# New build with Combo



## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

This combo package suggested from xSLIMx 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.304695
Would this play games well?

I would like to use this combo package
AMD Athlon II X2 240/ 785G/ HD4670 SuperCombo Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.304695
and put it into this box
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
However I noticed the form factor of the MOBO is Micro ATX and the Case is MOBO Compatibility is ATX. Does this state that the case can take anything upto ATX? Would I be able to put a micro ATX board in this case?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

*Re: First Build*

mAtx boards will fit they are shorter then Atx.

The Phenom II x2 would be a better choice for gaming.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/phenom-athlon-ii-x2_16.html#sect0


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

*Re: First Build*

Yes, but you can't substitute a Phenom into that combo, that being the whole point.



It isn't a high-end rig, but for a budget it's very good. That combo + Antec 300 + Corsair VX450W would be an excellent and mildly overclockable gaming rig for less than $450. It will play most new releases on medium settings.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

*Re: First Build*

What determines how many watts of power supply a person should buy? For example I have always purchased nothing less then 500W. When looking at the processor specs or the video cards specs what should I look for to know how large of a power supply to buy?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: First Build*

The most important thing to consider for the PSU is the graphics card. 
The HD-467X-ZDF2, listed in the combo in Post #50 requires a minimum 400W total system power so I would want a 550W minimum Seasonic or Corsair.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

*Re: First Build*

A whoole lot of factors. Mainly the graphics card. It's a little complicated.

The Corsair VX550W should power any single GPU computer (meaning non SLI/CF rigs or dual GPU cards like the GTX295, 9800GX2, Radeon 5970, 4850x2, 4870x2, 3870x2). 


Read this if you want an overview:
http://www.techsupportforum.com/f210/power-supply-information-and-selection-192217.html


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

*Re: First Build*

Mostly Video card, number of drives, and the amount of USB devices you plan to use, Start at a Quality 550w for a main stream PCIe card and up the wattage as the card choice goes up, for example 9500, 9600, (newer) 9800GT, HD 46xx, 550W, GTS250 9800GTX, GTX+ HD 4770, HD4830, HD4850, 650W.
Corsair and Seasonic are both good brands with 80+ certs and 5 year warranties.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

*Re: First Build*

what would be your opinion on this PSU and Case combo? 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.304807
Also I noticed on the MOBO "power pin" states 24 pin but on the PSU is states "main connector" is 20+4pin. Will this work together? 
The power supply only has a 3 year warrenty: Is this standard? 
xSLMIx: I also like the super combo you ordered. It is priced very well. I am thinking of the same kit for my build.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

*Re: First Build*

Yes 20+4 is the same as a 24 pin connector.

Antec PSU's are not as good as they used to be, I no longer use them.


I'm going to split these posts off to an new thread.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I, as well as most builders that I know, have quit using or suggesting Antec PSU's. 
3 yr. warranty is standard for many PSU's but the better Seasonic and Corsair offer a 5 yr. warranty.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Still may use the combo package. Also looking at other options 
Please provide opinion on this option: 
ASUS M4A78 Plus AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail 
AMD Athlon II X2 245 Regor 2.9GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADX245OCGQBOX - Retail 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.303797#

Using this case and PSU
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 
54.95
CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...e=corsair_power_supply-_-17-139-004-_-Product
89.99

Also what does this mean? 
Memory Standard DDR2 1066*/800/667 

* Due to AMD CPU limitation, DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2+/AM3 CPU for one DIMM per channel only.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Looks good. The standard Memory for that Mobo is DDR2 667/800. 
A 2X2 GB matched pair of DDR2800 would be my choice.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

Due to the way the AMD memory chips in those mobos are designed, if you try to run your RAM over 800MHz only one stick will go over. For instance if you set RAM speed to 1066MHz and you have two sticks, the first stick will run at 1066MHz and the other will run at 800MHz.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Ok this is what I got so far: 

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 
Model #:Three Hundred 
Item #:N82E16811129042 
Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy 
In Stock 
54.95

CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail 
Model #:CMPSU-550VX 
Item #:N82E16817139004 
89.99

1. ASUS M4A78 Plus AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail 


2. AMD Athlon II X2 245 Regor 2.9GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADX245OCGQBOX - Retail 
128.98

G.SKILL 4GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL6S-4GBMQ - Retail 
129.99 free shipping 

Also going to add a internal hardrive. Would I see a big difference between a 7200rpm vs a 10000 rpm? 
Thinking about this one: 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136322
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive 
But for $200 I can get so much more if I set down to a 7200rpm drive.
A couple questions: 
What video card would be suggested? To include playing games? The card would need to be able to run two monitors 1 a VGA at the moment, but I could use a VGA to DVI converter. 
For the front USB ports on the case where would I hook these up on the MOBO? 
Could I overclock the CPU to get a bit more horses?

Phaedrus2401:
That to me sound like a drawback or limitation? Would you agree. What happens if I had 4 sticks memory total; would 2 run at 1066 and 2 run at 800?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

All 4 will run at 800, 2 sticks will run at 1066 but if you fill the slots with 4 they will only run the JEDEC standard of 800, it's best to run 2 x 2gig sticks the difference between 800 and 1066 isn't noticeably except in benchmarks.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

The VelociRaptor drives are unnoticeably faster than the Caviar Black drives. Save your money. 

The combo came with Caviar Blue 500GB hard drive (slightly slower than Caviar Black) and a Radeon 4670. The 4670 isn't a high-end card, but it's adequate.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Please provide your review of this set up
Will all of these items be compatable with each other? 
What gaming video card would you choose for this set up?
Is this a fair price for this set up?

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
54.95

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148445
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3750528AS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive 
79.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004
CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail 
89.99 10 mail in rebate

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231181
G.SKILL 4GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL6S-4GBMQ - Retail 
129.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.308543
ASUS M4A785-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail 
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor Model HDZ550WFGIBOX - Retail 
161.99 

Total price 516.91 with shipping 529.36

What do you think?

Also a quick question: What is crossfire and should I be concerned about this. It this a video thing?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Looks good, are you planning to add a video card down the road or use the integrated?


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

I will use integrated at this time to get the box up and running. What video card would you suggest for gaming and running dual monitors. 

With this MOBO would I be able to run dual monitors using the on board AGP and DVI ports or to run dual monitors I would have to have a seperate video card?

wrench97: I took a look at your power supply and selection doc and noticed the power supply I have listed and I see it is one that is recommened. However it is for standard computer class. I am thinking I may need to bump this up. Could you provide a example (Radeon) of the highest end video card I could run with the PSU.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

crossfire is using 2 ati cards at the same time, Sli is the nvida version both are a waste of money and don't offer any great value for the little gain you get.

Your system choice looks ok and a very wise move to get the corsair psu instead of the Antec.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Crossfire is hooking 2 ATI cards together to increase performance in gaming, rarely is it worth the extra cost of the second video card and larger power supply.

I do believe that board will output to 2 monitors although it will be taxing to the system, a HD4650 or HD4670 video card would be a good choice.



rentonhighlands said:


> wrench97: I took a look at your power supply and selection doc and noticed the power supply I have listed and I see it is one that is recommened. However it is for standard computer class. I am thinking I may need to bump this up. Could you provide a example (Radeon) of the highest end video card I could run with the PSU.


If you want to get into the HD5770, HD5850, HD5870 then your looking at a 750TX to 850TX range.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Qwestion about system clock speed. From this artical http://www.directron.com/fsbguide.html
When I use this motherboard and CPU what will I set my clock speed to in the BIOS? 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.308543
ASUS M4A785-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail 
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor Model HDZ550WFGIBOX - Retail 

I want to make sure I am not underclocking or overclocking the chip..

What I am tring to do is what this artical suggests "matching memory with a processor. Go with a motherboard/system that complements your CPU and provides it with memory support that well matches the FSB potential" Have I done it using these components?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.308543
ASUS M4A785-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail 
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor Model HDZ550WFGIBOX - Retail 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231181
G.SKILL 4GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL6S-4GBMQ - Retail


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

yes its always best to match the memory with the cpu so you get no bottlenecks


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

What details do I compare from the CPU, memory and mobo to make sure they are the best match?

What is your opinion? When building a completely new system build with a dual core CPU or a quad core CPU. My budget does include the price difference between the dual core and the quad core say 3.0ghz speed. Am I selling my self short by building with a dual core CPU? 
I understand the first question is what am I going to use it for? At this time it will be a general computer used for web and MS office but in the future I would like to get into a game or two. With this in mind please chime in with a quick opinion or two.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

no you are not selling yourself short with a core 2 duo. Infact quad cores are only really neccesary if you are into video editing and high end applications that require lots of processing power.

I have a core 2 duo which is the E8400 and it's stock speed is 3GHz. The E8400 is one the best CPUs you can get and if your into gaming and overclocking you can't go wrong with it.

When I am building a pc I look to see that everything is 100% compatible before making a deceision. I prefer to have the motherboard support the cpu from it's initial revision instead of having to wait for bios updates to become available, I also do the same with the ram.

Also to add I want the cpu to use the highest FSB that is on that motherboard so when I built my current system I looked at motherboards which were best for gaming and also motherboard that had a 1333MHz FSB to go along with the E8400.

Because I am into overclocking this was also a factor in the motherboard choice as was the ram. If you look at my system under my name you will see what I chose and if you want further proof I could give you my bench mark results. My system beats most quad cores and some of the new i processors in performance. When I built it the whole thing cost £1300 I bet you could build it now for about £900.

The core 2 duo is best for gaming but with the new CPUs out then you will find that the i5 is better than the i7 for gaming since no game is going to use everything an i7 has then there is no need.

If I were you I would go for either core 2 duo or i5.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

greenbrucelee: Thank you for this explanation it is very helpful to me. This part I have a question about: "Also to add I want the cpu to use the highest FSB that is on that motherboard so when I built my current system I looked at motherboards which were best for gaming and also motherboard that had a 1333MHz FSB to go along with the E8400."

Are you stating to compare the spec called Hyper Transports 4000MHz from the CPU to the FSB 2600MHz Hyper Transport (5200 MT/s) from the mobo? 
I really like AMD CPU's and I have my sights set on this combo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.308543
I would use this memory: 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

yes I am.

That combo and memory should be ok. Just be aware that the mobo is Micro ATX.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

I am gong to buy this case 
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
How do I hook up the front usb ports to the motherboard. Or what is the name of the cables I need to use?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The cables to the front USB ports and front switch(s) light(s) will come inside the case.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

I will be running Adobe CS3 master collection on this machine. Would the dual core run this or would I benifit from a quad core processor more? 
Also I am a bit confused between DDR2 and DDR3 memory. I know what the difference is but would I see a big difference in speed between the two?


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

It depends on high end you are going with photoshop, but a dual core should run it fine.

The mobo you have chosen will only take ddr2 and ddr3 is sti;l too expensive for hardly any gain and still a bit buggy so your best of with ddr2.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Ok great greenbrucelee: You answered my memory question right on the money. That was the exact answer I was looking for. 
What would be your opinion between these two CPU's
AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADX250OCGQBOX - Retail 
and 
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor Model HDZ550WFGIBOX - Retail 

Would I notice much difference?

With the same mobo at newegg the price difference is $31 for the combo.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

they are both pretty similar apart form the second one uses more power and has slightly better clock frequency.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Ok Here is the final list of parts for my build. Please chime in with your honest opinion.
Will this machine run windows 7 pro 64 bit? (not sure about this yet, will prob run win xp 32 bit for now for compatibility issues). 
Will this machine run CS3 master collection with ease?
Will this machine run games well? (when I add a video card) to get the machine up and running I will be using on board video for now.

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 
54.95

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail 
109.99

AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor Model HDZ550WFGIBOX - Retail 

ASUS M4A785-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail 
158.99 (combo)

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail 
Item #: N82E16820231122 
84.99

Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3750528AS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive 
79.99

Sony Optiarc 24X DVD/CD Rewritable Drive Black SATA Model AD-7240S-0B - OEM 
29.99

Also please let me know if there is any parts that are not compatible with each other?


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

They will all work but I am not sure about that ram on that motherboard. Have a look on the asus website and download their qvl list for that motherboard it will tell you if that ram is compatible.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

If your looking to run CS4 Audition and even Photoshop and fireworks to an extent a Phenom II X4 would be a much better choice.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

wrench97: Please tell me a quick why a quad core would be a better choice when running photoshop. I have CS3 master suite.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

In CS4 Photoshop is optimized to run on more then 2 cores, CS3 runs PS fine on dual, Audition however runs a lot faster on a Quad because video rendering is one of the few things a quad naturally does better each core can render a frame without have to wait on another core to finish.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

greenbrucelee: I confirmed the asus mobo .pdf states this
size Vendor PART NO SS/DS CHIP NO
2048MB G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ DS HEAT SINK PACKAGE

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail
It will work. 
BTW: what is SS/DS? what does each stand for. What is the difference?


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

ss is single sided and ds is dual sided so on single sided a 1GB stickj of ram will have 1 GB on one side where as a 1GB dual sided stick will have 512MB on one side and 512MB on the other.

I have never really noticed a difference in either, it's the latency you need to be bothered about. Latency is the speed so an 800MHz stick running at 4-4-4-12 is better than an 800MHz stick running at 5-5-5-15


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

1 final quick question before I order. The mobo I have picked out is a asus m4a785-m micro atx motherboard. Is there any drawbacks to this form factor as opposed to a regular ATX form factor. Like for example will it prevent me from using a certain video card in the future?

Did some more research and the reviews of the 
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3750528AS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive 
79.99
are terrible. I switched this drive out with a 
Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive 
$10 cheeper.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The WD black drives are very good.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Can I run a copy of Windows XP 64 or Windows 7 64 bit with this CPU?
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor Model HDZ550WFGIBOX - Retail


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

It'll work just fine.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

I will be receiving my parts this week and my plan is to complete my build within the week. Thanks again for all the advise and help from everyone here. I will give a update from the new system!

Update: Finished adding all hardware to the case and went to fire the box up and I got nothing showing on the monitor. I am not able to see the bios from the motherboard. Now it is time to do some troubleshooting and would like help.

1. Can anyone tell me where to find the speaker tones for this motherboard. I want to know what the speaker tones mean to see if this will point me to a direction. 

2. I am not using a video card at this time I am using the on board VGA video because my monitor does not have DVI. Any suggestions of to why I am not seeing any video. I do not get even a blue screen all I get is a blinking light on the monitor telling me it is plugged into the wall. I know this monitor works because I use it as a 2nd monitor for my laptop. 

Things I know: 
1. There are no funny noises when I power up the machine. 

Things I tried: 
I moved the memory around the slots. Is there specific spots the memory needs to only be in? 


This is the hardware
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor Model HDZ550WFGIBOX - Retail 

ASUS M4A785-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail 

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail 
Item #: N82E16820231122


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

take it all out the case and build it on top of the motherboard case.

do any lights show up on the motherboard?

is the 20 pin abd 4 pin connection from the power supply plugged in?


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Yes the green light shows on the montherboard when I turn on my power supply. 
I do have the 20 pin power connected to the MOBO
You know I was looking for the 4 pin connector from the power supply and I could not find it. I assume it would have to be there. From my old builds I only had the one 20 pin connector so I thought I would only need one or the other. From your statement i am guessing I need both. Is this correct? Being that I only have the one 20 pin connected what would this cause?


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

yes. The psu you have may have a 8pin connector this will split into 4 as it will be compatible with 8 and 4 pin you just prise it apart. or unclip it


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

greenbrucelee: I would like to clarify: Do I need to plug in two cables from the psu to the mobo? One is the 20 pin (regular atx long skinny one) and what is the other? 
Would this possibliy be one reason the video jacks on the MOBO are not getting power?


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

there are two cable one is the big one that plugs into the motherboard and other is the one that powers the cpu. On motherboards these days there will be a connection next to the cp which will require a plug with for bits on it however your psu may have a 6 or 8 pin connection which will split into the four pin that is require
I will post some images

here you go

see here for a guide http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...pin+connection+on+motherboard&hl=en&sa=N&um=1


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Ok great. I will look for the one you have pictured and plug that into the MOBO. 
Just to get it straight in my head. There are three power plugs required
1. the big 20 pin main connector that plugs into the mobo This one is plugged in
2. the 4 pin (one you have pictured) that powers the CPU This one *is not *plugged in
3. the small square one that powers the CPU Heat sync fan This one is plugged in
Correct?


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

there should be two a 20 and 4


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Ok I'm up and runnin typing from this new build. Things are working great with one exeption. The Fan on the heatsink is load! What would be suggested to replace it with to something that is ultra quiet. What will fit? 
MOBO: M4A785-M
CPU: AMD PHENOM II X2 550 BLACK.


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

I don't know about ultra quiet, but the AC Freezer 7 Pro V.2 is quieter than stock, that's for sure. Though they do use those exact words in the newegg specs tab.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

What Temp are you seeing on the CPU?


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Here are some values I got from SIW

Sensor	Value	Min	Max
COMPUTER1
ITE IT87
Voltages
CPU VCORE	0.96 V	0.96 V	1.30 V
+3.3V	3.31 V	3.30 V	3.33 V
+12V	12.67 V	12.54 V	12.67 V
-12V	-6.34 V	-6.34 V	-6.27 V
VBAT	3.25 V	3.25 V	3.25 V
Temperatures
TMPIN0	30 °C (85 °F)	30 °C (85 °F)	32 °C (89 °F)
TMPIN1	42 °C (107 °F)	41 °C (105 °F)	42 °C (107 °F)
Fans
FANIN0	3054 RPM	3026 RPM	3054 RPM
FANIN1	1271 RPM	1247 RPM	1273 RPM
AMD Phenom II X2 550
Temperatures
Core #0	21 °C (69 °F)	19 °C (66 °F)	27 °C (81 °F)
Core #1	21 °C (69 °F)	19 °C (66 °F)	27 °C (81 °F)
WDC WD5001AALS-00J7B1
Temperatures
HDD	31 °C (87 °F)	30 °C (85 °F)	31 °C (87 °F)


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Do you have a digital volt meter? The 12v readings are high if the software is correct and need to be verified.

Do you have a case fan hooked up to the motherboard? Verify that the CPU fan in on the correct motherboard header.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Are the 12v reading to high to be running? Is it in danger? I do not have a digital volt meter. I do have 1 rear case fan hooked to the motherboard 1 120mm fan. The manual for my MOBO can be downloaded here http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?model=M4A785-M&SLanguage=en-us 
see page 1-29 showing connector to where I have the case fan connected to the MOBO. 

I have the CPU fan connected to the CPU fan 4 prong on the MOBO (see 1-7) on MOBO manual


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Check the voltages in the Bios on the PC Health page and see what it reports.
In the mean time disconnect the case fan to make sure it's not the one making the noise.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

The case fan is not the one making the noise. I stop the CPU fan with my finger and it is by far the loadest of the two.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Have you tried adjusting the CPU fan in the Bios? Asus calls it Q-Fan.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

In the Bios set Smart Q Fan to enabled, and check to see if AMD Cool and Quiet is set to enabled.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Results from BOIS (I did not see a PC Health Page) my BIOS is the standard blue screen bios. (Is there something wrong here?)
But I did find this information

CPU Temp 35C/95F
MB Temp 42C/107.5F
CPU Fan Speed 3054rpm
Chassis Fan Speed 1275rpm
Vcore voltage 1.296v-1.280v
3.3v 3.312v-3.34
5v 5.068v
12V 12.033v

there is also a SMART Q FAN FUNCTION: it is currently disabled.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Enable Q fan the cpu fan is currently spinning at full RPM.

Voltage in the Bios looks good.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Enabled Q fan. This shut the fan down sounds like 1/2 the speed. This quieted the box down alot. Any other suggestions? 
Thanks alot wrench97 and others. With your help I have learned a bunch thru this new build!


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

anything else to look at to make sure things are stable and I can run the machine and not turn it off?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Did you check that AMD cool and quiet was enabled in the bios?
Otherwise you should be good to go.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

wrench97: Please see this artical about cool and quiet 
http://winhlp.com/node/85

I do not think this is a good option to use? From this artical it slows down the CPU. Do you agree?


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

What software should I use to monitor my system? What software do you guys use? I want to make sure I am running my CPU within the right temp range and such.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

cool & quiet is the amd version of intel speedstep. When the cpu isn't being used fully i.e when you are on the internet or typing a letter the cpu speed is reduced to conserve power. When you start doing something intensive the speed goes up to normal.

It is perfectly safe and doesn't do any harm and anyone who says otherwise is talking crap.

When overclocking you usually knock this off untill you get to a safe & stable OC then you put it back on if you wish.

I have an Intel cpu and it's overclocked I never bothered putting the speedstep back on after overclocking.

Best temp monitoring software are Real Temp (doesn't work on AMD) and Core temp. GPU-z for the graphics card and most importantly and accurately the BIOS.

Only use speedfan for monitoring the speed of the fans and do not believe the temperature and voltage readings it gives you.

Sensor view pro is good for voltages from the psu but then again the BIOS is better


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

That article is from 2007, Cool & Quiet works as it should if the CPU is not near full load you don't need the CPU speed, and if your planing to leave the system run 24/7 why run full voltage to the CPU at idle.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

What do you think about adding this video card to my set up? It seems inexpensive for what I need. I am looking to play Call of Duty 4. This would be the most powerful game I would play as of now. 

DIAMOND 5750PE51G Radeon HD 5750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103087

Would this card be to big to fit my board? 
The video card would be the only card I will be using in my slots on the board. 

I am using this case
COOLER MASTER Elite 341 RC-341C-KKN1-GP Black Steel MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119193


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

it will fit the board but it might be a little to big for micro atx case, mesure you case and compare the length with the card dimensions before buying.


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