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Old 11th October 2014, 19:47   #2866
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

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Originally Posted by Kumar R View Post
Do you have a specific reason for choosing Dell? To the best of my knowledge Dell is not a LCD panel manufacturer, it just rebrands wholesale, unlike LG, Toshiba, NEC, Samsung who make their own stuff. Also, this model seems expensive. There's a 27 inch Samsung model available for Rs 11,000.
At the moment I have a 22" monitor, and I don't think I have room for 27 inches.

Over the years I have heard good things about Dell monitors --- but my reason for choosing that particular item (which is only "wishlist" thing so far; I may never buy it!) is actually the format, as mentioned above.

My eyes and comprehension have been conditioned, over the decades, by looking at A4 sheets of paper, books, photos, etc, and not super-wide-screen movies, or even spreadsheets.

But I am moderately happy, still, with my Samsung 22 (which cost more than the 27 you mention!), and there are lots of other things to buy
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Old 12th October 2014, 17:52   #2867
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

I have been a gamer for quite a while now, and recently built my second rig. Here's the configuration:

CPU: Intel i5 3570K 3.4 GHz
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 1600 MHz 16 GB (8 GB X 2)
SSD: Samsung EVO 840 250 GB
Hard drive: Western Digital Red 2 TB for storage, 1 TB Black for gaming
Video card: MSI R9 280X Gaming 6GB
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP7 OC
Chassis: Thermaltake Chaser A71 full-tower
Power delivery: Corsair RM850
Cooling: Corsair Air Series (120 mm X 3), Thermaltake (200 mm X 2) blue LED
Monitor: Dell U2412M
Mouse: Logitech G400S
Keyboard: TVS e-Bharat Gold (Cherry MX Blue switches)

I also have an Intel Devil's Canyon i7 4970K that I use when reviewing motherboards and video cards. Getting an Nvidia GTX 980 this month, so I'm very excited about that.
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Old 12th October 2014, 17:57   #2868
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

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Two wifi related mysteries I have never been able to understand

1. Why do most entry level / average motherboards not come with built-in wifi? The components themselves are tiny and cost very little. Given how ubiquitous wifi is, it's a shame that a USB adapter / PCI card has to be bought separately. [In 2007 I bought a budget ASUS motherboard with built in wifi - albeit with an external antenna, but this time when I went shopping I found nothing in the budget range]

2. Why do the internal wifi adaptor cards not come in antenna-less flavours. There's not a single one in the market which is baffling as laptops do just fine with the non-antennae ones. It's inconvenient to have an antennae at the back of the cabinet where there's a mesh of crisscrossing wires. The USB dongles are also problematic as they block a port and also occupy a lot of volume on the outside.
There may be two reasons
1. An antenna is required for range, hence inbuilt antenna will have short range.
2. WiFi is now available bundles with Ethernet hub and in some cases DSL router. The technology changes fast, so there is no point in having one built and seeing it go obsolete in a year or so.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
And now for a really, really stupid question <Blush>

Thing is, I have built my own for the last couple of PCs, and before that, every PC or laptop I bought for work (dozens) or home had an MS Windows OS loaded on it.

Now I am looking at laptops, and I see "DOS" listed as the operating system for some of them. For instance. So... I turn it on and get a "C\: >" prompt that I knew and hated a few decades ago? And then load separately-sourced Windows or Linux?
Most of the PC in older days had a pirate OS. Now they desist from it. Time was when Win95 was available for 0.5K. Those days are gone, today a retail OS pack is more like 5K and goes to 10K, and on top of that MS has corporate deals where OS is much cheaper. So laptop vendors give you a free OS to reduce your costs. Another reason is a lot of users are using Linux, so for them an MS OS is just extra cost.

Quote:
Originally Posted by h@r$h@l View Post
Guys,

Need some help. We are looking for a office desktop. But have a space constraint. How good / bad is the below mentioned all in one? The use is going to be just MS office, emails, tally, web browsing and basic photo editing in Picassa. etc.

Lenovo C260 All-in-One (CDC/ 2GB/ 500GB/ Win8.1)
http://www.flipkart.com/lenovo-c260-...3-81b813409646

Are these upgrade able? How reliable are All In Ones?

Regards,
For quite some time, most offices, at least abroad have been moving away from desktops to laptops. The reasons are many, but a few important ones are
. The price differential between desktops and laptops has narrowed down.
. Laptops take minimal desk space, hence a higher density desk arrangement can be done. With office space in metros going through the roof it makes sense.
. Laptops consume less energy and do not require UPS - lower cost of operations and most important, less air conditioning.
. Desktops dominate where high power and large screens are required - CAD, CAM, GIS and Photo/Video editing, for rest of the applications a modern laptop is powerful (and cheap) enough.

On the whole if you take the whole life cost of the laptops, space and power requirement, laptops are much cheaper. So I would advise you to think of laptops rather than desktops for office.
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Old 12th October 2014, 18:30   #2869
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

Guys, please suggest a budget keyboard under 1k that will have a laptop like feel while typing. My current microsoft keyboard has become hard and makes a racket while typing. Would prefer good quality and a soft and silent operation. Presence of multimedia keys isnt a requisite and would be an advantage only. I dont use the current MM keys except for the volume rarely.
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Old 13th October 2014, 11:57   #2870
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

Has anyone used intel NUC?
I am looking for a machine primarily for browsing and downloading. And connect to VPN at times for work. Not much of a gamer.
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Old 13th October 2014, 12:26   #2871
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

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Originally Posted by audioholic View Post
Guys, please suggest a budget keyboard under 1k that will have a laptop like feel while typing. My current microsoft keyboard has become hard and makes a racket while typing. Would prefer good quality and a soft and silent operation. Presence of multimedia keys isnt a requisite and would be an advantage only. I dont use the current MM keys except for the volume rarely.
The Logitech K120 USB keyboard is quite good and I like the tactile feedback - I do all my document editing on it. It's about Rs 500-600 I think. We have one at home bought 2 years ago and it's much better than the wireless Microsoft keyboard that is presently used on a different PC. The K120 has no multimedia keys.
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Old 13th October 2014, 21:14   #2872
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

Need diagnostic help...

My screen has developed a brilliant green rash. Sparkling green pixels in darker areas (I guess the red and blue must be off).

My logic so far:

--- They are on the Grub boot-screen wallpaper, so it is not an OS-driver problem.

--- when occurring on pictures, web pages, etc, they vary/move as the page is scrolled, so it is not a screen pixel problem.

That leaves me with the graphics board, which is a mother-board built in.

Anyway, it's a lot cheaper to put a basic graphics card in, as first step cure, than to rush to a new monitor.

Unless people think I am wrong so far, can I have graphics card recommendation please? Can be fairly basic: no gamining, no movies, just a bit of video. Must be Linux/Ubuntu friendly.
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Old 13th October 2014, 21:19   #2873
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

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Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
My screen has developed a brilliant green rash.
Can you run these diagnostics:

1. Do you see that even before OS boots (E.g.: in BIOS screen)
2. Do you see that if you disconnect PC (turn on the monitor and use monitor's menus to bring up basic UI, use monitors color calibration screen it has one to spot this issue)
3. Do you see this issue if you connect the monitor to a source other than PC ? (You can use a 200 Rs HDMI to DVI connector to connect your phone/dvd player/stb for example)
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Old 13th October 2014, 21:56   #2874
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

Thanks

1. I don't see it in all-off pure black. I don't see it on the bios screen or on a Linux terminal session.

2. Not much to see on monitor's menu system, which is a bit faulty anyway.

3. I'm not sure that I have an hdmi source, but will look at the DVD player. The monitor does not have hdmi-in: would need that adapter.

Yesterday, I was browsing in IT-Depot!

And... in the time it took me to make and eat cheese on toast, it has stopped doing it!
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Old 13th October 2014, 22:21   #2875
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

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Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
1. I don't see it in all-off pure black. I don't see it on the bios screen or on a Linux terminal session.
In that case, it is unlikely to be an issue with graphics card (possible but unlikely IMHO).

By any chance, are you using Analogue cable to connect PC?
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Old 14th October 2014, 02:00   #2876
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

I'm using a DVI cable/connector. It is maybe a bit loose at the monitor end: tweaking it will blank the screen for a few moments. It's been like that for a while.

My green rash is now coming and going.

I took a screen shot, but because it seems "live" (twinkling) even in the screen shot, I don't think it will show, I think it happens just at certain RGB/brightness points

Name:  greenrash.png
Views: 534
Size:  13.9 KB

Nope... not showing the rash, so it is not part of the image the the graphics card has.

Thanks for your help: I'll just keep an eye on it for now.

I wouldn't mind a new card, as my Linux kernel level is frozen due to lack of ongoing support for the existing built-in Radeon. But hey, I don't mind not buying one either
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Old 14th October 2014, 17:35   #2877
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by audioholic View Post
Guys, please suggest a budget keyboard under 1k that will have a laptop like feel while typing.
Dell KB212 : http://www.flipkart.com/dell-kb212-w...CD38Z6KCZAWHYK

It does make some noise, and the throw of the keys is longer than the average keyboard, but its still considered a "soft touch" keyboard. Very reliable, straightforward, good and affordable.

cya
R
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Old 15th October 2014, 02:58   #2878
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

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Thanks for your help: I'll just keep an eye on it for now.
It's fine today: no sparkles, no green rash.

My hunch is a loose connection at the DVI-in.
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Old 15th October 2014, 11:42   #2879
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Originally Posted by IronH4WK View Post
The motherboard just arrived (from IT Depot). Here's the unboxing

X-- snip --X

Waiting for the other components to arrive to start the build

Alrighty, the rest of the stuff arrived by last Saturday:

The processor:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352520.840994.jpg

The memory:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352546.122328.jpg

The graphics card:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352581.591881.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352651.114799.jpg


And the build begins. First we test the setup outside the casing before assembling the whole CPU.

The processor goes in first:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352689.967489.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352758.973602.jpg

Then the memory:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352781.175395.jpg

Then comes the heat-sink for the processor:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352834.797142.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352852.548347.jpg

Then the graphics card:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413352886.217819.jpg

Connect the SMPS and the drives:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353038.247842.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353065.483409.jpg


All put together when the SMPS is switched on, the LEDs come alive:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353147.173075.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353166.491654.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353192.060510.jpg

Pressing the start button makes the system come alive!
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353261.549129.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353279.667803.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353308.436492.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353330.838551.jpg

The BIOS:
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353347.192185.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353375.994068.jpg
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353390.943518.jpg

Ran the setup for sometime to check for any issues and while at it, installed the chipset drivers and the included softwares.
The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread-imageuploadedbyteambhp1413353416.195977.jpg

To be continued.

Last edited by IronH4WK : 15th October 2014 at 11:45.
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Old 15th October 2014, 11:56   #2880
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re: The Desktop Computer & Configuration Thread

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Alrighty, the rest of the stuff arrived by last Saturday:
Great set of photos, very cool. Do you intend to run it "open" without a casing? Is that ok -- what about lizards, insects, inadvertent water spillage, etc.

Ironhawk, I have an unrelated question. Having assembled a modest PC recently, I am on the lookout for an ultra-cheap graphics card for some occasional gaming of pre-2010 era games. On Flipkart and ebay I see models called 'Radeon 5450' and 'NVidia210' priced at Rs 1700-2000 but my budget is exhausted. I was therefore planning to buy a second hand card by looking up OLX.

These two models are available on OLX for Rs 700-900 (usually 1-2 years used). Today I got a notification for a NVidia GT 520 card with 2GB RAM for Rs 800. Are these prices ok? Unfortunately Kolkata has a very shallow market for second hand graphics card compared to Bangalore. Is there anything to be wary of?
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