Search found 109 matches

by idale
Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:45 pm
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: Multipurpose living room PC (stage 3)
Replies: 17
Views: 14477

Re: Multipurpose living room PC (stage 2)

Stage 3 Stage 3 attained, shrinking the case down to an HTPC and using a built-in IR receiver (Antec Fusion Black). Since of course the Xigmatek had no chance of fitting, I replaced it, managing to score a rev. B Minja (new in box :shock: ) off eBay for a reasonable price. I replaced the TriCools w...
by idale
Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:43 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: How To Disable "Google Instant"
Replies: 7
Views: 3805

Re: How To Disable "Google Instant"

I disabled Google Instant soon after it was implemented, doing it by the "Search settings" link (as ces described.) I've used only Firefox since then (as far as I can recall), but just now out of curiosity I visited Google in IE and it was disabled in that browser as well. Which leads me to think t...
by idale
Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:39 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Installing used CPU
Replies: 5
Views: 2321

Re: Installing used CPU

Question : When installed my Phenom II X4 945 on the new motherboard is it necessary/recommended/optional to remove the original pre-applied thermal and apply a new one? If yes, then I would ask for advices on how to remove that crap, and how to apply. I remember saw some article explaining the dif...
by idale
Tue Feb 08, 2011 5:33 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: System fails to POST. Motherboard failure?
Replies: 13
Views: 5451

Re: System fails to POST. Motherboard failure?

Ouch, another Zotac board bites the dust overnight (my GF-8200-C-E did so about a week ago: solid HDD activity light, fans on, no other signs of life). At least the RMA request experience was pretty painless for me (sent a support request "just in case" and was pretty much told with what I'd tried i...
by idale
Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:47 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Does this look like a good setup for a quiet desktop?
Replies: 8
Views: 3483

Re: Does this look like a good setup for a quiet desktop?

I don't think the TX650 is all that quiet. Have a look at the SPCR Recommended PSUs and buy something listed there instead. At least as of 2.5 years ago when one was tested here at SPCR, it was deemed fairly quiet. Not the quietest model, certainly, but definitely good enough for most use (especial...
by idale
Sat Oct 09, 2010 7:14 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Lian Li PC-Q08 Mini-ITX Mini Tower Case
Replies: 53
Views: 70655

I probably didn't phrase my support quite as well as I should have; you do have to work within the constraints of a particular case, but generally there seems to be good performers in all sorts of sizes in the $30-40 region (which includes some of the heatsinks you'd suggested), so replacing the hea...
by idale
Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:55 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Lian Li PC-Q08 Mini-ITX Mini Tower Case
Replies: 53
Views: 70655

The noise from these various Scythe coolers (and their fans) is generally far better than that of stock coolers. Definitely. Can't speak for Intel (though you guys have used enough of those to say), but certainly the stock fans from AMD aren't particularly quiet. Not bad, better than things used to...
by idale
Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:08 am
Forum: Site Feedback
Topic: No email notification for new posts?
Replies: 11
Views: 17972

Thanks, Mike, I know I've been missing emails lately and wasn't sure what was up. Just normal mail server stupidity, apparently. :? (I've got that issue with mails sent from my home mail server, presumably because it's a dynamic IP so I guess while DNS resolution works reverse DNS doesn't and so the...
by idale
Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:31 am
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: Multipurpose living room PC (stage 3)
Replies: 17
Views: 14477

Interesting find there on the backplate, though sounds like it'd be safer just to replace the whole heatsink (I'm not exactly the dexterous sort with power tools, I'd probably lose an arm with the necessary modifications to get this HS to work with that backplate ;)). The reason I'd blocked up the t...
by idale
Wed Sep 29, 2010 3:53 pm
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: Multipurpose living room PC (stage 3)
Replies: 17
Views: 14477

Stage 2 Stage 2 has recently been reached, consisting of adding a discrete video card (MSI Cyclone GTX 460 1GB in this case). I have also gotten rid of the crappy D-Link wireless NIC, which was made even crappier by being very hot from the video card's proximity. ;) Now I've got a Netgear WN2000RPT...
by idale
Wed Sep 29, 2010 7:00 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Which GTX 460 to choose?
Replies: 52
Views: 30907

I've been happy with my MSI Cyclone 1GBs. Those and the Gigabytes are generally said to be the quietest examples (not sure where the new MSI Hawk version stands), though of course you won't have the lifetime warranty that eVGA and XFX would have. And of course, not sure about prices up in the frozen...
by idale
Tue Sep 28, 2010 9:24 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: MicroATX case/HSF advice needed (living room)
Replies: 1
Views: 1297

MicroATX case/HSF advice needed (living room)

I've just recently upgraded my living room PC with a GTX 460 for gaming purposes (need to upgrade the thread with the current stats). While my now-stage 2 LRPC is up to task for gaming, I'm again running into cooling issues in my P182 as when transcoding media the CPU is up at 60C (GPU idling at 38C...
by idale
Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:51 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Can I install Windows 7 Pro 64bit as upgrade for new build?
Replies: 15
Views: 6117

As I mentioned, to stay in good standing with the EULA, you'd need retail. You can indeed clean install from upgrade media, though without a previous license that you could transfer, it'd be against the EULA. I have the xp lic(s) to 'legaly' upgrade from , but I always prefer to do a fresh and clea...
by idale
Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:01 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Quiet Blu Ray Drive
Replies: 6
Views: 6536

Not sure if the CH08LS10 BD would be much different. I haven't actually used mine to watch a movie as yet so can't comment. The main difference is that the newer drive is slightly faster, but lost HD-DVD support due to some sort of licencing issue. If it kicks up to full speed it can be noisy, but ...
by idale
Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:52 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Can I install Windows 7 Pro 64bit as upgrade for new build?
Replies: 15
Views: 6117

That is too simple. Let me see if I get this right: 1. Boot off the Windows 7 upgrade CD in the optical drive. 2. Install windows on a freshly formated drive. 3. Stop just prior to entering in the password/upgrade key 4. Boot a second time off the same Windows CD that you left in the optical drive....
by idale
Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:56 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Can I install Windows 7 Pro 64bit as upgrade for new build?
Replies: 15
Views: 6117

What is the double install route? Install once onto clean media (as a base install), don't enter your product key (idea being that an upgrade key won't work on a fresh install), then install over what you just installed (so you upgrade your freshly-installed OS). I'm not sure if it's necessary with...
by idale
Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:34 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Can I install Windows 7 Pro 64bit as upgrade for new build?
Replies: 15
Views: 6117

As I mentioned, to stay in good standing with the EULA, you'd need retail. You can indeed clean install from upgrade media, though without a previous license that you could transfer, it'd be against the EULA. If anything against an EULA, I'd go the OEM route (the clause there being broken is that th...
by idale
Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:34 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Can I install Windows 7 Pro 64bit as upgrade for new build?
Replies: 15
Views: 6117

If the XP is a retail copy and you'll be no longer using that computer then you'd be able to move and upgrade the XP, otherwise yes, to stay in good standing with the EULA you'll need to go retail as it's a new build.
by idale
Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:15 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: American-English speakers question
Replies: 64
Views: 37006

How does one pronounce "Cwmcarn".? To be fair this is a trick question, its Welsh, but still, how does it sound when said "correctly" (i.e. in a dialect from Wales) vs how I would guess how to say the word. "Kwum-carn" is how I would best define the sound that came out of my mouth, but how it is su...
by idale
Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:31 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Athlon X2 600e quad - 45W setup, MINI-ITX
Replies: 8
Views: 4058

Are there any commercially available fanless cases with heatpipe technology perhaps? SPCR reviewed the Coolermaster TC-100 (mini-ITX) a while back, but it specifies a 35W TDP, so wouldn't support your setup. The last page has a couple of links (to the TC-100A and Cube ), which support higher TDPs a...
by idale
Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:45 am
Forum: Site Feedback
Topic: Has SPCR been shafted for 4-days.?
Replies: 5
Views: 4212

The site was completely inaccessible for me for days. Obviously I can get back in now, though, but it was pretty solid (yet the forums had been showing activity for days prior to my being able to access it all again, so it wasn't everyone).
by idale
Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:42 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Please recommend a AM3 Quad-Core CPU cooler
Replies: 7
Views: 4272

From memory, the S1283 will only mount horizontally on AMD motherboards, either blowing air up into the PSU (if top mounted) or down onto the graphics card, depending on which way you install your fan. Correct. It still works well (though my cases are P180/P182 so "up" is either an exhaust or nothi...
by idale
Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:37 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: S3 sleep state: 12w. Isn't it too much?
Replies: 24
Views: 9188

flapane wrote:That's why I use an ups.
However I was interested in knowing the power draw in S3 state for other users, because imho 12w are too much.
I'd have to check my notes at home to be sure, but I usually see around 7W in sleep (S3). "Off" is usually something like 1-2W as I recall.
by idale
Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:48 am
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: dumb installation question, fan down?
Replies: 2
Views: 1713

Find the power plug, put that towards the hole in the back of the case, make sure the interior-side opening of the PSU isn't blocked (most likely it'll be a fan and most likely it'll be on the "bottom"), and install that way. ;) (So under what seem like "usual" circumstances these days, yes the fan ...
by idale
Sat Feb 27, 2010 5:12 am
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: did they assemble correct the psu in my p-182 ?
Replies: 7
Views: 2874

colm wrote: the psus today, yesterday, doesn't matter. there is no usual for anything. Even the atx original standard is challenged to death by backwards engineering and no brains.
in fact, you can doubt your stuff and get away with it.
Then if you prefer, change to "in my experience". ;)
by idale
Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:01 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Not a hero, not even close.
Replies: 36
Views: 22935

He rails against any type of church, saying they are all conning people out of their money[...] Just saw an article on a local station's site that sheds some light on that: looks like he had his own "church" that he was using as a tax shelter. So I guess he's one to know, since that's what he was d...
by idale
Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:51 am
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: did they assemble correct the psu in my p-182 ?
Replies: 7
Views: 2874

Assuming you've got this PSU , then yes, that's correct. PSUs used to usually have the fan on the rear, but these days they usually pull air into the PSU rather than blow it out, so the fan will be on the inside of the case. In the P182, you can have the fan pointing either up or down, but as I reca...
by idale
Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:20 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Not a hero, not even close.
Replies: 36
Views: 22935

This guy was crazy, plain and simple. There is no rational explanation (even in terms of a momentary lapse of judgment) for burning down your own house, driving all the way to the airport, taking the time it takes to sign a plane out and get into the air, and then flying into a building. Granted th...
by idale
Sun Feb 21, 2010 2:25 pm
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: Multipurpose living room PC (stage 3)
Replies: 17
Views: 14477

Your Speedfan says VRAM = 2.19V not 1.5V ! I have a similar G.Skill F3-12800CL9-2GBNQ with 550BE and speedfan shows default 1.62V but will also work fine if set manually to 1.5V I think the sensor's not right on the board (or SpeedFan's reading the wrong thing), because it's actually set to 1.5V in...
by idale
Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:19 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: multi-boot - recommended order ??
Replies: 8
Views: 3841

From what I can remember, installing Linux last is indeed usually the best. You won't need to install XP on both partitions to get Win7 on #2 (regardless of retail vs. upgrade media). So other than not needing to install XP twice, sounds good to me. (However, I haven't actually done a tri-boot befor...