NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok, so I decided today to put together my very first built from scratch PC and I was hoping some of you kind people would have a look at the components I've picked and point out any stupid mistakes I've made.

I already have 2 SATA hard drives so they aren't included on the list, the same with 2 IDE DVD drives.

Motherboard:

Asrock PENRYN1600SLI-110DB 650i Sli Socket 775 Motherboard (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Motherboards/Socket+775+(Intel)/Asrock+PENRYN1600SLI-110DB+650i+Sli+Socket+775+Motherboard?productId=30791&rqcType=c#rqc)

CPU:

Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz (Retail 775) (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/CPUs+%2F+Processors/Intel/Core+2+Duo/Intel+Core+2+Duo+E7200+2.53GHz+(Retail+775)+?productId=31114)

Graphics Card:

nVidia GeForce 9800GT 512MB PCI-E (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/PCI-E/nVIDIA+GeForce+9+Series/nVidia+GeForce+9800GT+512MB+PCI-E+?productId=33061)

Case:

Arianet Gamer Dark Star 500w Case (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Cases/MIDI+Tower/Arianet+Gamer+Dark+Star+500w+Case+?productId=24546&page=3&rqcType=)

Memory:

2 x Arianet 2GB PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Memory/DDR2/DDR2+800+(PC6400)/Arianet+2GB+PC2-6400+DDR2+SDRAM+?productId=30174)

It's being built as a multi-purpose machine running Windows XP.

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Well, not that there are some big mistakes made here, but some comments.

Video card: 9800 is not the best card for its money. It's just the same old 8800, a bit cooler and that's it. See if you can find a 8800GT for less, or a 8800GTS-512.
Radeon 4850 or 4870 can be a good choice too.

CPU: E6750 costs about the same, and it's noticeably faster. Although consumes a good bit more power, keep that in mind.

Motherboard: As long as overclocking isn't planned, should do.

Memory: OK, good choice, cheap and should work fine without o/c.


You haven't mentioned three other important components, case, PSU, and CPU cooler. The last can be a stock cooler, but you can't just go with any "generic-case-PSU-included" with a 8800 or 9800 video card.
Anything you have in mind already? If not, should be at the same dealer, or not necessarily?

Ok, so I decided today to put together my very first built from scratch PC and I was hoping some of you kind people would have a look at the components I've picked and point out any stupid mistakes I've made.

I already have 2 SATA hard drives so they aren't included on the list, the same with 2 IDE DVD drives.

Motherboard:

Asrock PENRYN1600SLI-110DB 650i Sli Socket 775 Motherboard (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Motherboards/Socket+775+(Intel)/Asrock+PENRYN1600SLI-110DB+650i+Sli+Socket+775+Motherboard?productId=30791&rqcType=c#rqc)

CPU:

Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz (Retail 775) (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/CPUs+%2F+Processors/Intel/Core+2+Duo/Intel+Core+2+Duo+E7200+2.53GHz+(Retail+775)+?productId=31114)

Graphics Card:

nVidia GeForce 9800GT 512MB PCI-E (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/PCI-E/nVIDIA+GeForce+9+Series/nVidia+GeForce+9800GT+512MB+PCI-E+?productId=33061)

Case:

Arianet Gamer Dark Star 500w Case (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Cases/MIDI+Tower/Arianet+Gamer+Dark+Star+500w+Case+?productId=24546&page=3&rqcType=)

Memory:

2 x Arianet 2GB PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Memory/DDR2/DDR2+800+(PC6400)/Arianet+2GB+PC2-6400+DDR2+SDRAM+?productId=30174)

It's being built as a multi-purpose machine running Windows XP.

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Looks like a fairly solid build ... If I were doing it and trying to keep the price about the same I would lean twords this board

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Motherboards/Socket+775+(Intel)/ASUS+P5N-E+SLi+NF650i+Socket+775+Motherboard+?productId=26686

I am more a fan of the line with a good personal history for both reliability performance and in the rare case of a problem support.

The ram I would probably lead twords http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Memory/DDR2/DDR2+800+(PC6400)/Corsair+4GB+PC2-6400+C5+XMS2+(2x2GB)+?productId=27910

(2 2 gig sticks so should be the same) also good experience with the line

For longevity if I had the money I would probably get a case without a power supply and get a more high end one ... the integrated power supplies may be fine for some junker you are going to use as a backup system but I would shoot for something Thermaltake or Enermax and look for something with active PFC if possible

Better life and stability out of the machine if you do

Also while I think you will be able to get by with 500 watt I would shoot more in the 600+ watt range if I were you with two opticals and two HDDS

Thats my recommendation ... but even if you go as planned I think it will do alright ... just think you can get a bit more out of it

Well, not that there are some big mistakes made here, but some comments.

Video card: 9800 is not the best card for its money. It's just the same old 8800, a bit cooler and that's it. See if you can find a 8800GT for less, or a 8800GTS-512.
Radeon 4850 or 4870 can be a good choice too.

CPU: E6750 costs about the same, and it's noticeably faster. Although consumes a good bit more power, keep that in mind.

Motherboard: As long as overclocking isn't planned, should do.

Memory: OK, good choice, cheap and should work fine without o/c.


You haven't mentioned three other important components, case, PSU, and CPU cooler. The last can be a stock cooler, but you can't just go with any "generic-case-PSU-included" with a 8800 or 9800 video card.
Anything you have in mind already? If not, should be at the same dealer, or not necessarily?

The case I'm looking at is in the OP. It has a generic 500W PSU but that won't stay in for long, I'll be replacing it with something a lot more snazzy next month, it's a case of how much money I have at the minute.

I like to use this dealer mainly because they're in my city so I can buy direct from them rather than having it posted. I'm also happy with Micro Direct for the same reason.

Also while I think you will be able to get by with 500 watt I would shoot more in the 600+ watt range if I were you with two opticals and two HDDS
These don't really matter, each only needs about 10 watts.

Brand is more critical with PSU than anywhere else. While this system should consume 180-250 watts at load, and work fine with a good 300W PSU, like Seasonic, a "generic"... generic whatever, their claimed wattages have nothing to do with reality.

If you want a really good, quiet PSU, look for Seasonic, can't go wrong with them, just stay away from M series (they have a noisy 40 or 60mm additional fan). A bit lower, PCPC, Antec, Enermax, Thermaltake Toughpower, Coolermaster all good. But stay away from Hiper and Thermaltake TR2. And if you don't know a brand, assume it's not good, price irrelevant.

As for cases, Antec is the best, probably P150 will be best for you, P180 or P182 if you want more space. Quiet, well cooled, solid. P182 isn't cheap, but it's as good a case as you can get.
If Antec is too expensive for you, at least make sure the case is made of steel (an exception is some heavier Lian Li), and steer towards heavier ones, of thicker steel, unless you carry the computer around a lot. Heavier means stiffer and quieter.

Looks like a fairly solid build ... If I were doing it and trying to keep the price about the same I would lean twords this board

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Motherboards/Socket+775+(Intel)/ASUS+P5N-E+SLi+NF650i+Socket+775+Motherboard+?productId=26686

I am more a fan of the line with a good personal history for both reliability performance and in the rare case of a problem support.

The ram I would probably lead twords http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Memory/DDR2/DDR2+800+(PC6400)/Corsair+4GB+PC2-6400+C5+XMS2+(2x2GB)+?productId=27910

(2 2 gig sticks so should be the same) also good experience with the line

For longevity if I had the money I would probably get a case without a power supply and get a more high end one ... the integrated power supplies may be fine for some junker you are going to use as a backup system but I would shoot for something Thermaltake or Enermax and look for something with active PFC if possible

Better life and stability out of the machine if you do

Also while I think you will be able to get by with 500 watt I would shoot more in the 600+ watt range if I were you with two opticals and two HDDS

Thats my recommendation ... but even if you go as planned I think it will do alright ... just think you can get a bit more out of it

I'll take the advice re: the RAM and the motherboard.

The PSU is a concern for me but I can't afford a better one this month and I need a working system tomorrow. I'll be upgrading it next month. I'll probably just leave it running 1 HDD and 1 optical drive until then.

The PSU is a concern for me but I can't afford a better one this month and I need a working system tomorrow. I'll be upgrading it next month. I'll probably just leave it running 1 HDD and 1 optical drive until then.
Don't bother, HDD and drives consume next to nothing. And your system doesn't need 500 watts anyway; 350 real the cheap case-PSU should provide. It's just that poor quality PSU provide high ripple level and unstable voltages, shortening equipment service life and contributing to system crashes. Plus, when something bad happens, it happens to the entire system.

Ok, so I decided today to put together my very first built from scratch PC and I was hoping some of you kind people would have a look at the components I've picked and point out any stupid mistakes I've made.

I already have 2 SATA hard drives so they aren't included on the list, the same with 2 IDE DVD drives.

Motherboard:

Asrock PENRYN1600SLI-110DB 650i Sli Socket 775 Motherboard (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Motherboards/Socket+775+(Intel)/Asrock+PENRYN1600SLI-110DB+650i+Sli+Socket+775+Motherboard?productId=30791&rqcType=c#rqc)

CPU:

Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz (Retail 775) (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/CPUs+%2F+Processors/Intel/Core+2+Duo/Intel+Core+2+Duo+E7200+2.53GHz+(Retail+775)+?productId=31114)

Graphics Card:

nVidia GeForce 9800GT 512MB PCI-E (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/PCI-E/nVIDIA+GeForce+9+Series/nVidia+GeForce+9800GT+512MB+PCI-E+?productId=33061)

Case:

Arianet Gamer Dark Star 500w Case (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Cases/MIDI+Tower/Arianet+Gamer+Dark+Star+500w+Case+?productId=24546&page=3&rqcType=)

Memory:

2 x Arianet 2GB PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Memory/DDR2/DDR2+800+(PC6400)/Arianet+2GB+PC2-6400+DDR2+SDRAM+?productId=30174)

It's being built as a multi-purpose machine running Windows XP.

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'd pick a better brand mobo, as I've not heard great things about Asrock. I'd probably recommend Asus (what I had on my old computer) or DFI (what I currently have in my latest build).

Also, I see that the case comes with a psu. For higher end systems, you'll want a higher end psu. Psu's that are packaged as part of the case are usually of lower quality (honestly, how good can a psu be that costs £15 including VAT at mplex.com?). Lower quality psu's are system killers when they crap out. I currently have a PC Power & Cooling 750w Silencer psu in my system, and it's great. Before that I had a PC Power & Cooling 510w Turbo SLI psu, and the only complaint I had was it was noisy. My roommate had an Antec 480w psu in his old system, and now has a PC Power and Cooling 610w Silencer. OTOH, one of my other friends neglected to follow my advice on a quality psu. The first psu that crapped out on him killed his hard drive. The second one killed his cpu and mobo.

....As for cases, Antec is the best, probably P150 will be best for you, P180 or P182 if you want more space. Quiet, well cooled, solid. P182 isn't cheap, but it's as good a case as you can get....

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that. My roommates old Antec case wasn't superior to my PC-60 (his Super Lanboy seemed flimsy in comparison) . I even convinced my roommate to buy a Lian Li for his latest build, and he seems to like it more than the Antec.

These don't really matter, each only needs about 10 watts.

Brand is more critical with PSU than anywhere else. While this system should consume 180-250 watts at load, and work fine with a good 300W PSU, like Seasonic, a "generic"... generic whatever, their claimed wattages have nothing to do with reality.

If you want a really good, quiet PSU, look for Seasonic, can't go wrong with them, just stay away from M series (they have a noisy 40 or 60mm additional fan). A bit lower, PCPC, Antec, Enermax, Thermaltake Toughpower, Coolermaster all good. But stay away from Hiper and Thermaltake TR2. And if you don't know a brand, assume it's not good, price irrelevant.

As for cases, Antec is the best, probably P150 will be best for you, P180 or P182 if you want more space. Quiet, well cooled, solid. P182 isn't cheap, but it's as good a case as you can get.
If Antec is too expensive for you, at least make sure the case is made of steel (an exception is some heavier Lian Li), and steer towards heavier ones, of thicker steel, unless you carry the computer around a lot. Heavier means stiffer and quieter.

Seasonic are alright I would agree with the TR2

AS for wattage of optical they are closer to 20 then 10 for most brands for optical and range widely depending on RPM for the HDDS. Taking the average for 7200 RPM the most likely it is between 13 and 22 watts on average

That IS an extra 66 to 84 watts for two optical and two HDDS

He should still be able to do it (running the calculations I think he could reasonably eek by with a 450 without much buffer) I still would shoot for a 600 watter for future expansion needs ...

I'll take the advice re: the RAM and the motherboard.

The PSU is a concern for me but I can't afford a better one this month and I need a working system tomorrow. I'll be upgrading it next month. I'll probably just leave it running 1 HDD and 1 optical drive until then.

I dont think you have to cut anything out I think 500 will be sufficient for a bit I would just put it on your list for future consideration

I've never had a problem with my PSU. It's a generic 350W that also provides power for the monitor. It's 5-years-old now, and it's never fucked up any of my components.

Snip
As for cases, Antec is the best, probably P150 will be best for you, P180 or P182 if you want more space. Quiet, well cooled, solid. P182 isn't cheap, but it's as good a case as you can get.
If Antec is too expensive for you, at least make sure the case is made of steel (an exception is some heavier Lian Li), and steer towards heavier ones, of thicker steel, unless you carry the computer around a lot. Heavier means stiffer and quieter.

For the mid tower range thermaltake, Antec or Lain Li all offer some pretty good choices.

Personally in the larger case catagories I again go thermaltake ... Its hard to find a good case that fits a Full ATX board + 5 HDDS and 2 - 3 opticals

But its rare to need that sort of space for most people

I just put that 9600 Geforce video card in a computer at home so the kids could play spore. Seems to work great. I am assuming the 9800 is a bit better and probably works for everything.

I've never had a problem with my PSU. It's a generic 350W that also provides power for the monitor. It's 5-years-old now, and it's never fucked up any of my components.
Depends on how clean the power is in the area you live in and to some extent luck

In some of my personal secondary ones I have run generic PSU's without incident for years myself

But the newer the hardware and the the more high end parts are even touchier to failure from noise and fluctuations.

In the end it pays well to buy a good PSU

Don't bother, HDD and drives consume next to nothing. And your system doesn't need 500 watts anyway; 350 real the cheap case-PSU should provide. It's just that poor quality PSU provide high ripple level and unstable voltages, shortening equipment service life and contributing to system crashes. Plus, when something bad happens, it happens to the entire system.

That video card he has is going to need a good power source. Something he needs to keep an eye on.

I'd pick a better brand mobo, as I've not heard great things about Asrock. I'd probably recommend Asus (what I had on my old computer) or DFI (what I currently have in my latest build).
Asrock is just the low-end brand of Asus.
DFI is for overclocking, he clearly doesn't need it.


I'm going to have to disagree with you on that. My roommates old Antec case wasn't superior to my PC-60 (his Super Lanboy seemed flimsy in comparison) . I even convinced my roommate to buy a Lian Li for his latest build, and he seems to like it more than the Antec.
Well, yes, a heavy Lian Li is certainly stiffer than the lightest of Antecs, designed specifically for portability - "Lanboy" refers to LAN parties where people bring their PCs.

Otherwise, Lian Li are good cases, but overpriced, as their designs are less optimized than Antecs. As for silence, the top-end Lian Li models are almost as quiet as P180, but it comes at the cost of restrained airflow, and as such limited cooling.

That video card he has is going to need a good power source. Something he needs to keep an eye on.

Something I'm curious about, the site I'm buying these components from doesn't give the power requirments for them, how do you know how much you'll need?

For the mid tower range thermaltake, Antec or Lain Li all offer some pretty good choices.

Personally in the larger case catagories I again go thermaltake ... Its hard to find a good case that fits a Full ATX board + 5 HDDS and 2 - 3 opticals
Well, P190 fits EATX and even more drives. But if drives are the purpose, go for Coolermaster Stacker, unbeatable there.


That IS an extra 66 to 84 watts for two optical and two HDDS
He should still be able to do it (running the calculations I think he could reasonably eek by with a 450 without much buffer) I still would shoot for a 600 watter for future expansion needs ...
66-80 watts only at spinup with a good reserve. Computers don't simultaneously spin up their HDD and opticals, while running CPU and video at their limit, all at the same time. Average consumption is more moderate. "450 watts" is advice for a generic CPU, which overstate their output by 50% or so; really a good 300W is well enough.

There's a good, and, importantly, verified calculator here:

http://web.aanet.com.au/SnooP/psucalc.php

I suggest to bookmark it, comes in handy often, it's regularly updated, and it's much better than what you usually find, as all data there is taken from measurements, not manufacturer manuals.
According to its figures, the computer should consume about 150 watts DC (200 AC), and needs a decent brand 250-300W PSU, but not a generic one.


That video card he has is going to need a good power source. Something he needs to keep an eye on.
Well, they've lowered the consumption for 9800gt (the only difference from 8800gt, really). It takes 65-70 watts peak. Still, a decent PSU is in order, just that too much power is unnecessary. 400-500W will be a good reserve already.

Heeheeheee

Buy a Mac!

Beat the trolls! yes!

I have an older PC that I am upgrading. I will need a new power supply to replace the stock unit eventually, so this info is useful to me.

My friend built a computer with an antec case and asus board and he is quite satisfied. He is getting a new processor soon (AMD), and I think he is running 4G ram. He hot most of his components online from newegg and other such sites. I think the case was a black friday sale special deal.

Something I'm curious about, the site I'm buying these components from doesn't give the power requirments for them, how do you know how much you'll need?

You could probably look them up on the net however I can tell you from the Geforce 9600 GT box you need: 425W PCI Express-compliant system power supply with a combined 12V current rating of 28A or more

You need a minimum 500w power source. Also check the amps too. They are not all the same.

I've never had a problem with my PSU. It's a generic 350W that also provides power for the monitor. It's 5-years-old now, and it's never fucked up any of my components.

Then you are lucky. Go buy a lottery ticket, and share your winnings with NSG. :)

Asrock is just the low-end brand of Asus.
DFI is for overclocking, he clearly doesn't need it.



Well, yes, a heavy Lian Li is certainly stiffer than the lightest of Antecs, designed specifically for portability - "Lanboy" refers to LAN parties where people bring their PCs.

Otherwise, Lian Li are good cases, but overpriced, as their designs are less optimized than Antecs. As for silence, the top-end Lian Li models are almost as quiet as P180, but it comes at the cost of restrained airflow, and as such limited cooling.

I knew people that had Asrock mobos, and they all had problems with them.

I also know why the Super Lanboy was called what it was. I have heard of lan parties, after all. I would have no problem bringing my Lian Li to a lan party.

And a Lian Li PC-60 (which I had my previous system in) and a PC-7B+ (what I have my current system in) is not heavy. Empty, my PC-7B+ tips the scales at just over 12 pounds. None of Antec's current offerings of ATX cases is able to beat it. As to noise, my current system (DFI mobo, Q6600 with stock cooling for now, 8800GTX OC, PC Power & Cooling 750w psu) is very quiet, and cooling is not a problem. I'm not sure what you mean by "less optimized", though.

I knew people that had Asrock mobos, and they all had problems with them.
Depends on the use. Asrocks are fairly popular in corporate orders, where they work fine. Not the best choice for a good home system, though, they don't like anything non-standard, let alone performance use. But Asus ones are much more expensive.

Could go with MSI or Gigabyte, the latter stopped sucking lately.
Best if it's got P35 or newer chipset.

Empty, my PC-7B+ tips the scales at just over 12 pounds.
Antec Lanboy, 8 pounds. It was designed for minimum weight, not for stiffness. It's not representative of Antec as a whole, or the P series cases.


As for optimization, top of the line Lian Li cases (80, 767, X-2000, X-500) tend to be good, but have unnecessary design decisions, and end up overpriced. As for sound and cooling, while none is as quiet as P-150 or P-180 (this has been tested by silentpcreview.com members), the quieter ones have pretty restricted airflow, not as good as it could be. That is of a concern for high-performance systems.

I'm going to do the standard response to this question:
Gigabyte P45-DS3L
E8400
9600GT
2-4 GB genericish ram
Coolermaster CM690

Future proof, reliable and fast!
If you want a better graphics card go for a HD4850

Your missing all the Apple parts.

Your missing all the Apple parts.

some people don't like supporting a crappy company that hasn't made a good product since 1992.

edit: Regardless of what their marketing campaigns will say

Your missing all the Apple parts.

As much a PC fan as I am, I do intend to buy a Mac Mini at some point. Granted, it'll be going into my truck for use as a media center and navigation system, but I will eventually own a Mac.

Hoping for some help here.

I bought basically the parts I listed in the OP with the exception of going for the Asus board recommended by UpwardThrust and built the thing.

Everything was going great until Sunday, shiney graphics and very fast processing. I finally understood why Vista was a step up from XP. Then no output from the graphics card.

I've taken it apart and checked all the connections and nothing has come loose so I check the power coming through the molex connectors and the lines going into the graphics card had no power. I turned off the power and pulled all the power connectors, turned it on again and the molex connectors have power again but then whenever I plug the graphics card back in the power drops again.

The rest of the system is getting power so I'm pretty sure the PSU isn't tripping out.

Simplicity is the key. The Commodore 64 might be the right machine for you.

Hoping for some help here.

I bought basically the parts I listed in the OP with the exception of going for the Asus board recommended by UpwardThrust and built the thing.

Everything was going great until Sunday, shiney graphics and very fast processing. I finally understood why Vista was a step up from XP. Then no output from the graphics card.

I've taken it apart and checked all the connections and nothing has come loose so I check the power coming through the molex connectors and the lines going into the graphics card had no power. I turned off the power and pulled all the power connectors, turned it on again and the molex connectors have power again but then whenever I plug the graphics card back in the power drops again.

The rest of the system is getting power so I'm pretty sure the PSU isn't tripping out.

Maybe the +12v rails don't have enough amps for the system, and the video card is the straw that broke the camel's back. Just because the LED lights up on the motherboard doesn't mean that the psu is good (a friend's psu took a dirt nap, but still passed enough voltage to light up the mobo's LED).

Simplicity is the key. The Commodore 64 might be the right machine for you.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

I used to own a C64 with a modem and disk drive (bought it used around the time the 386 was out). There were times I loved it, but there were other times I hated it (I had a lot of disk drive problems).

As much a PC fan as I am, I do intend to buy a Mac Mini at some point. Granted, it'll be going into my truck for use as a media center and navigation system, but I will eventually own a Mac.

i'm thinking of getting something like http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-013-OK for a home media centre... looked at building myself but neat HTPC cases look bloody fiddly (e.g. http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/products/a1004x1y0z1p0s0n0m240)

thinking of running ubuntu and MythTV with a TV tuner card and some extra networked storage. anybody had experience with MythTV or got a HTPC themselves? (not starting a new thread just for that little question)


though i quite fancy a macbook air... and an Eee PC. if i were made of money, i'd be fine! :$

I've taken it apart and checked all the connections and nothing has come loose so I check the power coming through the molex connectors and the lines going into the graphics card had no power. I turned off the power and pulled all the power connectors, turned it on again and the molex connectors have power again but then whenever I plug the graphics card back in the power drops again.
The rest of the system is getting power so I'm pretty sure the PSU isn't tripping out.
First, check that the rest of the system is really getting power. Try booting it up without the video card (take it out of the mobo altogether). Press F1 a few times during early startup, especially if it stops. Later press "enter" if it stops. Listen for the familiar noises of bootup - mostly HDD. Opening the case should help.
And if the motherboard makes any sounds with its beeper, tell here.

It doesn't look much like the video card is overloading the PSU, that doesn't happen in an instant. At bootup, the video card consumes nearly minimum power. Hope you weren't plugging it in live?

Worst-case, it looks like a dead video card, but I hope not, it's not all that common. Good-case, just the PSU. Very best case, some wiring contacts have gone bad.

Maybe the +12v rails don't have enough amps for the system, and the video card is the straw that broke the camel's back. Just because the LED lights up on the motherboard doesn't mean that the psu is good (a friend's psu took a dirt nap, but still passed enough voltage to light up the mobo's LED).This. Been there done that. First the screen started to become covered in artifacts...then it showed nothing. I bought a new graphics card, figuring mine had died. No action.

By trial and error and reading tech forums, I found it was actually the psu. Being dinged with a 15- or 20% restocking fee on the ($390 at the time, probably much cheaper now) graphics card ensured that whenever I have "graphics" problems, I will now always check the PSU *first!*

just get a mac.

it actually works. Finally my windows nightmare is gone.

You will probably need a keyboard as well.

Maybe the +12v rails don't have enough amps for the system, and the video card is the straw that broke the camel's back. Just because the LED lights up on the motherboard doesn't mean that the psu is good (a friend's psu took a dirt nap, but still passed enough voltage to light up the mobo's LED).

The 12volt rails will carry 28 amps but the info with the card says it only requires 26 amps max.

The rest of the system is powering up, HDD making noise, optical drives able to be opened, the fans all spinning.

First, check that the rest of the system is really getting power. Try booting it up without the video card (take it out of the mobo altogether). Press F1 a few times during early startup, especially if it stops. Later press "enter" if it stops. Listen for the familiar noises of bootup - mostly HDD. Opening the case should help.
And if the motherboard makes any sounds with its beeper, tell here.

I've tried that and the system is getting power to every other part. There is power going through the cabling, it's just that whenever the graphics card is plugged in the power just down the molex cables disappears.

It doesn't look much like the video card is overloading the PSU, that doesn't happen in an instant. At bootup, the video card consumes nearly minimum power. Hope you weren't plugging it in live?

No I'm not. I might be building my first PC but I'm not that much of a n00b. :tongue:

Worst-case, it looks like a dead video card, but I hope not, it's not all that common. Good-case, just the PSU. Very best case, some wiring contacts have gone bad.

I think it is the graphics card, I'm just hoping someone might have another idea before I take it back to the shop and make a tit out of myself.

You will probably need a keyboard as well.

Nah, keyboards are for losers.

I just send information to the southbridge by force of will alone.

I've tried that and the system is getting power to every other part. There is power going through the cabling, it's just that whenever the graphics card is plugged in the power just down the molex cables disappears.
Looks like there's a short in the card's power system.


I think it is the graphics card, I'm just hoping someone might have another idea before I take it back to the shop and make a tit out of myself.
Try this: unplug everything else, and connect a molex to just the graphic card (not in the mobo).

If that shuts down the PSU too, then it's definitely the card.

it actually works. Finally my windows nightmare is gone.

Why? when I need tools not available to windows I have a whole plethora of not windows operating systems that come for free

The upgrades come for free

And can run on cheaper and easier to replace hardware (or more expensive and better performing if I choose so)

Looks like there's a short in the card's power system.



Try this: unplug everything else, and connect a molex to just the graphic card (not in the mobo).

If that shuts down the PSU too, then it's definitely the card.

That's the thing, the PSU as a whole keeps going, it's justs the lines going to the graphics card that drop.

Nah, keyboards are for losers.

I just send information to the southbridge by force of will alone.

* My God it works *

That's the thing, the PSU as a whole keeps going, it's justs the lines going to the graphics card that drop.
Well, PSU normally shut down entirely in case of overload or a short. However, it's possible that this PSU shuts down specific lines.

If you've got a multimeter, you can check the resistance between card's power terminals, between those where black cables connect and those where yellow cables connect. Although that's really the repairman's job. This clearly looks like a video card problem.

PSU is still suspicious, but an overload problem ought have revealed itself immediately. House brands tend to be not of high quality, but hopefully not outright crap. At least at $70 and claimed 500w, it's not the $20 nameless "300W". Not to mention this video card by PCI-E 2.0 specifications should be able to work without additional power anyway.
[ However, I strongly recommend to always plug in extra power if possible - you don't want extra currents run through the mobo, it heats up the board and increases the risk of damage. ]

Well, PSU normally shut down entirely in case of overload or a short. However, it's possible that this PSU shuts down specific lines.

If you've got a multimeter, you can check the resistance between card's power terminals, between those where black cables connect and those where yellow cables connect. Although that's really the repairman's job. This clearly looks like a video card problem.

PSU is still suspicious, but an overload problem ought have revealed itself immediately. House brands tend to be not of high quality, but hopefully not outright crap. At least at $70 and claimed 500w, it's not the $20 nameless "300W". Not to mention this video card by PCI-E 2.0 specifications should be able to work without additional power anyway.
[ However, I strongly recommend to always plug in extra power if possible - you don't want extra currents run through the mobo, it heats up the board and increases the risk of damage. ]

I have a multimeter.

The reason I decided to build a new PC was because I currently doing a course to become first a PC tech and then eventually an MCSE.

What should I be looking for in terms of resistance across the power terminals?

I'm not entirely sure what is appropriate, TBH - don't keep in touch with the power systems, and different companies may install different schemes.

But generally if you see anything less than 100 milliohm, or if black-black is the same order of magnitude as black-yellow, it's perhaps a sign of trouble. Really though might be not, some electronic (PWM) power systems might look like shorts. But at least if it's above 500-800 milliohms, it's probably not the video card.


Note: Best to first make sure the multimeter gives low voltage and current. Generally most are safe, but I've seen toys with 9 volts.

My advice if your not over cloaking(and/or pirating all the software) building PCs from scratch is a waste of money. However over cloaking with out experience is dangerous. My advice make your first PC build a mid grade system over clock and play around with it. If you dont destroy it pushing its limits you can use it as a linux platform/or an old windows dos platform if you can find the soft ware and run those games like EGA trek that wont work on the high end programs readily.

My advice if your not over cloaking(and/or pirating all the software) building PCs from scratch is a waste of money. However over cloaking with out experience is dangerous. My advice make your first PC build a mid grade system over clock and play around with it. If you dont destroy it pushing its limits you can use it as a

It depends on the over clock ... sometimes the term means everything from adjusting the multiplier to actual voltage changes and can range from something that is really run of the mill to something that should only be done.

And how do you figure building a PC is a waste of money?


linux platform/or an old windows dos platform
Windows DOS?

It depends on the over clock ... sometimes the term means everything from adjusting the multiplier to actual voltage changes and can range from something that is really run of the mill to something that should only be done.

And how do you figure building a PC is a waste of money?


Windows DOS?
I am talking hard core over clock.

just seems the bundled soft ware makes them about the same price for simlar performance. either that or i am just getting old and lazy.

meant to put a common there. old version windows, dos.

I am talking hard core over clock.
It tends to cost more (if counting your labor) than you gain from it.

The only reasonable overclocking today is pushing Core 2 Duo and Quad CPU, but it requires a massive cooler, good powerful PSU, expensive mobo, and tough ears unless you've got Antec P190 and best fans. And all of that will likely only work for a year or two, not three or five.


just seems the bundled soft ware makes them about the same price for simlar performance. either that or i am just getting old and lazy.
Well, compared to buying all bundled software in shiny retail boxes, yes.
Otherwise... You can just install your old XP Home and reactivate it on the new computer. That's with puritanical morals, otherwise - you stop selling the product, it's abandonware; yet it's still better than Vista.
And the rest of bundled software is easily replaced by freeware or near-free (low cost, few free use limitations) shareware programs, which are also usually better.

The end product is also not the same. If I assemble my own computer, I'll make sure the motherboard is the rock-solid Tyan or Supermicro, the case is Antec P-series, the PSU a Seasonic, the HDDs are reliable and quiet latest models from Samsung or WD (for SATA), the optical drive is top Pioneer or NEC model. Then there's cooling, so the CPU is a good cool model with high speed reserve, the CPU cooler is a Scythe or a Big Typhoon, thermal grease is Arctic Silver or better, all other fans are quiet and powerful, usually Nexus, all HDD get proper cooling, and overall airflow creates underpressure in the case. Finally, I assemble it carefully and with attention to detail, apply the grease properly, put all cables behind the tray.

In other words, when I build my computer, I make sure every single component is the very best of its type, from motherboard to assembly.
However, if you're simply buying a 'high-end' brand name PC, don't hope that even half the components will be high-end. It's not profitable for the builder, they buy from the lowest bidder out of their partners, as long as the specs suit them. Probably with the exception of Macs (modern Macs are PC inside), which are properly overpriced for that.