Author Topic: Please help me build my new computer, DC! (Read 276,279 times)

nosh · « **Reply #300 on:** January 28, 2009, 06:39 PM »

Quote

I was tired

Good to know, I thought it was the fans on that monster sucking you in!

Do take a look at Winsplit Revolution if you haven't already, for tossing around/ sizing windows on that multi-mon setup.

superboyac · « **Reply #301 on:** January 28, 2009, 06:48 PM »

Quote from: nosh on January 28, 2009, 06:39 PM

Quote
I was tired

Good to know, I thought it was the fans on that monster sucking you in!

Do take a look at Winsplit Revolution if you haven't already, for tossing around/ sizing windows on that multi-mon setup.

Oh yeah! Thanks for reminding me! I saw that two weeks ago and was planning on trying it out, but I totally forgot.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #302 on:** January 28, 2009, 07:03 PM »

Doesn't seem to like Firefox with RoboForm visible - keeps trying to move the roboform bar rather than the window ?? (That is using the little arrows window buttons - works OK with keyboard shortcuts)

superboyac · « **Reply #303 on:** January 28, 2009, 09:31 PM »

Quote from: Carol Haynes on January 28, 2009, 07:03 PM

Doesn't seem to like Firefox with RoboForm visible - keeps trying to move the roboform bar rather than the window ?? (That is using the little arrows window buttons - works OK with keyboard shortcuts)

OO, that's a problem. Roboform is one of my must have apps. That being said, roboform's toolbar is a little funky, they way it seems to float above the normal application window, and the way it blinks and refreshes when you first type in the master password. But it's one of my favorite apps.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #304 on:** January 28, 2009, 09:39 PM »

Just stick to shortcuts and it works fine

superboyac · « **Reply #305 on:** February 04, 2009, 07:03 AM »

I just missed out on at least $60 worth of rebates because their submission time limits are so freaking short. A lot of them are 20-21 days after purchase date. So, for online purchases, that includes the shipping time. So by the time I get all the parts, put the computer together and make sure everything is working, the rebate is over. Lame.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #306 on:** February 04, 2009, 08:59 AM »

Isn't that the whole point of rebates? They actively want to make it difficult for users to make an effective claim. It is a marketing scam (or at least a near scam) - if they genuinely wanted to benefit customers they could simply give you a sale price on the goods.

superboyac · « **Reply #307 on:** February 04, 2009, 05:02 PM »

Quote from: Carol Haynes on February 04, 2009, 08:59 AM

Isn't that the whole point of rebates? They actively want to make it difficult for users to make an effective claim. It is a marketing scam (or at least a near scam) - if they genuinely wanted to benefit customers they could simply give you a sale price on the goods.

Good point. Oh well, i wasn't relying on them anyway.

superboyac · « **Reply #308 on:** February 05, 2009, 10:37 PM »

On the new computer, I seem to be having trouble with power to my usb ports. At first I thought it was the external usb hub I was using (even though it was powered seperately), but then I plugged directly into the usb ports on the motherboards, and I still got messages saying that there wasn't enough power. How could that be possible? What can I do to check if all the power is connected properly to my usb ports?

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #309 on:** February 05, 2009, 10:44 PM »

Go to the Device Manager and check the properties of the internal hub(s) - you should see the maximum load and metering there.

You should have enough power though ... what are actually connecting that isn't self powered?

superboyac · « **Reply #310 on:** February 06, 2009, 12:56 AM »

Quote from: Carol Haynes on February 05, 2009, 10:44 PM

Go to the Device Manager and check the properties of the internal hub(s) - you should see the maximum load and metering there.

You should have enough power though ... what are actually connecting that isn't self powered?

I'll do that. I don't think it's a matter of the devices needing power, they're little things like my cell phone and mp3 player. There's a problem somewhere, I'm just trying to find it.

superboyac · « **Reply #311 on:** February 10, 2009, 06:10 PM »

I have posted the introduction to my series dedicated to building this computer. Thanks for all your help!

Of course, you can always see the feature article on the main page:
http://aram.dcmembers.com/

superboyac · « **Reply #312 on:** February 13, 2009, 12:30 AM »

I posted the first two parts of my articles about building this computer:
http://aram.dcmembers.com/miscellaneous/building-my-own-computer-introduction/
http://aram.dcmembers.com/miscellaneous/building-my-own-computer-why-build-a-computer/

I know some of you may be wondering if I'm a hypocrite. Earlier in this thread, I yelled all the people who wrote multi-part articles for their hardware reviews, and I vowed that my article would be a single page. And here I am with my multi-part article. Here's the explanation, first, my article would be way too long as one page, like borderline insane. The ones I was complaining about had about as much text as this post on each page. I think they do it for more clicks are to stick more advertisements, since 80% of the page is advertisements. So my article is not the same. I've made mine long enough to read comfortably, but not so long where you lose interest halfway through.

Also, this allows me to write at a more comfortable pace. I don't have to have the entire article written before I post it.

So, hopefully, I'm not that much of a hypocrite.

Lashiec · « **Reply #313 on:** February 13, 2009, 02:58 PM »

That sounds kinda like PC Magazine or Extreme Tech reviews

. Real hardware review sites are much more comprehensive, and they really need multipage articles considering the amount of text and graphs they can include in them.

40hz · « **Reply #314 on:** February 13, 2009, 09:09 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on February 13, 2009, 12:30 AM

So, hopefully, I'm not that much of a hypocrite.

Not in the least.

It's not a bad thing to go multi-page if the subject matter naturally breaks that way, or you're publishing a multi-step or journal type article.

It's only annoying when they make you change pages every third paragraph for no other reason than to avoid having all those paid ads and banners scroll up off the screen.

Fear not "Ben's son." We know your heart is pure.

superboyac · « **Reply #315 on:** February 14, 2009, 06:09 AM »

Quote from: 40hz on February 13, 2009, 09:09 PM

Fear not "Ben's son." We know your heart is pure.

Oh geez...I can see you saw some of my other posts!

40hz · « **Reply #316 on:** February 14, 2009, 12:49 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on February 14, 2009, 06:09 AM

Quote from: 40hz on February 13, 2009, 09:09 PM
Fear not "Ben's son." We know your heart is pure.
Oh geez...I can see you saw some of my other posts!

Yes I did. And very nice posts they were too!

(Congrats to your Dad BTW. Interesting work he's involved with, to say nothing of bettering the environment for all of us.

)

superboyac · « **Reply #317 on:** February 14, 2009, 08:26 PM »

Quote from: 40hz on February 14, 2009, 12:49 PM

Yes I did. And very nice posts they were too!

(Congrats to your Dad BTW. Interesting work he's involved with, to say nothing of bettering the environment for all of us. )

Thanks, I'll let him know! Actually, I'm working pretty heavily on that now also, and the environmental benefit of it is rather misleading. It's more political than anything. Sure, it sounds good, but the big picture is not as squeaky clean. Here's why: those huge ships that get plugged in spew a lot of pollution from their engines, and that goes straight to the port area. Now, they get to turn their engines off and use electrical power. Sounds good, right? But where is the electrical power being generated? Some plant off in nevada or something. Now, instead of LA getting polluted, nevada is getting polluted. The argument people give for that is that creating the energy at the plant is more efficient than creating it on the ship. But there's no proof of that.

I should probably write about that. But it will make the Port look bad so i won't.

40hz · « **Reply #318 on:** February 15, 2009, 05:24 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on February 14, 2009, 08:26 PM

Now, they get to turn their engines off and use electrical power. Sounds good, right? But where is the electrical power being generated? Some plant off in nevada or something. Now, instead of LA getting polluted, nevada is getting polluted.

Yeah, I see what you mean. That's the problem with living in a closed system. There isn't really an 'anywhere' to send anything to since all there is - is 'here.'

I remember a poster from way back when. It showed a goldfish sitting in a bowl that was etched to look like a globe.

The caption read: When will we realize that nothing that gets burned, flushed, diluted, or buried in a landfill, ever truly goes away?

PS. Politics or not, I still think you Dad sounds like a great guy.

Shades · « **Reply #319 on:** February 15, 2009, 07:01 PM »

Quote from: 40hz on February 15, 2009, 05:24 PM

Quote from: superboyac on February 14, 2009, 08:26 PM
Now, they get to turn their engines off and use electrical power. Sounds good, right? But where is the electrical power being generated? Some plant off in nevada or something. Now, instead of LA getting polluted, nevada is getting polluted.

Yeah, I see what you mean. That's the problem with living in a closed system. There isn't really an 'anywhere' to send anything to since all there is - is 'here.'

You are both right, however it seems easier (and definitely cheaper) to me if the amount of polluting entries (into the eco-system) is reduced and focus the the efforts of the collective brain trust into "fixing (only) that kind of pollution".

Besides that it would seem profitable as energy companies would invest in a more efficient grid. 220 Volt for the consumer, 300 kiloVolt for (inter)national distribution, like in (western) Europe. That way not that much of renewable energy is wasted and less natural resources are needed for the current national/regional energy requirements. An added bonus is that the brain trust will have more time to create a efficient network for hydrogen distribution.

Recently I found out that there is a new material (graphene) that seems to be the ideal candidate for hydrogen tanks. Besides being a better conductor than silicium, it is also extremely strong (especially when it comes in contact with hydrogen). Articles 1, 2 and 3 are in Dutch, so have fun with the Google translator (if you are interested of course).

superboyac · « **Reply #320 on:** February 15, 2009, 09:18 PM »

Quote from: 40hz on February 15, 2009, 05:24 PM

PS. Politics or not, I still think you Dad sounds like a great guy.

he is. He's very highly respected--almost globally now--not only for his expertise, but his calm demeanor. It's really something to see. Then you have me, on the other hand, and I'm quite a bit more fiery than my father. But yes, my dad is a good guy, one of the few around.

superboyac · « **Reply #321 on:** February 15, 2009, 09:23 PM »

Quote from: Shades on February 15, 2009, 07:01 PM

Recently I found out that there is a new material (graphene) that seems to be the ideal candidate for hydrogen tanks. Besides being a better conductor than silicium, it is also extremely strong (especially when it comes in contact with hydrogen). Articles 1, 2 and 3 are in Dutch, so have fun with the Google translator (if you are interested of course)

The more I deal with the nuts and bolts of these environmental technologies, the more I'm convinced that the real solution is a very difficult one that is beyond the scope of technology. And that is getting people to just not be wasteful. Then, no matter how dirty or clean our fuel is, we are at least using it only as much as we have to. All other solutions will pale in comparison to this. The only problem is you can't make people do things, it's next to impossible.

Shades · « **Reply #322 on:** February 15, 2009, 09:55 PM »

Although I agree with you (on the long term vision), technology will be able to help (on the shorter term vision)...especially when there would be a rule that says no piece of (electrical) equipment is allowed to use more than 25 Watts of energy at maximum performance. Also, depending on the size of a parcel a maximum amount of energy per time unit should be allowed.

This would drop the need for of electricity considerably. The grid is then also capable to handle electric vehicles without expanding the infrastructure too much. People would quickly be aware how much energy they use and prioritize accordingly.
Makes me wonder how much time would lie between the realization of your long term vision and my short term proposals

It sounds like I'm an activist but nothing could be farther from the truth. My PC's run always all the time (when there is power) and I drive a motorcycle.

superboyac · « **Reply #323 on:** April 05, 2009, 11:34 PM »

Since I'm not finding time to finish up the articles about building my computer, I will put up the pictures here for now. These are a bunch of before and after shots of my new computer process. It made the upstairs rooms of my home a mess, but worth it in the end. I gave away a useless, and ugly shelf I had before. Setting it up and working through all the issues took a while also. The longest thing (and I'm still working on it little by little) was restructuring my file organizational methods. If you know how particular I am about this, it was really difficult to change. I picked mouser's brain in great detail and used most of his advice. Now, everything is as systematic as can possibly be. Here are the pics:

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #324 on:** April 05, 2009, 11:53 PM »

Lots of depressed looking photos - surely you smiled at your new toys

That case is E N O R M O U S ---- you'll never be homeless!