Help with my computer build

[Franko515]

I have grown frustrated with Dell, it seems every time I speak with a different person I get a different response (even though the notes clearly indicate what happened on the last call) :mad:

So I'm building my own :D

Here is the proposed set-up

CPU - Intel i7 920 - $280

Motherboard - Asus P6T deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX - $290

RAM - Corsair XMS3 12GB (6x2GB) DDR3 SDRAM 1333 (PC3 10600) - $215

Hard Drive - 2x WD Caviar Black 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s - $70 each

Power Supply - Corsair CMPSU 750TX (unsure)? - $110

Video Card - EVGA Geforce 9600GT 1GB 256bit GDDR3 PCI Express (unsure)? - $155

Optical Drive - 2x Samsung 22xDVD+-R Burner w/Lightscribe - $25 each

Panel - Dell S2209WA - $230ish

Case - undecided

Sound Card - undecided

Keyboard & Mouse - undecided

Cooling - havent got a clue as what to look for

Total (so far) = $1470

I think I covered all the parts :confused:

This is my 1st build so any help is welcome ;)

Im unsure if some of the parts I can save a few bucks on (ie. video card, power supply etc.)

I thank you in advance for your replies :D

[Zepher]

this video card is better and cheaper, GTS 250 (basically a 9800GTX+ with a new name)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130468

I'd go with the WD 640GB Black. It is currently out of stock at Newegg, but they get new stock in daily.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

[In2Photos]

this video card is better and cheaper, GTS 250 (basically a 9800GTX+ with a new name)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130468

I'd go with the WD 640GB Black. It is currently out of stock at Newegg, but they get new stock in daily.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319
I concur, especially about the HD. The 640 is one of the best rated HD out there, especially for the money!

As for the PSU go with the 650TX instead of the 750TX. The 650 is made be Seasonic and is more than enough for the machine you are building. If you want a really clean look to the case check out the modular PSUs from Corasir as well.

Case - I love my RC 590 from Cooler Master. Just make sure to spend a decent amount on a case from a good manufacturer. Read the reviews on Newegg, they really are helpful.

Soundcard - The onboard sound is fine for most stuff. Only buy a card if you are really interested in great sound quality.

Cooling - If you don't overclock the stick CPU heatsink is adequate for the i7. If you buy an aftermarket get the Xigmatek Dark Knight. Pick up an extra fan or two. Look for something with decent cfm and low noise. I picked up two Xigmateks for like $7 each that work just fine.

Keyboard and Mouse - This is too personal of a taste, but I have the Microsoft 4000 wireless set that I got a few years ago. It has the curved keyboard and I love it. The mouse is also nice. I know most here really like the Logitech stuff (I think the g5 or something).

[shazza]

I'll add my 2 cents, having just completed two i7 rigs.

I've had both ASUS and EVGA products ... they are both good, but I find support much more responsive with EVGA. It's also a good way to go if this is your first build because their user forums are informative and helpful as well.

Did you check out the EVGA motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188046)? You can save $40.

Since you are making the upgrade to the i7 platform, I'd definitely recommend going with at least a GTX 260 video card - they are great performers with moderate power usage. But, this may be be more than you want to spend.

As for RAM ... you can use something like the Cosair 3 x 2GB (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145222) for only $100. It's not necessary to spend a lot on memory for the i7 system if you're not planning to get into very heavy overclocking.

Also recommend the Corsair HX620W PSU ... you'll find modular is much easier to use to manage your cables.

As for CPU cooling - the Xigmatek is a good option. You may also want to consider the Noctua 1366 cooler - does a great job and the fans that come with it are low noise. If budget is an issue initially, stick with the stock heatsink. It's not pretty, but it does work, albeit a little noiser than some of the others.

Agree you can go without a soundcard unless you are real picky about your audio.

Don't forget to order your OS with your motherboard.

Good Luck ... you will enjoy the process of building your own. Just takes patience!

[MaxxuM]

Case - undecided
This is typically a very personal choice. I have the Antec Nine Hundred (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021) which I think is an excellent case (look at the number of reviews), but it's designed for a lot of cooling. The COOLER MASTER COSMOS 1000 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119138) is also a good case.

Sound Card - undecided
Unless you're getting $200+ headphones, $400+ speakers, games aware of Sound Blaster tech or high quality formats then the on board audio is fine.


Keyboard & Mouse - undecided
Keyboard doesn't matter unless you do a lot of writing/vid editing.
Mouse: Logitech MX Revolution (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104015) (Excellent Mouse for photo/video work)


Cooling - havent got a clue as what to look for
No clue either - I'm still using a Q6600 :cry: I hear the stock cooler is fine if you aren't into overclocking though.

[YP5 Toronto]

Memory: take a look at these.... by far the best value in the market right now for low latency and speed. These OCZ would show noticable performance over the Corsair XMS3 you have chosen.

OCZ Plat DDR3 7-7-7-24 1600mhz - OCZ3P1600LV6GK

Cooling: As noted above, if you are not looking at overclocking, Intel has finally come up with a great stock cooler for the i7. if you feel you need some futureproofing, I did an install over the weekend with the Thermalright Ultra-120 (extreme), I have always been a fan and continues to be one of the top performers. Another choice that I have read is quite good Thermalright IFX-14, I have not had a chance to use it myself. It will be used on the next build.

I game and the Asus P6T deluxe V2 has a great on board sound system. As noted by others, unless you are a hardcore audiophile and are doing some serious audio work, leave it be.

[Bearmann]

Nice MB. I almost went with that one myself, but ended up going with the Gigabyte so I would have an extra SATA port on the back (one versus two). I ruled out the EGVA boards, as they are limited to 12GB ram. Toms Hardware Guide says there is no real benefit in going with faster ram. The amount of ram has nothing to do with whether you overclock the CPU or not (to my knowledge). I went with 12 GB's too and the same Intel i7 920 chip. Agree with the Caviar 640 blacks-not much more in cost and reportedly a good balance between speed and quiet. Get the Corsair TX650 made by Seasonic or upgrade like I did to the HX520-both with abundant power for your build with room to spare for future upgrades. The Antec P182 and Solo cases are supposed to be quiet if you care about that. The Logitech Wave Pro keyboard/mouse gets nice reviews-I'll probably get one myself. Study cooling choices at silentpcreview.com

[FZ1]

What do you mostly plan on doing with this PC (i.e. video/photo editing, gaming, office work)? That will have a big influence on what components to choose. I see nothing wrong in general what you have chosen already. I personally prefer modular power supplies - Corsair's HX series is modular (620w & 1000w) the 620 would be enough for that system.

[MaxxuM]

What do you mostly plan on doing with this PC (i.e. video/photo editing, gaming, office work)? That will have a big influence on what components to choose.

Is there anything it cannot do well already? :D When you get to this point there really isn't much it cannot do. Can you think of a program that it cannot run quickly (not maxed mind you, just 'more-than-adequately').

[tim]

Modular power supply is a good idea, 6GB is enough (so long as you leave space to upgrade to 12GB later just in case), Logitech mice are great - I use the corded versions for lower latency (though new cordless models are probably fine).

[YP5 Toronto]

Toms Hardware Guide says there is no real benefit in going with faster ram. The amount of ram has nothing to do with whether you overclock the CPU or not (to my knowledge).

I use tom's site all the time, but I would disagree on the notion that faster ram has no benefits.

moreover, overclocking with 3 x 2gb vs 6 x 2gb is HUGE difference in what levels of memory / cpu overclocking.

[FZ1]

Is there anything it cannot do well already? :D When you get to this point there really isn't much it cannot do. Can you think of a program that it cannot run quickly (not maxed mind you, just 'more-than-adequately').
Well yeah, but why spend Ferrari money when you need a commuter car? :D Also, it would answer questions like if an add-in sound card would be helpful, what kind of cooling, etc.

[Franko515]

Thanks everyone for the great post

This is what I have in the cart at Newegg now. I have taken some of you guys advice in configuring my build , I am closer now. I dont see any compatibility issues (but I may have missed something).

2
SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model SH-S222A - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151175)Item #: N82E16827151175 Return Policy: 30 Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#2)
$45.98 ($22.99 each) 2
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319)Item #: N82E16822136319 Return Policy: 30 Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#2)
$159.98 ($79.99 each) 1
EVGA 512-P3-1150-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130468)Item #: N82E16814130468 Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#3) -$5.00 Instant
-$49.99 Saving

$139.99 $85.00 1
Nvidia Gift - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16800999088)Item #: N82E16800999088 Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#3)
$49.99 1
CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C9 - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145222)Item #: N82E16820145222 Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#3)
$100.00 1
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365)Item #: N82E16813131365 Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#3)
$289.99 1
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202)Item #: N82E16819115202 Return Policy: Processors (CPUs) Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#5) -$9.00 Instant

$288.99 $279.99 1


COOLER MASTER COSMOS 1000 RC-1000-KSN1-GP Black/ Silver Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.176940)Item #: N82E16811119138 Return Policy: Standard Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#1)
CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.176940)Item #: N82E16817139002 Return Policy: Standard Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#1)
-$60.00 Instant
-$40.00 Combo
$30.00 Mail-in Rebate (http://images10.newegg.com/UploadFilesForNewegg/rebate/SH/Corsair8MIRsMar18Mar3109jh28.pdf)
$389.98 $289.98 Subtotal:$1,300.91


Oh yeah, for optical drives do I wanna go IDE or SATA?

[Franko515]

What do you mostly plan on doing with this PC (i.e. video/photo editing, gaming, office work)? That will have a big influence on what components to choose. I see nothing wrong in general what you have chosen already. I personally prefer modular power supplies - Corsair's HX series is modular (620w & 1000w) the 620 would be enough for that system.

I should have stated that in the original post :o

The most intense things I will be doing are PS and slideshows, Im not a gamer but I do want to future proof.

[In2Photos]

Thanks everyone for the great post

This is what I have in the cart at Newegg now. I have taken some of you guys advice in configuring my build , I am closer now. I dont see any compatibility issues (but I may have missed something).

2
SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model SH-S222A - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151175)Item #: N82E16827151175 Return Policy: 30 Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#2)
$45.98 ($22.99 each) 2
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319)Item #: N82E16822136319 Return Policy: 30 Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#2)
$159.98 ($79.99 each) 1
EVGA 512-P3-1150-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130468)Item #: N82E16814130468 Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#3) -$5.00 Instant
-$49.99 Saving

$139.99 $85.00 1
Nvidia Gift - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16800999088)Item #: N82E16800999088 Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#3)
$49.99 1
CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C9 - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145222)Item #: N82E16820145222 Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#3)
$100.00 1
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365)Item #: N82E16813131365 Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#3)
$289.99 1
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202)Item #: N82E16819115202 Return Policy: Processors (CPUs) Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#5) -$9.00 Instant

$288.99 $279.99 1

COOLER MASTER COSMOS 1000 RC-1000-KSN1-GP Black/ Silver Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.176940)Item #: N82E16811119138 Return Policy: Standard Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#1)
CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.176940)Item #: N82E16817139002 Return Policy: Standard Return Policy (http://www.newegg.com/HelpInfo/ReturnPolicy.aspx#1)-$60.00 Instant
-$40.00 Combo
$30.00 Mail-in Rebate (http://images10.newegg.com/UploadFilesForNewegg/rebate/SH/Corsair8MIRsMar18Mar3109jh28.pdf)
$389.98 $289.98 Subtotal:$1,300.91


Oh yeah, for optical drives do I wanna go IDE or SATA?
Looks pretty good. What about an OS? And go with SATA drives.

[Franko515]

Looks pretty good. What about an OS? And go with SATA drives.


See, thats why I needed a second pair of eyes :o

THANKS

[Franko515]

I am gonna wait about an hour before I order. I just wanna look over everything to make sure Im good. Also give you computer gurus a lil time to look and tell me if Im messing up somewhere.

In2Photos you sure Im good now? :D

[Bearmann]

Here's the article about the RAM. It is from Jan 08, but I wouldn't suspect anything is that much different now.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/high-end-ddr3-memory-hook,1758.html

[shazza]

It looks good to go!

Definitely go Sata for the optical drive.

[Moppie]

Thanks everyone for the great post




As Mike said, just change that DVD drive for the SATA version, it should cost the same, and they are sometimes cheaper.


I use a Logictech G9 mouse and a MS office keybaord, both wired USB.

The G9 is like the Ferrari Enzo of mice, and it simply rocks.

[YP5 Toronto]

looks good..but still not a fan of your memory choice. you are spending some good hard earned $$$ and you are not maximizing your overall investment.

options:

OCZ3G1600LV6GK 8-8-8-24 @ $99 - 20mir = $79!!!!

Corsair
TR3X6G1600C8 G 8-8-8-24 @ 102 - 20mir = 82!!

Still my reco:

OCZ3P1600LV6GK 7-7-7-24 @ $129 - 20 = $109

OCZ

[Franko515]

looks good..but still not a fan of your memory choice. you are spending some good hard earned $$$ and you are not maximizing your overall investment.

options:

OCZ3G1600LV6GK 8-8-8-24 @ $99 - 20mir = $79!!!!

Corsair
TR3X6G1600C8 G 8-8-8-24 @ 102 - 20mir = 82!!

Still my reco:

OCZ3P1600LV6GK 7-7-7-24 @ $129 - 20 = $109

OCZ

OK, u convinced me ;)

[Franko515]

Here's a list of things I ordered

Thermaltake Armor+MX VH8000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
$129.99

ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
$289.99

EVGA 512-P3-1150-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
$134.99

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
$89.99

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
$279.99

OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - Retail
$99.99

2x Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$159.98 ($79.99 ea)

2x SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S223Q - OEM
$49.98 ($24.99 ea)

Subtotal $1,234.90
Tax $0.00
UPS 3 Days $38.30
Order Total $1,273.20

[In2Photos]

Here's a list of things I ordered

Thermaltake Armor+MX VH8000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
$129.99

ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
$289.99

EVGA 512-P3-1150-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
$134.99

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
$89.99

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
$279.99

OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - Retail
$99.99

2x Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$159.98 ($79.99 ea)

2x SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S223Q - OEM
$49.98 ($24.99 ea)

Subtotal $1,234.90
Tax $0.00
UPS 3 Days $38.30
Order Total $1,273.20

I still don't see the OS! ;) Otherwise I think you'll be fine. Make sure you take some pics!

[Franko515]

I still don't see the OS! ;) Otherwise I think you'll be fine. Make sure you take some pics!

Yeah Im tryin to find a special (Windows 7 is on the way).

I am thinking of getting another HD (150GB or so) for the OS and apps.

Now if I just use the other 2 640GB for photo storage etc. (not mirrored just backed up) where do I do the PS scratch thing? Do I need another drive?

How exactly do I set that up (scratch)?

C Drive - OS, Apps
D Drive - Photos, Music, Documents
E Drive - Photo Back-ups
Scratch?

I will try and document the build ;)

[In2Photos]

Yeah Im tryin to find a special (Windows 7 is on the way).

I am thinking of getting another HD (150GB or so) for the OS and apps.

Now if I just use the other 2 640GB for photo storage etc. (not mirrored just backed up) where do I do the PS scratch thing? Do I need another drive?

How exactly do I set that up (scratch)?

C Drive - OS, Apps
D Drive - Photos, Music, Documents
E Drive - Photo Back-ups
Scratch?

I will try and document the build ;)
If you are only backing up photos to the second 640GB drive that should leave you some room to create a partition for the scratch disk. Also are you going to use software for your backups? These often compress the data so that should leave you some extra room as well.

[Zepher]

I don't think you need stress about the scratch disk anymore, seeing as current computers have a lot more ram, faster drives, and much faster processors.
just partition one of the 640 drives with a 20-40gig partition as a scratch, like In2Photos mentioned.

I've got 11 hard drives on my machine and I don't think I changed the default setting for the scratch disk and my older system has no issues working with a large batch of images at one time.

[Franko515]

If you are only backing up photos to the second 640GB drive that should leave you some room to create a partition for the scratch disk. Also are you going to use software for your backups? These often compress the data so that should leave you some extra room as well.

How do I tell PS what to use for scratch, is there a setting in PS? Im not sure how I will handle backups (manually or a program) any suggestions?

I don't think you need stress about the scratch disk anymore, seeing as current computers have a lot more ram, faster drives, and much faster processors.
just partition one of the 640 drives with a 20-40gig partition as a scratch, like In2Photos mentioned.

I've got 11 hard drives on my machine and I don't think I changed the default setting for the scratch disk and my older system has no issues working with a large batch of images at one time.

I may not even worry about the scratch, I have to see how things go.


I ordered my panel 2day Dell 2209WA (320-7825) $225.25 (total w/tax) :cool:

[In2Photos]

How do I tell PS what to use for scratch, is there a setting in PS? Im not sure how I will handle backups (manually or a program) any suggestions?



I may not even worry about the scratch, I have to see how things go.

It is in the preferences under the Edit tab. I would wait and see how it runs without the scratch first, then add it if you need it. I doubt you need it.

I ordered my panel 2day Dell 2209WA (320-7825) $225.25 (total w/tax) :cool:
You'll love it!

[Franko515]

Thanks Mike :D
When building a rig from scratch is it plug and play (assuming vista finds everything ok) or does one need to do something special (i.e. check RAM speed, change BIOS settings etc.)? Im not doing the overclocking thing, I just wanna make sure my build is fast and stable. Any special cable I need to buy (i.e. perferred over the supplied or not supplied or known for being short).

Thanks for all the help. Im trying to get ready for any surprises that may come up or something maybe Im just not aware of thats common knowledge to to computer guru's ;)

[YP5 Toronto]

DDR3 Ram and the ASUS Board, you will likely need to go into your bios and up the voltage to 1.6 - 1.65 and set the timings yourself (safe and recommended by OCZ and ASUS, just not higher). The board might not read the right timings / speed at the low voltages it will default to.

I had to do that on my build using the OCZ Plats I reco'd and just recently with a set of corair dominators on my friends build.

Not a big deal, the ASUS Deluxe bios is very easy to use.

Nothing wrong with overclocking a bit....overclocking + stable do not have to be exclusive of one another.

I did a moderate OC on the i7 920 i built for my friend using a Thermalright Ultra-120 cooler. Got it to 3.4ghz @ 1.2V and at a temps expected from a stock 920 with the the intel fan (if not cooler).

Regardless, you will love the performance of the i7 920 as is.

[In2Photos]

Thanks Mike :D
When building a rig from scratch is it plug and play (assuming vista finds everything ok) or does one need to do something special (i.e. check RAM speed, change BIOS settings etc.)? Im not doing the overclocking thing, I just wanna make sure my build is fast and stable. Any special cable I need to buy (i.e. perferred over the supplied or not supplied or known for being short).

Thanks for all the help. Im trying to get ready for any surprises that may come up or something maybe Im just not aware of thats common knowledge to to computer guru's ;)
Most things should be plug and play, but there will likely be a few surprises as there almost always is. My build went smooth, no issues with compatibility at all.

You should have all the cables you need included in the Mobo package (well, you might need a SATA cable depending on how many it has since you bought OEM Hard Drives and DVD drives as they don't come with cables). Your case should have all the hardware you need for installing the mobo and drives.

I don't run any hardware tests. So far I have been lucky in all my builds I guess to not "need" them. Here is how I do my builds.

- Install all the hardware, insert the OS disk in the machine and turn it on. I do go into the BIOS to set things up first, like Boot Sequence, time, and any thing else I might need.
- Then I load the OS, doing my partitions with the OS install.
- Once the OS is loaded I insert the drivers disk from the Mobo and install all the drivers.
- Once everything is "working" (I check to see if there is anything out of the ordinary in Device Manager) I then run Windows update to make sure I have all the latest from Microsoft.
- Here I will make sure that all my drive letters and names are as I want them as well as any other partitions and make sure all drives are formatted and ready for files.
- I load Acronis True Image and create an image of the boot drive in case anything gets screwed up from this point on. I can simply restore the image.
- Then I tweak any Windows settings that I think I may need or want.
- I then start loading any software. I install my AV last! That way it isn't trying to do anything with my software installs.
- I then copy any files from other PCs or move files from one drive to another to finish off my organization.

[Hermes]

Just to add something, there's no point creating a separate partition for a scratch disk. All you'll be doing is forcing PS to write to a certain sector within an existing drive - it's faster if you just let it write to wherever is quickest/easiest. You'll see that even on a completely blank, dedicated scratch disk, the scratch files end up fragmented.

If you want improved scratch disk performance, you need to set the scratch disk to be a separate physical drive. It doesn't have to be a drive dedicated to being a scratch disk, but it should at least be a drive with nothing else that PS needs to access on it (i.e. ideally not your system drive, not the drive that PS runs from and not the drive that your current working files are stored on).

[Franko515]

Most things should be plug and play, but there will likely be a few surprises as there almost always is. My build went smooth, no issues with compatibility at all.

You should have all the cables you need included in the Mobo package (well, you might need a SATA cable depending on how many it has since you bought OEM Hard Drives and DVD drives as they don't come with cables). Your case should have all the hardware you need for installing the mobo and drives.

I don't run any hardware tests. So far I have been lucky in all my builds I guess to not "need" them. Here is how I do my builds.

- Install all the hardware, insert the OS disk in the machine and turn it on. I do go into the BIOS to set things up first, like Boot Sequence, time, and any thing else I might need.
- Then I load the OS, doing my partitions with the OS install.
- Once the OS is loaded I insert the drivers disk from the Mobo and install all the drivers.
- Once everything is "working" (I check to see if there is anything out of the ordinary in Device Manager) I then run Windows update to make sure I have all the latest from Microsoft.
- Here I will make sure that all my drive letters and names are as I want them as well as any other partitions and make sure all drives are formatted and ready for files.
- I load Acronis True Image and create an image of the boot drive in case anything gets screwed up from this point on. I can simply restore the image.
- Then I tweak any Windows settings that I think I may need or want.
- I then start loading any software. I install my AV last! That way it isn't trying to do anything with my software installs.
- I then copy any files from other PCs or move files from one drive to another to finish off my organization.

Sounds pretty staright forward. I have taken apart three broken computers to make one good one, but never a brand new build from scratch so thanks. I've never installed a MB or a processor so I was a bit nervous, but your process write-up has put me at ease :D

Just to add something, there's no point creating a separate partition for a scratch disk. All you'll be doing is forcing PS to write to a certain sector within an existing drive - it's faster if you just let it write to wherever is quickest/easiest. You'll see that even on a completely blank, dedicated scratch disk, the scratch files end up fragmented.

If you want improved scratch disk performance, you need to set the scratch disk to be a separate physical drive. It doesn't have to be a drive dedicated to being a scratch disk, but it should at least be a drive with nothing else that PS needs to access on it (i.e. ideally not your system drive, not the drive that PS runs from and not the drive that your current working files are stored on).

I will more than likely not even bother about the scratch, my set-up will probably be

C Drive (250GB) - OS & Apps
D Drive (640GB)- Photo Storage
E Drive (640GB)- Back-up Photo Storage

[Zepher]

Dell has the WD 1TB Black Hard drive for $95 + tax and free 2 day shipping.
Dell Home (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/System_Drives/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A1979890&dgc=CJ&cid=24471&lid=566643) has 1TB Serial ATA WD Caviar Black Internal Hard Drive for $100 - $5.00 (with code LXZFJ64GXX3LS0) = $95 (or $92 w/ DPA) with free 2-day shipping with code ZBC8LPSBMMRB28. Thanks brisar

this is copied from www.Slickdeals.net

I ordered one yesterday and it already shipped.
Newegg has this drive for $129 with free shipping.
From Dell to me was $99.74

[enilm]

Very interesting and useful thread. I too will be upgrading my system in the next few days. Currently have:

AMD x2 4200, 2 GB 800mhz RAM, 7900gt EVGA, XP 32-bit, Dell 20.5" ultrasharp, CS4

I'm pretty sure I'll be noticing a big difference with the next build. I will be upgrading to:

Case - Coolermaster 690

CPU - Intel i7920

Fan & Heatsink - zalman 9700 or XIGMATEK Dark Knight 120mm (not sure yet)

Motherboard - EVGA x58 (the $269 one) - don't think I'll be needing more than 12GB of RAM anytime soon

Memory - Munchkin - 8GB - ddr3 1600 7-7-6-18

PSU - Thermaltake 750W modular cables

Video Card - EVGA GTX 260

HD - Western Digital Raptor 150GB, WD black 500GB 32MB cache

Monitor - the budget editing monitor - DELL 22" 2209WA

Mouse - Logitech G9 - I heard it's one of the best. Plus I don't really like my wireless mouse right now. It feels too heavy cause of the batteries.

Keyboard - Logitech wireless (not sure yet)

Optical - Samsung or LG dvd burner with lightscribe

I think that should do it.

[Franko515]

Quick question for you guys with a intel i7 920.

When putting the cpu in do you apply thermal grease, or is it already applied to the bottom of the heatsink?

The motherboard book says you should add thermal grease to your cpu, the i7 920 manual doesnt even mention thermal grease.

I saw a installation video on youtube (it was a P4 I believe) and they said thermal grease was already added. On my cpu I see grey strips on the bottom of the heatsink, is that the grease in some type of strip form?

Thanks for any help you can offer

[Moppie]

The stock intel heat sinks come with just the right amount of thermal paste on the bottom.
That is the grey strips you can see.

I've never had a problem with it, and never seen the need to change it.

[Franko515]

The stock intel heat sinks come with just the right amount of thermal paste on the bottom.
That is the grey strips you can see.

I've never had a problem with it, and never seen the need to change it.

Thanks Mr. Moppie :D

[Franko515]

2morrow Im gonna go to Tiger Direct and pick up an OS, Keyboard, Mouse and speakers and start on the build.

I have had the parts a few days but havent had the time yet :mad:

My laptop died so I will take some shots of the build with the old P&S and upload them to my wifes computer to post.

Thanks for all of the time you guys have spent helping ;)

[shazza]

Just checking back to see how you are doing. Hope all is going well.

And, a word of caution - the i7 CPU socket seems to be a bit more delicate than others. Just take care to carefully seat the Processor and not bend any of the tiny pins on the bottom of the socket.

[Franko515]

Just checking back to see how you are doing. Hope all is going well.

And, a word of caution - the i7 CPU socket seems to be a bit more delicate than others. Just take care to carefully seat the Processor and not bend any of the tiny pins on the bottom of the socket.

All is going well, thanks for the tip :D

I went and got a few more items and will probably start the build 2nite :D

I purchased the following

Logitech Z-4 speakers (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121130)

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823109038) (taking it back though to get the Logitech Wave Pro keyboard and mouse combo (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126042))

Linksys Wireless G Adapter PCI (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124115) (think Im gonna take it back and get a N and a new N router. Now I have my network on G but I hear N speeds are much faster)

If any of you guys have had dealings with any of these items feel free to chime in with your comments

I will post a few pics 2nite also :cool:

[Franko515]

I will more than likely not even bother about the scratch, my set-up will probably be

C Drive (250GB) - OS & Apps
D Drive (640GB)- Photo Storage
E Drive (640GB)- Back-up Photo Storage

I may have an additional 250GB drive for LR catalog, PS scratch and windows paging file.

If I do this should I partition the drive into three seperate partitions? Would I be better off just letting the 250GB drive with the OS and apps handle these things (how much time do I really gain)? I wanna do it right since Im building it, but I get conflicting info all over the net. Some say with 6GB or more memory it really isnt necessary, other say it helps a great deal because of the paging file and PS scratch disk having a dedicated drive, and I havent even started reading about the LR catalog (that was just an afterthought).

[Hermes]

Quick question for you guys with a intel i7 920.

When putting the cpu in do you apply thermal grease, or is it already applied to the bottom of the heatsink?

The motherboard book says you should add thermal grease to your cpu, the i7 920 manual doesnt even mention thermal grease.

I saw a installation video on youtube (it was a P4 I believe) and they said thermal grease was already added. On my cpu I see grey strips on the bottom of the heatsink, is that the grease in some type of strip form?

Thanks for any help you can offer

If you're spending that much on a setup, you really should replace the stock heatsink with something decent. My quad-core temp dropped by about 20 degrees and the loud noised when under load disappeared when I swapped the intel stock for a 20 quid heatsink & fan.

[Franko515]

If you're spending that much on a setup, you really should replace the stock heatsink with something decent. My quad-core temp dropped by about 20 degrees and the loud noised when under load disappeared when I swapped the intel stock for a 20 quid heatsink & fan.

I was thinking of doing that, but was told and read, the stock cooling for the i7 was really good. Im gonna at least give the stock a try and see where my temp is them if need be get one.

R you guys checking temps with software or with a device in the case?

[Zepher]

I use Real Temp (http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/) and CoreTemp (http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/) to see my CPU Temps.

[Franko515]

All is going well, thanks for the tip :D

I went and got a few more items and will probably start the build 2nite :D

I purchased the following

Logitech Z-4 speakers (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121130)

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823109038) (taking it back though to get the Logitech Wave Pro keyboard and mouse combo (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126042))

Linksys Wireless G Adapter PCI (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124115) (think Im gonna take it back and get a N and a new N router. Now I have my network on G but I hear N speeds are much faster)

If any of you guys have had dealings with any of these items feel free to chime in with your comments

I will post a few pics 2nite also :cool:

I may have an additional 250GB drive for LR catalog, PS scratch and windows paging file.

If I do this should I partition the drive into three seperate partitions? Would I be better off just letting the 250GB drive with the OS and apps handle these things (how much time do I really gain)? I wanna do it right since Im building it, but I get conflicting info all over the net. Some say with 6GB or more memory it really isnt necessary, other say it helps a great deal because of the paging file and PS scratch disk having a dedicated drive, and I havent even started reading about the LR catalog (that was just an afterthought).

Didnt wanna let these question slip away on the other page :D

[Franko515]

Here is my before pic

[[CaliGirl]]

Any update on this build?

[tmoore99]

Excellent thread folks. Thanks for sharing the wisdom.

Anybody got a minute and the smarts to review this local (to me) craigslist ad and vote yay/nay on whether I should jump on it for the $550 asking price?
http://huntsville.craigslist.org/sys/1136481499.html

Thanks again

[Franko515]

;7800275']Any update on this build?

Yep it's built :cool:

I will try to get shots up 2nite :oops:

[[CaliGirl]]

I'm building a setup similar to yours, so I am looking forward to your review and photos....

[Franko515]

I am really sorry for taking so long to get these shots up for you guys :oops: THANKS a bunch to everyone who had input in the thread and helped me with ordering parts :cool:

Thermaltake Armor+MX VH8000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard

EVGA 512-P3-1150-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920

OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK

2x Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

250GB HD for OS and Apps

2x SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S223Q

Logitech Z-4 40 watts 2.1 Speaker

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000

Linksys Wireless G Adapter

Vista Home Premium 64bit

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Franko515/Computer%20Build/B4daBuild.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Franko515/Computer%20Build/IMG_0057.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Franko515/Computer%20Build/IMG_0011.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Franko515/Computer%20Build/IMG_0017.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Franko515/Computer%20Build/IMG_0044.jpg


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Franko515/Computer%20Build/IMG_0105.jpg

[Franko515]

I still don't see the OS! ;) Otherwise I think you'll be fine. Make sure you take some pics!

Special shot just for you In2Photos ;)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/Franko515/Computer%20Build/IMG_0111.jpg

[In2Photos]

Special shot just for you In2Photos ;)


:p

Rig looks good!

[Franko515]

:p

Rig looks good!

Thanks :cool:

It was much more satisfying to build my own PC rather than buying from Dell or HP. Again thanks for all the help :)

[tmoore99]

Thanks :cool:

It was much more satisfying to build my own PC rather than buying from Dell or HP. Again thanks for all the help :)

Thank you for the thread Franko. Good stuff, and big congrats! That's a rockin' machine.
The real kicker seems to be the independent hard drive for OS and apps. That lets the rest of the high performance parts do their thing.

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Nice rig and good cable management.

[Pinto]

Congrats Franko! Looks great! Glad everything went well.

[Franko515]

Thank you for the thread Franko. Good stuff, and big congrats! That's a rockin' machine.
The real kicker seems to be the independent hard drive for OS and apps. That lets the rest of the high performance parts do their thing.

Thanks. That was the idea when I got the seperate HD for the OS and it works great. I have it setup as follows

C: Drive - OS & Apps
D: Drive - Optical
E: Drive - Optical
F: Drive - Work Drive (I use this drive for my docs, downloads, jobs I am working on etc.)
G: Drive - Photo Storage (I put a copy of every job here with the edits)
H: Drive - External Storage (Same as above)
I : Drive - External Backup (to backup my PC the OS, apps, Docs, Downloads, Music)

Nice rig and good cable management.

Thanks, I tried my best. I think going with a modular PSU would have been even better for cable management.

Congrats Franko! Looks great! Glad everything went well.

Thanks Pinto, and thanks for all your help :D

[YP5 Toronto]

Congrats Frank...looks great.

[Franko515]

Congrats Frank...looks great.

Thanks :cool: