When using this resource, please read FragKrag's opening post. The Tech Support forum regulars have helped create countless of desktop systems without any compensation. The least you can do is provide all of the information required for them to help you properly.

scarymeerkat

Canada107 Posts

June 15 2011 23:39 GMT

#6861

Parts bought, going to set up tomorrow. Any tips needed for setup? Besides following that video and not working on carpet etc. Is that all I need?

PS excited

thanks guys!

JingleHell

United States11308 Posts

June 15 2011 23:40 GMT

#6862

Should do the trick. Just have your tools ready in advance. Don't hand tighten screws on your CPU cooler mount (coughTadHcough). Keep your beverage on a different surface, and lock up any housepets you happen to have, including toddlers.

scarymeerkat

Canada107 Posts

June 15 2011 23:50 GMT

#6863

Also PSU without wall cord. Those are pretty standard though right? Each cord is the same correct?

skyR

Canada13817 Posts

June 15 2011 23:53 GMT

#6864

Yes, those are standard. Just use your old one.

scarymeerkat

Canada107 Posts

June 16 2011 00:06 GMT

#6865

I got an H61, and the RAM I got said something along the lines of made for H67 and P67. That doesn't mean anything right? Like if it's DDR3, it should just be standard for any mobo right?

JingleHell

United States11308 Posts

June 16 2011 00:06 GMT

#6866

On June 16 2011 09:06 scarymeerkat wrote:
I got an H61, and the RAM I got said something along the lines of made for H67 and P67. That doesn't mean anything right? Like if it's DDR3, it should just be standard for any mobo right?

It's fine.

skyR

Canada13817 Posts

June 16 2011 00:07 GMT

#6867

Yes. "Made for / Designed for" is just a marketing gimmick.

Habel

United States123 Posts

June 16 2011 00:35 GMT

#6868

@skyR, I chose the 560 as he seemed like someone who liked to game. It is better than the 6770 you suggested, and will last him much longer. It also stays in his budget, and even though it may be absurd for what he needs now, in a few months he may see a new game that catches his eye, and chances are, the 560Ti will have a better chance of running it than a 6770. And about the PSU, in the post following Frag's, I explained why I made such a bad choice.

Uhh Negative

United States1090 Posts

June 16 2011 01:14 GMT

#6869

Alright guys: Just did my first test boot! My build is outside the case still, I just hooked everything up and shorted the power pins on the mobo to turn it on. It booted fine except I got no video except when I used DVI on the mobo as opposed to the DVI on the video card. The fans on the video card are spinning so it has power, so I don't know why it's not working.

I have the 8-pin power plugged into the video card and that's it besides the DVI. That's all I need right?

mrmin123

Korea (South)2971 Posts

June 16 2011 01:14 GMT

#6870

Thanks habel, fragkrag, skyr, for getting me started.

SkyR, I like that passively cooled gpu but yea it probably wouldn't fit in a smaller case (the Lian-Li you linked is a bit too massive for my tastes atm). Also for the GPU itself, is there something in between what Habel recommended and what you recommended in terms of performance? That might be a safe bet for me.

Also, any thoughts on small cases like these?:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108191
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112221
Nonviable for any type of gaming?

skyR

Canada13817 Posts

June 16 2011 01:20 GMT

#6871

Lian Li is regarded as one of the top case manufacturers in terms of quality so basically any case from them is a decent choice. Something between the Radeon HD5770 and GTX 560 Ti would be a Radeon HD6850: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127576 The Cyclone is well regarded for its cooling performance and noise levels.

There's also a passively cooled variant from Power Color for $200: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131442 It looks like it may fit in the Lian Li.

Uhh Negative

United States1090 Posts

June 16 2011 01:20 GMT

#6872

Lol nevermind I forgot that it needed 2 PCI-E cables. It works now. Now I've just got to put it in the case.

Habel

United States123 Posts

June 16 2011 01:27 GMT

#6873

Well, the first one comes with a 300W PSU, so unless you just want to waste more money on the case with the PSU to throw it out, than don't buy that one. The second one only has 2 3.5" bays for HDD, so unless you fancy mounting a hard drive outside of your case, than no, that won't fit your needs.

In regards to the GPU, you can get a 6870, which is a bit less powerful than the 560 (http://www.hwcompare.com/8890/geforce-gtx-560-ti-vs-radeon-hd-6870/), and has less OC head room, but you do save about 50$. http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709 600083901 600083829&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon HD 6870

JingleHell

United States11308 Posts

June 16 2011 01:29 GMT

#6874

On June 16 2011 10:20 Uhh Negative wrote:
Lol nevermind I forgot that it needed 2 PCI-E cables. It works now. Now I've just got to put it in the case.

Don't forget standoffs.

Uhh Negative

United States1090 Posts

June 16 2011 01:31 GMT

#6875

On June 16 2011 10:29 JingleHell wrote:

Show nested quote +

Don't forget standoffs.

Yeah I've got all those in place. There's only 6 for me. There is a 7th hole in the mobo for one but my case doesn't have the spot for it.

HuggyBear

Australia377 Posts

June 16 2011 01:58 GMT

#6876

On June 16 2011 10:29 JingleHell wrote:

Show nested quote +

Don't forget standoffs.

I remember the old P4 days when standoffs didnt come with everything. My teacher would just poke holes in two sheets of newspaper and use that to prevent the mobo from grounding

JingleHell

United States11308 Posts

June 16 2011 02:00 GMT

#6877

On June 16 2011 10:58 HuggyBear wrote:

Show nested quote +

I remember the old P4 days when standoffs didnt come with everything. My teacher would just poke holes in two sheets of newspaper and use that to prevent the mobo from grounding

I remember the time me and my IT wife were building a PC at 3 AM without caffeine and we both managed to forget standoffs needed to be in there somewhere.

Rather embarrassing, since I think we've both lost count of the number of times we've assembled/upgraded/replaced components.

Another time I was replacing a CPU for a friend drunk, and replaced the CPU cooler without actually swapping CPUs.

XenOmega

Canada2822 Posts

June 16 2011 03:31 GMT

#6878

What is the best way to apply thermal paste? I think I heard one grain of rice in the center of the CPU and then spread it with the finger. Is that correct?

JingleHell

United States11308 Posts

June 16 2011 03:32 GMT

#6879

On June 16 2011 12:31 XenOmega wrote:
What is the best way to apply thermal paste? I think I heard one grain of rice in the center of the CPU and then spread it with the finger. Is that correct?

Spread it by putting the cooler on the CPU and tightening it down evenly across like lug nuts on a car tire.

skyR

Canada13817 Posts

June 16 2011 03:33 GMT

#6880

On June 16 2011 12:31 XenOmega wrote:
What is the best way to apply thermal paste? I think I heard one grain of rice in the center of the CPU and then spread it with the finger. Is that correct?

Depends on the heatsink but generally you want to apply the thermal paste and let the heatsink pressure spread the paste. You don't want to spread it, especially not with your finger..

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=170&Itemid=1