Author Topic: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?  (Read 4048 times)

Offline bj229r

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #30 on: November 07, 2008, 06:21:12 AM »
Ordered it! Thanks for pointing out Newegg Getback. (Shrew is getting an SLR Nikon, a compromise was worked out :))

Order Summary
Qty    Product Description    Price

1   ASUS P5Q-E LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
    Item #: N82E16813131296
    $146.99

1   Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8500 - Retail
    Item #: N82E16819115036
    $189.99

1   Patriot Viper 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1200 (PC2 9600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PVS22G9600ELKN - Retail
    Item #: N82E16820220348
    $78.99

1    ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail
    Item #: N82E16835186134
    $36.99
    $26.99

Subtotal    $442.96
Tax    $0.00
UPS Ground    $12.79
Order Total    $455.75
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Offline Getback

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #31 on: November 07, 2008, 06:38:57 AM »
You are of course more than welcome.

Good to see a compromise.  :rofl

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Offline eagl

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #32 on: November 08, 2008, 09:15:44 PM »
I just bought the parts for my latest system refresh.  I'm upgrading from an Athlon 64 X2 (socket 939, AMD can bite me) with an AGP 6800GT.  The computer is still fast enough, but it's started to become unstable and I suspect that the drive controller is failing since when it crashes, it tends to not see the hard drive on reboot.  I've gotten it up and running by re-seating all cables and removing the side of the case to ensure it runs cool, but I'm sick of babying it along so it's time to upgrade.

The parts I just bought are:

Asus P5Q Pro
Intel E8400 (buying this mobo and cpu at newegg on a combo deal, saved me $30).
Nvidia 260GTX vid card (MSI, $199 after all rebates)
2x2GB Corsair Dominator DDR2 1066 ($78ish after all rebates, comes with a 3-fan ram cooler)

I figure it'll be really fast stock, and with the good RAM I got it should overclock pretty nicely if I choose to do so.

Among the other parts I still have are a soundblaster audigy2 ZS, although I have one of those Razer sound cards on the shelf that I might try out.  I also have a 500gb SATA HD that will remain in use.

The main thing I still *should* buy is a larger LCD to match the monitor.  Right now I'm using dual LCDs but each display is only 1280x1024.  That 260GTX should push nearly double the pixels at higher framerates, with better image quality.  With a 1280x1024 monitor, I'll  pretty much be pegged at 60hz with all the eye candy and antialiasing turned on...

Total cost before mail in rebates including shipping is about $630.  There are $95 in rebates though, bringing this refresh down to about $535ish.

And yes, I could have waited a month and gotten the new Intel i7 and all that, but then I'd be buying DDR3 and the early mobos would cost around $300, so the cost would have just about doubled.  This ought to work just fine and if I run out of cpu power in the next year or so, I can pick up a quad core cpu when the prices drop as the i7 cpus become mainstream.

Oh yea, I'm running winXP but got 4GB of ram anyhow since I sometimes use linux and hate running out of ram.  DDR2 is so cheap, I almost bought 8GB of DDR2 800 instead of 4GB of DDR2 1066 (pretty much the same price) but I figured that would be overkill.  I can always add more memory later but I expect 4GB to be enough for another couple of years.




« Last Edit: November 08, 2008, 09:25:05 PM by eagl »
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Offline Skuzzy

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #33 on: November 09, 2008, 06:59:11 AM »
I am not worried about the i7 CPU's.  I have always been a 'best-bang-for-the-buck' system builder and the P5Q family + E8x00 CPU is a pretty sweet package to build a computer around.

Maybe in a year, when the motherboards and i7 prices drop, they will be more competitive.  The motherboard prices are stupid high right now.  Considering they do not have a memory controller any more, they should be cheaper than the current generation of motherboard chipsets.
Roy "Skuzzy" Neese
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Offline Skuzzy

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #34 on: November 22, 2008, 06:00:39 AM »
It begins......

tick-tock-tick-tock
Roy "Skuzzy" Neese
support@hitechcreations.com

Offline Getback

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #35 on: November 22, 2008, 08:30:38 AM »
It begins......

tick-tock-tick-tock

Is she up and running captain?

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Offline BaldEagl

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #36 on: November 22, 2008, 08:53:31 AM »
It begins......

tick-tock-tick-tock

Quick!  Everyone post outrageous accusations on the BBs while he's busy.

 ;)
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Offline BaldEagl

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #37 on: November 22, 2008, 08:56:23 AM »
Double post... Skuzzy... when do we get a delete button?
I edit a lot of my posts.  Get used to it.

Offline Skuzzy

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #38 on: November 22, 2008, 09:21:25 PM »
Is she up and running captain?

Oh yeah.  Going to be a long time installing software though. The hardest part of building a new computer.  OY!  I have to say.  She is a snappy beast.  Details to follow once I get everything installed.
Roy "Skuzzy" Neese
support@hitechcreations.com

Offline Getback

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #39 on: November 23, 2008, 02:18:10 AM »
Oh yeah.  Going to be a long time installing software though. The hardest part of building a new computer.  OY!  I have to say.  She is a snappy beast.  Details to follow once I get everything installed.

Took a while to install my software and I kept mine skimpy. Only one game on it and no suites. Have had it running better than 4 ghz for 2 months now and not one issue. (Counts Blessings).

The thing is though, now when I work on my mom's computer, which runs at 2.2 ghz and is a duo core, it seems so slow. Amazing what you get use to.

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Offline Skuzzy

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #40 on: November 23, 2008, 05:52:49 AM »
I only installed what I actually use, but I do quite a bit.  All the video and editing software and then all the data I had compiled over the years.  Finally finished around 11pm last night.

Today will be about tweaking.

I have the memory bus up from 534Mhz to 571Mhz so far.  That is at 5-5-5-15 timings.  Taking it a little at a time.  The P5Q motherboard did a nice job setting up the inital stock timings.

After I get the RAM where I want it, then I will go to work on the CPU.
« Last Edit: November 24, 2008, 06:23:51 AM by Skuzzy »
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Offline BaldEagl

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #41 on: November 23, 2008, 10:33:33 AM »
It took me about five hours to transfer over and install a shade over 60 Gb of programs and data when I built mine.  That also included the OS install, updates and tweaking afterward.
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Offline Getback

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #42 on: November 23, 2008, 11:16:21 AM »
It took me about five hours to transfer over and install a shade over 60 Gb of programs and data when I built mine.  That also included the OS install, updates and tweaking afterward.

I think it took me longer than that. Especially drivers.

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Offline eagl

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #43 on: November 24, 2008, 12:20:11 AM »
Skuzzy,

What bios settings are you starting with?  I have a brand new P5Q Pro and E8400, and I'd like to stretch it's legs a bit.  I matched it to corsair dominator pc2-8500, and it all works great straight out of the box.  I'd like to get a little OC boost though, so any hints on where to start would be appreciated.  I didn't think I *needed* it, but I installed the ram cooler that came with the memory.  3 fans clipped on top of the ram heatsinks.  I can't hear it running, so it will remain installed except when I move the computer because I don't trust the mounting clips.

I'm stuck using the stock cooler for the moment however, because newegg didn't have the thermalright cooler I wanted or the socket 775 adaptor that would let me re-use my old thermalright cooler in stock.  Even if I do get a better cooler, I'll have to pretty much take everything out to get the usual mounting plate installed behind the socket on the mobo.

In the meantime, temps are reasonable and the stock cooler is pretty quiet.  I loaded the cpu and vid card up for about 24 hrs and it didn't crash, so it's time to OC a bit :)
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Offline Getback

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Re: Skuzzy, Have you built your new system?
« Reply #44 on: November 24, 2008, 01:44:11 AM »
Skuzzy,

What bios settings are you starting with?  I have a brand new P5Q Pro and E8400, and I'd like to stretch it's legs a bit.  I matched it to corsair dominator pc2-8500, and it all works great straight out of the box.  I'd like to get a little OC boost though, so any hints on where to start would be appreciated.  I didn't think I *needed* it, but I installed the ram cooler that came with the memory.  3 fans clipped on top of the ram heatsinks.  I can't hear it running, so it will remain installed except when I move the computer because I don't trust the mounting clips.

I'm stuck using the stock cooler for the moment however, because newegg didn't have the thermalright cooler I wanted or the socket 775 adaptor that would let me re-use my old thermalright cooler in stock.  Even if I do get a better cooler, I'll have to pretty much take everything out to get the usual mounting plate installed behind the socket on the mobo.

In the meantime, temps are reasonable and the stock cooler is pretty quiet.  I loaded the cpu and vid card up for about 24 hrs and it didn't crash, so it's time to OC a bit :)

You greedy rascal!  :rofl :rofl Take your FSB up a hair and adjust your vcore a little. If it's unstable adjust the vcore voltage a tad more. BTW I'm no expert on this. Seemed to work for me. You should be able to get to 3.6 ghz and more easily.

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