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"I need a New PC!" 2012 Thread. Ivy, SSDs, and reading the OP. [Part 2]
- Thread starter Hazaro
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It's cheap, but the 7650M is quite a bit weaker than the 7770 which has no problem being 1GB, there isn't even a 2GB 7770.
Boot time is just a small bonus. The much bigger deal is having the OS on a SSD which makes the computer much more snappy and responsive. Given the choice, a 64GB SSD boot drive and smaller HDD is better. And, if you need more space later, easy to add another HDD. Adding a SSD and turning it into the boot/OS is much harder to do.
Especially when you add in that SSDs do not get affected by fragmentation. When the system has been running for some time it won't slow down as much as with an HDD.
As an owner of 5400rpm laptops I do not want a single mechanical drive in my new computer
Yeah, so I've heard. I'll look into it. I'm just getting my copy of Windows 8 from the Microsoft company store and I'm guessing I'll be on cd. If it is easy to mount the iso from that to a USB, I'll try it.
I do. Not liking the form factor of it and the buttons aren't easily accessible how I hold it. Glossy version here.
Only used for 4 days, but I think I'm going back to my G9 and getting something from CM.
Cannon Goose
Member
Huh... Define 'very low on VRAM'. About 650-750MB out of 1024 was in use when this window popped up.
George Claw M.D.
Member
I hardly ever use optical drives anymore, but they're still handy to have just in case. So, I bought an external USB(not everything has E-SATA) optical drive that I can use with either my laptop, PC, or anything else that supports it, and it's stored away when not in use(which is most of the time). I understand what you're saying, and I don't want an optical drive taking space in my PCs/laptops when I rarely use them. In fact, I removed the optical drive from my laptop, and bought a caddy to add a second HDD instead.
Aero uses about 200mb of VRAM so that would put you pretty close to your limit. I'm not sure exactly how the OS calculates when there isn't enough to run aero but its obviously being triggered. At 1080p 1GB is not really enough VRAM to have AA enabled. My previous cards were 1.5GB and with 2x MSAA that message popped up constantly so I just turned aero off.
I got everything hooked up. I turned on the PC and everything powers on but there's no video signal. I tried connecting the cable to the motherboard and video card.
Any advice?
edit: So far I have tried booting without the RAM. Still no video.
I also plugged in the motherboard speaker and noticed that there's no beeps or anything.
Bad motherboard?
No beeps, all fans power on, dvd drive powers on, and light on motherboard powers on.
Any advice?
edit: So far I have tried booting without the RAM. Still no video.
I also plugged in the motherboard speaker and noticed that there's no beeps or anything.
Bad motherboard?
No beeps, all fans power on, dvd drive powers on, and light on motherboard powers on.
Wrong.
The number Cannon Goose stated should include the DWM's video memory usage and AA VRAM usage highly, highly depends on the game!
Only games that are using a lot of VRAM without MSAA will have a problem when it is turned on!
To say that 1GB is not enough for 2x MSAA at 1920x1080 in most games is absurd!
Cannon Goose
Member
That makes sense, but how about this: When I was playing Hitman Absolution the GPU memory usage was hovering at about 1GB and yet while playing that game I never had that popup appear.
Edit:
OK, this makes MORE sense. I've played games while downsampling from 1620p or using 4xMSAA at 1080p and haven't seen that message show up. For it to appear now doesn't make a lot of sense.
The pop up appears because it is one of a number of bugs with windows that MS is to stupid to fix.
What will happen when you run out of VRAM is stuttering or the game crashing.
I don't but I do have my current PC that I am currently typing from. This one is displaying video fine.
Thanks to everyone helping out since I haven't been posting as much. Guide still is good imo, so don't worry about it that much!
I've used the:
MX Revolution
RevolutionMX
G9
G500
MX518
Sensei Raw
I haven't.
I've used the:
MX Revolution
RevolutionMX
G9
G500
MX518
Sensei Raw
I'm sitting on a by now rather old system which is starting to be very noticeable. However considering my current financial status I really can't see myself being able to get a completely new system for at least 6-8 months at best so I'm toying with the idea of maybe trying to upgrade my current one. I am however uncertain if it would be worth it.
Relevant specs are as follows,
C2D E8400 @ 3.0 GHz
4 gigs of DDR2 Ram (of which only 3,3 or w/e is available since I'm on XP)
Radeon HD4850 - 512 megs
Now, what I'm thinking about is if I should buy a better CPU cooler and bring the CPU up to at least 3.6 GHz (since it's really simple) and getting a new GPU (here I'm thinking about a 7870 or something).
However am I just wasting money at this point and should I just wait however long it'll take to save up enough for a new system?
Relevant specs are as follows,
C2D E8400 @ 3.0 GHz
4 gigs of DDR2 Ram (of which only 3,3 or w/e is available since I'm on XP)
Radeon HD4850 - 512 megs
Now, what I'm thinking about is if I should buy a better CPU cooler and bring the CPU up to at least 3.6 GHz (since it's really simple) and getting a new GPU (here I'm thinking about a 7870 or something).
However am I just wasting money at this point and should I just wait however long it'll take to save up enough for a new system?
I'd save a bit more money if it's tight and just go for the 7850 with an OC to your C2D, from comments online 4GHz could be possible if you're lucky.
GAF, I have an issue at the moment which is really starting to annoy me as I can't seem to sort out.
I have a gtx 670 ftw and since I had a driver issue and reinstalled windows 8 (tested with 7 too!) the screen at 1080p in "16:9" mode on my LG TV is too big, almost like my desktop is cropped. This is using the most recent official nvidia drivers (had issues with the beta ones). It never used to happen before I had issues.
I can change my tv to "just scan" which rectifies it but the text on the desktop doesn't look sharp and I can tell it doesn't look right.
My next steps when I get a chance are to load my original driver CD and roll back to those and to try a different pci slot.
Any ideas what's causing this guys? Is my GPU broken?
Also... Is there any performance disadvantage between putting my GPU in a pci 2.0 slot rather than a 3?
Thanks
I have a gtx 670 ftw and since I had a driver issue and reinstalled windows 8 (tested with 7 too!) the screen at 1080p in "16:9" mode on my LG TV is too big, almost like my desktop is cropped. This is using the most recent official nvidia drivers (had issues with the beta ones). It never used to happen before I had issues.
I can change my tv to "just scan" which rectifies it but the text on the desktop doesn't look sharp and I can tell it doesn't look right.
My next steps when I get a chance are to load my original driver CD and roll back to those and to try a different pci slot.
Any ideas what's causing this guys? Is my GPU broken?
Also... Is there any performance disadvantage between putting my GPU in a pci 2.0 slot rather than a 3?
Thanks
oneils
Member
Anyone here have tips for upgrading to Windows 8? Or at least have a link to some decent tips?
Background:
I currently have Windows 7 and my Steam directory on the same disk. Windows 7 is on a 100GB partition and Steam is on a 900GB partition.
All of my downloads, documents, user settings have been moved to a second disk. So the Windows "My Documents" folders and sub folders are actually on a second hard drive.
Is there an easy to upgrade without having to backup all of the documents (I have like 40gb of stuff in those folders)?
Will Windows 8 recognise that if I try to install it by "upgrade?" Or am I better off doing a clean install? If so, will the clean install wipeout the documents folders?
Background:
I currently have Windows 7 and my Steam directory on the same disk. Windows 7 is on a 100GB partition and Steam is on a 900GB partition.
All of my downloads, documents, user settings have been moved to a second disk. So the Windows "My Documents" folders and sub folders are actually on a second hard drive.
Is there an easy to upgrade without having to backup all of the documents (I have like 40gb of stuff in those folders)?
Will Windows 8 recognise that if I try to install it by "upgrade?" Or am I better off doing a clean install? If so, will the clean install wipeout the documents folders?
purvispisgah
Member
Okay, perhaps I am mistaken about wanting to go nvidia only especially for a short term upgrade. I will quote and modify my original post and hopefully get a little more feedback.
GAF, can I get a once over on this upgrade? It's a hybrid gaming/work PC.
- Can the GTX 670 handle 2560 x 1440 at a decent clip? Is it worth getting the 4GB version for an extra £40, or should I just go with a 680? (trying to avoid SLI)
- Is there any negative performance effect on buying larger sticks of RAM (e.g. 4x4GB vs 2x8GB)? Would prefer the larger sticks as I may want to upgrade to 32GB (After Effects loves RAM)
- Are there any CPU/GPU architecture upgrades around the corner I should wait for instead? Last upgrade I bought an i7 950 two weeks before the Sandy Bridge processors arrived...
Yep, I've got 12.11. Open CL isn't that big of a deal, but it would definitely help with some engineering programs I'll be using.
Well there's Intel Haswell in 3-6 months and likely video cards around that time too.
However Haswell is focused on power efficiency, likely only to be 20% faster when combining per clock optimizations and increased OC ceiling (alleged). Video cards tend to keep up with Moore's law, so probably 50% faster.
Not saying you should build, but I wouldn't go balls crazy on getting the best because $500 more for 3% faster when new stuff is 3 months away doesn't make sense.
If you don't use apps that leverage extra CPU cache or HT, get an i5.
Personally I'd go with Samsung 840 512 GB, or a 256 GB with RAID1 1 TB non-SSD.
opticalmace
Member
That looks pretty close to my old system (E8400, 4870). You can definitely OC it if you want. My E0 stepping CPU hit 4Ghz pretty easily (didn't try any further).
However, I would probably say just save up for a new system. Check some benchmarks on what you want to play/do and see if the dual core CPU will be adequate. If so, a GPU upgrade might make sense. But my inclination would be to upgrade everything.
Have any of y'all heard about unparking CPU cores to improve performance in CPU heavy games? I'm just wondering if there's any danger in reducing the life of the CPU by doing this (increasing temps?); I'm not too worried about power consumption.
I wouldn't worry about CPU life. I've got CPUs OCed at work that run 100% for days, and not a single one has failed in nearly 2 years. If your voltages and cooling is good, it will last as long as you care.
PSU, motherboard, and HDDs are what fail. Sometimes RAM.
Omega_Tom_Hanks
Banned
Dear based PC gaf. I am seriously considering dropping the duckets on a new gtx 670. I will be upgrading from a plain old 560. Do you think it is worth it for the performance upgrade (my cpu is an i5 2500k stock)? And will it future proof me a little more than the 560 has done?
T.Hanks in advance.
T.Hanks in advance.
My recommendation is to OC to 4.3-4.5 GHz, wait for GTX 770.
Ok, I'll soon have a Samsung 840 SSD with me. I want to be prepared for it, since it's my first SSD.
What would be my first steps? How can I be up-to date with firmware?
How about disk defragmentation? I saw that it doesn't have any effect, so I could disable for it. True?
And there's a tool to move Steam games from a HDD to a SSD?
And what else should I pay attention/be careful with?
What would be my first steps? How can I be up-to date with firmware?
How about disk defragmentation? I saw that it doesn't have any effect, so I could disable for it. True?
And there's a tool to move Steam games from a HDD to a SSD?
And what else should I pay attention/be careful with?
I've never had to update firmware with Samsung 800s. They design their own controller so it works well by default. I bricked a Crucial C300 using their backwater freeDOS updater.
Vista/7/8 auto disable. Don't defragment.
I think the OP has one.
PedroPanache
Member
So, hurrah! my PC is finally built. After having trouble with Royal Mail (useful bunch of twongs), I finally got my remaining parts earlier this week (from a courier service that actually delivers) and got round to building it ahead of the weekend. It's been a seriously long time since I built a proper gaming PC (think back to the Voodoo2 cards) and it really is a revelation to be able to play games in proper 1080p/60fps HD. I've never been much of a graphics snob, but lord, does Batman : Arkham Aslysum look glorious running in 3D at 60fps. I'm actually now able to appreciate 3D gaming on my TV after buying it and not really using the feature at all, mainly because it downgraded the graphics and framerate far too much when playing 3D games on the PS3; the PC, on the other hand, looks glorious.
So, thanks for this wonderful thread, it helped me get up to speed on all the tech.
So, thanks for this wonderful thread, it helped me get up to speed on all the tech.
So i decided to OC my AMD Phenom II X6 1055T since i really didnt feel the need to til now. the only problem is i live in the freaking desert and the only temperatures in my house range from super warm to blazing hot. I want to order a CM Evo 212+ Evo and put it in my case (CM690 II). The only real question i have is how hard is it to put the heatsink in? I remember distinctly how hard putting in the stock cooler was for me and the thought of having to get the thermal paste right kinda worries me
PedroPanache
Member
Having just put one in myself for the first time, I can say it's not that hard. It's a bit fiddly, but unlike the stock fans (which I hate installing, as you always have to push down really, really hard, to the point where you feel you're going to break the board) you're screwing the Evo into place rather than applying insane amounts of pressure to lock it into place. The one fiddly bit is aligning the metal bracket to the four screws, other than that, it's a walk in the park. As for the thermal paste, just a small pea shaped blob in the middle will do the trick, the applied pressure from the heatsink will spread it out on to the CPU.
Sounds good. Being able to take out my mobo to put that in will probably let me organize my wires too! Now i wonder how hard taking out the stock cooler will be
PedroPanache
Member
Actually, if you go onto youtube, there's a number of guides on how to install the Evo fan (I basically watched 2 or 3 before installing mine), it's worth having a look as it'll reassure you that it's pretty easy.
I can relate to you man. I use to live in the desert as well a 2 years ago... average temp 100f-110f and my CPU/GPU were miserable even with an excellent heat sink and cooler.
The local gaming shop recommended switching over to water cooled, so i did and it was worth every penny.
You should check out something like the Corsair Hydro series i hear they are excellent.
AScotAbroad
Member
Hey Gaf - longtime lurker here who finally got his new PC build together and aww hell it don't work
Here's my specs (built from scratch): http://pcpartpicker.com/ca/p/lrOu.
Hooked everything up, started out well when I pressed the power button on the case and the BIOS boots up - but it complains that the current CMS settings don't fully support the boot device (the CPU and 16Gb of RAM are correctly displayed on the boot screen). Trawling through the BIOS screens gives me a list of all the potential SATA ports on the mobo, and they all say "Empty".
My DVD drive doesn't eject when I press the button - should that be the first sign that it's likely a problem with the modular PSU? The GFX card is powering up and in fact I tested all this with HDMI from the card to my TV so I know that's functioning at least. My 2Tb HDD doesn't appear to spin up either, and I've tried switching all the SATA power cables around (the PSU came with a bunch).
Any ideas? My mate is bringing his spare Corsair PSU round tonight so we can try testing with that one, but I'm curious if anyone else here has had this problem, since I took most of these parts from Hazaro's awesome build table.
So my mate brought his spare PSU round last night (the very similar Corsair 620W, also a modular PSU), and everything works fine with it.
The catch? I realised that my PSU has the 24 pin mobo block, and two 4-pin blocks. The problem is that only one of those 4-pin parts actually fits in the 8-pin block next to the I/O shield. The other has four "house" shaped pins which I understand should fit into "house" or square holes regardless, but mine simply doesn't "click" in like the other half does.
Looks like I'm not the only person who's experienced this problem: http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92266
Since I'm using a PSU and motherboard recommended by the build list, I wondered if anyone else has had this problem? No matter how much I force the 2nd of the 4-pin connectors into the slot, there is no POST beep from the motherboard when I power up and the DVD drive doesn't get power. With my mate's PSU (with a complete 8-pin block) it works like magic.
I've got that board, it's pretty good, cheap and does the job, has SLI support should you need it. I think it's OC-able - the bios has plenty of option. Not tried OCing myself yet
HarryDemeanor
Member
It was kind of a pain in the ass to put on. The pain was mostly coming from the metal bracket but it was smooth sailing after that. When I applied the thermal paste I put a little bit too much on the CPU so I had to spread it to get the excess paste off. I ended up making a nice thin coat on the CPU and just put the heatsink on.
Cool. I appreciate the info. Not many reviews available on the board, aside from Toms.
Any opinions on the Dell S2440L? Best Buy has it on sale for $199...
It's glossy, 24" 16:9 1080p and S-PVA. I've been looking for something to replace my way old and now crappy 17" Samsung LCD, and this would match my two 22" eIPS Dells pretty closely in pixel density. I suspect that I could deal with S-PVA for the center monitor, but I'm not sure how the glossy would work in the center of two matte ones.
The layout would look like this.
I get the feeling that I would have to spend quite a bit more to get a monitor that is significantly better.
Hmmm.....
It's glossy, 24" 16:9 1080p and S-PVA. I've been looking for something to replace my way old and now crappy 17" Samsung LCD, and this would match my two 22" eIPS Dells pretty closely in pixel density. I suspect that I could deal with S-PVA for the center monitor, but I'm not sure how the glossy would work in the center of two matte ones.
The layout would look like this.
I get the feeling that I would have to spend quite a bit more to get a monitor that is significantly better.
Hmmm.....
opticalmace
Member
Can you go see what it looks like in-store? I'm not sure if I would mix em like that... but the max I've done is 2 monitors, so I'm not sure.
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