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New Config needs tweaking

Post Date: 2009-01-13
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Max Storm View Drop Down
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Posts: 12 		  Quote Max Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: New Config needs tweaking
    Posted: 13 Jan 2009 at 8:12pm
Any thoughts on the set-up below?
I am not a serious gamer but like the DS performance. I have one already with three monitors (24" and 2 22") set-ups.
 
Looking to add another desktop to a new location.
My old machine is already dated in 18 months.
I don't need cutting edge but solid performance with a bell or whistle here and there. If I do play games, I'd like them to be high quality experience - fast, vivid.
I've been avoiding Vista but looks like I can't any longer.
Have been toying with a 30" monitor but may go smaller 26 or 28 until prices adjust, not sure what video cards will work (or may just go with dual 24') flexibility will be important.
 
Also would like to have a quiet - low/no fan noise.
Thoughts welcome...
 
 
CONFIG 229006
Chassis Model: Cooler Master HAF 932
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Interior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 940 2.93GHz (Quad Core)
Motherboard: EVGA X58 3X SLI (Intel X58 Chipset) (Supports Triple SLI or CrossFire)
System Memory: 3GB DDR3 1333MHz Corsair Dominator DHX (High-Performance)
Power Supply: 750W Corsair TX (Dual SLI Compatible) (Silent Edition)
Card Reader: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA)
Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (DVD Reader 16x / CD Reader 40x)
Optical Drive 2: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x)
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card: CLEARANCE HOT SELLER: 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 896MB (Includes PhysX Technology)
Add-on Card: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Cooler Master V8 (Compatible With i7 Processors)
Liquid Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a H20: Stage 3 Cooling System Selected
Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Enhancements: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my processor
Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Tweak Windows: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
Restore Kit: Digital Storm Specialized Recovery System (DVD Image Based)
Virus Protection: - No Thanks
Office: - No Thanks
Benchmarking: - No Thanks
Install/Test Game: - No Thanks
LCD Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
External Storage: - No Thanks
Exclusive T-Shirt: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks
Warranty: 3 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty
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Dsnewb210 View Drop Down
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Posts: 972 		  Quote Dsnewb210 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 13 Jan 2009 at 8:25pm

Whats your budget looking like?

A few suggestions,

1000w Psu

6gb of 1600mhz

295gx2, It would smoke your 2 260's and cost roughly the same if not cheaper

Go with liquid cooling and oc the processor ( You can oc on air as well)
 
Get vista prem 64-bit
 
Like i said post your budget and DST4ME will get you fixed up. Ouch
 
 
 
 
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Max Storm View Drop Down
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Posts: 12 		  Quote Max Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 13 Jan 2009 at 8:34pm
This config priced out about $2740.
I'm not really budget limited but I don't want to pay a premium to have the latest technology which will be outdated in six months.  I guess that's the PC treadmill we all run.  Solid performance with reasonable upgrade capability at good value.  I'd rather have the basics down - mobo, psu, cpu and expand or upgrade as breakthrough technology becomes available and affordable.
 
I already own a DS which has been OC'd.  I had a high speed disk drive (10k) and it crashed.  DS replaced but I opted for a slower speed and more reliability.  Other than that, flawless system.
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DST4ME View Drop Down
DS ELITE
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 13 Jan 2009 at 9:15pm
this is what it needs to be

here you go Ticket# 229034 --- Price: $2674 (To see this build click here)

Copy of Specifications:
Chassis Model: Cooler Master HAF 932
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Interior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz (Quad Core)
Motherboard: EVGA X58 3X SLI (Intel X58 Chipset) (Supports Triple SLI or CrossFire)
System Memory: 6GB DDR3 1600MHz OCZ Platinum Edition (High-Performance)
Power Supply: 1000W Corsair HX (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible)
Card Reader: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA)
Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x)
Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card: 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 1.792GB (Includes PhysX Technology)
Add-on Card: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Cooler Master V8 (Compatible With i7 Processors)
Liquid Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a H20: Stage 3 Cooling System Selected
Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Enhancements: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Yes, Overclock the processor as much as possible with complete stability
Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Tweak Windows: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) (For Enthusiasts)
Restore Kit: Digital Storm Specialized Recovery System (DVD Image Based)
Virus Protection: - No Thanks
Office: - No Thanks
Benchmarking: - No Thanks
Install/Test Game: - No Thanks
LCD Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
External Storage: - No Thanks
Exclusive T-Shirt: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks
Warranty: 3 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty

this is the most for your money right here.

you can upgrade to a veloci or SSD when you feel the prices are better.

I have had nothing but ratpors 10,000 rpm and none of those has failed on me yet. sounds like you got unlucky with that HDD.

Nvidia Drivers----AMD Drivers
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Max Storm View Drop Down
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Posts: 12 		  Quote Max Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 14 Jan 2009 at 2:48am
Great - thanks.
 
What's the performance bump or loss by settling with 920 cpu (versus 940 or higher)? When would I begin to notice a difference?
 
How many monitors can the GTX 295 drive? To what resolution?
Have been debating about a RAID set-up? Is that worth the cost? I appreciate the back-up capability.  Is there that much speed gain? Versus say just getting a raptor drive?
 
Anybody get the blu-ray option?
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Max Storm View Drop Down
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Posts: 12 		  Quote Max Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 14 Jan 2009 at 2:51am

Sorry - forgot to add:

Any advantage to dual boot set-up?
I need MS Office suite.
I guess I'll need to repurchase with Vista or could I re-install/run with dual boot?
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DST4ME View Drop Down
DS ELITE
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 14 Jan 2009 at 4:33am
OK lets see, 920 vs 940, you should not notice any difference.

295 can run 2 monitors at what ever resolution your monitor can handle, but if your are gaming on both monitors then that will make a difference at what settings you can play at.

I think you are confusing how raid works a bit, raid 1 mirrors, raid 0 extends.

so if you have raid one, the size of your HDD1 is the same its just being mirrored.'

if you have raid zero, then the size of your HDD1 is extended to the combined size of both HDDs, however there is no backup here.

raid is not worth it, go with veloci.

no bluray for me, I barely still use my DVD drive for DVDs.

dual boot is OK, but why don't you use vmware and just install XP inside vista, that way there is no dual boot and you get both OSs.

Nvidia Drivers----AMD Drivers
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Max Storm View Drop Down
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Posts: 12 		  Quote Max Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 14 Jan 2009 at 6:12pm
Thanks again for the input.
 
Yes my bad - Always get raids 1 and 0 mixed up.
Ok - so I am toying with getting another velo drive (300GB for OS and move 500MB to storage)
I'm also debating a sound card - AC-1 versus ASUS? I have a Logitech z-2300 2.1 system.
 
VMware embedded in Vista - is that stable?
 
I'm adding a digital media card reader too.
I'm debating about the DVD player - anybody have experience with that?
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DST4ME View Drop Down
DS ELITE
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 14 Jan 2009 at 6:17pm
ya a veloci for OS/apps/games and 500GB for personal/media files is a great idea.

our sound guru widdlecat recommends the asus.

vmware is stable and a great way to run a second OS inside the original one.

Nvidia Drivers----AMD Drivers
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Max Storm View Drop Down
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Posts: 12 		  Quote Max Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 15 Jan 2009 at 9:57pm
couple of more tweaks here:
 
mainly - veloci raptor (preference between 150 and 300GB?), second 500GB for regular back-up.  After having last HD crash, don't want to go through that again and sound card (though I'm on the fence as there's been a lot of commentary that mobo is competent).
 
Lastly - does mnfr of ram make a difference? corsair v. ocz v. ?
Thanks again for all the tips.
 
#230369
Chassis Model: Cooler Master HAF 932
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Interior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz (Quad Core)
Motherboard: EVGA X58 3X SLI (Intel X58 Chipset) (Supports Triple SLI or CrossFire)
System Memory: 6GB DDR3 1600MHz OCZ Platinum Edition (High-Performance)
Power Supply: 1000W Corsair HX (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible)
Card Reader: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 300GB Western Digital VelociRaptor (10K RPM) (16MB Cache) (Extreme Speed)
Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: 500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA)
Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: 500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA)
Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x)
Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card: 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 1.792GB (Includes PhysX Technology)
Add-on Card: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Asus Xonar D2X (PCI-Express Slot Based) (Recommended)
Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Cooler Master V8 (Compatible With i7 Processors)
Liquid Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a H20: Stage 3 Cooling System Selected
Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Enhancements: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Yes, Overclock the processor as much as possible with complete stability
Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Tweak Windows: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) (For Enthusiasts)
Restore Kit: Digital Storm Specialized Recovery System (DVD Image Based)
Virus Protection: - No Thanks
Office: Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student (Word Excel PowerPoint OneNote)
Benchmarking: - No Thanks
Install/Test Game: - No Thanks
LCD Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
External Storage: - No Thanks
Exclusive T-Shirt: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks
Warranty: 3 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty
Back to Top
DST4ME View Drop Down
DS ELITE
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Joined: 14 Apr 2008
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 15 Jan 2009 at 10:26pm
I prefer the 300GB but the difference is not going be noticable between the 150 and 300.

if you are talking about backing up your os HDD then you need to clone it and the clone needs to be an external drive.

you can follow my clone guide here

and you can make your own external:

choose your HDD

choose your external enclosure


your build looks great.

Nvidia Drivers----AMD Drivers
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