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[Computer Build Thread] - Haswell? More like Has...damnit, I had something for this...

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  • Professor SnugglesworthProfessor Snugglesworth Registered User regular
    Well, to do that I would need to hook it to the power supply. And since the power supply in question is powering the very PC I'm using to type this, it would be a bit of a hassle.

  • XeddicusXeddicus Registered User regular
    Meh, you'd just use the new PC then, just case-less for a bit.

  • CormacCormac Registered User regular
    A friend of mine in college ran a server out of a cardboard box for years.

    Steam: Gridlynk | PSN: Gridlynk | FFXIV: Jarvellis Mika
  • SmokeStacksSmokeStacks Registered User regular
    Have any of you guys used WD Green drives? I got ahold of a 2TB WD20EZRX (one of the repackaged "Mainstream" drives) that I'll be using as a secondary drive to store media.

    I've read some reviews that claim that people have been seeing them die in less than a year, but hard drive reviews tend to skew to the negative because people who have a drive die are more likely to post a negative review than people who have no problems are likely to post a positive one.

  • CormacCormac Registered User regular
    I have heard that high capacity drives in general, the 2tb and 3tb ones in particular of any manufacturer, just have a higher failure rate than lower capacity drives. It may just come down to the higher data density of the platters in the drives.

    Steam: Gridlynk | PSN: Gridlynk | FFXIV: Jarvellis Mika
  • Day of the BearDay of the Bear The Qun demandsRegistered User regular
    right now new drives with more than 1tb capacity have multiple platters, while 1tb and under are single platter drives(in 3.5" form factors at least). Less moving parts means less failure chance but really they're all pretty close on failure rates across models and manufacturers. THe parts are basically the same inside most every mechanical drive today

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  • tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    I've had a green drive for several years, with no issues.

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  • Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    Is there anything I should run on my SSD to make sure it doesn't have any issues? Windows has frozen twice on me in the last few days (total freeze, nothing responds) and I'm trying to figure out what it could be.

  • tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    What drive do you have? Is the firmware up to date?

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  • Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    Samsung 840 and I don't know

  • GriswoldGriswold that's rough, buddyRegistered User regular
    edited July 2013
    @Magus` you can check the Windows Event Viewer to possibly glean some info about the cause of your freezes.

    Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Event Viewer -> Windows Logs -> System and then look for red X's around the time of your freezes

    Griswold on
    FFXIV: Brick Shizzhouse - Zalera (Crystal)
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  • Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    Just two errors for yesterday. A Kernel-Power error for 'restarting without shutting down completely' and an Event Log error for "Unexpected shutdown". :?

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    This sounds odd, but are you leaving your computer on for extended periods, or putting it on Sleep? I've noticed that I get odd program crashes if I don't at least restart regularly.

  • Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    edited July 2013
    I have been leaving it on for a few days at a time recently. I don't ever put it to sleep.

    Also while looking into it I made it so it now runs in AHCI mode. Not sure what difference that'll make, but there it is.

    Magus` on
  • Day of the BearDay of the Bear The Qun demandsRegistered User regular
    Hmm anyone have a good recommendation for a cheap laptop that has a decent keyboard? something in like a twelve to fourteen inch screen size maybe.

    My mobile writing machine is giving up the ghost. I don't need anything fancy to replace it just something functional

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  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    I'll probably get lynched for this, but see if you can get a good deal on an older Macbook Air. Just wipe the drive and put Win7 on it and you'll be good. If it's just a writing machine, you can probably go as far back as 2008 models and still be solid.

  • HamurabiHamurabi MiamiRegistered User regular
    Have you guys ever shipped a PC? Can I just pull out the GPU and stick it in a box marked "fruh-jee-lay?"

    Also what are some good wireless keyboard recommendations?

  • Day of the BearDay of the Bear The Qun demandsRegistered User regular
    I've ahipped several fully assembled towers without issue. box, packaging foam, plenty of tape.

    Pulling the gpu and packaging it on it's own, along with any large tower style cpu cooler, is safer, but usually it'll be fine anyway

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  • Day of the BearDay of the Bear The Qun demandsRegistered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    I'll probably get lynched for this, but see if you can get a good deal on an older Macbook Air. Just wipe the drive and put Win7 on it and you'll be good. If it's just a writing machine, you can probably go as far back as 2008 models and still be solid.

    Nah that's fair advice. I know the airs are solid machines and I'll probably keep an eye out

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  • XeddicusXeddicus Registered User regular
    My brother had his PC shipped and it got the dented up really good. I don't know how well he packed it up in foam and what not, but basically your millage may vary on how it turns out. Insurance may be a good idea.

  • mightyjongyomightyjongyo Sour Crrm East Bay, CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    At minimum pull out your HDDs and GPU. Everything else should be okay, although one time I shipped a PC the CPU fan got unseated.

  • NogginNoggin Registered User regular
    I'm looking to build a new machine in the next month or so, but I have some concerns about power usage that maybe someone can help me to better understand...

    We have 2 computers in one room, on a 15 Amp circuit. We blew the fuse one night with just one computer + shredder, but I've come to learn that the shredders can do that. We're moving that to another room...

    Anyway, is 15 Amps going to limit my options for a new PSU to have both computers running and gaming at the same time?

    Battletag: Noggin#1936
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    edited July 2013
    15 Amps * 120 V = 1800 Watts (I suck at math when I read things quickly), so you should be solid. Sounds like your shredder just had too high current draw. I've seen it happen, especially when you try to feed a shredder a bunch of paper at once.

    Mugsley on
  • VanusVanus Registered User regular
    Kinda tangential, but does anyone know if newegg still uses OnTrac for the free shipping option? I don't want an OnTrac driver to even look at my order.

  • NogginNoggin Registered User regular
    Thanks, Mugsley. The hunt for parts begins!

    I'm a bit out of touch as my current computer was ordered in like 2008, but I'm sure it'll be no issue to get a performance upgrade for my games ( diablo 3 / usual steam titles ) and keep it quiet and under $2000.

    Battletag: Noggin#1936
  • Day of the BearDay of the Bear The Qun demandsRegistered User regular
    There's only a handful of psus out there that could overload a normal 15amp home circuit on their own, and even then you'd need a quad gpu setup or some hardmodded ovverclocks to get draw that high.

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  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    Yep. Just because a PSU has a wattage rating doesn't mean that is what it will draw as soon as you turn it on. I think a lot of people misunderstand that fact.

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    Noggin wrote: »
    Thanks, Mugsley. The hunt for parts begins!

    I'm a bit out of touch as my current computer was ordered in like 2008, but I'm sure it'll be no issue to get a performance upgrade for my games ( diablo 3 / usual steam titles ) and keep it quiet and under $2000.

    For $2000 you can build a pretty outrageous gaming rig.

    Hell, for $1500 you can build quite the beastly machine.

  • NogginNoggin Registered User regular
    edited July 2013
    Ya, just hopefully I'm overestimating the power consumption of her PC because it'd really suck if we couldn't use both at once.
    Noggin wrote: »
    Thanks, Mugsley. The hunt for parts begins!

    I'm a bit out of touch as my current computer was ordered in like 2008, but I'm sure it'll be no issue to get a performance upgrade for my games ( diablo 3 / usual steam titles ) and keep it quiet and under $2000.

    For $2000 you can build a pretty outrageous gaming rig.

    Hell, for $1500 you can build quite the beastly machine.

    Ya, I think I'll probably end up in the neighborhood of $1000-$1500.

    Noggin on
    Battletag: Noggin#1936
  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    What do you actually need? Are you going to be reusing your monitor, case, keyboard and mouse, harddrive?

  • NogginNoggin Registered User regular
    I think I'm just going to reuse monitor, kbam, and speakers... I'm probably replacing the entire tower. I don't recall my old specs exactly, other than nvidia 9800 gt and I think a core 2 duo for cpu. Pretty sure I stayed with 2 GB RAM because of windows XP. Harddrive is maybe a couple hundred gig and I'd want a new case with quieter fans / better air flow.

    Battletag: Noggin#1936
  • Professor SnugglesworthProfessor Snugglesworth Registered User regular
    My replacement case arrived today, so I've spent the last few hours building my PC. I'm on my dinner break now, so I wanted to ask a few questions to make sure I haven't messed anything up.

    1. The first concern is that there doesn't appear to be a Host Interface port on the motherboard, which I use to connect my DVD-RW. Is there an adapter I could purchase, or will I have to buy a compatible DVD-RW?

    2. In regards to the front panel connectors, I know that the colored wires are + while the black wires are -

    However, on the mobo's manual it lists some of the connectors as "PWRBTN#" and "GND" next to it. Is that still following the color>black>color>black format for wires?

    Even more confusing is the reset port which lists GND>RESET#>GND. Does the colored RESET wire go on the RESET# port and the black wire on the GND port to the right of it?

    3. For the front panel's USB ports, there are two connectors. One of them looks like a big power plug and there doesn't seem to be a place to fit it in the mobo. According to the little diagram on the cable, I would connect one connector (in my case, the smaller one) but not both. Just wanted to make sure I got this correctly.

  • GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    My replacement case arrived today, so I've spent the last few hours building my PC. I'm on my dinner break now, so I wanted to ask a few questions to make sure I haven't messed anything up.

    1. The first concern is that there doesn't appear to be a Host Interface port on the motherboard, which I use to connect my DVD-RW. Is there an adapter I could purchase, or will I have to buy a compatible DVD-RW?

    Your optical drive isn't SATA? :/

  • tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    My replacement case arrived today, so I've spent the last few hours building my PC. I'm on my dinner break now, so I wanted to ask a few questions to make sure I haven't messed anything up.

    1. The first concern is that there doesn't appear to be a Host Interface port on the motherboard, which I use to connect my DVD-RW. Is there an adapter I could purchase, or will I have to buy a compatible DVD-RW?

    2. In regards to the front panel connectors, I know that the colored wires are + while the black wires are -

    However, on the mobo's manual it lists some of the connectors as "PWRBTN#" and "GND" next to it. Is that still following the color>black>color>black format for wires?

    Even more confusing is the reset port which lists GND>RESET#>GND. Does the colored RESET wire go on the RESET# port and the black wire on the GND port to the right of it?

    3. For the front panel's USB ports, there are two connectors. One of them looks like a big power plug and there doesn't seem to be a place to fit it in the mobo. According to the little diagram on the cable, I would connect one connector (in my case, the smaller one) but not both. Just wanted to make sure I got this correctly.

    What case and motherboard do you have so I can see the layouts? For the front ports, there is a USB3 connector next to the big 24-pin ATX connector on the motherboard (near the RAM slots). There is a regular USB connector on the bottom near the SATA ports. They are marked USB.

    Also, what is a Host Interface port?

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  • ZxerolZxerol for the smaller pieces, my shovel wouldn't do so i took off my boot and used my shoeRegistered User regular
    I'm guessing parallel ATA.

    My DVD drive is PATA simply because I haven't bought a new one in such a long ass time that this was the standard when it was new.

  • ApostateApostate Prince SpaceRegistered User regular
    I feel like grandpa asking this but is there any reason I should put a sound card in the rig? I have never actually had a desktop without one that I can remember. Is the onboard stuff on the mobo just as good for all practical purposes? I would love not to have to worry about Creative's wonky drivers especially with a new OS.

  • Day of the BearDay of the Bear The Qun demandsRegistered User regular
    Sound cards anymore are mostly either for getting good positional audio on headphones or if you have good quality headphones/speakers.

    Alternately if your motherboard has really really bad onboard audio but thats only usually the case in the sub75 dollar range

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  • Professor SnugglesworthProfessor Snugglesworth Registered User regular
    The amount of bad luck I receive whenever I'm upgrading my PC parts never fails to astonish me. It's been a series of drivers and downloads, but I'll cut to the end since I'm dead tired.

    So I was able to finally get the Windows 7 installation bootup working on a USB stick. It boots up fine, and lists my four hard drives. When I try to do a fresh install of Windows 7 on any of them, however, it says it cannot install to the system partition (doesn't specify why). I formatted two of my hard drives to try and start fresh, but same problem. The only reason it gives me for one of the drives is that it's of the GPT partition.

    So after more late night googling I found this program, which I'm currently putting on the USB stick. Supposedly it'll let me set up a new partition for my hard drive so it can finally install Windows 7.

    If that fails, I'm out of ideas for the night. One Google suggestion said to only have one hard drive connected during the installation, another says to just wipe them all. The latter is a bit of a last resort.

  • XeddicusXeddicus Registered User regular
    Should just try the 1 drive way before messing with partitions if you're drives are already set up.

    And yes, you'll need a IDE to SATA adapter of some kind for the optical drive.

  • Professor SnugglesworthProfessor Snugglesworth Registered User regular
    Turns out the one drive connected setup did the trick. I finally have Windows 7 installed on a drive.

    But before I can proceed further, I need to connect to the internet. Windows says I need a network driver, so I'm downloading all the mobo's drivers unto a USB stick.

    So much of this could have been avoided if I knew ahead of time I needed an ITE-to-SATA adaptor (I ordered one on Amazon).

This discussion has been closed.