Building a new PC? Look here first.

[Grump642]

If you were looking to change later, I would have gone with the E8400.Mine is running at 3.78Ghz with no problems. And very few games are even close to using 4 cores. But they are also all good procs.

[EggChen]

Probably agree with Grump, if your planning to change again fairly soon!!

GTA IV is the only thing really pushing my processor, so if your thinking of another upgrade within next year, it may be you would be fine with a dual core. However if your talking longer than that then you may see more games using all four cores.

One thing I can say is this CPU eats absolutely anything, even those only using two cores.

It's no easy decision buddy, as ever!!

[audioave10]

I don't do much multitasking so I went with the E8500 and I'm glad
I did. Your much better with a PC then I am so you might find that you can do a few things at once and a quad will serve you well. The
i7 socket is still new so it would be best to wait for the second generation products to come out. I never want to be the first to try the "latest tech-toy" as you are back to beta testing...even with
hardware. There are some RAM conficts with some mobos and it's
still too costly compared to the speed boost (for now).

[Nightwatch]

Hmmm, thanks theer are really very good ideas and advices here. Yesterday night I couldn't order the stuff, I had been wasted , too tired all day so I wanted to do it with aclear day during the daytime, that's today. So advices are even more helpful now.

I sure do other stuff than playing, I see from your advices that playing games is still much better with a dual core only. It is also saying the same, so it's a unified view. However, it's true that I'm also doing some other stuff, like Web stuff for the mod site at least, requires Frontpage, and some Photoshop, Fireworks, InDesign stuff (all Adobe) and they are dead-wish on processors.

Considering what's said, well, I think I'll keep this system until time comes to upgrade to i7, this is costing me a lot actually, mobo CPU, cooler, new RAMs, so I woudn't like to get another CPU withing next year (also it's a hassle to change a CPU, God, I'm lazy I guess. lol. ) Then, if games will be using more and more 4-cores from within next year, so I may go for the Quad actually, and it'd also help for the heavy appliactions as it's suggested here as well.

Well, maybe it's good that I'm forced to handle this rebuilt now, otherwise I was planning to go for i7 during like summer. But, good ideas, thanks, it's true that on esould not subject himself as a lab rat to a new system trials. And I hadn't heard of those RAM conflicts and it's also true that it wouldn't be cost effective either. So, maybe things worked better this way. lol. Thansk for the detailed answers guys.

----

Also:

Today, I managed to re-start my dead PC! (that's until a new components, well, means almost eveything actually arrive and put together)

I had noticed that, as I mentioned, the new PSU specs had not gone well with my old Mobo and shorted it. Later, today, in the morning, I managed to pinpoint the problem first: CPU fan was not getting voltage from the mobo. The circuit was blown there. Then I managed to bypass the circuit at that point by cutting out the red and black wires of my Artic Cooler which goes into the CPU Fan 4pin pwr socket on the mobo as you know. I took the pins-plug and removed the black and red wires, plugged it back into the socket while those red and black wires were out and exposed.

Then I stripped the wires and attached them to a household AC-DC 12v adaptor, to its connection for a 9v battery housing, using some electrical tape. Then plugged it into the mains... The CPU fan started working... with the 12v current that it was getting from the mains (through the adaptor)

Then started the PC, it booted while giving out beeps for CPU fan down. But it wsa working, so no worries. Now everywhere is full of cables, PSU sitting outside on top of side turned and open case PC, seeing the fan spinning and monitoring the CPU temp by Asus Probe, Guess what? CPU temp now stands for, while I'm writing this, 33C only. heh he. It was a luck operation, so far.
So this primitive set up can help me stay online and do some stuff until pieces arrive and finally built a new PC, hopefully not blowing up that one, too.

OK, now, it's shopping time, guys. (not that I'd like it, but you need to do what you need to do. )

[Grump642]

Wow, you sound like you went to extreme measures to get it up and running! But I can understand.

[Nightwatch]

Thanks, I can't work on laptops, and my daughter's laptop is not always available either. So some emergency measures required.

[VINTAR]

Nightwatch, glad to hear you got it working.

Nothing a bit of duct tape and a few nails cant fix

As for the i7 Ram conflicts, I havent heard of those, but I have heard that OC`ing the Ram is hard because of the voltage constraints.

[Nightwatch]

Thanks Vintar, the otherwise dead mobo is still holding with various wires and tapes attached to it with the help of a household 12v AC-DC adapter. I'm giving current to the points that mobo fails to recieve and it shows now: CPU 32C, +12: 12.25v VCore: 1.25v, RAM temp: 43C. It's still holding. I hope it continues to do so until new parts come tomorrow. I hope so, depends on the delivery, they (delivery companies) all suck big time, particularly the City Link. When I see they are the ones who are making the delivery, I start thinking if I need to go to church and pray or something, lol.

[Grump642]

I see the UK has the same kind of "excellent" delivery service we do! UPS once delivered my new gfx card to the wrong address. Took 3 weeks to get a replacement. Not the shippers fault, they had to wait for UPS to admit it was gone. 2 days after I got the replacement, UPS delivered the first one! So I had 2! Of course I sent the 2nd one back.

[rockingmtranch]

2 days after I got the replacement, UPS delivered the first one! So I had 2! Of course I sent the 2nd one back.

You've gained karma

[audioave10]

Good Karma for Grump...LOL.
The RAM conflicts I was refering to aren't too serious...you just have
to make SURE your mobo can support the RAM company you choose. With the new socket 1366, some bios updates have been
needed to get most RAM working. That's the same with any new
socket design.

[ket]

OK, after the new PSU shorted the outdated mobo, becuase the new PSU specs did not go well with a three year ago's technology, I've now decided to get a ASUS P5Q mobo. I couldn't find the Pro version as immediately avalible to buy and as I don't plan to go Crossfire or something I don't need the Pro or Deluxe versions.

This came not in a good time as I had been planning to wait longer and then to go to i7 Intel Nehalem standard, now this will wait for much longer.

The question that I want to ask is on the CPU front.

Core 2 Duo versus Core 2 Quad....

I've put my eyes on
1)Core 2 Duo, E8400, Wolfdale Core, S775, 3.0 GHz, 1333MHz, 6MB Cache, 9x Multiplier
..or,
..Core 2 Duo, E8500, Wolfdale Core, S775, 3.16 GHz, 1333MHz, 6MB Cache, 9.5x Multiplier

against:

2)Core 2 Quad Q8300, Yorkfield Core, S775, 2.50GHz, 1333MHz, 4MB Cache, 7.5x Core Ratio

-------
OK, the question that wonders my head is, while brushing aside all the not-so-conclusive reports all over the media, in real terms and from the users point of view, will a Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.50 GHz be better in performance than either of the above Core 2 Duo processors (E8400 and E8500) ??

What are the ideas? You've been using these CPUs for some time, and surely must have some experience that must be taken into account.

I need to get answers as soon as possible, today. Sorry short notice. But I can't wait longer without a PC, it's upsetting a lot of things including the schedule of the mod. I was a couple days away from giving myself the OK for its release stage.

Ideas??

If you OC the quad to say 3.6-3.8GHz, it will be better overall than a 4.2GHz+ C2D. Get the quad

[Nightwatch]

Yup, I got the Quad. Thanks everybody. All the advices have been extremely helpful.

I moved my Horror story which came in into effect after I finished building my PC to a new thread, because i didn't want to divert the attention on this topic with a long story, however, it is still relevant with the problems that may be associated with building a new PC. So, a read of that post could be useful as well as fun, too. (A Vista Wrath on a PC Re-built)

[VINTAR]

OK, so heres a question from a rebuild noob.

So once I have put all the hardware together and ready to turn on, what is the order of things to do, and please dont skip minor details you think I should know cause chances are I dont

I assume I boot with the windows CD, and then.......

[Nightwatch]

OK, assuming that you put all the necessary hardware (which are compatible with each other) according to their instructions, then, you need to check all connections, like a pilot going through the take-off check list, do it twice, never hurts. If you are satisfied, turn on the power. Asus advices that in should be done in this order:
Monitor, any external attached devices (if any), and the system power.
Then, if everything has been done correctly, the PC should post (start-screen logo, and a short list of devices, IDE, SATA and RAMs are given on the screen for a couple of seconds) within 30 seconds (as it's generally expected so) but please bear in mind that it may take somewhat longer sometimes for mobos to enter this stage at their first initiations, it may change from mobo to mobo. But, if it does not post, say, within 2 minutes, (though highly unlikely) you may be looking towards a problem. You should then check again and make sure that everything has been connected properly, if it's so, then you should call the retailer. Let's leave this cautionary note here, and continue:

When it boots up it gives an audible beep, one short beeb is alright, but if it beeps more than more during boot-up, note the number and the lengths of those beeps and tell us here. Like one long, two short beeps, etc. Most probably it always go smoothly at this stage, too. So don't worry.

At the very first initiation, you don't need to enter the BIOS, default settings most probably will be just fine unless you are rushing to overclock even before you start.

Then after you've seen that the PC has posted alright, open the Disk Drive and insert the Windows CD/DVD, then turn off the PC, probably by holding down the power button more than 4 seconds. Unplug the PC and wait for 10-30 seconds. Then put the plug back in and power on the PC (the Windows CD is now inside)

I forgot what XP asks and tells you at the start, but I guess it was not quite different than that of Vista. So, you'll need to click necessary boxes as it always happen when installing software. Screen prompts are very self-explanatory. You'll need to choose a C drive for Windows to install, if you wish format it and change its partitions.
The rest is updating the Windows, installing other software and configuring them as you wish.
I hope I haven't passed a matter too lightly, if the answer is not clear or you want some more info on a particular subject, just fire the question.

[rockingmtranch]

The only thing Nightwatch forgot was the FIRE EXTINGUISHER! (Just kidding...not really)

[Nightwatch]

The only thing Nightwatch forgot was the FIRE EXTINGUISHER! (Just kidding...not really)

Good one

I had actually kept it nearby in my earlier builds, you never know what could happen. fortunately not needed...yet.

[Nightwatch]

Hey Guys, my new ASUS P5Q motherboard seems to me running a bit too hot, it currently registers on idle 40-42C and on load, such as playing game it hit about 54-55C. I feel it's abit too much, I checked internet, it's somewhat common with these P5Qa and one was saying that an ASUS service guys had told him that for this mobo 52-55C was quite normal.
I'm still a bit worried. Has anyone had an experince with this mobo or with such high temps.

I have a full aluminium giant Lian-Li case with 7 case fans tuning inside, apart from the CPU, GPU and PSU fans. Even a (ordinary) water cooling system cannot do better than this I guess. So, this is a mobo matter. Any info on this matter?

[ket]

Are you talking mobo or CPU temps?