The Official PC building thread -3rd Edition

The HD3200 is unbelievably good compared to existing integrated graphics, but despite this, even an HD4650 is unbelievably good by comparison. You just can't argue that to play anything other than exceptionally antiquated games, or flash browser games, integrated graphics cuts the mustard, it just doesn't. Also, the HD4670 only works out any more expensive if you consider the rebates, and call me cynical, but I don't trust rebates much.

 

I agree! If I decided to scrap the on-board graphics, this would be my personal choice to replace them.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127401
$119 after MIR is a great price!

Russ

 

The HD4850 is a very nice card, but it's on the opposite end of the scale almost. The HD4670 is more comfortable middle ground for lower budgets.

 

If you are on a strict budget, for sure! LOL!! Still, $119 isn't bad at all for a high quality 4850!

BTW! My motherboard should be here Monday or Tuesday. I've continued to use my Sceptre on everything I can get my hands on and it works perfectly, even on the nVidia Riva TNT2-64 AGP 4x that's in the Dell 420. No dead or stuck pixels. Sceptre did a great job on it and it's virtually a new monitor! The only original parts left are the front and back covers!

Russ

 

How much did the repair cost you?

 

Taking your advice. Now looking at ASRock A780GXE/128M AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G ATX AMD Motherboard. Question: In general, if the motherboard craps out for whatever reason, will I be able to just buy another motherboard and replace without risk of data loss or hardware damage?

Thinking about dropping the video card just to save the $$$ but I want this machine to be able to push a clear signal to either another lcd monitor or to a projector. Are their other options to accomplish this if I for go the video card altogether?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

If you don't need any 3D performance, just clear output, then this will do fine:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128382

 

I wasn't sure which brands were good and bad so I just went for combo deals and items with rebates. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

Sam,
It was originally supposed to be $75, but the display itself was what caused the driver board to fail! They charged me a flat $100 for new everything! They even replaced the pushbuttons on the front and the light! 1 Year warranty and a new serial number! Pretty tough to beat for a better than TN Panel 20" Widescreen!

Russ

 

dru3692,
This, in my opinion is the best bang for the buck. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128379 A member here just built his first PC with one of these and the 7750 "Kuma" 2.7GHz AM2+ chip. It's the only dual core that unlocks the motherboards AM2+ features. All the rest will work, but only as AM2. Fred's really happy with his! I have the more expensive GA-MA790GP-DS4H, and I like it too, but it's $50 more.

You might consider checking out the on-board HD3200 graphics. They are quite good. If they don't perform to you taste, you can always buy a better card later, when something you want is on sale! I promise you, the on-board graphics are like nothing ever seen before with OBG! Fred uses the OBG too! Far superior to any of the nVidia on-board Graphics by a wide margin!

Best Regards,
Russ

 

Andrew,
Check the GigaByte MB I linked you to in a previous post. If you are going to drop the video card, then spend a little more on the MB. The on-board does full screen 1920x1080 HDMI and can be plugged directly into any set with an HDMI port! Projectors and monitors are a piece of cake!

As far as if you lose anything because of motherboard failure. That's a hard one to answer. Most times you don't, but it can happen!

Russ

 

As good as $100 for repair is, the brand new screens are only $130 from the egg...

 

Sam,
Don't forget that it's a S-PVA panel amd not a TN, and that by the time you add the tax and shipping you are over $170! Believe me I considered it, but now I'm glad I got it fixed!

Russ

 

Took my brother out for a birthday dinner. Now im ready to play!

OK...here we go. I find all of this stuff easier and easier everytime. But ive never installed a LARGE cpu cooler like this one before(Freezer 64 Pro). Wish me luck! I guess im also a little nervous also, because last time I touched the Gigabyte board, I almost fried it, LOL(Hooking up the 8 pin inlet for Cpu wrong). Apparently it took it though. Hope I didnt just hex it saying that! *Facepalm*

Ok! Whew! Hard parts over. Ok Ok, the wires could be a little tidier, but I was both anxious and tired. Its considerably quieter than the last case! However now, for whatever reason, the windows 7 HDD wont boot. I Removed my IDE AAKB 500GB drive, to accomodate an IDE optical drive. And Im now running on the 74gb raptor. So far its ok. A little slower than my other drives. But perhaps it just needs some exercise.

Heres some pics.



This one being one of my favs LOL. Quad core baby!!!

Russ, Im a little concerned about the contact the arctic cooler is making with the heat pipe. What are your thoughts on that. Is it a big deal? Its not pushing just touching.

 

Omegaman7,
Well, the first thing is, you've got the Freezer 64 in backwards. LOL!! The fan should be on the memory side! In fact if you have tall memory like I have, they have to go in slots 3 & 4 or they won't clear the fan. The fan blows through the cooler and out the back (curved) side, towards the rear fan, not into the computer. Once you get it turned around, it should cool a lot better. Don't fret about it, as I did the same thing with a Zalman 9500LED, 3 years ago! Just take it off, turn it around 180 degrees, and it will work much better. It does come very close to the heatpipe cooler. Once it's on right you can wiggle the cooler around a little bit to resolve that problem.

Best Regards,
Russ

 

The fans are moving at such a low RPM its hard to tell, but I thought that aiming it in the direction of the exhaust was the main point. Blow the CPU heat directly out? If you think thats incorrect, or im mistaken as to the direction the air is blowing, than i'll change it. But it is running between 29-33C right now.

Sucker weighs 45 pounds. I picked it up at one point, and was like WOW! I had to weigh it! It doesnt even have everything that it could! Raptor may be going to HDD heaven. Last night I tried to start up speedfan, and it locked up. I was through playing for the night at that point! So this morning I turn it on, and I never see the XP splash screen. Something rather unusual, Not running my XP AAKB drive, windows 7 drive (AAKS) wouldnt boot. No options like the previous boot screen either. Usually it gives me the option to boot windows 7 or earlier version of windows (XP). It did not! I just hooked my AAKB drive back up eliminating an optical drive, and presto. The old boot screen is back, Windows 7 is fine, and running right now! There is no need to help me with this problem though. Pretty complicated setup going on in there, LOL. Im so sick of IDE I swear! I wont be buying any more IDE drives!!!

What do you guys think of these S.M.A.R.T. stats???

EDIT - Your probably correct russ! I was reading speedfans temps, and must have read them wrong. Everest revealed actual temps? Most unusual though. Why is the top temp different?

 

Oman7,
The cooler fan pushes air through the cooler from the fan side and exhausts out the curved end of the cooler. If you turn it around so it blows the right way, the rear exhaust fan will be able to remove warm air more efficiently, and your temps should drop! I don't meant to be rude, but having made the same mistake myself with the Zalman, it isn't a question of thinking that the cooler is pointed the wrong direction, It's knowing that it's pointed the wrong way by my own experience. My temps dropped 5-6C when I put it on right! At least yours is easy to change. The difficulty with changing the Zalman on a Socket 478 motherboard, without removing the MB from the case, is extremely high. If I hadn't had a set of long T handled Allen wrenches, I would still be trying today! Even then, I had to remove the PSU, just to get at the angled screw on that side. If my case had been any smaller, I would have had to pull the MB! I was able to take a fine coping saw and cut just enough at the top of the case, and below where the side cover meets it to gain access to the screw! LOL!!

Best Regards,
Russ

 

OM7 the top CPU temp is the temp of the over all CPU the others are of each core themselves
here is a shot of mine. the CPU is way lower than the CPU cores.. thats normal no need to worry about that.. dont laugh at my measly 2 cores...lol

dont let putting the fan on backwards bother ya either everyone has done something like that along the line some way some how..lol but it is a good laugh..... joken buddy,

 

Not at all You could say darn near anything buddy. You seem pretty good natured. Like you dont try to start conflicts. Actually, I am laughing. lesson learned But I really could swear that the fan was blowing the right direction. As I said though, hard to tell at such a low RPM.

 

Hey Rob,
Whats with that high CPU Fan speed?? At that temperature it should be running a lot slower! What's your cooler? Does it have a regular or PWM fan? Does the fan plug into a molex connector, or the CPU Fan on the MB?

Russ