My first build - Page 4

longam · 03-12-09, 06:58 PM

Bill Nichols · 03-13-09, 08:58 AM

I couldn't wait for the weekend. Last night, I powered up and everything runs smooth as glass. Vista and all my drivers installed with no problem. The Vista performance scores are all 5.9 across the board (does the scale go higher than that?)

This weekend's project: Hook up to the internet, get all the latest OS, etc. updates, then start installing apps. First on the list: SH4, of course!

And oh, sorry about that momentary brownout on the East Coast last night....

AVGWarhawk · 03-13-09, 09:22 AM

5.9 is the highest. I understand Windows 7 will go higher. Glad it is working straight out of the gate for you. How do you like Vista?

Nice site for Vista questions and answers. http://www.vistax64.com/

I find all kinds of tricks and tweaks here.

Also, register your version of Vista. I think you do it on the same page were you saw you the windows experience score.

Onkel Neal · 03-13-09, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Nichols

I couldn't wait for the weekend. Last night, I powered up and everything runs smooth as glass. Vista and all my drivers installed with no problem. The Vista performance scores are all 5.9 across the board (does the scale go higher than that?)

This weekend's project: Hook up to the internet, get all the latest OS, etc. updates, then start installing apps. First on the list: SH4, of course!

And oh, sorry about that momentary brownout on the East Coast last night....

Oh, so that's what that rumble was last night.

Congrats on the smooth build and startup, Bill. If I had built my own machine, I would still be on the phone with Intel, Windows, nVidia, et all tech support

Greyghost · 03-14-09, 01:19 PM

Great build Bill. I just built my very first one as well two weeks ago. It's scarily similar to yours on specs too. I was extremely nervous wondering if it would start up. Surprisingly though, it was a lot easier than I thought. This thing eats up some power so I had to dedicate a socket just for the Rig itself to pull enough juice.

Only problem I had was a DOA motherboard the first go around but I'm up and running now and it was well worth it. The amount I saved building it myself was incredible. A machine similar to this prob would have run me an additional 1500-2000g just for assembly.

Here are my specs:

Intel Core i7 940 Nehalem 2.93GHz
ASUS P6T6 WS Revolution
6GB Corsair Dominator DDR3 SDRAM 1600
SAPPHIRE 100251SR Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty
Western Digital Caviar Black WD7501AALS 750GB x2
ASUS DVD Burner
COOLER MASTER HAF 932
Kingwin Mach I 1220W PSU
Vista 64

Onkel Neal · 03-14-09, 01:48 PM

Ha ha! I see Bill has updated the Subsim News with Build a Killer Gaming Rig

I was thinking of making a news link to this thread too, you beat me to it.

Bill, once you get your main apps loaded, are you going to make a backup like Neon suggested?

Bill Nichols · 03-14-09, 04:00 PM

I have a 1 TByte Western Digital "My Book" external drive for backup. My backup software is Norton Ghost.

Overboard · 03-14-09, 05:56 PM

I just came across this thread!,

Glad to see you went with the HAF cooler master case, Man i have heard good things about this case (it has some of the best cooling there is) looks good to". Anyways i can't make up my mind between the HAF or the Antec 1200, both are excellent full tower cases, but i do like how the HAF lets you hide the wireing. Can you tell me if the HAF has filters for the fans
cause that is a big selling point for me. Thanks.

Bill Nichols · 03-14-09, 07:39 PM

No filters with the CM fans.

Soundman · 03-14-09, 08:33 PM

Congrats !

I can't help but to feel some envy and I'm thinking of doing a new puter myself. My current one still does a good job, but it's about four years old now and after upgrading some of the components over time, the processor is now the weakest link and so I'm thinking ahead. Looks like a killer rig you have put together. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of ballpark figure are we looking at for a similar rig? I have heard of substantial savings when building yourself, but would like to have an idea of how much.

Overboard · 03-14-09, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Nichols

No filters with the CM fans.

That sucks, oh well looks like the Antec 1200 for me then Thanks BILL.

Bill Nichols · 03-15-09, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundman

Congrats !

I can't help but to feel some envy and I'm thinking of doing a new puter myself. My current one still does a good job, but it's about four years old now and after upgrading some of the components over time, the processor is now the weakest link and so I'm thinking ahead. Looks like a killer rig you have put together. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of ballpark figure are we looking at for a similar rig? I have heard of substantial savings when building yourself, but would like to have an idea of how much.

I think the grand total was somewhere around $2200. At least $1000 less than a similarly-equipped Dell or Alien.

Soundman · 03-15-09, 07:38 AM

Thanks Bill, that sounds VERY reasonable and the way to go. Good info, thanks again.

BTW, it would be a simple thing to put your own filters in. Seems like some filter material cut to size, with a little velcro attached would do the job.

NealT · 03-15-09, 07:45 AM

Bill, you are making me jealous...I have started to look for cases now...cause it is time I started to upgrade again...

Case first, that way I have a place to hide the parts...

Novum · 03-15-09, 10:12 AM

just some thoughts here from a deckhand..

For storage i whould go with a Raid5 setup.. and for "speed" i should buy two good sata2 SSD disks and put them in Raid0

Good luck with your build, i have some friends that got roughley the same..
Its a kick ass machine!!!

03-13-09, 08:58 AM	#47
Bill Nichols Master of Defense Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 1,502 Downloads: 125 Uploads: 0	I couldn't wait for the weekend. Last night, I powered up and everything runs smooth as glass. Vista and all my drivers installed with no problem. The Vista performance scores are all 5.9 across the board (does the scale go higher than that?) This weekend's project: Hook up to the internet, get all the latest OS, etc. updates, then start installing apps. First on the list: SH4, of course! And oh, sorry about that momentary brownout on the East Coast last night.... __________________ My Dangerous Waters website:

03-13-09, 09:22 AM	#48
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 27,343 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	5.9 is the highest. I understand Windows 7 will go higher. Glad it is working straight out of the gate for you. How do you like Vista? Nice site for Vista questions and answers. http://www.vistax64.com/ I find all kinds of tricks and tweaks here. Also, register your version of Vista. I think you do it on the same page were you saw you the windows experience score. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

03-14-09, 01:19 PM	#50
Greyghost Watch Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Baton Rouge, La Posts: 26 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Great build Bill. I just built my very first one as well two weeks ago. It's scarily similar to yours on specs too. I was extremely nervous wondering if it would start up. Surprisingly though, it was a lot easier than I thought. This thing eats up some power so I had to dedicate a socket just for the Rig itself to pull enough juice. Only problem I had was a DOA motherboard the first go around but I'm up and running now and it was well worth it. The amount I saved building it myself was incredible. A machine similar to this prob would have run me an additional 1500-2000g just for assembly. Here are my specs: Intel Core i7 940 Nehalem 2.93GHz ASUS P6T6 WS Revolution 6GB Corsair Dominator DDR3 SDRAM 1600 SAPPHIRE 100251SR Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Western Digital Caviar Black WD7501AALS 750GB x2 ASUS DVD Burner COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Kingwin Mach I 1220W PSU Vista 64 __________________

03-14-09, 01:48 PM	#51
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,283 Downloads: 534 Uploads: 224	Ha ha! I see Bill has updated the Subsim News with Build a Killer Gaming Rig I was thinking of making a news link to this thread too, you beat me to it. Bill, once you get your main apps loaded, are you going to make a backup like Neon suggested? __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web

03-14-09, 04:00 PM	#52
Bill Nichols Master of Defense Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 1,502 Downloads: 125 Uploads: 0	I have a 1 TByte Western Digital "My Book" external drive for backup. My backup software is Norton Ghost. __________________ My Dangerous Waters website:

03-12-09, 06:58 PM	#46
longam Admiral Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,014 Downloads: 26 Uploads: 0

03-14-09, 05:56 PM	#53
Overboard Medic Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 164 Downloads: 124 Uploads: 0	I just came across this thread!, Glad to see you went with the HAF cooler master case, Man i have heard good things about this case (it has some of the best cooling there is) looks good to". Anyways i can't make up my mind between the HAF or the Antec 1200, both are excellent full tower cases, but i do like how the HAF lets you hide the wireing. Can you tell me if the HAF has filters for the fans cause that is a big selling point for me. Thanks.

03-14-09, 07:39 PM	#54
Bill Nichols Master of Defense Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 1,502 Downloads: 125 Uploads: 0	No filters with the CM fans. __________________ My Dangerous Waters website:

03-14-09, 08:33 PM	#55
Soundman Commodore Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 617 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	Congrats ! I can't help but to feel some envy and I'm thinking of doing a new puter myself. My current one still does a good job, but it's about four years old now and after upgrading some of the components over time, the processor is now the weakest link and so I'm thinking ahead. Looks like a killer rig you have put together. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of ballpark figure are we looking at for a similar rig? I have heard of substantial savings when building yourself, but would like to have an idea of how much. __________________ RVAH-9 RA-5C Vigilante at NAS Sanford, Fl 1966 The coolest plane few have heard of!

03-15-09, 07:38 AM	#58
Soundman Commodore Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 617 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	Thanks Bill, that sounds VERY reasonable and the way to go. Good info, thanks again. BTW, it would be a simple thing to put your own filters in. Seems like some filter material cut to size, with a little velcro attached would do the job. __________________ RVAH-9 RA-5C Vigilante at NAS Sanford, Fl 1966 The coolest plane few have heard of!

03-15-09, 07:45 AM	#59
NealT Ace of the Deep Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 2 Meters Below Jimbuna Posts: 1,060 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Bill, you are making me jealous...I have started to look for cases now...cause it is time I started to upgrade again... Case first, that way I have a place to hide the parts... __________________

03-15-09, 10:12 AM	#60
Novum Swabbie Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 6 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	just some thoughts here from a deckhand.. For storage i whould go with a Raid5 setup.. and for "speed" i should buy two good sata2 SSD disks and put them in Raid0 Good luck with your build, i have some friends that got roughley the same.. Its a kick ass machine!!! __________________ 2 4 2