Let's build. - Page 2

tennex · 09-26-2006, 11:08 PM

Nice. I forgot to order me one round ide cable for my system. So, don't expect mine to be as pretty as this. What cable/length is that you are using?

AgentJ · 09-27-2006, 01:58 AM

Nice build! No BIOS updates needed im guessing/hoping?

I might get my set friday... or early next week. Will be very similar to yours... except for the case + large heatsink (I'll be using the stock Intel one, unless it doesn't work well).

Thraer · 09-27-2006, 02:06 AM

Yes I updated my BIOS immediately to 7.1 official. It seems to be very stable and works well.

Do you have a USB keyboard? If you do this board will not recognize it on start up. Windows of course will recognize it but when the board tries to post you will get a keyboard error. VERY annoying.

You have to have a PS2 keyboard to use if you want to edit your BIOS.

AgentJ · 09-27-2006, 02:11 AM

Keyboard is PS2, mouse is USB. Guess im ready to kill!

How do you update the BIOS btw? Does it come on the CD... or do you install windows and grab it online first? Or should I D/L it now to another hard-drive and flash it... somehow?...

BTW... do I need to install these drivers only:
[Intel INF Drivers for 975 Chipsets] ? Or should I use the ones off the packaged CD.
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/suppor...ist.php?part=1

Thraer · 09-27-2006, 02:14 AM

The MSI BIOS update utility makes updates absolutely painless. Once you are in windows, pop in the MSI CD and navigate to utilities and install the MSU Live Update utility.

All you need to do is run it (enable the ActiveX control it opens in internet explorer), select BIOS update (it may ask to update the install program first, do that), and tell it flash BIOS in a windows setting. It uses WinFlash to update right in windows. No floppies, restarts, nada.

Just pray the power doesn't go out.

*edit - I used the Intel drivers from the MSI Live Update. They seem fine. Of course I did instal the Realtek Ethernet drivers so I could get out to the web and actually use the MSI Live Update. Install the ethernet drivers off of the CD and grab the rest with MSI Update.

AgentJ · 09-27-2006, 02:24 AM

Thats great, thanks much for the info! Guess I wont D/L anything then.

I'll use the drivers from the MSI update too I suppose, as long as it will let me do it before windows xp starts asking for the CD

Edit: Ok I'll just grab the Ethernet ones, I will need them too. I hope my cable connection works ok without having to set it all up again... ugh.

I'm going to print out what you said, since I've never flashed a bios. Since you have the same board, and similar chip (and probably the same memory). I've heard bad things in the past about flashing gone wrong... so I never got the... to do it, lol

Going to give Fry's one last Friday here to see what they have on sale... if nothing good, this will most likley be my upgrade.

Is your name on the OVF Thraer? Just curious

Mine's the same as here.

Edit: Oh, should I install the videocard drivers before or after the flash? I'll be using a nvidia 7600gt.

Thraer · 09-27-2006, 04:18 AM

I don't see an issue with installing the video drivers before or after flashing the BIOS. Personaly I flashed after I had completely updated Windows, installed display drivers, and made some minor tweaks.

Personaly, the real big advantage for flashing was getting my RAM timings back to 4-4-4-12. I would say once the BIOS is stable you should be good to go. My rig booted no problem and is doing fine at the moment.

And, yes, Thraer is my handle on the OVF.

Thraer · 09-27-2006, 04:26 AM

Some early readings. All stock, I might looks to push the clock on the 6400, but not this early.

I managed 10568 in 3DMark05 and 5540 in 3DMark06. I am not sure where that ranks.

Fozzik · 09-27-2006, 07:01 AM

Very nice pictures, and it's great to hear it's all working!

I probably would have played with the cables a lot more to get them out of sight...but I'm sort of a nut that way.

The thermal paste should have no effect on the passive components around the GPU die. Of course, more cleaning is never bad as long as you're careful.

Thraer · 09-27-2006, 08:50 AM

It is a bit worrisome to watch the X1900XT hit 75C at full load. I wish there was another way of cooling it down besides watercooling.

Fozzik · 09-27-2006, 03:57 PM

I know it sounds really really hot... but look at it this way. When they build the card, it goes through several devices that heat the whole board (and all the components) to over 200 degrees Celsius at least two times.

Although you wouldn't want it to get much over 100 C in regular use, because some of the devices aren't meant to see those temperatures repeatedly, 75 C is usually not going to hurt anything.

I probably would have left the stock cooler...just to make sure I was cool on the warranty...but that's just me. It sounds like the one you installed isn't doing any better than stock from a cooling standpoint, although I guess it's probably quieter.

JAdams · 09-27-2006, 10:08 PM

Thanks for sharing, Thraer. That's... beautiful *sniff*

Dude, that's a freaking huge CPU fan

Slide · 09-28-2006, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAdams

Thanks for sharing, Thraer. That's... beautiful *sniff*

Dude, that's a freaking huge CPU fan

lol, you should see mine. will take some pictures at some point

tennex · 09-28-2006, 02:19 PM

I really enjoyed the pics myself. I was really close to ordering the blue orb II, but considering core 2 duo's was designed to run cooler and I ordered the lowest end model, I figured I would give the stock heatsink a shot first. If it's quiet and gets it done I'll pick something up later on down the road maybe when I get ready to do some killer cleaning.

Fozzik · 09-28-2006, 04:16 PM

I'd be interested in hearing what you think of the stock cooler when you try it out. I've seen them...and they look pretty much exactly the same as the stock coolers Intel has been using for quite some time...but you can never really tell what fan they stuck on or how loud it will be.

There are lots of subtle differences in Intel stock coolers - the thickness of the copper slug in the middle of the heatsink, the size of the fan motor, the number and size of the fan blades, etc. So it would be interesting to know how the ones on each Core 2 Duo shape up.

tennex · 09-28-2006, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fozzik

I'd be interested in hearing what you think of the stock cooler when you try it out. I've seen them...and they look pretty much exactly the same as the stock coolers Intel has been using for quite some time...but you can never really tell what fan they stuck on or how loud it will be.

There are lots of subtle differences in Intel stock coolers - the thickness of the copper slug in the middle of the heatsink, the size of the fan motor, the number and size of the fan blades, etc. So it would be interesting to know how the ones on each Core 2 Duo shape up.

That's a gray area for me because I have had to always order replacements in the past. The 2.4Ghz+ socket 478 cpu's I built for myself and friends were always either loud or would get to hot and shutdown at times without being overclocked. The sad thing is even the cheap $10 or $15 aftermarkets would do a much better job than the stock fan. This P4 3.0 I have now made some sort of rattling noise with the stock fan. I am going to try the stock fan out and replace the compound with artic silver 5 from the get go. If after 2 weeks there is no shutdowns and it runs quiet (doesn't have to be silent), the blue orb will go on the back burner. I'll be giving a full analysis of the stock heatsink/fan and the NZXT Apollo case and it's fans 2 weeks from now.