The Official PC building thread - 4th Edition

Discussion in 'Building a new PC' started by ddp, Sep 13, 2010.

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  1. omegaman7

    omegaman7 Senior member

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    Could you guys please elaborate? MP, i'm not familiar with that acronym :p Other than of course, megapixel...
     
    omegaman7, Apr 4, 2011
    #1701
  2. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    Re VNC, it's what we use at work to get to a lot of our servers, quite a few user's machines, and all our foreign branches (across a VPN of course), and i use it at home (plus with my home being on VPN i can jump onto home machines from work, bonus). It's got a stealth mode apparently, where the person at the remote end won't know someone's controlling their machine, until the mouse mouse of course. I'll have to figure out how to use stealth as often when you jump on user's machines they try to boot you off, irritating (and strange being how you only jump on a user's machine if they have a problem!). I find it to be a great program, even on our most distant and slowest connections it works very well.
    VNC works under linux also, certainly under Puppy linux, it's also nice when i'm not at my own branch to be able to VNC onto my works linux box as it has tons of monitoring sessions open 24/7, makes troubleshooting easier sometimes, stuff like figuring out why a branch has fallen off the grid or whatnot).

    Remote Desktop is crap, quite frankly, i don't like the way it logs off the machine it hops onto, not good when it's one of your own machines and it blows away what was running. I might be wrong but i don't think there's a way around that, i found it easier to dump it and switch to VNC.

    As to Norton, i've hated anything by them for years, i only ever liked PCTools up to i think v1.03 back in the days of floppy discs. Longtime user of AVG however i switched to Symantec Endpoint Protection. Works very well and is very lean - it has to be lean, we run across all branches on all manner of ancient (and modern) hardware. Over and above that, anyone that manages to invite viruses or malware in (it's usually staff member's relation's) we just use a combination of Malwarebytes, Spybot, Symantec and a couple rootkit detectors. And a Puppy linux live cd as a backup in case safe mode doesn't play ball, it's great for removing dodgy directories that don't always want to be exterminated in safe mode. We don't find a need for anything else really, but each to their own as i always say.

    As to CPU temperatures, being as the weather's getting a bit milder now, my Q6600 hovers around the 70C mark (as i run Seti@Home & Milkyway whenever it's powered on). And that's with all the Antec 900's fans on full. I'll just shut down the crunching in the summer, the temps are higher than normal as i have to keep the front fan grills covered with a quite think mesh to keep cat's hairs out :)
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2011
    creaky, Apr 5, 2011
    #1702
  3. theonejrs

    theonejrs Senior member

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    Oman7,

    I did post the price when I bought it???

    Russ
     
    theonejrs, Apr 5, 2011
    #1703
  4. Mr-Movies

    Mr-Movies Active member

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    Creaky,

    I use VNC a fair amount of the time but I'm not sure what you mean by stealth mode? When I log onto a PC they don't have to approve me and if I don't move my mouse across their screen or try to open something they don't know that I'm hooked up, is that what you mean by stealth mode? I've looked at the Connection Options... and I don't really see any options to hide all of the remotes actions from the user client. There is a switch for tracking remote cursor locally and a View only (inputs ignored) but I haven't played with those and the later should do the same as I stated prior, at least I would think so?
     
    Mr-Movies, Apr 5, 2011
    #1704
  5. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    Yeah if you don't move the mouse when connecting they probably won't notice that someone is connected. I'd heard of stealth mode but not actually looked into it, i only ever connect to user's machines for legitimate reasons so have no need for it :). I just cheated and googled for an example link

    However i don't think that link is too accurate as whenever i connect to anything, the remote computer's wallpaper doesn't change, all that happens is a brief pause while the computers connect, the remote machine's VNC tray icon turns black (which most user probably wouldn't notice anyway). I haven't tried the method listed above, just going from the way my use of VNC works (which is obviously just the default setup)
     
    creaky, Apr 5, 2011
    #1705
  6. Mr-Movies

    Mr-Movies Active member

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    That's an old version of VNC the switches they talk about have been renamed and the icon is an eye not a V now. So what they are talking about is what I mentioned, you can connect without knowledge of the client and as long as you don't move your mouse around or try to open something they won't know you are monitoring what they are doing.

    Like you I use mine more legitimately however there have been times that I don't want one of my family to know that I'm watching them when they are doing something wrong but don't know that they are, in fact say they never did that when I know too well they did! That is the only time I snoop and really have no need to do so other than in that situation.

    One other thing though that can tip off the client, if they are using Win7 with Aero and their video card is barely good enough for Aero their Desktop my change from Aero to non-transparent due to performance issues. However the user might not relize that it is due to a remote connection.
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2011
    Mr-Movies, Apr 5, 2011
    #1706
  7. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    Interesting, I have no idea what the latest version is as ours works fine, we use v4.5, with this icon ~
    [​IMG]

    Outside of server use we only really need to remote into user's machines at one particular branch as the machines there are either haunted, else most of the users there keep us busy with *cough* problems *cough* ie user error, bless 'em. It's always priceless to be on the phone to the user in question when they jump out of their skin when the PC starts doing thing 'by itself'.

    edit- yeah, i forgot about Aero. Some of our users don't notice stuff like that popping up anyways, but i get your point.
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2011
    creaky, Apr 5, 2011
    #1707
  8. Mr-Movies

    Mr-Movies Active member

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    Actually I prefer UltraVNC as it is a free version of VNC so that is why my icon is different than yours. LOL Oooops.... The features though are the same even though they may be tagged differently.

    Funny...
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2011
    Mr-Movies, Apr 5, 2011
    #1708
  9. Mr-Movies

    Mr-Movies Active member

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    Sam,

    I would have to take a picture of my TV as its dlna connection shows a real mess of choices but I have the same problem with the Billboards folder not being shared I've even split the folder and have gone straight to the Hot and Top sub-folders and still these don't show up in the share. Very odd???

    Here is snap shots of my setup and I'm consistant in my approach so again it is baffling why Billboards are sharing.

    Sources Folders
    [​IMG]

    Sources Folders - Blues, Jazz & Soul
    [​IMG]

    Sources Folders - Billboard Hot 100
    [​IMG]

    Library - Folders (Hot 100 & Top 100 do show here but not in the shares)
    [​IMG]

    Library - Custom Menus
    [​IMG]

    Library - Active Menus
    [​IMG]

    PC Flash
    [​IMG]

    PC Flash - Folders
    [​IMG]

    PC Player
    [​IMG]

    PC Player - Folders PG1
    [​IMG]

    PC Player - Folders PG2
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2011
    Mr-Movies, Apr 5, 2011
    #1709
  10. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    i use serviio and i use mezzmo, and personally i prefer mezzmo. It costs 30$ but well worth it. The interface is unmatched, and very useable. Connects to practically anything, even itunes playlists.
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2011
    shaffaaf, Apr 5, 2011
    #1710
  11. Mr-Movies

    Mr-Movies Active member

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    I'll check that out, $30 for Mezzmo is not bad if it is a good interface and if it will work for just about anything, maybe I can eliminate the Samsung software as TVersity will show up on my Samsung BD Players but nothing will play through TVersity on them.

    Thanks Shaffaaf,
    Stevo
     
    Mr-Movies, Apr 5, 2011
    #1711
  12. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    i have a samsung C TV and C bluray player. works perfect. though once in a while it may say file unsupported for some MKVs and serviio will play them fine, but thats once in a while
     
    shaffaaf, Apr 5, 2011
    #1712
  13. Mr-Movies

    Mr-Movies Active member

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    That's good to know as I have a couple of BD-C5500's and some day I'll upgrade my Sumsung Plasma's to a new dlna LED unit. Again having Mezzmo instead of TVersity and PC Share would be much better especially if the dlna interface is much simplier.

    Again thanks,
    Stevo
     
    Mr-Movies, Apr 5, 2011
    #1713
  14. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    yeah i hate PC share myself. give mezzmo trial, they have a free one for 15 days.

    i have the C5550
     
    shaffaaf, Apr 5, 2011
    #1714
  15. omegaman7

    omegaman7 Senior member

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    What's funny russ, is I probably acknowledged the price, and wished I had it. Now I could afford that price, but then I could not. So I disregarded it then. Selective memory :p

    Everywhere I look now, is very close to 200$, if not more. And I refuse to buy used. A guy on ebay says he had liquid cooling with it, and saw temps around 55C. That doesn't seem right to me...
     
    omegaman7, Apr 5, 2011
    #1715
  16. theonejrs

    theonejrs Senior member

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    Oman7,

    He probably used way too much thermal paste, has totally inadequate case airflow, or is only using one fan instead of Push/Pull. He may also be using the Motherboard controller for the CPU fan, which is far too slow to react to the faster temperature changes of the CPU and makes the CPU run hotter, overall. I over pressure my case by roughly 30%, so there is never a shortage of adequate air supply to the Radiator or the PSU. I have about 123 cfm coming in, and about 85 cfm going out, between the two fans on the Coolit and the PSU. The vent holes in the back of the case and the CPU Air duct balancing everything, it seems to work real good! I had to cut all of the duct part off of the mount for the air duct, but it looks much nicer with the screws in place.

    Buying one used is not a bad deal if the price is right, because you still have the full warranty, as AMD goes strictly by the date code on the CPU for the warranty, and is reasonably flexible in their warranty policy! Far more so than Intel! You only have to return the CPU, not the CPU cooler!

    Russ
     
    theonejrs, Apr 5, 2011
    #1716
  17. omegaman7

    omegaman7 Senior member

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    I'm kind of funny about used stuff. And since he indicated a rather unnerving temperature, I'd rather go with new. It's all good. I'm very patient russ. I have an unnatural amount of patience. You guys might think different, since sometimes I seem like I can't contain myself. I just get excited easily :p

    I wonder if Newegg's "Price Alert" helps them decide prices at all. I told their software to notify me when it drops to 159.99. Perhaps in a week or two, maybe a month, I'll be able to buy one. Ultimately though, I'd like bulldozer. I wish they'd hurry up and get it out LOL! If bulldozer is even close to what I can imagine, I'll likely be set for at least 2 - 3 years.
     
    omegaman7, Apr 5, 2011
    #1717
  18. theonejrs

    theonejrs Senior member

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    Oman7,

    Since the wafer yields have been so good with the Phenom IIs, I would doubt that the heat is related to any problem with the CPU. If I could buy one a few months old for the right price, I would do it. I just wanted you to be aware of AMD's very liberal Warranty policy and how easy it is to send one back for RMA!

    My new PSU arrived this morning, and I'll install it tonight. The 135mm fan should make far less noise than a 120mm. 3 less cables to deal with and hide too!

    Russ
     
    theonejrs, Apr 5, 2011
    #1718
  19. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    That's a very weak (and usually false) assumption.

    It's all down to the manufacturer's choice of fan control parameters. OCZ aren't known for choosing them well, or even fitting fan controllers (GameXStream)
     
    sammorris, Apr 5, 2011
    #1719
  20. theonejrs

    theonejrs Senior member

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    Sam,

    I don't know about false assumptions, because I just tested it before I install it, and the fan is exceptionally quiet. Both the new 550FTY and the GameStream 700w do have fan controllers! Even when running the Custom Autocad software utilizing all 6 cores for 3-4 hours at a time, you can't hear it running when the speed increases in the GameStream 700! You can feel the difference in airflow coming out of the back of the 700 as the load increases and the fan speeds up though!

    Russ
     
    theonejrs, Apr 5, 2011
    #1720
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