Posts by neonpuma7

I am simply waiting to see how Hamilton handles the German-Finnish deception🙂, as he probably owes a debt for that lackluster match in the USA last year.

Problem solved. We ended up picking up a different processor and motherboard—specifically an ASUS m770e AM2+/AM3 setup with an AMD Athlon II X2 250 @ 3.0GHz for $83. My friend actually managed to snag a faster, newer chip that can be overclocked to at least 3.0GHz without any issues, plus it features a newer chipset that allows for a future upgrade to something like a quad-core Phenom later on.

Everything is assembled and running smoothly; all four sticks of memory are booting up perfectly🙂. He’s seeing a slight bump in gaming performance by a few FPS. We're planning to put the old CPU and board into his new rig, so if he decides to sell the upgrade later, it shouldn't cost much at all.

I want to thank everyone who tried to help out, especially those few who stuck with it. That's really all there is to it.

I have tested everything, and now a friend gave me an AMD Athlon II X2 7750. Technically, this motherboard isn't supposed to support it, but since there is a newer BIOS available, I am going to try it. I actually found some discussions on US forums suggesting that people have successfully run this specific processor on this board before.

I am planning to install a different processor to determine if the issue lies with the memory controller or if there is an error within my current CPU itself. If that doesn't help, then I guess the dual-channel functionality on the motherboard is officially dead. At that point, we might just have to accept it and either hunt for a new board or switch to a 2x2GB RAM configuration instead of using 4x1GB.

We actually tested that Core 2 Duo in my friend's old setup where he was using this X2 7750, and all four slots failed to work there too. However, once he put the 7750 back in, everything worked fine again. I also checked his RAM, and every single module is perfectly functional.

I suppose I will find out later whether the problem is the memory controller on the CPU or something with the motherboard.

I attempted a CMOS clear using the jumper, which should have achieved the same result, but nothing has changed. I'm honestly not sure what's going on. When I use all four modules, the monitor won't even turn on. With three modules, I get a distorted image filled with artifacts—little blocks and lines, almost as if the GPU is screaming. It only seems to work normally with two modules, and even then, only if they are placed in slots 1 and 3. It also works fine with just a single module.

Everything is connected properly: CPU power, motherboard power, hard drive, optical drive, and the 6-pin connector on the graphics card. All the modules are seated correctly; I've double-checked everything twice.

It all started when a friend and I moved our components into a new case.

MSI K9N Neo V2
Intel Core 2 Duo
2x1GB Ocz Platinum 6400
2x1GB OCS NVIDIA SLI
160GB SATA
AMD Radeon HD 6770

Everything was working perfectly in the old case. After moving everything over, the PC powers on normally, but there is no signal on the monitor. If I swap to the second monitor, it turns on, but once it boots, the screen is covered in colorful artifacts. If I pull two sticks out and leave just the ones in the first and third green slots, everything works fine and it boots straight into macOS. However, if I put all four sticks back in, the monitor won't even turn on. If I remove a stick from the second or fourth slot, the monitor turns on, but then the colorful artifacts appear, almost as if it were a video memory issue. It only runs properly with two sticks—it doesn't matter which ones—but they have to be in slots 1 and 3. I have tested all four sticks individually, and they all work fine as long as they are used in pairs in those specific slots.

I am a bit lost here. I really need to get my full 4GB back, because right now I'm stuck with only 2GB. I tried loading the BIOS optimized defaults, but it didn't change anything.

Guys, sorry for the late reply, you all were quick. 🙂

An XFX 6770 1 GB GDDR5 was bought for $100. We tried running Battlefield 3 on medium settings at 720p and it runs great; my friend is happy with it. He has maybe $100 left over for a CPU upgrade, but I'm not sure what he can get for that amount that would be more powerful than a 5200+. His motherboard is an MSI K9N Neo, and I have no idea which processors that supports.

If it’s possible to pick up something stronger for that price, then fine, but if not, this should be good enough.

Thanks to everyone for the help, and Happy New Year to you all.

I have a quick question regarding gaming at 720p resolution, which is essentially half-HD.🙂

I am currently deciding between two used graphics cards: an NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 or an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560. Which one would be the better choice?

The rest of the build consists of

an Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB of DDR2 Ocz Platinum RAM
a 160GB SATA drive
a Corsair 550W power supply

Buying a completely new computer isn't an option right now🙂, so I am weighing these two options, or perhaps even looking at an older 4850 or 4870.

The system currently has an 8600GT with 512MB; the goal is to play newer titles on medium settings if possible. Thanks in advance for any help.

I am actually asking this on behalf of a friend.

Raymond Anderson4 said:Junior actually accomplished something in Formula 1, regardless of how much you might try to mock him.
I suppose one could ask what you, or even I, have achieved that has had any actual impact on anyone within the Formula 1 business.

What are you even talking about?

Mocking Jergović seems misplaced; he essentially mocks himself.

I'm not sure what your issue is—perhaps it's his commentary on the races and qualifying sessions, which seems to be almost entirely lifted from Sky Sports F1 and Autosport.com.

Literally.😂🤣☕

I am fairly certain that Lewis Hamilton will take the win tomorrow. He consistently seems to have the superior race pace. In Monaco, he just couldn't find a way past the Barbie, and during the Canadian Grand Prix, following her through that dirty, hot air completely wrecked his brakes. He was far too far behind in Austria, and since overtaking is actually feasible at Silverstone, I think the outcome is quite clear.

I am so confident in this that I went ahead and put $67🙂

darkmarlin16 said:Or better yet, let's just have a rule where if all four wheels leave the track, they get an automatic disqualification. Boom. Done.🙏

I like this; that German Barbika would have been a DNF in Canada🤣

I suppose Nico is clever; he seems to have a hyperactive brain when it comes to making such smart conclusions in a split second. I guess his Finnish mother balances out that German side.

Nothing new out of England; just more Mercedes dominance. It was an incredibly tedious race, and honestly, both the crowd and the spectacle were quite unpleasant,

I picked up a TP-Link USB wireless adapter, maybe the 722 model or something similar, and it seems to be working perfectly. It’s been about $23

I suspect the difference might only be discernible through specialized software. Visually, it's quite difficult; I suppose the human eye is somewhat insensitive to these specific changes unless one looks very closely.

Everything was fine; that was just my suggestion. I am relatively new to this, and I reached out for help because I assume you all have much more expertise than I do.

I have spent some time catching up on the material lately, reading through half the forums and doing some research—mostly because I had some downtime, too.🙂.

On another note, I run driving simulations using a dual-monitor setup. One is a newer AOC IPS panel and the other is an old Asus LCD from about three or four years ago. They are positioned almost side-by-side, but honestly, I can't seem to notice much of a difference in the image quality.

graniteharbor85 said:Honestly, I don't think a TN panel is appropriate for this budget, especially considering it lacks a DVI port. In my opinion, you should be looking for at least a VA or IPS panel.

It might push me over my budget, though I suspect there isn't much of a noticeable difference in actual quality.

This monitor is a workhorse.🙂

Intel Core i3 4150
Gigabyte GA-H81M-DS2V motherboard, 1150, iH81, D3, S3, U3, DVI, mA
Patriot Signature, 1333Mhz, 8GB (1x8GB)
Toshiba DT01ACA100 1 TB 3.5
Spire Maverick 6009 gaming case,
Zalman 500w GS Series Retail
SAPPHIRE AMD Radeon R7 260 x OC, PCI-e, 1Gb GDDR5/128bit, 1050MHz / 1500MHz,
LG 22 M35A-B 21.5" Wide LED Monitor

Here is one option for $1373, maybe check Best Buy.
I chose an Intel build because I think it offers the best upgrade path right from the beginning.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I ended up ordering a Gigabyte model off eBay for about $60.

By the way, it wasn't just an issue with the USB ports; sometimes it would act up during boot-up too. I flashed a new BIOS, but that didn't help, and I checked the capacitors—they seem fine.

It was clearly caused by excessive overclocking over a long period. This one from eBay is new, likely old stock. It isn't exactly a high-end overclocking model, but I expect it to perform well enough.

crimsonstag84, I appreciate the advice.

Assetto Corsa runs incredibly smoothly; I don't have Fraps running, but even at Full HD with high settings, there wasn't a single stutter, haha.

I picked up a used Asus GTX 760 for $433, and it's still under warranty with the full bundle.

Before this, my system was struggling like a newborn chicken, but now the difference is immeasurable.🙂

I personally find the Thermaltake more attractive. To be honest, the Zalman looked pretty ugly in person, and I don't feel it’s particularly high quality either; the plastic feels somewhat inferior compared to the Thermaltake. The salesperson told me it was a Best Buy because of the triple fans, but everything else about it seems subpar to me.

As for the cooler, I guess the salesperson talked me into it. He also mentioned that I had assembled the configuration quite well, which I suppose refers to you, 🙂. I almost picked up an XFX R9 270 for $417, but I ultimately decided against it.

Honestly, money isn't his main issue here. That motherboard he blew out cost him $667, and it had some ridiculous red skull design on it—pretty tacky if you ask me. His overclock was sitting at 4.2GHz, too.

We managed to track something down on eBay. He’s a bit hesitant about buying parts like that online, but I guess he won't have much of a choice.