Aces High Bulletin Board
Help and Support Forums => Technical Support => Topic started by: Puma44 on August 17, 2017, 07:05:37 PM
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Logged on about 30 minutes ago and played for about 10 minutes with every thing normal. Then a very loud constant howl, the fans running at high speed, and a screen freeze. Nothing would respond. No cursor, escape, ctl-alt-del. I had to power down by pressing and holding the power button. I waited about about 5 minutes and turned the computer on. The monitor displayed the normal "Checking for signal" for a few seconds and then displayed "No signal, entering power save mode" and turned off. I shut down with the power button again, waited about 5 minutes and got the same result.
I've never experienced this before. Any ideas? Thanks!
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:uhoh No idea...sort of scared too. Doesnt sound very good. Hope its nothing serious. Closest thing I could think of was, this sort of sounds like my old system trying to run AH3. It would load up and be ok till you got to runway, then would shut off due to over heat? Hope that isnt your problem, as you have been playing fine with VR(if memory serves me and we already know about the old memory thing ;)), that would really suck. So I aint even gonna think about it :lipsrsealed:
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I upgraded to a 1070 card about three months ago and it been running the game just fine. I'm not into VR, yet. The last couple of weeks, there has been a slight reduction in frame rate. But, game play has been normal.
I wonder if it's a power supply issue. The machine still has its original 750W onboard. I've never experienced a psi failure. So, I don't know what I don't know.
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To me the symptoms sound like an overheating processor. Back in the day when overheat protection was made by Intel only, there was a YouTube video about taking the cooler off. The Intel CPU just froze, no response. The AMD died smoking in two seconds. After a while they put the cooler back on the Intel which then continued normally.
What I'm trying to say is that you should check that your CPU cooler sits firmly in its place. Coolers using plastic prongs are somewhat tricky to install and one corner can get loose during transportation or working inside the case - like during a video card change.
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Could be overheating, could be power supply.
Heat is easy enough. Just open the case and point a small fan at the internals and see if the problem occurs. If not, then heat may be the culprit.
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Thanks Skuzzy and Bizman! I'll check both and let you know.
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I just checked both of your suggestions. The cooling fan unit (liquid) is firmly seated. I placed a small fan aimed at the internals, turned the computer on, and the cooling fan went immediately to high speed, like it has been. The the power supply and cooling fans appear to be spinning freely. No indication of debris in either fan housing.
I also noticed that the two fans on the 1070 card were intermittently and independently starting to spin and then shut down. Is this normal or an indication of of a problem?
Thanks for your help gents!
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I suppose that the 1070 fans spin only when needed. IIRC there's been some discussion about them not spinning when idle.
You said that the cooling fan unit is firmly seated. Do you mean the initial block on the processor or the radiator which cools the liquid? The seating of the latter is of less importance as long as there's some airflow through the radiator. Now that you mentioned you have liquid cooling another potential issue raises its head: A minor leak or manufacturing failure may have left a bubble into the system. If such a bubble gets stuck in the CPU block it may cause temporary overheating, making the computer to freeze for protection.
Check the seating of the CPU block. Checking the block and tubes for minor cracks might also be worth the effort. Someone once reported having a minor crack in the block so it's plausible. Further, since the CPU runs quite hot, a tiny leak may vaporise the leaking liquid before it causes any electrical failures.
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Just developed power supply surge issues tonight. One year old case and power supply. AHIII triggers it. Progressively worse (from 15 mins in flight - offline .... to triggering on start-up splash screen). But consistant with attempts to run AHIII (6 attempts). System is identifying shut down triggered by power supply surge safety measures. Have yet to see if all graphic intensive games do this. Will get back later this week to test (after eclipse camp out in Casper).
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If you suspect power supply, first thing to do is check the voltages in the BIOS. It is not always indicated, but of the voltages are way off it is a clear indicator the supply has gone bad.
Careful with bad power supplies, they can take everything down with them.
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It's not AHIII. It crashed the system with Battlefield I (a game I bought but never play because it requires too much umpf for online play). After that the system wouldn't even handle the online browser. I pulled the STRIX video card and I'm just running the motherboard video (ASUS). It can't handle AHIII (not even the splash screen - just white) but it doesn't crash the system (ctrl alt del out of AHIII, though). I'll buy the rest of my new build when I get back from Casper Wednesdayish and make sure the new box/ps can handle the STRIX card (or - rubs hands - new video card ..... the wife has okayed - :D).
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Bizman - I've thoroughly checked the cooling unit and see no obvious (to me) issues or disconnects.
Skuzzy - I'm not sure how to check bios voltages. I assume that the computer has to boot up in order to check bios voltages. At this point, I can't get there. When I turn the computer on, the fans go immediately to high speed, the monitor shows "checking for signal" for a few seconds, then shows "going to power saving mode" and shuts down. At the same time this is happening, the fans are constantly running at high speed and continue to do so until I shut it down with the power button.
On the back of the power supply I discovered a green led light that stays illuminated steady while the computer is powered ON. Additionally, there is a small button that I assume is to power test the PSU when the computer is OFF. With the computer powered OFF, the fans run when this button is depressed. Fans shut down when the button is released.
I currently have a 750W power supply. The 1070 card requires at 500W. If the power supply is the isssue, should I stay with 750W or go with a higher wattage supply. If so, how much?
Thanks very much for your help and expertise gents. Once again, I am in the land of "I don't know what I don't know". :salute
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This is just a wild guess and worth the $1 it costs: Replace the BIOS battery. As I said, it's a wild guess, but as of yesterday I fixed a computer that wouldn't start at all by replacing it.
However, the howling and the following freeze don't fit. It sounds too much like a heat issue: The system notices overheating and tries to fix it by revving the fans. Since every component seems to be properly seated, are you sure that there's any liquid left in your cooling system? A very easy way to test if inadequate cooling is the issue is to replace the water block with a regular air cooler. For just booting it'll suffice if it fits, you won't be trying to get to the extremities.
As for a new power supply, power doesn't tell everything. As you said, the 1070 requires a 500W one. Add some overhead for future aging, let's say 600 to 650W. The more important aspect is the quality of the PSU. Seasonic has a very good reputation, they build PSU's both for themselves and to others. 80+ Gold or Platinum is also somewhat of a quality proof. Plain wattage is not a proof of quality, there's too many ways to measure it. If you like reading: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/psu-buying-guide,2916.html (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/psu-buying-guide,2916.html)
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Thanks Bizman! I've never replaced a BIOS battery. In fact, until now didn't realize there is one :rofl. Where is it typically located?
As far as the heating issue is concerned, does it make sense for the fans to immediately go to high speed as soon as it's turned on first thing in the morning after nearly 24 hrs being turned off? I'm not discounting your advice and expertise, just trying to advance my Neanderthal level of computer knowledge. Is the possibility of a heating issue logically connect with nothing getting transmitted to the monitor? Or could it be the PSU, or a combination of both?
Understand about the cooling block. Since I'll have to buy one, should it be another liquid cooled or straight air cooled? Any recommendations on brand, type, etc?
Of the two possible issues, which seems to be the most likely culprit in my legacy computer?
I'm trying hard to keep this dinosaur running effectively. Insalling the 1070 card was a huge improvement with absolutely no adverse issues for the last couple of months. When I start talking about a new rig, the wife ack is deployed all over the house. :x
Thanks for the article! It answered a lot of questions.
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Alright... The BIOS battery is a 2032 button cell on the motherboard. Most of the times it's sitting flat, on some motherboards it's sideways. In any case it should pop off without violence. There's a spring in the slot, pushing towards it usually does the trick. Note that your settings will be reset. Usually setting to optimal defaults at the BIOS "save" screen are good. Also, at least when you get back to Windows, your time and date will be way off and need to be set correctly for many functions to work properly.
If it's a heat issue caused by a failed cooler, it's instant. It takes a second or two for the CPU to reach its maximum temperature no matter how long you have had your system unpowered.
The best air cooler is made by Noctua but there's a lot of decent ones from other makers, too. Look for airflow versus dB. However, if you aren't going to overclock, basically anything will work. Even the factory coolers are efficient enough and if you're lucky you can get one for next to free. As I understand your rig isn't of the latest fashion, so it's useless to pay big money for the cooler in any case. My Intel e8500 from 2008 overclocks nicely with a $40 cooler. Air cooling is much more fail safe than liquid. If the fan stops whirling, that's visible and easy to fix. With liquid it's either a loss of liquid, blocked circulation, failing fan...
After all this being said, it still can be a PSU issue or a combination of one or several other factors - some of which may be caused by the failing PSU. Because of the fast spinning fans I still vote for insufficient cooling, which also is the easiest and cheapest to replace for testing.
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Thanks again Bizman.
I found the the battery, of course, buried behind the graphics card. That'll get taken care of shortly. After the bios battery is replaced and confirmed to not be the problem, I'll start working on a new cooling unit.
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BIOS battery changed out. No change in the situation when the computer is powered up.
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Well, worth trying anyway. I just replaced the PSU of an old computer that had no life whatsoever. It appeared that there was no life after the change, either. There was a green led on the motherboard, though, so I took the chance. And whaddayaknow, changing the battery was all that would have been needed. They don't last forever, changing them every five years is no expense.
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The BIOS battery is the original. Impressed that it's lasted this long.
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Bizman, many BIOS programs can fire the fans to full speed if they are not getting the feedback from the fans, which can happen if the power supply is failing.
Is there a builtin video in the CPU? Most modern Intel CPU's have this. If there is, then remove the video card and plug your monitor into the motherboard HDMI/DVI connector and try booting.
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Skuzzy, my rig is 2009 vintage. I could find no where else to plug the video cable into other than the 1070 card. Is there a way to test the PSU without electrocuting myself? Remember, you're talking to a computer Neanderthal here. :D
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Thanks for the info, Skuzzy. Am I right to suggest that the fan action is about the full speed fan test not ending because of the lack of the feedback signal?
Puma, there's basically no cost effective way to test the power supply. There's cheap "testers" available but all they do is to measure the starting time and the voltages of various plugs at the same time. Real testing requires oscilloscopes and artificial loads and other techie gear. At some point someone claimed that the price for a thorough tester would be some $ 50 000...
If you have a multimeter, set it to measure 20V DC and check the voltages of as many different cables as you can find while the computer is running. Black is always ground, yellow 12V and red 5V. The other colours vary from 3.3 to 12 volts. If the multimeter prongs are thin enough, you can even measure from the rear side of a plugged connector. Note that if you unplug the PSU from the motherboard it won't run at all unless you connect the green wire to a black one with a paper clip or a piece of wire.
As for safety, don't open the PSU itself as the lethal voltages are inside it.
A PSU from 2009 may not be up to the task anymore. Back then the 12 V line could have been split to several rails so a modern video card may not get as much amperage as needed which may cause the PSU to exhaust to death.
If there's a local builder shop near you, ask if you could lend/hire a spare PSU for testing purposes. Again, most anything with the right plugs will do for a short time boot test. If your system boots normally with another PSU, you'll know what to buy next.
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Thanks Bizman! It does some how make sense to me that the PSU is the contributing culprit with the problem. I'll move forward with it and let you guys know the result. :aok
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850 watt power supply not only fixed my problem but my graphics card is running crisper and faster.
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I got a call from the computer shop today. They've done a full diagnostic. All the hardware tested normal except, the motherboard has failed. It's a proprietary board designed by Dell. The guys at the shop searched for a replacement but, none are to be found. According to the technician, there's no way to replace it with a modern board.
So, the search is on for a new rig. Thanks for all your help gents! :salute
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You can try to find a replacement board matching the rest of your hardware. Mainly it's about the type of your memory and the processor, plus of course it's got to have the pci-e 16x slot for your video card. There might be some in Ebay and the likes.
If you take that route, start by searching for "motherboard socket ###" and the rest should follow. There's some models, though, that are really hard to find.
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Dell used to use a proprietary mounting pattern for the motherboards which did not allow for standard motherboards to be mounted in the case.
Dell also used to do things like reverse the positive and negative 5V lines so you could not use a standard power supply either.
I say "used to" as it has been a while since I tore a Dell apart. It is just something to be cautious about.
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Good point, Skuzzy.
I'd also like to add that a different motherboard usually requires reinstalling Windows, although there's tricks to get the original installation working at least well enough to save your stuff.
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I appreciate the input and feedback gents. The computer shop tech did say the present mobo mount is not compatible with newer mobos. So, in light of the expense and time required to maybe get my legacy rig up and running again, it's time to upgrade.
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You already have the most expensive component, the GTX 1070, so upgrading the rest is a very good option. Let's get planning! :cheers:
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Yep, I've already got my eye on a rig that comes with a 1070.
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Yep, I've already got my eye on a rig that comes with a 1070.
Don't you already have a 1070? Or am I just understanding you incorrectly?
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Don't you already have a 1070? Or am I just understanding you incorrectly?
Yes, I do. My idea is to either add it to a new rig for a dual setup, or have spare on hand.
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Yes, I do. My idea is to either add it to a new rig for a dual setup, or have spare on hand.
Puma, I have not found an advantage to running two cards especially in AH. AH does not support SLI.
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Actually, that is not quite correct Randy1.
The SLI profile NVidia supplies is not designed for Aces High III, so SLI performance is going to suffer.
You will probably have more problems with an SLI configuration and a single video card.
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Actually, that is not quite correct Randy1.
The SLI profile NVidia supplies is not designed for Aces High III, so SLI performance is going to suffer.
You will probably have more problems with an SLI configuration and a single video card.
Thanks Skuzzy. That was a more accurate statement. I have worked SLI into AH3 using my own setting and found no noticeable benefit.
IN VR it might add a bit but the judgement is subjective and small even if it exist.
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Puma, as Randy and Skuzzy already said, you won't gain much using SLI (was thinking about LSD and figured it's not the right abbreviation here).
My humble advice is to build your new rig around that 1070 and use it as long as it serves you at the level you want. Having a spare will end up into having an expensive piece of outdated hardware gathering dust. When the 1070 is out of warranty and gets issues, you'll want an 1170 or later instead of a similar one.
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Thanks gents! I appreciate the ideas and insights. Still considering all my options and desires.
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Puma download MSI Afterburner. It's free and it will let you run your video card fans faster which prevents poor performance from overheating.
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Thanks FLS. I've not heard of that previously. Right now, I'm dead in the water and deciding to build or buy.
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The reason we need Afterburner is because of fan noise. To keep noise down the fan is set to run too slowly and when the card gets hot enough the GPU runs slower to reduce heat and power usage instead of the fan running faster with the GPU at full speed. This lets the card be marketed as "quiet" and "low energy consumption".
Setting a higher speed profile with Afterburner or just running the fan fast all the time creates more noise but gives you the full power of the card under stress.
I recommend you build using your current 1070 card. MSI Afterburner works with any brand of video card so compatibility is not an issue.
It sounds like you should get a new power supply just to ensure it's good quality. A 650W should be fine for the 1070. I got a 650W Seasonic for $100 that runs my 1080Ti.
When you pick a case get one big enough so it's easy to work in if you build it yourself.
A new MB should have USB 3.1 in case you decide on VR.
Let us know what CPU you currently have and what you're looking at in a new PC for CPU and memory. We should be able to figure out a reasonable build for your existing 1070 card.
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FLS, since the system is a 9 years old Dell we're talking about LGA775 or Socket AM2+, possibly even LGA1366. In any case they're a tad too old to be seriously considered as a heart of a new rig in terms of longevity. A used motherboard for $50 or rather less is the maximum investment I'd do to breathe life into the current combination.
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That's why I asked. :aok
The next question is does it need to run VR in the future or just AHIII?
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That's a very good question. It determines whether even think about fixing the old or building something entirely new.
As people may have noticed, I prefer elongating the life span of older gear as long as it's sensible. Or sometimes even beyond that... This is one of the situations where future needs are what makes the system worth loving or leaving. However, not too much should be spent to keep the current one running.
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I think he should build new to a level that supports the VC for best value but we don't have a budget.
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Dell used to use a proprietary mounting pattern for the motherboards which did not allow for standard motherboards to be mounted in the case.
Dell also used to do things like reverse the positive and negative 5V lines so you could not use a standard power supply either.
I say "used to" as it has been a while since I tore a Dell apart. It is just something to be cautious about.
Last Dell case I tore apart still did this, it was a server case though. But a dremel and a tap kit made a standard motherboard fit in it just fine. I also used a non Dell power supply too just in case
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I have desire for VR at some point. At this point, I'm not inclined to keep patching the current rig. To be honest, I'm not all that motivated to build. It's that "I don't know what I don't know" factor and follow on issues.
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You could buy a VR gaming computer with a cheaper nvidia video card, put in your 1070 and sell the other card.
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You could buy a VR gaming computer with a cheaper nvidia video card, put in your 1070 and sell the other card.
That has also been in the list of considerations. :D
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Puma, building a PC is not hard at all. If you can build with Lego blocks, you can build a computer. Planning a good compilation is the difficult part, but here you have the best community to help. Just tell your budget and the tasks you wish your new system to perform and you'll soon get a shopping list.
If you still don't want to build it yourself, take that list and your video card to a local builder shop and let them do the assembling. There's advantages in that approach, the main one being that you don't have to worry about potential DOA components.
I am somewhat skeptic about any brand computers, they tend to dump soon-to-be obsolete components into their semi-budget systems.
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Thanks for the ideas Bizman. I'm considering a build via a very reputable local shop after coming up with a desired build list. Cost: $2,000 max. VR ready for down the road. I want it to have up to date gear that can be modernized/upgraded in the future.
My computer room/cockpit is upstairs in the warmer part of the house and will remain there. So, I want max efficiency cooling capability.
I have the 1070 card (8GB) and a Sound Blaster card to remove from the dead rig. Both are 3-4 months new and were working perfectly when the MOBO died. So, the desire is to use in the new rig.
Here's a list that I've come up with as a starting point:
Intel I7-7700K processor, 4 cores, 8mb cache, Turbo boost 2.0, overclocked up to 4.4 ghz.
850W multi GPU w/high performance liquid cooling.
32gb DDPR4@ 2400mhz, capability to expand to 64gb.
256gb PCIe SSD boot
2 TB 7200 rpm SATA 6gb storage
Tray loading dual layer DVD burner
Intel 3165 1X1 802.11ac wireless LAN & Bluetooth 4.2
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Ready and capable of future VR
So, how's this list look? Also, I'm interested in tower options. Bring it on. Thanks gents! :salute
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This is common with 10x nVidia card, I have a 1080, I figured it out but cant remember now, so don't spent lots of money or reformat yet, Ill try to see if I can remember what I did to stop it.
I think it was loose connection of card, yep remembering now, shut down PC, remove card, clean and reconnect, I also remember that didn't do it but worth checking, what finally fixed me was the power going to the card, shut down, unplug the 6 pin power connector going to card, clean and re-plug.
Good Luck!
Slam
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There is actually two 6 pin connectors, just looked, I swapped them around, Hadn't had the issue since.
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My mobo is dead. It's a proprietary Dell. I'm moving on with a new build. Read below for the history. Thanks!
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Ahh, OK, I did scan the replies, didn't read to accurate the full 4 pages, good luck, I just knew I didn't have a power problem and kept digging and fixed mine, sorry it wasn't the same issue for you.
Slam
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No sweat. Thanks for the try.
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Thanks for the ideas Bizman. I'm considering a build via a very reputable local shop after coming up with a desired build list. Cost: $2,000 max. VR ready for down the road. I want it to have up to date gear that can be modernized/upgraded in the future.
My computer room/cockpit is upstairs in the warmer part of the house and will remain there. So, I want max efficiency cooling capability.
I have the 1070 card (8GB) and a Sound Blaster card to remove from the dead rig. Both are 3-4 months new and were working perfectly when the MOBO died. So, the desire is to use in the new rig.
Here's a list that I've come up with as a starting point:
Intel I7-7700K processor, 4 cores, 8mb cache, Turbo boost 2.0, overclocked up to 4.4 ghz.
850W multi GPU w/high performance liquid cooling.
32gb DDPR4@ 2400mhz, capability to expand to 64gb.
256gb PCIe SSD boot
2 TB 7200 rpm SATA 6gb storage
Tray loading dual layer DVD burner
Intel 3165 1X1 802.11ac wireless LAN & Bluetooth 4.2
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Ready and capable of future VR
So, how's this list look? Also, I'm interested in tower options. Bring it on. Thanks gents! :salute
Which motherboard?
16 megs RAM is probably plenty.
If you use the I-7 you'll have to use Win10.
You don't need the SSD.
You don't need liquid cooling.
650W power supply is enough. Brand is important.
Just my opinion. :D
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Which motherboard? Another one of those "I don't know what I don't know" issues. I've never had to shop for on, and it definitely won't be a Dell.
Which brand power supplies are recommended?
Thanks for the input.
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Which motherboard? A full size ATX with a Z170 or Z270 chipset made by a reputable manufacturer. The price range varies from $86 to $378, but the most expensive ones aren't necessarily any better than the cheapest ones.
Seasonic is the most recommendable power supply manufacturer these days.
For the tower choose one that's sturdy and made using lots of mesh for best airflow.
Plus what FLS said about water cooling and SSD. And RAM, you can always add more if needed.
Oh, and if at all possible don't use wireless for gaming. Wired is full duplex, wireless is half duplex. What that means is that when an error occurs a wired connection will inform about it immediately using another lane whereas wireless will wait until there's no incoming traffic. Think about a home yard lane vs. a two way road.
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Thanks guys! I really appreciate the input and ideas.
My reasoning on a Boot SSD and a conventional storage hard drive is based on past failure events. Twice in the past, I have had the single conventional hard drive in a computer fail beyond recovery. I may be wrong but, it seems that a single hard drive may get worked harder as both a boot and storage drive. I say that based only my experience with the current dead mobo computer. It originally had two conventional hard drives. The one used as the boot failed. I replaced it with an SSD and have had zero problems with it in almost seven years. I also use an external backup storage source.
As I consider options for the build, using the current SSD and conventional hard drives would save on the cost. I also plan to use the 1070 card and Creative sound card, both of which are 3-4 months new.
Why do I not want liquid cooling? Is it better to load up with fans in a well configured tower? Consider that I'm in Arizona. In the summer months, even with air conditioning, my upstairs computer location stays somewhat warm. My current dead mobo rig has liquid cooling, three fans, but no side or top vents/mesh. I've not had any obvious issues with it.
Understand about the RAM. I'd rather add more now and not have to later.
My current rig has a 750W power supply. It was originally equipped with dual Radeon 4800 cross fired graphics cards before the game update and install of the 1070 card.
Good recommendation about wireless gaming. That option was just a thought. Not something I currently do or have plans for in the future. So, I'll scratch that.
What are the differences between the Z170 and Z270 chipsets? Which is recommended for my purposes?
In general, I prefer to overbuild a bit versus having to update later.
Thanks again for the input gents! You've provided a lot of valuable info for consideration, not to mention making me a lot more knowledgeable.
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Some explanations:
As you know, even liquid cooling needs fans. The main difference between air and liquid cooling is that the latter sends the hot stuff to another location to be cooled. However, the air used for cooling is still as warm as the inside of your case. If you want cooler than the surrounding air, you'd need a compressor like the one in a refrigerator, or a temperature exchange system like in an air conditioner. The best air coolers are as efficient as liquid coolers and they have less components to potentially fail. And they can be even quieter!
This explains the difference between Z170 and Z270: https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Z270-vs-Z170-What-is-the-Difference-877/ (https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Z270-vs-Z170-What-is-the-Difference-877/). As you can read in the article, there's other letters involved, too. However, since you have chosen an overclockable processor, you'd obviously want a motherboard that supports overclocking. The Z270 is newer and as you can see it has more pci-e lanes. As it reads, that's no big deal. The new SSD disks and connectors are agreeably much faster than the previous ones, but you can't see the difference in daily use.
For RAM, no matter how much you get it, get it in pairs. 2x8 GB for starters, or 2x16 if you so wish, leaving two slots empty for future expansion. That's because of Dual Channel technology: One RAM stick can be written onto while the other is being read.
Yet one thing about SSD's: If they break there's very little to do to get the data back. Spinners can often be read and saved using another computer and the platters can even be transferred to a working drive if the motor stops spinning. Your habit of using an external storage is good practice and much cheaper than any data recovery operations.
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I didn't go with a SSD because when I was researching the VR platform (Oculus Rift), I found that Oculus doesn't recommend running their software from an SSD, (I don't remember the reason.). The Oculus program has to be installed on the same drive as the O.S. or at least it did a few weeks ago. I don't know if there is a work around for that or not. I know that there was one so the games don't have to be on the same drive as the O.S. So I just went with a single large HDD. I always have the option of adding an SSD if I really need windows to load in .5 secs.
I don't know if any of this applies to the Vive. I'm not familiar enough with the Vive to say.
I only throw this out here because you said you were considering VR.
:salute
Sik
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Thanks SIK1! Good info.
So, to be sure I understand, you say that if my OS is on a boot SSD, Aces High could be installed on the HDD? If so, I was never aware of that.
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That's correct. Aces High doesn't care where on your PC it's installed.
My current game PC has an MSI Z270 GAMING M3 motherboard. The price varies and is sometimes lower than the Z170 M3. Either board will work but you may as well get the Z270 chipset since the price is close. It's the first time I've used MSI and I've had no problems with it but there are other MB's with the same chipset so you have many choices.
I have an I7 and a 1080Ti but you can save some $ with an I5-7600K and it should suffice for the 1070 video card.
With the I5 you can use Win7 or Win10. The Oculus Rift likes Win10 more than Win7 but works with either one.
You probably only need 8GB RAM so 16 is already more than enough. 32 is extra heat and energy use you don't need.
I've used liquid cooling for years and I see less need for it now. You're just putting fans on the radiator instead of the water block and the loud fans are on the video card not the CPU. If your video card fans aren't loud it's probably running too hot.
There are good case designs with plenty of fans for air cooling. I like a big case that's easy to open and work in.
My 650W Seasonic PS seems fine for my I7 and 1080. I doubt you need anything bigger.
Let us know what you decide on and don't hesitate to ask questions. :salute
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Thanks FLS! Great info and considerations. A spent two hours at a local shop discussing options with future upgrade in mind and overbuilding a bit to that end. They are building up my rig and it should be ready on Wednesday. Among the set up will be an I7 (Z270), 16 gb, no liquid cooling, 270 gb SSD, 1TB HDD, and single 1070 graphics card.
Again, FLS, SIK1, Bizman for your patience with my "I don't know what I don't know" questions and valuable input on this next rig. I love to learn something new every day. This experience has certainly filled that bill.
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Happy to help Puma. :cheers:
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It's always a pleasure. :cheers: