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Arts and Entertainment => Hobbies and Photos => Topic started by: wolf39us on February 02, 2014, 10:11:45 AM

Title: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on February 02, 2014, 10:11:45 AM
So it's been two years since I've upgraded my system and more than 3 since I've upgraded my case.  It's time for a change!

I've decided to stop striving for a smaller setup and start moving back into the beast world!  My current board is micro with only 1 16x PCI-E which I've found to be pretty limiting lately...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813138332 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138332)

And my computer case is a modular Antec Lanboy Air
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811129093 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129093)



I'm still running a high end outdated video card (NVIDIA) and would love to get a pair of cards for some surround gaming (Triple Screen Gaming).

Since I'll be getting my tax return and the bills are looking good... I'll start myself off with a new board and new case.  I recently upgraded to a core i5 processor so I think my processor is good for now.

Here's what I think I'll be buying today.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811133191 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133191)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813131837 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131837)


Any other computer nerds have some parts they are looking at lately??  Let's hear it.

Also, if there are any recommendations for me let me know :-)
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: AllPurposeAtheist on February 02, 2014, 10:26:29 AM
That kick ass pentium II with that scorching 16 mb of ram!  :shock:  I'm looking to run a basic calculator!  :)
Actually for the time being I'm fine with this Samsung tablet for now,  but that will probably change come June or so. I'm still trying to find space in my 80 square foot room for 3 guitars and a spare roll of toilet paper.  :rollin:
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Solitary on February 02, 2014, 11:13:14 AM
I think what you have now is not good, but what you are thinking of getting will work fine for your needs. Just make sure it is i7. Graphic cards are changing all the time, get the best you can afford. Solitary
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: aitm on February 02, 2014, 11:15:24 AM
Quote from: "AllPurposeAtheist"That kick ass pentium II with that scorching 16 mb of ram!  :shock:  I'm looking to run a basic calculator!  :)
Actually for the time being I'm fine with this Samsung tablet for now,  but that will probably change come June or so. I'm still trying to find space in my 80 square foot room for 3 guitars and a spare roll of toilet paper.  :rollin:

toilet paper? Why just grab a handful of rocks and toss em out the winder when done..
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: AllPurposeAtheist on February 02, 2014, 11:53:43 AM
Uhhh..I live on the 7th floor.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Johan on February 02, 2014, 12:48:23 PM
At one point I had probably 5 or 6 machines that I used for various purposes desktop, laptop, server, client loner boxes etc. Computer techs are like that sometimes. I stopped doing tech work almost 5 years ago. I think the youngest computer I have that works is currently about 8 years old.

A recent change in role at my current job means there might be a new laptop in my future. No idea what that'll end up being nor who will pay for it. If they pay for it, I'll get whatever they give me. If I'm paying for it or paying for any percentage of it, then it will most likely be a Macbook of some sort with a large enough drive to triple boot between mac win7 and linux.

My desktop? Eh, I don't really need it to do all that much these days. I'll most likely upgrade it at some point, but it might be a year before that happens and even then, it will likely be the oldest/cheapest technology still being produced at that time.  Hell a 4 or 5 year old mac mini with a large enough drive to dual boot mac and win7 would probably get the job done for another 5 years or so for me. My needs are a lot simpler than they used to be.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on February 02, 2014, 02:21:39 PM
Quote from: "wolf39us"Any other computer nerds have some parts they are looking at lately??  Let's hear it.
I'm looking at a Radeon R7 270 graphics card (//http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121823&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10440897&PID=5961731&SID=0) (or 270x, depending if I can get a good deal on it) to replace my horribly outdated GeForce GTS 250 (//http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130468).

There's a reason I keep reviewing games from 2008-2011.  :P  I'm planning on planning Star Citizen when it comes out and I'm very enthusiastic about Mantle.  So, it's time to change.

However, the price keeps climbing - definitely should have jumped at the chance in Nov/Dec when it was around $180.  Now it's $210.  :(
I can't help but think it's due at least in part to the bitcoin craze (//https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcRY50cO2mA) going on right now.

Unfortunately, I have a very limited budget so it looks like I might have to wait a few months for a price break.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: GrinningYMIR on February 03, 2014, 10:11:38 AM
Finally got my new laptop, here are the specs;

Processor: Intel core i5-2000M CPU @ 2.50 GHZ

8 gigs of Ram

64 bit OS

Intel HD Graphics 4600

NVidia Geforce GTX 765M

Uncertain if it makes a difference but it uses Realtek High Def. Audio. The Speakers are better than my old laptop by a longshot, putting it at 20% sounds like 70% on the old machine.

Also going to get a cooling pad for it, just to make sure it doesn't overheat when I game.

Lastly I'm going to build a PC once I have the money, the current case I have picked out is this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811119197 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197)

Though I'm still looking for one with liquid cooling in addition to the added fans
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on February 03, 2014, 10:54:57 AM
I like that case you've got picked out
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: GrinningYMIR on February 03, 2014, 12:56:20 PM
Thank you, I think it will work well ice I have the cash for it
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on February 04, 2014, 02:04:44 AM
As long as everything fits, there's good airflow, and it doesn't look fugly, it's fine.  It's hard to go wrong in the tower department.

[spoil:3uuhhecz](//http://i.imgur.com/z98TfKp.jpg)[/spoil:3uuhhecz]  ...most of the time.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on February 04, 2014, 11:10:28 AM
Haha look at that piece
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: FinalSomnia on February 22, 2014, 07:14:30 PM
I just got done building my own PC. The last time I did that was over ten years ago. Most of the tech has changed, but putting it together was mostly the same in the "make sure everything is plugged in" sense.

My homebuild specs:

AMD 4130 Black Edition CPU (3.8 GHz 4 core)
Asus M5A78-LM USB 3.0 motherboard
1 TB hard drive
8 GB RAM
Win7 64-bit/Ubuntu dual boot OS
Nvidia Geforce GT 640 2gb graphics card
4 blue case fans (counting the one that came with the case) and a fan controller
LG blu-ray burner
WiFi card
Surround sound speakers
ThermalTake V3 Black Edition case

Not counting the new monitor, the whole thing only cost me about $500. I'm pretty happy with it. I've had just laptops for the last 7 or 8 years so going back to a desktop is taking some getting used to.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: aitm on February 22, 2014, 07:20:59 PM
Hey easy question for you compy-heads...yeah I said that.... some of my files both word and excel "dissapeared". Someone told me that by typing a simple search code in the search window  will find any word or excel file, if they are still in the comp somewhere...er.....what would those be?
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Johan on February 22, 2014, 08:36:40 PM
Quote from: "aitm"Hey easy question for you compy-heads...yeah I said that.... some of my files both word and excel "dissapeared". Someone told me that by typing a simple search code in the search window  will find any word or excel file, if they are still in the comp somewhere...er.....what would those be?
*.doc or *.docx for word docs. *.xls or *.xlsx for excel. Make sure you're searching the entire drive and not just certain folders.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: PopeyesPappy on February 22, 2014, 09:20:19 PM
It has been a while since I built a new computer, but I've been playing around with securing my home network recently. I have all the hardware, but I didn't quite have this all up and running beofre I had to leave for Texas for a few weeks.

(//http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f158/popeyespappy/HomeNetwork_zpsda82d087.jpg)
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Johan on February 22, 2014, 09:41:45 PM
You're running a mail server and web facing NAS?
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: PopeyesPappy on February 22, 2014, 09:42:34 PM
Just playing around with the mail server but yes on the NAS.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: aitm on February 22, 2014, 10:18:27 PM
Quote from: "Johan"
Quote from: "aitm"Hey easy question for you compy-heads...yeah I said that.... some of my files both word and excel "dissapeared". Someone told me that by typing a simple search code in the search window  will find any word or excel file, if they are still in the comp somewhere...er.....what would those be?
*.doc or *.docx for word docs. *.xls or *.xlsx for excel. Make sure you're searching the entire drive and not just certain folders.
thank you sir.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on March 05, 2014, 10:22:37 PM
Upgrading the video card from Geforce 250 GTS (//http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gts250/specifications) (circa March 2009, I'm surprised it can play Mahjong, let alone Skyrim) to a Radeon R9 270 (//http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/r9/Pages/amd-radeon-hd-r9-series.aspx#5).  It seems like a pretty decent mid-range card.  It's not even close to those glorious R9 290s, but I tend to not have tremendously high GPU demands anyway.  All I really want to do is play more recent games and run my current ones on high video settings and not have them look like slide shows when there's a lot of action going on.  Plus, I managed to get a nice deal.  The only downside is that I'll have to wait a couple weeks for shipping.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: stromboli on March 05, 2014, 10:53:29 PM
I have a Compaq Presario. The company no longer exists. It was taken over by HP. I'm driving the equivalent of a V6 Oldsmobile, here. On Comcast.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on March 23, 2014, 01:19:42 AM
(http://gamegpu.ru/images/remote/http--www.gamegpu.ru-images-news20image-sapphire-r9-270-ocb1.jpg)
Took me forever to install (apparently, a bad PCIe cable was to blame).  Games run very smoothly with about twice the fps.  Can't wait to see how this baby handles Star Citizen.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: SGOS on March 23, 2014, 09:13:42 AM
I'm curious if anyone has any thoughts on AMD's fairly new 4.7 ghz processor.  The 4.7 sounds formidable, but I haven't heard much from users.  And the few reviews from magazines I've seen are like, "Yeah, 4.7 is pretty fast, but there's not much to see here."
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on March 23, 2014, 09:17:01 AM
Quote from: SGOS on March 23, 2014, 09:13:42 AM
I'm curious if anyone has any thoughts on AMD's fairly new 4.7 ghz processor.  The 4.7 sounds formidable, but I haven't heard much from users.  And the few reviews from magazines I've seen are like, "Yeah, 4.7 is pretty fast, but there's not much to see here."

Haven't heard of anything on it actually.

I'm going to be headed out to Tigerdirect after I get out of here to get a new video card.  My Nvidia GTX 285 is a bit behind on the times!
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on March 23, 2014, 11:58:37 AM
Does anyone else have a problem with Ctrl+C not working in Windows?
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on March 23, 2014, 12:08:55 PM
Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on March 23, 2014, 11:58:37 AM
Does anyone else have a problem with Ctrl+C not working in Windows?

you mean copy isn't working anywhere?  Or anywhere on this forum?
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on March 23, 2014, 12:24:41 PM
Quote from: wolf39us on March 23, 2014, 12:08:55 PM
you mean copy isn't working anywhere?  Or anywhere on this forum?
It works erratically wherever I am on my computer. On the net, in editors, file windows, etc.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Johan on March 23, 2014, 12:27:32 PM
Replace your keyboard.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on March 23, 2014, 01:26:52 PM
Quote from: Johan on March 23, 2014, 12:27:32 PM
Replace your keyboard.
I've had four. Two wireless, two USB connections.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Johan on March 23, 2014, 03:22:54 PM
Hmm... Do other ctrl key combinations work? Is it only ctrl-c that gives you trouble? Also what version of windows? Are all updates installed?
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on March 23, 2014, 05:09:22 PM
Quote from: Johan on March 23, 2014, 03:22:54 PM
Hmm... Do other ctrl key combinations work? Is it only ctrl-c that gives you trouble? Also what version of windows? Are all updates installed?
Win7, fully updated and every other keyboard shortcut works. I can Ctrl-X an item and Ctrl-V it back, then paste it elsewhere. I know I'm not the only one from Googling, but I never found a solution that would work for me.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on March 23, 2014, 05:39:13 PM
Might be a problem with your registry.   I'm not sure where that reference is... Though you say it only works sometimes.  Bah,  I'm probably wrong then

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on March 23, 2014, 05:43:25 PM
Quote from: wolf39us on March 23, 2014, 05:39:13 PM
Might be a problem with your registry.   I'm not sure where that reference is... Though you say it only works sometimes.  Bah,  I'm probably wrong then

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


I keep my registry tidy, my work requires.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on March 24, 2014, 10:30:15 AM
Slight problem:  my computer apparently turned itself off last night and the power button wouldn't do diddly.  http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/nawww.gif

Wake up today, crack that baby open.  Everything's hooked up fine.  Plug in only the power cord.  Powers on for like 2 seconds before powering off again.  (This is also what happened during the video card install but it worked fine when I used a different PCIe cable)  So I use different power cord.  It powers on without any problems.  I hook everything back up and power it up again, and it powers on fine.  Everything is fine.

I apparently fixed the problem by changing absolutely nothing except the power cable.

At this stage, I'm starting to suspect that my power supply might be faulty, but it's fairly new <2 years old and honestly shouldn't be giving me any problems yet.  I suppose I could buy a power supply tester to confirm/disconfirm this hunch.  But damn, I don't want to go out and buy/install a whole new psu!  I suppose I could wait and see if it craps out on me again.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Naru on March 24, 2014, 02:42:32 PM
Quote from: Hydra009 on March 24, 2014, 10:30:15 AM
Slight problem:  my computer apparently turned itself off last night and the power button wouldn't do diddly.  http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/nawww.gif

Wake up today, crack that baby open.  Everything's hooked up fine.  Plug in only the power cord.  Powers on for like 2 seconds before powering off again.  (This is also what happened during the video card install but it worked fine when I used a different PCIe cable)  So I use different power cord.  It powers on without any problems.  I hook everything back up and power it up again, and it powers on fine.  Everything is fine.

I apparently fixed the problem by changing absolutely nothing except the power cable.

At this stage, I'm starting to suspect that my power supply might be faulty, but it's fairly new <2 years old and honestly shouldn't be giving me any problems yet.  I suppose I could buy a power supply tester to confirm/disconfirm this hunch.  But damn, I don't want to go out and buy/install a whole new psu!  I suppose I could wait and see if it craps out on me again.

The power cord you had before may be faulty. Try using that power cord again to see what happens.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Johan on March 24, 2014, 04:56:27 PM
Quote from: Hydra009 on March 24, 2014, 10:30:15 AM
Slight problem:  my computer apparently turned itself off last night and the power button wouldn't do diddly.  http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/nawww.gif

Wake up today, crack that baby open.  Everything's hooked up fine.  Plug in only the power cord.  Powers on for like 2 seconds before powering off again.  (This is also what happened during the video card install but it worked fine when I used a different PCIe cable)  So I use different power cord.  It powers on without any problems.  I hook everything back up and power it up again, and it powers on fine.  Everything is fine.

I apparently fixed the problem by changing absolutely nothing except the power cable.

At this stage, I'm starting to suspect that my power supply might be faulty, but it's fairly new <2 years old and honestly shouldn't be giving me any problems yet.  I suppose I could buy a power supply tester to confirm/disconfirm this hunch.  But damn, I don't want to go out and buy/install a whole new psu!  I suppose I could wait and see if it craps out on me again.
Power supply testers cannot be trusted because they only measure output voltage with no load applied. Very often bad power supplies will test good showing correct voltage on all legs, but will put out insufficient voltage once the load of actual components are applied.

Do as Naru suggested. Put the original power cord back on and see if the problem returns. If it doesn't, I would change out the power supply just as a precaution because a bad power supply can damage other components. No point in trying to save $60 now only to end up having to spend $300 later if/when the chip mobo and video card have to be swapped along with another new power supply.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on April 11, 2014, 11:10:39 AM
It was definitely the cord.  I checked it with another computer.  No power issues since then.

Unfortunately, now I have a slightly worse problem.  CPU runs hot (50C idle and 70-80C when gaming), take it out, remove old (slightly burnt) thermal paste, reapply thermal paste, put it back in, clamp it down, reattach heat sink/fan, recable and boot up.  Everything's fine (fans spin and everything) except no beeps and no post.  :(

Possible problems:
CPU might have not been seated 100% correctly.  It might have shifted a bit while I was putting the heat sink on.  I'm going to take the heatsink out again and check, but it's a major pain putting the heatsink back on (the restraining clamp (http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2676&page=4) doesn't have a whole lot of give and it really take a lot of force to get it to catch)
A bent CPU pin.  Bent it back into place but not sure if it stayed that way after I put the CPU back in.

P.S. - Please bear in mind that I'm still very green when it comes to the insides of computers.  This past few months have been my first couple of times opening up a computer and trying to install/repair components.  I'm admittedly not very skilled at it, but I'm a quick normal okay learner and this is a fairly old system, so it's no biggie to replace a component if that's what I have to do.  It's just frustrating not knowing what exactly is wrong.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Johan on April 11, 2014, 08:41:25 PM
How exactly are you applying the thermal paste? Thermal paste is one of those things where too much is as bad (or worse) than not enough.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on April 11, 2014, 08:55:27 PM
Quote from: Johan on April 11, 2014, 08:41:25 PM
How exactly are you applying the thermal paste? Thermal paste is one of those things where too much is as bad (or worse) than not enough.
(http://www.pcstats.com/articleimages/201110/installFM1_5112.jpg)

Pretty much just like that.   Hopefully smoothed flat by the weight of the cpu fan/heatsink.  (I also took pretty good ESD precautions.  Alligator clip, pressing the on button after unplugging, touching the metal bar inside the case)  I suppose I'll just have to open it up and check it to make sure everything's a-okay in there.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on April 11, 2014, 10:28:26 PM
Okay, after opening the case, I think I figured out the problem(s).

I swear I didn't put on too much thermal paste, but nevertheless, it was too much.  Apparently, pea-sized is subject to some interpretation.  It didn't help that the heat sink kind of slid around when I put it on.  The thermal paste got on the sides of the CPU, my fingertips holding said CPU, and the tips of a few of the CPU pins.  And 4 cpu pins were bent.  And one of the motherboard power connectors was kind loose.  Loose as in not attached at all.  On that note, I think I know why it wasn't posting.

Sooo...I'm officially an idiot.  But I did very, very, very careful restoration work and used a small sewing needle (grounded beforehand) to bend the pins back to where they're supposed to be and I very carefully removed the thermal paste with a cotton swab damp with rubbing alcohol.  I'm just waiting for the rubbing alcohol to fully dry before reattaching everything and the CPU is safe and sound in an ESD bag.

I think I've corrected most of my mistakes and I'll try not to repeat them next time.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Johan on April 12, 2014, 09:38:51 AM
Quote from: Hydra009 on April 11, 2014, 08:55:27 PM
(http://www.pcstats.com/articleimages/201110/installFM1_5112.jpg)

Pretty much just like that.   Hopefully smoothed flat by the weight of the cpu fan/heatsink.
That bolded part is a problem. You don't want to apply a dab to the chip and leave it at that until the heat sink smashes it down. Instead you want to apply a small dab and then squeegee it flat with something like an old credit card or a thin piece of card stock. This insures that the full surface area of the chip has uniform amount of paste with no thick spots or thin spots. It also makes it more difficult to apply too much or too little.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on April 12, 2014, 09:41:00 AM
Thanks.  Will do.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on April 12, 2014, 10:11:20 AM
And you should sacrifice a chicken to Steve Jobs before beginning an computer work.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: PopeyesPappy on April 12, 2014, 10:32:50 AM
A chicken? You think Jobs practiced that bastardised Catholic religion Vodou or some other pagan crap?

He was raised Lutheran before converting to Buddhism. Nothing less that goat would do for a sacrifice to Jobs. Chicken indeed! Huh.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Johan on April 12, 2014, 12:23:25 PM
And not just any goat. This is Steve Jobs we're talking about. So only the finest of goats, hand selected from one particular herd deep in the Peruvian jungle will do. To sacrifice anything else would be an insult to both Steve and the goat.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on April 19, 2014, 01:18:12 PM
Goats, or no goats, this isn't working but at least now I know why.

Every time, I'd get the no post, no beeps error and every time, I'd open it up to see a handful of bent CPU pins.  And every time, I'd straighten them out (the credit card method works surprisingly well), only to see them bent again.  Apparently, I was bending 'em by pushing a little too hard on the heatsink.  The restraining clips are VERY difficult to attach (it's seriously a very tight squeeze and a very slim margin of error), and even harder to detach.  So naturally, I'm using quite a bit of force getting it clamped down and unclamped.  So, that's mistake #1.  (Apparently, using a screwdriver is a must)

But last time, I miraculously got the heatsink on without bending any pins.  No beeps, no post as usual.  I'm almost certain it's the CPU.  Even though I did try to be gentle with it, it's possible that it's down for the count.

Going to try a replacement CPU as well as a replacement heatsink (preferably one that's a lot easier to attach)

But at least the good news is that I'm really good with thermal paste after having to apply it and wipe it off so many times.  (Grain of rice + spreading around with one of those tiny grocery cards method)
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on April 22, 2014, 02:04:12 PM
Mucked around with my PC one last time before ordering replacement CPU.  No bent pins, CPU properly seated, everything plugged in correctly, thermal paste flawlessly applied, and the infamously difficult heatsink wasn't too bad (the trick is to nearly but not quite clamp down both sides, then just barely clamp on one side and lead it over gently but firmly with a flathead screwdriver) and I barely even used much force this time.  Huzzah.  Still no beeps, no post :(

I'm not 100% sure that I damaged the CPU in my admittedly bad early attempts.  A replacement should solve the problem.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on April 22, 2014, 02:39:39 PM
Quote from: Hydra009 on April 22, 2014, 02:04:12 PM
Mucked around with my PC one last time before ordering replacement CPU.  No bent pins, CPU properly seated, everything plugged in correctly, thermal paste flawlessly applied, and the infamously difficult heatsink wasn't too bad (the trick is to nearly but not quite clamp down both sides, then just barely clamp on one side and lead it over gently but firmly with a flathead screwdriver) and I barely even used much force this time.  Huzzah.  Still no beeps, no post :(

I'm not 100% sure that I damaged the CPU in my admittedly bad early attempts.  A replacement should solve the problem.

When it gets down to this point it's nice to have extra testing parts... but in the end you can only speculate by swapping out stuff until you figure it out.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: GrinningYMIR on June 08, 2014, 10:10:24 AM
Almost have the funds to make a good gaming PC, but I would like for it to be elitist and whatnot, really good CPU, graphics card, etc.

Any recommendations for specific parts? I'm already going to splurg for a case with liquid cooling but I don't mind saving more in order to her a better machine. I've got about 1200 saved up right now and I'm willing to save up as much as 2000
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Brian37 on June 08, 2014, 10:58:03 AM
The solution to all computer problems are as follows. Format C: or a sledgehammer.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: Hydra009 on June 08, 2014, 11:53:13 AM
Got it back up and running a while ago.  Had to replace both the CPU and the motherboard.  Apparently, the bent CPU pins killed the motherboard or something.  Either that or ESD.  Won't make that mistake again.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: PopeyesPappy on June 08, 2014, 12:38:40 PM
Quote from: GrinningYMIR on June 08, 2014, 10:10:24 AM
Almost have the funds to make a good gaming PC, but I would like for it to be elitist and whatnot, really good CPU, graphics card, etc.

Any recommendations for specific parts? I'm already going to splurg for a case with liquid cooling but I don't mind saving more in order to her a better machine. I've got about 1200 saved up right now and I'm willing to save up as much as 2000

Unless things have changed recently you'll get better performance and lower temperatures out of a high end four core Intel I7, but an eight core AMD should get you close to the performance with better overclocking support for less money.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: GrinningYMIR on June 28, 2014, 09:33:42 PM
Its official, in a few days I'll have earned enough money to pay for my computer and still cover my college expenses.

Here's my baby, http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-x51-r2/pd?oc=dpcwxy03s&model_id=alienware-x51-r2#overrides=dpcwxy03s:5985~U2412MCC;6~G760TI;6905~

I'm so excited!
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: PickelledEggs on June 29, 2014, 01:14:44 AM
Quote from: GrinningYMIR on June 28, 2014, 09:33:42 PM
Its official, in a few days I'll have earned enough money to pay for my computer and still cover my college expenses.

Here's my baby, http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-x51-r2/pd?oc=dpcwxy03s&model_id=alienware-x51-r2#overrides=dpcwxy03s:5985~U2412MCC;6~G760TI;6905~

I'm so excited!
Starcraft!!!?

Sent from your mom

Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: GrinningYMIR on June 29, 2014, 06:55:06 AM
You know it
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on June 29, 2014, 07:35:43 AM
Here's comes the criticism before you hit that purchase button!

Are you a gamer?  What games do you play?
This machine is $1,600 and it doesn't even include an SSD drive!  The drive that you included here is a 1TB standard speed disk that will run out of space in no time at all (if you're a gamer that is).

They want $350 for a 256gb SSD drive on there.  Just yesterday I spotted a 500gb SSD on Tigerdirect for $200.  Alienware looks nice, but uses standard hardware and charges a premium price.  For the money, you can do much much better.



edit:  You know what, scratch what I said.  You can definitely save money and probably even get better parts... but you'd have to put it all together and won't save more than $300-ish.

Advice, add an SSD and get a larger hard drive!  The rest is good.
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: GrinningYMIR on June 29, 2014, 07:58:24 AM
SSD, and a larger hard drive, okay. I'll see what I can do
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: GrinningYMIR on July 15, 2014, 07:25:28 PM
She's ordered up and on the way! Should get it in 2-3 business days. Plus they knocked 150 bucks off the price, getting a free copy of watch dogs too
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on July 15, 2014, 08:05:27 PM
get that SSD?
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: GrinningYMIR on July 15, 2014, 08:13:06 PM
Indeed
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: wolf39us on July 15, 2014, 08:17:30 PM
Good man, you won't regret that decision!
Title: Re: The Computer Thread
Post by: PickelledEggs on July 16, 2014, 08:50:08 AM
Yeeeaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!1!!!1oneoneone

Sent from your mom