audio from games, you'll want a soundcard that supports Dolby Digital Live (or DTS Connect) , which automatically encodes the 5.1 sound that games generate into Dolby Digital 5.1 sound for transport through the optical cable
darkblade77 said:
whatever you choose, just make sure it has enough airflow if you're going to use that Zalman cooler. It cools better than the stock, but doesn't output air through the back like the stock does. In such a small case it can soon become an oven if you don't make sure that air gets forced out.
pirata said:
did you do the memtest, HDD SMART check and so on I talked about a few pages back? I've never encountered a modern Windows (XP and later) version corrupting itself without some hardware issue being involved.
n0n44m said:
or the other alternative would be to get a new hdmi 1.4 receiver and pass the sound and video from the 580 to the receiver and onto the TV?
As someone new to PC gaming coming from PS3, I'm kind of shocked that it can't/doesn't output DTS/5.1 for games through the mobo optical out but it does for DVD's. I thought I was getting a really nice mobo, or is it that most just don't do it?
Jtrizzy said:
As far as I can tell, it's a licensing thing. Your computer obviously should have plenty of processing power to do the 5.1 to DD conversion by itself, but Dolby won't allow it (nor will DTS).
Also....I explained this yesterday, WTF, lol.
Caerith said:
Product page should mention it explicitly.
Caerith said:
look at the spec sheet
Jtrizzy said:
most don't do it AFAIK, as they'll have to pay extra $$ for the licence and 90% of the pc crowd is either stuck with some crappy $100 pc-speaker-set or just use headphones ... and with HDMI on all cards as well, the amount of people wanting 5.1 audio from their motherboard's optical output becomes really really small
and yes HDMI is a nice alternative if you're willing to buy a new receiver
Sorry I get it now, I was just kind of in disbelief that after building a powerful computer like mine I'm getting less functionality than the consoles.LordCanti said:
Oh well, I'm happy to at least have everything running great from a graphics standpoint. Now I just have to get past the mind fuck of switching from controller to kb/m.
I will say that I don't get the liscensing thing...do they have to pay twice? Once for games and once for movies? As I noted DVD's play DTS just fine through the mobo.
Caerith said:
no you need to assume it only does 2.0 (in games) unless it says Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect, here's why:
optical output can only do 2.0 uncompressed and does 5.1 by compressing it in DD or DTS (HDMI doesn't have this issue and does up to 7.1 uncompressed)
Movies have the 5.1 encoded on the disk, sitting there waiting to be sent to your receiver through the optical output. Games are "live audio" however, and thus need to be compressed in DD or DTS format on-the-fly. For that some extra codec (DD Live/DTS Connect) is needed, and DD and DTS require $$ royalties $$ from manufacturers to implement this. Sony and Microsoft paid those for the PS3/360, most computer hardware manufacturers don't for earlier mentioned reasons.
Caerith said:
Dolby Digital Live support costs licensing fees. A lot of motherboard manufacturers won't pay, to lower costs.
If you want digital 5.1 support in games, either get a Dolby Digital Live supporting mobo (or soundcard), or output via HDMI through your video card.
If you need analog 5.1 support in games, almost any mobo should be able to provide that (it's going to take like...5-6 cables though, to a receiver)
Almost any mobo/sound card should be able to output 5.1 in movies, unless you need support for some of the fancier Blu-Ray audio specs.
Shadow of the BEAST
Banned
Id like to build and htpc-emulation box. Something that can run dolphin/pcsx2 games and with a good looking silent htpc case.
How much would that run me?
How much would that run me?
Hey guys, here's a midrange build that I plan on doing pretty soon. Any further enhancements/changes I could make to improve it while retaining around the same price point?
darkblade77
Member
·feist· said:
n0n44m said:
I found that Silverstone has a carrying bag for some of their SFF cases, and that it can fit some things past the recommended maximum dimensions for it.
I had trouble finding anything that was on the small-but-not-ITX side that would reasonably fit the thing(it's possible the Grandia cases might fit, but I'm not really sure) until I ran into Thermaltake's Lanbox Lite
As far as I can tell, this seems like a good case and the price is pretty modest; about what I would pay for the GD05. Is there something I'm missing about it, and am I better off just searching for traditional duffel bags with inside straps to secure one of the larger cases you listed?
I also noticed that the window-less version seems to cost more, which is odd. I think the windowless version appears to have better ventilation, which would be better for the 470 with the cooler replaced--I think.
I wanted to avoid the NZXT Vulcan just on looks--I don't really want a case that attracts too much attention--but it may just be the bang for the buck I need since the complications above seem to be twice as expensive as just picking it up instead and using a typical backpack to store the other essential components.
EDIT: Are either of these two PSUs allright to use in place of the Raidmax?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PLY5BE/?tag=neogaf0e-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017KE3DM/?tag=neogaf0e-20 (listed to me before, so I assume it's good)
can anyone recommend any good fans? ideally theyd be white as well to match the others.
edit: http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/components/cooling/fans/100mmplus/xilence/redwing120mm.html
seen a lot of praise for this.
edit: http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/components/cooling/fans/100mmplus/xilence/redwing120mm.html
seen a lot of praise for this.
drakesfortune
Directions: Pull String For Uninformed Rant
Just finished my build, and just got done installing all of my software.
The Binfex Shinobi case looks even better in person than it does in the pictures. I love the case.
I'm having a couple issues though, and I can't find any solutions to my problems anywhere.
First, there are a couple of security updates in Windows Update that just won't install. They error out every time I try to install them. I tried going one by one and installing them, and it just never works. They download, but won't install.
Second, Windows only remembers SOME of my window size settings. Meaning, I have 2 24" monitors, so I don't run my programs in full screen. Whenever I maximize and then click restore down (the setting between maximize and minimize) it never remembers where I had set the windows. It does this in Chrome, Outlook, ITunes, and probably everything else. It will ONLY remember my maximized settings. This is pretty annoying to have to resize my windows every time I restart, or maximize and then minimize again. Anyone ever have this problem? I used to have this problem on my old machine with Outlook and Itunes, but everything else worked okay.
The Binfex Shinobi case looks even better in person than it does in the pictures. I love the case.
I'm having a couple issues though, and I can't find any solutions to my problems anywhere.
First, there are a couple of security updates in Windows Update that just won't install. They error out every time I try to install them. I tried going one by one and installing them, and it just never works. They download, but won't install.
Second, Windows only remembers SOME of my window size settings. Meaning, I have 2 24" monitors, so I don't run my programs in full screen. Whenever I maximize and then click restore down (the setting between maximize and minimize) it never remembers where I had set the windows. It does this in Chrome, Outlook, ITunes, and probably everything else. It will ONLY remember my maximized settings. This is pretty annoying to have to resize my windows every time I restart, or maximize and then minimize again. Anyone ever have this problem? I used to have this problem on my old machine with Outlook and Itunes, but everything else worked okay.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
That first one is a case.darkblade77 said:
That Antec PSU is okay, but it really depends on how important a modular PSU is to you. For the cases you're looking at it will really be beneficial. The only problem is that it uses three +12v rails, so you'll have to make sure you balance the load properly. It supports 37 amps across all three rails at the same time , you can get other PSUs in that price range that provide more, but they won't be modular.
Have you tried updating in safe mode with networking? Could be something you installed or ran, I had issues with Win7 SP1 because of something Driver Sweeper screwed up.
I saw some really good things about Thermalright's TY-140s. They fit in 120mm fan slots, but you won't be able to put them side by side since they will be a little bigger than a 120mm fan. For straight 120mm fans, the best I found was Scythe Kama Flow 2s.
That doesn't take color into account though, the TY-140 is off-white with blue fins, and the Kama Flow 2 is black.
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