The Official PC building thread -3rd Edition

There are many variations on the smiley. Just use your imagination ;P =) =D XD 8D 8) =^D

 

Hey guys. I just found this site that has nice animations for how to build a pc. I thought it would be something good to show to beginners that want to know how to build a computer.

http://www.pcityourself.com/index.php

 

Nice find man. I would have liked that when building my first rig.

 

well i got a GA-EP35C-DS3R in now and am installing windows with now problems...... gigabyte did contact me today. they said it was a new board and was tested and all was ok.... so all i can think of something happend to it in transit?????? i have to call a tech there on monday and talk with them

 

Gigabyte are usually very good with customer service. They replaced my GA-965P-DS3 when I had a blown cap even though I had been overclocking with it. They said that it was a board defect and that it was no fault of my own. They even sent me the version 1.33 board at no extra cost! I've never had a company work so easily with me before LOL. Though now they even advertise overclocking right on the box!!!

ASUS never backed me up when my first M2N32-SLI Deluxe failed, and I hadn't even OC'd on that board. I ended up doing an RMA with newegg because ASUS refused to send me a replacement. The PCB was cracked!!

And Gigabyte's site is actually navigable. ASUS' site is terribly slow and unresponsive. Sorry if I offend anyone. I'm not a particularly large fan of ASUS.

So my response to your troubles is poor handling by UPS. Our guy is careful with stuff because I've had a talk with him about the nature of the components. But I've seen some people getting their stuff with smashed up boxes and loose electrical components rattling around. Not pretty.

 

Im afraid im gonna have to agree with you on that one! The ASUS site has been less than smooth almost everytime ive been on it. I used it a while back for info regarding a 2001 board. The A7M266 I believe(or Pavilion 7905).

Sure liking my Giga board! I hooked the Cpu power up wrong, Dropped a Leatherman super tool on it, LOL! I was suffering from EXTREME caffeine intake LOL! My jaw dropped when I dropped the tool on it. For those of you who dont know, a Leatherman super tool has some considerable mass!
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww302/omegaman7/Leatherman-Super-Tool-Lg.jpg

 

Dude......! Are you kidding me with that picture? Why on earth would you use such an ungainly tool in the fairly close confines of a computer. It might be a good tool for minor repairs on other things, but it has no insulated handle, so unless you are wearing a grounding strap, clipped to the chassis, you could trash any number of things in a modern computer, from a spark you most likely would never see! I can't imagine trying to put the rear screws of the motherboard in with something like that! LOL!! Get you a couple of good screwdrivers, and keep that monster away from the inside of your computer! ROFL!!

Russ

 

LOL, the super tool serves many purposes. Its always handy, and readily available. Though I quite agree with you. A rubber/plastic handle would have been MUCH more sensible.

 

I use a Craftsman bit driver for electricians with interchangeable magnetic bits and a work light in the handle. Dad got it for me for Christmas a few years ago. So thoughtful It's always gotten the job done for me.

I never use my ESD bracelet though. Too limiting and cumbersome! When I unplug the PSU I make sure to push the power button a few times to discharge anything left. I place the computer on a rubber mat and just rest my arm on the metal edge of the case when my hands are inside. I've never zapped a component yet on 20+ builds.

 

My EP31-DS3L has withstood Shaffaaf's faulty CPU being tested in it and shorting out the CPU socket. Burning smell and sparking noises, yet shut the system down, put the old CPU back in, cooler on, and off you go! That was autumn 08. So far so good. I think it's Gigabyte's cheap board that impress me most. You expect very little like other cheap boards (Asus, ECS and the lik) and get much more. By contrast, I've been a little underwhelmed by their high end boards. Overclocking features have been mediocre (the X48-DS5 had no more than the X38-DS4 or P35C-DS3R) and the inability to run dual graphics to any extent is a big minus.

As it happens, the Asus website has changed. It's still not fast, but it's easier to work with now.

I use screwdrivers from a £15 rolson set from Maplin. Cheap tools ftw!

 

I use a rubber mat too, but on the bed! Plenty of working room, and you can sit down! I have a long screwdriver for the MB screws to the risers. The handle is outside the case, so it's a lot easier. For everything else, I have a 4 in one screwdriver. 2 Philips and two flat blade. It was a cheapie I bought about 15 years ago. No name or nothing, it Just says "4 IN 1 U.S.A.", and sadly it's finally starting to wear out. I've tried other's just like it, but they suck! It's absolutely my most used tool! The funny thing to me is that it's actually a 5 in one! The part that holds the double sided bits in, is a double sided 5/16" nut driver that's kept in place by a spring loaded ball in the handle. The bits are 5/16" and have a spring loaded ball as well. Amazing quality for a tool out of a $1.99 bargin bin! I should have bought them all! LOL!! I'm going to miss it when it finally wears completely out!

Russ

 

@ Sam

That's why I got the X38 vs the more expensive X48. It was about $100 cheaper and, functionally, is the same exact board. Also glad I got a good deal on my DFI board. $130 with the MIR. Not bad

@ Russ

Sometimes you get the best bargains when you're not looking. I'm eyeing a PC builders toolkit made by Rosewill. It's about $40 I think and I'm very tempted to get it. It's a fairly complete kit though it comes with generic thermal paste which I would quickly replace with a few tubes of good old AS Ceramique

 

Haha indeed you did, shipping included my X48-DS5 cost me $280 ($240 pre-tax). I still haven't sold it :S

 

Yikes that's expensive :S

I think I paid about $160 for my X38. $130 for my 790FX. $85-ish for my 780G.

Well actually I got the 780G in trade for my X2 3800+, a Gigabyte 630MCP board, and my X1800XT. The guy was convinced it couldn't take Phenoms because he's too retarded to do a BIOS update. The older board I traded him worked fine with his Phenom when I updated it so good deal for me

Anyway it goes for like $85 on newegg...

 

Indeed, I only paid what is now $170 ($150 pre tax) for the X38-DS4. By far the most expensive board I've ever bought, and indeed the most short-lived.

 

im jumping on a DFI, well only due to limitations

apartenly they have the only P45 in uATX format. so i bought one till i saw the ASUS Maximus II Gene coming out for P45 boards, but who knows when that will be, and i have always wanted to try out DFI

My New Build consists of:

E5200
DFI Jr P45-T2RS
Samsung F1 640GB
SilverStone Sugo SG02-F Evolution (Shuttle Style case)
SilverStone NT06-E CPU Cooler
Sapphire 4870 512MB
NorthQ 850W Modular Black Magic Flex (Sams not happy abotu that, becuase i bought a modular 850W PSU, same power as his, for less than half price )
Pioneer DVR-216DBK
2x2GB Geil Black Dragon 1066MHz RAM.

in total about £480 inclusing 5 fans of varying size.

Lastly, I want to apologize to anyone i may have angred/ caused grief to, durign the last few days of my last stint. esp pinksman whom i missed dearly hehe

and to Russ, please accept my weak atttempt of an apology (copy and paste to mods )

xD

 

I confirmed that my power connections ARE correct per the motherboard manual and the psu manual. I also switched to a different lcd monitor that uses HDMI but that still didn't help. What next?

 

Oh no I'm very happy because your PC will make your ears melt. Who knows depending on what kind of mood I'm in I'll be even happier when that burning smell rears its ugly head...

 

hehe i know

and when its nice and quiet and lasts me for a good 3 years, or till i need to upgrade (unlikely) then what

 

My 2 cents I have no regrets with the Biostar board and got the same run as Cincy with the Gig board. The bios is a bit different with the Biostar but running the kuma at 3.2 and 3.4 in the aod file when needed with the on board graphics with the Asus 24 Hdmi. My old Asus A8v just got hit by conf--- virus, didn't know till the anti virus andspyware would'nt update and shut down on ff and Ie. Both hard drives out of it are owned. HJ and Spybot and Nod and Malware all show good but when installed off flash drive won't update. Doesn't matter if safe mode or whatever. Tried installing in other comp to format or repair and drive isn't recognized.