I shall be embarking on a new self build tomorrow:
ABIT/IP-35 S775 MOBO
4GB Corsair Kit DDR2 667MHz UB
Intel E6750 Core2Duo 2.66GHz
SONY DRU-190S X20 SATA RETAIL
1.44 BLACK SONY FLOPPY DRIVE
256MB GAINW 8600GT PCIE 8859
500GB SEAGATE SATA2 ST3500320AS
80GB SEAGATE SATA2 ST380815AS
Coolermaster case with 550W PSU
Wish me luck! ;)
You're a braver man than I am Simon - hope all goes well :thumb:
I'm sure it will be a smooth operation!! :yeahright: :back: :out:
Nice spec! Having built a PC myself recently, I know how exciting it is. How are you going to sleep tonight? :P
Oh, I'm not that excited by it at the moment, Seb. In fact, after I ordered the parts, I wondered why, as my old computer is still perfectly functional and reliable, so I'm not in any hurry to retire it. Should be an interesting project though, if I don't screw it up! :D
Oh right. I couldn't wait to build mine, but then I did have an ageing VAIO notebook at the time. You'll enjoy it once you get going. :thumb:
Quote from: jester212 on Apr 20, 2008, 00:35:53I'm sure it will be a smooth operation!! :yeahright: :back: :out:
:lol:
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 20, 2008, 00:45:35Oh right. I couldn't wait to build mine, but then I did have an ageing VAIO notebook at the time. You'll enjoy it once you get going. :thumb:
My existing PC is over 5 years old now, but as that was also a self build, and my first, I'm quite attached to it!
:hehe:
Before my VAIO was my first build, and I also loved it. At the time, it was, of course, my dream PC.
It should go pretty smoothly tomorrow, and you'll be amazed at the difference, I'm sure. When I built my current PC, I found that because I'd done it before, it took no time at all. :)
So, what OS are you going for? ;)
Hi Simon,
Good luck with the new build. Take you time with it and I'm sure you won't have any problems.
Just recently built myself a new one, the moment when you press the power button was the worst for me. I actually prayed for it to POST. lol
Good luck Simon, :thumb:
I wouldn't know were to start.
Simon,
If you are using 32 bit XP on your new PC, be aware that it will not see all 4Gb's of the ram, only around 3.2 - 3.5Gb.
Yes, I heard that, Glenn, but yes I am using XP. Guess I'll just have to put up with that for now. Will SP3 make any difference to that?
Thanks for the good wishes, guys! :)
I don't think so.
Good luck with the build today, I'm hopeful that everything will run smoothly for you
:fingers: Simon...Keep us updated.. :thumb:
good luck simon!
Toes crossed, Simon. I remember the time I dropped a screw into the power supply. It made a lovely bang... ;D :out:
Good luck, I'm sure it will be fine, don't forget to keep yourself earthed. With XP as an OS I think you have a head start. :thumb:
Does that mean Simon will be " grounded ".. ;)
:grn: ;D
If he uses my method, he'll be shorted...
Stop trying to frighten him, it's easy if you are carefull :hide:
It is, Bob, OTOH, shorting the power supply (or shorting the mobo to earth) is so spectacular! ;)
I shall be commencing construction imminently! :basil:
Can we watch?? ;D
Quote from: Simon on Apr 20, 2008, 09:08:26
Yes, I heard that, Glenn, but yes I am using XP. Guess I'll just have to put up with that for now. Will SP3 make any difference to that?
Nope, it won't make a difference, it's a limitation of 32bit architecture. To be honest, 4GB is going to be completely wasted on XP anyway (Vista is another matter); 2GB is more than enough. I run 2GB with no pagefile and rarely even use 1GB of physical memory!
Quote from: Simon on Apr 20, 2008, 11:22:05
I shall be commencing construction imminently! :basil:
Sounding like a building contractor today Simon.. ;D
Quote from: Inactive on Apr 20, 2008, 12:43:33
Sounding like a building contractor today Simon.. ;D
Nah, he'd have said he'll have a cup of tea and then commence building if that were the case. :out:
You'll have to start editing large images in Photoshop, Sebby. ;)
Quote from: Inactive on Apr 20, 2008, 12:43:33
Sounding like a building contractor today Simon.. ;D
Don't forget yer builders bum then.
:lol:
Granted, I don't do photo editing, or anything particular RAM-intensive for that matter. I wonder if Simon does...
I don't know, but as I do, I went for the 4GB of RAM (allowing for a change to 64-bit at some point too...). The extra 1.2GB makes a huge difference to an app like PShop, or running multiple apps.
Bloody hell!!! It's started already!!! The deliberate manufacturer's wind up, the misplacement of connectors, bleeding motherboard screws!!!
:argh: :hairpull:
Right, mobo is in, CPU is on, Heatsink is on. Started to connect up wires, and the first one I find is an 8 pin power connector for the CPU. Only there's two. One is labelled P2, and white, the other is labelled P4 and black. Now, I thought (assumed) I would need P4, but that one won't fit, and only the white P2 connector does, even though they look identical.
Next thing... in the mobo instructions, it tells you to connect a 4 pin power connector to a socket towards the rear of the board, to power the USBs. OK, fine, but if I connect that, the other two power connectors won't reach the drives, so I won't have enough connectors for them!
(http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/wtf.png)
I find that the PSU never has enough 4pin connectors ;D. You can buy splitters though I think?
That connector is for the USB devices? I have the same board and I always assumed it was for the PCI slots, Guess I shouldn't skim the manual.
doh!
I just rebuilt my comp with a gygabyte mobo and the power connector was a bit of a stretch too. not sure why they put it at the bottom ???
Now got all these tiny little fiddly sound connectors to try to fit. I can see this taking longer than first perceived.
Sounds like you're going well Simon - best to take time and do it right first time ;)
Right, I give up! The graphics card has no power connector, and won't fit in the slot, because there's a bloody 1394 connector in the way, whatever the hell that is. Can you use an AGP graphics card in a PCI-E slot? Bet you can't, as that would be far too easy. :rant2:
No, you can't Simon. :( The 1394 is the Firewire.
Are you sure it's AGP, Simon? I would have said a new graphics card would be PCI Express. I know that some graphics cards can be turned around, if you know what I mean. In other words, they are both AGP and PCI-E - you just have to move the metal bit that connects to the case.
Also, not all graphics cards require dedicated power, though I'd say your one probably does. The connectors can be well hidden.
Quote from: Rik on Apr 20, 2008, 15:34:27
No, you can't Simon. :( The 1394 is the Firewire.
yep,
I had exactly the same problem!!
here is what you do. take the firewire connector out...........and throw it in the bin ;D
don't think i've ever used my one. not sure about you though simon.
what graphics card you using? i have Radeon 3850 HD 512mb. it had a massive fan on it :rant2:
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 20, 2008, 15:36:05
Are you sure it's AGP, Simon? I would have said a new graphics card would be PCI Express. I know that some graphics cards can be turned around, if you know what I mean. In other words, they are both AGP and PCI-E - you just have to move the metal bit that connects to the case.
Sorry, Seb, I meant, as I can't use the PCI-E card, could I use an AGP one instead, as I have one I've never used, but now I know the answer is no. Haven't tried it the other way round, but there's a notch where it fits in the slot, so I doubt it, but will have a look.
QuoteAlso, not all graphics cards require dedicated power, though I'd say your one probably does. The connectors can be well hidden.
It says in the book, it won't work without the power, but on the same page, it says, if you're not connecting the power lead, skip step 7! :stars:
Quote from: Rik on Apr 20, 2008, 15:34:27The 1394 is the Firewire.
Right, well, I don't even know what that is, so I guess I could do without it.
Ah, I see the problems now. ???
Firewire is an alternative to USB, Simon. I have nothing which uses it...
Quote from: TheMonkey on Apr 20, 2008, 15:41:40
yep,
I had exactly the same problem!!
here is what you do. take the firewire connector out...........and throw it in the bin ;D
don't think i've ever used my one. not sure about you though simon.
what graphics card you using? i have Radeon 3850 HD 512mb. it had a massive fan on it :rant2:
This is a Gainward 8600GT - which easily takes up two slots. Why do they make the things so big?? I'll try it with the Firewire thing disconnected. :)
I built a PC for a friend and the graphics card also took up too slots - the thing was huge!
Just had a look in mine, a 8800gtx, thats huge.
Quote from: Simon on Apr 20, 2008, 15:54:03
Why do they make the things so big??
Usually it comes down to the fact that the slots weren't designed to take cards with heatsinks and fans. :(
They are so big because the newer GPUs churn out so much heat, Nvidia (the first to start it with their failed line of 5700s I beleive) added the fans onto the card so it doesn't overheat. Now the cards are asked to do so much, they WILL overheat without adequate cooling. Disconnect the cards fan to see :D (this is a joke, so don't complain to me if you fry your card! :D).
Anyway, back to the subject.
You really should have done a bit more reading up on this, as everything you're mentioning is normal for building a PC. You have to make sure you've got enough parts for whatever you're doing. Bear in mind that PC cases vary quite a lot, so the ones that they tested them in may well be smaller, or laid out differently to yours.
Personally I've got a full tower case that makes it essential to have splitters, etc to reach drives. Well, that's not actually as true now due to motherboards I buy being laid out correctly, so the drives connectors are next to the drives, and the power connectors will reach the card, etc.
I suppose you've learned the hard way, but at least you know now! ALWAYS read up on the layout of motherboards, and read reviews of them. Some are poorly laid out and can cause CPUs (or other components next to where CPUs are mounted) to overheat if not using certain cooling/fan combinations.
Building a PC is extremely easy, you just have to make sure you've got everything you need with the motherboard, etc. I've amassed quite a pile of backplates for various motherboards (amazingly some motherboards don't come with them!), screws, extension cables, splitters, ATA/SATA cables, floppy drives (now in the bin!).
The main thing to research is the PSU. Some of them may be rated as powerful enough for your needs, but may not have the amount of cabling for your requirements!
The motherboard and graphics card are both PCI-e so it should fit without any problem into the blue slot mid way up the left side to the board, same side as the I/O ports.
With the graphics card you should have a 6 pin molex connector that plugs into the card and the PSU fly leads http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/reviews/graphics-cards/gainward-8600gt-goes-like-hell/3
Quote from: Simon on Apr 20, 2008, 00:23:39
I shall be embarking on a new self build tomorrow:
ABIT/IP-35 S775 MOBO
4GB Corsair Kit DDR2 667MHz UB
Intel E6750 Core2Duo 2.66GHz
SONY DRU-190S X20 SATA RETAIL
1.44 BLACK SONY FLOPPY DRIVE
256MB GAINW 8600GT PCIE 8859
500GB SEAGATE SATA2 ST3500320AS
80GB SEAGATE SATA2 ST380815AS
Coolermaster case with 550W PSU
Wish me luck! ;)
I have built 4 before, Niall, albeit 4 or 5 years ago, so I wasn't exactly going in green. I can't see how it's possible, from a picture in a review, to measure exactly how much room your graphics card is going to require, or whether there's likely to be a stupid little connector in the way. Those are the sorts of things you just come across as you go along. I haven't an in depth knowledge of computer building, but other than one, which developed a fault on the mobo, all four of my machines are still going strong.
It's all together now, and without plugging the monitor in, I held my breath, put on some rubber soled shoes (joke!), and hit the power button. It all sprung to life, for two seconds, then died, but before I could reach for the hammer, it started up again, and I got the post beep! :yeay:
Can't do any more now, until I get an extension SATA power lead for the DVD drive. :(
It works better if you plug it into the mains, Simon. Hitting the power button doesn't produce enough energy. ;) :out:
Good to hear, Simon. :)
Quote from: Glenn on Apr 20, 2008, 16:25:46
The motherboard and graphics card are both PCI-e so it should fit without any problem into the blue slot mid way up the left side to the board, same side as the I/O ports.
With the graphics card you should have a 6 pin molex connector that plugs into the card and the PSU fly leads http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/reviews/graphics-cards/gainward-8600gt-goes-like-hell/3
Mine looks nothing like that one, Glenn. There was no molex connectors included.
(http://www.gainward.com/upload/products_3569712.jpg)
Can you get a photo of the card, Simon, that would give people more detail to work with (ie take it yourself, the Panasonic will be ideal for the job).
I had a 8600GT Simon and I can confirm It didn't need an extra power source.
When i had a nvidia 8600gts and it required a pci-e power connector, but i was told the 8600gt doesnt require additional power because the pci-e slot is more than adequate to run it. Depends if the manufacturerers of the card had overclocked it to near the gts speeds.
Now ive got an ati x1950pro which costs the same price but runs any game i throw at it.
Quote from: Rik on Apr 20, 2008, 16:42:13
Can you get a photo of the card, Simon, that would give people more detail to work with (ie take it yourself, the Panasonic will be ideal for the job).
Later... got to clear up now. ;)
Quote from: jimconsole on Apr 20, 2008, 16:47:35
When i had a nvidia 8600gts and it required a pci-e power connector, but i was told the 8600gt doesnt require additional power because the pci-e slot is more than adequate to run it. Depends if the manufacturerers of the card had overclocked it to near the gts speeds.
Now ive got an ati x1950pro which costs the same price but runs any game i throw at it.
Yes I think your right. Certain models of the 8600GT that have been OC'd or with more Ram do require extra power, but I think Simon's one is a basic model and doesn't require it.
Simon, the double boot issue is a problem with the BIOS see here http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?t=127743
Good link, Glenn, thanks. :thumb:
Thanks Rik, I had the same problem with my PC when I built it last year, a BIOS flash sorted it out.
The abit ip35 pro 1.4 bios seems pretty stable, however if you flash to the latest 1.6 as I did the cpu temp monitoring shot up by 20 degrees which I presume is a bug. Did you have fun getting that jumper off the seagate drives to enable SATA 2? I had to delve inside the sewing box for a pair of needles to prise it out :)
Quote from: Rik on Apr 20, 2008, 10:14:17
Toes crossed, Simon. I remember the time I dropped a screw into the power supply. It made a lovely bang... ;D :out:
I found a screw today on the magnet of the speaker in the one I am currently resurrecting for a Linux trial. Fortunately It was stuck on tightly so it could not roll about.
It will be a doddle Simon I have done more than I can count on the fingers of one hand if rebuilds and resurrections count. Today's resurrection didn't POST first go but I counted the beeps, which told me that it could not detect the video card. I took this card out rubbed the connectors with a bit of kitchen towel, while keeping an arm on the case (my wrist strap was back in the garage) popped it back in again and away it went and it has been running all afternoon. No worries! :)
Good Luck but I am sure you won't need it! ;)
Quote from: Glenn on Apr 20, 2008, 17:22:11
Simon, the double boot issue is a problem with the BIOS see here http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?t=127743
Oh, for heaven's sake, don't tell me there's a problem before I've even started it!! :mad: Thanks, Glenn, that will be useful, but I hope I don't need it. ;)
Quote from: stevethegas on Apr 20, 2008, 18:34:58
Did you have fun getting that jumper off the seagate drives to enable SATA 2? I had to delve inside the sewing box for a pair of needles to prise it out :)
Err... never even looked. Is that something I need to do then? Not used SATA drives before, and have to admit, never even thought about jumpers. Blimey, I feel like a complete amateur now. Is there a corner somewhere I can slink away to? :bawl:
Its a very small jumper (grey) sits next to the lead connections on the seagate drive it limits the transfer speeds to 150mb/s instead of 300mb/s for sata 2. See sticker on drive.I only know this as I fitted two to my own build on Thursday. I made the mistake of applying thermal paste as I have done in the past i.e a dried pea size blob in the middle, I later then read the instructions from Artic silver who suggested I had to apply a linear blob in one direction for intel duo and quad processor. So next day I had to remove the heat sink and fan again :)
Quote from: Simon on Apr 20, 2008, 16:28:22
I have built 4 before, Niall, albeit 4 or 5 years ago, so I wasn't exactly going in green. I can't see how it's possible, from a picture in a review, to measure exactly how much room your graphics card is going to require, or whether there's likely to be a stupid little connector in the way. Those are the sorts of things you just come across as you go along. I haven't an in depth knowledge of computer building, but other than one, which developed a fault on the mobo, all four of my machines are still going strong.
It's all together now, and without plugging the monitor in, I held my breath, put on some rubber soled shoes (joke!), and hit the power button. It all sprung to life, for two seconds, then died, but before I could reach for the hammer, it started up again, and I got the post beep! :yeay:
Can't do any more now, until I get an extension SATA power lead for the DVD drive. :(
The size side of things is generally something you learn if you have a case that's the same, or you're upgrading internal parts for a current rig.
As for the power up/down/up thing, my current system does that. It powers up, beeps, idles, then beeps again and runs. Apparently it's supposed to do that (I read up on it, thinking it was a defective board), but I forget why off the top of my head.
Strange things PCs :D
Quote from: Simon on Apr 20, 2008, 15:52:21
"The 1394 is the Firewire."
Right, well, I don't even know what that is, so I guess I could do without it.
If you have a camcorder, you may well need it. ;)
Fixed your quote, In. ;)
I do have a camcorder, but as far as I know, it works with USB.
Quote from: stevethegas on Apr 20, 2008, 21:37:35
Its a very small jumper (grey) sits next to the lead connections on the seagate drive it limits the transfer speeds to 150mb/s instead of 300mb/s for sata 2. See sticker on drive.I only know this as I fitted two to my own build on Thursday. I made the mistake of applying thermal paste as I have done in the past i.e a dried pea size blob in the middle, I later then read the instructions from Artic silver who suggested I had to apply a linear blob in one direction for intel duo and quad processor. So next day I had to remove the heat sink and fan again :)
Means taking the damned things out again, but I'll have a look for those, thanks Steve. So I can just remove them, yes? Or do they have to be moved?
The heat sink had what looked like three little mesh stickers on the bottom, which I assume are the thermal pads, so I didn't apply any more. The most trouble I had with that was getting it fixed to the mobo, as one of the locking push in things didn't want to lock at first, but I managed to persuade it in the end, by swearing at it.
Quote from: Niall on Apr 20, 2008, 22:08:10
The size side of things is generally something you learn if you have a case that's the same, or you're upgrading internal parts for a current rig.
As for the power up/down/up thing, my current system does that. It powers up, beeps, idles, then beeps again and runs. Apparently it's supposed to do that (I read up on it, thinking it was a defective board), but I forget why off the top of my head.
Strange things PCs :D
Indeed, they are, Niall, and would try the patience of a saint. I'm hoping the 'staggered' boot will go away after I've sorted out the BIOS and loaded Windows. I would have thought, if it's a fault with the current BIOS, Abit should have recalled and updated them, rather than letting people find out for themselves.
Quote from: Simon on Apr 20, 2008, 23:48:23
Fixed your quote, In. ;)
I do have a camcorder, but as far as I know, it works with USB.
Thanks Simon.
Fair enough, some do work with USB.
Good luck with the " build " sooner you than me. ;)
Quote from: stevethegas on Apr 20, 2008, 21:37:35
Its a very small jumper (grey) sits next to the lead connections on the seagate drive it limits the transfer speeds to 150mb/s instead of 300mb/s for sata 2. See sticker on drive.I only know this as I fitted two to my own build on Thursday.
I'd like to say a massive thank you to you. Since I built my PC back in November, my Seagate SATAII drives have been limited by this jumper that I'd failed to notice. I've just removed them and things are significantly better!
:karma:
Well done Seb, we all learn something new every day..a great result :thumb:
Well done to Steve as well. ;)
We do indeed. I didn't even think to look at the jumper. :blush:
Oh, that makes me feel a bit better, Seb. ;)
:hehe:
Well, with SATA being that much easier than IDE (no primary/secondary/cable select) I didn't even look at it. :P
Simon, just musing on your dual boot. How long was the power applied to the PSU before you hit the power button? Mine does a self-test when mains is applied, and won't boot for a few seconds until it's complete.
I only did it once, Rik, and it started up when I hit the power button, then after literally a couple of seconds, it died, then about five seconds after that, it came to life again, and got to the POST beep. I didn't have it connected to a monitor at the time, so switched it off again after watching it run for a minute or two, and haven't tried again since.
Simon If you are using the ip35 pro there is an LED on the board which scrolls through the codes as it boots the last is FF. When I built mine on Thursday I failed to push fully home the graphics card and it stuck at 9.9 it also dual booted then. With regard to the firewire port you should be able to attach it safely if required, the video card may foul the cable but not the connector. The video card needs its own power supply (mine uses two).If you have the traditional power connectors on your drives you can use those instead of the SATA power cables. The processor you fitted should clock to 3.2GHz safely but probably wise not use the stock fan and heat sink.Lastly in bios you need to select the PCI express slot as first graphics card everything else is straightforward.
Edit: Sorry i missed the earlier bit, as no extra power required for your video card.but I presmue therefore that the additional PCI power lead may have to be connected to the board?
Hi Steve,
It's not the Pro version as far as I know.
The firewire connector actually prevents the video card from seating properly, even with squashing the wires down.
I'll find out for certain if the video card needs power this evening, hopefully, but it did get to the post beep without.
Unfortunately, the SATA drives don't appear to have the other type of power connectors, but I will have another look, as that would solve the problem.
They won't, Simon, but I'd be surprised if the motherboard or PSU didn't come with a 4-pin molex to SATA power plug adaptor.
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 21, 2008, 13:12:59
They won't, Simon, but I'd be surprised if the motherboard or PSU didn't come with a 4-pin molex to SATA power plug adaptor.
That's true Sebby, most do, Im sure I may have a spare around in my "box of hell" I'm such a bits and pieces hoarder, my graphics card needs two seperate power supply connectors which surprised me :)
Same here, Gary. :)
It didn't come with any adapters, but those are just what I need, so thanks for the idea! Will be going to PC shop after work for bits.
It's only doing this so that you are more impressed when you finally boot it, Simon. :)
Quote from: Rik on Apr 21, 2008, 14:33:45
It's only doing this so that you are more impressed when you finally boot it, Simon. :)
especially when it makes you a cuppa :thumb: hope it all works tonight ok
There's a lot to be said for buying a " ready made ".. ;D ;D :out: :duck:
I always do - that way, someone else gets to sort out any incompatibilities for me. :)
Quote from: Inactive on Apr 21, 2008, 16:04:25
There's a lot to be said for buying a " ready made ".. ;D ;D :out: :duck:
Not forgetting the 3 year warranty ;)
I do admire anyone that has the balls to make their own, and good luck to them, but I'm afraid it wouldn't be my " cup of tea ".
On overall balance, I don't think anyone actually saves any money by making their own.
....and how on earth do you ascertain if things are compatible?
To each his / her own. ;)
I wish I knew how to, but these systems are quite cheap nowadays, your right In, I don't think you save much these days.
Quote from: Inactive on Apr 21, 2008, 16:16:28
On overall balance, I don't think anyone actually saves any money by making their own.
....and how on earth do you ascertain if things are compatible?
I think it used to be cheaper many years ago, but it isn't anymore. That said, I wouldn't say it's more expensive...
Compatibility is quite easy. First, I choose my processor. Then, I choose a motherboard that can take that processor. Next, I choose some RAM that is compatible with the motherboard (RAM is generally the same for desktops these days, as sites like Crucial make it easier by telling you what RAM your motherboard accepts). With the other bits (hard drive, graphics card, etc) it's more a case of making sure you have the right connectors. For example, if you choose a PCI-E graphics card, you need to make sure your motherboard has a PCI-E slot. Similarly, if you choose a SATA hard drive, you need to ensure that the motherboard has SATA headers. :)
In the past I have built my own, but the savings were not significant and the risks were all mine. Provided I can find someone to build the box I want, eg Scan, then I prefer to get someone else to do the work these days.
Mine has a Satellite Tuner, a Freeview Tuner, a Scart connector, Firewire ports, USB Ports, Card slots etc. etc...I wouldn't have a clue how to connect that lot together. ??? ;)
It's actually not that difficult, In. The mobo handbook has a diagram which maps all the connectors and most of them will only go in the right kind of socket. The hardest job is avoiding knitting a scarf while connecting everything.
It really isn't as hard as you might think, In. When I built my first PC, I had very little idea what I was doing, but things can only really go in one place. If you have a look inside a PC for a few minutes, it should make more sense. :)
Quote from: Rik on Apr 21, 2008, 16:39:05
It's actually not that difficult, In.
I will take your word for it Rik. ;) ;D
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 21, 2008, 16:42:30
. If you have a look inside a PC for a few minutes, it should make more sense. :)
I did, last week, when I changed the Graphics Card and added 2 memory modules, that was fearful enough for me. ;D
Ah, well you're half way there already then, In. :)
I believe most people could build one, as has been said the mobo manual helps a lot, plenty research online and here, watch someone else do it.
I started off doing the simple stuff like fitting CD drives, memory etc then just worked up. The thing what lets me down is trouble shooting software probs once you have the system built ;D
Software problems can be a bit of a nuisance, but - like you say - with the internet it's often easy to find someone else who's had the same issue, along with a solution. :)
The bits I don't understand are:
How do you know the settings for the CPU in the BIOS, it's something to do with multipliers, isn't it?
Thermal paste, how do you know how much and if it's enough not to fry the chip.
Jumpers on HDs etc, how do you know which settings.
And thats for starters.
There should be instructions for the BIOS settings, Malc. Many auto-detect stuff these days. Otherwise, ask the retailer lots of questions.
Thermal paste is a bit down to experience, though.
I know, a lot of it's trial and error, but to build a whole system, I'm not quite their yet.
I think the only thing I havn't attepmted to replace yet are the CPU and mobo, and I guess ther're the most difficult.
They are. The mobo because it means disconnecting everything, the CPU because it's easy to break one of you're a bit heavy-handed.
The building process can be extremely frustrating, although it's actually relatively easy, and as Rik said, only the right bits fit in the right places. The annoying things are, when the right places, are in the way of other right places, as in the case of my graphics card not being able to seat correctly, due to another connector being in the way. I don't understand why things are where they are on mobos, or why all the connectors for this, that and everything else, can't all be on one side, or in one corner or the other, rather than seemingly scattered randomly over the board.
I have just broken one of the SATA terminals on my mobo, admittedly due to heavy handedness and impatience, but why can't it just be easy to remove one component, without having to practically dismantle the whole thing back to scratch?
Oh, I found out where the network port is, and now, it's behind a bendy flap on the I/O panel at the rear of the mobo, which, if I want it to bend inwards, will involve removing the whole motherboard, just to bend this stupid bit of metal over the terminal. Will I do that? Nope - it's just about to be clipped off.
Quote from: Simon on Apr 21, 2008, 18:23:06
Oh, I found out where the network port is, and now, it's behind a bendy flap on the I/O panel at the rear of the mobo, which, if I want it to bend inwards, will involve removing the whole motherboard, just to bend this stupid bit of metal over the terminal. Will I do that? Nope - it's just about to be clipped off.
Put a thin blade behind the tab, you should be able to tease it out then remove it.
I've made that mistake before, Simon. Believe me, you'll never do it again. :)
Quote from: Glenn on Apr 21, 2008, 18:26:45
Put a thin blade behind the tab, you should be able to tease it out then remove it.
Oh, it's already on the outside, Glenn, it's just that it should have been folded inwards before I installed the mobo. Of course, the easiest way would be to remove the I/O plate, but they fit from the inside. ::) It's a conspiracy, I tell you! ;D
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 21, 2008, 18:27:40
I've made that mistake before, Simon. Believe me, you'll never do it again. :)
No, Seb, I doubt that I will! I will be sooo surprised if this thing actually works at all, by the time I've finished with it! >:D
IT'S ALIVE!!!! :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :evilb: :evilb: :leer:
All up and running, infected with Windows, and now for the boring bit - updates and transferring files. (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/yawn.gif)
Well done mate :congrats:
Quote from: Simon on Apr 21, 2008, 22:00:43
IT'S ALIVE!!!! :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :evilb: :evilb: :leer:
All up and running, infected with Windows, and now for the boring bit - updates and transferring files. (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/yawn.gif)
And there was you saying it wouldn't work. :P
Well done! :karma:
So, how's it running?
It's so quiet, I have to keep checking it's still on! ;D Seems to be running fine. Got all the boring bit to get through now, but I think I've got all the Windows Updates, and have loaded a few programs, but still loads to do, and I keep having to reconnect the old PC to retrieve stuff from it. All good fun though, and I even managed to partition a drive! (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/woot!.gif)
Sounds like you have beaten it Simon, well done. :thumb:
They don't work very well after being beaten, In. Tends to loosen the parts. ;) :out:
Quote from: Simon on Apr 21, 2008, 22:00:43
IT'S ALIVE!!!! :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :evilb: :evilb: :leer:
All up and running, infected with Windows, and now for the boring bit - updates and transferring files. (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/yawn.gif)
that's fantastic Simon - well done :thumb:
Thanks, Mad. I think it will be worth the aggro. :)
Well done, Simon. Are you using the LAN to transfer files?
Quote from: Simon on Apr 21, 2008, 22:00:43
IT'S ALIVE!!!! :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :yeay: :evilb: :evilb: :leer:
All up and running, infected with Windows, and now for the boring bit - updates and transferring files. (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/yawn.gif)
That's great news, Simon. :karma:
Quote from: Rik on Apr 22, 2008, 08:39:03
Well done, Simon. Are you using the LAN to transfer files?
No, because I've only got one ethernet cable. (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/red-face.gif) At the moment, I'm having to transfer stuff from the old main drive to the new one via an external hard drive, but for the storage drives, I'll piggy back via IDE, I expect.
Go buy a LAN cable, it will make your life a lot easier. :)
Is that the same as an ethernet cable?
Yup.
So, can't I just unplug the existing one from the router and use that? If so, is it just a question of plugging it in, or is it more complicated than that? I'd like to get it more or less finished tonight, so don't need another learning curve to deal with.
How many cables do you have? You'll need one for each machine. Other than that, it's as simple as giving each computer a unique name, then sharing the files/drives you want to copy, then using My Network Places to locate the shares.
:but: There's only one LAN / Ethernet port on each machine, so how can I use two cables? Surely it would be just as easy to hook up the old storage drive to the new machine? Might even just physically swap the drive over and that's that.
I've just realised what I've said. Dohh!! Use the router! Sometime the penny gets stuck in the slot!
:lol:
Just get both PCs connected to the router, setup a shared folder on one of the PCs, and you're away. ;)
;D
Know the feeling.
There's some sort of issue on my old machine, as whenever I have tried to add some folders from my laptop, it refuses, complaining about administrator rights, or something, but it works the other way round. Not sure if it's a Vista thing.
Could be - grab Sebby or Lance.
I would try to connect to the Vista machine from XP. It'll prompt you for a username and password; enter the username and password you use on the Vista machine and it'll work as normal. :)
Also, it could just be that the share you've created doesn't have full permissions.
The Vista machine isn't passworded, Seb. I agree, it's probably something in Vista's permissions.
If you check the properties of the folder you've shared, you'll find some settings that concern permissions. I can't remember them off hand, but I'll look tonight (if you haven't already sorted it!). :)
OK, as soon as I can get off here, and have put the shopping away, I'll be on it. :) Could do with two monitors in these situations.
I've got a spare prefect... ;D
:grn: Isn't it time you weren't here? >:D
Soon, very soon. :)
Quote from: Simon on Apr 22, 2008, 11:41:26
There's some sort of issue on my old machine, as whenever I have tried to add some folders from my laptop, it refuses, complaining about administrator rights, or something, but it works the other way round. Not sure if it's a Vista thing.
I'm sure I've read about this very thing in these forums Simon - it
is to do with Vista, and it
is to do with permissions, but for the life of me I can't find the thread - sorry :blush:
Simon,
Take a look here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx it may be of some help
I know I can miss the target completely never mind the bull's eye but I had a "oneway" network problem a while back and it took a Registry edit to sort it out. This was XP to XP I have never had my hands on a Vista system.
The gist of the solution over on EYO was this:
Ok one of those Eureka moments at last!
I have been all over the MS Knowledge base tonight and in MS KB Article ID : 913628 the crucial bit I found is:
In the right pane, double-click restrictanonymous.
Make sure that the value in the Value data box is set to 0
My value was 1. How it got to be 1 will remain one of life's mysteries.
I had a gut feeling that this one was going to involve a bit of a registry edit and that is exactly what I had to do.
Thank for the support and encouragement with this one.
Chapter and verse is here:
http://phorums.com.au/showthread.php?t=212995
With the above extract being the content of my post no.7
I've seen that one way thing before. The last time I saw it was admittedly a few years ago, but it was on XP just after it came out. It was related to installing FTP server software which altered system settings to stop people connecting to your server without creating an authenticated account.
Forgive the rant, and language, but here goes...
Never, EVER AGAIN am I building a new computer. I have spent the whole evening trying to transfer files from my old IDE hard drive (no OS, just storage), on to this new thing. First I tried using LAN, but neither were having any of it. Kept getting message that 'Home' couldn't do something, neither could see the other, and only having one monitor made the job that much bloody harder anyway, so I gave that up as a bad idea, and decided to physically swap the hard drive into the new PC. Simple, you would think? Was it bloody hell! First I had to remove the SATA connectors, to enable me to fit the hard drive in. In order to do this, I had to remove the floppy IDE cable. Even with pressing the release clip, yet another SATA connector came away from the mobo rendering it useless. This wasn't through being ham fisted, these things are just poorly fitted, and I've a good mind to complain to Abit about it.
Having eventually installed the hard drive, and put everything back together, I fired up the PC, and everything had slowed to a crawl. I mean, literally 10 minutes to boot into Windows and load the desktop. I thought it might have been a one off, dealing with the 'new' IDE drive, but rebooted, and the same thing happened. Checked in My Computer, and the IDE drive was listed, but I thought maybe I'd connected the wrong bit of the IDE cable, so swapped it for the secondary connection, rebooted, and Windows loaded like lightning, but the drive was nowhere to be seen. Maybe the jumpers are wrong? Of course, once the drive was in the case, I couldn't read the label to say where the jumpers should go, so had to dismantle everything again to get the (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/censored.gif)ing thing out to read the jumper instructions, of which there were 4 different sets. How am I supposed to know which ones to use? There are 4 different combinations for Cable Select, 4 different for Primary, 4 different for secondary, and I can't remember what the last one was. To add to this, the writing is so small, I can barely read it, and in fact, can't read what the four different sets of jumper combinations are actually called. OK, so might be time for en eye test, but even so, why is everything so complicated? In the end, I chose one of the Cable Select options, to be safe, and reinstalled the hard drive. Booted up, and no drive seen. Changed the jumpers three or four times, but still no drive seen. Changed to the secondary IDE connector, and still nothing, then I realised I had the sodding thing the wrong way round. :bawl: Connected the IDE correctly, rebooted, and again, everything at a crawl.
I've now given up completely, and am building a hatred for this computer bordering on the psychotic. I wish I'd never started it, and it will be very lucky if it doesn't get thrown down the stairs at some point in the very near future. I have wasted a whole evening and achieved nothing except some hardening of the arteries, and to put it mildly, am (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/censored.gif)ing furious!! >:(
I'm really sorry to hear that, Simon. I know how frustrating these things can be.
So are your hard drives IDE, not SATA? What I'd suggest is downloading the manual for your particular drive and getting the cable select setting right. After that, you shouldn't have any trouble,
The new hard drives are SATA, but the old one I wanted to install is IDE. The mobo is supposed to be able to support both. To be honest, I don't know what the drive is now, and I think it would just be easier to do what I was going to do in the first place, and transfer everything via my external hard drive. It might be slow, but at least I know it will work.
Ah, I'm with you now. I'm not 100% how it works with having both a SATA and IDE drive installed, but I would have thought that the IDE drive would still be set to primary as it is the primary device on the IDE channel without necessarily being the primary device overall. I would think that it's the boot order in the BIOS that allows you to choose the SATA drive as the boot device. Perhaps make sure that this is correct - could the slow boot be that the PC is trying to boot from the IDE drive (which would have all the wrong drivers, etc)?
I don't know, Seb, I was just so up tight I couldn't really think straight, and the IDE drive is back in the old PC now. The MOST frustrating thing is these SATA connectors that keep breaking. One more, and I won't have enough left for what I need, so I think it's going to have to go into a PC shop to be repaired anyway, believe it or not.
Pity it's not gone well Simon - the guy who invented computers should have been shot before he came up with the idea ;D
note to self - NEVER try to build a PC - just buy one - it's much easier :)
It's all part of the challenge, Mad, but it's sooo annoying when things just seem to be deliberately designed to work against you.
This is what I get when trying to view other computers on the network:
(http://si6776.www.idnet.com/Image1home.png)
This happens with both old and new PCs, so I'm guessing it must be something to do with the 2Wire, but I don't know what. The router sees both computers when connected by Ethernet.
which os you running Simon
and building PC is fun i have just slamed my newest one together from my computer trade account i have for
my business and saved my self a whole lot of money
that and PCs are very easy to build
Sorry that all is not well with the new computer Simon, equally sorry that I cannot offer any help.
It will get sorted eventually. ;)
Both XP, Colin.
Yes, PCs are not difficult to build, but poorly designed and badly manufactured parts don't help. I thought I'd be safe with an Abit board, but I would hesitate before buying another.
I believe SATA connectors are a poor design compared to the original IDE and cheap solutions to make them less likely to drop off make them very easy to break. The slow IDE drive issue I have had myself but cant remember the solution, certainly IDE and SATA coexist quite happily. Did you install the the intel 775 drivers for the board and SATA, Plug and play in bios should be off I think for XP, just wish I could remember how I solved the problem. :)
Does the Guest account exist on both machines, Simon?
Quote from: Rik on Apr 22, 2008, 10:03:50
Go buy a LAN cable, it will make your life a lot easier. :)
:yeahright: 8 hours wasted and still got nowhere. ::)
Quote from: stevethegas on Apr 23, 2008, 08:25:03
I believe SATA connectors are a poor design compared to the original IDE and cheap solutions to make them less likely to drop off make them very easy to break. The slow IDE drive issue I have had myself but cant remember the solution, certainly IDE and SATA coexist quite happily. Did you install the the intel 775 drivers for the board and SATA, Plug and play in bios should be off I think for XP, just wish I could remember how I solved the problem. :)
You're not wrong about the poor design, Steve. It's going into the repairers today, to see if they can fix the broken connectors.
Quote from: Rik on Apr 23, 2008, 09:18:38
Does the Guest account exist on both machines, Simon?
I don't know, Rik. It was the 'Home' thing that made me assume it was something to do with the 2Wire, but thinking about it, it's possible it may have been the software firewall blocking things. Can't do anything more at the moment, as the old one is transferring files to the external drive (4 hours to go, then got to do it all over again), and the new one is about to go into the shop.
To be honest, I'm so pi**ed off with it, I don't want to have to deal with it at the moment, and I had a very bad night's sleep as well.
It's just a long shot, but if you don't have a guest account, I've found that networking fails...
Are both PC's in the same workgroup or domain?
I can't get that far, Glenn. The error message above appears when I click Show computers in workgroup.
Rik, I've never set up any other accounts, because I'm the only one who user it.
Check in Control Panel > User accounts. If guest is not showing (it can be off - and should be), then that's probably the problem.
Is this any help http://support.microsoft.com/kb/285035
Nice find, Glenn. :thumb:
Can't see that at the moment, Glenn, but will look when I get home.
The repair shop won't touch the broken SATA connectors, and recommended returning the mobo as faulty! :bawl:
I once broke the plastic part of SATA Hard drive connector and dare I say,glued the broken connector and the cable together, perhaps I was fortunate but it still working 2 years hence.Thats what you call a permanent connection ;D
It should stop it working loose, Steve. :)
I have just been comparing different versions of the ABIT IP35 motherboard, the type of SATA connection seems to differ according to the model the non pro version seems to use the traditional connector with no cable retention, however in the pro version all the SATA connectors(6)are at the edge of the board next to the IDE socket and the supplied cable has a metal spring clip to help prevent disconnection. I would say from the plus point that I could not safely mess around with these without moving the motherboard away from the case. I fortunatley purchased a Lian Li case which incidently is indeed large enough to fit a small child inside and it is very easy to move the motherboard out via the rear of the case to get at those connectors easily. :)
Mine also has the metal clips, Steve, but the connectors to the mobo are so weak, they seem to break away at the slightest touch. Of course, once the plastic sleeve comes off from the six tiny pins, it's impossible to fix it back again.
I think I may have rectified some of the network problem, by enabling the network card as Trusted through the software firewall, despite the warnings about it compromising security. I can now view the workgroups screen without the error message.
Well, to update this saga, I have finally now managed to network the two PCs, and am currently transferring my data across. The problem was mostly the F-secure firewall doing it's job too well, and partly because I hadn't run the network wizard on the new PC. Doh!! Anyway, all up and running now, but lots to transfer, so have left it going over night. What's the betting of getting up in the morning to an error message waiting for an answer, and it's only done 1% of the transfer? :D
Further to the IDE drive problem, thanks for your link, Glenn, and I have now also found this, which I would have tried, but probably won't bother now.
http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/577606-adding-backup-ide-drive-my.html
I could have possibly got an IDE > SATA converter, but haven't got the connector for it now, as I managed to break half of them. Does anyone know if you can get SATA socket doublers? :-\
I hope the transfer went well. i don't believe you can get SATA doublers; it needs to be one port per device (unlike IDE).
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 24, 2008, 08:30:30
I hope the transfer went well. i don't believe you can get SATA doublers; it needs to be one port per device (unlike IDE).
More progress.. ::)
Never having connected up a SATA drive I am not sure what it is that has broken but if this link is the right thing they may offer free samples if you contact them from work. I have had a degree of success doing this in the past: ;)
http://www.manufacturers.com.tw/showroom-7754-4-5-0000047644-3402.php
There are others too here:
http://www.manufacturers.com.tw/computers/SATA-Connectors.html
Thanks Les, they are the bits that have broken, but I wouldn't have a clue how to fit new ones to the mobo. :( I think I'm going to have to end up replacing the board, because I am now unable to add any more drives, should I want to in the future, and this could be quite limiting. I may even contact Scan, as they supplied the mobo, just to see what they have to say about it. I really don't think these connectors should have broken so easily, and I'm not that ham fisted to have made the same mistake more than once.
Not sure if this may overcome your problem Simon, not cheap, but it is Maplins. ;)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=36036&doy=24m4
Thanks In, I did know of those, the trouble being, when I tried my IDE drive via the usual method, it slowed everything down to a crawl, and I'm not sure if it was the drive itself, or something else which was causing it. That needs further investigation, and I'm in a bit of a dilemma at the moment, as to whether to persevere with this and spend time getting all my programs loaded, or replace the mobo, and virtually start again from scratch.
Quote from: Simon on Apr 24, 2008, 10:49:48
Thanks In, I did know of those, the trouble being, when I tried my IDE drive via the usual method, it slowed everything down to a crawl, and I'm not sure if it was the drive itself, or something else which was causing it. That needs further investigation, and I'm in a bit of a dilemma at the moment, as to whether to persevere with this and spend time getting all my programs loaded, or replace the mobo, and virtually start again from scratch.
I would go for it now Simon, as gutting as that is, in the long term if you need to change things you will just have to do it anyway maybe best while its in mind, cant you RMA the board saying the sata connectors were all brittle maybe?
Fair enough Simon, as you know, I know very little on the subject anyway.. ;D ;D.. I would bite the bullet and get another Mobo, a different brand this time.
Quote from: Inactive on Apr 24, 2008, 10:54:18
Fair enough Simon, as you know, I know very little on the subject anyway.. ;D ;D.. I would bite the bullet and get another Mobo, a different brand this time.
I find the best way of connecting things In, is with a kettle and a cup ;)
;D :thumb:
Quote from: Killhippie on Apr 24, 2008, 10:52:18
I would go for it now Simon, as gutting as that is, in the long term if you need to change things you will just have to do it anyway maybe best while its in mind, cant you RMA the board saying the sata connectors were all brittle maybe?
I have emailed Scan, and am awaiting their response. I should have gone for the Intel board, although, I've never had a problem with Abit boards before.
I have used abit an they have been ok as well Simon
I think not "fit for purpose" is the expression. If you do intend to change the MB perhaps look again at the SATA layout and type of connection and go for a different type of connector i.e the Abit IP35 pro which I installed uses a enclosed SATA block at the edge of the board, gigabyte and intel also have a different SATA mount. My only other advice is next time if you can fit the board from the back of the case,attach as many cables as you can whilst they are easy to get at and indeed connect the spare cables if you are going to upgrade in the near future you can always tie them out of the way.As you've discovered it is near impossible to get at the damn things safely once the case is cluttered with power cables,drives and video cards. :)
I've always found Asus boards are very good, I've recently installed my third one. :thumb:
Asus and Intel would be on my shortlist, Ray.
Quote from: Rik on Apr 24, 2008, 11:30:00
Asus and Intel would be on my shortlist, Ray.
Yes, Rik, I'd include Intel on my list as well.
And nvidia.
Quote from: Malc on Apr 24, 2008, 11:42:18
And nvidia.
I have a EVGA 680 sli board and that's great, saying that nvidia chipsets drivers can be a bit dodgy :fingers: all ok for now though
Just updated my 8800GTX yesterday after a few problems with some games, all works fine now.
Quote from: Malc on Apr 24, 2008, 12:00:54
Just updated my 8800GTX yesterday after a few problems with some games, all works fine now.
I have one of them Malc, what drivers are you running?
ForceWare Release 169.21
I've seen some reviews of Intel boards, and although good quality, they do seem quite basic. I wouldn't be overclocking, so that wouldn't worry me, but the lack of basics such as PS/2 connections does a little, although I don't know when I would ever need them. I'm talking myself out of my own argument here, aren't I? ;D
Quote from: Malc on Apr 24, 2008, 12:05:45
ForceWare Release 169.21
I'm using the ForceWare 169.25, seems to be ok :thumb:
Quote from: Simon on Apr 24, 2008, 12:07:34
I've seen some reviews of Intel boards, and although good quality, they do seem quite basic. I wouldn't be overclocking, so that wouldn't worry me, but the lack of basics such as PS/2 connections does a little, although I don't know when I would ever need them. I'm talking myself out of my own argument here, aren't I? ;D
:rofl: I think you may be, the asus boards are ok I had a A8N SLI Premium, but support is lousy on their site, what fsb does your dual core run at?
1333, Gary.
You could use one of the newer Nvidia boards boards Simon that support both DDR3 and DDR2 and 1333 and 1666 bus speeds then, kind of future proofs you that way, very expensive though but the EVGA 790i looks sweet and would give you a good few years of upgradability so in many ways its worth it, I would make a stink about the yours and see if they offer you some money off a more expensive board.
I'm still waiting for a reply to my first email from Scan. I decided on the softly softly approach at first, by explaining the situation and asking for advice. If they fail to respond, though, I might have to make more of a fuss.
I've got to tell that you my experience of Scan is extremely poor. I too ordered the parts for my PC from Scan back in November. Everything showed as in stock when I placed my order. I ordered on a Sunday and chose Friday as the delivery day as I knew someone would be at home. On the Thursday night at about 8pm, I got an automated email to say that a part was out of stock. I emailed them immediately, and to be fair, they did email me back the next day. After a lot of arguing, they wouldn't give me something else at no extra cost (even though the only ones they had in stock were more expensive) so I just went with it. I was very angry that they didn't contact me earlier in the week and it could have been sorted then.
I have since emailed them and find they can take up to 2 months to reply! I'd order something small from them again, but never a whole PC. :(
You might be better calling them, Simon.
My experience has been the opposite, Sebby. I guess it comes down to good and bad luck at times.
But it shouldn't do, Rik, and if good customer service is a lottery, that makes it poor in my book. I will give them 24 hrs to respond, then I suppose I'll have to ring. I don't like these web form email systems, as you have no proof of the email being received, and also, no record of what was said.
Should of went with OCers Simon lol!!
It shouldn't do, Simon, but with suppliers it seems to these days.
I've always found eBuyer to be excellent, but then there are a lot of people who have had terrible experiences with them. It really can be a bit hit and miss.
Same here, Sebby, good for me, but I've seen the horror stories.
Quote from: Rik on Apr 24, 2008, 17:32:06
My experience has been the opposite, Sebby. I guess it comes down to good and bad luck at times.
Same here, Rik, I bought all the parts for my recent upgrade from Scan, except for the memory modules ( Ilike to get my memory direct from Crucial.com) and a larger output new Antec power supply (which Scan don't appear to stock) all the items from Scan arrived on the day they said they would. :)
I must admit I bought a couple of fans from Scan recently and the service was good. It just annoyed me that I was spending a lot of money with them and they didn't even contact me to tell me something was out of stock (that should have been in stock).
If it wasn't for the mobo issue, I wouldn't have a problem with Scan at all. The delivery was on time, and well packed, and the overall price was significantly better than Ebuyer. It's usually only when a problem arises, that you find out how good a company's CS actually is. My email was a simple initial query, and in my view, should have prompted a response within the same day.
I think Scan may be a victim of their own success; they seem to be so busy at times that they just can't cope.
Sorry, that's on excuse. If they're that busy, they can afford more staff. ;)
Fair point. I'd suggest you give them a call tomorrow. You can never tell with email how quickly you'll get a reply, so if you call, you'll know it's sorted there and then. :)
Well, you'll all be relieved to know, I'm writing this on the new PC! Still transferring files and loading programs, but it's up and running. Don't know what to do about the mobo, to be honest. Now it's all working, I really haven't the patience to take it all to bits again. If Scan offer me a discount on another one, I might consider it, but to remove this, have the hassle of returning it, and waiting for another one, then putting it all back together again, seems a bit too much like hard work right now, but I'll give it some further thought.
Got there in the end eventually then Simon, glad to hear it. :solved:
I haven't caught up with this thread so what's up with your mobo?
well done Simon.
dont worry it'll not be long before you're itching to do the next build or an upgrade to this one.........honest. you've got the bug now ;D ;D
Glad you got there in the end. You might be right about the motherboard, Simon, though if it's going to play on your mind, it's better to sort it now, even if it does cause some inconvenience in the short-term. :)
I've dismantled my old pc but wouldn't know where to start on building one, been tracking your progress, well done Simon :thumb:
Quote from: BrianM on Apr 24, 2008, 22:26:08
I've dismantled my old pc but wouldn't know where to start on building one, been tracking your progress, well done Simon :thumb:
The bits go in as they come out, Brian! ;)
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 24, 2008, 22:08:58
Glad you got there in the end. You might be right about the motherboard, Simon, though if it's going to play on your mind, it's better to sort it now, even if it does cause some inconvenience in the short-term. :)
Still in two minds, Seb. :-\
Quote from: Baz on Apr 24, 2008, 22:07:47
well done Simon.
dont worry it'll not be long before you're itching to do the next build or an upgrade to this one.........honest. you've got the bug now ;D ;D
I'll need a bloody heart bypass before the next one! ;D
Quote from: jester212 on Apr 24, 2008, 22:06:38
I haven't caught up with this thread so what's up with your mobo?
Three of the SATA connectors have broken away from the mobo, Steve. The little plastic sleeves came away with the SATA plugs, despite pressing in the little metal clip, just leaving the six tiny bare pins. I thought I had been heavy handed with the first one, but was more careful with the others (obviously), so I feel that the assembly must have been weak in the first place. Convincing Scan of that, however, might be something of a challenge, but I am awaiting a return email from them.
Oh I see. Well that is unfortunate. If it just happened to one then you would think a one off but to all three!!! must be a fault somewhere.:think:
They just don't seem to be secured onto the board, Steve.
Pain that. Especially since Abit boards have a good rep.
Apart from that, it's running absolutely fine, but of course, I am now limited, as I can't add any more SATA drives, should I want to in the future.
Yeah that's the downside isn't it. Though you can buy PCI adapters, if you have the room.
Oh, that's a thought. Plenty of room for those, as no other PCI cards. :thumb:
Quote from: Simon on Apr 25, 2008, 00:44:05
Oh, that's a thought. Plenty of room for those, as no other PCI cards. :thumb:
There's your answer then. :)
I bought a new, boxed unbranded PCI SATA card at my local computer fair for £12 and it came with a mini CD for the drivers and a better quality SATA cable than the ones I bought at Maplin.
Currently has two 250GB SATA drives connected to it, powered by a generic 400W PSU's molex connectors.
The two SATA cables I bought at Maplin cost a fiver each and didn't survive more than three unplugs due to the really poor soldering and flimsy sleeves.
SATA drives are what we'll all be using soon, but it still shocks me that they can be so difficult to install when compared to the simplicity (and robustness) of IDE drives and I remain gobsmacked that I have to hit F6 on an XP SP2 install to load SATA drivers from a floppy.
Anyway, PCI card would appear to be a solution, should you decide to keep the mobo.
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 24, 2008, 17:28:12
I've got to tell that you my experience of Scan is extremely poor. I too ordered the parts for my PC from Scan back in November. Everything showed as in stock when I placed my order. I ordered on a Sunday and chose Friday as the delivery day as I knew someone would be at home. On the Thursday night at about 8pm, I got an automated email to say that a part was out of stock. I emailed them immediately, and to be fair, they did email me back the next day. After a lot of arguing, they wouldn't give me something else at no extra cost (even though the only ones they had in stock were more expensive) so I just went with it. I was very angry that they didn't contact me earlier in the week and it could have been sorted then.
I have since emailed them and find they can take up to 2 months to reply! I'd order something small from them again, but never a whole PC. :(
You might be better calling them, Simon.
I've no idea why it took 2 months for them to reply! That sounds like something has gone completely wrong somewhere.
I had a NIGHTMARE with Scan about 7 years ago. I ordered a Gainward card (yes I now know NEVER to buy Gainward again, as they're a bunch of cowboys. They even bailed on supplying Jolt with cards as prizes that they promised a couple of years ago, resulting in Jolt suing them and taking over one of their sites :D).
Anyway, I ordered a card and the memory was fried on the card as they (Gainward) overclock the memory on their cards. It took scan 2 months to test the card, and about 4 or 5 months (I forget which) to give me a refund. I didn't use them again for over 2 years, opting for the more expensive Komplett and OCUK. Since then Komplett seem to have gone backwards and don't seem anywhere near as good as other retailers, although are improving lately it would seem. I had a very unpleasant experience with OCUK when buying ram. The ram they sold me was defective, and they had the cheek to charge me £15 for restock fee even though they hadn't supplied me with any products at all. I spent weeks arguing with them and got nowhere. I have recently used them again (begrudgingly) to buy this Samsung 20" HD LCD TV, and it arrived with nothing wrong with it and it was cheaper than anywhere else at the time. I'm still not happy about the way I was treated with the ram, and in all honesty I wouldn't recommend OCUK to anyone really as I took a risk ordering the TV. I just hope that nothing goes wrong with the TV as my mate recently had an absolute nightmare trying to replace a HD TV with them. They messed him about for weeks.
As for Scan though, I'd say that they have gone back to being really good. I've had a few problems with the odd bits and pieces recently, and received great support. A good example is a motherboard I bought was DOA, so I sent it back to them after speaking to them on the phone, and they sent out a replacement motherboard before they'd even received my defective one back.
I have to agree about the stocking levels though. If a site says it's in stock they should have it in stock. It's not brain surgery. In all fairness I think that's either down to the software they use, not updating the front end quickly enough, or lazy stock boys not putting through the correct figures. I haven't had that problem with Scan, but I have with HMV, Komplett, OCUK, Ebuyer and one other shop I forget at the moment. This is one of the reasons I stick with Scan. They seem to know what they're doing and have good pricing.
On a completely unrelated note, my cat seems to be delighted at the buzzing noise a wasp is making that she's standing on :D
Quote from: Niall on Apr 25, 2008, 08:51:33
On a completely unrelated note, my cat seems to be delighted at the buzzing noise a wasp is making that she's standing on :D
:rofl:
I thought that post was going to have a sting in the tail, Niall. ;D
:basil: :basil:
Actually about five minutes ago I think the wasp got a dying sting in, as my cat jumped off the window sill backwards and is now sitting on my laptop, after walking around the room crying :D
Quote from: Simon on Apr 24, 2008, 23:39:21
They just don't seem to be secured onto the board, Steve.
If it wasn't a brand new board with warranty I would be getting some new stronger connectors and soldering them to the board myself. :)
That said I have the kit, well a vintage solder sucker and an old Weller temperature controlled soldering iron with an isolated bit. By the time anyone without this kit had bought it a new Mobo just might seem the cheaper and possibly less stressful option although Simon may not agree about the stress element right now! ;)
Well done Simon :karma: from me for perseverance! :)
Cheers, Les! It all seems to be running fine now, so I'll probably leave well alone, and possibly get a PCI SATA card for the future.
Still loading programs and stuff. The silly part is, by the time I've finished, it will look exactly the same as the old PC! ;D
Talking of customer service with computer suppliers; last year when I built my current PC, I brought most of the parts from Tekheads. It turned out that the Ram and motherboard were faulty, I RMA'd both within 3 days new parts were in my PC, no need to argue with the company.
Would I deal with Tekheads again, I most certainly would :thumb: to them.
I got a new PC yesterday - but like the cowardly hoob I am I went out and bought one ;D
Couldn't have done with all the stress that Simon went through. ;)
Quote from: Simon on Apr 26, 2008, 23:06:50
The silly part is, by the time I've finished, it will look exactly the same as the old PC! ;D
You could opt for Linux! ;)
I can assure you that has a different look! :)
You can get BBC BASIC for the PC. That looks different! ;)
I remember doing some wild Turtle drawings. ;D
10 REM Hello World
20 PRINT "Hello World"
30 GOTO 20
or, if you were being refined
10 REM Hello World
20 REPEAT
30 PROChello
40 UNTIL FALSE
50 REM
100 DEFPROChello
110 PRINT "Hello World"
120 ENDPROC
No idea what that would do. My Turtle days are well and truly gone. :P
It just puts Hello World on the screen. Probably the first program that everyone learns.
Oh, right. I didn't learn it like that, I was very young at the time. ;)
So was I, relatively speaking. ;)
:hehe:
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 27, 2008, 13:03:08
Oh, right. I didn't learn it like that, I was very young at the time. ;)
You must have been, my Daughter who is now 30, sat typing that stuff when she was six years old, on a Texas Instruments 16k computer. ;)
Quote from: madasahatter on Apr 27, 2008, 09:05:21
I got a new PC yesterday - but like the cowardly hoob I am I went out and bought one ;D
Couldn't have done with all the stress that Simon went through. ;)
Someone asked me to build them one today, and I politely declined ( (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/nbl.png) ) saying it's just as cheap to buy one, and you get a warranty. That said, yes it is as cheap to buy one, but I wonder if you would get the same quality components for the price of a home build? Mine cost me about £550 all in, but at least I know what went into it (and got broke!), and it doesn't come pre-loaded with cr@p that a retail one would have.
What did you get, Mad?
Quote from: Inactive on Apr 27, 2008, 13:25:31
You must have been, my Daughter who is now 30, sat typing that stuff when she was six years old, on a Texas Instruments 16k computer. ;)
Ditto that sound very familiar if you substitute BBC Micro! :eek4:
Just where have the years gone! ???
Quote from: Rik on Apr 27, 2008, 12:56:35
10 REM Hello World
20 PRINT "Hello World"
30 GOTO 20
or, if you were being refined
10 REM Hello World
20 REPEAT
30 PROChello
40 UNTIL FALSE
50 REM
100 DEFPROChello
110 PRINT "Hello World"
120 ENDPROC
Don't forget my personal favourite addition to any program I wrote in BBC basic:
*fx 200,1
That disabled the escape key. There was another command that I used after creating a password login system, so that if someone presses "break" it wipes the program so they never know what they were looking at, and think they'd broken something. It was great :D
Quote from: Simon on Apr 27, 2008, 21:14:47
Someone asked me to build them one today, and I politely declined ( (http://si6776.www.idnet.com/smileys/nbl.png) ) saying it's just as cheap to buy one, and you get a warranty. That said, yes it is as cheap to buy one, but I wonder if you would get the same quality components for the price of a home build? Mine cost me about £550 all in, but at least I know what went into it (and got broke!), and it doesn't come pre-loaded with cr@p that a retail one would have.
What did you get, Mad?
After much scouring of the internet and wandering in and out of shops, I chose a Packard Bell imedia (can't remember the model number). Anyway, it's vital statistics are Intel Q6600 proc (2.4GHz), 3Gig Ram,and NVidia 256k graphics card, and it's bloody fast!!! 8)
Only trouble is that I ended up spending much more than I wanted to, because I also saw lovely new 2.1 speakers, and an all in one printer that I simply
had to have - when in spending mood, us hoobs just don't know when to stop ;D
So, can I ask what you ended up spending, Mad? It's would be interesting to compare the price of an off the shelf PC to a home build. :)
Nice spec, Mad. :thumb:
Cheers Sebby - I'm very happy with it so far :thumb: