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    Rate my build and give me sanity

    Thanks for the input guys. You convinced me to wait...sounds like it will be worth it. I'm just gonna replace my power supply for now. If I go SLI in the future, will I need an 850W PSU, or should I just stick with 750?
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    Rate my build and give me sanity

    My current desktop crapped out a couple weeks ago; I'm pretty sure it's the PSU. I've been thinking about upgrading since this one has lasted me a good five years, so the timing seemed right. I'm building this for both games and video editing. I currently do more of the former than the...
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    Best (inexpensive) motherboard chipset for Linux RAID?

    Hey guys, I'm looking for an inexpensive motherboard/CPU combo (would like to keep it around $150-$175 MAX) that has 6+ SATA ports to run a software RAID in Ubuntu. I'm going to be running 2x WD 500GB Green drives in a RAID-1 and 3x Hitachi 1TB drives in a RAID 5 or RAID Z (I hear RAID Z is...
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    Ubuntu Linux RAID: Hardware or software?

    sub.mesa, thanks for the detailed info. You're right, I can probably find a pretty inexpensive mobo, but that would entail getting a new CPU and new memory also, and that would up the price. I guess I'd end up spending a decent amount on a card anyway. Any recommendations on an inexpensive...
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    Ubuntu Linux RAID: Hardware or software?

    I started my Ubuntu build with an Adaptec 2610SA (Dell CERC 1.5/6ch). Card worked fine, got it up and running. I have 2x WD 500GB Green drives in a RAID 1 for backup, and 3x Hitachi 1TB drives intended for a RAID 5 for data. I come to find out the card doesn't like 1TB or larger drives. Ugh...
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    Raid 5 build keeps failing

    Ugh...doing some more research, it looks like this Dell CERC 1.5/6 card doesn't handle 1TB or larger drives well/at all. Crap. Back to eBay it goes.
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    Raid 5 build keeps failing

    Ok, so I tested each drive individually using Hitachi's Drive Fitness Test. I ended up having to take them off the RAID controller and plug them into the mobo because the app didn't recognize the RAID controller. They all passed the Advanced Test without issue. I replaced the cables, plugged...
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    Raid 5 build keeps failing

    I'm in the process of building an Ubuntu-based server with a RAID 1 of 2x WD 500GB Green drives and a RAID 5 of 3x Hitachi Deskstar 1TB (HD31000 IDK/7K) drives. I'm using an Adaptec 2610SA (Dell CERC SATA 1.5/6ch) hardware RAID card. The RAID 0 created a week back and looks fine. I've been...
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    Best RAID for home NAS?

    I decided to go a different route. I got 2 WD 500GB Green drives to use as a RAID 1 for backup. I got 3 Hitachi 1TB drives to either turn into a 2TB RAID 5 or a 1TB RAID 1 for my most important non-backup data (i.e. film and music projects) and the extra 1TB to use as just an extra data drive. I...
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    Best RAID for home NAS?

    Thanks for all the input so far, guys. Keep in mind, I have a hardware RAID controller that I will be using to construct the RAID. Apparently it doesn't support RAID 6, so that's out of the question (view specs here: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/storage/RAID/CS6CH/en/index.htm). The...
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    Best RAID for home NAS?

    I'm planning on building a home server using Ubuntu (most likely) which will be mainly used for backup, storage, file serving, and possibly video encoding. In anticipation, I got an Adaptec 2610SA 6-port hardware RAID adapter off eBay. I'm trying to figure out which RAID solution is best for me...
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    Bizarre video problem with my ATI X1900XTX

    I've been having this video problem for a couple weeks and it is getting progressively worse. I've provided an image of the problem, both a JPEG for a quick look an a PNG for extreme detail: http://images.busydoingnothing.net/games/video_problem.jpg...
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    Choosing a motherboard for C2D E6600

    Hey all, I've been planning on building my new system based on the Core 2 Duo E6600. This will be my first Intel-based system since my Celeron 300 (overclocked to 450...remember those?). I'm not sure which motherboard to go with. I was planning on the nVidia 590-based boards, but it appears they...
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    Painfully slow internal network file transfer

    Nevermind. I switched it from "Force" to "AutoSense" and it works like a charm. I swear I read somewhere else that forcing would be better. Guess not.
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    Painfully slow internal network file transfer

    I have a few computers at home in an internal network. We have two Linksys WRT54Gs, one upstairs and one downstairs, hardwired together with a cable modem hooked up to the downstairs router. The downstairs router also has 3 PCs hardwired to it, and the upstairs has 2 PCs hardwired (mine and my...
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    I am completely stumped

    I didn't install the Intel chipset drivers this time as I had suspected them to be the problem. I did, at one point, have them installed at the same time as the latest NVIDIA drivers, so I've attempted that scenario already. I just got done testing the power supply and all the 12V checked out at...
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    I am completely stumped

    OK, I just checked the manual. It says if the PSU connector is a 2x10, you will need both the 1x4 and 2x2 connector. If it is an ATX12V PSU with the 2x12 connector (like the Neopower), then you only need the 2x12 and 2x2. For the sake of my dignity, I'm glad that is the case...but part of me...
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    I am completely stumped

    BOTH of those power connectors need to be connected? Please tell me they don't have to be...I am going to run my head through a wall if I did something THIS stupid. I could swear the book says only connect one... *runs and grabs the manual*
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    Blue Screen of Death (BSoD)

    I suggest you download, burn, and run the Ultimate Boot CD. I use it quite often, as it includes a great number of useful utilities, including memtest http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
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    Need help with shutdowns...

    Test a power supply: http://www.ochardware.com/articles/psuvolt/psuvolt.html
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    I am completely stumped

    I think my problem lies with my BFG6800GTOC, but I am not 100% sure. I have already replaced the card under warranty due to a malfunction. While using the system for any task (from web browsing to gaming), the system would seem to crash. I would lose the video connection and the system would...
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    Diagnosing a bad mobo/cpu/psu?

    Thanks for the reply. Where do I disable automatic restarts? I never knew about that. CPU is running around normal temps...I believe idling around 45 and getting up to maybe 55.
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    Diagnosing a bad mobo/cpu/psu?

    Here we are again, round 2. My dad got a replacement video card from BFG (within 3 days I might add) and we've installed it. It seemed to clear up some of the video problems we initially had, but now the system still continues to randomly reboot itself. In the middle of doing anything (games...
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    Help me choose a HDTV for Xbox 360!!!

    I've been looking at smaller HDTVs myself, and I was considering the Toshiba 26HF84. 26" widescreen, the whole unit is slightly more than 27" wide. I don't know what kinda video ins/outs the 360 will have, but this TV has an HDMI connection. CRTs still give the best picture quality and have the...
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    Hats off to BFG Tech

    I thought I'd share a quick story with everyone on my experience with BFG Tech. My dad's PC has a BFG Tech 6800 GTOC PCIx graphics card in it. He had video problems ever since I built the system, and after bringing the system back up after a power outage last week, he no longer had a video...
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    Bad video card?

    Just a quick update here. We received a replacement video card and it booted up just fine. The flickering that was originally there is now gone, which leads me to believe the card was defective in the first place. After my dad made a call to BFG and sent the defective card out that day...
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    Bad video card?

    My dad plays DoD and now DoD Source. I got him hooked years ago. I know that the PC booted into Windows by watching the hard drive activity. I then clicked all over the screen till it loaded a Windows profile, we heard the Windows "welcome" sound, then was able to shut down (Windows Key - U - U)
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    Bad video card?

    I built my dad's computer with a nice set of hardware: Intel Mobo P4 560 BFG 6800GTOC 1GB RAM Antec NeoPower 480 Ever since I put it together, I've been having weird video errors. When the system booted up, at the BIOS logo screen and even in the BIOS, there would be what seemed to be...