Posts by Larry Ortiz5

brightviper13 said:I get where you're coming from, but you mentioned torrenting—honestly, if you had suggested any other method, I'd feel the exact same way 😂. For me, the only "real" way is downloading straight from Microsoft's site. But then again, if you're going to buy a key for $67, how long is that key actually going to stay valid? It feels like throwing money away. And since it's so cheap anyway, if I'm going to go through the trouble of buying, I might as well just do it the right way. Why download it from some random corner of the internet only to buy keys later? If there’s a simpler way that still works on the official Microsoft page, why wouldn't you just do that?

Actually, that's not quite it. Like, 90% of people are running unofficial versions of Windows, yet they still pass the Windows genuine check. At the end of the day, Windows is Windows, regardless of where you grabbed the installer—all that really matters is having an original key. Plus, there are plenty of idiots out there making modified versions of Windows that come pre-loaded with extra bloatware and other junk. It’s kind of like gaming, isn't it? You grab a game via torrent and then just buy the original key so you can play multiplayer. Why would anyone pay full price $167 for a game when you can find it much more cheaply $100? I'm not trying to start an argument here, truly—everyone has their own way of doing things. I was just suggesting Windows 8 because, in my opinion, it's more straightforward and probably the best version yet.

brightviper13 said:It's from a torrent site, 😂

Lol, I mean, do you actually know what RTM implies? And I bought the key myself—you really don't think people are just handing out legitimate keys on those sites, do you? 😉

I actually have to disagree with you regarding Windows 8. jadesurfer5 mentioned he’s just an amateur, but honestly? I think Windows 8 is one of the most straightforward versions of Windows ever made. I've been using it for about a week now and I'm genuinely impressed—I just grabbed an official ISO from a torrent site and picked up a key for $67, so I'm running fully activated, legitimate Windows. There isn't really any need for extensive testing since almost every program out there is already compatible with Windows 8.
jadesurfer5, before you commit to Windows 7, maybe spend some time watching a few YouTube videos on Windows 8? You might actually find the Metro interface pretty appealing. It would be a shame to see people jump back to an older version of Windows, especially if they end up hating the official releases anyway $333—it’s probably better to do a little homework before making a final decision. For me, Windows 8 has been phenomenal and super simple; I truly have nothing but good things to say 🙂
But hey, to each their own, right? That's just my two cents.

jadesurfer5 said:Hey everyone,
I was hoping to get some input from someone who’s actually dealt with this kind of setup before.
This is the machine I'm looking to load up with some new software.
Should I stick with Windows XP or go with Windows 7? And does it really matter which version of 7 I pick—like Home, Enterprise, or Professional Edition?



Also, what kind of antivirus should I run on a build like this?
The plan is to use it mainly for MATLAB, AutoCAD, and just general web browsing.

Windows 7 will run on that without any issues. Honestly, if I were in your shoes, I'd definitely go with the 64-bit version—that way, if you decide to add more RAM down the road, the OS can actually use it, since 32-bit caps out at around 3.5GB. As for which specific edition to grab, it really just comes down to how you use the computer. Here's a link so you can compare the features and see what fits your needs best—though, it might be worth waiting a couple of weeks since Windows 8 is right around the corner. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...7/home-premium

Keith Bennett38 said:Unfortunately, you don't actually own an original product since you didn't buy it directly. All you have is a key that happens to pass Microsoft's "Genuine" check. (The real question is just how long that lasts before the next 🙂 update hits.)
I don't see why I would pay someone $67 for a key when, at the end of the day, I still wouldn't have the peace of mind that comes with buying an official product. 😢

Well, hey—everyone has their own way of doing things. If it doesn't sit right with you, that's fine, but it works for me. Just so you know, I've already downloaded a few updates without any issues at all.

Keith Bennett38 said:I'm pretty sure we're looking at some illegal activity here.
If you're just a home user, nobody's really going to come knocking to check if your software is legitimate—but what happens when you're a business? How are they supposed to prove their Windows setup is legal? As far as I know, every license comes with a sticker physically attached to the computer case.
Besides, Microsoft's licensing pages are available right there in English.

Sure, you might get a sticker, but at the end of the day, it’s the product key that matters most—that's the part you actually hold in your hand, especially if you're trying to ensure you have an original product. And as for businesses? Most small companies aren't going to take that kind of risk; they'll just buy whatever version of Windows allows them to install it on five machines and call it a day. It reminds me of people on eBay selling genuine game keys—you pay them, they email you the code, and you get the official game for less than $67. Personally, I think that's a great deal. Of course, it doesn't make sense for massive corporations or high-end professional users—I mean, why wouldn't a major firm spend a few thousand dollars to stay compliant? For them, it's not even an issue.

Walter Bennett32 said:Honestly, that sounds a bit sketchy to me. It’s not like we’re talking about a fortune here, but I really hate the idea of getting ripped off—you know? I’ve seen stuff online saying the activations worked fine, but what if those keys end up on a blacklist and just stop working down the line?

Look, someone actually running a business isn't going to hand out the same key to multiple people—that would be asking for Microsoft to blacklist them immediately. And besides, if they screw you over, you can pretty much ruin their reputation on every forum out there by making sure nobody else buys from them. It’s not like they’re stupid enough to lose all their customers just to make an extra $30, right? I don't really get your hesitation—I actually got a free key and it works perfectly. Even if I hadn't, I still would have paid $67 because I really don't want to deal with a pirated version. If you're that worried about it, maybe just skip the purchase and call it a day.

Walter Bennett32 said:I was wondering if anyone here has actually bought Windows through licensekeybuddy.com? The prices seem a little too good to be true—there's nothing about them on Microsoft's official pages, their FAQ is pretty thin, and they don't really show any certifications, which makes me a bit suspicious... even though I see people praising them online. Has anyone actually dealt with them before?

So, I ended up getting a key for Windows 8 and it works just fine. Well, technically I didn't buy it—someone actually gave it to me for free! Honestly, I couldn't believe it. I told him I didn't even have a credit card and asked if he could give me his banking info so I could wire him some money, but he just told me that wasn't possible right now and handed over a key for Windows 8 Pro instead. At first, I thought the guy was messing with me, so I asked him if he was being serious, and he just said he was glad I found his site and since we're both from the same small part of the US, he wanted to hook me up. I went ahead and tried installing Windows, entered the key, and sure enough, when I checked "My Computer," everything showed as activated. If you take a look at the Windows 8 threads, you'll see people saying nothing but great things about that site. And if people on other forums are vouching for them too, I don't really get what there is to be afraid of, right?

gentlebear93 said:Hey there... my ATI Radeon HD4870 recently gave up the ghost. Can anyone suggest a slightly better card—maybe something in the $267(used) range—that can handle all these newer titles like Prototype 2 without breaking a sweat?

http://www.craigslist.org/search/images?query=gtx+460
Since you mentioned looking for something used, I think a $300 GTX 460 would be a solid choice—though if you can stretch your budget by another $33, you might want to grab the
MSI Twin FROZR GTX 460 1 GB HAWK instead. Here are some benchmarks comparing it against the HD4870 so you can see the difference http://www.hwcompare.com/8285/geforc...n-hd-4870-1gb/
Also, what kind of power supply are you running?

Just walked out of the movie theater 👍👍👍👍👍👍

crimsonstag84 said:That motherboard has pretty weak bandwidth on the second PCI-e slot (it's only x4), so any Crossfire scaling is going to be significantly handicapped. Plus, that power supply only has two dedicated PCI-e connectors for GPUs—you’d probably have to use a Molex adapter to get the second one running. It might hold up, but it'll definitely be sweating a bit (110 + 110 + 95 + everything else). 😛

I'm feeling a little skeptical myself. Could you maybe clarify what that "80+" rating actually means when it comes to power supplies? I tried Googling it, but there's just way too much info out there to make sense of it all. I know there's something about Silver and Gold ratings... if you wouldn't mind explaining it, that would be great.

northernbison8 said:There's just no way you're running modern titles at Full HD 1920x1200 and expecting everything to run smoothly.

Look, if you aren't happy with this setup, why not just start a new thread? Just let us know what kind of budget you're working with—and honestly, tell us what you actually use the PC for. Do you need a whole new desk setup with peripherals, or are we just talking about a single component?

If this power supply holds up, we should be fine

northernbison8 said:haha, no... though honestly, money isn't really the main issue here.
I was already planning on putting a bit more aside—just so I could build something myself and actually feel...
good about it.
I was thinking about going with an RTX 3080, and then matching the CPU and motherboard to fit that level.
What do you think?

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is actually a decent card—is there something you can't play at 1080p with it? Stuttering or something?

Hahaha, let's all go get wild 😂

Keith Ward78 said:So, here’s where things get tricky.

It was tucked away in such a tight corner that I couldn't even see the case itself—so, yeah, I had to take everything apart to check.

It says 400 watts, but then I look closer and see 165? Weird, right?

It's an MS Platinum 400ATX P4...

Should be enough to get me through for now, though.

It'll work, it'll work.

Keith Ward78 said:It doesn't list the brand or the specific model—is there some kind of software that can identify it? Or maybe there's a way to find it buried somewhere in the system settings?

Forget about it—you're gonna have to check the label right on the power supply itself.

The power draw for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX is sitting right around 80-90W.
Sure, you’ve still got the CPU, RAM, hard drive, and optical drive pulling about that much too—so honestly, your best bet would be just grabbing a new power supply. It’ll give you some real peace of mind for the long haul.
http://www.newegg.com/p/example-link-here
I’d go with something like this—it's a pretty beefy unit, and while it might be total overkill for that specific card right now, it's smart thinking ahead. If you decide to swap out parts or maybe even add a second GPU down the road, it'll handle the load without breaking a sweat. Isn't it better to have that extra breathing room? Running a PSU at its absolute limit all the time isn't great for longevity, and you don't want to be dealing with stability issues later on.

Keith Ward78 said:Hey there,

Since I'm not exactly a computer wizard—at least when it comes to graphics cards—I was wondering if this specific card (NVIDIA GeForce RTX GHz edition 1 GB DDR5 PCI-E 3.0) will actually work with my motherboard (an ASUS A8N-SLI)?

Thanks in advance! 🙂

By the way, my CPU is an Intel x86-64 2 GHz dual core.😢

It should work just fine. You've actually got two slots available, so you could even set up an SLI or CF configuration if you wanted to. What kind of power supply are you running, though? That card isn't exactly a power hog, but it's always better to be safe than sorry, right?

swiftdriver30 said:Yeah, but how is it possible there isn't an HDMI port? Or something like that... :S

Mine doesn't have one either—and honestly, even if it did, I don't think it would actually make the picture look any better.