Countdown for a new system

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by the_tyrant

User account control
the popup asking you if you actually want to do something or not

Ah yes, very annoying in Vista, and although less so, still annoying in W7. I need to learn how to switch that one off.

It would be nice to have all software also running in administrator mode automatically.

Microsoft is exaggerating some things there - for no productive use.

[Castout]

Originally Posted by Skybird

That's why I prefer 2 high GHz processors over 4 CPUs with lower GHz.

Umm ArmA 2 would benefit much from 4 cores than 2.

I'm using a 2 core i5 myself though.

For games with a lot to compute like the Total War series or ArmA 2 it's best to have as many core as possible but it's true most application would only require 1 or two cores at most and with threading each core is already giving 2 cycle of calculation albeit at reduced speed than from different cores. The thing is if you buy higher speed double core CPU the gain will be in relatively simpler and or smaller programs such as file converting or older games. The gain will not be that much either well in the seconds range. Though it will make your everyday work activities a lot smoother.

But if you use lower speed 4 cores the gain will be very noticeable when playing newer games with a lot of stuffs going on. Like I said ArmA 2 and total war will greatly benefit from more cores. Well it's up to you to decide knowing this.

Excellent taste of gaming I must add. I like many of those titles you listed.

[Castout]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Ah yes, very annoying in Vista, and although less so, still annoying in W7. I need to learn how to switch that one off.

It would be nice to have all software also running in administrator mode automatically.

Microsoft is exaggerating some things there - for no productive use.

You wouldn't want to disable UAC. It's a security measure. Without it you're opening your PC to hackers WIDE open.

It's preferable to have strong passwords for UAC about 20 or more random characters and change them periodically.

Amateur hacker could download app that will try to break your UAC password with sheer CPU power especially if you have the habit of leaving the internet online for long period of time. So changing them periodically is important than ever.

[Skybird]

Well, I have Medieval 2 and do not intend to move beyond that. My jewel case lists it as a single processor game. And Arma2 I said, but actually I messed it up - I have ArmA (1) only, and again do not intend to upgrade to ArmA2 or anything else. And ArmA again is listed in the manual as a single CPU game. I do not even play it anymore.

I listed some of those games just in case that I get interested again. Not even half of them is installed currently.

I do not own a single title, I think, which is designed for dual or quad cores. And, as I said, since I do not have much interest anymore in buyin g games and prefer to stay with some old classics of strategy and flight simming - I do not need 3rd and 4th core CPUs. I need good GHz on the first and reasonable GHz on the second core - one CPU for the single CPU game, and the other for the background tasks and Windows. Only by this splitting of working tasks can single processor games gain a slight benefit from mutiuple processors. For the real deal you need games that are optimised for multiple processors.

The only title I am currently waiting for, is World in Flames, a hexfield strategy title - hardly a hardware-killing game. FS9, Falcon and SBP, COTA and TOAW3 also all are single processor titles.

And UAC, if that is the "Do you really want to open this folder", "do you really want to start Words", "do you really want to this or that", then I never have seen any code-entry there. But maybe I misunderstand what UAC is.

[Skybird]

Could anyone help me out with my confusion about dual boot setups? I am really struggling to understand how it works and how the two OS interact with installed software. What I read on the web so far does not help me, it leaves my basic misunderstanding unadressed.

[the_tyrant]

CPUs make or break the system
Many believe that Video cards are the most important part of the system. It is NOT TRUE Video cards are important in gaming and 3d design, but everything else, CPUs are more important.
Also, back just a bit more than 3 years ago, there was a time when every Intel cpu used socket 775, and every AMD chip used am2
However, now there are different sockets for different CPUs. Bigger socket number= better cpu, and generally better board with more features.

as for core numbers, more is better, but for the same amount of money, i would rather get better instruction sets, lower heat etc.

[the_tyrant]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Could anyone help me out with my confusion about dual boot setups? I am really struggling to understand how it works and how the two OS interact with installed software. What I read on the web so far does not help me, it leaves my basic misunderstanding unadressed.

Duel boot=2 operating systems on the same computer
they can usually access each other's files, but maintains 2 different registries

so if a piece of software does not need registry entries, you can find the exe and run it from either os. But if it does, it can only run on the os you installed it in.

anyways, for old games you might as well use vitualization

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by the_tyrant

Duel boot=2 operating systems on the same computer
they can usually access each other's files, but maintains 2 different registries

so if a piece of software does not need registry entries, you can find the exe and run it from either os. But if it does, it can only run on the os you installed it in.

anyways, for old games you might as well use vitualization

Two registries, okay. So I would need TWO firewalls and TWO antivir?

I checked some German sites for tech marks on CPUs, and found that an i5 661 may give me 2x3.33 GHz and a good bang for the money (190,-) , it competed nicely with the i7 in higher resolution 3D benchmarks (1650x1050 over here). That with maybe a 1156 mainboard based on H55 chips. Asus P7P55LX (100,-), how does that sound?

Then I tend to go with a 500 GB Western Digital SATA drive with 16 MB Cache and 7200, my current WD is so silent I cannot hear it. Another 40,-

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit. 85,-

DVD writer. 30,- (?)

PSU, another unsolved question. Silent it should be, and not getting consumed to the max when the system is running at maximum CPU and GFX. Am I safe with 500W when considering 4 GB RAM (name, ~ 60,- ) and something in the range of an nVidia GTX460 (768)? (150,- )? Lets mark the PSU with 45,- . And a tower where all the stuff goes into: 70,- .

Cables I should have more than enough. Soundcard: I just use my old Audigy, if needed. It runs since 8 years or so.

The cable from my DSL, it goes directly into the mainboard, if I am not mistaken? No WLAN needed here. I am not sure,m could be that I need that RJ45 card. 15,- . Two or three additional fans: 30,- .

Well, that is the idea. Let's see:

190
100
40
85
30
60
150
45
70
15
30
===

815,-

Does not look too bad. My target mark was 750,- Euros.

Has anyone a tip for a German adress where to get a system comparable to this ^ for less money?

P.S.
I forgot an USB hub . I need 7-8 ports. Costs how much? Let's say 20,- .

Makes 835,- all in all.

Bring that down by at least 80 Euros, and I am a happy customer

[Castout]

Originally Posted by Skybird

And UAC, if that is the "Do you really want to open this folder", "do you really want to start Words", "do you really want to this or that", then I never have seen any code-entry there. But maybe I misunderstand what UAC is.

UAC is there so that unauthorized users including hackers would still need to break your UAC password to mess with your critical files.

I'm using i5 661 myself it has a CPU-GPU processor in one package. Make sure the mobo can support the GPU processor. It's okay otherwise just that you'll be missing one of the feature you're buying. Not much if you already have a GPU though. And yeah it's fast for every day's task like MP4 conversion. When the program's only using a single core it will turbo itself to 3.6Ghz which is nice. 2 cores with 4 threads.

[Skybird]

Well, there we are - those 830 Euros above are not the final word.

http://www.amazon.de/dp/B004FQL10S/r...SIN=B004FQL10S

Und sie bewegt sich doch!

What do you guys think about this combo?

[the_tyrant]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Two registries, okay. So I would need TWO firewalls and TWO antivir?

I checked some German sites for tech marks on CPUs, and found that an i5 661 may give me 2x3.33 GHz and a good bang for the money (190,-) , it competed nicely with the i7 in higher resolution 3D benchmarks (1650x1050 over here). That with maybe a 1156 mainboard based on H55 chips. Asus P7P55LX (100,-), how does that sound?

Then I tend to go with a 500 GB Western Digital SATA drive with 16 MB Cache and 7200, my current WD is so silent I cannot hear it. Another 40,-

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit. 85,-

DVD writer. 30,- (?)

PSU, another unsolved question. Silent it should be, and not getting consumed to the max when the system is running at maximum CPU and GFX. Am I safe with 500W when considering 4 GB RAM (name, ~ 60,- ) and something in the range of an nVidia GTX460 (768)? (150,- )? Lets mark the PSU with 45,- . And a tower where all the stuff goes into: 70,- .

Cables I should have more than enough. Soundcard: I just use my old Audigy, if needed. It runs since 8 years or so.

The cable from my DSL, it goes directly into the mainboard, if I am not mistaken? No WLAN needed here. I am not sure,m could be that I need that RJ45 card. 15,- . Two or three additional fans: 30,- .

Well, that is the idea. Let's see:

190
100
40
85
30
60
150
45
70
15
30
===

815,-

Does not look too bad. My target mark was 750,- Euros.

Has anyone a tip for a German adress where to get a system comparable to this ^ for less money?

P.S.
I forgot an USB hub . I need 7-8 ports. Costs how much? Let's say 20,- .

Makes 835,- all in all.

Bring that down by at least 80 Euros, and I am a happy customer

Only one set of antivirus and firewall is needed. For your main system(i assume one OS is for internet, and most applications while the other one is simply for old games)

I'm pretty sure you don't need an RJ45 NIC, its intergrated in 99.9% of all motherboards. 500w PSU is enough.

All i would change is that I would recommend 6gb ram. Most programs nowadays can only use up to 4 gbs of ram, so you still have 2 gb for windows and background programs. Also, 3 channel ram preforms better than 2 channel ram.

As for UAC, what castout is talking about is that if you use an account with less than administrator rights it will ask for a password. But since most of us use the default administrator account anyways, no password is needed.
Keep it on though, it keeps you from doing stupid things

if you want to save some money, but the cheapest optical drive available(or even don't use one). its barely used anyways.
also, most motherboards have 6 usbs, plus 2 in the front panel, so i guess a usb hub won't be needed

[Castout]

I can vouch for 6Gb or RAM. And a 1,000 Gb is wiser than a 500Gb one. Really price wise.

The provided Amazon link looks terrific though it only has a 4Gb RAM.

Does UAC help prevent hackers from messing critical files tyrant?
I ask because you seem to be in the know how of hacking.

[Jan Kyster]

Just a sidenote...

Don't waste your time with dual boot. I did, but found there's absolutely nothing Windows 7 wouldn't run at least as good as XP did.

And dual-boot is a real pain to get rid of again...


Better keep the old XP disc untouched. Should you one day need it, just plug it in. I kept mine just as a backup disc.


Best of luck!

[Castout]

I share Jan opinion. If you still need XP however I'd recommend external HDD (USB drive)

[Skybird]

Good idea with a second HD. I still have an exchange frame (? Wechselrahmen) for HDs, so I could put in my old HD easily, if needed.

2+4 GB? Well, okay, put on the list. Old Windows games hardly consume more than 4 GB anyway, so the full package for them. But do mainboards and Win7 support 6 GB? I would have thought they accept only 4 or 8 or 16 GB.

That gives me this partitioning then:
- Windows (is 48GB enough for Win7)?
- Swapfile (16 GB)
- Programs, Data (all the remaining GBs)
- FS9 (48 GB)
- Chess (8 GB)

Is MSI still criticised for quality of its mainboards like 8-9 years ago?

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Edit:
found some hartdware test results, and do not like the board. BIOS not too reliable, it seems, occasional crashes, and the worst "Speicherdurchsatz" of all competitors with H55 chips: more than 60% slower. Think I go for the Asus board instead.
------

I just wish to make that Amazon offer an USB 3 offer, I do a lot of file swapping via sticks, and for an external HD it also would help data speed.