Pc Tech Support

[Muel]

PC gaming is definately an expensive past time. I've spent just under £1500 on my current setup (inc desk, monitors, speakers, keyboard and mouse), and I'm not that into it really. (Just an example, I'm a web designer so all I did really was stick a decent graphics card into my current setup). It all depends on budget though. £1k will get you a nice AMD 6 core based setup with a single graphics card. £1500 will get you a nice Intel i7 setup with two graphics cards. (Although all depending which graphics cards you look at, enthusiast level cards start at around £100 and go to £500).

Missed your post eskimo, I shall reply now.

Glad this topic popped up, hadn't seen it before.

I have a dilemma. Hardware questions.

I have two PCs, i like PC and don't want Apple. I also like Windows.

One is for HD editing, nothing else. No internet, nothing. Well it's kinda a media PC atm, but soon to change to only edit.

One is dated. Used for internet and that's it. But i'd like to use it for media and free my other one up and save moving files about etc.

Editing is done with Vegas 9 on a 32" 1080p with highest resolution via HDMI. It's AMD Phenom X3 8550 at 2.2ghz. 3gb DDR2. 320gb HD not sure what speed. Nvidia integrated 8200. It works, and works well (for me), but i can't help but think i wouldn't mind some extra beef. No possible upgrades i can think of (small box) and lower resolution won't help me? I didn't know what i needed when i bought it btw. Oh and Win7 32bit, with no bullshit running in the background etc. Windows rates the pc good but let down by graphics somewhat which isn't an issue as it's not a gaming machine.

This internet machine is AMD Athlon 64 3000 at 2ghz. (or though right now it thinks it's 999mhz). 2gb DDR ram. 160gb hard drive. Geforce FX5200 128mb integrated. Graphics card is dead i think, and monitor is also on it's way out i think too. Recently formatted and installed RAM. But may get the dust cleared out and buy a new graphics card at £40 if one will go in.

So i have the choice. Buy a Intel I7 / I5 / I3 with sufficient RAM and mediocre graphics with two hard drives.

Or buy a average dual core AMD with WIN7 in 32bit which will do internet and be my media base instead.

Or clean this Athlon machine and upgrade graphics then use the new Acer 19" monitor i got with the AMD Phenom.

I've looked at Intel's new offering, isit as amazing as they say, the new technology really wiz. The big question, will i notice a huge difference with one of these?

Budget- questionable. Not over a grand, i don't have a grand free, but open to options.

I'm also not knowledgeable with hardware at all. But i see I7 has a big chache comes with DDR4 ram often. So correct me and learn me

DDR4 isn't out until 2012, it's DDR3 at the moment. (Graphics cards are using GDDR5 though these days).

It all depends what you want to spend, for dual core, £400 systems I'd always go AMD, because for a £60-70 CPU you'll get more performance from AMD, but when you're going to £200 CPUs and dual graphics cards I'd go Intel, because you can choose either ATI or nVidia graphics cards. (AMD support for nVidia SLI which allows you to connect two nVidia graphics cards together is very rare).

Personally I'd get rid of both computers and put the money to any money you have saved, buy this and then add hard drives and buy a graphics card to suit your needs. It's the best value system at the moment if you ask me, I've seen HP and Dell selling worse specs for £800+.

[Leistonbmx]

You can use a straight HDMI cable Liam. And f**k, a gaming PC, be prepared for a wallet empty. You'll gonna need a decent mouse, keyboard and mic too. If you use a controller on PC, you will get shit for the rest of your life from the PC dudes But why do you want PC, i know PC rocks, but it's so damn expensive short and long run.

Well I just want a pc for my room really, but want to play gaming on that too. So better to get it able to game easily, but hopefully not spend alot which isn't looking too good. Shit for the rest of my life?, they wouldn't know even if I did use one . As for mic I can use my turtlebitch which saves me spending another £60 haha.

Oh, and Muel thanks for the help.

[eskimo]

Ah thanks Muel. That system is a bargain! I was after that sort of system as wouldn't mind a SSD. Not sure about graphics but that's not really an issue of yet. That processor though, should rinse. Shame i have to buy Windows on top.

Overclockers somewhere where you buy your stuff from? I will look at some other setups too.

[Muel]

I tend to buy everything from OCUK as I have free postage, 250 posts and 3 months on their forum.

If somethings cheap enough to make it cheaper including postage elsewhere though, I'll buy it there. I tend to check scan.co.uk, dabs.co.uk, overclock.co.uk, ebuyer.com, aria.co.uk, microdirect.co.uk, novatech.co.uk, even maplin.co.uk sometimes.

Only really check them all if I can't find something cheap enough. I ought my graphics card for £165 from Aria, and all the others were selling at £210, so it's worth checking around for big stuff. For orders less than £50 I just get it from overclockers though, less hassle.

[JT!]

My 14 month old Dell is showing signs of old age.

Pictures show the opening up hinge compared to the other closed one.

I don't exactly know what's keeping the closed one closed. The closed on has a seam and you can get your fingernail it there but it's closed, the other one has come open and when you open the laptop you can feel the slack because of it.

What can I do? Can these be replaced easily? My warranty is long over.

Thanks guys!

[Muel]

Squeeze it hard, does it clip back together?

If not, I wouldn't worry. The plastic bit is only a cover for the panel and cables, all the force of opening and shutting the lid goes through the LCD panel into the hinges. (On all the laptops I've had apart, including a Dell that's about 2-3 years old).

Anyone in here had any trouble getting RAM stable? It's a fairly cheap 2x1gb DDR2 800mhz kit, I solved it in the past by running 1gb on it's own, but I can't really get away with that now. I put it down to the rubbish motherboard in the past but it can't be that, just replaced it for a decent Gigabyte one. Also could be down to the new graphics card or hard drive, but they were both working fine in my computer when they were removed.

I've never set memory timings before, just the frequency and voltage.

Any advice would be appreciated, gonna stick a topic on the OCUK forum as well.

EDIT: Never mind, one of them is borked by the looks of it. Might just try pumping some volts through it...

Edited August 26, 2010 by Muel

[Krisboats]

Squeeze it hard, does it clip back together?

If not, I wouldn't worry. The plastic bit is only a cover for the panel and cables, all the force of opening and shutting the lid goes through the LCD panel into the hinges. (On all the laptops I've had apart, including a Dell that's about 2-3 years old).

Anyone in here had any trouble getting RAM stable? It's a fairly cheap 2x1gb DDR2 800mhz kit, I solved it in the past by running 1gb on it's own, but I can't really get away with that now. I put it down to the rubbish motherboard in the past but it can't be that, just replaced it for a decent Gigabyte one. Also could be down to the new graphics card or hard drive, but they were both working fine in my computer when they were removed.

I've never set memory timings before, just the frequency and voltage.

Any advice would be appreciated, gonna stick a topic on the OCUK forum as well.

Have you tried running memtest? I'd imagine its far more likely one of the sticks is faulty than any other component. Especially if taking a stick out sorts the problem. Have you tried running each stick independantly for a while, if not you may have been lucky and pulled out the faulty one?

[Muel]

It's a fresh build, just trying to install windows. It failed with both, then the possibly dodgy one on it's own, now appears to be fine with the possibly not dodgy one.

[matt.price]

after hearing about vegas 7 , i decided to give it go..

i believe its free.

so , i downloaded it from this link but when its all downloaded and installed... i open the programe and it asks for serial number ,,

help !

[Muel]

Is there not an option for contiue the trial?

[eskimo]

after hearing about vegas 7 , i decided to give it go..

i believe its free.

so , i downloaded it from this link but when its all downloaded and installed... i open the programe and it asks for serial number ,,

help !

It's not free software.

[matt.price]

It's not free software.

damn !

cheers for the help

[Leistonbmx]

Isn't vegas 9 out? Why do you want 7?

[matt.price]

Isn't vegas 9 out? Why do you want 7?

because i thought it was free..

anyone recomend a simple to use movie editor just like movie maker but with slow-mo and maybe so awsome effects

[Muel]

That also happens to be free?

Not asking much...

[matt.price]

That also happens to be free?

Not asking much...

yes free.

[Revolver]

Exactly. Free... free... anything's free if you approach it in the right mindset.

[JT!]

Squeeze it hard, does it clip back together?

If not, I wouldn't worry. The plastic bit is only a cover for the panel and cables, all the force of opening and shutting the lid goes through the LCD panel into the hinges. (On all the laptops I've had apart, including a Dell that's about 2-3 years old).

Tried, it doesn't.

I assume the hinge is f**ked then?

[Muel]

Nah te hinge itself will be fine, it's just the surround that has popped open.

I'd just ignore it personally.

[JT!]

So why does the screen have some slack?

[Muel]

No idea, does it feel like that hinge is slack/sloppy?

The options are strip it down and try to mend it, take to someone else to strip it down and try to mend it, or just use it as it is.

[JT!]

No idea, does it feel like that hinge is slack/sloppy?

Yes. When you title the screen back and forth you can see it's not the hinge that's erm.... hinging. But the two connecting parts kind of rocking against each other.

[JD™]

Yes. When you title the screen back and forth you can see it's not the hinge that's erm.... hinging. But the two connecting parts kind of rocking against each other.

I used a work laptop like that for just under a year and it was absolutely fine. Bit dodgy to open and close, but there was no way it was being fixed so just dealt with it. You can support the hinge with one hand and move the screen with the other to help stop any further damage.

[JT!]

Yeah it hardly effects the use of the laptop at all, I just don't want it to get worse and become unusable.

Thanks!

[eskimo]

Is it actually possible for Windows to boot super quick when powering up the computer? I mean even with a fast drive or solid state drive and quick processor, does it really have it going within 30 seconds? Just a question with no intent to try for that speed.

Though my main question is, do 7200 hard drives make much difference over 5400? Not looking to run two drives, hence me asking. Bearing in mind this also applies to a PS3.