General Computer Chat

[Purple Materia]

We're talking i7s on X58 boards. So they have at LEAST 2.75 GB ram being wasted on a 32-bit OS. You just want to slap them.

If you're gonna spend that much on a rig and just waste it... wow.

Anywho, Christmas is coming up. So I've decided to get my card for Christmas. I was looking at the 5770; I have a VGA monitor. Does it typically come with some sort of converter, or would I have to purchase one separate?

Edit: Never mind, I read what's in the box and saw a DVI to VGA adaptor. Should've read that before I asked... oh well.

 

[Archer]

If you're gonna spend that much on a rig and just waste it... wow.

Anywho, Christmas is coming up. So I've decided to get my card for Christmas. I was looking at the 5770; I have a VGA monitor. Does it typically come with some sort of converter, or would I have to purchase one separate?

Edit: Never mind, I read what's in the box and saw a DVI to VGA adaptor. Should've read that before I asked... oh well.

Haha, yeah, most of the time you get what you need. What's the airflow like in your case?

 

[Purple Materia]

Airflow is alright. It's not super cool, but it's not on the verge of overheating, so... yeah. Average I'd say. My CPU heatsink is a dust magnet though.

 

[Captain Fabio]

Airflow is alright. It's not super cool, but it's not on the verge of overheating, so... yeah. Average I'd say. My CPU heatsink is a dust magnet though.

Haha, when I had mine, mine was the same. I use to just clean it out every month and it was fine.

 

[Purple Materia]

I'm a little worried about my motherboard... if the slot is fried, I'd have to replace it. Money doesn't grow on trees over here, lol. I better get started on chores... xD

 

[Archer]

Airflow is alright. It's not super cool, but it's not on the verge of overheating, so... yeah. Average I'd say. My CPU heatsink is a dust magnet though.

I meant for you to describe the case and fan setup.

I'm a little worried about my motherboard... if the slot is fried, I'd have to replace it. Money doesn't grow on trees over here, lol. I better get started on chores... xD

Eh, a new motherboard, if you went with something cheap like a G31 board, would be less than half of the price of the 5770. They're just not that easy to find, that's all.

 

[Purple Materia]

I meant for you to describe the case and fan setup.

Generic case, generic fans. Like I said earlier, I haven't really been having a problem with overheating.

 

[Captain Fabio]

I always feared having to get a new motherboard. For me, it is one of the worst things to replace, only because it takes the longest! XD

 

[Gerri Shin]

I would have thought that replacing CPUs would take the longest. I've never done it, but my understanding of the procedure requires the removal of the motherboard before you can fully replace the CPU. (at least that's the way it is with Mac Pros, never really got into it on generic Mobos)

 

[TheAppleFreak]

I would have thought that replacing CPUs would take the longest. I've never done it, but my understanding of the procedure requires the removal of the motherboard before you can fully replace the CPU. (at least that's the way it is with Mac Pros, never really got into it on generic Mobos)

On a standard computer I believe you can remove the CPU without having to remove the motherboard. I've never actually done it, but I've worked with computers for a while and the structure of the motherboard suggests as much.

 

[Purple Materia]

Using Google would've been a faster answer, but at least with PC hardware, you don't need to remove the motherboard. I've never seen the guts of a Mac, so I can't say for that.

 

[donavannj]

On some smaller form factor PCs, the power supply is actually the biggest pain to remove. This is especially true on small form factor HPs from 2003-2007. You actually have to remove the motherboard in order to replace the power supply.

 

[Purple Materia]

That must suck, especially if you get unreliable PSUs.

 

[Archer]

I always feared having to get a new motherboard. For me, it is one of the worst things to replace, only because it takes the longest! XD

It's all about practise. It could replace mine (from power off to booting back up) in about 15 mins, at the most. It's swapping the CPU out of a faulty board that takes time.

I would have thought that replacing CPUs would take the longest. I've never done it, but my understanding of the procedure requires the removal of the motherboard before you can fully replace the CPU. (at least that's the way it is with Mac Pros, never really got into it on generic Mobos)

Usually not. Especially with stock Heatsinks.The only time you'd need to pull the board out is if you have a aftermarket heatsink with a big backplate AND you don't have a big enough hole behind the board to access said backplate. Most good cases have this hole. Besides, CPUs almost never fail, compared the mobo fail rates. So it's only when you upgrade that you'd need to do it. So you'd should be in a rush or stressed, as a result.

On some smaller form factor PCs, the power supply is actually the biggest pain to remove. This is especially true on small form factor HPs from 2003-2007. You actually have to remove the motherboard in order to replace the power supply.

How small are we talking? Because I've done ITX builds in Antec cases smaller than a shallow shoebox. You need to empty basically everything to do a RAM replacement.

But luckily the HPs tend to use HiPro power supplies, which are bloody good quality. Pretty heavy, though.

I wouldn't stress, Purple. A new case with decent airflow might set you back $50. The only issue is that the Windows key technically wouldn't carry over, but there's nothing to stop you re-using the key. It's technically wrong, but you still own the license, so it's fair, IMO.

I still need to get around to posting a photo of my case internals. I did take my cathode lights out so I could sleep with the computer on in my room, lol. I bought car cathodes and rewired them to piggyback of the 12V line in the computer. Perfectly safe.:P

 

[donavannj]

How small are we talking? Because I've done ITX builds in Antec cases smaller than a shallow shoebox. You need to empty basically everything to do a RAM replacement.

But luckily the HPs tend to use HiPro power supplies, which are bloody good quality. Pretty heavy, though.

These things and the similar models to them (d530, dc5100, dc7100, etc). Oddly, the smaller ultra-slim ones have it where the mobo is hardest to remove again, and the minitowers are a comparative dream to work with, save for their sheer bulk.

The issue is that the PSU is under one of the rims of the case in the small form factor versions of those models, and cannot be removed without removing the motherboard.

 

[Purple Materia]

Archer, hope the colours were blue. Blue and black looks good together. :D

Something I like to do is keep a list of a computer I'd build if I ever came into $2000. I update it often, as I like to have a list handy in case I ever do win $2000. :P

Spoiler:

AMD Phenom II X6 1090GT $214
XFX Radeon HD 5850 $230
G-Skill Ripjaws 8GB DDR3 $125
Antec Nine Hundred Two $94
Corsair TX750W $104
Caviar Black 1TB $80
GA-870A-UD3 $99
Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS $40
Windows 7 Pro $140
Acer 21.5" $139
Total: $1,256

 

[Captain Fabio]

It's all about practise. It could replace mine (from power off to booting back up) in about 15 mins, at the most. It's swapping the CPU out of a faulty board that takes time.

Oh, I have no problem changing it at all, it is just pure effort.
I am lazy really. Haha.

 

[Archer]

Archer, hope the colours were blue. Blue and black looks good together. :D

Something I like to do is keep a list of a computer I'd build if I ever came into $2000. I update it often, as I like to have a list handy in case I ever do win $2000. :P

Spoiler:

AMD Phenom II X6 1090GT $214
XFX Radeon HD 5850 $230
G-Skill Ripjaws 8GB DDR3 $125
Antec Nine Hundred Two $94
Corsair TX750W $104
Caviar Black 1TB $80
GA-870A-UD3 $99
Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS $40
Windows 7 Pro $140
Acer 21.5" $139
Total: $1,256

The graphics card is already outdated and those Acer screens have a slightly murky gloss over them. They're cheap for a reason. I'd be going Windows 7 Home Premium and dropping the sound card for a better screen and graphics card. Also, you will need a better heatsink on that CPU. They Phenom stock coolers are REALLY noisy.

It still looks really good, though.

 

[Purple Materia]

Hmmm... a monitor I looked at before decided on the Acer was a HP 2509m, but I figured it might've been too big. The SyncMaster P2250 seems like a reasonable choice too.

As for the heatsink, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus seemed pretty good. Good reviews and a solid price.

 

[Archer]

Hmmm... a monitor I looked at before decided on the Acer was a HP 2509m, but I figured it might've been too big. The SyncMaster P2250 seems like a reasonable choice too.

As for the heatsink, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus seemed pretty good. Good reviews and a solid price.

I'd go with a BenQ or Dell monitor if you can. They're a little bit more, but the quality is a LOT better.

The heatsink is brilliant. If you're not overclocking it's probably the best choice on the market. If you are, then you might want to spend a little more dough. I personally use one of these.