My System done, And Questions :)

Ac1dh0u$3. · 2 Sep 2011 at 02:54

So after a few threads and what not I got round to buying my system, this is what I got...

Asrock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 Intel Z68
Intel Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor
Corsair XMS3 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit
Corsair Force Series 3 120GB SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Drive
Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache
Gainward GeForce GTX 570 Phantom 1280MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card
Corsair Obsidian 650D Gaming Midi Tower
BeQuiet Dark Rock Pro CPU Cooler
(Already had 850watt OCZ PSU)

A Few pics below... (sorry its just an Iphone)

All the gear

I rushed the building process, just wanted to get the system running, I assure you all the cables will be getting a tidy. Theres a soundcard I already owned in there aswell

On the desk

All in all very happy with it...

Now comes the questions

1)My Psu, I did plan to pick up another 570 and sli them up, however I've noticed that this one 570 needs 1x 6 pin power lead and then 2 x 6 pin power leads into a Y lead that makes them an 8 Pin, This means theres 3, 6 pin power leads going into my G-card. As my PSU only has 4 of these leads (leaving me one spare atm) I assume SLI on this PSU is a no go ?

2)The Ram, I really was not sure what slots to put the ram in so i just put them into the first two slots (the two closest to the CPU socket) is this correct ?

3) Overclocking the Graphics card, what is the name of the program you use ?

Thanks for any help in advance

ThePengu1n · 2 Sep 2011 at 03:16

1. If you want SLI, you'll need another power supply, one with at least 4 6+2 pin pcie power connectors, so currently it's out of the question.

2. No, you need to use slot 2 and slot 4, so it runs in duel channel mode

3. MSI Afterburner

Hope this helps

Bwaaa · 2 Sep 2011 at 03:16

Memory needs to be in slots 1 and 3 or slots 2 and 4

Beat me to it!

olivier renault · 2 Sep 2011 at 08:40

3 PCIE connectors? Should only need 1 6 pin and 1 6+2 pin connector, the PSU should provide 4 6+2 connectors. So two connectors from the PSU to the GPU, leaving two more for the next card.

The 6+2 connectors have a detachable 2 pin at the end, so you can use them into 6 pin inputs. You should only need two modular cables from the PSU.

Ac1dh0u$3. · 2 Sep 2011 at 17:18

olivier renault said:
3 PCIE connectors? Should only need 1 6 pin and 1 6+2 pin connector, the PSU should provide 4 6+2 connectors. So two connectors from the PSU to the GPU, leaving two more for the next card.

The 6+2 connectors have a detachable 2 pin at the end, so you can use them into 6 pin inputs. You should only need two modular cables from the PSU.

I think its a older PSU from the days when everyone was getting q6600 and 8800's, it doesn't have 6+2 pin connections, Just four 6 pin ones.

Thanks for the rest of the help, changed my Ram to slots 2 and 4, says its running in deul channel mode now in the bois.

Maybe this is better asked in the harddrive forum, but i think i read on here that you can merge you SSD onto your HDD to give you one volume? What are the reasons for doing so ? and do you gain any advanages?

Pixellated · 2 Sep 2011 at 17:33

Ac1dh0u$3. said:
I think its a older PSU from the days when everyone was getting q6600 and 8800's, it doesn't have 6+2 pin connections, Just four 6 pin ones.

Thanks for the rest of the help, changed my Ram to slots 2 and 4, says its running in deul channel mode now in the bois.

Maybe this is better asked in the harddrive forum, but i think i read on here that you can merge you SSD onto your HDD to give you one volume? What are the reasons for doing so ? and do you gain any advanages?

You'd be able to SLi a GTX 460 setup with 4x6-pin connectors, but I doubt it's worth it.

Not heard anything about the SSD+HDD merge, though. I've seen combination drives which utilise both, but no way of separately managing two different products.

olivier renault · 2 Sep 2011 at 18:00

Ac1dh0u$3. said:
I think its a older PSU from the days when everyone was getting q6600 and 8800's, it doesn't have 6+2 pin connections, Just four 6 pin ones.

Ah, ok.

Maybe this is better asked in the harddrive forum, but i think i read on here that you can merge you SSD onto your HDD to give you one volume? What are the reasons for doing so ? and do you gain any advanages?

Are you talking about Intel SRT with the Z68 chipset? This is when the SSD is used as a cache to speed up the HDD file access, a bit like the Seagate Momentus XT drives.

If you have a SSD big enough (i.e. > 40GB), then I wouldn't bother, and just use the SSD as a primary drive. Although apparently, you can use a partition on the SSD as well. But with a Caviar Black, I wouldn't bother with it.

PESolution · 2 Sep 2011 at 18:02

looking at a build almost identicle to that other than perhaps the 580. What was the cost if you dont mind me asking?

olivier renault · 2 Sep 2011 at 18:03

Looks about 850-1000.

Really nice setup BTW.

Ac1dh0u$3. · 2 Sep 2011 at 18:40

With postage etc to Northern Irealnd, I think it came to £1115

Thats without a PSU

Ac1dh0u$3. · 2 Sep 2011 at 18:41

olivier renault said:
Ah, ok.

Are you talking about Intel SRT with the Z68 chipset? This is when the SSD is used as a cache to speed up the HDD file access, a bit like the Seagate Momentus XT drives.

If you have a SSD big enough (i.e. > 40GB), then I wouldn't bother, and just use the SSD as a primary drive. Although apparently, you can use a partition on the SSD as well. But with a Caviar Black, I wouldn't bother with it.

Yea this must be what I've heard about then, cheers

panyan · 3 Sep 2011 at 11:07

i wouldnt out it so close to the edge of the desk