So I've looked things over and selected components for a new PC. Obviously don't feel obligated, but if you're curious or willing to take a look, I'd welcome your input and can e-mail you my newegg cart, I just found out. I have a yahoo account in my address book.
Also, some general questions, which may make me look like a n00b:
-So I'm springing for a Blu Ray burner. I assume this can read/burn CDs, but the one I'm getting doesn't list that as a compatibility. Not a big deal if that's no go, I'll just have to get a case that has room for two such drives, then.
-Is a 600W PSU overkill? My current video card demands 250W+, but it is far from top of the line. Also, to accommodate that, would I need to get a 220V line or something ridiculous like that?
-The internet informs me that the difference between DDR3 1333 and 1600 is meaningless for home computing. Is that so? And is 16 gigs just too much RAM?
These questions and others await.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
Also I am a fool, because I went and refreshed PMS and I was like "ooh a new topic, I wonder what it could be," then clicked on this before it sank in.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
And continuing the cycle, I absentmindedly refreshed the page and said "ooh a reply."
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
Have you been drinking again?
---
http://lostfacts.net/boards/
3/>- Gavi
No, just spent the morning looking at computer parts. This rapidly spiraled out of control.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
Musses up the brain.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
*helped*
I forgot to mention, no you won't need a 220V line.
-The difference between 1333 and 1600: Meaningless for home computing, probably meaningless for gaming. 16 GB of RAM is hilarious overkill; I have 4 and rarely have any problems (except for big SupCom games).
---
CSBE FTW!
DarthMarth - Better than a bowl of Cheerios.
Yeah, I went down to 8 megs, because if I have two grenades and a fish in a barrel, I might as well use one whole grenade.
Although in this case there was a maximum of four grenades total.
Anyway, I like RAM.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
So I learned today that I have no idea how the pieces of a computer fit together. Luckily, there's a series of manuals.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
I can talk you through that if you need me to.
Thanks, but I think honestly the IMing isn't going to be terribly more helpful than the instructions and diagrams, which are thorough. I mostly just went in expecting to be able to shoot from the hip and that was not the case.
But tell me this: is it "best practice" to install all the components (i.e. the memory, the processor and its robust heat sink) onto the motherboard *then* attach it to the case, or to get the mobo situated and then put all that stuff in?
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
That's one thing I was going to mention. I'd put the processor into the socket, then the heatsink onto the processor, before installing the motherboard. If the motherboard has a tray then after the processor and heatsink you can install it onto the tray, then everything else onto the motherboard, then put the motherboard into the case. Otherwise, same thing, it's just that you put the motherboard in the case after the proc and heatsink go in.
You want a thin even layer of thermal paste, by the way. And don't get your skin oils in it. Put a plastic bag over your finger and wipe it to smooth/even it out, or use a credit card edge or something.
Bangin'. This thing's saying that the paste is already applied to the heat sink, so I'm just as happy not messing with that.
Another thing has occurred to me: so I got this SSD that I want to install Windows on. What are the odds I can just sort of put my components together, power everything up, and toss a DVD into the drive to let that autorun?
Also, what's the best thing to do with the data on my existing drive? Should I just leave it, drop it in as a secondary drive, and then manually delete everything I'm not going to use (i.e. old Windows install, anything I'm going to need to reinstall anyway)? That seems like a terrible way to do it, but what do I know?
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
Yeah assuming it boots up properly, the presence of the Windows DVD in the drive will cause the "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD..." prompt.
For the files... take the stuff you know you're going to use, get it on some other drive (either the SSD or some external hard drive), then format the original hard drive that it came from. Then you can use it as just a storage drive and it won't have anything installed on it and whatnot.
If that option is scary/not feasible, then yeah you can just delete everything you think you won't need. But maybe let that idea stew for a while before you decide what you don't need, because regret with that is common.
Okay, motherboard's in. Man that was incredibly more frustrating than I'd imagined (there were some issues with the heat sink bracket) and yet I feel now a real sense of accomplishment. I realize now that I'm at the point of "pulling the trigger" so to speak (well, once I the DVD and the SSD). I just need to decide which version of Windows 7 to install. I'm thinking x64, although I don't really understand the distinctions.
Oh, speaking of HD installation, is there some particular way I need to install the drives so that it boots to the SSD, or is that a thing I futz with in BIOS?
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
Okay, motherboard's in. Man that was incredibly more frustrating than I'd imagined (there were some issues with the heat sink bracket) and yet I feel now a real sense of accomplishment. I realize now that I'm at the point of "pulling the trigger" so to speak (well, once I the DVD and the SSD). I just need to decide which version of Windows 7 to install. I'm thinking x64, although I don't really understand the distinctions.
Oh, speaking of HD installation, is there some particular way I need to install the drives so that it boots to the SSD, or is that a thing I futz with in BIOS?
Well there are versions like Home Premium, Professional, Business, Ultimate, etc. They have different features. Home Premium or Professional or Ultimate are all fine depending what you want. If you're *just* referring to the distinction between 32-bit and 64-bit, just install 64-bit.
Once you have two Windows installations going, download EasyBCD and it'll give you options on booting to different Windows installations. The BIOS will give you boot priorities of various types of hardware, like hard drive, optical drive, network boot, etc., but then usually once your computer has decided to boot to hard drive, well then it'll give you some options if it sees more than one bootable OS. And those options come from using EasyBCD (or any similar program).
Nm. Did some reading and X64 it is.
I guess now it's just a question of data migration, which I think I'm going to skirt for a bit.
I'm wondering if (since I don't see a good way to format the HD) if I should uninstall everything. Alternately, for what it costs I might just buy a 1T external and be done with it.
Also: I know we discussed write cycles and the concerns of that guy I talked to six months ago were dismissed, but is there something I should be doing to get it to write temp files and temporary internet files and such to the HDD rather than the SSD? Or is that lunatic and I should just let it go?
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
All this just to have a computer that also plays games? Isn't that what consoles are for?
---
Seth: What are you making?
Evan: I'm just drilling holes. Last two weeks, **** it.
Well s***.
So everything powers up okay, no output to the monitor, though. So I look inside the LED that lights up if there's a problem with the CPU lights up. While obviously you can't diagnose the problem remotely, is there any fidgeting you can recommend?
I'm rather paranoid because while I was trying to get the CPU heat sink into place, I took the CPU out and put it back in I believe twice, and there was a clicking as I put the little lever down. I figured it was supposed to make that sound, but was also quite worried that it was not supposed to make that sound.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
Well, I'm not personally about to upgrade to play this, but I'm bummed out that my PC can't handle CIV V. And there are other exclusives worth playing. Also, the PC versions of non-exclusives have some delicious mods for them. Not something I'm about to go out and spend money on, but I definitely get the appeal.
Oh, as a side note, I used to consistently spell definitely wrong until recently, I realized that it contained the word "finite" and ever since its been no problem.
---
If you're a human and not feeling creative, make this your signature.
Okay, so googled around, it sounds like the BIOS update that would support my CPU is recent (since December) so I need to update the BIOS, which is unfortunate because I can't get into the BIOS.
My bro recommends I buy a $40 AM3 socket that is old enough to be supported, and failing that, that I call the manufacturer and b and moan until they exchange my board for one with an updated BIOS. He recommends against that because I'll then, of course, have to deal with Asus.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
@AMan: All this to build your own computer. It has nothing to do necessarily with Windows; he could install Linux on it or even nothing at all (or even use a hack to install OSX on it, which would violate the OSX license I believe but it's possible). It's not like they don't sell pre-built PCs.
@Wil: A) http://www.tweaktown.com/guides/3116/tweaktown_s_solid_state_drive_optimization_guide/index.html will show you some tweaks. These are all optional although I would consider some important and some not.
B) You could take it to a local computer shop and pay them to update the BIOS (they'd stick in an older CPU to get the computer to boot, then boot and update BIOS). Or if you have a friend who has a compatible CPU or something.
Welp. Tried the other CPU, same problem, so looks like it's the mobo. I am staving off being really pissed about this by reminding myself that the fundamental problem hasn't in any way changed from before, so it's still really just the one thing that's gone wrong.
So I figure I'll RMA it tomorrow during normal business hours and learn to enjoy books again until then.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
I am the hugest tool. The tooliest tool in tool town. If I had a hammer, I would say to that hammer "hey. Dude. Why do I even have you? I could just use myself. I am much more of a tool than you."
Two weeks and $250 in unnecessary replacement parts later, I had plugged in the 24 pin ATX but not the 8 pin. I forgot to plug a thing in.
I didn't plug. It in.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
Did this realization come at a high cost to you, or were you not charged for the replacement parts?
I can return everything but a junk processor, so all told it's actually going to cost closer to $60 which I'm not thrilled about, but I'm actually saving some because I ended up buying a jankier mobo when the first one "didn't" "work" so to make myself feel better I'm declaring the economics of the situation too complicated to be easily calculated.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir