About to put my system together.. some questions!

[Kasceis]

I have all of my parts already, except for my monitor and video card, which will be arriving on monday(yes I actually got a 5870!). This will be the first computer I've put together so wish me luck! My questions are, what do I need to do once I get my computer assembled?

1) What is a good virus protection to get?
2) What programs do I need to test my system? (prime95? etc.)
3) Which parts will need driver updates, and do I get them at their offical site?
4) Anything I need to do after I'm all done? Certain programs or what whatnot.
5) Does Win7 come with a video card tester? I've seen people post scores on that.
6) Should I connect my video card to my monitor through HDMI or DVI?

Case:
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
CPU:
Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard:
ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
Hard Drive:
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
RAM:
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRH
Power Supply:
Antec TruePower New TP-750 750W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.3 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply
Video Card:
XFX HD-587A-ZNF9 Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity
Monitor:
Samsung SyncMaster XL2370
Bluray Drive:
LG Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray Reader & 16X LightScribe DVD±R DVD Burner
CPU Fan:
Noctua NH-U12P SE2 120mm SSO CPU Cooler
Speakers:
Logitech Z-2300 200 watts RMS 2.1 Speaker System
Keyboard:
Logitech 920-000914 Black 106 Normal Keys Wired Ultra-thin Illuminated Keyboard
Mouse:
RAZER DeathAdder RZ01-00150100-R3M1 Black 5 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Optical 1800 dpi High Precision Gaming Mouse
Operating System:
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders

Also, please rate my build.. I'd like to thank everyone here who has helped me choose the parts as well. I will post some pictures after its all assembled! Thanks guys!

 

[galta]

On your build:
- as of me, I would go for i7 920, but the 860 will serve you well.
- on your HD, spend some more and get a larger 32mb cache HD. Believe, 500Gb is not much these days.

About your questions:

1 - I have Norton. It works fine.
2 - Why do you want to teste it? I should work fine out of the box. Any way, prime95 is great for stability testing of OCed systems.
3 - You can get every driver on the official sites. However, if it's not broken, don't fix it: put everything together and turn it on. If it works fine, don't start updating your drivers just for the fun of it.
4 - Technically speaking, after you're done you must turn it on. I mean, assuming you know how to put everything together, just install Windows, office, games etc..
5 - Not that I know. But then, you can get 3DMark and test it.

 

[hunter315]

500GB is a decently large HDD and the F3 is currently the fastest available. If you think you might end up needing a full TB because you store lots of videos or pictures then you can get the F3 1TB for only 30 more
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&Tpk=F3%201TB

I use AVG on my systems, i dont like having to pay for my AV when i can get it for free. Use Prime 95 and furmark to check it for heat, let them run together for about an hour and make sure your temperatures are still reasonable.

Your motherboard drivers should come on a CD with it, and you will install those when you are installing windows. All of the other components that need drivers will run decently without them, just install their drivers once you have completed installing windows to make them fully functional.

The windows score isnt very accurate and doesnt mean much, just install a game and test it out using that, you shouldnt have any problems.

HDMI and DVI carry identical signals however HDMI will permit you to carry audio over the same cable. Since you are going to be using a seperate set of speakers it doesnt matter which you choose, but the monitor will likely come with a DVI cable.

 

[rockyjohn]

1. I have Norton Internet Security because year after year it is rated on of the best AV programs. I really like its Identity Safe that stores log-in and credit card info. I usually get it for $0 to $10 for an annual subscrption at Fry's. Here is a linK for NIS 3 user license for $20 and just the Norton AV 3 user license for $10 - both after rebates:

http://www.frys.com/product/6037598

http://www.frys.com/product/6037448?site=sa:Software Podod4

2. I strongly recommend running memtest after installing only memory and video card and attaching monitor. It is much easier to isolate memory problems this way compared to after all devices are attached and Windows installed. At that point you may have problems and not know where they originate. I suggest running it for 10 passes minumum (I once had problems where I would get 6 good passes and then an error) before proceeding further with build. Then that night run it eight hours over night. If memory is good, you should be able to run for 8 hours and have NO errors. This will give you a lot of comfort in memory stability. Then use prime95 as noted above to test CPU and rest of system - especially its cooling power at full load.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memtest86

4. To monitor and learn more about your system, I suggest getting some free software, CPU-Z and PC Wizard :

http://www.cpuid.com/

6. I second using DVI for monitor in your case - save the HDMI in case you get another device that makes full use of it.

 

[dark_lord69]

1. AVG is free and so is Microsofts Security Essentials... both work fine.. If you still end up with spyware I suggest Malwarebytes.
2. Ya, Prime 95, speedfan, cpuID
3. Don't even use any included driver disks. Download ALL of your drivers from the manufacturers websites. (This way you will have the most up to date drivers for everything).
4. Nope. Just use it however you want...
5. No but you can use various applications like 3DMark to benchmark your PC.
6. They are both a digital signal so there isn't a difference. They are exactly the same.

 

[dndhatcher]

3. Don't even use any included driver disks. Download ALL of your drivers from the manufacturers websites. (This way you will have the most up to date drivers for everything).

I always do that also... until I got my 5770. Using the downloaded 8.66.06 driver i got "driver has stopped and recovered" errors every few hours. I removed them and loaded the 8.66 drivers off the CD and havent had the problem since.

 

[Kasceis]

This might be a dumb question, but the mouse that I got listed above, do I need a mouse pad for it? Its an optical mouse(i thought they didnt need one), and the reviews on newegg say to make sure you get a mousepad to go with it. And wouldn't you know, they suggested a razor mousepad. Is it worth dropping $15 on a razor mousepad to go with it?

 

[atomicdumpling]

Use the free AVG anti-virus, it is just as good as the ones you have to pay for. Virus protection is not rocket science.

You can use either HDMI or DVI and it makes no difference. HDMI cables are expensive, so just use the supplied DVI cable.

I recommend getting a mousepad, but it is not absolutely required. I like a very large mousepad about 12"x20" because you don't have to constantly pick up the mouse to move the pointer long distances across the screen.

 

[dndhatcher]

Depends on your desk. I have real wood with grain and texture so I put a normal (free) mousepad down and dont have a problem. I am also using a cheap optical mouse and its possible a better surface is necessary for higher resolution mice to work well, I dont know. One thing for sure is you can try it with your desktop or an old cheap mousepad first and get an expensive one later if you feel the need.

Use the free AVG anti-virus, it is just as good as the ones you have to pay for. Virus protection is not rocket science.

I agree with your conclusion, but disagree with your reasoning. I say AVG is no worse than the ones you have to pay for. All the antiviruses are inefficient, intrusive bloatware. They deteriorate system performance and its a shame that they are a necessary evil.

 

[rockyjohn]

I prefer a mousepad - I find they work better than most surfaces because they are designed for the function. I just use a simple one that costs a few bucks and is 8 inches square. I have mouse set mostly to high settings so it does not have to move that much.

Since you are paying $44 for a mouse - why not get the convenience of a cordless one?

 

[Kasceis]

I've had bad experiences with wireless ones. Prefer to go wired. Thanks for the comments everyone. I might just pony up and be retarded and get a $15 razor mousepad for no good reason.

Also, I'll probably go AVG as suggested. And Prime95 to test my temps.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

1) What is a good virus protection to get?

Most of the time I am asked to "fix" someone's puter because it's suddenly going slow , removing Norton or TrendMicro solves the problem. There's lots of free solutions already mentioned but to my mind one of the best deals out there is F-prot's site license .... 5 PC's for $29. Don't forget malware and firewall ..... zonealarm free, spybot, adaware, malware bytes freebies are worth checking out. I'm using site licenses for Zone Alarm's Internet Security Suite at home (12 boxes) and migrating over the office (40 boxes). Been solid, stable and no issues or quirks in at least 3 years.

2) What programs do I need to test my system? (prime95? etc.)

Futuremark, prime 95, CPU-z, GPU-Z, your HD manufacturer's tools, coretemp, realtemp, hwmonitor, memtest4.0

3) Which parts will need driver updates, and do I get them at their official site?

All of them. Suggest that you install OS w/o internet cable connected.....download all latest drivers, BIOS, utilities of MoBo web site as well as vid card and other component drivers. of MoBo. Only AFTER all these installed do windows update. Install all critical updates. Then do again w/ custom setting and note optional updates. Suggest writing down what WU finds and then going to the source and downloading those drivers from manufacturer's web site.

4) Anything I need to do after I'm all done? Certain programs or what whatnot.

Dance

5) Does Win7 come with a video card tester? I've seen people post scores on that.

Futurmark benchmarks

6) Should I connect my video card to my monitor through HDMI or DVI?

DVI...save HDMI for TV w/ sound

 

[Kasceis]

I'll be putting this together on monday. I'm sure it'll go fine; the only thing I'm concerned about is installing the CPU and CPU fan.. those seem hard to install.

 

[hunter315]

The CPU is easy to install, it comes with an instruction manual and should just drop right in. As for the CPU fan, just make sure you follow the instructions that come with it and only use a small drop of thermal paste. Follow the manuals and it will go easily.

 

[tecmo34]

I'll be putting this together on monday. I'm sure it'll go fine; the only thing I'm concerned about is installing the CPU and CPU fan.. those seem hard to install.

Here is a little guide below to assist you, along with your manuals, as Hunter315 mentioned...

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a PC

 

[Kasceis]

Thanks tecmo34! I'll definitely be using this guide come monday!

 

[Kasceis]

Okay, another quick question here.. The only part I am missing is my video card.. and that won't come until mon/tues. My question is: Can I go ahread and put together my system and then put my video card in last?

 

[rockyjohn]

yes - it is better to test memory earlier but it is ok that way too under circumstances

You off course will not be able to install Windows until you have the video card to connect with the monitor. Although if you have an older video card that fits, you can insert it temporarily, then switch out when new one arrives. YOu will need to swap out the drivers before installing the new replacement if you chose that route.

 

[Kasceis]

Okay thanks. I will try to put it all together tonight, minus the video card, then when it arrives I'll just throw it in and start installing WIN 7. The video card I got now is really old, so not sure if I should try using it.

 

[dndhatcher]

If the old video card will fit, it cant hurt to use it for installation.

 

[Kasceis]

I put about half of my computer together tonight... got it all together, just dont have the connectors plugged in yet.. doing that tomorrow(seems confusing)... hopefully it all works.. The CPU Fan was a PAIN to install. Wish me luck tomorrow...

 

[rockyjohn]

Your post was recorded at 4:20 am on 11/25. You must have been working late. So do you really mean to wish you luck for tomorrow the 26th or still on today the 25th?

I certainly hope you will be able to connect a few connectors today so I will wish you luck today - which I guess works because whenever you read this it will be today. Off course if you read it tomorrow I am not really wishing you luck for that day - you need to complete the build today to have luck.

 

[Kasceis]

Yeah I work 3pm - 11 pm.. Worked on it for around three hours last night. Got everything in the case, just have to hook all the cables up. Not sure what goes where though. My BD drive came with 2 different sata cables, not sure which one to use.. The power supply came with TONS of cables.. gotta figure that out too.

Gonna work on it after I get off work. Also, the screws on my motherboard don't all screw in tightly, there are a few that are still loose, they just keep screwing without getting tight.

 

[Kasceis]

Also, I was reading the boot problems here. I just remember that I think there might be some extra standoffs on the case where the motherboard doesn't need them... will this be a problem, or should I leave them there? I would have to undo what seems a lot of work to get this done. And how many cables do the hard drive and dvd drive require. Should I have 2 cables connected total for in the back of the hard drive?

 

[rockyjohn]

The loose screws are a problem. You should replace them with standoffs that have good threads. Also I would not put any standoffs except where the mobo directs. Errant standoffs might short something out. Better to fix both issues now then have to deal with them later when everything is connected. It should not be that hard to unscrew and remove the motherboard. You can leave the CPU and heatsink/fan attached - just be careful.

DVDs and HDs both generally have two cables - the data cable to the motherboard and the power cable to the PSU. Your devices should have some instruction for connecting them. Generally the mobo manual has some good setup instructions and then you can refer to the device instructions as you set each one up. Usually the mobo package includes a couple of SATA cables you should be able to use.