# Building a XPC Gaming Rig



## npjester (Dec 15, 2007)

So i decided i wanted to get back into PC's...you can yell at me for being a mac user if you feel the need. Couple of online games have peaked my interest enough to through out my old-ish pc and build a new one. I have already purchased a most of the components i need, i really need a recommendation for a graphics card best used with the shuttle xpc i purchased. So here is what i just bought:

Shuttle XPC SP35P2-Pro:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16856101045

Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66 Conroe E6750:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819115029

Corsair 4GB(2x2GB):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145184

note for the RAM, I am planning on getting another set of the ram in a few weeks when X-Mas is over and I have some spending cash.

So, the graphics card, really money doesnt matter its going to be my xmas gift from someone. My main concern is the power output of that case and the requirements of certain cards.

I was looking at an 8800GTX card, but it requires two PCI-e power connectors and the case has one PCI-e for sure do not know how many molex connectors there are, most of the GTX's i've seen come with a molex to pci-e combiner/converter. My thought was i may be able to use a molex splitter i have from my current PC tower, but i do now know how safe that would be.

So if the GTX isn't possible power connector wise, i was thinking GTS of some sort. I recently found out that the newer chipset for the 8 series was released in november, and i am unsure if that requires a certain chipset or not i know the XPC mobo is P35 chipset.

If anyone has experience with this XPC, or has suggestions for cards to use with this xpc please let me know, i am looking at getting the card in the next few days since the parts are arriving monday or tuesday.

Oh the reasoning for the XPC case: i want to be able to easily move it around my house, or to friends houses. so the small box appealed to me.

Thanks in advance,
npjester
Mac Genius (it's the job...not necessarily my level of knowledge)


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Don't worry, we won't give you a hard time for using a Mac. Many of us have them.

The first thing I have to say is look at the documentation and see if that uses a standard ATX power supply. If it does, you should upgrade it as the first thing you do. Then you can look into the new G92 8800GT & GTS which will run on a quality 600W to 650W power supply fine.

With the RAM, are you going to be putting the Vista Ultimate 64-bit that you have listed on this PC?


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## npjester (Dec 15, 2007)

yes I am going to d vista 64bit to utilize the 8gb of ram I plan to put in. I will look into the PS of the case later, replying from my iPhone. I am thinking 8800 GTS with640 ram, any comments out there?


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

That card is technically obsolete, look at the 8800GTS 512MB which will be a lot faster and will produce less heat.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130312


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## npjester (Dec 15, 2007)

so i just ordered the msi 8800gts

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127314

hopefully i'll have all the pieces by the 19th

thanks for all the help


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

That looks good. Post back when you have it all assembled or if you have difficulties.


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## npjester (Dec 15, 2007)

so its all together, and at the moment i have a 8500 GT Fatal1ty edition in there to test it until the 8800GTS comes in. All went together smoothly in like 15 minutes. Only issue i have noticed is when i tell it to shutdown, it restarts....any ideas?

gonna be running 3DMark06 in a lil bit, i'll post the results with the current setup, then with the GTS and then with the 8GB of ram once i get that in here.

thanks again


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## npjester (Dec 15, 2007)

O yeah, so apperntly there is a PCI Express Mini Card slot on this thing, havent looked to hard yet, but was wondering where to get a WiFi adapter for that slot.


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## blackduck30 (Sep 7, 2004)

something like this ?

*D-Link DWA-556 IEEE 802.11n (draft) IEEE 802.11g IEEE 802.11b PCI Express Xtreme Desktop Adapter Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2) - Retail*

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127218


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## npjester (Dec 15, 2007)

ok, so i figured out why it's restarting when powered off or goes to sleep, its a bug in the bios, so i downloaded the new bios bin file, and the bios flashing utility they supply doesnt work in vista 64bit...kinda new to the whole vista 64bit deal. It's an award bios, apparently winflash works for 32bit vista, xp 32 and 64 bit versions. anyone have any ideas on where to go from here?


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

You can flash the BIOS using a floppy if you have a floppy drive. Other than that and the WinFlash, I don't know of any other way to update the BIOS.


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## npjester (Dec 15, 2007)

ok so winflash works in 64bit vista, but for some reason its not recognizing my bios, should i re-install the stuff that came with the mobo cd (chipset drivers)? I'm at a loss until i just put in a floppy and boot that.


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

That would be another thing to try. Also try the latest chipset drivers from the manufacturer's web site and also from Intel's web site.


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