# Building My First Desktop (600$)



## brown (May 22, 2007)

Hey guys, this is going to be my first ever attempt at building a computer so any advice or feedback is greatly appreciated. My budget is 600$ CA. Ideally I would like to be able to run Starcraft II along with other multimedia software such as the Adobe Suite with ease.

I quickly browsed TigerDirect last night and here are the parts Ive chosen. I could use some of your help and expertise on whether I should replace anything Ive picked out. Here goes:

CPU: Intel Core i3-2100 BX80623I32100 Processor - Dual Core, 3MB L3 Smart Cache, 3.10 GHz, Socket H2 (LGA1155), Retail 

Motherboard: MSI H61M-P23 B3 Intel H61 Motherboard - Micro ATX, Socket H2 (LGA1155), Intel H61 Express, 1333MHz DDR3, SATA 3.0 Gb/s, 8-CH Audio, Intel HD Graphics, Gigabit LAN

Graphics: E145-0550 ::EVGA 01G-P3-1556-KR GeForce GTX 550 Ti Video Card - 1GB, GDDR5, PCI-Express 2.0 (x16), Mini-HDMI, Dual DVI, DirectX 11, Dual-Slot, SLI Ready. Includes Digital Creativity Suite Bundle w/Registration

Memory: PNY MD4096KD3-1600-X8 XLR8 Dual Channel 4096MB PC12800 DDR3 Memory - 1600MHz, 8-8-8-24, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, 2x2048MB

Power Supply: Thermaltake W0379RU TR2 Series Power Supply - 500 Watts, ATX

Hard Drive: Seagate ST3500418AS Barracuda 7200.12 Hard Drive - 3.5", 7200 RPM, SATA 3G, 500GB, 16MB Cache (OEM)

Case: Thermaltake V3 Black Edition Mid Tower Case - ATX, Micro ATX, 120mm LED Fan, 4x 5.25 Bays, 5x 3.5 Bays 

CD/DVD: Lite-On IHAS124-04 Internal DVD Writer - DVD+R 24X, DVD-R 24X, DVD+RW 8X, DVD-RW 6X, DVD+R DL 8X, SATA (OEM)


The total comes down to 603$ without tax or shipping which I'll end up covering.

Thank you for your time and support.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Personally, I'm not at all fond of TG and their business practices.
Asus or Gigabyte are a better Mobo choice.
That PSU is low quality and underpowered for that GPU. We suggest a minimum 550W SeaSonic-XFX-Corsair.
G.Skill-Mushkin-Corsair are better choices for performance and reliability.
WD Hdd's are top quality and the Black Series has a 5 yr. warranty.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Thanks for the quick reply Tyree. I'm unfamiliar with TG's business practices, but I thought it would be the best place to order from Canada. The changes Ive made I'll highlight in red.

CPU: Intel Core i3-2100 BX80623I32100 Processor - Dual Core, 3MB L3 Smart Cache, 3.10 GHz, Socket H2 (LGA1155), Retail 

Motherboard: ASUS P8H61-M LE CSM REV3 Intel 6 Series Motherboard - Micro ATX, Socket H2 (LGA1155), Intel H61 Express, DDR3 1333MHz, SATA 3.0 Gb/s, 8-Channel Audio, Gigabit LAN

Graphics: E145-0550 ::EVGA 01G-P3-1556-KR GeForce GTX 550 Ti Video Card - 1GB, GDDR5, PCI-Express 2.0 (x16), Mini-HDMI, Dual DVI, DirectX 11, Dual-Slot, SLI Ready. Includes Digital Creativity Suite Bundle w/Registration

Memory: Corsair CMX4GX3M1A1333C9 XMS3 4GB DDR3 RAM - PC10666, 1333MHz, 4096MB

Power Supply: Corsair CMPSU-600CX Builder Series CX600 Power Suppy - ATX, 600 Watt, 120mm Ultra-Quiet Fan, Single +12V Rail

Hard Drive: Western Digital WD5000AAKS Caviar Blue Hard Drive - 500GB, 7200rpm, 16MB, SATA-300, OEM

Case: Thermaltake V3 Black Edition Mid Tower Case - ATX, Micro ATX, 120mm LED Fan, 4x 5.25 Bays, 5x 3.5 Bays 

CD/DVD: Lite-On IHAS124-04 Internal DVD Writer - DVD+R 24X, DVD-R 24X, DVD+RW 8X, DVD-RW 6X, DVD+R DL 8X, SATA (OEM)


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

> the best place to order from Canada


IMO that would be www.NCIX.com. Pricematch option, low shipping costs, 'brick and mortar' retail stores in GTA and Van area.

There is also CanadaComputers.com with several retail stores in GTA.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

I'm from Quebec but I went ahead and created a cart on NCIX. I selected all the same products from my second posts except for the CD/DVD Drive (went with ASUS DRW-24B1ST 24X SATA DVD Writer OEM Black instead) and the total came up to $609.79 without tax/shipping while at TG (with the cheaper CD/DVD) total came up to $617.80.

For some reason it won't let me calculate the shipping before checking out, unlike TG.
I'll most likely go with NCIX, but before I do I'd still like some feedback on the parts Ive chosen and if it'll be compatible.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

> For some reason it won't let me calculate the shipping before checking out


While viewing your cart, look for the gray *Shipping Estimate* line. Insert your post code and click *Calculate*. It will display the least expensive shipping cost for your entire order.

Edit: Hmmm . . seems the calc button isn't working. enter your post code and hit <Enter> on your K/B

Also, you may go through the checkout. It will display the entire order cost including taxes and shipping before it asks for payment. You can cancel all or part of the order up until you actually confirm the purchase.

PS: If you compare the price of each individual item, if you find one which is lower at T/D, or any other canadian website, NCIX will match it. Scroll down in the cart window and look for the red Pricematch button.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Thanks gcavan, I'll get to that in a second, but I was just wondering if I would need to purchase a fan as well to go with my build such as this one.

NCIX.com - Buy Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus Direct Touch 4 Heatpipe Heatsink AM2 AM3 LGA1366 LGA1155 LGA1156 120MM - COOLERMASTER - RR-B10-212P-G1 - in Canada

Another thing, can anyone give me feedback on all the parts Ive chosen. It would give me more confidence in purchasing everything.

So without the fan since I haven't placed it in the cart yet, the total for everything including tax + shipping will be $667.30. The tax is $31.78 which beats TG by a long shot of their $84.09 tax. The cheapest shipping price is $25 which is almost the same as TG ($23). I chose not to go with the shipping insurance.


NCIX - $667.30
TG - $729.98


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Ive done some changes so here goes:

*CPU* Intel Core i3 2100 Dual Core Hyperthreading Processor LGA1155 3.1GHZ Sandy Bridge 3MB 

*Motherboard: I'm actually indecisive on which one I should get.*
1) ASUS P8H61-M H61 DDR3 LGA1155 mATX PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 PCI HDMI VGA DVI B3 Motherboard 
Or
2) Gigabyte GA-H61M-USB3-B3 mATX LGA1155 H61 DDR3 1PCI-E16 1PCI-E 2PCI DVI RGB Video Sound Motherboard 

*Graphic Card:* EVGA GeForce GT 220 625MHZ 1Gb 1.58GHZ DDR3 PCI-E HDMI DVI-I VGA Video Card

*Memory:* Corsair CMV4GX3M2A1333C9 4GB DDR3 2X2GB DDR3-1333 CL9 Dual Channel Memory Kit

*Power Supply:* Corsair Builder Series CMPSU-600CX 600W ATX Power Supply Active PFC 120MM Fan

*Hard Drive:* Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 16MB Cache 7200RPM 3.5IN SATA Internal Hard Drive OEM

*CPU Cooling:* Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro REV.2 CPU Heatsink Cooler LGA1366 LGA1155 LGA1156 AM2 AM3 W/ 92MM Fan 

*Case:* Antec Three Hundred Mini Tower Gaming Case 300 ATX 3X5.25 6X3.5INT No PS Front USB & Audio

*CD/DVD:* ASUS DRW-24B1ST 24X SATA DVD Writer OEM Black

Total: $626.89 (including tax + shipping)


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## hhnq04 (Mar 19, 2008)

I'd drop the CPU cooler and use the stock cooler unless you're planning on overclocking. Apply that $25 elsewhere as you desire.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

The above works, but:

CPU Cooler: The boxed CPU will come with a perfectly serviceable heatsink and fan assembly. You can save yourself a few $$ by dropping the aftermarket unit.

Power Supply: Your chosen should perform well for you, but it I'm not a fan of the Builder Series Corsair supplies. In any case, it will probably go on backorder. If you can squeeze out a few more nickels, you can PriceMatch the Newegg.ca price of 79.99 for this:
Seasonic S12II 620W 

HardDrive: Your chosen drive is currently available (until wednesday) for 36.99. Look for the link in the weekly special list.

Video: I don't have a suggestion for an alternate, but for gaming, you are going to want something a little stronger than the GT220.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Thanks for the replies. 

gcavan, for NCIX price match, I submitted a few requests and they e-mailed me a reference number along with a user id but I have no clue what to do with them. I don't see where to apply it.

Ive made a few changes that I'll post in a little bit.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Disregard the message above, I believe I did it the wrong but I figured it out. Here is my new list. I managed to price match everything lower, and ended up with $600 on the dot. The total before the price match would have been $645. Total for everything now including tax + shipping will be $657.81 and I'm satisfied with that. That being said, here is hopefully my final list. 

*CPU:* Intel Core i3 2100 Dual Core Hyperthreading Processor LGA1155 3.1GHZ Sandy Bridge 3MB 

*Motherboard:* ASUS P8H61-M LE/CSM H61 DDR3 LGA1155 mATX PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 PCI VGA DVI B3 Motherboard 

*Graphic Card:* Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 775MHZ 1GB 4.0GHZ GDDR5 2XDVI DisplayPort HDMI PCI-E Video Card 

*Memory:* G.SKILL F3-10666CL9D-4GBNQ PC3-10666 4GB 2X2GB DDR3-1333 CL9-9-9-24 240PIN Dual Channel Memory Kit

*Power Supply:* Seasonic S12II 620W EPS12V 20/24PIN ATX Power Supply Active PFC 80+ Bronze 6+8PIN PCI-E W/ 120MM Fan 

*Hard Drive:* Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 16MB Cache 7200RPM 3.5IN SATA Internal Hard Drive OEM 

*Case:* Thermaltake V3 Black Edition ATX Mid Tower Case Black 4X5.25 1X3.5 4X3.5INT Front USB Audio No PSU 

*CD/DVD:* ASUS DRW-24B1ST 24X SATA DVD Writer OEM Black 

Thumbs up or thumbs down?


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

That sounds more like the Instore Price Match found on each product page (green button). It is used when ordering online and picking up in-store.

I use PriceCanada.com: Search. Compare. Buy. - Canadian Online Shopping Search and Comparison! when looking for the lowest Canadian prices.

edit: ehhh . . Alright. I guess you beat me to it.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Nonetheless I appreciate the support. ray:

I'd like to know if I should go for the 'final' list I posted or if there are any objections.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

PS: Looks good, especially for a $600 computer. I'ld give it thumb's up.


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## hhnq04 (Mar 19, 2008)

^^ agree


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Ditto! You did well for your money.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Thanks for the support guys.

For some reason, NCIX did not approve of this price match...

NCIX.com - Buy Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 775MHZ 1GB 4.0GHZ GDDR5 2XDVI DisplayPort HDMI PCI-E Video Card - SAPPHIRE - 11180-00-20R - in Canada

Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 6850 1GB GDDR5 ATI Radeon HD 6850 Chipset (775Mhz) 1GB GDDR5 (4000Mhz) Memory HD Audio Triple Display (Dual DVI) /HDMI/Display Port PCI-Express 2.0 Graphics Card | Canada Computers

It's the exact same model, right?


Edit: They approved it by e-mail when I did it the incorrect way (yesterday), odd..

Edit2: I just removed it from the cart and re-added it. Hopefully the price match stays this time.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

Identical model numbers. Sometimes a P/M will be rejected if inventory is low, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. If the auto P/M doesn't take, contact their CS department.

Edit: May have to do with the AMD game download promotion.


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

Looks good, i have had a look over your components and i would be extremely happy to have spent $600 and got that pc . GL building that, and remember

*BENCHTEST!!*

If you run into troubles we are always here .


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

5 minutes ago I went ahead and ordered everything from NCIX. I'm excited yet anxious at the same time. I'd like to thank you all again for the support and for being a part of the journey. I'll let you know when she arrives.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Got my parts in this afternoon and Ive been putting it together for a couple of hours now but I need some help.

All the parts were delivered except for the DVD writer. I was somewhat confident I put all the parts in the right place for the first time until I gave it a test run. 

I was confident I placed the CPU in correctly but am I supposed to push it in tightly? Because when I tried closing the above case it felt as though I had to press down a tremendous amount of pressure..

The motherboard I felt confident I placed it in well although there were some problems with the back case. There are a few spots unplugged such as the COM1, TPM, LPT, PCIEX1+2, PCI1..

The hard drive I didn't feel confident installing, there's one wire connected to the motherboard on slot SATA3G_1, while the second SATA wire is from the power supply. There seems to be 1 or 2 other slots to be connected but I left them as is thinking they weren't needed..

The graphic card was fairly easy, don't think that's the problem..

So once I have everything in, I go for a test run. I turn on the system and the fan lights up and starts spinning along with the heat-sink fan and the graphic card. The problem is there's no signal on my monitor. I tried connecting the VGA to both the motherboard and then to the graphic card with the same results.

As I don't have the DVD writer right now, if the monitor did have a signal I would have booted up Windows 7 from a usb stick as I dragged the files from my laptops dvd drive.

I'm absolutely lost right now and I don't know what to do.. it's really discouraging.


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## DaChozenOnez (Mar 28, 2010)

YouTube - ‪Build your own pc - step by step guide - 720p HDTV‬‏
In the video,it will probably be different from your parts but its a good place to start assembly at.p.s:THIS IS FOR THE MOBO WIRE CONFUSION ONLY!!!DO THE BENCHTEST BEFORE PUTTING IT IN YOUR CASE

Newer assembly video:YouTube - ‪Build your own Computer PC - Step by step tutorial 2011‬‏


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Pretty much did what they did from the gecko. I started from scratch by removing cords and some parts one by one and reapplying them from the beginning. Plugged in the power adapter and VGA outlet, pressed the start button, system boots up but I still get no signal from my monitor..


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## DaChozenOnez (Mar 28, 2010)

1:if you have speakers,how many beeps and how long each?
2:did you accidentaly flip the psu voltage switch?New computer build--No signal input on monitor? - building computers pc | Ask MetaFilter try this unless told)
3:keep your computer on for a bit.Could be installing graphic drivers
4:unplug your power cord,hold power button for 30s seconds,and let go


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

1. No beeps
2. Don't think it has a voltage switch..
3. Doing this now.
4. Did this first and no luck.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

> I was confident I placed the CPU in correctly but am I supposed to push it in tightly? Because when I tried closing the above case it felt as though I had to press down a tremendous amount of pressure..


Are you saying you had to force the CPU into its socket? If so, that tells me it was positioned incorrectly and some pins may be bent over now. The cpu should drop into place freely. 

Inspect the cpu pins closely, using a maginifier if necessary. A bent pin may be often straightened using a mechanical pencil with lead removed. A broken pin means the cpu is destroyed.

My best rec: disassemble your sys and reassemble it, using minimal components, outside the case. Read over and follow this procedure to bench test it.
http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f255/how-to-bench-test-your-system-171424.html


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

With most CPU's and Motherboards there will be a triangle, one on the socket and one on the CPU. You want to have them both pointing to each other and then you know its in the right place. You do have to apply some amount of force to flip the pin down, but not too much that it makes you feel as if your putting to much pressure on it.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

gcavan said:


> Are you saying you had to force the CPU into its socket? If so, that tells me it was positioned incorrectly and some pins may be bent over now. The cpu should drop into place freely.
> 
> Inspect the cpu pins closely, using a maginifier if necessary. A bent pin may be often straightened using a mechanical pencil with lead removed. A broken pin means the cpu is destroyed.
> 
> ...



Second thought I actually placed the CPU in quite easily, it was closing the case that worried me but I read that's it's normal to apply that much pressure.


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## DaChozenOnez (Mar 28, 2010)

you know,that red switch http://cdnsupport.gateway.com/s/POWER/SHARED/q0012508.jpg


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

DaChozenOnez said:


> you know,that red switch http://cdnsupport.gateway.com/s/POWER/SHARED/q0012508.jpg


There isn't one on my power supply.


I just performed a bench test gcavan, with no luck.

*From the thread:*

Things to check when the power is activated:

1) Does the CPU fan spin at start-up ? *~Yes*

2) are there any LED lights that are lit on the motherboard when the PSU is connected with the power active in the PSU ? *~Yes, an active green light*

3) does the video card fan spin ? *~Yes*

4) when the power is active to the system on the bench does the monitor show a yellow or green stand-by light (next to the monitor power button) *~I get no signal, then it just goes to sleep mode*


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

@DaCO - Very few good quality power supplies are voltage selectable now. Most (if not all) auto sense the input voltage and accept from 90 - 250 VAC. The only difference between a North American supply and a European is the power cord.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

I'm really discouraged right now I don't know what to do. I submitted a ticket for NCIX tech support. I'm hoping I can get some sort of replacement or at least a refund.. at this point I don't think it can be anything else but the motherboard or CPU..


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Remove the CPU and check for any bent pins.
Bench Test

Remove everything from the case.
Set the motherboard on a non conductive surface. The motherboard box is perfect for this. DO NOT PLACE THE MOTHERBOARD ON THE STATIC BAG! It can actually conduct electricity! 
Install the CPU and heat sink. 
Install 1 stick of RAM.
Install the video card and attach the power supply connection(s) to the card if your card needs it.
Connect the monitor to the video card.
Connect the power supply to the motherboard with both the 24pin main ATX Power connection and the separate 4 or 8 pin power connection.
Connect power to the power supply.
Do NOT connect ANYTHING else. Make sure you have the power connector on the CPU fan connected.
Use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the power switch connector on the motherboard. Consult your motherboard manual to find which two pins connect to your case's power switch. Then touch both pins with a screwdriver to complete the circuit and boot the system.

If all is well, it should power up and you should get a display. Then assemble the parts into the case and try again. If the system now fails to boot, you have a short in the case and need to recheck your motherboard standoffs.

If the system does not boot after this process, then you most likely have a faulty component. You'll need to swap parts, start with the power supply, until you determine what is defective.


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## DaChozenOnez (Mar 28, 2010)

Thanks gcavin,Havent had the chance to build a computer so i dont know about the good quality and bad quality differences


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

If it is your motherboard that's to fault you will have no problem in getting a replacement as it will be covered by the warranty all motherboards have.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Tyree said:


> Remove the CPU and check for any bent pins.
> Bench Test
> 
> Remove everything from the case.
> ...



I just did this and it failed to give me a signal on my monitor.

This being my first desktop, I don't have any additional parts to swap with.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Did you check the CPU socket for bent pins?
Was the CPU inserted correctly?


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

wrench97 said:


> Did you check the CPU socket for bent pins?
> Was the CPU inserted correctly?


Yeah, it looks fine.. :/


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

This is what the NCIX technical support sent me. I just attempted it step-by-step with no luck. 



> I'd suggest the following to troubleshoot your system:
> 1) Plug the system directly into a different power outlet. We want to eliminate the power bar,if any, or the power outlet is bad.
> ** Make sure to have a PC speaker plugged into the front panel header on the motherboard.
> 2) Make sure the 4/8 pin power connector is plugged in
> ...


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Did you try it using the onboard video with the card removed?


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

wrench97 said:


> Did you try it using the onboard video with the card removed?


Yes.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

If you have a 2 wire motherboard speaker hooked up does it beep at all without ram installed?
If not exchange the motherboard.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

wrench97 said:


> If you have a 2 wire motherboard speaker hooked up does it beep at all without ram installed?
> If not exchange the motherboard.


Motherboard makes no beeps through speakers at all.. how would I go about replacing it? Through NCIX or Asus?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Not the system speakers you need the 2 wire speaker that hooks to front panel header.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

wrench97 said:


> Not the system speakers you need the 2 wire speaker that hooks to front panel header.


I tried connecting the speakers to the front of the case and inserting all the wires from the case into the motherboard but I'm not sure about the '2 wire speaker'

All I have from the case are:
3 pin Power LED
2 pin Reset SW
2 pin Power SW
2 pin H.D.D LED
9 pin HD Audio
9 pin USB

I'll still getting no noise whatsoever besides the fans.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Looks like this, they used to come with the motherboard and with the case any more sometimes they come with neither.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

wrench97 said:


> Looks like this, they used to come with the motherboard and with the case any more sometimes they come with neither.



Well that's embarrassing, I forgot I had that in the box still. Thanks, I'll go test it out right away.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

With everything out and just the motherboard/cpu/psu I get one beep followed by two quick ones.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

With one RAM stick in, I get one high pitch beep followed by a normal one then it stops. It did this for both sticks.


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

Check in your motherbaord user guide as to what these beeps mean. And it should pinpoint your problem.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

A1tecice said:


> Check in your motherbaord user guide as to what these beeps mean. And it should pinpoint your problem.


There seems to be nothing in the user guide for that. I tried searching online, the one beep followed by the two quick ones mean that there is no memory inserted.

I couldn't find anything on the high pitch followed by a single normal beep with one stick of RAM.

Five quick beeps would mean something is wrong with the CPU.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

AMI bios> 1 long 2 short is video system failure, does it do the same with the video card and the using the integrated? 
AMI Bios Beepcodes


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

wrench97 said:


> AMI bios> 1 long 2 short is video system failure, does it do the same with the video card and the using the integrated?
> AMI Bios Beepcodes


I haven't tried it with the video card yet but..

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Troubleshooting P8H61-M LE


> 1.4.2.1 Memory issue: Beep (1 long 2 short)


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

did you put thermal paste on the cpu? or did you remove the selafane which covers the thermal pad if it came with one?

when installing the psu did you put the 20+4 pin connection in correctly and the 4 pin connection by the cpu?


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

greenbrucelee said:


> did you put thermal paste on the cpu? or did you remove the selafane which covers the thermal pad if it came with one?
> 
> when installing the psu did you put the 20+4 pin connection in correctly and the 4 pin connection by the cpu?


It came with thermal paste, there was no cover..

Yes I plugged both of those in.


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

I would hate to say it... but Motherboard failure maby?

It might be worth returning that motherboard as faulty and getting a replacement


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

What part number ram are you using?

I guess AMI changed the beep codes with the EFI new Bios.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

wrench97 said:


> What part number ram are you using?
> 
> I guess AMI changed the beep codes with the EFI new Bios.


G.Skill F3-10666CL9D-4GBNQ DDR3-1333


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

I just noticed in my motherboard user guide, the RAM I have doesn't appear in the list of qualified vendor list.

The only two 4GB on the list from G.Skill are..

F3-10600CL8D-4GBHK(XMP)
F3-10666CL8D-4GBECO(XMP)

Could the user guide possibly be out of date?

http://www.cizgi.com.tr/resource/vfiles/cizgi/pms_file/239/phh61-m_le_usb_3.0_en.pdf

Page 26


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

That just means Asus has not tested it on that board.
G.Skill says it's good for the Intel and AMD chipsets> G.SKILL-Products

Exchange the ram, it's either defective or the the motherboard is, I would start with the ram.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Hey guys, so after several weeks of dealing with NCIX RMA to replace my motherboard, I finally received a new unit in the mail today. Everything is working fine except for the graphics card. Honestly I'm unsure how to install this thing. I disabled and uninstalled the motherboards integrated graphic card. I tried looking through the BIOS to disable it there and I still seem to get no signal on my monitor when attempting to connect through the graphic card..


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Have you/can you test the video card in another PC?


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

I don't have another PC to test it with.. also with the card intact I put in the audio for the motherboard and only received one single beep which indicates everything is fine, right? I get the same beep even with the graphic card out.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The Bios should automatically recognize the card, under System Agent Configuration Initiate Graphic Adapter should be set to PEG/IGPU, Peg is a term used for PCIe Graphics, iGPU is for integrated graphics unit.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

Should Render Standby and iGPU Multi-Monitor be disabled?


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

By the way, when I go to Device Manager, the only yellow alerts I have are from "Other devices PCI Simple Communications Controller".

Not sure what exactly that is.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

My display adapter right now is a "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter" it used to be the integrated one from the motherboard until I uninstalled it.

I still can't figure out what's the cause.


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## brown (May 22, 2007)

It's solved and working now, thanks for everyone that took their time to help.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

So what did you have to do to get the card working ?


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