48 replies to this topic

[Jac3624]

I have some questions that would get me laughed right out of any PC shop. As I'm sure others do as well.

Since they are kind of dumb ones, most don't/won't ask. So I'll start with some.




Can you a AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ quad core setup?

Is it worth getting another Radeon x1950pro 256Mb for crossfire or would it just be best to wait for a better CF card to come out? (Ok that one's not that dumb)

[pest control]

I have some questions that would get me laughed right out of any PC shop. As I'm sure others do as well.

Since they are kind of dumb ones, most don't/won't ask. So I'll start with some.




Can you a AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ quad core setup?

Is it worth getting another Radeon x1950pro 256Mb for crossfire or would it just be best to wait for a better CF card to come out? (Ok that one's not that dumb)

1. No, the quad core motherboards for AMD come in socket F, and the AMD X2 6000 is a socket AM2 cpu, you cant use them together. its completely different architecture with different memory controller.

2. the crossfire will work with 2 identical cards, I dont think you can mix two different GPUs.

[Santano]

You need to have two cards that are manufactured identiacally, or you might have bad or no results.

[Budgirl8]

Ok first I know nothing when it comes to hardware. As Stormy can attest to this, I have to have everything in great detail. lol Here's my dumb question. I have a dell piece of junk puter. I am having a problem with my video card overheating. After having bf2 running for awhile my graphics start going crazy. It turns all sorts of colors and goes in and out etc. etc. Hard to explain. I was at Staples over the weekend and seen these little fan thingies you can buy but somehow you have to connect them to something with those little white prongy looking things. lol I currently have one side of my case off and have a little desktop fan setting on the floor blowing on the puter. I haven't had any problems since I did this. I would love to do something different tho. I know Dell's have a problem with overheating as they don't have enough fans in their puters. Any ideas. Thanks.

[Stormy{CAN}]

Small project for you Christie, as long as you have a digital camera. If you do could you take three pictures something like this,

- front
- back
- straight

so we can see what kind of wire management and airflow you are getting inside the case.

Also you say you have the side off and a fan blowing in and it is helping, when was the last time you cleaned the dust out of the computer?

[Stuz]

About a year ago when I had an old computer that kept over heating, I just took the cover panel off and left it like in Stormy's pics. But I don't know much about hardware either...

[Jac3624]

I have some questions that would get me laughed right out of any PC shop. As I'm sure others do as well.

Since they are kind of dumb ones, most don't/won't ask. So I'll start with some.




Can you a AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ quad core setup?

Is it worth getting another Radeon x1950pro 256Mb for crossfire or would it just be best to wait for a better CF card to come out? (Ok that one's not that dumb)

1. No, the quad core motherboards for AMD come in socket F, and the AMD X2 6000 is a socket AM2 cpu, you cant use them together. its completely different architecture with different memory controller.

2. the crossfire will work with 2 identical cards, I dont think you can mix two different GPUs.

What I meant was should I just wait and crossfire 2 new cards or stick with the x1950 series I have.

I keep wanting to upgrade my cpu, but to do that since I have a socket 939, I either can't go far or get a new mobo and ram as well.

here's what I have now: (the important stuff)

AMD Athlon 64 3500+(socket 939)
2.5Gb pc3200 ram
1 Radeon x1950 pro 256Mb

I am thinking about running this one into the ground while I save up money for the upgrades and the high def set I want to use as a monitor.

That leads me to another 2 questions, Would it be better to just wait until I can upgrade everything or should I get the best cpu I can for this board?(X2 4200+)

Also, do you think this would be a good HD set for monitor/tv? http://www.newegg.co...N82E16889154001


@Budgirl8, if possible try to take one with as much detail of the mobo too, that way we could tell you if you have the connection available for a new case fan.

[Stormy{CAN}]

Jack if you're going to go with an x2 for now don't bother with the 4200, just grab a 3800,

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16819103052

save a few bucks an overclock it to 4200 speeds and more,



That is at default vcore, and I haven't pushed it past 2.6 yet.

[Budgirl8]

Small project for you Christie, as long as you have a digital camera. If you do could you take three pictures something like this,

- front
- back
- straight

so we can see what kind of wire management and airflow you are getting inside the case.

Also you say you have the side off and a fan blowing in and it is helping, when was the last time you cleaned the dust out of the computer?

You just wanna see what my insides look like. Yes, I have a digital camera. I will try and get them taken this afternoon and I have cleaned out the dust.

[Budgirl8]

Here's my insides.....







What is that big black thing???

[Stormy{CAN}]

One of these days someone will show Dell how to actually build a computer. That motherboard lloks like a half-assed attempt at being BTX, except that the cpu should be along the bottom of the board and not at the top. And if you inverted the board it would be even worse as heat rises. Small wonder you're getting artifacts when playing, the video card is sucking in warm/hot air and dust directly from the cpu's heatsink.

Sad part is that it doesn't really look like there is a whole lot you can do. A case fan or two in the back would probably go a long way towards helping. From the looks of the back of that case it looks like it should be wide enough for a 120 mm fan (really need to get out a tape measure to be sure). If it is big enough for a 120 mm, I would mount it across the top of the vent holes and cover the remaining portion up. At least that would force the heated air coming off the cpu to the upper back of the case and away from the video card.

Can't really tell from the pictures, but what is that black thing above the hard drive at the front of the case? It almost looks like it should have a fan inside of it.

What is that big black thing???

That is the heatsink and fan for the cpu, as well as a duct from the front of the case.

P.S. If you dusted recently, how come the sound card is almost white instead of black?

[Budgirl8]

P.S. If you dusted recently, how come the sound card is almost white instead of black?

hmm where is the sound card and dust???

[mike080697]

Stormy, it looks like there is only one mounting hole for a rear case fan? Weird design.

[Stormy{CAN}]

hmm where is the sound card and dust???

That would be the supposed to be black card underneath the blue card (which I believe is a 56k modem) which is underneath the green card (video card).

[DarkFall]

Here's my insides.....







What is that big black thing???

No Christy, the computer, not your air conditioner... I think that's a car heater in there...

[Stormy{CAN}]

Stormy, it looks like there is only one mounting hole for a rear case fan? Weird design.

This is sort of what I had in mind for a fan in the back,



(don't mind the crude paint work, never claimed to be an artist).

[Catfish]

That has got to be the most retarded computer design I have ever seen. I stared at all 3 pics trying to figure out 'where does the hot air go????'

[Stormy{CAN}]

That has got to be the most retarded computer design I have ever seen. I stared at all 3 pics trying to figure out 'where does the hot air go????'

Basically most of it right into the video card. Not only that but the poor card gets to sit and recycle its own expelled air.

No one ever said Dell were the sharpest tools in the box.

[DarkFall]

hmm where is the sound card and dust???

That would be the supposed to be black card underneath the blue card (which I believe is a 56k modem) which is underneath the green card (video card).

I think that photo is just glare, the other two it looks fine to me... I STILL can't get over that big ass air duct though... A 120mm fan in the back should draw out just fine, whether she blocks off the other spot or not. She might consider two low profile 120mm fans and she needs to make sure the front fan is orientated correctly. My mom's case fan was backwards from the factory, and my cousin's Dell had all the fans drawing air out and none blowing in. Took me forwever to straighten out his cabling and clean, reorientate the fans. Dell sucks, pretty much.

I think I may start building some simple systems with good fans, round cables, decent power supplies and mid range mainboard/CPU/RAM combos for my family. I am sick of seeing them waste money with Dell every few years when they burn up...

[Catfish]

That has got to be the most retarded computer design I have ever seen. I stared at all 3 pics trying to figure out 'where does the hot air go????'

Basically most of it right into the video card. Not only that but the poor card gets to sit and recycle its own expelled air.

No one ever said Dell were the sharpest tools in the box.

Oh I think they're definitely tools...