Time to build a new audio PC recs please

bpape · « **Reply #40 on:** 2 Apr 2008, 05:36 pm »

Well, that's why we usually use heat-pipe motherboards so you don't have to use a fan. If doing heavy workload like you will on video, then you can use something like this

http://www.anandtech.com/casecoolingpsus/showdoc.aspx?i=3268

As long as it will phyiscally fit in the case.

Bryan

WGH · « **Reply #41 on:** 2 Apr 2008, 05:52 pm »

I would try out the factory CPU fan first, if it is too loud you can always go to an after market solution. A friends PC is very quiet with the stock fan. At 24" from the computer, the noise level of the stock Intel fan and the Noctua is exactly the same, though it looks like a well thought out and cool solution if things get too loud.

My audio/home theater PC is in the next room so noise is not a concern. I use an ATI Remote Wonder when watching video, I got the remote with the ATI TV Wonder 650. The remote works with recorded digital TV, VideoLan, ZoomPlayer, and Foobar2000 too.

wgh

sts9fan · « **Reply #42 on:** 4 Apr 2008, 02:24 pm »

Everything is ordered! I am jazzed to get this thing running. I went with Mwave for everything so you guys can rest easy. I am excited to try Inguz.
Thanks for all the info!
Kris

WGH · « **Reply #43 on:** 4 Apr 2008, 03:46 pm »

Quote from: sts9fan on 4 Apr 2008, 02:24 pm

Everything is ordered!

Are you going to use Win XP or Vista?

bpape · « **Reply #44 on:** 4 Apr 2008, 03:49 pm »

Well, if you're into masochism, Vista would be a good bet.

If you want something that runs all the 'odd' software you'll be using for an AV box along with proper drivers for the hardware, I'd very strongly recommend XP.

Bryan

sts9fan · « **Reply #45 on:** 4 Apr 2008, 04:02 pm »

Oh I was planning on running XP the whole time. I have a disk and am comfortable with it.

Kris

GloP · « **Reply #46 on:** 5 Apr 2008, 04:31 am »

I have been using Vista for months on all my machines at home with no problem whatsoever. I couldn't go back to XP. If you have somewhat recent hardware, and moreover with SP1, there is realy no issue at all.

sts9fan · « **Reply #47 on:** 16 Apr 2008, 03:18 pm »

Well got everything together powered her up and........almost nothing! Well everything is getting power but the BIOS did not boot. All the fans are working and the cd drive is getting power but no beeps. I guess I will disconnect all the stuff and see if I can boot with just the board. This is really not my strong suit so it should be a very good learning experience. I will say one thing I wish I had Left the CPU heatsink alone. The after market one was a bitch and makes me nervous.....

Kris

WGH · « **Reply #48 on:** 16 Apr 2008, 03:55 pm »

Sometimes there are no beeps, but everything works fine anyway. My main computer using an Asus A8V board is like that, been that way for years now, dunno why either. The little motherboard speaker thingy is hooked up correctly too because it can scream nicely during lockups.

You could have a monitor problem if nothing shows up on the screen. Is there a signal to the monitor? Amber light turn green? I would re-seat the graphics card and double check the cable connections first.

Making sure the memory is fully seated is next on the list, I've put small grooves in my thumbs getting those modules to click in.

Wayne

Tirade · « **Reply #49 on:** 16 Apr 2008, 05:49 pm »

Quote from: sts9fan on 16 Apr 2008, 03:18 pm

Well got everything together powered her up and........almost nothing! Well everything is getting power but the BIOS did not boot. All the fans are working and the cd drive is getting power but no beeps. I guess I will disconnect all the stuff and see if I can boot with just the board. This is really not my strong suit so it should be a very good learning experience. I will say one thing I wish I had Left the CPU heatsink alone. The after market one was a bitch and makes me nervous.....

Kris

Re-seat the RAM and take out all of the cards except the video card and unhook all of the drives.

Make sure the video card has power (probably requires an SLI power connector at the end of the card)

If you can get it to POST after that, then start hooking things back up. Something silly to check for is to make sure your monitor is on the right input. My dell monitor is horrible about auto-sensing the signal from the card when I move it between PC's so sometimes I have to hit the input button and go back and forth for it to pick up the signal.

sts9fan · « **Reply #50 on:** 16 Apr 2008, 07:23 pm »

Thanks guys I will try these things when I get home. I don't think my graphics card needs power other then the PCI.

Kris

sts9fan · « **Reply #51 on:** 21 Apr 2008, 02:35 am »

SUCCESS! I removed the graphics card installed in in the other PCIE slot and it booted fine. Now I need to figure out how to get on the internet. I thought all I needed todo was plug in. XP is running at least.

WGH · « **Reply #52 on:** 21 Apr 2008, 03:10 am »

Great news!!!

Regarding the internet, if you are using ethernet make sure it is turned on in the BIOS.

Tirade · « **Reply #53 on:** 21 Apr 2008, 11:39 am »

Quote from: sts9fan on 21 Apr 2008, 02:35 am

SUCCESS! I removed the graphics card installed in in the other PCIE slot and it booted fine. Now I need to figure out how to get on the internet. I thought all I needed todo was plug in. XP is running at least.

Great news!

If your board has more than one NIC onboard, try plugging into the other one. As was mentioned previously it could be disabled in the bios, or the driver might not be installed correctly (or at all). Check the device manager and see if its listed w/o any errors. It could also be something simple like its not getting an IP from the router or your ISP requires you to register the MAC address of the PC (if youre connecting directly to the modem).

sts9fan · « **Reply #54 on:** 21 Apr 2008, 02:10 pm »

Probably helps to install the drivers. Only problem is its on dvd and I only threw in a old cd...

WGH · « **Reply #55 on:** 21 Apr 2008, 02:43 pm »

You can download the latest drivers from ASUS and burn them on a CD
or put them on a USB hard drive
or temporairly install a SATA or IDE hard drive
that has copies of the drivers.

sts9fan · « **Reply #56 on:** 25 Apr 2008, 09:32 pm »

Well it was up and running fine. This morning I downloaded some windows update from the Inguz website and now Squeezecenter will not start. It just gets hung up and says "Slimcenter Starting" Bummer

sts9fan · « **Reply #57 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 12:56 pm »

freaking booty! So Saturday I go to boot up and see if I can figure out this server issue and nothing. Nada no Post. Just like the issue I had before. Fans on but no POST. Pulled out the video card and no "no VGA" noise. If I pull out the memory it does make a no memory set of beeps. I guess I will take it out and see if it will POST out of the case or maybe loosen it first.

Booty

WGH · « **Reply #58 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 02:37 pm »

Suddenly not posting is a head scratcher. Double checking all the connections like you are doing is almost the only thing you can do. Here are a few of more:

1.) Make sure the motherboard stand offs are all where they should be.

2.) A possible answer is the motherboard has a bad battery, they cost only a couple of bucks, so if every other solution doesn't work try replacing the battery.

Quote

I will say one thing I wish I had Left the CPU heatsink alone. The after market one was a bitch and makes me nervous.....

3.) Did the new heatsink have a thermal pad or was it nude? If a thermal pad, did you take off the protective cover. If nude did you first apply a thin coat of thermal grease on top of the processor? The grease is very important and without it the processor will overheat, the computer will shut down and not post. Clean off any residue with isopropyl alcohol before applying fresh thermal grease.

4.) Since you are new to computer building, maybe have another person check over your work.

Wayne

sts9fan · « **Reply #59 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 02:45 pm »

Quote

3.) Did the new heatsink have a thermal pad or was it nude? If a thermal pad, did you take off the protective cover. If nude did you first apply a thin coat of thermal grease on top of the processor? The grease is very important and without it the processor will overheat, the computer will shut down and not post. Clean off any residue with isopropyl alcohol before applying fresh thermal grease.

How fast does that happen? So you cannot post a mobo with no heatsink? I did not try it but I would have expected to be at least able to post. It was nude and I used the supplied grease. I will remove it clean the chip and put in the stock unit. fingers crossed.