Strong, fast, cool PC

MrJoeSoap

Hi all.

I built a PC several years back when I was in college and found it massively rewarding and very interesting. Truth be told, it was the best buzz I'd had since Lego. So now I'm in a position where that PC is long outdated (nothing salvageable at this point) and I've only got a laptop that I feel like I'm starting to outgrow.

So the thought crossed my mind that instead of going out and buying a ready-made tower, I'd give building one another go. Hopefully I can learn from my mistakes the last time (if I can remember what they were) and with the help of the good folks of boards.ie, I can get myself a super-computer.

I'll fill out the regular questionnaire, but basically I want this PC to be well-rounded and not specific to any "genre", so to speak. I'm not a massive gamer, but do play the odd game. I watch a lot of live sports streams and use Microsoft Excel almost daily, so I'm going to opt for a dual-monitor setup. Also, I'm a bit of a HD addict, so both monitors will be HD. Another option I've never really explored but would like to (should finances permit me to) is the option of sending my digital UPC television pictures to the computer and recording those. Is such a wildly imaginative idea possible?

I'm sure I'll have hundreds of questions as time goes by, but here it goes...

1. What is your budget? [I'd like to stay under the €1000 mark, but building in stages and adding over time is very possible (starting with 8GB RAM, going to 16GB in the future etc...)]

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? [Gaming/Video editing/HTPC/Internet/Microsoft Office] (If gaming include which games)

3. Do you need a copy of Windows? [No]

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? [No]

5. Do you need a monitor? [Yes, looking at two of these due to the Full HD, with HDMI inputs]

5a. If yes, what size do you need. [2 x 22' is about the maximum my desk could take, and even then I'll have to measure it carefully before I purchase]

5b. If no, what resolution is your current monitor and do you plan to upgrade in the near future? [N/A]

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? [Keyboard - Yes/Mouse - Yes/Wireless Card - Not too sure but probably do, what are my options here/Card Reader - Would be handy/Speakers - 2.1 would be fine]

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? [My understanding of this is pushing the limits of certain components so that they perform better, but it is risky. Fair assumption? If so, I may see how the PC works first and possibly overclock down the line]

8. How can you pay? [Bank Transfer/Credit Card/Laser/Cash]

9. When are you purchasing? [In the next month or so, ideally]

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? [West Dublin, ideally I should be able to do it without physical help, but will be heavily reliant on Boards as always]

MrJoeSoap

Here's a very rough first draft. Where there was any doubt, I went for the better option. If I can shave quite a few quid off this I'd be happy.

Anything I'm missing or any mistakes I've made?

Also, I didn't really do any shopping around, will certainly be doing so before purchasing.

Component Product Link Price Qty Delivery TOTAL
Case Cooler Master Silencio 550 - Mid tower http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/midi_tower/20082238/cooler_master_silencio_550_mid_tower_no_psu/details.aspx €75.00 1 €0.00 €75.00
Motherboard ASRock Z77 Extreme4 - Socket 1155 - ATX http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/intel_socket_1155/20154423/asrock_z77_extreme4_socket_1155_atx/details.aspx €134.95 1 €0.00 €134.95
Processor Intel Core i7 3770 3.4GHz 8MB LGA1155 http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/intel_socket_1155/80005584/intel_core_i7_3770_3_4ghz_8mb_lga1155/details.aspx €287.00 1 €0.00 €287.00
Power Supply CoolerMaster Silent Pro M II - 1000 Watt - ATX http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/power_supplies/80005756/coolermaster_silent_pro_m_ii_1000_watt_atx/details.aspx €154.00 1 €0.00 €154.00
Hard Drive # 1 Corsair Force 3 120GB 2.5" SATA-600 http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/ssd/20087741/corsair_force_3_120gb_2_5_sata_600/details.aspx €133.00 1 €0.00 €133.00
Hard Drive #2 Seagate 3TB 3.5" SATA-600 7200rpm 64MB http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/intern_3_5_/20098837/seagate_3tb_3_5_sata_600_7200rpm_64mb/details.aspx €162.95 1 €0.00 €162.95
Optical Drive LG BH10LS38 Super Multi - Blu-ray burner http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/blu_ray_hd_dvd/20098773/lg_bh10ls38_super_multi_blu_ray_burner/details.aspx €85.00 1 €0.00 €85.00
Monitor LG E2251VR-BN 22" Full HD LED Monitor http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/11046608/art/lg/e2251vr-bn-22-full-hd-led.html#pix-review €139.00 2 €15.99 €293.99
Keyboard
Mouse
Graphics Card ASUS GeForce ENGT440/DI/1GD3 - 1GB - PCI-E http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/nvidia/20084669/asus_geforce_engt440_di_1gd3_1gb_pci_e/details.aspx €79.00 1 €0.00 €79.00
Speakers Creative A60 - 2.0 PC Speaker System http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/speakers/10022764/creative_a60_2_0_pc_speaker_system/details.aspx €19.95 1 €0.00 €19.95

iDementia

Just about to go to bed and will give some quick advice, before posting again tomorrow.

I would replace that i7-3770 with the i5-3570k. The only difference between the 2 processors is hyper-threading, which is mostly used for video and photo editing and even at that it is only about 20% faster at those tasks. Not worth it if you're on a budget. Also the i5-3570k is unlocked so you can overclock it.

That PSU is seriously overkill, I'm no PSU expert so someone else will have to recommend one for you but you won't need anymore than 600W imo. SeaSonic, XFX and Corsair all make quality PSUs.

I'd replace that SSD with the Crucial M4 or Samsung 830, both cheaper and better.

Do you really need the Blu-Ray? Alot of stuff nowadays is digital distribution and Blu-Ray has never really caught on.

I'd also ditch that graphics card and just use the onboard Intel HD 4000 graphics. If you're not a gamer, then they are more than enough and even then it's plenty.

With all that money I've saved you, I'd invest in a slightly better case like the Corsair 500r or Fractal Design Define R3 (only like 20 euro more).

Check out Hardwareversand, they have really good prices, and 18.99 shipping to Ireland no matter how much you buy and you can pay with Bank Transfer.

uncle_sam_ie

This case is better http://www.quietpc.com/products/pc-cases/fd-definer3 , and they're a good company to buy from.
Yeah, the i7 is a waste go with the i5.

MrJoeSoap

iDementia wrote: »

Just about to go to bed and will give some quick advice, before posting again tomorrow.

Thanks, and apologies for keeping you up late!

iDementia wrote: »

I would replace that i7-3770 with the i5-3570k. The only difference between the 2 processors is hyper-threading, which is mostly used for video and photo editing and even at that it is only about 20% faster at those tasks. Not worth it if you're on a budget. Also the i5-3570k is unlocked so you can overclock it.

Will do, the reason I chose an i7 was that I'm not overly familiar with the difference between the three, i3, i5 and i7. I went i7 as I'd read that i3 was entry level, i5 was consumer level and i7 was a step above the three. It was merely to future proof that I had picked the i7 but if there is very little difference from i5 to i7 (except price) then I'd be more than happy to go i5.

I'll incorporate that into my next draft.

iDementia wrote: »

That PSU is seriously overkill, I'm no PSU expert so someone else will have to recommend one for you but you won't need anymore than 600W imo. SeaSonic, XFX and Corsair all make quality PSUs.

Again, I'm not very familiar with what to look for in a PSU but had read that they are one of the most crucial components in the build as if they are underpowered they can cause the entire system to fail. I believe there are PSU calculators online to figure out what is needed based on the rest of your build, does anyone know of a good one they would recommend?

iDementia wrote: »

I'd replace that SSD with the Crucial M4 or Samsung 830, both cheaper and better.

Noted!

iDementia wrote: »

Do you really need the Blu-Ray? Alot of stuff nowadays is digital distribution and Blu-Ray has never really caught on.

Not exactly needed, but not massively more expensive than a DVD-RW so I said I'd include it. Again, open to reconsidering that.

iDementia wrote: »

I'd also ditch that graphics card and just use the onboard Intel HD 4000 graphics. If you're not a gamer, then they are more than enough and even then it's plenty.

Perfect, thanks for that.

iDementia wrote: »

With all that money I've saved you, I'd invest in a slightly better case like the Corsair 500r or Fractal Design Define R3 (only like 20 euro more).

In terms of the case, what I'm most interested in is keeping the whole system cool as it will be running almost constantly, and quiet. I'm sure that was most people look for in a case, so I guess the two you have suggested above are good on those two fronts?

iDementia wrote: »

Check out Hardwareversand, they have really good prices, and 18.99 shipping to Ireland no matter how much you buy and you can pay with Bank Transfer.

I have them bookmarked from reading similar threads on here, thanks again for all the information.

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

This case is better http://www.quietpc.com/products/pc-cases/fd-definer3 , and they're a good company to buy from.
Yeah, the i7 is a waste go with the i5.

Thanks very much, it certainly has a nice, simplistic look to it that I would go for. Hell of a lot of HDD trays in it too!

MrJoeSoap

Can anyone explain what to look for in the i5 processors? There are a lot of different ones available and I've no idea how to choose one:

http://www2.hardwareversand.de/1617/Socket+1155.search

Also, I omitted RAM last night. Thoughts on this?

http://www2.hardwareversand.de/1333+Low+Voltage/58859/16GB-Kit+Corsair+ValueSelect+PC3-10667U+CL9-9-9-24.article

MrJoeSoap

Managed to shave a few quid off, down from €1424.84 to €1205.33. Could probably take some more off with a cheaper case (free delivery especially) and possibly a cheaper i5. Other than that I think that I'm fairly tight with what I'm looking for, aside from shopping around for better value. Any further thoughts are appreciated.

Component Product Link Price Qty Delivery TOTAL
Case Define R3, Black Pearl Case, USB3 Version http://www.quietpc.com/products/pc-cases/fd-definer3 €92.29 1 €23.01 €115.30
Motherboard ASRock Z77 Extreme4 - Socket 1155 - ATX http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/intel_socket_1155/20154423/asrock_z77_extreme4_socket_1155_atx/details.aspx €134.95 1 €0.00 €134.95
Processor Intel Core i5-2450P Box, LGA1155, ohne integrierte Grafik http://www2.hardwareversand.de/Socket+1155/55603/Intel+Core+i5-2450P+Box%2C+LGA1155%2C+ohne+integrierte+Grafik.article €178.63 1 €0.00 €178.63
Power Supply Corsair Builder Series CX600 V2, 600 Watt http://www2.hardwareversand.de/500+-+600+Watts/48792/Corsair+Builder+Series+CX600+V2%2C+600+Watt.article €57.22 1 €0.00 €57.22
Hard Drive # 1 Crucial M4 128GB SSD 6,4cm (2,5") http://www2.hardwareversand.de/Solid-State-Disk/46110/Crucial+M4+128GB+SSD+6%2C4cm+%282%2C5%29.article €111.29 1 €18.99 €130.28
Hard Drive #2 WD Caviar Green 2TB Sata 6Gb/s http://www2.hardwareversand.de/7200+RPM/46255/WD+Caviar+Green+2TB+Sata+6Gb+s.article €102.99 1 €0.00 €102.99
Optical Drive LG BH10LS38 Super Multi - Blu-ray burner http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/blu_ray_hd_dvd/20098773/lg_bh10ls38_super_multi_blu_ray_burner/details.aspx €85.00 1 €0.00 €85.00
Monitor LG E2251VR-BN 22" Full HD LED Monitor http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/11046608/art/lg/e2251vr-bn-22-full-hd-led.html#pix-review €139.00 2 €15.99 €293.99
Keyboard
Mouse
Graphics Card
Speakers Creative A60 - 2.0 PC Speaker System http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/speakers/10022764/creative_a60_2_0_pc_speaker_system/details.aspx €19.95 1 €0.00 €19.95
RAM 16GB-Kit Corsair ValueSelect PC3-10667U CL9-9-9-24 http://www2.hardwareversand.de/1333+Low+Voltage/58859/16GB-Kit+Corsair+ValueSelect+PC3-10667U+CL9-9-9-24.article €87.02 1 €0.00 €87.02

uncle_sam_ie

http://www2.hardwareversand.de/Socket+1155/56296/Intel+Core+i5-3570K+Box%2C+LGA1155.article or http://www2.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?agid=1617&aid=41224&basket.changed=1

This RAM will do just fine http://www2.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?agid=1192&aid=44315&basket.changed=1

deconduo

Item|Price
Intel Core i5-3570K Box, LGA1155|€212.12
ASRock Z77 Pro3, Sockel 1155, ATX|€90.77
8GB-Kit G.Skill PC3-10667U CL9|€35.69
WD Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 3 6Gb/s|€64.38
BitFenix Shinobi Midi-Tower GERMANY Edition - black/red/gold, ohne Netzteil|€53.46
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 550W|€53.96
LiteOn iHAS122-18 schwarz SATA|€16.58
2 x BenQ GL2250|€222.36
MSI R7850 TwinFrozr 2GD5/OC, 2048MB DDR5, PCI-Express|€225.39
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€993.70


-Much better CPU
-Proper GPU for gaming (onboard is rubbish)
-No SSD (Feel free to put one in if you can stretch the extra bit of money)
-Less RAM (16GB is overkill anyway)

luyolo

You can save 23 by buying the Case from HWVS.

uncle_sam_ie

Yeah, if your using HWVS anyway,then you might as well get all your components there. It will work out cheaper.

MrJoeSoap

luyolo wrote: »

You can save 23 by buying the Case from HWVS.

Excellent, thanks. Have it here.

MrJoeSoap

deconduo wrote: »

Item|Price
Intel Core i5-3570K Box, LGA1155|€212.12
ASRock Z77 Pro3, Sockel 1155, ATX|€90.77
8GB-Kit G.Skill PC3-10667U CL9|€35.69
WD Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 3 6Gb/s|€64.38
BitFenix Shinobi Midi-Tower GERMANY Edition - black/red/gold, ohne Netzteil|€53.46
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 550W|€53.96
LiteOn iHAS122-18 schwarz SATA|€16.58
2 x BenQ GL2250|€222.36
MSI R7850 TwinFrozr 2GD5/OC, 2048MB DDR5, PCI-Express|€225.39
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€993.70


-Much better CPU
-Proper GPU for gaming (onboard is rubbish)
-No SSD (Feel free to put one in if you can stretch the extra bit of money)
-Less RAM (16GB is overkill anyway)

If I'm not going to be using the PC for gaming very often (that may change in the future but at the moment the most I'd play is Football Manager to be honest) then the Graphics Card seems a bit much. I'd much rather invest in a larger Hard Drive and a Blu Ray drive. The monitors look nice but I'd prefer the option of a HDMI input on them.

I'll probably see how I get on initially with the onboard graphics, can always invest in a graphics card later on if I feel I need one.

uncle_sam_ie

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Excellent, thanks. Have it here.

Awesome case, I have the white one.

MrJoeSoap

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Awesome case, I have the white one.

I assume the only difference between the four R3's is the colour?

uncle_sam_ie

Then go for this GPU, http://www2.hardwareversand.de/1024+MB/56225/SAPPHIRE+HD+7750+1GB+GDDR5+PCI-E+HDMI+++DVI-I+++DP+%28Lite+Retail%29.article

uncle_sam_ie

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

I assume the only difference between the four R3's is the colour?

White will make your PC go faster:D and it's good for an NHL fan.

MrJoeSoap

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

White will make your PC go faster:D and it's good for an NHL fan.

White is the "colour" of ice, so therefore it is clearly cooler than the black case. Nice logic!

uncle_sam_ie

I use to be huge into ice hockey about 10 years ago before I had a kid. I need to get back into it.

MrJoeSoap

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

I use to be huge into ice hockey about 10 years ago before I had a kid. I need to get back into it.

Good time of year to start, if you have Setanta Sports 1, playoffs are down to the business end now.

uncle_sam_ie

I use to watch it on channel five with Jonathan Gould back in the day. Is it only on Setanta now?

iDementia

Honestly that 7850 is seriously overkill for someone who does little to no gaming. The Intel HD 4000 (the onboard graphics for most Ivy Bridge CPUs) can run Starcraft II on Medium settings with 35-40 FPS. So Football Manager shouldn't be too difficult.

If you absolutely must need a graphics card, then I suggest going with the Radeon HD 6850 (preferably a Sapphire one). It's the best bang for buck GPU at the moment and it can play most games that aren't named BF3 and Witcher on Ultra settings with a decent FPS.

Also if your case needs to be quiet and cool then I'd definitely recommend the Fractal Design Define R3, it's a very quiet case and cool too for a very good price.

The guys recommended good G-Skill RAM so all you have to do is get a good processor and I'd probably go with the i5-3570k since it is the only Ivy Bridge CPU that can be overclocked at the moment (atleast in the i5 range). You can also get the older but still very good Sandy Bridge CPU, the i5-2500k which has the slightly worse Intel HD 3000 onboard graphics (about 40% worse than the 4000).

P.S. Go Blackhawks!

MrJoeSoap

iDementia wrote: »

Honestly that 7850 is seriously overkill for someone who does little to no gaming. The Intel HD 4000 (the onboard graphics for most Ivy Bridge CPUs) can run Starcraft II on Medium settings with 35-40 FPS. So Football Manager shouldn't be too difficult.

I'm more than likely now going to go with the i5-3570K, so won't be worrying about a Graphics Card just at the moment

iDementia wrote: »

Also if your case needs to be quiet and cool then I'd definitely recommend the Fractal Design Define R3, it's a very quiet case and cool too for a very good price.

That also seems to be a winner. Colour is the only thing I've left to decide when it comes to the case.

iDementia wrote: »

The guys recommended good G-Skill RAM so all you have to do is get a good processor and I'd probably go with the i5-3570k since it is the only Ivy Bridge CPU that can be overclocked at the moment (atleast in the i5 range). You can also get the older but still very good Sandy Bridge CPU, the i5-2500k which has the slightly worse Intel HD 3000 onboard graphics (about 40% worse than the 4000).

I'll go for the better of the two, "in for a penny, in for a pound" as they say.

iDementia wrote: »

P.S. Go Blackhawks!

*Shudders*

Component Product Link Price Qty Delivery TOTAL
Case Define R3, Black Pearl Case, USB3 Version http://www2.hardwareversand.de/Midi/36381/FRACTAL+DESIGN+Geh%C3%A4use+DEFINE+R3+Titanium+Grey.article €94.72 1 €0.00 €94.72
Motherboard ASRock Z77 Extreme4 - Socket 1155 - ATX http://www2.hardwareversand.de/DDR3/57624/ASRock+Z77+Extreme4%2C+Sockel+1155%2C+ATX.article €125.45 1 €0.00 €125.45
Processor Intel Core i5-3570K Box, LGA1155 http://www2.hardwareversand.de/Socket+1155/56296/Intel+Core+i5-3570K+Box%2C+LGA1155.article €212.12 1 €0.00 €212.12
Power Supply Corsair Builder Series CX600 V2, 600 Watt http://www2.hardwareversand.de/500+-+600+Watts/48792/Corsair+Builder+Series+CX600+V2%2C+600+Watt.article €57.22 1 €0.00 €57.22
Hard Drive # 1 Crucial M4 128GB SSD 6,4cm (2,5") http://www2.hardwareversand.de/Solid-State-Disk/46110/Crucial+M4+128GB+SSD+6%2C4cm+%282%2C5%29.article €111.29 1 €18.99 €130.28
Hard Drive #2 WD Caviar Green 2TB Sata 6Gb/s http://www2.hardwareversand.de/7200+RPM/46255/WD+Caviar+Green+2TB+Sata+6Gb+s.article €102.99 1 €0.00 €102.99
Optical Drive LG BH10LS38 Super Multi - Blu-ray burner http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/blu_ray_hd_dvd/20098773/lg_bh10ls38_super_multi_blu_ray_burner/details.aspx €85.00 1 €0.00 €85.00
Monitor LG E2251VR-BN 22" Full HD LED Monitor http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/11046608/art/lg/e2251vr-bn-22-full-hd-led.html#pix-review €139.00 2 €15.99 €293.99
RAM 16GB-Kit Corsair ValueSelect PC3-10667U CL9-9-9-24 http://www2.hardwareversand.de/1333+Low+Voltage/58859/16GB-Kit+Corsair+ValueSelect+PC3-10667U+CL9-9-9-24.article €87.02 1 €0.00 €87.02


My current outstanding questions are thus...

• Any thoughts on the motherboard?
• Should I be looking at extra cooling, or are the fans on the case sufficient for what I have here?
• When it comes to dual monitors, how will that work? One connected to the motherboard via HDMI, one via DVI-D? Or will there be a splitter needed somewhere? Would using the DVI-D connection reduce the image quality of one of the monitors?
• Anyone have any suggestions re: an internal card reader? I don't see one on the Define R3 case, and I'm big into my photography so it'd be handy to have.

dun79

Hi

why are getting some bit from komplett and pixmania, you can get it all from hardwareversand for less money.

Item|Price
FRACTAL DESIGN Gehäuse DEFINE R3 Titanium Grey|€94.72
ASRock Z77 Extreme4, Sockel 1155, ATX|€125.45
Intel Core i5-3570K Box, LGA1155|€212.12
Corsair Builder Series CX600 V2, 600 Watt|€57.22
Crucial M4 128GB SSD 6,4cm (2,5")|€111.29
WD Caviar Green 2TB Sata 6Gb/s|€102.99
16GB-Kit Corsair ValueSelect PC3-10667U CL9-9-9-24|€87.02
LG BH10LS38 Blu-Ray Brenner Retail|€73.49
2 x LG Flatron E2251VR|€263.16
LogiLink USB 2.0 all-in-one Card Reader, für 3,5" Einbauchschacht|€6.32
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€1152.77

Edit:
just picked a cheap card reader
heres a link for more card readers Link

iDementia

Item | Price
Thermalright True Spirit 120 | €23.84
ASUS P8Z77-V LX, Sockel 1155, ATX, DDR3 | €113.22

That ASRock Motherboard is fine, they are one of the better MoBo makers. Asus make the best MoBos in my opinion, so I listed one there for you to look at, but to each his own.

I listed a CPU cooler as well if you plan to overclock. It's a good one at a very good price.

Tij da feen

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

• When it comes to dual monitors, how will that work? One connected to the motherboard via HDMI, one via DVI-D? Or will there be a splitter needed somewhere? Would using the DVI-D connection reduce the image quality of one of the monitors?

DVI-D has the exact same image quality as HDMI, so don't worry about that, just plug one in through HDMI and the other through DVI-D.

Item|Price
2 x 8GB-Kit G.Skill PC3-10667U CL9|€71.38
MSI Z77A-G43, Intel Z77, ATX, DDR3|€90.48
Intel Core i5-3570K Box, LGA1155|€212.12
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 450W|€41.15
Crucial M4 128GB SSD 6,4cm (2,5")|€111.29
Seagate Barracuda 7200 2000GB, SATA 6Gb/s|€102.53
LG BH10LS38 Blu-Ray Brenner Retail|€73.49
2 x LG Flatron E2251VR|€263.16
LogiLink USB 2.0 all-in-one Card Reader, für 3,5" Einbauchschacht|€6.32
FRACTAL DESIGN Gehäuse DEFINE R3 Titanium Grey|€94.72
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€1085.63

Went for cheaper RAM, there's no real need to be overspending on the RAM in an Intel system.

Went for a cheaper motherboard as well since it has the same monitor outputs, DVI-D and HDMI.

Dropped down to a 450w power supply if you aren't going to be doing serious gaming, if you are going to be adding a good graphics card later down the track then change the power supply to this. 550w will power any modern graphics card with the exception of the GTX690 but I doubt you will be dropping a grand on a card anytime soon.

Also add this cooler in for overclocking. You need a good cooler to overclock an Ivy Bridge processor.

MrJoeSoap

Thanks again for all the inputs, very useful. I reckon I'm about ready to put in an order at this stage, will probably now get everything from HWVS to make it simpler.

I assume from all the suggestions for them that they are fairly good when it comes to support and returns, should I have any issues? Also, what sort of delivery time can I expect if I order everything together?

Cheers

Tij da feen

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Thanks again for all the inputs, very useful. I reckon I'm about ready to put in an order at this stage, will probably now get everything from HWVS to make it simpler.

I assume from all the suggestions for them that they are fairly good when it comes to support and returns, should I have any issues? Also, what sort of delivery time can I expect if I order everything together?

Cheers

Delivery times will probably be 5-7 working days, also the bank transfer can take a few days to process. They ship using DHL and when it gets into Ireland it goes by An Post. You can track the order through dhl.de and then anpost.ie when it gets to Ireland. For returns they are fairly quick. You can call them or e-mail them and you then arrange for a UPS van to collect it from your house. I had to RMA a Hard Drive last time and UPS picked it up on Monday and I had it back by Thursday. The UPS is payed for by HWVS of course.

MrJoeSoap

Anyone recommend a decent wireless keyboard and mouse combination with a few bells and whistles but at a reasonable price? A few shortcut buttons on either/both would suffice.

iDementia

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Anyone recommend a decent wireless keyboard and mouse combination with a few bells and whistles but at a reasonable price? A few shortcut buttons on either/both would suffice.

Please don't get wireless. I had a wireless keyboard and mouse and got absolutely fed up. Maybe the wireless stuff is better these days, but I'd never go back! Extremely frustrating trying to type and it not registering keystrokes.

BostonB

It must have been broken then.

thenightrider

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Anyone recommend a decent wireless keyboard and mouse combination with a few bells and whistles but at a reasonable price? A few shortcut buttons on either/both would suffice.

Go for a wired keyboard and mouse only use them on a htpc.

Wired all the way for a desktop that you will be sitting at.

BostonB

I prefer wired for gaming, graphics etc. But never had a problem with wireless ones for just general commuting.

MrJoeSoap

Probably going to order this tomorrow, have one more question for you all...

I know there are TV Cards out there, just wondering what the best way of setting the PC up so that I can receive (and record) television pictures from my UPC Digital+ box would be? The UPC box will be on the other side of the room, a distance of about 6-7 metres along the wall.

deconduo

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Probably going to order this tomorrow, have one more question for you all...

I know there are TV Cards out there, just wondering what the best way of setting the PC up so that I can receive (and record) television pictures from my UPC Digital+ box would be? The UPC box will be on the other side of the room, a distance of about 6-7 metres along the wall.

UPC don't allow you to record on a computer AFAIK. You can hook it up to your computer with a DVB-C card, but it will be encrypted. If you get a DVB-T card you can watch any of the Saorview channels however, like RTE, TV3 etc.

MrJoeSoap

deconduo wrote: »

UPC don't allow you to record on a computer AFAIK. You can hook it up to your computer with a DVB-C card, but it will be encrypted. If you get a DVB-T card you can watch any of the Saorview channels however, like RTE, TV3 etc.

Thanks. I'm going to order this build in the morning and leave the TV recording pipe-dream for another day.

MrJoeSoap

I've placed my order, and now have to pay. A combination of extremely poor English on the website and two different bank transfer details have me a touch confused. Can I set up a bank transfer to either of the below through my AIB online account?

the_syco

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Can I set up a bank transfer to either of the below through my AIB online account?

Yeah, I did. You do the transfer using the IBAN number.

MrJoeSoap

the_syco wrote: »

Yeah, I did. You do the transfer using the IBAN number.

Perfect, thanks. Now I just need to find my AIB card reader... :mad:

the_syco

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Perfect, thanks. Now I just need to find my AIB card reader... :mad:

Huh? Card reader I'm lost. You get the IBAN number from HWV.

MrJoeSoap

the_syco wrote: »

Huh? Card reader I'm lost. You get the IBAN number from HWV.

The Card Reader is an AIB contraption to allow you to make transactions online. Maybe not everyone has one but I have one.

http://www.aib.ie/servlet/Satellite?c=SC_Content&cid=1291806113056&pagename=SecurityCentre/sc_main&section=S003

Found it in the end and got the Bank Transfer started this morning. Thanks again to everyone for the tips so far.

the_syco

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

The Card Reader is an AIB contraption to allow you to make transactions online. Maybe not everyone has one but I have one.

Ah. Shiny. I think I have a card somewhere. Lets us know how you get on, along with pictures :P

MrJoeSoap

the_syco wrote: »

Ah. Shiny. I think I have a card somewhere. Lets us know how you get on, along with pictures :P

Will do, I'll probably have tonnes of stupid "which wire goes where?" questions as its been a while since I've looked inside a PC.

Right now I just have to wait for some confirmation that HWVS have received my payment.

the_syco

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Right now I just have to wait for some confirmation that HWVS have received my payment.

Quick payment (costs €40); next day.
Standard payment; 4 working days, so maybe Friday, most likely Monday.

MrJoeSoap

the_syco wrote: »

Quick payment (costs €40); next day.
Standard payment; 4 working days, so maybe Friday, most likely Monday.

Just got the e-mail now, they've received the payment and the order is in progress and has been invoiced. Didn't pay extra for the quick payment but it arrived next day.

MrJoeSoap

What are the best options for anti-static when handling the processor? Just trying to plan ahead because I know that once it arrive's I'll want to get straight into assembling it.

Tij da feen

Touch the computer case to discharge the static from your body. Hold the processor around the edges and don't touch the pins.

MrJoeSoap

From planning to receiving in just over a week. Good stuff!

A four-day turnaround from placing the order and making the bank transfer to receiving the goods is very impressive. Have to work tonight and tomorrow so not sure if I'll get to do much building before Sunday or Monday.

MrJoeSoap

So I've done the following...

• Disassembled the case
• Mounted the motherboard, processor and heatsink
• Added the two sticks of RAM
• Installed the PSU
• Added the Blu-Ray drive, Card Reader, SSD and HDD
• Connected all the relevant wiring for the front panel, drives, power, fans, etc...
• Switched it on and bingo, fans came on and we had lift off.
• Attached the monitor, again no issues at this point.
• Inserted Windows 7 disk
• Installed Windows 7 on the SSD drive
• System then restarted, and when it loaded up again I got the below error screen:

I've tried to run the repair but no joy so far. Anyone have any thoughts. Bit reluctant to go any further at this point, as I want my OS to be installed on the SSD and don't want to do further damage (so to speak, don't think there is any real "damage" done here) by continuing when I'm unsure. I'll continue to google solutions but if anyone knows of a way past/through this I'd be very grateful.

uncle_sam_ie

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

So I've done the following...

• Disassembled the case
• Mounted the motherboard, processor and heatsink
• Added the two sticks of RAM
• Installed the PSU
• Added the Blu-Ray drive, Card Reader, SSD and HDD
• Connected all the relevant wiring for the front panel, drives, power, fans, etc...
• Switched it on and bingo, fans came on and we had lift off.
• Attached the monitor, again no issues at this point.
• Inserted Windows 7 disk
• Installed Windows 7 on the SSD drive
• System then restarted, and when it loaded up again I got the below error screen:

I've tried to run the repair but no joy so far. Anyone have any thoughts. Bit reluctant to go any further at this point, as I want my OS to be installed on the SSD and don't want to do further damage (so to speak, don't think there is any real "damage" done here) by continuing when I'm unsure. I'll continue to google solutions but if anyone knows of a way past/through this I'd be very grateful.

This might help,


Enable AHCI SATA mode in the UEFI/BIOS. Use RAID mode if you are going to use a RAID array .
Check to see if ACPI 2.0 or newer is in the UEFI/BIOS and enable it if it is there, if not then don't worry about it.
Check and see if there is an update to the firmware of your SSD/HDD and update if necessary.
Disconnect all the drives but the one you are installing to. This is to prevent the installer from installing the Windows 7 boot partition on another drive in the system.
Use the native SATA 3Gb/s or SATA 6Gb/s ports, I advise that you do NOT use the Marvell or other 3rd party SATA ports for your SSD/HDD.

MrJoeSoap

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

This might help,


Enable AHCI SATA mode in the UEFI/BIOS. Use RAID mode if you are going to use a RAID array .
Check to see if ACPI 2.0 or newer is in the UEFI/BIOS and enable it if it is there, if not then don't worry about it.
Check and see if there is an update to the firmware of your SSD/HDD and update if necessary.
Disconnect all the drives but the one you are installing to. This is to prevent the installer from installing the Windows 7 boot partition on another drive in the system.
If you are using a SSD use the native SATA 3Gb/s or SATA 6Gb/s ports, I advise that you do NOT use the Marvell or other 3rd party SATA ports for your SSD/HDD.

I didn't understand 99% of that, sorry! I'm new to this whole PC building thing.

I understood the two lines in bold, but have no idea how I would update the firmware without getting to Windows, if that makes sense? I can disconnect the 2TB HDD and try again but I'm sure the same error will persist?