Author Topic: finished building my computer, need your help (Read 520 times)

Flyboy · « **on:** August 07, 2004, 05:55:39 PM »

well, my new machine is up and running

AMD 2500 (barton)
ABIT NF7-S2
A-data 512ddr
maxtor 80GB S-ATA
MSI Radeon 9800P

i just finished installing windows, (i have bloom's guide printed and it helps alot! thanks bloom )
and i have a problem, when i try to install the chipset drivers i get a massege that says that i have to install directx 9 to proceed in the setup. and in bloom's guide it says i should install directx only after installing all the graphic drivers.

allso, at what point should i install the anti virus, currently im browsing unprotected

- first time i ever put up a computer and i dont really know alot about those things.

Flyboy · « **Reply #1 on:** August 07, 2004, 06:08:28 PM »

sorry, i forgot to mention something.

in blooms post he says that after installing the chipset drivers i should enable "DMA mode"

what is DMA mode and what does it do?

jetb123 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 07, 2004, 06:21:12 PM »

Hey plz post some screenshots. I know you will have killer fps.

jay1988 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 07, 2004, 11:43:03 PM »

We have the same system:) I am buying that computer this Wed.

FOGOLD · « **Reply #4 on:** August 08, 2004, 02:13:39 AM »

Win XP usually installs DX8 automatically?

Gaet your AV/firewall running ASAP! DMA speds up disk drive performance, but I think it's automatic in Windows XP too:confused:

You are using windows XP? If not, Bloom's guide will be wrong and you WILL have to install DX 9 first.

Flyboy · « **Reply #5 on:** August 08, 2004, 03:33:20 AM »

yes, i am using winXP.

i had to install DX9 before installing the chipset drivers, is there a way to reinstall it? i looked at the comp but did not found any way to remove it.

allso for some reason my internet connection is un barrable Slow. any ideas why?

FOGOLD · « **Reply #6 on:** August 08, 2004, 06:46:59 AM »

I don't think it matters all that much when you install Direct X. You can't uninstall it BUT if you download and reinstall DX9b over the top that usually fixes any problems.

No idea why your connection is slow. Get that AV and Firewall up and do a virus scan. Is it a 56k dialup or broadband?

Flyboy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 08, 2004, 07:18:09 AM »

fixed the connection problem, the onboard network card was FUBARed (had a speed of about 200bytes:eek: )

fixed it now.

any good free firewalls out there?

beet1e · « **Reply #8 on:** August 08, 2004, 07:26:36 AM »

Flyboy - are you sure you're not confusing chipset drivers with graphics drivers? When I built my system, the first thing I did was to install the motherboard drivers - the ones that are on the CD which came with the mobo. The graphics drivers came later, and DX was last.

Flyboy · « **Reply #9 on:** August 08, 2004, 07:51:17 AM »

lol, yes i am sure beet. i may not be the brightest but i am not that dumb

ABIT drivers CD came with DX9 on it, and requierd that i will install it before everything else.

i just reinstalled the DX9 after installing the R9800p drivers.
AV is allso installed.

and on the to do list:
update IE
get a email progrem (any suggestion other then outlook express?)
get a anti spam program (again need suggestions)
set up a firewall (once again, need suggestions)

and finally get my fix of AH!

Zanth · « **Reply #10 on:** August 08, 2004, 08:48:15 AM »

Free firewall, even though free as good (probably even better) than ones you pay for.

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp

Antivirus, also free and very good:

http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl7.php

DMA = Direct Memory Access here is link with more info:

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DMA.html

Do Windows Updates etc soon as possible. Until you do all this stuff, wIth live internet connection, you are a nice target.

Zanth · « **Reply #11 on:** August 08, 2004, 08:51:42 AM »

also get these two anti-spyware programs (free again)

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Run both periodically. Do this stuff and what I posted previous and you will be pretty darn secure.

Zanth · « **Reply #12 on:** August 08, 2004, 08:55:52 AM »

one more thing, consider replacing Internet Explorer. You can keep it on your drive and use it also - but try Mozilla Firefox ( nicer features like tabbed browsing)

http://www.mozilla.org/

Flyboy · « **Reply #13 on:** August 08, 2004, 09:23:14 AM »

CRAP!

i dont have a gameport exit on the mother board.

is there any way to add a game port ?
Or els No AH for me untill i get a USB stick

Edbert · « **Reply #14 on:** August 08, 2004, 09:30:37 AM »

DMA mode is referring to your HDD. I'm not sure it is the best option for a SATA drive though. Check before you leap.

I'll second the mozilla firefox recommendation though. Only a few AH related pages don't always work right. The rest of the net works great