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[Objectively Bad Opinion]

All,

Here is my final Mini ITX Build that will be used as an HTPC and for gaming. I am pulling the trigger today and going to build this weekend. Thoughts?

Get a cooler for the cpu. The stock one will ruin your day if you don't wear headphones, it is always audible. I assume that since this is an htpc build you're probably going to want it to be as silent as possible.

Also get an aftermarket fan for whatever cooler you get... stock fans always seem to be garbage in my experience.

 

[FlipCup]

Are you trying to save a ram slot? And why is there no price for your PSU choice? For the mobo, I would rather put out another 8 bucks and get this gigabyte one.
Other than that it looks great.

Yes, just in case if in the future I want to go to 16GB. As for the PSU, I am not sure why the price is not listed, it is 89.99.

Thanks!

 

[FlipCup]

Get a cooler for the cpu. The stock one will ruin your day if you don't wear headphones, it is always audible. I assume that since this is an htpc build you're probably going to want it to be as silent as possible.

Also get an aftermarket fan for whatever cooler you get... stock fans always seem to be garbage in my experience.

Any suggestions on the coolers or aftermarket fans? This is my second build (First ITX), I have never purchased an aftermarket cooler or fan.

 

[no maam]

Sorry for the late reply. You could save a lot of money then and get a decent 550-650 watt power supply.

I ended up getting a evga 1000w supernova g2 for $140. My friend has an evga and he said he loves it so I couldn't pass it up for that price. Obviously overkill for my rig, but at least it should be quiet.

I'm curious. Last week with my old non modular 750w psu and stock Intel heatsink I was getting 100fps avg in the tomb raider benchmark on ultra. I tried it again after I overclocked to 4.2, and with the (soon to be rma'd 750w modular) I was getting an avg of 174fps. I'm wondering how it jumped that high. I know an overclock would help, but not 74 extra fps. I don't get it.

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

Any suggestions on the coolers or aftermarket fans? This is my second build (First ITX), I have never purchased an aftermarket cooler or fan.

This is good enough for cooler. Aftermarket fan is not needed for this one I think, the noctua is a decent fan.

This is a cheaper and more powerful psu.

 

[LilJoka]

Any suggestions on the coolers or aftermarket fans? This is my second build (First ITX), I have never purchased an aftermarket cooler or fan.

Consider the Node 304, nicer built and easier to build in and get a much neater build.
Also the Node can run a tower heatsink like a Hyper 212 rather than being stuck with low profile cooler in the Elite 130.

 

[FlipCup]

This is good enough for cooler. Aftermarket fan is not needed for this one I think, the noctua is a decent fan.

This is a cheaper and more powerful psu.

Thanks! For the PSU, will that fit my case? Also, this could be a stupid question but I forget, does the Thermal paste come with the CPU?

 

[Dries]

Sup, GAF. I need a new PSU because my old 700W one is broke. But I was wondering: would 500W also be sufficient? Or 600? Or 650? How does one find out? My specs:

2500K 4.4Ghz (OC)
GTX 980 (EVGA Superclocked 2.0)
8 GB RAM

If more info is necessary let me know. I'd rather be safe than sorry though, so now I'm leaning to just get another 700W, cause that's already what I have.

So, any reccomendations?

 

[FlipCup]

Consider the Node 304, nicer built and easier to build in and get a much neater build.
Also the Node can run a tower heatsink like a Hyper 212 rather than being stuck with low profile cooler in the Elite 130.

Wow, I do like that Node 304. I may have to do that. And is this the Hyper 212 you meant? http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-212-RR-212E-20PK-R2/dp/B005O65JXI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1426075265&sr=1-1&keywords=cooler+master+hyper+212+evo

 

[LilJoka]

Sup, GAF. I need a new PSU because my old 700W one is broke. But I was wondering: would 500W also be sufficient? My specs:

2500K 4.4Ghz (OC)
GTX 980 (EVGA Superclocked 2.0)
8 GB RAM

If more info is necessary let me know. I'd rather be safe than sorry though, so now I'm leaning to just get another 700W, cause that's already what I have.

A quality PSU like a Seasonic G 550/650 would suffice. May want the 650 just to reduce noise in some cases.

 

[LilJoka]

Wow, I do like that Node 304. I may have to do that. And is this the Hyper 212 you meant? http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-212-RR-212E-20PK-R2/dp/B005O65JXI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1426075265&sr=1-1&keywords=cooler+master+hyper+212+evo

Yes and yes, see page 150 for my Node304 build.

The only extra consideration is the PSU ideally needs a depth of 150mm or less. But in my build I just removed the PSU bracket out the case with 2 screws to undo. That lets you slide the PSU away from the GPU and fits fine.

 

[no maam]

Sup, GAF. I need a new PSU because my old 700W one is broke. But I was wondering: would 500W also be sufficient? Or 600? Or 650? How does one find out? My specs:

2500K 4.4Ghz (OC)
GTX 980 (EVGA Superclocked 2.0)
8 GB RAM

If more info is necessary let me know. I'd rather be safe than sorry though, so now I'm leaning to just get another 700W, cause that's already what I have.

So, any reccomendations?

The 980 says it needs at least a 500w psu. a 750w works fine(I have the same specs minus .2 ghz and 8gb more ram) I can reccommend that you stay far away from the corsair cx 750m psu though. Unless you like the sound of a 56k modem and a high pitched whine.

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

Consider the Node 304, nicer built and easier to build in and get a much neater build.
Also the Node can run a tower heatsink like a Hyper 212 rather than being stuck with low profile cooler in the Elite 130.

Thanks! For the PSU, will that fit my case? Also, this could be a stupid question but I forget, does the Thermal paste come with the CPU?

It should fit, and normally the paste will come with the heatsink. But take note of LilJoka's suggestion, it makes more sense.

Sup, GAF. I need a new PSU because my old 700W one is broke. But I was wondering: would 500W also be sufficient? Or 600? Or 650? How does one find out? My specs:

2500K 4.4Ghz (OC)
GTX 980 (EVGA Superclocked 2.0)
8 GB RAM

If more info is necessary let me know. I'd rather be safe than sorry though, so now I'm leaning to just get another 700W, cause that's already what I have.

So, any reccomendations?

It is barely, but I would go higher for safety especially you are OC'ing your CPU.

Extra info like your case, your budget will be nice.

But this one is good.

 

[nightmare-slain]

So my MSi 290 finally arrived and I installed it. Of Course I wanted to test it with my systems and did a 3dMark Fire Strike Benchmark. Here the results:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/6191875

Is that good or is there something odd or off ? I have no idea about these numbers and stuff. I just saw that my Ram work at 667Hz, which is pretty weird isn't it ?

i can't say if that's a good result cause i simply don't know. i have the same GPU and want to do this test. do you have to pay for it?

anyway your ram is at 667Mhz on each stick for a total of 1334Mhz combined. if you bought 1600MHz (or above) ram then you'll need to set it to that in BIOS.

 

[riflen]

So my MSi 290 finally arrived and I installed it. Of Course I wanted to test it with my systems and did a 3dMark Fire Strike Benchmark. Here the results:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/6191875

Is that good or is there something odd or off ? I have no idea about these numbers and stuff. I just saw that my Ram work at 667Hz, which is pretty weird isn't it ?

No, this could be correct. What are the detailed specs of your memory DIMMs please?

 

[H4r4kiri]

i can't say if that's a good result cause i simply don't know. i have the same GPU and want to do this test. do you have to pay for it?

anyway your ram is at 667Mhz on each stick for a total of 1334Mhz combined. if you bought 1600MHz (or above) ram then you'll need to set it to that in BIOS.

no the normal 3dMark is for free, but If you want you can buy the advanced edition. I used the free one though.

No, this could be correct. What are the detailed specs of your memory DIMMs please?

If you want my motherboard. I have a msi z87-g43 and the rams on the dualchannel slots.
My Ram are GSkill 2x8 Gb Ripjaws-X 1600-10 mhz

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

no the normal 3dMark is for free, but If you want you can buy the advanced edition. I used the free one though.



If you want my motherboard. I have a msi z87-g43 and the rams on the dualchannel slots.
My Ram are GSkill 2x8 Gb Ripjaws-X 1600-10 mhz

Quite weird, what is bios reporting? Something is making your 1600 ram to run at 1333.

 

[nightmare-slain]

no the normal 3dMark is for free, but If you want you can buy the advanced edition. I used the free one though.



If you want my motherboard. I have a msi z87-g43 and the rams on the dualchannel slots.
My Ram are GSkill 2x8 Gb Ripjaws-X 1600-10 mhz

thanks! i'll download it and try it out.

go into BIOS and change it from 1333 to 1600.

 

[Dries]

A quality PSU like a Seasonic G 550/650 would suffice. May want the 650 just to reduce noise in some cases.

Noted, thanks.

The 980 says it needs at least a 500w psu. a 750w works fine(I have the same specs minus .2 ghz and 8gb more ram) I can reccommend that you stay far away from the corsair cx 750m psu though. Unless you like the sound of a 56k modem and a high pitched whine.

Noted, thanks.

It is barely, but I would go higher for safety especially you are OC'ing your CPU.

Extra info like your case, your budget will be nice.

But this one is good.

I have a Cooler Master CM 690 II Advanced.

Thanks for the replies, I've decided I'll continue sticking to the 700W range.

 

[no maam]

Do I really need the fan in the front? I'm asking because it's way too loud. I should rma it, but it would cost more to ship back than just getting a new one. I have one on the top and the back. Should I just unplug the front fan or replace it? Couple more days until I can finally put the sides on an call it a day. Thanks

 

[kennah]

You don't need it. Can replace if you really want to.

 

[riflen]

no the normal 3dMark is for free, but If you want you can buy the advanced edition. I used the free one though.



If you want my motherboard. I have a msi z87-g43 and the rams on the dualchannel slots.
My Ram are GSkill 2x8 Gb Ripjaws-X 1600-10 mhz

3Dmark is quoting the base memory clock at 667Mhz. DDR3 memory is double data rate, so to know the effective rate, you multiply by two. 2 x 667Mhz is 1333Mhz. So it's possible that your memory speed is set to 1333 in your motherboard BIOS. As others have said, check your BIOS to set the memory speed to 1600 if it's not already.

Whether it's incorrectly set is not certain from what 3dmark alone, because all DDR3 memory over 667Mhz is basically just over-clocked and it's not clear how 3dmark is determining the memory clock.

 

[Diablos]

What's better: A GTX 960 or R9 280 (or 280X.. or 285... why are there so many)?

 

[RedSwirl]

Still trying to figure out if this motherboard has anything that's compatible with a coaxial cable. I see something called an SPDIF output or something. What's that for?

In the manual I think it says I need to use all the analog ports for DTS (or other surround sound). Is there a way to get those into coaxial or something? Or is there some kind of output on a PCIe card I can install?

 

[kiyomi]

What's better: A GTX 960 or R9 280 (or 280X.. or 285... why are there so many)?

Get the 280X

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

What's better: A GTX 960 or R9 280 (or 280X.. or 285... why are there so many)?

If you have to buy one. Take a 280x. Faster, more vram than the 960.
Edit: beaten like a pup.

 

[nightmare-slain]

Do I really need the fan in the front? I'm asking because it's way too loud. I should rma it, but it would cost more to ship back than just getting a new one. I have one on the top and the back. Should I just unplug the front fan or replace it? Couple more days until I can finally put the sides on an call it a day. Thanks

i'd replace it with a quieter fan instead of no fan at all. the top/back are usually blowing out hot air with the front/bottom bringing in cool air. you got a 980 and assuming an overclocked CPU so i don't understand why there won't be an intake fan. am i missing something here?

how have you got the fan set up? if you got it plugged directly into the PSU w/molex it will probably be running full speed so yeah it'll be loud. if it's plugged into the motherboard you can set it to run at lower/quieter speed. if you're happy with how it's set up and just want a quieter fan then just replace it.

 

[Devildoll]

So my MSi 290 finally arrived and I installed it. Of Course I wanted to test it with my systems and did a 3dMark Fire Strike Benchmark. Here the results:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/6191875

Is that good or is there something odd or off ? I have no idea about these numbers and stuff. I just saw that my Ram work at 667Hz, which is pretty weird isn't it ?

The result seems ok, you can sort by spec and compare with others here.
Just remember that those results include people who have overclocked systems and use 1-4 graphics cards.

Regarding the ram, this is one of the most common questions asked on any hardware forum.

The thing is, your ram is tested to run at 1600 MHz, but you have to take the cpu and motherboard into account as well.

intel's 4000 3000 series cpus are the first series that actually "support" 1600 MHz memory ( on the intel side )

This spec for example

Shows that the memory has been tested for 1600 MHz, but it is only SPD certified for 1333, which is the highest certified speed for DDR3, even 2133 MHz sticks run at 1333 out of the box, and a lot of if not most people are unaware of that when they buy the memory.

So what you need to do to make them run at 1600 MHz is to go into your UEFI and enable the XMP profile, or manually set the appropriate speed timings and voltage.

i can't say if that's a good result cause i simply don't know. i have the same GPU and want to do this test. do you have to pay for it?

anyway your ram is at 667Mhz on each stick for a total of 1334Mhz combined. if you bought 1600MHz (or above) ram then you'll need to set it to that in BIOS.

That's incorrect, four sticks wouldn't make him get 2668 MHz memory speed.
He would have 1333 MHz memory even with one stick.

DDR is double pumped, compared to the older SD RAM, it can do stuff twice per clock.

1600 MHz DDR memory actually has a clock of 800 MHz, but is advertized as 1600, since it "works" twice per clock cycle.

GDDR5 for example, is quad pumped. so, 7 GHz GDDR5 actually runs at ~1700 MHz.

You can get the 3dmark demo on steam

 

[no maam]

i'd replace it with a quieter fan instead of no fan at all. the top/back are usually blowing out hot air with the front/bottom bringing in cool air. you got a 980 and assuming an overclocked CPU so i don't understand why there won't be an intake fan. am i missing something here?

how have you got the fan set up? if you got it plugged directly into the PSU w/molex it will probably be running full speed so yeah it'll be loud. if it's plugged into the motherboard you can set it to run at lower/quieter speed. if you're happy with how it's set up and just want a quieter fan then just replace it.

Set up right now is loud fan intake (you're correct plugged into molex) other two are exhausts. I didn't even think about plugging it into the motherboard. How would I go about changing the fan speed? Bios or windows? a slower fan speed may just solve my problem. Thanks a lot.

 

[kronose]

In Bold

Do I really need the fan in the front? I'm asking because it's way too loud. I should rma it, but it would cost more to ship back than just getting a new one. I have one on the top and the back. Should I just unplug the front fan or replace it? Couple more days until I can finally put the sides on an call it a day. Thanks

Is that a white hyper CPU cooler? Or is it just the angle and glare causing my eyes to lust

 

[no maam]

Is that a white hyper CPU cooler? Or is it just the angle and glare causing my eyes to lust

Just the angle/lighting.

 

[H4r4kiri]

Quite weird, what is bios reporting? Something is making your 1600 ram to run at 1333.

thanks! i'll download it and try it out.

go into BIOS and change it from 1333 to 1600.

3Dmark is quoting the base memory clock at 667Mhz. DDR3 memory is double data rate, so to know the effective rate, you multiply by two. 2 x 667Mhz is 1333Mhz. So it's possible that your memory speed is set to 1333 in your motherboard BIOS. As others have said, check your BIOS to set the memory speed to 1600 if it's not already.

Whether it's incorrectly set is not certain from what 3dmark alone, because all DDR3 memory over 667Mhz is basically just over-clocked and it's not clear how 3dmark is determining the memory clock.

The result seems ok, you can sort by spec and compare with others here.

Regarding the ram, this is one of the most common questions asked on any hardware forum.

The thing is, your ram is tested to run at 1600 MHz, but you have to take the cpu and motherboard into account as well.

intel's 4000 3000 series cpus are the first series that actually "support" 1600 MHz memory ( on the intel side )

Shows that the memory has been tested for 1600 MHz, but it is only SPD certified for 1333, which is the highest certified speed for DDR3, even 2133 MHz sticks run at 1333 out of the box, and a lot of if not most people are unaware of that when they buy the memory.

So what you need to do to make them run at 1600 MHz is to go into your UEFI and enable the XMP profile, or manually set the appropriate speed timings and voltage.

So I went the the msi bios to the OC options and manually put it to 1600mhz. The Msi command Center recognizes it as 1600mhz now, while before it said it was 1333mhz.

CPU-Z however said the spd was still 667mhz.

So I took the advice from devildoll and enabled xmp. and the the memory to auto. This way msi command center is showing 1600mhz too, but CPU-Z again says spds are 667 ?

 

[Devildoll]

So I went the the msi bios to the OC options and manually put it to 1600mhz. The Msi command Center recognizes it as 1600mhz now, while before it said it was 1333mhz.

CPU-Z however said the spd was still 667mhz.

So I took the advice from devildoll and enabled xmp. and the the memory to auto. This way msi command center is showing 1600mhz too, but CPU-Z again says spds are 667 ?

the spd tab in cpu-z shows your memorys timing table, the memory tab should show the current frequency.

 

[H4r4kiri]

the spd tab in cpu-z shows your memorys timing table, the memory tab should show the current frequency.

On memory it says 800mhz. So it is 1600mhz.

Spd 667 is normal then ?

 

[Devildoll]

On memory it says 800mhz. So it is 1600mhz.

Spd 667 is normal then ?

If it says max bandwidth is 667, that's normal, and the timing table below should have some JEDEC specs running up to 667 as well, but there should aslo be an xmp profile at 800 on that page.

this is what mine looks like for example.

 

[H4r4kiri]

If it says max bandwidth is 667, that's normal, and the timing table below should have some JEDEC specs running up to 667 as well, but there should aslo be an xmp profile at 800 on that page.

this is what mine looks like for example.

Okay my seems finde now:

 

[Devildoll]

Okay my seems finde now:

http://i.picpar.com/wWpb.png

Yup, that looks fine, but just to clarify, the realtime settings that your memory is actually running on are found on the memory tab, whilst the spd tab is just info and specs, nothing that actually tells you what it is currently running at, albeit useful information.

 

[Glass Shark]

Do I really need the fan in the front? I'm asking because it's way too loud. I should rma it, but it would cost more to ship back than just getting a new one. I have one on the top and the back. Should I just unplug the front fan or replace it? Couple more days until I can finally put the sides on an call it a day. Thanks

When I installed my 212 EVO it was set to run at full speed all the time and it was stupid loud. There should be a setting in your BIOS for automatic speed that adjusts based on CPU temp. Even dropping the fan speed a few hundred RPM helped a ton with the noise for me.

 

[no maam]

When I installed my 212 EVO it was set to run at full speed all the time. There should be a setting in your BIOS for automatic speed that adjusts based on CPU temp.

Oh I was talking about the front case fan. The Evo fan is working fine. I'll hop in bios after work and tinker.

 

[Chesskid1]

hello everyone,

i am looking to upgrade my computer. according to my newegg order , i ordered it in 2009(!!), holy crap that is a long time ago.

anyways, i have a few questions about which parts i can reuse. i know for sure i'm going to update my CPU+MOBO mostly and reusing my 6850/ssd/etc as i'm not a huge PC gamer anymore but i still want to upgrade the CPU cause why the f not. may upgrade GPU later.

anyways, can any of these parts be reused in my new build?

no idea which brand CPU + motherboard i'm going to get but i'm most likely going to get whatever everyone recommends.

Cooler Master Hyper N520
Antec Earthwatts 650W
Corsair Ram

those are all the parts i'm not sure if i am able to reuse! thanks for the advice!

 

[veloxStrix]

Just built a new computer, but I have some kind of weird black motion blur whenever I scroll or look around in game. Is it just a settings issue?

I'm using an MSI GTX970, if that matters.

It only happens on grey/black objects, it seems like. If I put GAF on dark mode, it has the blur around the letters. If I stick it on normal, it looks... normal.

Edit: It was a monitor issue. Tracing, etc.

 

[ricki42]

hello everyone,

i am looking to upgrade my computer. according to my newegg order , i ordered it in 2009(!!), holy crap that is a long time ago.

anyways, i have a few questions about which parts i can reuse. i know for sure i'm going to update my CPU+MOBO mostly and reusing my 6850/ssd/etc as i'm not a huge PC gamer anymore but i still want to upgrade the CPU cause why the f not. may upgrade GPU later.

anyways, can any of these parts be reused in my new build?

no idea which brand CPU + motherboard i'm going to get but i'm most likely going to get whatever everyone recommends.

Cooler Master Hyper N520
Antec Earthwatts 650W
Corsair Ram

those are all the parts i'm not sure if i am able to reuse! thanks for the advice!

What's your budget? Your RAM should be OK unless you decide to go X99/DDR4. Maybe get an additional 4GB though. The cooler might be problematic since it doesn't support newer sockets; it might still fit though.

 

[Martian]

So my PC just stopped working.



Last summer I built my very first gaming PC and after a few minor hickups it went great. Without any fail this PC has worked since then (no freezes or anything), uptill now.


I tried to start my pc, which it did fine, but suddenly it went dead. Afterwards I tried it again, but not even the front-facing lights (around the startup button will work).
The only life it shows is around the ethernet cable (but I believe thats a seperate power system?).

I opened it up and I saw nothing out of the ordinary. I secured some connectors that were somewhat loose, but nothing sprung to my attention. I feel like its the power block, but I have so little PC skills that I have no way to test this


Am I boned here gaf?

 

[Smokey]

So my PC just stopped working.



Last summer I built my very first gaming PC and after a few minor hickups it went great. Without any fail this PC has worked since then (no freezes or anything), uptill now.


I tried to start my pc, which it did fine, but suddenly it went dead. Afterwards I tried it again, but not even the front-facing lights (around the startup button will work).
The only life it shows is around the ethernet cable (but I believe thats a seperate power system?).

I opened it up and I saw nothing out of the ordinary. I secured some connectors that were somewhat loose, but nothing sprung to my attention. I feel like its the power block, but I have so little PC skills that I have no way to test this


Am I boned here gaf?

Have you tried unplugging the PSU for 5 mins or so then trying again

 

[Martian]

Have you tried unplugging the PSU for 5 mins or so then trying again

That worked! Thanks a lot!

Strange... Do you have any idea why or how this happened?

 

[Smokey]

That worked! Thanks a lot!

Strange... Do you have any idea why or how this happened?

I had this problem and eventually I just got bought a new PSU. There could be a short somewhere and I think turning the PSU for a certain amount of time allows for a proper discharge? I am not 100% sure , but it is definitely annoying. If it keeps happening I'd look into a replacement from the manufacturer.

 

[Martian]

I had this problem and eventually I just got bought a new PSU. There could be a short somewhere and I think turning the PSU for a certain amount of time allows for a proper discharge? I am not 100% sure , but it is definitely annoying. If it keeps happening I'd look into a replacement from the manufacturer.

Hmm, I'll definitively look into a new PSU. Thanks for the help

 

[SmashN'Grab]

Just put together my new PC yesterday, and (typically) am having issues already.


No.1 - as my new PC doesn't have a dvd drive, I had created a backup media of the installation files on my old laptop, and put it on a USB. Little did I know, that it would only give me the 32-bit version of windows, as my laptop has 32-bit windows 7 on it. I have spoken with MS support, who have told me that there's no way to create a 64-bit version of the installation media, unless the OS that I use to create it on is also 64-bit itself.

This is unbelieveable, and I seem to have no options to fix this as I don't know anyone else who runs a 64-bit version of windows IRL. I seem to be fucked here, and I'm pretty disappointed.


No.2 - I have three hard drives (a 500gb SSD, a 3TB HDD and a 4TB HDD). The 3TB HDD sometimes shows up in the BIOS as being connected, other times it's not there. I've checked the cables, swapped them around, and tried all combos - it's still flaky.

Sometimes it's there, sometimes it isn't. It also doesn't show up in Windows - except in "Other Devices", where it's got a little question mark thingy next to it (like Windows doesn't even know what it is, doesn't even recognise it as a hard drive).



Anyone got an ideas on either of these issues? I'd really appreciate some guidance. This is all very frustrating, especially having spent all this money.

Quoting my post from yesterday - thanks to all who replied. Thought I'd give an update.

Regards problem no.1, I actually thankfully got it sorted. I was able to download a 64-bit version of windows on my laptop and get it installed. So that's a big relief. Turned out that you can do it from a 32-bit machine, the option was right there when I was creating bootable media. I honestly don't know why MS support told me otherwise, they haven't a clue it seems.

However, I still have problem number 2. Now, to update - the HDD actually consistently shows up in BIOS now. Every time I've booted the PC (which is a lot) over the past two days, the HDD is visible in BIOS (I check each time). But, it's still not there in windows.

It's visible in device manager, under "other devices". But I can't seem to get windows to recognise it as a hard drive. It won't show up in the 'diskpart' program as a disk I can create and assign a volume on. I don't know what to do. Is it a physically faulty hard drive?

 

[Big Chungus]

Need to upgrade from my AMD 6850, which I got in 2011.

Was looking at http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...TC-sho6b0tCA-_-Video+Card+-+Nvidia-_-14121913

Thoughts?

My budget is $200-$250ish

My PC specs:

i5-4670k
8GB DDR3 Ram
550W power supply
Gigabyte Z87N mITX

 

[lord]

Just got a 5820k, a Gygabyte X99 ud4 , 16 gb ddr4 ram, corsair liquid cooler, and a solid state drive, pretty much done with upgrades for the year, unless my 770 4gb underperforms with GTA5 and Witcher 3.