hardware components for a gaming pc - Page 3

**wrench97** · 06-21-2009, 01:26 AM

The Floppy drive goes to the FDD port, there is 1 IDE controller that supports 2 drives(devices) use the hard drives and pick up a Sata DVD drive. I don't know of any new motherboards that have dual IDE controllers any longer.

**okeee** · 06-21-2009, 05:36 AM

Ok, so although it is and IDE port, the IDE dvd-player has another cable to connect to the IDE port than the IDE hard disk? If you use 2 x SATA hard disk and 2 x IDE hard disk, do I still need to set the master/ slave configuration for the IDE hard disks? And what hard disk will windows recognize as the main hard disk, the C:\ drive?

**wrench97** · 06-21-2009, 06:57 AM

Your present board most likely has 2 IDE controllers for 4 drives, the new board will only have 1 controller for 2 drives they go on the same cable one should be set to master the second to slave, doesn't matter if they are both hard drives or 1 is a dvd and 1 a hard drive, the drive on the end of the cable is the master the drive on the center plug is the slave.
The drive you set to boot first in the Bios will be the Windows drive, when installing windows only hook up the drive you want windows on and the CD/DVD drive to avoid confusion.

**okeee** · 06-21-2009, 10:11 AM

If it's possible, then I'd rather use 1 x IDE hard disk and 1 x IDE dvd-player on the IDE port. Which should I set as master and as slave, what are the consequences? I won't be using either very often (win xp will be installed on another hard disk). About the jumper settings for master/ slave configuration, do I find this in the motherboard manual?

**wrench97** · 06-21-2009, 11:08 AM

The drive has the jumper and usually the settings are on a tag on the drive, it would be better to run hard drives on the IDE controller and optical drives on the sata controller.
I haven't run it across it be have read reports of optical drive issues on the IDE controller of newer boards.

**okeee** · 06-24-2009, 07:27 AM

About the case, does it come with many components to install (such as fans) and how difficult is it to install all of these components?

These are the case I'm I'm interested because they have 2 fans, so good airflow it seems and they're quite cheap:
COOLER MASTER Centurion 5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119068
or
COOLER MASTER Centurion 590
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...enturion%20590

Phædrus2401 · 06-24-2009, 07:31 AM

Usually the fans are preinstalled, and if they aren't or if you have aftermarket fans they just screw in, nothing fancy. There's not too much involved in getting the case ready. Put in all (and ONLY) the mobo standoffs you need, and after the mobo is installed you need to attach the little tiny cables that say things like "pwr" and "HDD-LED" and such, and any USB cables. Your mobo manual will show you where.

For the record, I would pick an Antec Three Hundred over the Centurion any day:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129042

**okeee** · 06-24-2009, 08:30 AM

why exactly do you consider Antec to be better, I was only looking for a case with 2 fans for good airflow.

Phædrus2401 · 06-24-2009, 09:07 AM

I like the Antec X00 series' layout better and I've never had a problem with one. The Centurion 590 looks like a good case as well, but I'd pick the Antec Three Hundred. Hell, call it brand preference if you'd like. I'm just laying the option on the table.

**okeee** · 06-24-2009, 10:07 AM

There is a rear fan and a top fan, is this sufficient for good airflow (heavy gaming) or are more fans needed?
And the case should fit this videocard: engtx260

**wrench97** · 06-24-2009, 12:26 PM

I like a front fan to blow across the hard drives.

**okeee** · 06-24-2009, 03:31 PM

For the fan,
-silent
-good quality
-cheap
Could you recommend some brands? I do not need any colored led fans. Also, what brands to avoid?

**wrench97** · 06-24-2009, 04:45 PM

The Antec Tricools on low are quiet and move a good amount of air. The Thermaltakes move air if you like Jet engines that's your fan:)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835209004

**grimx133** · 06-24-2009, 04:52 PM

Noctua NF-S12 are very quiet with 48 cfm of airflow. The Scythe slipstream fans are good too.
For silent fannage, here's a good article at SPCR, includes the noctua and scythe s-flex and antec tri-cools, along with a few others. http://www.silentpcreview.com/article695-page1.html

btw, cheap and silent don't really go together.

**okeee** · 06-30-2009, 02:03 PM

these 2 cases:

1: 1x fan at rear (120mm), 1x fan at top (140mm), 1x fan at front (120mm)
2: 1x fan at rear (120mm), 1x fan at front (120mm)

The first case is more expensive.. how important is the 140mm fan at the top?
(heavy gaming, other components: intel e8400, engtx260)

**grimx133** · 06-30-2009, 03:28 PM

I find the top fan sucks a lot of air out of the case, though I've never tried unplugging it to see if it makes much of a difference. As long as you have an exhaust and an intake it should be fine. The dual slot video card helps too, by exhausting it's warm air out the back.

**okeee** · 06-30-2009, 05:47 PM

-I checked again for the PSU wiring, and it seems that the black cables are from the PSU and the white cables from the devices that connect to the black cables. So black cables always connect to white cables?
All the 4-pin cables from the PCU were black, when do I need to connect to "grounds" cables and when to "12v & 5v" cables?

-The 5 little power cables from the case, such as "power", "reset" and "speaker" that have to be connected to the motherboard, when plugging the cables, do the description labels have to point up or downwards?

-I checked the CPU fan and there was only 1 cable (3pin), that connects to the motherboard. Is this corrrect, is this the power cable?

-The SATA harddisk, which cable do you use to connect to the power supply? The 4-pin cable (similar to the ones used for IDE harddisk) or the smaller, black cable?

**wrench97** · 06-30-2009, 05:58 PM

The Sata power are the smaller ones, the fan 3 wire is the power for the fan goes to the motherboard, not sure what you mean by white cables the come from devices?
Grounds cables?
black wires are grounds, yellow 12v + they will all be in connectors.

**okeee** · 06-30-2009, 06:51 PM

Those white cables, most of them, could connect to the black cables from the PSU..but not all of them, some had the same plug as the black cables.

I have been using another case for a while, and now and then there was this loud rattling noise. I'm not sure where the noise came from, but when I put something heavy on top of the case, the rattling noise would be much less. So where does it come from and how do I stop it properly?

**wrench97** · 07-01-2009, 01:44 AM

For the rattle, it sounds like a loose part you'll have to find out what's making the noise.

For the connectors lets ID them by name so I'm sure exactly with ones you mean.

06-21-2009, 01:26 AM	#41 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,324 OS: Win7	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc The Floppy drive goes to the FDD port, there is 1 IDE controller that supports 2 drives(devices) use the hard drives and pick up a Sata DVD drive. I don't know of any new motherboards that have dual IDE controllers any longer. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

06-21-2009, 05:36 AM	#42 (permalink)
okeee TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 547 OS: win me	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc Ok, so although it is and IDE port, the IDE dvd-player has another cable to connect to the IDE port than the IDE hard disk? If you use 2 x SATA hard disk and 2 x IDE hard disk, do I still need to set the master/ slave configuration for the IDE hard disks? And what hard disk will windows recognize as the main hard disk, the C:\ drive?

06-21-2009, 06:57 AM	#43 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,324 OS: Win7	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc Your present board most likely has 2 IDE controllers for 4 drives, the new board will only have 1 controller for 2 drives they go on the same cable one should be set to master the second to slave, doesn't matter if they are both hard drives or 1 is a dvd and 1 a hard drive, the drive on the end of the cable is the master the drive on the center plug is the slave. The drive you set to boot first in the Bios will be the Windows drive, when installing windows only hook up the drive you want windows on and the CD/DVD drive to avoid confusion. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

06-21-2009, 10:11 AM	#44 (permalink)
okeee TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 547 OS: win me	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc If it's possible, then I'd rather use 1 x IDE hard disk and 1 x IDE dvd-player on the IDE port. Which should I set as master and as slave, what are the consequences? I won't be using either very often (win xp will be installed on another hard disk). About the jumper settings for master/ slave configuration, do I find this in the motherboard manual?

06-21-2009, 11:08 AM	#45 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,324 OS: Win7	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc The drive has the jumper and usually the settings are on a tag on the drive, it would be better to run hard drives on the IDE controller and optical drives on the sata controller. I haven't run it across it be have read reports of optical drive issues on the IDE controller of newer boards. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

06-24-2009, 07:27 AM	#46 (permalink)
okeee TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 547 OS: win me	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc About the case, does it come with many components to install (such as fans) and how difficult is it to install all of these components? These are the case I'm I'm interested because they have 2 fans, so good airflow it seems and they're quite cheap: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119068 or COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...enturion%20590 Last edited by okeee; 06-24-2009 at 07:28 AM.

06-24-2009, 07:31 AM	#47 (permalink)
Phædrus2401 Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 3,660 OS: Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 + Ubuntu 9.04 My System	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc Usually the fans are preinstalled, and if they aren't or if you have aftermarket fans they just screw in, nothing fancy. There's not too much involved in getting the case ready. Put in all (and ONLY) the mobo standoffs you need, and after the mobo is installed you need to attach the little tiny cables that say things like "pwr" and "HDD-LED" and such, and any USB cables. Your mobo manual will show you where. For the record, I would pick an Antec Three Hundred over the Centurion any day: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129042 __________________ Good PSU brands: Corsair, SeaSonic, CWT, PC Power and Cooling, Thermaltake Toughpower, CoolerMaster Real Power Pro On 80+ Certification - PSU Information and Selection - Power Supply Myths You don't get what you don't pay for.

06-24-2009, 08:30 AM	#48 (permalink)
okeee TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 547 OS: win me	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc why exactly do you consider Antec to be better, I was only looking for a case with 2 fans for good airflow.

06-24-2009, 09:07 AM	#49 (permalink)
Phædrus2401 Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 3,660 OS: Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 + Ubuntu 9.04 My System	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc I like the Antec X00 series' layout better and I've never had a problem with one. The Centurion 590 looks like a good case as well, but I'd pick the Antec Three Hundred. Hell, call it brand preference if you'd like. I'm just laying the option on the table. __________________ Good PSU brands: Corsair, SeaSonic, CWT, PC Power and Cooling, Thermaltake Toughpower, CoolerMaster Real Power Pro On 80+ Certification - PSU Information and Selection - Power Supply Myths You don't get what you don't pay for.

06-24-2009, 10:07 AM	#50 (permalink)
okeee TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 547 OS: win me	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc There is a rear fan and a top fan, is this sufficient for good airflow (heavy gaming) or are more fans needed? And the case should fit this videocard: engtx260 Last edited by okeee; 06-24-2009 at 10:17 AM.

06-24-2009, 12:26 PM	#51 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,324 OS: Win7	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc I like a front fan to blow across the hard drives. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

06-24-2009, 03:31 PM	#52 (permalink)
okeee TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 547 OS: win me	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc For the fan, -silent -good quality -cheap Could you recommend some brands? I do not need any colored led fans. Also, what brands to avoid?

06-24-2009, 04:45 PM	#53 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,324 OS: Win7	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc The Antec Tricools on low are quiet and move a good amount of air. The Thermaltakes move air if you like Jet engines that's your fan:) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835209004 __________________ Power Supply and Selection

06-24-2009, 04:52 PM	#54 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,121 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc Noctua NF-S12 are very quiet with 48 cfm of airflow. The Scythe slipstream fans are good too. For silent fannage, here's a good article at SPCR, includes the noctua and scythe s-flex and antec tri-cools, along with a few others. http://www.silentpcreview.com/article695-page1.html btw, cheap and silent don't really go together. __________________

06-30-2009, 02:03 PM	#55 (permalink)
okeee TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 547 OS: win me	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc these 2 cases: 1: 1x fan at rear (120mm), 1x fan at top (140mm), 1x fan at front (120mm) 2: 1x fan at rear (120mm), 1x fan at front (120mm) The first case is more expensive.. how important is the 140mm fan at the top? (heavy gaming, other components: intel e8400, engtx260)

06-30-2009, 03:28 PM	#56 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,121 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc I find the top fan sucks a lot of air out of the case, though I've never tried unplugging it to see if it makes much of a difference. As long as you have an exhaust and an intake it should be fine. The dual slot video card helps too, by exhausting it's warm air out the back. __________________

06-30-2009, 05:47 PM	#57 (permalink)
okeee TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 547 OS: win me	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc -I checked again for the PSU wiring, and it seems that the black cables are from the PSU and the white cables from the devices that connect to the black cables. So black cables always connect to white cables? All the 4-pin cables from the PCU were black, when do I need to connect to "grounds" cables and when to "12v & 5v" cables? -The 5 little power cables from the case, such as "power", "reset" and "speaker" that have to be connected to the motherboard, when plugging the cables, do the description labels have to point up or downwards? -I checked the CPU fan and there was only 1 cable (3pin), that connects to the motherboard. Is this corrrect, is this the power cable? -The SATA harddisk, which cable do you use to connect to the power supply? The 4-pin cable (similar to the ones used for IDE harddisk) or the smaller, black cable?

06-30-2009, 05:58 PM	#58 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,324 OS: Win7	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc The Sata power are the smaller ones, the fan 3 wire is the power for the fan goes to the motherboard, not sure what you mean by white cables the come from devices? Grounds cables? black wires are grounds, yellow 12v + they will all be in connectors. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

06-30-2009, 06:51 PM	#59 (permalink)
okeee TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 547 OS: win me	Re: hardware components for a gaming pc Those white cables, most of them, could connect to the black cables from the PSU..but not all of them, some had the same plug as the black cables. I have been using another case for a while, and now and then there was this loud rattling noise. I'm not sure where the noise came from, but when I put something heavy on top of the case, the rattling noise would be much less. So where does it come from and how do I stop it properly?