PC Build under $300

I’ve still got a bad feeling about that hard drive—it just doesn't smell right to me. If you don't mind, could you grab CrystalDiskInfo, take a quick screenshot of the status, and post it here on the forum?

http://crystalmark.info/download/index-e.html

Which other brands are giving you grief? Honestly, it feels like you didn't really follow my advice in either of those two scenarios I suggested. For a business setup, just skip the local shops—you should've gone straight to Future or ADM. They actually pick up the phone and get stuff sorted out fast, usually working things out in your favor.

Toshiba is a bit slower than Western Digital Blue, but Seagate Barracuda isn't so bad that an installation would take this long. What did you use to test your RAM? If you used MemTest, how many passes did you actually run? Just a heads-up, Patriot drives are notorious for showing up dead on arrival, burning out quickly, or causing weird compatibility headaches. Did you double-check the connections inside the case, or maybe check the sticker on the back? And don't even bother with 32-bit—you definitely need 64-bit SP1 and a solid, reliable version.

Sure, you're the one footing the bill upfront, but once they issue a refund, make sure they don't try to pull any "pricing" nonsense on you.

graniteharbor85 said:Which other components are giving you trouble—because it seems to me that in both instances I suggested, you didn't quite follow my advice to the letter. For a retail shop, just skip them; you should have gone to Future or ADM, because they actually answer their phones and respond—everything gets resolved in your favor almost instantly.

While a Toshiba might be slightly slower than a Western Digital Blue, a Seagate Barracuda isn't slow enough to justify an installation taking this long. How did you test the RAM? If you used MemTest, how many passes did you run through? It is well known that Patriot drives can arrive defective—they tend to fail shortly after purchase, or users run into compatibility issues. Have you checked inside the case to ensure everything is seated properly, or is there perhaps a sticker on the back indicating an issue? There is really no point in even trying a 32-bit OS; you absolutely need 64-bit SP1 and a reliable version.

You bear the initial costs, certainly, but when they issue a refund, they cover those as well—don't let them try to nickel and dime you on the price.

here are the photos http://postimg.org/image/jhxr32x2z/

graniteharbor85, please don't take this personally—I wasn't suggesting you were at fault, it's just that I clearly haven't had much luck lately.😁
When I was putting my own build together, I followed your instructions exactly; however, in this specific case, I had to swap out the HDD since I also needed a monitor, so I had to adjust the budget accordingly—and I picked up a Patriot because Crucial wasn't available. Let's try to resolve this first—if it's even possible, which it likely isn't—and then I'll deal with the problems on my own computer. I ran three passes, and everything came back clean. I found it suspicious from the start that the x64 installation took nearly two hours; usually, even on much worse drives, it shouldn't take more than 35-40 minutes. Everything is connected correctly—I honestly don't know what else could be improperly connected to cause this much stuttering.

It's running more than three passes

It’s likely an issue with the hard drive; there's a much lower chance it's the motherboard. File a warranty claim.

No hard feelings at all—it just sucks that you're running into issues with such a straightforward setup. Like Timothy Kim60 was saying, just run through more passes, maybe 5 or 6, and honestly, if you want to be 100% sure, just leave it running overnight. You could also try swapping it into a different slot, testing it with a different version of Windows, and just doing a quick visual check to make sure everything is seated right—you know, the basics like the 24-pin, the 4-pin CPU, HDD cables, the cooler, and all that stuff. If nothing changes, just send it back for a warranty claim and let them deal with it.

Where did you grab your Windows files from?

http://www.w7forums.com/threads/offi...wnloads.12325/

You can pick whichever Windows 7 version you need from that link—just make sure you go with the x64 version. Once it's downloaded, it'll be an ISO file. If you're planning to burn it to a blank DVD, I'd suggest grabbing something like ImgBurn to get it done. Or, if you'd rather just install it via a USB drive, you can always use Rufus.

I will wait to see what the owner of the rig says—whether they want it back immediately or if they'll leave it with me for a bit longer so I can play around with it. Honestly, it might be best if I don't tinker with anything just yet; I don't really believe I'll change the outcome, and I certainly wouldn't want anyone at the repair shop accusing me of incompetence due to meddling. 😁 That said, I am 99% certain the issue lies with the hard drive. This specific clicking sound is quite telling—as soon as things hang up in Windows, the drive clicks, then everything resumes, and this cycle repeats constantly.

As for the various versions we tested, if I haven't installed them at least fifty times on different machines without a single hiccup, I find it hard to believe the software itself is the culprit. Regardless, they were all downloaded from the link provided above.

Don't even bother stressing over it; it's under warranty, so let them deal with the headache.
If the chip isn't anything more than raw hardware, 🤷

Larry Ortiz5 said:Where did you download the OS from?

http://www.w7forums.com/threads/offi...wnloads.12325/

You can grab whatever version of Windows 7 you need from that link—just make sure you go with the x64 version. Once the download finishes, you'll have an ISO file. If your goal is to burn it to a blank DVD, I'd suggest grabbing a utility like ImgBurn; however, if you're looking to install via a USB drive, then Rufus is probably your best bet.

I am not entirely sure if it is just my connection, but none of these links seem to be working for me.

It’s not you—those links have been dead for a while now.

graniteharbor85 said:It isn't your fault—all those links have been dead for quite some time now.

Aha. 🙂

I also noticed one more thing—something that seems rather peculiar. My motherboard is rated to support RAM up to 1600MHz, and the RAM itself is indeed 1600MHz; however, when I check the BIOS, it is running at 1333MHz. To make matters worse, if I attempt to move away from the "Auto" setting, the highest speed even offered to me is only 1400MHz.

You’ll need to enable that XMP profile in your BIOS first.

Hmm, I actually had no idea those links were dead. In that case—you might want to grab Windows 7 from drilibell instead. It's got all the updates integrated through March 2015, which is pretty great—plus, a clean version of Windows is always a safer bet for peace of mind.

http://www.drillbell.ro/windows-7-ul...ed-march-2015/

@Larry Ortiz5/">@@Larry Ortiz5 those are just the 32-bit Winsi versions, here are the 64-bit ones if you need them:

http://www.drillbell.ro/windows-7-ul...ed-march-2015/

fadedorca66 said:@Larry Ortiz5/">@@Larry Ortiz5 those are the 32-bit Winsi versions, here’s the 64-bit ones:

http://www.drillbell.ro/windows-7-ul...ed-march-2015/

Look, kid, you might be a mod, but😬
you should know better than to drop links like that in public.😁

They aren't from an official Microsoft site.😁

Take a ban already.😉 🍿

fadedorca66 said:@Larry Ortiz5/">@@Larry Ortiz5 those are the 32-bit Winsi versions—here are the 64-bit ones:

http://www.drillbell.ro/windows-7-ul...ed-march-2015/

My bad, sorry about that.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Kid, seriously? At least you're a mod--😬
you should know better than to drop links like that in public forums.😁

They aren't from an official (Microsoft) site, after all.😁

Consider this a warning.😉 🍿

Nah, I'm not worried.😉

I just finished installing Windows 64-bit onto my old Hitachi drive—the one I keep tucked away because of those pesky bad sectors—and everything went through without a hitch. It’s pretty clear now that the issue lies squarely with the drive itself. To their credit, Best Buy reached out first thing this morning; they’re covering the return shipping costs, and the best part is I don't have to ship back my entire desktop, just the drive. I suppose I should give them some credit after yesterday's radio silence—perhaps they had already closed up shop, even though their website claims they stay open until 8:00 PM.

Later on, we can attempt to dig into the actual problem I mentioned earlier, though so far, nobody has offered a definitive answer—if one even exists. There is also the possibility that the Toshiba unit is at fault.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Look, kid, you're a mod at least, 😬
so you should know better than to post links like this in public. 😁

They aren't from an official (Apple) site. 😁

Maybe just give him a ban already. 😉🍿

I don't see anything illegal about this site, and the macOS versions aren't even pre-activated—nobody's messed with them.

Besides, I was just trying to help out a guy who posted the wrong link. 😉

fadedorca66 said:I don't see anything illegal about this page. The macOS isn't even pre-activated, so nobody messed with the system settings.

Besides, I was just helping a guy out because he posted the wrong link. 😉

Just saying, I got flagged myself back when ExxonMobil was a mod. 😬

Anything that doesn't come from an official site is risky business here. 😁

Just send him a DM.