I like my laptop keyboard because of the short distance needed to press the keys, flat surface, and the minimal noise it makes. I can't find any regular keyboards like this.
All around good build with capability for overclocking if you ever really want to.
It does look good. Any reason that there's no SSD, besides added cost? I was planning to install the OS and games that build large caches (mainly Paradox games) on the SSD. As for the optical drive, I'm looking for a Blu-ray player (see the one I linked to in my reply to karlzhao314).
Obscure and unknown case, would not recommend. Usually we go with cases that are well-known and well-reviewed, so you have guaranteed quality. If you want USB 3.0 go for an NZXT Source 210 Elite.
The reviews for the case on Newegg seemed alright, but what you linked to should be sufficient. I just didn't want to let the USB 3.0 go to waste.
Do you actually NEED Blu-ray writing capability? For most people even a normal Blu-ray drive is just a waste of money. Unless you always burn your own content to Blu-ray discs, just get a Blu-ray reader instead (That is, if you even use Blu-ray disks.)
Today he may not want to overclock. 5 years in the future when he needs money for food, rent, etc, he may want to spend $20 to overclock and not $300 for a CPU+MoBo. it costs $20ish more now.
I'd probably just buy a new computer and rather not invest in overclocking capabilities. If I can't afford a new computer 5-6 years down the line, then I'm doing something wrong.
I've made some changes to aceattwister's build. Specifically, I changed the case to a Rosewill R5 (there was a warning about no USB 3.0 ports on the previous one), the optical drive to a Asus BW-16D1HT, removed the OS (it looks like I can get it free through Dreamspark), and added speakers.
Thanks for all of the input. First, I will say that $1238 is far less than I expected to spend on a gaming PC. I just hope that its enough to last me for at least 4-5 years and to max out the games I listed. And since it is much less than I expected, I'm willing to spend more on a better case. Specifically, I've been looking at the Rosewill R5 and the HAF 912, but I'm leaning towards the former.
I also forgot to mention that I need a Blu-Ray reader (writer is not needed) instead of a normal DVD/CD drive. I'm also not sure if the Blu-ray drive can replace the DVD/CD one.
I should point out that the monitor in that build does not have built-in speakers. If I were to get separate speakers as Thescorpi0n pointed out, I wouldn't need anything fancy or big. I probably wouldn't be able to hear the difference anyway.
If you're going with a $2000 budget it would almost be a crime to use the speakers from a monitor. Just get a pair of decent speakers to go with it. Also, see if the Dreamspark program applies to your study/university, it allowed me to get Windows 8 Pro for free.
I will look into this, but it seems at first glance that Drexel is only offering Visual Studio via this program for free.
I'm looking to build my first PC, and need help picking out the right parts. I've filled out the template from the sticky below.
Budget: $2000 (US Dollars) System Usage: Mainly gaming, plus internet browsing Are you including monitor, peripherals, OS etc in your budget?: A monitor with built-in speakers is needed (touchscreen is a plus). I can get a discounted OS via my university and already have a keyboard and mouse. Preferred Websites / Stores for parts: Online stores. Overclocking, yes or no?: No, I want this PC to last as long as possible. SLI / Crossfire, yes or no?: No, unless I need to. Monitor Resolution (if upgrading, post the resolution of the monitor resolution you want): Looking for 1920x1080 at minimum. Currently, I have a laptop with a res of 1366x768. Other: I don't need an overkill case. Functionality is more important than form. I'm also not sure which is better: Windows 7 or 8. Why are you upgrading?: My Dell Studio XPS 1640 is unable to handle the most of the newer games out right now and ones yet to come. I'm looking to max out the settings on games such as Skyrim, New Vegas, Arma III, Battlefield 4, and Minecraft with shaders/textures.
On boot-up, there should be a key it shows on Bios POST screen that is called Recovery, this would boot the Recovery partition D:/.
You can boot from that, or DVDs. One is much faster then the other, but either way they both likely install bloatware crap that you will have to uninstall yourself. But they also would both install old drivers too.
At this point I'm done reinstalling and everything seems alright, except for the 50 C idle CPU and motherboard temps. Windows is all up to date, and the only serious bloatware was Norton. It's been replaced with MSE. I think all that's left is updating the device drivers, cleaning out the laptop (never has been cleaned) and replacing the thermal paste.
Also, could you tell me which laptop in this pastebin is better for gaming? It's a summary from Speccy of my mom's HP versus my Dell, and I'm thinking the Dell has better performance. I'm just curious.
Before actually, and before you install them, install all windows update for best result.
Also if that is a OEM computer, does it have a recovery partition or a recovery DVD (or one that it asked you to make on first bootup).
I got the laptop from either Best Buy or Staples, so I don't think it's an OEM one. I have 3 recovery disks, but will I need to use anything from the D: drive? It contains some recovery files, but no executables.
That is one heck of a system install riding on the HDD track highway to hell.
OS is trashed, if Windows Resource Protection is failing, then the system is very unstable.
Backup what you want to a portable HDD unit or flash drive or DVDs.
Ensure everything needed for a new install of the OS is collected, such as motherboard drivers, hardware drivers, programs installed and/or their licenses as well. Also absolutely ensure you have the windows installation DVD and proper product key.
If all above checks and is prepared, then proceed to boot from Windows Setup DVD, format the drive, install windows. Then update windows to latest using windows update, then install drivers and other programs and setup as before.
As we have been conversing, I've copied everything that's worth saving over to a flash drive. I'm at the stage where I'm ready to do a reinstall.
As for the drivers, I can probably get most of them off the HP website from here. Have them all ready on a flash drive immediately after the reinstall?
It won't stop at 10%, you need to let it run overnight. SFC can take a very long time to finish. It might look like it's hanging at a certain % but I assure you it is still working.
You shouldn't need to start explorer.exe through anything, no. This also shows you have a corrupt OS.
I'm sorry, I should have said that Command Prompt returns the message: "Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation." Then it returns to the "C:\Windows\system32" line, waiting for the next command.
It stops at 10%, even though I booted in Safe Mode and ran as administrator on the admin account. Oh, and I have to start explorer.exe through command prompt to do this. Isn't it supposed to start in SF anyway?
Another important thing: accessing the internet seems to be the trigger for the unexpected termination of those services.
It probably is a corrupted OS. All MBAM found were pups, though I couldn't do a full scan because the laptop fell asleep and wouldn't wake up. I'll try to post a pastebin when I get home around 4:00pm EST.
I don't mind doing a reinstall of the OS, since my mom doesn't properly maintain her computer (even bits of Norton are left over).
So my mom has been complaining that, in the last couple of days, her HP Pavilion dm4 has been shutting down not long after startup with one of the two messages:
Windows must now restart because the DCOM server process launcher service terminated unexpectedly.
OR Windows must now restart because the Plug and Play service terminated unexpectedly.
I'm pretty confident that this is a virus. So right now I've aborted the shutdown in command prompt and am running a full MBAM scan. 3 things found so far as of writing this post. I've noticed in Task Manager that the svchost.exe related to these two services is using 100% of the CPU and is taking up most of the RAM. A side effect of this is that the laptop's fan runs loud to keep the hardware cool. I think the laptop fan has been running loud like this for the past month or so (only on her user), but only in the last couple of days has it been running loud on the two other users and even shutting down.
So what other steps do I need to take? There's a lot of data (mostly pictures) that I need to back-up, so how can I copy it over to a flash drive without inadvertently copying a virus with it?
I'm thinking about just reinstalling the OS after everything's backed-up.
Too many spoiled brats complaining about the updates to this game. Be glad they even bother to update this game; in no way are they obligated to give any of you any API, so stuff it. IMO, every update is an improvement to this game and I hope there are many, many more to come.
I noticed while riding in a boat that the player has two sets of legs: one sitting like normal, the other set sticking straight down through the boat as if I was standing. Anyone else notice this? (press F5)
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It does look good. Any reason that there's no SSD, besides added cost? I was planning to install the OS and games that build large caches (mainly Paradox games) on the SSD. As for the optical drive, I'm looking for a Blu-ray player (see the one I linked to in my reply to karlzhao314).
I don't know about the rest of those parts, but I do know enough that 12 GB of RAM is overkill. I also don't need a keyboard or mouse.
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The reviews for the case on Newegg seemed alright, but what you linked to should be sufficient. I just didn't want to let the USB 3.0 go to waste.
Woops, I don't need to write Blu-ray. Would http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-optical-drive-bc12b1stblkbas be suitable?
I'd probably just buy a new computer and rather not invest in overclocking capabilities. If I can't afford a new computer 5-6 years down the line, then I'm doing something wrong.
That's one of the reasons I chose the case. Not vital to my decision, however.
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http://pcpartpicker.com/p/23Yzv
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I also forgot to mention that I need a Blu-Ray reader (writer is not needed) instead of a normal DVD/CD drive. I'm also not sure if the Blu-ray drive can replace the DVD/CD one.
I should point out that the monitor in that build does not have built-in speakers. If I were to get separate speakers as Thescorpi0n pointed out, I wouldn't need anything fancy or big. I probably wouldn't be able to hear the difference anyway.
I will look into this, but it seems at first glance that Drexel is only offering Visual Studio via this program for free.
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Budget: $2000 (US Dollars)
System Usage: Mainly gaming, plus internet browsing
Are you including monitor, peripherals, OS etc in your budget?: A monitor with built-in speakers is needed (touchscreen is a plus). I can get a discounted OS via my university and already have a keyboard and mouse.
Preferred Websites / Stores for parts: Online stores.
Overclocking, yes or no?: No, I want this PC to last as long as possible.
SLI / Crossfire, yes or no?: No, unless I need to.
Monitor Resolution (if upgrading, post the resolution of the monitor resolution you want): Looking for 1920x1080 at minimum. Currently, I have a laptop with a res of 1366x768.
Other: I don't need an overkill case. Functionality is more important than form. I'm also not sure which is better: Windows 7 or 8.
Why are you upgrading?: My Dell Studio XPS 1640 is unable to handle the most of the newer games out right now and ones yet to come. I'm looking to max out the settings on games such as Skyrim, New Vegas, Arma III, Battlefield 4, and Minecraft with shaders/textures.
Let me know if more information is needed.
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At this point I'm done reinstalling and everything seems alright, except for the 50 C idle CPU and motherboard temps. Windows is all up to date, and the only serious bloatware was Norton. It's been replaced with MSE. I think all that's left is updating the device drivers, cleaning out the laptop (never has been cleaned) and replacing the thermal paste.
Also, could you tell me which laptop in this pastebin is better for gaming? It's a summary from Speccy of my mom's HP versus my Dell, and I'm thinking the Dell has better performance. I'm just curious.
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I got the laptop from either Best Buy or Staples, so I don't think it's an OEM one. I have 3 recovery disks, but will I need to use anything from the D: drive? It contains some recovery files, but no executables.
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As we have been conversing, I've copied everything that's worth saving over to a flash drive. I'm at the stage where I'm ready to do a reinstall.
As for the drivers, I can probably get most of them off the HP website from here. Have them all ready on a flash drive immediately after the reinstall?
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Exactly.
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I'm sorry, I should have said that Command Prompt returns the message: "Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation." Then it returns to the "C:\Windows\system32" line, waiting for the next command.
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It stops at 10%, even though I booted in Safe Mode and ran as administrator on the admin account. Oh, and I have to start explorer.exe through command prompt to do this. Isn't it supposed to start in SF anyway?
Another important thing: accessing the internet seems to be the trigger for the unexpected termination of those services.
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I don't mind doing a reinstall of the OS, since my mom doesn't properly maintain her computer (even bits of Norton are left over).
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Windows must now restart because the DCOM server process launcher service terminated unexpectedly.
OR
Windows must now restart because the Plug and Play service terminated unexpectedly.
I'm pretty confident that this is a virus. So right now I've aborted the shutdown in command prompt and am running a full MBAM scan. 3 things found so far as of writing this post. I've noticed in Task Manager that the svchost.exe related to these two services is using 100% of the CPU and is taking up most of the RAM. A side effect of this is that the laptop's fan runs loud to keep the hardware cool. I think the laptop fan has been running loud like this for the past month or so (only on her user), but only in the last couple of days has it been running loud on the two other users and even shutting down.
So what other steps do I need to take? There's a lot of data (mostly pictures) that I need to back-up, so how can I copy it over to a flash drive without inadvertently copying a virus with it?
I'm thinking about just reinstalling the OS after everything's backed-up.
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Scanport 821s 17" TFT LCD
I don't think it comes with a power adapter, but just a regular power cord instead. Must find the cords before anything else, though.