Search results

  1. K

    GPU Failure?

    Hey guys, I built my first PC about fourteen months ago, and it's been working well since then -- until recently. Recently, when I reboot or start up the computer, the computer will sometimes not send a signal to my monitor. I get a single POST beep on boot, which supposedly indicates no...
  2. K

    Attic Flooring

    If Norm Abrams is to be trusted, plywood is stable enough that expansion/contraction isn't an issue.
  3. K

    Intel DP35DP Clicking Noise Help

    Hey guys, This noise has been throwing me for a bit of a loop. I put this motherboard into a Lian-Li PC-7B Plus II case, which includes two 12cm case fans. The computer boots and runs fine when the case fans are plugged directly into the power supply using fan adapters, but then the fans...
  4. K

    A euphemism for "mentally retarded people"

    To quote Family Guy: I prefer the term "mentally hilarious."
  5. K

    Final Dell Build!

    You shouldn't even need to replace the PSU... most manufacturers ship their cards with the adapter you'd need. Here is a pic of the adapter (it's the thing on the right), along with the other hardware accessories that EVGA ships with their 8800GTSes.
  6. K

    Final Build Critque

    You don't need to drop extra money for extra wattage on a PSU. 400W (or even 300W) will be more than enough to power the system you have configured and any upgrades you might make in the future. You should, however, consider spending extra money on a higher quality PSU, made by Seasonic...
  7. K

    Final Dell Build!

    Someone forgot to read the whole thread.
  8. K

    Final Dell Build!

    Yes, a decent quality 300W PSU will support an 8800GTS. The watts aren't important, the amps on the 12V rail are, and Dell doesn't skimp on its 12V rail the way the manufacturers of cheap PSUs do.
  9. K

    $850 budget...

    Stop giving him builds. He's not competent enough to have a homebuilt PC -- he's not even competent enough to replace a video card by himself (read the thread). If anyone will desperately need a dedicated tech support call center, it's this guy.
  10. K

    $850 budget...

    Jesus, just call them and get the 8800. You're going to have to learn to deal with people sooner or later, might as well get a svelte video card while you're at it.
  11. K

    $850 budget...

    1) The 8600GTS will probably do fine, but it'll be less expensive for you to get the 7300LE preinstalled and buy the x1950 Pro yourself, and you'll get better performance in your games. 2) Doesn't matter which XFX model Dell uses, the performance difference is negligible.
  12. K

    $850 budget...

    Yes it will fit. No it's not faster. Go back to Tom's Hardware and look at the last page of the most recent Best Video Card for the Money article to see a tiered list of cards ranked by overall performance.
  13. K

    $850 budget...

    The 7950GT DOES NOT REQUIRE TOO MUCH POWER. I don't know how many times we have to explain to you that 375W will power any single video card you can put in your machine. It also doesn't run very hot -- I have one, and the temps really aren't anything to be concerned about. The fan is also...
  14. K

    First Custom Build = Success!

    Even better, for $10 less than the mobo you have picked out, you can get the Gigabyte GA-P35-S3, which features the latest chipsets for Intel which will have the best compatibility with your 1333FSB processor. I'd also recommend getting your PSU from a more reliable manufacturer, and in the...
  15. K

    $850 budget...

    Get the Dell. I'd advise getting the cheapest possible graphics solution pre-installed, though, and buying the X1950 Pro 256mb (512mb is a waste of money for you) and installing it yourself. Installing a video card is seriously one of the easiest things I've ever done, and it won't void your...
  16. K

    $850 budget...

    http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics.html Is what you should be looking at.
  17. K

    $850 budget...

    1440x900 is actually fewer pixels than 1280x1024, so I expect you'd see better performance at 1440x900 than at 1280x1024. Knowing that, you could quite comfortably save $25 on the video card to be spent elsewhere. I'd recommend putting it toward the CPU if you choose to go with the other...
  18. K

    $850 budget...

    Extra RAM isn't gonna help you much unless you're gaming at high resolutions (greater than ~1280x1024). Newer games are gonna need newer hardware, not simply extra RAM. If you're set on the x1950Pro 512MB card, though, then get that instead of the 7900GS and get a cheaper processor along with...
  19. K

    $850 budget...

    Try this: ODD: LITE-ON 20X DVD Burner - $27.99 CASE: Cooler Master Centurion 5 - $49.99 ($39.99 after MIR) HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB - $79.99 GPU: EVGA GeForce 7900GS - $124.99 ($104.99 after MIR) PSU: Enermax Liberty 400W - $79.99 HEADSET: Plantronics .Audio 60 x2 -...
  20. K

    Will I be able to run this setup with this PSU?

    Yes, that PSU should be able to easily power that setup. Heck, it'll probably be able to even power whatever graphics card you decide to get when you upgrade. Unless you upgrade to, like, SLI 8800Ultras... then there might be a power crunch.
  21. K

    Review Dell build..

    Hey bam, any chance we could get a heads-up before you place your next Dell order? I've been thinking about buying stock, and it'd be nice to grab some just before another record sales quarter. ;)
  22. K

    First time builder... Trying to save money on a good pc

    Actually, he did: "I want this new computer to be able to last as long as possible." But I agree that a 500W PSU, let alone a 1KW PSU, is serious overkill. Operandi knows what he's talking about! [EDIT] Oh I get it, you're wondering why he'd assume that nick would upgrade, not why he...
  23. K

    Friend of mine has $2,000 to spend on a gaming system..

    Hmm... On-site would be difficult. But I promise to speak fluent English if he calls for tech support and not default to "Reformat your hard drive" for every problem! :P
  24. K

    Friend of mine has $2,000 to spend on a gaming system..

    Dude, you're getting an overpriced Dell. Recently pricing out homebuilt systems vs. Dell systems, he could save easily $500 if he built a system equivalent to anything he could get from Dell for $2000. Hey, if I built his computer for him, would he give me the extra $500? :confused: If...
  25. K

    Best Way to Pack a Computer for Shipping?

    I'm not seeing how the potential energy would get transferred to the drive, though... wouldn't the mass of the platters and the other mechanical parts determine how much energy they receive, since you're not actually dropping the computer on the drive, but the impact of the computer against...
  26. K

    Best Way to Pack a Computer for Shipping?

    That's actually pretty much exactly what the case was shipped in originally... it's not solid sheets of polyurethane foam, but it's a molded skeleton thing that fits nice 'n' snug. The HSF is a stock Intel cooler... How does packing the HDDs separately pad them better than leaving them...
  27. K

    Best Way to Pack a Computer for Shipping?

    I want to send an old machine of mine to a friend who lives across the country. I still have the original packaging for the case, so the system as a whole will be properly padded and packed for shipping. What about the inside? What if anything do I need to do before I put the machine in the...
  28. K

    Final Build - rate me!

    WAIT! Scrap that build, change everything, I think there's a compatibility issue. Just kidding.
  29. K

    Processor Hypothetical: Which is Better?

    Haha, aye, the trick there is making it fit in the LGA 775 slot. :P I can just trim it to fit, right? ;)
  30. K

    Processor Hypothetical: Which is Better?

    So in your opinion it probably ain't worth $60 to go from a P4 2.8GHz @ 533MHz FSB to a P4 2.8GHz @800MHz? :)
  31. K

    Processor Hypothetical: Which is Better?

    Assuming, of course, that bus*multiplier = constant CPU speed. Which is better, and is it a substantial (i.e. noticeable) difference?
  32. K

    New Video Card Does Not Post

    Yay! This'll be fun. I bought the card used on ebay, and paid the seller nearly $20 for shipping&handling plus insurance. What does that get me? A bubble envelope. Which cost $4.50 to ship. So I guess now I get to file an insurance claim through the postal service, and if they decide...
  33. K

    New Video Card Does Not Post

    It's an ASUS-branded power supply that was included in a barebone system. I don't know how generic that makes it, but it has two 12V rails rated at 18A and 16A, respectively, when most of the generic brands I've looked at on Newegg boast considerably lower 12V amperages.
  34. K

    New Video Card Does Not Post

    Hi guys, Spent about forty minutes searching to see if this has come up before, but I couldn't find anything. If it's been covered before, I blame my ineptness with Anandtech's search feature. :P Anywho, I just purchased a used AGP 6600GT video card to upgrade a system for a friend, and...
  35. K

    Build me a computer

    I'd recommend 0 CCFLs, but that's just because I really don't like the lightup case nonsense. But if you do like 'em, I'd be shocked if you needed more than two. Seems like most people mount them on either side of the case door, so they're mostly out of direct line of sight and still light up...
  36. K

    Build me a computer

    These are all the cold cathodes (CCFLs) that Newegg sells.
  37. K

    Gigabyte DS3 or Asus P5N-E SLi?

    Have you looked at the connections each offers? The DS3 has more internal SATA connections, but only one PATA connection (vs. 2 on the ASUS). The DS3 also has more PCI and PCIEx1 slots. The ASUS has an e-SATA port, though, and also has firewire support, while the DS3 has neither. The DS3 has...
  38. K

    Build me a computer

    No, you won't ever need extra fans. Yes, that's the HD I was recommending. Case-wise, since they're pretty identical, get the window case if you want a case with a window; get the non-window case if you don't want a case with a window.
  39. K

    Build me a computer

    Hmm... The Centurion with the side vents has both the 120mm rear and the PSU 120mm fan exhausting, so air's gonna go out the back. The 80mm front fan won't match their flow rate, so air's gonna have to come in through vents, too. With the window case, it'll come in through the front mesh, and...