Author Topic: Gaming Only Machine (Read 2144 times)

Bronk · « **Reply #30 on:** February 09, 2006, 08:37:25 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Krusty
Small comment: I *HATE* cases that hide the front from my access. By that I mean I *LOATHE* them with all my might. When I want to open my CD drive I don't want to have to swing open a stupid door/flap/panel to do it!!!!

Same goes for power buttons and/or floppy drives (which I currently don't have installed) and front panel access.

It's a gaming rig, not a beauty pageant contestant. Get a case that actually lets you get to the stuff you need to get to.

Translation krusty hates so its bad .

but seiously krusty some people like the look .Its all a matter of taste.
Me personaly i have a plane black box.

Bronk

eh · « **Reply #31 on:** February 09, 2006, 09:03:21 PM »

reschke I am happy that the BFG 6800GT isn't causing you any problems. For me, it was a continuous, worsening nightmare that lasted six months and messed up two computers. None of the replacements that BFG sent worked any better.

FWIW I have a Thermaltake case with a swinging front door. It's a gaming rig, and a gaming case for me, because on the front of the door is an LED readout of your ambient temperature, an alarm which turns the fluorescent blue readout to red if the temp goes above your preset values, and one knob at either side of the readout so that you can turn on and adjust two additional fans to cool the unit down if you see the temperature creeping up. You can read these data and calibrate while you are playing Aces High. Those Thermaltake cases are fabulous.

Krusty · « **Reply #32 on:** February 09, 2006, 09:56:19 PM »

Like I said, small comment

Take it or leave it

Reschke · « **Reply #33 on:** February 09, 2006, 11:11:58 PM »

Gotta have the door on my case. I have a 2 year old son that likes to push to many buttons on stuff just for the hell of it and I learned my lesson with some Euro coins in a CDRW and floppy drive that he thought they should go inside of. So it has a locking front now and the next one will as well. But I do appreciate your comment. I used to think like you about the case.

wrag · « **Reply #34 on:** February 10, 2006, 02:13:56 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Krusty
Small comment: I *HATE* cases that hide the front from my access. By that I mean I *LOATHE* them with all my might. When I want to open my CD drive I don't want to have to swing open a stupid door/flap/panel to do it!!!!

Same goes for power buttons and/or floppy drives (which I currently don't have installed) and front panel access.

It's a gaming rig, not a beauty pageant contestant. Get a case that actually lets you get to the stuff you need to get to.

Like someone has already said I like the locking door!!!!!

Just takes an additional second perhaps to open it.

Krusty · « **Reply #35 on:** February 10, 2006, 02:34:30 PM »

Reschke, you didn't mention kids lol! Fair 'nuff, your need for a PC to keep working supercedes my practical need and want to get to my CD drives (lol)

Ugh... I thought it was bad when floppy disk metal cover plates kept ripping off in an old PC once, I can't imagine coin stuck in CD-ROMs!!!

Although, I have taken them apart before, it's just not very fun.

Speaking of cases I'm curious... I tried looking for a case with good cooling options back when I upgraded, but had to settle. I know that some P4 cases have a side vent over the chip, so that direct air can be sucked in. I removed the duct, added a 80mm fan, and replaced the duct (personal supercharger, if you will) but I was wondering if cases for AMD chips like the one you mentioned have similar vents/slots to let more air in.

Reschke · « **Reply #36 on:** February 10, 2006, 03:14:21 PM »

Yes they do. In fact that is one reason I picked that case. Take a look at the black case in that picture and that is it. It arrived here today along with my brand new FX-55 and mobo. Now everything else is going to come rolling in over the next month or so due to having won the war but lost the all at once battle with the wife.

RAIDER14 · « **Reply #37 on:** February 14, 2006, 10:06:35 PM »

Alienware is a good choice

38ruk · « **Reply #38 on:** February 15, 2006, 01:24:32 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by RAIDER14
Alienware is a good choice

Holy price gouging batman . They have nice systems , but they cost an arm and a leg .

Reschke · « **Reply #39 on:** February 15, 2006, 07:31:02 AM »

Yeah for something comparable to what I priced at Newegg I would pay over $1000 more going with someone like Alienware or another company like them. I remember a guy buying an alienware when I was building computers for a living and he brought it into the store for some late night gaming and my system built by me was nearly $2000 cheaper (this was 6+ years ago) and faster in every benchmark. Same exact Intel based system in my computer as his.

Thanks but no thanks. I can troubleshoot my own hardware and software conflicts a hell of a lot easier than waiting for some jacknut in India who doesn't speak coherent english to tell me to clear the cookies and reboot.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #40 on:** February 15, 2006, 01:19:32 PM »

Just as a warning from my recent shopping experience. Alot of the reviews I read on these motherboards with the onboard SATA are saying that Windows XP doesnt recognize the SATA drives if you are doing a first time install. You have to download a BIOS update to get Windows to recognize the SATA drives. I'd recommend you check reviews on your board, and if necessary go to the manufacturer website and look for an available update before beginning the install, and setup a boot disk and flash it before anything else. Maybe yours wont need it, but check first! Save you alot of headaches during the setup. I'd also check for updated LAN drivers, and have them ready. I've seen several boards that have flaky drivers on the motherboard driver CD.

Kev367th · « **Reply #41 on:** February 15, 2006, 06:26:14 PM »

They usually come with floopy disk with SATA drivers on.
When the Windows setup screen 1st appears press F6.
You'll be asked to put the drivers disk in.
Installs OK from there.

Pongo · « **Reply #42 on:** February 15, 2006, 07:31:11 PM »

ASUS A8NE was fine.

Kermit de frog · « **Reply #43 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:08:47 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by wrag
IMHO ..........

Wireless keyboard and mouse could be a BIG mistake. Known several people that had them and everyone of em in the end hated em.

The batteries thing was just part of it.

Logitec makes a great wireless mouse and keyboard combo.

It uses bluetoothe technology works great throughtout the whole house.

Bluetoothe is the only way to go. Besides, you just place the mouse in its cradle each night to recharge the batteries.

Rechargeable batteries solve many problems.

Krusty · « **Reply #44 on:** February 16, 2006, 12:19:06 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by StarOfAfrica2
I'd also check for updated LAN drivers, and have them ready. I've seen several boards that have flaky drivers on the motherboard driver CD.

I have an ASUS P5P800 (or maybe a 800E or something) with a built-in gigabit lan, which is listed as a Yukon brand gigabit port. This port was causing full-sysyem freeze-ups, like the screen just locks on the frame it last showed. The system fans all went to idle. I checked the temps (left the case open) when this happened and the vid card was boiling hot, CPU barely even warm. Had to hard boot every time. There was talk of many different causes for this on many different forums, but only ONE forum suggested it was the LAN port.

I had originally installed the CD-ROM provided drivers for this Yukon gigabit port. I used windows update several times and updated it again and again (maybe 3 times in a 3-4 month period). The lockups got WORSE. So when I read about possible driver problems I went back to the ones on the CD-ROM. The problem is, I had been having problems since I installed it.

I popped in my spare PCI 100MB lan card and went into BIOS and disabled the onboard LAN, and VIOLA no more problems. Shoddy hardware, no set of drivers worked on it, not even the ones included on the mobo disc!!

So if you get ASUS do NOT repeat NOT use the Yukon gigabit lan, if it has one included. I don't know how common it is, or if it's rare, but a word from one that has already suffered extensively on the matter: Use a dif lan card.