My first build!!! Sexy pics included!

[K1LLSW1TCH]

At least you're better at building computers than you are at decorating.

Nice one.

 

[R088ieS86]

Good tidy up job with the cables!!

Like the first picture, good manly pyramid of computer parts.... flowery curtains!

 

[RJC]

Nice build

 

[noobybooby]

Thanks for all the replies. Been a bit busy, so didn't have the time to respond.

Fans
After comments from Razor-BladE and BlackBat, I opened up my case and plugged the pump into the PWR_FAN header, and my radiator fan into the CPU_FAN header. I'm using the Scythe GT as my radiator fan for the moment but I plan to switch it with a good, quiet PWM fan at some point.

In addition to the radiator fan, I’m thinking of buying 3 PWM fans for the case and then using this:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CB-031-AK

to connect them to my 4 pin CHA_FAN header. If I do this, then I should be able to set their speed to be automatically controlled by the mobo – right? Any recommendations for good PWM radiator & case fans?


Crashes
Also I’ve noticed my machine has been crashing on a semi-regular basis. I get a system crash roughly once every other day. Either a blue screen with an error code, or just a freeze accompanied by a buzzing sound from my speakers. I’ve never had the same error code twice. Also my clock seems to end up 25 mins slow after each crash?!?

Is this frequency of crashes normal on Windows 7? I came from Mac OS X, so it seems unusual to me.


Cables
The power cable issue seems to have resolved itself, as it now clicks into place when plugged in. However my cable management is still pretty poor. But I will try to get it looking something like Razor-BladE’s – won’t be easy though!


Questions re. 2500K and the H67 board

I always wanted to be able to use the iGPU so the H67 was the only choice. As I don’t have plans to overclock, it wasn’t a huge sacrifice. However I would have preferred a P67 because they are better value and have a better feature set and are more common in full ATX (had to get a mATX board). I might buy a Z68 board in a year’s time, if they’re cheap enough.

I did think of getting a P67 and buying a cheapo 5450, but I thought – what a waste! I’m buying a CPU which has been highlighted for its good iGPU, which would more than meet my needs - so I should use it! It’s not really about the money – it just didn’t make sense to buy a low end discrete card that would be outperformed by the iGPU anyway.

As for the 2500K - yes it seems silly with the H67 board, and I was planning on getting the 2500 for just this reason, but it was pointed out to me on these forums that the K has Intel 3000 HD graphics vs 2000 HD on the 2500. And it seems this equates to a c.50 – 70% performance increase.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4083/...core-i7-2600k-i5-2500k-core-i3-2100-tested/11


Sexy curtains

Like the first picture, good manly pyramid of computer parts.... flowery curtains!

The curtains were not my choice!

 

[Freddie589]

When I look at the EFI BIOS is says CPU_FAN running at c.1300RPM and CHA_FAN is N/A:

Your CPU fan is the fan on the H50 this is running at 1300RPM i presume you have not got a CHA_fan plugged in (this is a diffrent 3 pin socket for a fan on. the board)

Now I assume CPU_FAN means the H50 I have plugged into that socket. But the H50 is a (semi-)watercooler. So what does the 1300RPM signify?

As stated above the speed that the fan on the H50 is running at.

Second, I have my 3 case fans (2 front intake and 1 rear radiator fan exhaust) plugged into the CHA_FAN socket. So why does this say N/A in the EFI BIOS?

Not sure, i would not be too worried if the fan is spinning at a good rate constantly.

Is there a utility where I can monitor the temperature inside my case and also control the fan speeds. Something compatible with Windows 7. I looked at Realtemp, but I was hoping for something a little beefier.

your best bet is using a cocktail of programs, for temps use this:

for CPU; coretemp - clicky

for GPU: GPU-z - clicky

now for fan speeds the easiest thing to do properly is to buy a fan controller you could try speed-fan though but personally i have never used it myself

When I press the case power button to turn the machine on, it starts for a second, then stops for 2-3 seconds, then starts again and proceeds as normal. Is this usual?

Yes all ASUS boards do that mine does it, its just a way of the PC to check its self before it fully boots

When my machine goes to sleep, the power light on my case sometimes starts flashing continuously until woken back from sleep. Because the power led is blue, it feels like a police car has crashed into my bedroom! I can’t find anything about this in the manuals – any idea what’s causing this?

yer, when the PC is asleep win7 tells the PWR light to flash always, bit annoying i know their might be a way to turn it off though try googling it!

My DVD drive can get very loud sometimes, when it's being accessed. Does anyone know if that is normal for this particular model (Samsung SH-S223 DVD drive OEM)?

all drives are loud when being used, its the downside to DVD drives you will just have to get used to it

 

[Freddie589]

Crashes
Also I’ve noticed my machine has been crashing on a semi-regular basis. I get a system crash roughly once every other day. Either a blue screen with an error code, or just a freeze accompanied by a buzzing sound from my speakers. I’ve never had the same error code twice. Also my clock seems to end up 25 mins slow after each crash?!?

Is this frequency of crashes normal on Windows 7? I came from Mac OS X, so it seems unusual to me.

no, it should not be doing this, maybe if you can get the code of one the BSOD's and type it into google it might give you a clue into whats wrong, just to make sure: you havnt changed any CPU settings at all and left it all at stock?

 

[jamesfreddie]

Should have gone P67 With Chepo Video Card Mabe £50 Extra but a much better PC. With Overclocking.