sorry taw my machine boots too fast, it takes about 1 second from power on to logon screen so i cant see the boot process

First i drank Some coke
Then i drank More coke
Then i Drank even more coke
Then there was no coke

Lucky you, I always manage to stuff my comp with loads of crap somehow wich delayes the startup process...

Edit: Damn spelling.

Daft Vader - I am your father.
sS - Noooooooo! I demand a DNA-test.
---------------------------------------------------------------
They call me spammer, but you may call me Master.
It's better to chase a rabbit then to catch a hare...

@nickless use ms config to remove some startup processes and also i reccommend Ad-aware from Lavasoft to remove tonnes and tonnes of spy ware,
its won many awards for being so good!and its free!
and then maybe run HDD Defrag (very improtant!)

First i drank Some coke
Then i drank More coke
Then i Drank even more coke
Then there was no coke

Yeah defrag, I know

Anyway, mind mailing me some links? Not sure what programs you're talking about, so...
Addy is in my profile.

Edit: Damn spelling.

Daft Vader - I am your father.
sS - Noooooooo! I demand a DNA-test.
---------------------------------------------------------------
They call me spammer, but you may call me Master.
It's better to chase a rabbit then to catch a hare...

@Taw & Esq, this are the specs for the fans. I don't get much of a choice from these blokes.

---

Intel Certified CPU Fan Heatsink & 3 Case Fan





Heatsink Specification:

Material: Aluminum

Size: 80x70x50mm
Speed: 5000 RPM
Air Flow: 24 CFM

Connector: 3 pin connector with RPM sensor



Case Fan Specification:
Fan Size: 80x80x38mm

Air Flow: 84.1 CFM

Speed: 5700 RPM

Connector: 4 pin

---

Sir Spectre

Yep, that's a stock cooler alright. It's certainly adequate, however I would recommend something better. There are some fantastic fans/heatsinks out there. If you like, I'll try to rustle up a link or two for you...

Swiftech MCX478-V

Cooler Master Aero 7+

Zalman CNPS700A-AlCu

There you go, these are some of the good options available (the Zalman option is VERY quiet). They are all good quality heatsinks, and System Cooling is one of my favourite sites. These are only a few of the many HS's that are available (obviously), but the Aero 7+ (Option 2) is quite cheap and is very effective. As you are in America (I assume) I cannot recommend any stores. Still, there is no need to upgrade your fan unless you intend to OC. But cooler CPU's are more reliable during hot weather, and last longer.

Esquilax

============================================================
The above post is true, and by true I mean "false". It's comprised of lies, but they are entertaining lies and in the end, isn't that the real truth? The answer is "no".

Edited by - esquilax on 13-12-2003 01:49:41

@SnS

I know this is contrary to the more learned here but you might want to consider just going with what you've got and make a note to consider improving the proc cooler later. If you're concerned with protecting your price point that is. Coolers don't really cost you all that more but sometimes it makes a difference to how you've maxed out your budget.

I am assuming that you also are adding software to this purchase.

See how your games perform with the stock cooling system. Check to make sure that your rig is assembled in such a way that your cabling is nice and neat and permits as much free flow of air as possible.

Edited by - indy11 on 13-12-2003 02:18:35

@Esq, thanks, I might do one of those. I haven't installed a heatsink & fan for 8 years, are they still the snap ons or have they made them more complicated?

@Indy11, budget makes no nevermind to me, I want a good system to last me the next 5 years, like this one I have been using. Although, the company I am buying this through don't have any other alternatives for the custom build config. So I will do it like you said if I decide to.

Sir Spectre

@SnS

Just a little smidge more complicated in that you have to apply a thermal paste to assure proper heat transfer between the proc surface and the cooler unit.

@Indy11, paste huh ... is it touchy? Do I really have to worry about having too much globbed on?

More advice needed on this system:

I changed my mind and would like a DVD-RW: These are the two choices I have to choose from that I may actually want. So what are your thoughts?

Pioneer DVR-A06 Dual Format DVD-RW/DVD+RW + CD-R/RW Drive +$179 ($102 for me if I drop the CDRW)
Sony DW-U10A Dual Format DVD-RW/DVD+RW + CD-R/RW Drive +$205 ($128)

And what is the difference between a DVD-RW & a DVD+RW in drive terms?

Sir Spectre

@SnS

Paste - Not that gloppy. Not good to put too much on as you do not want it to touch pins or board but if you read the instructions and follow carefully, should not be a problem.

DVD-RW vs DVD+RW. I forget whose is whose but this is sort of like the old VHS vs. Beta vcr technology thing except that no one has said much about which is the better technology. i.e. They do the same thing but in a different format. Haven't seen anything to prove that one is better than the other.

Either of the two you mention are excellent but wouldn't you rather have a separate CD-R/RW drive?

@Indy, so they're different formating approaches. I guess I'll have to find out more. As for having a separate CDRW, why? If the same laser of DVDRW can do a CDRW CD then why spend $77 on a different drive and take up a bay?

Sir Spectre

@SnS

Formats

I used the VHS vs. Beta as analogy. I do not know whether I am 100% technically correct on the DVD side. I assume that certain mechanical gizmos in the drives also vary between +RW and -RW. You want a drive that can read and write to both as it does not look like the + vs - war will be ending very soon. The Sony and Pioneer are good. Toshibas recently got good reviews too and supposedly are the "hot" ones this Christmas. Plextor, also, gets consistently good marks.

On the CD side, Lite On makes a great line of drives and they are very affordable.

Separate CD

I see the attraction in having but one drive bay occupied by a multi-function optical drive but, seems to me that having the CD and DVD separately driven is a form of failsafe redundancy.

Most software is supplied on CD, including OSes. Seems to me you would want to know that, no matter what may go wrong DVD-wise, you've got a CD drive available for a boot-up, reinstall, etc.

@Indy, I will be taking my current DVD-ROM drive, which is basically a glorified CD-ROM drive, and putting it into this new computer. I bought it recently when my CD-Rom broke. The DVDRW I am getting is going only to be used for writing discs both CD & DVD, as I do often need to write disks for my work.

I need input from someone else on this DVD-RW/DVD+RW thing. It has me confused. I don't think it's of great importance because both drives I have listed contain both features. But it might make a difference in which standard I use. So anyone know more?

And so far, I still don't know what to choose for the actual drive.

Sir Spectre