Configuring new build with Rebuilder/CCE focus

Hi guys and gals. It's been a while since I posted. I am ready to build another computer with an emphasis on using DVD Rebuilder with CCE. My E6400 Core 2 Duo build is awesome, but, I am going to add a Q6600 Core 2 Quad to my arsenal. The following link has the hardware I am buying. In addition to that, I already have a monitor, keyboard, etc., Arctic Silver, a BenQ 1655, and two SeaGate 500GB HDs, brand new, and ready to go into that box as well. I am looking for suggestions on the best configurations for, say, running two instances of Rebuilder and CCE, simultaneously (or whatever is most efficient).

Thanks, in advance for taking the time to chime in!

Rest of parts here:

NZXT LEXA BlackLine Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Model #: LEXA BlackLine
Item #: N82E16811146038 $99.99

1 GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #: GA-P35-DS3R
Item #: N82E16813128050 $129.99

1 PNY VCG8600GXPB GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Model #: VCG8600GXPB
Item #: N82E16814133199 $119.99

1 RAIDMAX Hybrid 2 RX-530SS ATX12V 530W Power Supply - Retail
Model #: RX-530SS
Item #: N82E16817152028 $59.99

1 Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail
Model #: BX80562Q6600
Item #: N82E16819115017 $279.99

2 G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL4D-2GBHK - Retail
Model #: F2-6400CL4D-2GBHK
Item #: N82E16820231114 $179.98

2 Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3160815AS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Model #: ST3160815AS
Item #: N82E16822148230 $107.98

1 Pioneer 18X DVD±R DVD Burner Black E-IDE/ATAPI Model DVR-112D - OEM
Model #: DVR-112D
Item #: N82E16827129007 $29.99

1 Thermaltake CL-P0310 120mm CPU Cooling Fan - Retail
Model #: CL-P0310
Item #: N82E16835106080 $54.99

Subtotal: $1,062.89

 

NZXT Lexa Blackline: Good choice!
GA-P35-DS3R: Good choice
8600GT: Hope you don't want to play games! The 8600GT's a very wimpy card, especially for the price, I recommend this instead:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102075
Raidmax PSU: VERY BAD, VERY BAD INDEED, this PSU could easily torch your components and indeed your house. Get one of these
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139001&Tpk=corsair+520w
If it seems expensive, tough, you should make getting a decent power supply your first priority.
Q6600: good choice
G Skill RAM: good choice
Barracuda 7200.10: Good drives, but why stop at 160GB?
Pioneer 18x DVD: fine, not used pioneer drives myself, but theyre supposed to be good
Thermaltake CPU cooler: Nah, thermaltake don't make good coolers, go with one of these heatsinks
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835109125
and one of these fans
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185005
It'll easily outperform any thermaltake cooler, and be quieter too!

 

LOL... I don't game at all!!! I will have the OS on one of the 160s and I was thinking of partitioning the other into two 80 GB partitions for my RB TEMP directories. I will also have two 500 GB HDs- one partitioned for rips and the other for output from RB.

 

Ok, not a problem then, just bear in mind what I said about the power supply. Nice case choice again, you'll love it!

 

The Hiper Type-R PSUs are well built units and I know nobody (in the UK at least) who's had any issues with them, and several people I know have them, me included. They are very quiet units at low loads. However, the 900 case isn't so quiet, even with the fan speeds set to low. As many forum members will attest, I take an almost fanatical approach to keeping PCs silent. At low speeds, the fans in the 900, while quiet to many people's ears are far from silent, and I typically run them on a fan controller at around 6V, even at the low setting. Not only does that keep them quiet, but also dims the LEDs somewhat to achieve a more subtle lighting effect.
If you're going for quiet, it may be wise to choose something other than the stock cooler too, even without overclocking. The stock cooler can keep pace at full speed but isn't exactly quiet. I wouldn't know how it fares at lower fan speeds, not having used it myself.
My fileserver uses a Zalman CNPS7000 running at about 4V, nice and quiet, and keeps the CPU pretty much stone cold.

 

I agree with most on the above posts. One thing I will suggest though. If you are going for the Q6600, make sure you take the Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz SLACR G0 version. This is cheaper thatn the original Q6600 in the UK and has a lower power rating with no loss of performance!!

I have read people have O/C this beast to 3.4Ghz on all 4 cores with load temps of 87-90 degrees on standard stock HSF's, so that should come right down with a nice cooling system.

The other thing I would suggest is the M/B. Have you looked at the MSI P35 Platinum? I have read plenty of reviews of both and this seems to be the one I will be going for with a very similar build. A few reasons for my decisions are....

· 2x PCI-Express 16x slots (Suitable for Crossfire etc) whereas the Gigabyte only has 1x PCI-Express 16x slot.
· Large cooling pipe for the chipset which even accomodates for the exhaust from the CPU HSF (if you wish).
· Onboard LED status for POST alerts. If you have ever used this it is very helpful. It basically lights 8 LED's depending on the problem at POST letting you know exactly what the issue is. More usefull than figuring out a series of short & long beeps.

Both boards host a massive array of features, and both use the more expensive Polymer capacitors, rather than the electrolytic style that are prone to "pop-open" when the system is overclocked.

Hope this is helpful

 

This will make interesting reading for you!! click here

 

On the CCE subject I thought CCE, and maybe its only the SP version, was multi-threaded so it would take advantage of all 4 cores of the Q6600.

 

Ha ha...

I dont think anyone would seriously lap their HSF for that amount of time. I personally wouldnt. However with a decent cooling system, they can expell more heat than the most lapped air cooled HSF!

 

Personally I'd go for the tracer's (BL2KIT12864AL1065). They use the Micron D9 chips and are great. They tend to be rated @ 2.2v so you can really drive them harder with tighter timings (In this review they achieved 1084MHz @ 4-4-4-12!!! However they also have a cheaper version here for £65.21 inc Vat. As far as I can see the tracers have the LED's down the sides and thats it lol. Looking at the spec sheets on crucials websites the timings and voltages.

These tend to be some of the more favoured sticks in O/C and are the ones I will be going for.

As with the MB you shouldnt be dissapointed. I have had nothing but MSI for a few builds now and never been let down.

 

Hi,

I get your system for £529.71 all in.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 £163.31 Inc Vat
Crucial 2GB Kit (2x1GB) Ballistix DDR2 PC2-8500 5-5-5-15 Unbuffered NON-ECC £55.50 Inc Vat
MSI P35 Platinum £85.40 inc VAT
Seagate Barracuda 500GB SATA2 16MB 7200rpm £66.15 inc vat
All above = £395.72 + £3.99 delivery
TOTAL = £399.71

Your suppliers
Antec Nine Hundred Ultimate Gamer Case £70 inc VAT plus free delivery
Hiper 580W Type R Modular PSU £60 inc VAT plus free delivery
TOTAL £130

GRAND TOTAL £529.71

(this includes £3.99 postage included in the cost). I think it works out at a tenner less than yours but not sure. Use the same place to get your case and PSU as you were thinking of and get the rest from the website i linked to earlier.

Only ammendment I have made is the harddrive. I would prefer the Seagate Barracuda hard drives, and are £66.15 inc vat for the 500Gb 16Mb 7200rpm SATA2 flavours. Got 4 in a RAID setup on my FS and they are sweeeeet.

And like I said, make sure you go for the Q6600 G0 Version. Lesser power rating, less heat dissipated (better results at O/C with lesser costing HSF's although you get one free with this bad boy) and cheaper to run (Lower power rating = £'s saved lol) and the CPU is slightly cheaper than the regular Q6600 at the mo!

 

Well Seagate recently acquired Maxtor and as a result you can see the newer Maxtor's have the same casings as the Seagate models. Eventually they will brand them both the same.

With respects to their performance I cannot fault them. I have worked in general PC repairs and as an IT consultant. Didnt see as many Seagates returned as nearly any other manufacturer. Haven't used any of the recent WD drives so couldn't comment from experience, however I did an install with 2x Raptors in RAID0 which was blisteringly fast!

I agree RAID might not appeal to all, but for me I use it for redundancy ONLY not for performance. I tend to use single HDD's on my builds and use my FS for storage.