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[Yuuichi]

Going off to school this fall, so I get to build a little something as a graduation present. The current parts list I'm looking at is:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3FQgD
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3FQgD/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3FQgD/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($33.24 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($112.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($124.99 @ TigerDirect)
Video Card: PNY GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($299.99 @ Amazon)
Case: BitFenix Prodigy (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($79.99 @ TigerDirect)
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Rapid Wired Gaming Keyboard ($74.95 @ Amazon)
Mouse: SteelSeries Rival Wired Optical Mouse ($54.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1274.08
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-07 20:12 EDT-0400)

My understanding is that my maximum budget is about $1500, which I may supplement if needed with some of my own money.

Three things of note that I really want comments on (although I would love general comments as well)
1: I need a monitor as well, would prefer something on the smaller end (~21") and it needs to be 1080p. Open to any and all budget minded recommendations.
2: I won't be doing any OC'ing for sanity reasons, so do I really need the CM cooler? Looking for ways to cut costs, but I don't mind getting it if it's really worth it (have a 212 on our current desktop, works great but the i5 is at 4.2ghz, so there's that)
3: I want to try a new mouse coming off the Rat7, current one is the most likely contender, but would love to hear suggestions. as long as it has at least one button on the side, I can use it. I also need a mousepad, so recommendations on that would be nice too.

Edit: In case it needed to be said, this is a gaming pc with a 4 year minimal upgrade lifespan in mind

 

[KingFire]

I decided to get back into PC gaming. I already have a 1080p monitor. I am targeting 1080p/60 fps for most games at max settings.

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek GAIA SD1283 56.3 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste ($6.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Hero ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 780 3GB AMP! Edition Video Card ($476.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($75.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Microsoft Keyboard 200 Wired Standard Keyboard ($9.99 @ B&H)
Total: $1358.87

What do you guys think?

 

[TC McQueen]

I decided to get back into PC gaming. I already have a 1080p monitor. I am targeting 1080p/60 fps for most games at max settings.

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek GAIA SD1283 56.3 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste ($6.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Hero ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 780 3GB AMP! Edition Video Card ($476.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($75.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Microsoft Keyboard 200 Wired Standard Keyboard ($9.99 @ B&H)
Total: $1358.87

What do you guys think?

Are you in the US? If so, get a CPU and mobo combo from Microcenter.

 

[KingFire]

Are you in the US? If so, get a CPU and mobo combo from Microcenter.

Yeah. But it is an in-store pick up, and the nearest store is in another city.
They have a great deal though.

 

[elfinke]

That looks great to me. I would go with 8.1 for the new build. It has some optimizations like you said, and with something like start8 it gets past the metro nonsense.

Great to hear.

Well, pressed the big blue order button today. Came to $1550 with delivery, Windows 8.1 and a case I didn't care for but it fit the budget and my bro was happy enough with it (Aerocool Strike-X One).

I'm looking forward to it arriving, so I can have a play with it!

Thank yo to everyone who has pitched in some opinion or knowledge during this build (even if it ended up as mostly a 'cookie-cutter' i5 build!)

 

[Hieberrr]

Is this drive any good?

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=179_1229_1088&item_id=055640

 

[kennah]

No. Kingston has done some shady stuff with that series of drives.

 

[AstuteClass]

I have a question.

I'm getting the Phantom 410 case that comes with a case fan speed control.

Trouble is, the wires to the controller have 3 pin female sockets to plug case fans into them, but how can you control their speed without the 4th pwm pin?

EDIT: Never mind. Just found out that 3-pin fans like the Corsair Air series can plug into the case's 3-pin sockets on the fan controller, and still have their speed controlled. Bit of a revelation as I thought all fans had to have the 4th PWM pin for that to work.

 

[Tabasco]

Guys, I'm still having that Firefox problem on my PC where it crashes randomly.

Here is the error report I got recently from the last crash:

AdapterDeviceID: 0x1189
AdapterVendorID: 0x10de
Add-ons: %7Bf701c26a-479a-4724-b4f1-870db12f063c%7D:1.4.6,%7B7b1bf0b6-a1b9-42b0-b75d-252036438bdc%7D:8.2,%7B972ce4c6-7e08-4474-a285-3208198ce6fd%7D:29.0,%7Bd10d0bf8-f5b5-c8b4-a8b2-2b9879e08c5d%7D:2.6
AvailablePageFile: 6468628480
AvailablePhysicalMemory: 5884039168
AvailableVirtualMemory: 3173597184
BIOS_Manufacturer: American Megatrends Inc.
BlockedDllList:
BreakpadReserveAddress: 43712512
BreakpadReserveSize: 37748736
BuildID: 20140421221237
CrashTime: 1399444361
EMCheckCompatibility: true
FramePoisonBase: 00000000f0de0000
FramePoisonSize: 65536
InstallTime: 1399331307
IsGarbageCollecting: 1
Notes: AdapterVendorID: 0x10de, AdapterDeviceID: 0x1189, AdapterSubsysID: 28421462, AdapterDriverVersion: 9.18.13.3523
D2D? D2D+ DWrite? DWrite+ D3D10 Layers? D3D10 Layers+
ProductID: {ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384}
ProductName: Firefox
ReleaseChannel: release
StartupTime: 1399436701
SystemMemoryUsePercentage: 31
Theme: classic/1.0
Throttleable: 1
TotalVirtualMemory: 4294836224
Vendor: Mozilla
Version: 29.0
Winsock_LSP: MSAFD Tcpip [TCP/IP] : 2 : 1 :
MSAFD Tcpip [UDP/IP] : 2 : 2 : %SystemRoot%\system32\mswsock.dll
MSAFD Tcpip [RAW/IP] : 2 : 3 :
MSAFD Tcpip [TCP/IPv6] : 2 : 1 : %SystemRoot%\system32\mswsock.dll
MSAFD Tcpip [UDP/IPv6] : 2 : 2 :
MSAFD Tcpip [RAW/IPv6] : 2 : 3 : %SystemRoot%\system32\mswsock.dll
RSVP TCPv6 Service Provider : 2 : 1 :
RSVP TCP Service Provider : 2 : 1 : %SystemRoot%\system32\mswsock.dll
RSVP UDPv6 Service Provider : 2 : 2 :
RSVP UDP Service Provider : 2 : 2 : %SystemRoot%\system32\mswsock.dll
useragent_locale: en-US

This report also contains technical information about the state of the application when it crashed.

 

[jakomocha]

There was a review on overclock3d.net I believe. But, you can just get an exact idea of performance by taking the difference in % the core clock is and modifying other results. Though they *seem* like different cards, they're all the same in terms of actual performance. Different power delivery does not change performance, only frequency of the GPU and memory changes any of that.

Nah, they only did a benchmark of the GTX 780 Ti GHZ Edition, not 780. Also, I think I might bite on that fan even though I already have enough with my base case just because of how inexpensive it is.

Also, I need to know quickly due to a deal ending soon: do you guys think I should go with the Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window Mid Tower, or is it better to get a full-tower/different mid-atx tower?

Here's my current build for reference (and feel free to give feedback):

PCPartPicker part list
CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 120V 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z87 MPOWER ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ✓
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($68.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive ($115.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 3GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($519.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec HCG M 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ✓
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($15.00)
Monitor: QNIX QX2710 Perfect Pixel 60Hz 27.0" Monitor ($359.90)
Case Fan: Cougar Vortex PWM 70.5 CFM 120mm Fan ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1710.34
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Check mark means I've already bought it.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

Not everyone can be good at games.

*throws gauntlet*

Really though, it does seem to boil down to multiplayer/competitive vs. single player/MMO/RPG games. 120/144Hz for the former, resolution for the latter.
Definitely not the processor. If you find you want more performance in those games when they come out, upgrade the video card then.

We have been seeing announced games like Watchdogs and Wolfenstein claiming i7 for max settings

 

[eBay Huckster]

We have been seeing announced games like Watchdogs and Wolfenstein claiming i7 for max settings

that doesn't necessarily mean you'll actually need an i7 for max settings

 

[Prophet Steve]

We have been seeing announced games like Watchdogs and Wolfenstein claiming i7 for max settings

The system requirements were pretty unspecific and I take them with a grain of salt, not the first time something like this would happen. I really doubt you'll need a 4770k instead of a 4670k to run them well. I have my doubts it is even going to make any difference at all.

 

[SteveWinwood]

How do I know if a noise is good or bad? Usually I'd think you'd be able to tell pretty easily, but my new one is so quiet. There is a gentle buzzing noise (I'd describe it as hearing a trash truck driving around a block or two away). It's not a big deal as I can only hear it when I focus on it and there is no other audio, I just don't know if it's something I should investigate or not.

 

[LordAlu]

I decided to get back into PC gaming. I already have a 1080p monitor. I am targeting 1080p/60 fps for most games at max settings.

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek GAIA SD1283 56.3 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste ($6.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Hero ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 780 3GB AMP! Edition Video Card ($476.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($75.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Microsoft Keyboard 200 Wired Standard Keyboard ($9.99 @ B&H)
Total: $1358.87

What do you guys think?

There's one or two changes I'd probably make just to get some slightly better components in there for cheaper:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.94 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($68.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($139.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Superclocked ACX Video Card ($499.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX750B BRONZE 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Microsoft Keyboard 200 Wired Standard Keyboard ($9.99 @ B&H)
Total: $1329.86
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-08 03:04 EDT-0400)

Changes:

• Don't really need such an expensive motherboard, the UD3H will do fine.
• G.Skill RAM will do just as well but is slightly cheaper.
• Samsung EVO SSD as that Kingston one is meh.
• Improved model of the 780, much better cooler on there and a better warranty too.
• The 750W version of that power supply is $60 after rebate so a bit cheaper.

You've got no mechanical drive or Windows on there so I assume you have those already

 

[riflen]

People in the market for a 4770k CPU really should be made aware that the refreshed K CPUs are only weeks away from release and will probably offer better value for money where over-clocking is concerned. Even if they turn out to be no better, it'd be pretty foolish to not wait until June 2nd and see the reviews.

 

[eBay Huckster]

People in the market for a 4770k CPU really should be made aware that the refreshed K CPUs are only weeks away from release and will probably offer better value for money where over-clocking is concerned. Even if they turn out to be no better, it'd be pretty foolish to not wait until June 2nd and see the reviews.

in my case I'm not gonna be buying my parts until August anyway, so I might as well wait for two months of reviews (both professional and from all the randoms on newegg/amazon) to roll in before I decide on a 4770K vs. a 4790K

(though I'm definitely getting a Z97 motherboard either way)

 

[Ashhong]

Going off to school this fall, so I get to build a little something as a graduation present. The current parts list I'm looking at is:


My understanding is that my maximum budget is about $1500, which I may supplement if needed with some of my own money.

Three things of note that I really want comments on (although I would love general comments as well)
1: I need a monitor as well, would prefer something on the smaller end (~21") and it needs to be 1080p. Open to any and all budget minded recommendations.
2: I won't be doing any OC'ing for sanity reasons, so do I really need the CM cooler? Looking for ways to cut costs, but I don't mind getting it if it's really worth it (have a 212 on our current desktop, works great but the i5 is at 4.2ghz, so there's that)
3: I want to try a new mouse coming off the Rat7, current one is the most likely contender, but would love to hear suggestions. as long as it has at least one button on the side, I can use it. I also need a mousepad, so recommendations on that would be nice too.

Edit: In case it needed to be said, this is a gaming pc with a 4 year minimal upgrade lifespan in mind

If you are planning on a gaming pc with a 4 year lifespan, I think you will want to be OCing. If you absolutely don't want to then you don't need the K series processor or that Z87 motherboard or even the CM212 probably.

 

[Water]

1: I need a monitor as well, would prefer something on the smaller end (~21") and it needs to be 1080p. Open to any and all budget minded recommendations.

whyyy
If you don't have an actual reason for that, you should go bigger. 23-24" is the standard size for 1080p displays, and all the best stuff is that size. 21" displays are not even cheaper.

Also, I suggest you don't go cheap on the display. IMO it's the best thing to spend on in a computer - has a huge impact on every second of the experience of using the thing, and good displays also last far longer than computers. I have been in the habit of spending as much on the display as on the computer, but these days great displays are so cheap that you don't have to spend that much anymore. Consider a 144Hz display, or a nice 1080p IPS if you are not willing to go with 1440p IPS.

 

[Kelas]

I don't need an entire new PC, but I couldn't find a thread for just parts recommendations. My PC has been going strong since I build it in Dec 08 (!), with an i7 920, 6gb corsair domi ram, corsair hx1000w, two gtx280s, and an 80gb intel ssd + 300gb velociraptor. Motherboard is a p6td v2.

Problem is one of my cards died early this year, and now the second one is on the outs. I'll notice several spike artifacts in games, and then a complete sudden lockup with the entire screen covered in a kaleidoscopic array of blocks and dots, forcing me to power off/on. I've only had three lockups like that in the last week, but I know it'll get progressively worse and the card needs to be replaced.

I don't need anything powerful, just something on par with a 280, but slightly better performance and less power consumption would be nice. I'm looking at a 660, this one in particular. Is that a decent choice? Though it's most definitely better than the 280 I have now, any idea how it stacks up against my former 280 sli setup?

 

[MadJackChurchill]

Goin' to Japan to teach English. Can't take big-ass desktop with me. Will be buying a serviceable gaming laptop, but want to be able to play Star Citizen when it's released thus I might buy an AMD-based rig with a great GPU - thinking 290x.

Question on the CPU side of things: FX processor or APU? Remember that the FX processor will not be updated in 2015, and will thus be running on a three year old architecture. Comparatively, the APU's will be upgraded to Carrizo architecture, which supports DDR4 and will be undoubtedly bolstered by Mantle. Still, that 8 core...and Mantle has been shown to make better utilisation of multiple cores.

I'm really stuck for choice here - what should I go for, team?

EDIT: my budget is around £500 - £600. Please consider that Japanese prices are cheaper than UK's, but still more expensive USA's.

 

[kennah]

I don't need an entire new PC, but I couldn't find a thread for just parts recommendations. My PC has been going strong since I build it in Dec 08 (!), with an i7 920, 6gb corsair domi ram, corsair hx1000w, two gtx280s, and an 80gb intel ssd + 300gb velociraptor. Motherboard is a p6td v2.

Problem is one of my cards died early this year, and now the second one is on the outs. I'll notice several spike artifacts in games, and then a complete sudden lockup with the entire screen covered in a kaleidoscopic array of blocks and dots, forcing me to power off/on. I've only had three lockups like that in the last week, but I know it'll get progressively worse and the card needs to be replaced.

I don't need anything powerful, just something on par with a 280, but slightly better performance and less power consumption would be nice. I'm looking at a 660, this one in particular. Is that a decent choice? Though it's most definitely better than the 280 I have now, any idea how it stacks up against my former 280 sli setup?

What's your budget?

 

[kiyomi]

I don't need an entire new PC, but I couldn't find a thread for just parts recommendations. My PC has been going strong since I build it in Dec 08 (!), with an i7 920, 6gb corsair domi ram, corsair hx1000w, two gtx280s, and an 80gb intel ssd + 300gb velociraptor. Motherboard is a p6td v2.

Problem is one of my cards died early this year, and now the second one is on the outs. I'll notice several spike artifacts in games, and then a complete sudden lockup with the entire screen covered in a kaleidoscopic array of blocks and dots, forcing me to power off/on. I've only had three lockups like that in the last week, but I know it'll get progressively worse and the card needs to be replaced.

I don't need anything powerful, just something on par with a 280, but slightly better performance and less power consumption would be nice. I'm looking at a 660, this one in particular. Is that a decent choice? Though it's most definitely better than the 280 I have now, any idea how it stacks up against my former 280 sli setup?

If you're dead set on Nvidia then go for the GTX 760 instead, 660 is kinda limp at this point. You can get one for about ~£170 including postage, which is not a lot more when you factor in OCUK's delivery costs. It'll destroy your 280 SLI setup.

Alternatively if you're willing to go AMD, R9 270 will serve you well for about £130.

Dunno about power consumption. You might wanna consider upgrading your CPU/mobo combination sooner rather than later too.

 

[kennah]

His cpu is still fine.

Power consumption on everything will
Be better. Much much quieter too.

 

[SHADES]

CPU: i7 3770 @3.4 Ghz
MOBO: GIGABYTE H61M-DS2
GPU 6870DD
100GB SSD
1TB HDD
16 GB ram

Bit of troubleshooting needed here please.

The last 2 days each time I've booted up my PC I've been getting a please select boot option or insert boot media etc. So when this 1st happened I went into the bios via "delete" and selected the correct drive (SSD) and all ran well yesterday.

Fresh boot again this morning and the same thing so tried the same steps as above and now my monitor (a dell) is in digital input power saving mode which looking up means its not getting a signal from the PC.

So I remove the GPU and can now get back into bios settings but can't boot as the SSD runs via the GPU!

GAF, does this mean my GPU is kaput?

Any advice please?

 

[Kelas]

Thanks guys, and sorry, I should have stated my budget. ~ £140 is kinda where I'd like to be, cost-wise. I can get the same card slightly cheaper from amazon with free shipping too (I just used OCUK because it's easier to see the range of cards as opposed to amazon). I'm not against paying more for a better performing card, it's just that I wouldn't be doing this upgrade at all if my 280 wasn't having problems, as I don't quite have the same lust for technical performance that I had when I put this and my previous rig together all those years ago.

Absolutely not against switching to AMD either. I just haven't been paying attention to PC hardware for years, and went looking at what I was more familiar with (been using nvidia from 5200, to 6600, to 8800gtx, to gtx280). The r9 270 seems like a solid recommendation, so I'll definitely look into that.

 

[Stubo]

CPU: i7 3770 @3.4 Ghz
MOBO: GIGABYTE H61M-DS2
GPU 6870DD
100GB SSD
1TB HDD
16 GB ram

Bit of troubleshooting needed here please.

The last 2 days each time I've booted up my PC I've been getting a please select boot option or insert boot media etc. So when this 1st happened I went into the bios via "delete" and selected the correct drive (SSD) and all ran well yesterday.

Fresh boot again this morning and the same thing so tried the same steps as above and now my monitor (a dell) is in digital input power saving mode which looking up means its not getting a signal from the PC.

So I remove the GPU and can now get back into bios settings but can't boot as the SSD runs via the GPU!

GAF, does this mean my GPU is kaput?

Any advice please?

Could you explain what you mean by the bolded please?

Edit: Kelas if you want great power efficiency and aren't too worried about taking a bit of a performance hit you should look at the 750Ti. The evga superclocked and acx models are the best options for it in my opinion.

 

[Smokey]

Posted about this a couple months ago...but the issue appears to have come up again. Woke up this morning and noticed my PC was shutdown. I pressed the power button and it starts up like normal and then maybe 5 seconds later it shuts down. I can still see the mobo lights on through the window though.

I flipped switch on PSU. Unplugged AC cord. Unplugged all peripherals except the monitor...and nothing. I tried this for about 15 minutes,but I had to leave for work.

Not the PSU because the mobo is still getting power (power light and a few others on) right? so what's the deal here?

 

[SHADES]

Could you explain what you mean by the bolded please?

Edit: Kelas if you want great power efficiency and aren't too worried about taking a bit of a performance hit you should look at the 750Ti. The evga superclocked and acx models are the best options for it in my opinion.

Sorry bit of a noob here, the SSD is connected via the GPU so when I remove the GPU it's not running, I'm aware I could connect the SSD onto the MOBO but I'm still without a GPU and I read somewhere it's better to run the SSD via the GPU?

 

[IMACOMPUTA]

Sorry bit of a noob here, the SSD is connected via the GPU so when I remove the GPU it's not running, I'm aware I could connect the SSD onto the MOBO but I'm still without a GPU and I read somewhere it's better to run the SSD via the GPU?

I think you're confused... I have no idea what you mean by this.

GPU is the graphics card. SSD is a solid state drive.
You have your solid state drive plugged into your graphics card?
How'd you manage that?

 

[Yuuichi]

If you are planning on a gaming pc with a 4 year lifespan, I think you will want to be OCing. If you absolutely don't want to then you don't need the K series processor or that Z87 motherboard or even the CM212 probably.

It's not that I don't want to overclock, it's that I'm currently more concerned with things like the longevity of parts and heat in the smaller case, since I really can't afford to replace a $300 part if I fuck something up. If you know of some good resources for heat and cooling in small cases, I would consider it further.

whyyy
If you don't have an actual reason for that, you should go bigger. 23-24" is the standard size for 1080p displays, and all the best stuff is that size. 21" displays are not even cheaper.

Also, I suggest you don't go cheap on the display. IMO it's the best thing to spend on in a computer - has a huge impact on every second of the experience of using the thing, and good displays also last far longer than computers. I have been in the habit of spending as much on the display as on the computer, but these days great displays are so cheap that you don't have to spend that much anymore. Consider a 144Hz display, or a nice 1080p IPS if you are not willing to go with 1440p IPS.

The reason for this as it was is, for the time being, a combination of budget and unknown space (might need to fit in a dorm room with 3 people). I would kill for a 120hz+ monitor, especially considering how much counter strike I play, but from what I saw, it would be an extra $200+ (compared to a 60hz monitor of the same size), the majority of which would probably have to either come out of my pocket or get cut from somewhere on the build. If I can make the money magically appear it's going to be one of the first things to get upgraded, but I at least ned alternatives.

EDIT:

Sorry bit of a noob here, the SSD is connected via the GPU so when I remove the GPU it's not running, I'm aware I could connect the SSD onto the MOBO but I'm still without a GPU and I read somewhere it's better to run the SSD via the GPU?

I'm just going to assume whoever told you this was high, GFX cards shouldn't even have sata ports (what you need to connect the SSD). Plug that thing into your MOBO and get going.

 

[riflen]

Sorry bit of a noob here, the SSD is connected via the GPU so when I remove the GPU it's not running, I'm aware I could connect the SSD onto the MOBO but I'm still without a GPU and I read somewhere it's better to run the SSD via the GPU?

This can't be what you mean. SSD = Solid State Disk and wont be connected to the GPU in any way that I can conceive of.

It could be that the CMOS battery on your motherboard has died leading your BIOS to revert to default settings randomly. This could account for your boot device order changing and the BIOS reverting to selecting your integrated GPU instead of your discrete GPU.

I suggest locating the following settings in your BIOS:
1. Boot device order.
2. iGPU or onboard VGA setting.

Correct the boot order so that the SSD is first.
Set the iGPU/VGA setting to allow your discrete GPU to be used.
Save the settings and switch off the machine.
Install your GPU.
Fire it up.

If the battery has gone flat, you'll need to replace it to prevent the problem reoccurring.

 

[Chakvr2]

Posted about this a couple months ago...but the issue appears to have come up again. Woke up this morning and noticed my PC was shutdown. I pressed the power button and it starts up like normal and then maybe 5 seconds later it shuts down. I can still see the mobo lights on through the window though.

I flipped switch on PSU. Unplugged AC cord. Unplugged all peripherals except the monitor...and nothing. I tried this for about 15 minutes,but I had to leave for work.

Not the PSU because the mobo is still getting power (power light and a few others on) right? so what's the deal here?

I had something like this before (happened on a work day during the morning too), my boots got to the loading windows screen before it shut down. For some bizarre reason, reseating the RAM fixed it (I was going to check the connections on everything and redo them) and have since replaced the RAM. Probably sounds awfully silly but maybe worth a try?

 

[SHADES]

I think you're confused... I have no idea what you mean by this.

GPU is the graphics card. SSD is a solid state drive.
You have your solid state drive plugged into your graphics card?
How'd you manage that?

Sorry, coming out of my SSD I have 2 connectors, one blue cable (sata) and a black connector block(6pin) with 1yellow,2black,1red wire going through another connector block onto my GPU, when I remove the GPU the SSD is no longer recognised in the bios settings.

Just noticed that the sata cable on my SSD was loose so this may explain the SSD issues (unless I made it loose when removing GPU) having plugging it back in and rebooted I still can't get the monitor out of digital input power saving mode to access the bios, should I remove the GPU again and plug the monitor into the MOBO?

 

[Stubo]

Sorry, coming out of my SSD I have 2 connectors, one blue cable (sata) and a black connector block(6pin) with 1yellow,2black,1red wire going through another connector block onto my GPU, when I remove the GPU the SSD is no longer recognised in the bios settings.

Just noticed that the sata cable on my SSD was loose so this may explain the SSD issues (unless I made it loose when removing GPU) having plugging it back in and rebooted I still can't get the monitor out of digital input power saving mode to access the bios, should I remove the GPU again and plug the monitor into the MOBO?

It sounds like you're talking about a power cable, it's very strange to me that anyone would suggest benefit from using a chain linked to your gpu, but alas.

There should be a spare one of these from your power supply which will get your ssd up and running if you can't make it work without the gpu for some reason.

Edit: just saw your edit, plug your monitor into the motherboard output if you're booting without your gpu, yes.

 

[kharma45]

Goin' to Japan to teach English. Can't take big-ass desktop with me. Will be buying a serviceable gaming laptop, but want to be able to play Star Citizen when it's released thus I might buy an AMD-based rig with a great GPU - thinking 290x.

Question on the CPU side of things: FX processor or APU? Remember that the FX processor will not be updated in 2015, and will thus be running on a three year old architecture. Comparatively, the APU's will be upgraded to Carrizo architecture, which supports DDR4 and will be undoubtedly bolstered by Mantle. Still, that 8 core...and Mantle has been shown to make better utilisation of multiple cores.

I'm really stuck for choice here - what should I go for, team?

EDIT: my budget is around £500 - £600. Please consider that Japanese prices are cheaper than UK's, but still more expensive USA's.

FX is a dead platform and is behind even where Intel was 3 years ago never mind now. Go Intel and don't look back, it's the only choice now sadly for a serious gaming rig. APUs are OK for indie stuff on the sofa but nothing more.

 

[riflen]

Sorry, coming out of my SSD I have 2 connectors, one blue cable (sata) and a black connector block(6pin) with 1yellow,2black,1red wire going through another connector block onto my GPU, when I remove the GPU the SSD is no longer recognised in the bios settings.

Just noticed that the sata cable on my SSD was loose so this may explain the SSD issues (unless I made it loose when removing GPU) having plugging it back in and rebooted I still can't get the monitor out of digital input power saving mode to access the bios, should I remove the GPU again and plug the monitor into the MOBO?

I think what's confused us is that you seem to be powering your GPU and SSD from a single PSU lead that you've split out with an adapter. It sounds like you're describing a molex connector (red, black, black, yellow), that's then adapted to 6-pin for your GPU. Weird.

 

[Smokey]

I had something like this before (happened on a work day during the morning too), my boots got to the loading windows screen before it shut down. For some bizarre reason, reseating the RAM fixed it (I was going to check the connections on everything and redo them) and have since replaced the RAM. Probably sounds awfully silly but maybe worth a try?

I'll give it a try. I've purposely not shut my machine down since the last time this happened. Sucks to have it happen and then have to leave for the day.

 

[phxxBullet]

I'll give it a try. I've purposely not shut my machine down since the last time this happened. Sucks to have it happen and then have to leave for the day.

So your computer runs like 24/7 since the beginning of '14? Ofc with sleep mode, but I don't wanna see your electricity bill.

 

[Sickbean]

Hi PCGAF, I'm looking to upgrade my rig a little.

I'm thinking my OC'd 2600K can still around for a while, so I'm just looking at something to replace my 6950.

Is there a card which significantly beats it, preferably for the same power requirements and with less noise???

 

[Smokey]

So your computer runs like 24/7 since the beginning of '14? Ofc with sleep mode, but I don't wanna see your electricity bill.

For the last couple of months yeah. I don't put it into sleep mode. I don't think it's out of the norm.

 

[SHADES]

It sounds like you're talking about a power cable, it's very strange to me that anyone would suggest benefit from using a chain linked to your gpu, but alas.

There should be a spare one of these from your power supply which will get your ssd up and running if you can't make it work without the gpu for some reason.

Edit: just saw your edit, plug your monitor into the motherboard output if you're booting without your gpu, yes.

Right ok. I've removed the GPU and now have access to the bios settings but in boot options I still can't see either SSD or HDD?

It seems that there is one link cable that goes from SSD GPU and 2 fans, the other cable comes straight out of the PSU and solely onto the GPU.

As soon as I put the GPU back in connect the power cables but leave the monitor connected to the MOBO I get digital input power saving mode. If I remove the power cable to the GPU I can access the bios but not see either drive?

 

[SHADES]

I think what's confused us is that you seem to be powering your GPU and SSD from a single PSU lead that you've split out with an adapter. It sounds like you're describing a molex connector (red, black, black, yellow), that's then adapted to 6-pin for your GPU. Weird.

I didn't build the PC, wish I could post a picture but can't ATM. The SSD as 2 cables (one blue sata, and another harness that somehow links between the PSU,GPU,and 2 fans via link connectors.

It's ran fine up until the last 2 days? And now it's twisting my melon, man. Lol.

 

[phxxBullet]

For the last couple of months yeah. I don't put it into sleep mode. I don't think it's out of the norm.

Umm, electricity must be free to use where you live.

Couldn't keep paying my bills if my computer would run 24/7

 

[phxxBullet]

I didn't build the PC, wish I could post a picture but can't ATM. The SSD as 2 cables (one blue sata, and another harness that somehow links between the PSU,GPU,and 2 fans via link connectors.

It's ran fine up until the last 2 days? And now it's twisting my melon, man. Lol.

Does it look like this?

Cause I can't imagine how you'd want to connect the SSD with the GPU.

You could connect the GPU and the SSD to the PSU, using the same cable, but even that seems a bit strange to me.

 

[IMACOMPUTA]

Right ok. I've removed the GPU and now have access to the bios settings but in boot options I still can't see either SSD or HDD?

It seems that there is one link cable that goes from SSD GPU and 2 fans, the other cable comes straight out of the PSU and solely onto the GPU.

As soon as I put the GPU back in connect the power cables but leave the monitor connected to the MOBO I get digital input power saving mode. If I remove the power cable to the GPU I can access the bios but not see either drive?

If the GPU is plugged in, its possible your onboard video (mobo) will be bypassed.
If you're trying to access the bios with the GPU plugged in, try plugging the monitor into the GPU.
Ive never heard of sata power and pcie power being on the same cable... Unless you're using an adapter or something.
I'd suggest using a different power cable entirely, although I don't quite understand why not having the GPU powered would affect your ssd being powered.

 

[riflen]

Right ok. I've removed the GPU and now have access to the bios settings but in boot options I still can't see either SSD or HDD?

It seems that there is one link cable that goes from SSD GPU and 2 fans, the other cable comes straight out of the PSU and solely onto the GPU.

As soon as I put the GPU back in connect the power cables but leave the monitor connected to the MOBO I get digital input power saving mode. If I remove the power cable to the GPU I can access the bios but not see either drive?

Sounds like the GPU could be the problem, but it's hard to tell because you have a very unusual power cable configuration.
You first need to revise your power cabling. Right now it seems like you're powering an SSD, HDD, 2 fans and the GPU's PCI-E power connector from the same PSU cable. This is bad practice and means we can't help you troubleshoot very easily.

I advise you to at least power the disks from their own SATA power cable. The GPU's PCI-E power connectors should also not be split out or shared with other devices.

 

[Smokey]

Umm, electricity must be free to use where you live.

Couldn't keep paying my bills if my computer would run 24/7

Outside of the green savings you're talking what..an extra $10 a year or something.

I have a 1000w PSU, 2 780tis, and more monitors than a person should have...I'm not one to really be concerned about an electricity bill.

Granted it doesn't turn on at the moment :l

 

[SHADES]

Does it look like this?

Cause I can't imagine how you'd want to connect the SSD with the GPU.

You could connect the GPU and the SSD to the PSU, using the same cable, but even that seems a bit strange to me.

Yes, that's in there and the connector from the SSD goes to it and one from the GPU also.

If the GPU is plugged in, its possible your onboard video (mobo) will be bypassed.
If you're trying to access the bios with the GPU plugged in, try plugging the monitor into the GPU.
Ive never heard of sata power and pcie power being on the same cable... Unless you're using an adapter or something.
I'd suggest using a different power cable entirely, although I don't quite understand why not having the GPU powered would affect your ssd being powered.

Thats the problem I'm having, when the GPU is plugging in I get digital input power saving mode, when I remove the GPU I can access the bios but it,doesn't see the SSD because the power cables aren't connected on the GPU.

And sorry for the confusion guys, I meant power cables, the SSD is connected to the MOBO via sata, just the power cable seems to be on the same harness as the GPU with a link cable as shown above.

 

[Stubo]

Do you have other spare sata power cables or another molex coming from your power supply so you could isolate the components?

Sorry; I would post pics of these cables but I'm on my phone right now.