New build MSI P55a- gd65 Questions

[ezeht]

Hi sorry to bother you folks. Please bare with me. I do not type well and do not build systems often. I may add a lil more info than is needed. I am trying to let folks know what the systems will be used for, and give lots of info so maybe you do not have to ask, and can maybe better help me. I will avoid MSI site, rather than help me, they would rather spend all their time correcting my grammar etc.

Toms Hardware looks like a nice site and is helpful. Thanks in advance.

I am a lil nervous about my builds. I will be ok after I do it 1x. I have been using AMD mobos for a number of years now. The last intel mobos I worked with was my p4's Abit AI7 and IC7g. I am confused on some things to do with these intel mobos. I would rather bother you folks, ask questions and get all my ducks in a row before I start my builds. I basically need my system as lean as possible, it will be a gaming rig. My system is my test bed, learn how to set up these intel mobos, so I can then build and set up my buds rig with ease. My bud buys, I build and maintain our rigs..

Some of this stuff to do with these new builds is confusing. I have tried to search the topics for info im looking for. Im just not sure what is what. I will not set up any raid arrays for these builds.

My problem is this. It is multi drivers for hdd set up for this mobo. I have only sata II drives now for this build. But with in a year from now if selection gets better. I plan to buy use some sata III drive and or a solid state drive. Im not sure I need to install all drivers or just the intel matrix drivers..> Intel Matrix Storage Manager Driver. Im asking because im not sure if I should plan ahead and install all of this from the start, or will I be able to add later and not have to nuke the os, and install this stuff with a fresh os install. I am trying to cut that out if possible. Its just I have read some folks have troubles trying to add sata III or ssd drives. I think I read, was said you should have installed the intel matrix what ever during the os install for AHCI support.

Im building 2 of these p55a- gd65 mobos. Here is the hardware for my build. The second build is near same hardware..>

W7 hp upgrade from xp pro sp3
MSI P55a- gd65
I5- 750
CORSAIR CAFA50- cpu cooler
Crucial CT2KIT51264BA1339
Corsair tx750w
WD 1600AAJS SataII- will be C: drive
WD 3200AAJS SataII
EVGA 8800 gts ko g92
Samsung dvdrw- IDE
ASUS ML248H 24"
Antec p160w
Fios 15<>2mbps
when I can, I will get a nv 470 and change it out with my 8800 and might use my 8800 for physics.

I plan to try and get a modest over clock on my system after it is all set up and stress tested and running right etc. But that will come a lil later. I will not oc my buds system, his will run stock speeds. I am a gamer he is not.

But is a few other lil Things im not certain about. I guess I will have to start different threads for them questions like. The msi forum flash tool. It is confusing. I do not think the Info on its page said exactly what size flash drive I should use. It just says "make sure you have enough free space" And being some flash drives have different features it might have to do this or that. It is to complicated. And It says you can have other info or files on the drive. But if the drive is not format or something right or has certain features built in. It will change something and loose all info on the drive. Is that just the msi flash thingy or all info on the drive. And why did it not just say it might be best to use a empty drive to start with. The last time I did a dos flash was years ago using a floppy and windows 98. I used the Flash tool using my Abit mobos. I just downloaded the bios and pointed it to it, its all over and done. Tho it would even do it all on line. I never did it that way.

I really want the memtest86.. But I think I will be better off if need to update bios, I will do it from windows maybe. But it is only like 5 different ways to flash bios that I have seen on the MSI site.. Gees it is making my head hurt. I guess I should just burn memtest86 to a cd. I am sure I will need it to test mem and more so when I go to over clocking my system.

I do not think I need the trusted platform.

I am not sure I need to set to on in bios X.M.P. or Intel EIST or C1E support Intel Turbo boost or Execute bit support and a few other things. A lot of this is new to me. I am not sure I need to enable a lot of power savings stuff. I am not sure if it will cause problems when I try to over clock my system or not. I never use any suspend functions on my mobos, or hibernate or any thing like that. I normally run my computers or completely turn them off. I will set screen saver for my monitor tho.

I do not build systems everyday. I am not familiar with some of this stuff. I just want to set up our rigs basic, no more than is needed- no winki no nothing else not needed. I would like to do it right the first time, so I do not have to nuke the os 3- 4x until I have it set up like I want or need. The manual is pretty light on info for the most part. I downloaded bios 1.3 and most all drivers and some utilities downloaded to burn to disc. I got all drivers other that Raid on floppy and trusted platform. I only down loaded control center and and msi live update from the utilities page.

I bought these mobos because of the sataIII and usb3 support. Tho we have no devices right now that use either. I would like to set up our system and so they are ready down the line when or if we do get some of these devices etc. I guess a lot of this is about choices. I have tried to explain what I would like and what my/our systems will be used for. I am not sure I need a lot of this stuff. I do not need extra problems when I go to try and over clock either.. I am a gamer my bud is just a basic user..

Thanks for any help. Mods feel free to move info from this post and make its own thread if needed. It is just more easy for me if all info is in 1 place or thread, I understand, you folks might prefer separate threads per question.

 

[o1die]

Most current ssd's won't take advantage of sata 6.0. The 300mb/sec transfer rate of sata 3.0 is good enough. Some newer ssd's coming out may need faster transfer rates, but they will be very expensive. I cloned my windows installation to my new sata drive, and it worked fine. But a fresh install still works better.

 

[ezeht]

Thanks o1die

Ya. I was thinking hard on getting a sata III drive for each of our rigs, but the selection at new egg sucks. They only have 2 drives under 100 dollars and both have poor ratings for the most part. 1 is a 640g and the other is a tara.

640g is more than I care to use for my main c: drive. I prefer 250 or so, takes less time to scan or defrag etc. and less info lost if a hdd breaks, and ssd cost way to much now. Maybe things will be better a year or so from now. By then our hdd will be coming up on the end of their warranties and Id rather replace them before they break.

I do back up data etc to external drives..

 

[ezeht]

I am a lil excited for our new builds. These will be the most powerful systems I have built and we have owned.

When I can get my self a nv 470. I think I will be in gaming bliss. I play FPS and RPS games [role playing shooter] like stalker bioshock borderlands fo3 etc.

Its just, these Intel mobos are new to me. I am funny about diving in and not have all my ducks in a row. And I have read about folks having troubles with hdd's etc. And I am not sure I need to install everything.

So I will ask for help. When I am comfy. I will start my builds, and hopefully only have to do it 1x and it is all set up right, and all that is needed etc..

My bud really looks out. I am grateful.. The less stress or problems on myself, the less on him too..

I think these MSI mobos will make us happy for a few years to come. It is hard for me to wait and get these mobos running. But I would rather take my time. maybe less troubles etc..

 

[ezeht]

Well I am going to dive in today. I can not wait any more. It is calling to me. Sweet system here, build me etc etc. Ha ha.

I answered some of my own questions reading over clocking threads for the p55. When I go to over clocking, I will have to disable some things in bios.

** This video helped to answer a lot of my general questions. It will help me come time for over clocking my P55 mobo. Tho I would like to push for max clock, see what it can do, then back it down some, 4.0 might be sweet tho. Maybe this video and seeing it actually being done, will help other's in the future that follow.. I added it to my youtube favorites..>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6zANFlYEDM

I am still not sure about all the different drivers for hdd's, I will figure it out.

Thanks for the help, see ya.

 

[ezeht]

Best answer selected by ezeht.

 

[ezeht]

Well oldie. Iam getting emails asking me to award best answer. You are the only person who posted so.

I got my system running. The instructions to my cpu cooler was poor. I found better instructions at the corsair site and installed it. Now I get back info from a corsair tech saying I should have used the lil black carbon fiber washers between the back plate and mobo. But is in no instructions or photos any place. If it does hurt my mobo. I will do what ever it takes to make corsair replace it. They sell the product with lil instructions- like stuff added later what ever. It is stupid really. I have never had a product with such poor in box instructions- much less from such a large name as corsair..

But it is running fine. 16 hours of prime running all 4 cores at 100% cpu, and using low fan speed on the cooler. Temps never got over 98 to 100f or 37-38c on the cpu. Id guess would have been lower if fan at full speed. I think even at low speeds will handle my over clock when the time comes..

Just after I got w7 installed and most programs etc. My lil 160 hdd started having troubles from cold boot. So I down loaded acronis for wd. And copied my os to my data drive and made it the boot drive.

I just ordered 2 of these new sataIII drives . 1 each for my bud and I and ordered him this sweet lianli case. Man Id love to have this case. But I am almost certain his scorpion case is not going to like the corsair cooler for the cpu.. So It is all on the way.

********** And goes back to 1 of my original questions.

2x Western Digital Caviar Blue WD2500AAKX

1x LIAN LI PC-A70F Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case

I need to figure out how to install these sata III drivers properly so they will run at full speeds , and I hope to make them our c: drives. I plan to use acronis again. I dont know. I might nuke my os and do it again. I read it is best to set for ahci support in bios before os install. But said hard but not impossible to get the sata III support after os install etc.. I need to figure it out soon.

I love my new system so far. Sound card drivers sucked. But the ones I just installed is better. I use no extra fx in sound but set eq to hard or powerful what ever it is.. everything even rock setting sounds real light or in a bath room and high pitch sounds versus more a deep normal sound. Borderlands sounded funny too. I about have it dialed in now tho..

So I am still tweaking things and for best game performance. My 8800 vid card started running hoy last night testing out borderlands. It never got that hot in xp and older drivers. So I am not sure if it the drivers- I got most new and precision from evga. Or borderlands and being on w7 now is running in dx10..

I got out of game soon. But before then bumped up the fan speed from 71% to 78% helped. I also went in the nv cp and set physics to run on the cpu. Being I have a lot more cpu than I do the old gpu. I will test out things in a bit. Might have to lower af I think it is from 4x to 2x, its mostly for veiw distance any way, aa is for jaggies. Which I am not sure ut3 engine games even use aa. It either or af I think. I cant remember now..

Most are not true ut3 engine games anyway. They are hybrid ut04/ut3 engine games. I think ut3 and that other game. Cant remember its name now. Players look like the ones in ut3. But I think they are the only true ut3 engine games..

I changed my system specs in my profile what ever- to my new system specs. But will add the sata III drive. so..
**************

Ha ha I am talking to my self. I am out. It is nothing really but- congrats to o1die..