Posts by briskmason6

I put the photos into a zip file, but when I try to upload them, I get an error message telling me to contact the admin...😕

So, I finally figured this one out too... basically, I head over to Best Buy > my digital displays > HDTV support > then I check the box for 1080p at 60 Hz > hit scaling options > and that's when I can actually adjust the scale. That does it.

So, I finally got it sorted... managed to grab a Windows 7 DVD and a blank USB drive. Of course, trying to boot from the disc kept throwing an error—something about "can't boot from disc, code error 5." To get around it, I just copied the contents from the DVD onto the USB using a simple utility, set my BIOS to boot via Legacy from the USB, and now I’m typing this from the PC 😁... though, obviously, the problems aren't actually fixed, haha. Once I installed those Intel Catalyst drivers, the 1080p resolution suddenly went wonky. It was perfectly fine before, but now, whenever I try to set it to max resolution, I get these black bars running along every side of the screen for a few centimeters. I have no clue how to fix it, but it's definitely driver-related (I used the ones on the disc I received, but even after downloading the latest versions from the web, the result is the same). Also, the scaling options in the CCC are set to overscan, basically maxed out, but there's absolutely no way for me to adjust the scale

That was basically my first attempt... it just won't boot. The only thing that actually tries to start is my buddy's ancient original Windows XP Home edition from a decade ago, but even that just freezes up for thirty minutes before throwing an error message. I've got a few other solutions I can try, so I'll let you know how it goes later. 😉

Eh, so here's the thing... I don't actually have a standard USB drive, I'm using an SD card inside a USB adapter. Could that be the issue?
The BIOS recognizes it as mass storage and I can set it as the top priority, but I'm still running into the exact same problem.

Problem solved. I ended up trimming about 5mm off the cable with a knife, and once it was seated all the way in, everything looked perfect on screen. But now I’ve hit a wall: I can't get Windows installed on this "click BIOS" setup. I've tried burning a disc and using an SD card formatted with Rufus, but nothing works. Even when I set the boot order to #1 USB for the card or #1 DVD/CD for the disc, it just fails. Sometimes I get the "insert disk and press any key" prompt, and other times I just get stuck in the EFI shell version 2.31 🙂 The OS is Windows 8.1, and there should be a UEFI version for the boot order settings within the BIOS

I know they’re phasing out those warranty void stickers, but I don't see anything stuck on there right now... Another thing, besides the fact that I'm not getting a beep code, is that the HDMI port won't plug all the way into the graphics card. It only goes in halfway because some kind of rubber gasket is blocking it. I'm assuming it still makes contact, so it shouldn't be an issue, but I'm not sure. My only options left are to crack open the case and check if everything is actually connected, or just trim down that rubber around the HDMI port so it fits properly.

So I picked up a new HDMI cable for my $13 and, surprise surprise, nothing changed. It’s the exact same issue. I’m honestly a bit confused right now. From the jump, something felt off—like when I power it up, there isn't even that initial beep to signal everything is connected properly. Everything seems fine on the surface, but I have no idea what's going on. I'm trying to figure out how to actually get into the case, but it’s got these weirdly flat-head screws holding it all together...

So, I need to pick up an HDMI-to-HDMI cable... just one more $17

Cables in the box: power cord for the monitor, blue VGA-to-VGA, and an HDMI with some tiny mobile adapter -.- honestly, what a joke

The whole DVI-to-VGA thing would actually make sense here, but unfortunately, you just can't find it 😢

So, what now? That notch isn't on the graphics card.

Please don't tell me that blue cable is supposed to plug into the motherboard instead of the GPU—I mean, integrated graphics used to have both blue and white connectors that went straight into the card, but this R290 just has the white one....

So, my PC finally arrived, but of course, there’s already an issue... Basically, Best Buy put it together and ran their tests, so everything should be connected properly. I hit the power button, but all I get is a black screen. No BIOS, nothing—just the Acer logo popping up. I’ve been looking things up online, and it seems like something might be plugged in wrong or maybe isn't seated correctly. I'm honestly stuck. It won't even accept the motherboard drivers. The cables are all hooked up—I've got the blue VGA cable running from the tower to the monitor. Everything has power, though. Hmm. Any advice? 🙂

No worries at all, man... I know you guys always give solid advice 😉....Regarding the motherboard, it’s got a 36-month warranty, so I'm not too concerned—if it dies, they'll just have to swap it out for me... After three years, I should probably have enough saved up for an upgrade plus maybe a new CPU down the road.....The PC should be arriving by tomorrow or Friday

I'll give you a call tomorrow

Yeah, it seems like they don't really import this AOC model over here. The guy swapped in a different SSHD for me, and I just realized I completely missed the fact that there isn't a keyboard included with the rig. Because of that SSHD upgrade, the price ended up being $8.80 higher, so it explains why the total felt a bit off... now what? Should I give him a call to see if he can toss the keyboard in too, and would I have to pay for it via a bank transfer or something?

So, I just picked this up. 🙂
The Aerocool GT White Advance case should be fine. It’ll fit a graphics card that's 29 cm long.
They didn't have that AOC monitor in stock, so I ended up grabbing a Dell 23 IPS LED instead.
Everything else remains exactly the same.
It looks like everything will end up being delivered in a single box after all. $13 By the end of the week. 😁

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Well, you could have easily dropped some of that $8,800 budget on a cheaper motherboard instead. :-/

In my view, the motherboard isn't really the most critical component for what I need to do, especially since I'm running an Intel Core i5-4440 that doesn't support overclocking anyway. It has everything required for a standard non-OC gaming setup. I think mellowtiger83 made some valid points there. At the end of the day, gaming performance depends 0% on the motherboard. Does anyone know if there will be any noticeable drop in stability or any actual differences if I swap out the Fortron Au 600W Power Supply for this Raider sa 650W Power Supply, which is $67 cheaper?

Timothy Kim60 said:there's no such thing as a 40cm card lol, they max out around 29cm, just google it

Check Best Buy online; the width is 23 cm and the length is 40 cm