[Sasha Brown]

I have been planning for some time to build a home desktop for video editing, CS5, motion graphics and gaming purposes.

Since the Z68 mobos are available and not too expensive, I think I'm ready to move forward.

Can anyone take a look at http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8613775/NewEgg/Newegg.com%20-%20Once%20You%20Know%2C%20You%20Newegg.htmand let me know if this makes sense, or if I'm missing something?

In particular, I'm not sure about the PSU, Heatsink and Case, this will be my first DIY desktop build and I'm hoping that these will be compatible with the rest of the components. Do I need to buy some cables as well, or does that come with the PSU?

I'm going with NVIDIA for the CUDA processing for CS5 and the Z68 for the QuickSync feature for video transcoding. I plan to use dual Intel 510s in Raid0 for the primary drive and 2TB WD Caviar Black for storage

The PSU is good, but there is better and you don't need that much wattage unless you're planning to add a second GTX 580 down the road....in which case there are better PSUs like Seasonic's X750 but it is quite a bit more expensive. The Corsair HX line is modular and pretty decent. I believe the 850W is on a decent sale right now and is on combo with the GTX 580:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.641809

Save a bit on the RAM and get the RipJaws on sale this week:
http://promotions.newegg.com/neemail/may-0-2011/DIY13/index-landing.html?nm_mc=EMC-EXPRESS051411&cm_mmc=EMC-EXPRESS051411-_-EMC-051411-Index-_-bottomBanner-_-SmartBuilders-EB2

Don't know why you need such an expensive and overfeatured motherboard, but it is combo'd with the 2600K:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.652037

Heatsink is overpriced for what it is. Back in the day, it was only ok...now it just svcks compared to others. Get the Scythe Mugen2, which is better and cheaper:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185142&cm_re=scythe_heatsink-_-35-185-142-_-Product

Lian Li generally makes excellent cases, but the one you linked to isn't rated that well and is only a mid tower. I fail to see why it costs so much. There are cheaper Lian Li cases that are full towers to consider. May I suggest an even more cheaper case, the NZXT Phantom:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=nzxt+phantom&x=0&y=0

Between a http://www.nvidia.com/object/product-geforce-gtx-460-us.html and an http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/amd-radeon-hd-6000/hd-6870/Pages/amd-radeon-hd-6870-overview.aspx which one is the best? I have a Nvidia nForce 710a motherboard, however I'm pretty sure that it doesn't matter for the AMD card, if it's a Nvidia motherboard, as long as I have a PCI x16 and the required power supply.

Nvidia chipset doesn't matter for an AMD card. If the PCI-E slot is there, then it'll work. And yes power supply and processor (strong enough) matters too. The Radeon 6870 is better than the GTX 460.

I have an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.40GHz) and it can get very hot when I'm doing something performance intensive, up to 66°C. Should I be worried?

So long as it's under 70°C, it's ok. However, that is a high temp if your CPU is still at stock speeds. Highly suggest to reapply TIM (compound) and reseat your heatsink. People who overclock that chip would get the temps you're seeing under load.

So after a pretty terrible bout of blackouts and power surges today, my boss finally green-lit me looking for a UPS or two, the only thing is I've got no idea what I should be looking for in a UPS. It'd be connected to a server running Windows Server 2003. I can't remember the exact specification off the top of my head, but it's nothing fancy: 4 hard drives in a RAID array, a dual-core Xeon processor 2.4 GHz, 32-bit, so I don't imagine it is very demanding power-wise, and basically only want the thing so the server can be gracefully shut down.

So what should I be looking for? Any good brand/model recommendations?

APC, CyberPower, and Tripp Lite are a few of the leading vendors for these things. I think this should do fine:
http://www.amazon.com/APC-Back-UPS-shutdown-software-UPS-BE350G/dp/B001985SWW/ref=pd_cp_e_2

I've been way from my home for the past 7 months for college (away from my desktop). I'm home for summer and have come to find that my processor is fried. I haven't actually pegged this as the exact problem but it's the only thing that makes sense. The heatsink fan does not run properly anymore and I assume that while I was away, (and my nephew who can play Garry's Mod/Team Fortress 2 for 5+ hours without taking a break was over several times) the fan broke and the processor just died. It won't boot up, the fan doesn't run, the adhesive connecting the heatsink to the processor is gone and I get beeps. I didn't count the beeps because I'm almost positive that it's the processor and I need a new one. So with that, I need some help.

Since I can't give you guys a dxdiag and show you my hardware, I'll show you my last order from newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130172

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103300

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102770

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227289

Since the CPU is busted, I obviously need a new one of these, but I'm not quite sure what I exactly need.
I also am open to buying 4gb of RAM, a new set of speakers and another video card so I can run Skyrim better. Any and all help is appreciated, my price range is a $500 max.

The board supports up to 125W AM3 chips so that's good news. Might need to update the BIOS though for the support. Phenom II 965 would be good:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

You don't need new RAM. The ones you have are still sufficient

Another video card isn't a bad idea, but what power supply are you using? Radeon 6870 or 6950 would be a good pickup if you want to stick with an AMD card.

Logitech Speakers frequently do go on sale if you keep an eye out. You just missed the Amazon $58 special on 5.1 Logitech's Z506 ($80 now). The Z523 are still on sale for a 2.1 setup $53 at either Amazon or newegg. The X-540 goes on sale for $50 from Logitech's site dented box (but new) from time to time. Just check out slickdeals.net everyday for Logitech speaker sales....something will eventually come along.

Hey guys. A friend of mine wants to build a PC mainly for amateur video and photo editing. He also said he might start gaming on his PC though so it's also something to consider. The PC plus the monitor have a 900 euros budget. If possible lower (obviously ). I was thinking of the following build, pelase tell me what you think:

CPU: i5 2500k - 165 euros

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 6GB 1600Mhz - 75 euros

Mobo: ASUS Sabertooth P67 - 165 euros

GPU: MSI GTX 550 Ti Cyclone II OC - 135 euros

HDD: Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black 7200rpm (WD1002FAEX) - 70 euros

DVD RW: LG GH22NS - 20 euros

PSU: Corsair TX 650W V2 - 80 euros

Monitor: LG E2260V - 150 euros

That's 860 euros, which leaves 40 euros for the case. I don't remember any mid tower from a decent brand with that price...I also know some of those components may be slightly above what needed so pelase sugggest others. Thanks

From Portugal?

6GB of RAM?? I hope that is not a 3x2GB kit because Sandybridge doesn't support triple channel. Get a dual channel kit...either 2x2GB or 2x4GB DDR3 1333 or 1600.

Caviar Black HDD is a great drive. Can probably get a 1TB Samsung F3 for cheaper though and will perform just as well, if not better.

One area to save on is the motherboard. Does this buddy of yours really need the Sabertooth board? I mean it's nice, but the P8P67 Pro does pretty much the same thing. MSI got some decent P67 boards and supports the UEFI BIOS as well.

As for a case, something on the cheap side would be the NZXT Gamma or the Antec Three Hundred if you can spot one in your country. Coolermaster Centurion 5 is still a durable case as well.

[Holli Dillon]

Do you know what kind of editing software he will use?

If he can afford it, the i7-2600k will be much better for video editing, also the Z68 motherboard allows for QuickSync (hardware processing to improve video encoding/decoding tasks). RAM is pretty cheap these days, for video editing it would be better to buy 8GB or 12GB 1333MHz RAM than 6GB 1600MHz.

If he will be using Photoshop or other CS5 apps, he should stick with NVIDIA GPUs, (much better than AMD for CS5 because they allow CUDA hardware processing for Photoshop, After Effects and Premiere tasks)

I don't know about the exchange rate, but the 2600k is around $315 and the cheapest Z68 motherboards are around $120 in the US.

here are a couple links that show which hardware is better for CS5 video editing (Premiere)
http://ppbm5.com/Benchmark5.html
http://ppbm5.com/Interpreting.html

He's using Cinema4D, CS5 and Sony Vegas I think. Over here the 2600K is nearly 200 euros more expensive. About the memory I know I can get the 12GB kit 1600MHz for an extra 70 euros which is definitely a good option but since Tig Ol Bitties said Sandy bridge doesn't support 2x3 I guess I'll have to go with the 2x4 option :shrug:

From Portugal?

6GB of RAM?? I hope that is not a 3x2GB kit because Sandybridge doesn't support triple channel. Get a dual channel kit...either 2x2GB or 2x4GB DDR3 1333 or 1600.

Caviar Black HDD is a great drive. Can probably get a 1TB Samsung F3 for cheaper though and will perform just as well, if not better.

One area to save on is the motherboard. Does this buddy of yours really need the Sabertooth board? I mean it's nice, but the P8P67 Pro does pretty much the same thing. MSI got some decent P67 boards and supports the UEFI BIOS as well.

As for a case, something on the cheap side would be the NZXT Gamma or the Antec Three Hundred if you can spot one in your country. Coolermaster Centurion 5 is still a durable case as well.

Yes from Portugal, why? :blink:

I had no idea Sandy Bridge didn't support 3x2 :sadvaultboy: I can get the 8GB 1600Mhz which costs 120 euros and it's a 2x4. It annoys me though that for another 10 euros I can get the 12GB kit but it's a 3x4 :sadvaultboy: That way the 900 euros budget is broken though...then again I can get the 4GB 1600Mhz kit, which is a 2x2 I think for less than 50 euros.

I don't think he needs to Sabertooth...it's my fault actually cause I personally get frustated by cutting down in components cause I always feel like everyone should just have the best so working with such a tight budget is a bit hard The MSI P67 GD65 though is only 5 euros cheaper than the Sabertooth so I might just go with the ASUS anyway...

P.S: Thanks for the case ideas though. BTW he'll be using Win7.

[JERMAINE VIDAURRI]

He's using Cinema4D, CS5 and Sony Vegas I think. Over here the 2600K is nearly 200 euros more expensive. About the memory I know I can get the 12GB kit 1600MHz for an extra 70 euros which is definitely a good option but since Tig Ol Bitties said Sandy bridge doesn't support 2x3 I guess I'll have to go with the 2x4 option :shrug:

Yes from Portugal, why? :blink:

I had no idea Sandy Bridge didn't support 3x2 :sadvaultboy: I can get the 8GB 1600Mhz which costs 120 euros and it's a 2x4. It annoys me though that for another 10 euros I can get the 12GB kit but it's a 3x4 :sadvaultboy: That way the 900 euros budget is broken though...then again I can get the 4GB 1600Mhz kit, which is a 2x2 I think for less than 50 euros.

I don't think he needs to Sabertooth...it's my fault actually cause I personally get frustated by cutting down in components cause I always feel like everyone should just have the best so working with such a tight budget is a bit hard The MSI P67 GD65 though is only 5 euros cheaper than the Sabertooth so I might just go with the ASUS anyway...

P.S: Thanks for the case ideas though. BTW he'll be using Win7.

I would consider getting a Z68 instead of P67. the Z68 is perfect for video editors because it allows you to use Intel QuickSync for video transcoding tasks as well as a discrete NVIDIA GPU for CUDA processing (for CS5 apps like Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere ). The P67 cannot make use of the QuickSync capabilities of Sandy Bridge CPUs

And if he can afford 1333MHz RAM 3 x 4GB (12GB) or 4 x 4 (16GB) - makes a huge difference with CS5 64-bit. In the US, this is pretty cheap, around $150 for 16GB 1333MHz

Otherwise, get the 2 x 4GB so you have the other DIMM slots available to upgrade in the future with more 4GB sticks

[Eire Charlotta]

I would consider getting a Z68 instead of P67. the Z68 is perfect for video editors because it allows you to use Intel QuickSync for video transcoding tasks as well as a discrete NVIDIA GPU for CUDA processing (for CS5 apps like Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere ). The P67 cannot make use of the QuickSync capabilities of Sandy Bridge CPUs

And if he can afford 1333MHz RAM 3 x 4GB (12GB) or 4 x 4 (16GB) - makes a huge difference with CS5 64-bit. In the US, this is pretty cheap, around $150 for 16GB 1333MHz

Otherwise, get the 2 x 4GB so you have the other DIMM slots available to upgrade in the future with more 4GB sticks

I was also thinking about a Z68. It's more expensive though...

BTW I said the Corsair Vengeance 8GB 1600Mhz was 120 euros but I was wrong. It actually costs around 80 euros. The 120 euros version uses CL9 instead of CL8 and has 1866Mhz (I think).

By buying the 8GB 1600Mhz kit, plus say the ASUS P8Z68-V PRO Z68. It would cost an extra 15 euros, that with the the Nox Raiden or the Nox Coolbay Side Window (I have this case ), which both cost 45 to 50 euros. The final price is around 920 euros which is slightly above the top budget but I think it's still affordable for him :shrug:

[Hope Greenhaw]

I was also thinking about a Z68. It's more expensive though...

BTW I said the Corsair Vengeance 8GB 1600Mhz was 120 euros but I was wrong. It actually costs around 80 euros. The 120 euros version uses CL9 instead of CL8 and has 1866Mhz (I think).

By buying the 8GB 1600Mhz kit, plus say the ASUS P8Z68-V PRO Z68. It would cost an extra 15 euros, that with the the Nox Raiden or the Nox Coolbay Side Window (I have this case ), which both cost 45 to 50 euros. The final price is around 920 euros which is slightly above the top budget but I think it's still affordable for him :shrug:

Although the i5-2500k is not good compared to the i7-2600k, I think that's still going to be a decent machine for editing and in the future he can always upgrade to SSD or buy a 2600k or more 4GB RAM sticks to further improve performance.

[flora]

APC, CyberPower, and Tripp Lite are a few of the leading vendors for these things. I think this should do fine:
http://www.amazon.com/APC-Back-UPS-shutdown-software-UPS-BE350G/dp/B001985SWW/ref=pd_cp_e_2

Thanks, that'll give me a good basis for price and power to get a good selection of potentials from.

[stevie critchley]

does convolution reverb work globally, or do the sample libraries have to support it?

[Amy Siebenhaar]

I was thinking of using my extra HDD to set up a Linux OS to download large files of questionable security, what are the chances a virus jumps HDDs onto my primary one?

Would I be better off using a different machine entirely?

[Curveballs On Phoenix]

Thanks, that'll give me a good basis for price and power to get a good selection of potentials from.

For a server make sure you get a smart-UPS. A back-up UPS only helps to keep the system online for a bit if the power is cut. For a server it's best to use a smart-UPS because they're interactive. In other words, they condition the power coming into the PSU from the line to prevent things that strain the PSU. In fact, I'd recommend a smart-UPS over a back-up UPS in most situations. They're back-up UPS's can even do more harm than good for things like stereo and TV equipment due to square wave output. A smart-UPS will keep a nice sine-wave that won't strain power supplies, and most will filter RFI and brownout nasties as well.

[Jonathan Montero]

Yesterday I tried to play Morrowind on my Gateway P-6831FX laptop, and as soon as I got into the game my screen went black then I got a BSOD. When I rebooted the computer, I got a message saying that my display driver has stopped responding and has been recovered. Shortly after that, I got another BSOD, and now when my laptop boots up the first POST screen is distorted but I can get into Windows just fine (no distortion at all). However, no graphics drivers will install, when I look at the card in the device manager it shows: Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43). I'm not real sure what to do, I've tried installing new drivers several times, using Driver Sweeper in safe mode to remove the old ones completely, and still nothing. Does anyone have any ideas, has anyone ever seen this before?

[Cody Banks]

I was thinking of using my extra HDD to set up a Linux OS to download large files of questionable security, what are the chances a virus jumps HDDs onto my primary one?

Would I be better off using a different machine entirely?

Considering you don't even have to mount your Windows drive, zero chance. Even mounted, there is virtually zero chance as a virus can only spread when executed.

However: downloading a file on Linux only to instantly transfer it to Windows will not net you any added security (other than potentially if the files are legit, but the download sites are not). You need to scan the files after downloading them before transferring them to Windows to verify they are clean.

Some popular free Linux AV clients:

ClamAV (available in pretty much every major distribution's repos)
http://www.avast.com/linux-home-edition
http://www.bitdefender.com/business/antivirus-for-unices.html (must request a free personal-use license)

For a server make sure you get a smart-UPS. A back-up UPS only helps to keep the system online for a bit if the power is cut. For a server it's best to use a smart-UPS because they're interactive. In other words, they condition the power coming into the PSU from the line to prevent things that strain the PSU. In fact, I'd recommend a smart-UPS over a back-up UPS in most situations. They're back-up UPS's can even do more harm than good for things like stereo and TV equipment due to square wave output. A smart-UPS will keep a nice sine-wave that won't strain power supplies, and most will filter RFI and brownout nasties as well.

The need of a UPS is purely to properly shut down the server after power is cut. I was going to make sure it had at least simulated sine-wave. Considering this server's been running on just just a surge protector (and from the looks of it, not a very good one), it isn't too picky when it comes to power, though I did plan on making sure whichever I get has simulated sine-wave output. THe only reason the servers are even on unattended is because we do our off-site backups at night because our Internet is incredibly slow (yay monopolistic regional ISP known as AT&T being the only game in town where my work is). There's nothing mission-critical being done that mandates a high uptime percentage (It is a Windows server after all ), so the UPS is merely to mitigate corruption risks. I have a UPS or two in mind to pitch, but I have an official budget of $0 and only after much explaining of why something is absolutely necessary with pretty demographics can I get a green-light for any expenditures. I've been asking for a UPS for pretty much the entire time I've been working here and only just was given the OK.

[Susan Elizabeth]

Considering you don't even have to mount your Windows drive, zero chance. Even mounted, there is virtually zero chance as a virus can only spread when executed.

However: downloading a file on Linux only to instantly transfer it to Windows will not net you any added security (other than potentially if the files are legit, but the download sites are not). You need to scan the files after downloading them before transferring them to Windows to verify they are clean.

Some popular free Linux AV clients:

ClamAV (available in pretty much every major distribution's repos)
http://www.avast.com/linux-home-edition
http://www.bitdefender.com/business/antivirus-for-unices.html (must request a free personal-use license)

I'm planning on it being an entirely separate thing, not transferring anything to my Windows drive, so that reassurance is great thanks.

Turns out the drive was dead anyways, so I won't be doing it right now.

Actually it turns out my Windows HDD is dead too.... :swear: When my PSU died I'm assuming it took my HDD with it.

[Nathan Barker]

Greetings Tig

I have some issues with lag and stutter while playing video games on my PC. Even older ones like the Anarchy Online mmorpg. A tech at Computer Builders Warehouse checked out my machine and told me that my hardware is up to snuff and maybe installing an older set of drivers for my ATI video card (ones that gamers use) might solve the problem. Would you happen to know if this is true? If so, is there a site where I might check that out?

My PC specs: Windows XP, Intel 2.1 Core2Duo processor (6400 @ 2.13GHz), 2 gigs of RAM, Sapphire HD 4830 video card (512 mb)

[Niisha]

Hey everyone, I am having trouble looking for a laptop. I need to find some with atleast 2GB RAM, a high end i3 or mid-range i5 (or better/equivalent AMD CPU) and HDD size doesnt matter too much.......but here is the problem, it cannot have a webcam and price doesnt matter too much either. Any recommendations? Thanks

[James Rhead]

Greetings Tig

I have some issues with lag and stutter while playing video games on my PC. Even older ones like the Anarchy Online mmorpg. A tech at Computer Builders Warehouse checked out my machine and told me that my hardware is up to snuff and maybe installing an older set of drivers for my ATI video card (ones that gamers use) might solve the problem. Would you happen to know if this is true? If so, is there a site where I might check that out?

My PC specs: Windows XP, Intel 2.1 Core2Duo processor (6400 @ 2.13GHz), 2 gigs of RAM, Sapphire HD 4830 video card (512 mb)

In all games? New and old? Your hardware is up to snuff even for more modern games. It's not a bad suggestion from the tech to try different drivers especially for older games. I know in the past I actually had to edit a few driver files just to get the newer drivers to run Medal of Honor, which I still might play once in a while. Older game support tends to get ignored as time goes on.

If you are going to revert to older drivers, you might want to use DriverSweeper to clean out those left behind files after the driver uninstall and before the installing the driver you wish to try. No need to use it if you're just updating to new ones.

However, your stutters may be coming simply from background applications interfering with the game or a non-defragmented hard drive. Definitely defrag the hard drive and see if that helps. And try running your games under a clean boot:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

Hey everyone, I am having trouble looking for a laptop. I need to find some with atleast 2GB RAM, a high end i3 or mid-range i5 (or better/equivalent AMD CPU) and HDD size doesnt matter too much.......but here is the problem, it cannot have a webcam and price doesnt matter too much either. Any recommendations? Thanks

No webcam? That's an odd requirement. Couldn't you just leave it...i dunno...off? I must be missing something here. :unsure:

What's the intent here for the notebook? Does it need a dedicated video chip? Price not mattering too much means different things to different people...at least set a max budget

[Kate Norris]

No webcam? That's an odd requirement. Couldn't you just leave it...i dunno...off? I must be missing something here. :unsure:

What's the intent here for the notebook? Does it need a dedicated video chip? Price not mattering too much means different things to different people...at least set a max budget

Its not for personal use. Its for a work environment. One where there are no cameras allowed. Anything under $1200. Video solution doesnt matter, an integrated chipset is fine (for the battery life).

[Matt Bigelow]

Its not for personal use. Its for a work environment. One where there are no cameras allowed. Anything under $1200. Video solution doesnt matter, an integrated chipset is fine (for the battery life).

I'll take another look for something later on if you haven't found anything yet. This is a bit difficult considering webcams are pretty much an included standard these days. I'm guessing you must be working in an environment where even cell phones aren't allowed either huh? Got a similar "secret room" where I work and these things are highly enforced.

[~Sylvia~]

I'll take another look for something later on if you haven't found anything yet. This is a bit difficult considering webcams are pretty much an included standard these days. I'm guessing you must be working in an environment where even cell phones aren't allowed either huh? Got a similar "secret room" where I work and these things are highly enforced.

Thanks, yeah I have been looking around, and the Toughbook series are the only ones that I have seen that dont have a camera, but they are very expensive for the hardware inside of them. Yeah no cell phones or even Ipods with cameras are allowed.

[Ronald]

I am also looking for a laptop. Slightly different requirements

• Main use would be programming (So there probably is a minim screen size and something more than 10" would be better (15" maybe))
  
• Max price ~￡350- ￡400. Cheaper is better and I would far prefer to spend less than ￡350
  
• Specs wise 40GB harddrive and 1GB of RAM would be fine (1GB of ram would be good, as odd things I use tend to sometimes push be to a usage of 800mb at times). Disk drive is required. CPU isn't that important.
  
• It must be able to run Linux (So an OS with the laptop isn't required).
  
• Webcam would be nice
  
• Wifi is required.

Basically I want a thin client. I would do web browsing and programming, but I can offload the hard computational tasks to another machine.

Does anyone have any suggestions? The new stuff I looked at all seems far more powerful than I would need and I am wondering if it would be worth looking for something refurbished?

[Tamara Primo]

HALP please!

I booted up my computer this morning and noticed that something simply "sounded" off. (I have very noisy case fans, but I'm used to their sound...I know how my computer typically sounds, and this wasn't right.) Glanced down and belatedly noticed that the 140mm side case fan was not running at all. I tapped the side of the case, right on top of the fan, and it immediately started. However, it still sounds "off"--the fan has a much lower hum, like it's moving at a lower speed than it should.

Question time:

1) The fan is dying, correct? (I've had trouble with it making odd rattling noises and the like before this, but it settled down for a few months and I just wrote it off as a one-off. At the time I also cleaned the fan out, checked the bearings, etc.--everything seemed fine.)

2) I have to order a replacement fan from NewEgg, since the local Best Buy and Radioshack don't have any 140mm fans in stock, and they're really the only places in town to get one. Even if I rush ship it and pay out the nose for doing so, the fan won't be here until tomorrow sometime. Is it safe to keep operating the computer normally in the meantime? Playing games, etc? The fan is still working (for the moment), just possibly not as well as it should. (And there is still air moving through the case, but this is the main intake fan.)

I should add that my computer can get pretty hot during normal use, owing to my http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102768&cm_re=4870x2-_-14-102-768-_-Product. So I really don't want to add fried parts onto the bill here. (Although it would be a great excuse to get that CPU upgrade I've been pining for, I really, really can't afford that right now.)

3) Finally--since I'm going to be swapping the fans out myself--I have to make sure I get the new fan set up in the right direction, airflow wise. My current side case fan is currently set up as an intake fan, with the fan at the back being the exhaust fan. How do I make sure I get the new fan set up the same way?

In the meantime, I have to figure out how to get the old case fan out...stupid Xion used plastic bolts, not screws, to stick it into the case. <_< I may not be able to get it out at all.

[LijLuva]

Thanks, yeah I have been looking around, and the Toughbook series are the only ones that I have seen that dont have a camera, but they are very expensive for the hardware inside of them. Yeah no cell phones or even Ipods with cameras are allowed.

Sorry for the delay. Looks like I might have something that you just might be interested in. At this point, customized notebooks is probably the best way to ensure a webcam doesn't come with the notebook. Lenovo is having a discount sale for their Thinkpad T420i Laptop and there is an option for the camera:

- Click http://shoplenovo.i2.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/na/StdAffinityPortal/en_US/Lenovo:EnterStdAffinity?affinity=barnesnoblegold & login or create account when asked
- Select Notebooks --> ThinkPad --> T Series --> T420 --> T420i
- Select the Core i5, 4GB RAM, and 500GB 7200rpm HDD...the last two are free upgrades.
- Enter promo code USX5TWX0519

Not bad for a SandyBridge based notebook me thinks.

I am also looking for a laptop. Slightly different requirements

• Main use would be programming (So there probably is a minim screen size and something more than 10" would be better (15" maybe))
  
• Max price ~￡350- ￡400. Cheaper is better and I would far prefer to spend less than ￡350
  
• Specs wise 40GB harddrive and 1GB of RAM would be fine (1GB of ram would be good, as odd things I use tend to sometimes push be to a usage of 800mb at times). Disk drive is required. CPU isn't that important.
  
• It must be able to run Linux (So an OS with the laptop isn't required).
  
• Webcam would be nice
  
• Wifi is required.

Basically I want a thin client. I would do web browsing and programming, but I can offload the hard computational tasks to another machine.

Does anyone have any suggestions? The new stuff I looked at all seems far more powerful than I would need and I am wondering if it would be worth looking for something refurbished?

Well, what kind of programming are we talking here? It would seem any of these would be fine:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-15-6inch-Notebook-Windows-Premium/dp/B003S3R7R0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1305971534&sr=8-5
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-Notebook-i3-2310M-Windows-Premium/dp/B004TQQEI8/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1305970942&sr=8-12
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-15-6inch-Notebook-Windows-Premium/dp/B003S3R7R0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1305971534&sr=8-5

HALP please!

I booted up my computer this morning and noticed that something simply "sounded" off. (I have very noisy case fans, but I'm used to their sound...I know how my computer typically sounds, and this wasn't right.) Glanced down and belatedly noticed that the 140mm side case fan was not running at all. I tapped the side of the case, right on top of the fan, and it immediately started. However, it still sounds "off"--the fan has a much lower hum, like it's moving at a lower speed than it should.

Question time:

1) The fan is dying, correct? (I've had trouble with it making odd rattling noises and the like before this, but it settled down for a few months and I just wrote it off as a one-off. At the time I also cleaned the fan out, checked the bearings, etc.--everything seemed fine.)

2) I have to order a replacement fan from NewEgg, since the local Best Buy and Radioshack don't have any 140mm fans in stock, and they're really the only places in town to get one. Even if I rush ship it and pay out the nose for doing so, the fan won't be here until tomorrow sometime. Is it safe to keep operating the computer normally in the meantime? Playing games, etc? The fan is still working (for the moment), just possibly not as well as it should. (And there is still air moving through the case, but this is the main intake fan.)

I should add that my computer can get pretty hot during normal use, owing to my http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102768&cm_re=4870x2-_-14-102-768-_-Product. So I really don't want to add fried parts onto the bill here. (Although it would be a great excuse to get that CPU upgrade I've been pining for, I really, really can't afford that right now.)

3) Finally--since I'm going to be swapping the fans out myself--I have to make sure I get the new fan set up in the right direction, airflow wise. My current side case fan is currently set up as an intake fan, with the fan at the back being the exhaust fan. How do I make sure I get the new fan set up the same way?

In the meantime, I have to figure out how to get the old case fan out...stupid Xion used plastic bolts, not screws, to stick it into the case. <_< I may not be able to get it out at all.

1. Could be yes.

2. You can still use your PC really. Just to be safe, I'd monitor the temps of the card after stressing it out to see where it's at and look up what temp it can take. The side fan is your only intake? Not even one fan at the front of case? You can always leave the case open with a home fan blowing in for a temporary solution til the new fan gets there.

3. All fans look very pretty much the same. If you're taking out the side case fan, just notice how it is oriented. The blades of the fan on your exhaust fan should help you determine the orientation as well.

I doubt Xion permanently mounted that fan in. If anything, these plastic bolts are like anchor studs that can be finger pressed in. You'll figure it out.

[djimi]

Sorry for the delay. Looks like I might have something that you just might be interested in. At this point, customized notebooks is probably the best way to ensure a webcam doesn't come with the notebook. Lenovo is having a discount sale for their Thinkpad T420i Laptop and there is an option for the camera:

- Click http://shoplenovo.i2.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/na/StdAffinityPortal/en_US/Lenovo:EnterStdAffinity?affinity=barnesnoblegold & login or create account when asked
- Select Notebooks --> ThinkPad --> T Series --> T420 --> T420i
- Select the Core i5, 4GB RAM, and 500GB 7200rpm HDD...the last two are free upgrades.
- Enter promo code USX5TWX0519

Not bad for a SandyBridge based notebook me thinks.

Thank you! That will work perfectly.

[Eilidh Brian]

Well, what kind of programming are we talking here? It would seem any of these would be fine:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-15-6inch-Notebook-Windows-Premium/dp/B003S3R7R0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1305971534&sr=8-5
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-Notebook-i3-2310M-Windows-Premium/dp/B004TQQEI8/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1305970942&sr=8-12
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-15-6inch-Notebook-Windows-Premium/dp/B003S3R7R0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1305971534&sr=8-5

Basically, they are far more powerful that I want. If it runs vim, a terminal emulator and chrome, I am happy with it.

I should probably rephrase my question:
Would you recommend getting a refurbished laptop or not? And what about second hand?

[Fam Mughal]

1. Could be yes.

2. You can still use your PC really. Just to be safe, I'd monitor the temps of the card after stressing it out to see where it's at and look up what temp it can take. The side fan is your only intake? Not even one fan at the front of case? You can always leave the case open with a home fan blowing in for a temporary solution til the new fan gets there.

3. All fans look very pretty much the same. If you're taking out the side case fan, just notice how it is oriented. The blades of the fan on your exhaust fan should help you determine the orientation as well.

I doubt Xion permanently mounted that fan in. If anything, these plastic bolts are like anchor studs that can be finger pressed in. You'll figure it out.

Thanks. The fan actually started with the rest of the machine like it should this morning, so I think it's just trying to mess with me. :wacko: I'm going to be replacing it anyway, once the new one gets here. (Grumble mumble UPS mumble.) Probably should've done it when it first started acting up, buuut that's another story.

I do have a second intake fan at the bottom front of the case (by the HDD), but this is the larger, primary main intake fan that's gone on the fritz. Plus it's the one positioned over my video card. The good news is temps are so far in line with what they should be--maybe a degree or two higher than normal. Bad news is we've got a heatwave coming this weekend, so we'll see if that sticks. Extra fans on standby.

Thanks again!

[(G-yen)]

Basically, they are far more powerful that I want. If it runs vim, a terminal emulator and chrome, I am happy with it.

I should probably rephrase my question:
Would you recommend getting a refurbished laptop or not? And what about second hand?

The exact things you are after are waaaay weaker than anything available on the market. Basically you are after what my old laptop was, which was 5 or 6 years old. I'd personally avoid the second-hand market like the plague for laptops, though refubished is a "maybe" (just not a path I'd not go down)

Anyway, here are what are basically the two weakest full-sized laptops on the market I can find with webcams:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-X5DC-SX011V-DVD-RAM-Widescreen/dp/B0042ZFT9G/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Presario-CQ56-102SA-Notebook-Windows-Premium/dp/tech-data/B00440D8YC/ref=de_a_smtd --- Note that this one I think just has an external webcam that comes packaged with it.

Nothing fancy about either of these to worry about linux support, just double check the WNIC has good support and all should be good.