Posts by RichardX13:

How To Custom Build Your Own PC On A Budget – Part 1

February 13th, 2010

Greetings and salutations to each and every one of you readers. This post I am about to write is basically showing you what I am doing at the moment in my spare time.

You see I absolutely enjoy every aspect of computing and technology. Some people may enjoy horse riding, soccer, baking,  frolicking through grassy fields. (As you do), but I just love technology.

Basically I’m still a student but have a couple of hours a week with an IT company. I upgraded my current computer about a year ago, changed the motherboard, processor and ram. At the moment my current specs are:

1) Motherboard =Gigabyte M57SLI-S4 (socket M2) Nvidia nForce 570 SLI Chipset

2) CPU = AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+, 3.0 Ghz

3) RAM = 4.0 GB Corsair DDR2 @ 201 MHz 5-5-5-18

4) Graphics = 256MB GeForce 7600 GT (x2)

5) Hard Drives = 200GB Seagate SCSI (x2)

6) Operating System = Windows 7 Ultimate 32 Bit




However, as you can see even though i upgraded the MB, CPU, and RAM only a year ago, already they are running out of date, especially with regards to my graphics cards, any new release games are not playable off my 256MB GeForce 7600 GT (x2). So I said to myself, that’s it!!

I’m gonna have to build a new computer.

So I spent about a week reading reviews, viewing specs, and comparing the various components. Then I picked each component that I wanted, except the video card. Now I buy each component as an can afford it. Then each time I buy a new component, I will post a new post updating you on what I’ve done. The reason I have not selected a video card is because, ATI seem to be miles ahead of nVidia at the moment, which doesn’t really sit right with me since i am a huge nVidia fan. ATI have 2GB GDDR5 cards with direct x11 support (ATI 5970). nVidia are still mainly on 1GB GDDR3 with direct x10 support. So I do want to wait to see what nVidias new Fermi range will have in store.

Ok, so. . . .so far I have bought 3 components, the Case, Motherboard and CPU (central processing unit). You’ll notice too, my supplier of choice was Komplett.ie. You will find the link to each component listed.






Here is the breakdown:

1) Case: Cooler Master HAF 922………………………………………………………[Link]

2) Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD6, P55, Socket-1156……….[Link]

3) Processor: Intel i5 Quad-Core Processor i5-750, 2.66 Ghz Quad Core….[Link]










OK, so before I go on to show you pictures and instructions on how I fitted the components, I should probably explain, why I decided to pick these exact components. By the way if you disagree with why I did something a certain way or why I chose one component over another, please feel free to leave a comment at the end of this post.

The Case -€120

So the reason I picked that exact case, the HAF 922, was because firstly, it looks amazing, lovely bright red LED’s, nice black finish looks like a mean sith machine. Ha. The other reason is because of it’s expandability – 10 drive bays, 5 external, 5 internal. Also It has an extreme fan cooling system with a Front 200mm Fan, Top 200mm Fan, and a Rear 120mm Fan, with the option for another 200mm on the side panel, and also the option to switch all 200mm fans with 120mm x2.

The Motherboard -€250


The Reason i bought that particular Motherboard was because It supports the long awaited USB 3.0, which brags to be up to 10 times faster, however this really isn’t true, most reviews claim it to be about 3 times faster than standard USB 2.0. Also it has support for SATA 6.0Gbps, yes this technically should be twice as fast as Standard SATA 3.0GBps that we are all use to. The only problem with these is that there isn’t many drives out yet that are 6.0GBps, so at the moment it’s not hugely beneficial, likewise with the USB 3.0. However in a few months or perhaps almost a year, the productions of these devices will be rampant, you see at the moment the companies i.e Seagate, Western Digital, etc all need to get rid of their current stock before selling these new technologies. Also this motherboard supports up to 16GB of SDDR3 RAM, dual channel. And Finally it’s equipped with 1x ATA, 8x SATA, 2x E-SATA, 14x USB, 3x Firewire.

The Processor -€185


Finally the reason I bought the i5-750 Processor. I was stuck between choosing AMD and Intel, Ive been using AMD for most of my life and haven’t had much trouble. However Intel just seems to be miles ahead in technology. Yes AMD are cheaper, however their flagship processor the Phenom ll x4 processor still matched my new Intels i5- 750. Thus, showing that Intels 4th or 5th best processor is matched to AMD’s greatest processor, also the fact that AMD almost got forced out of the market by Intel, was also a little bit unnerving. If Intel wasn’t forced to pay AMD 1.25 billion, who knows where they would be!

Most reviews even show that the i5-750 still out performs the phenom ll x4 by a small bit in all areas, except for gaming where the phenom ll x4 edges its way a minuscule amount past the i5. However, Intel still have the i7 family which consists of 4 different processors which are all better than AMD and the i5′s, these however range in price between €220 – €850. While AMD Phenom ll x4 prices come in around €160




The Build:

The Motherboard and How To Install It

OK so here’s what i did:

The pictures explain most of it, but ill explain what I can anyway.

Firstly I remove the two thumb screws from the back of the case so that I could remove the side panel.

Then I lined up the other twist screws with the Mother Board ATX layout. (These are nine screws which the motherboard then sits on)

After that I then removed the motherboard from it’s packaging, and sat it down lining up the screws. Also ensuring that the rear ports of the motherboard lined up with the rear port slot of the case.




Next, and this is very important, you need to screw in the motherboard, but this isn’t as straight forward as you might think. You do NOT fully screw in 1 screw at a time, this will cause the motherboard to not line up and could end up permanently damaging it. You need to just give each screw a few twists so that you just feel it threading, then you do that with the screw directly opposite it. For example if you start with the screw at the very top left, then your 2nd screw should be bottom right, and so on. Then when they are all threaded you can slowly screw them all in each one a bit at a time, until eventually they fit snug. As seen in the image.







The Processor (CPU)

The next job was to insert the processor, this part must be done with precision and accuracy! Why?

Well if you discharge static from your body through the processor it’s fried, and if you’ve bought the i7-965 Extreme, then that’s €850 that you will not be getting back.

Also if the processor is not inserted the correct way, you could bend the little pins, rendering the chip useless.

So basically, yes it is a square but your processor will come with instructions. On mine i had to line up a small triangle, the processor basically sits right in. Then the retention clip is brought down, securing it.




Yes you do need to exert quite a bit of force on this retention bracket, some people think they are in fact crushing their processor, but listen, the retention clip is there for a reason, to ensure every tiny little pin is in contact with the motherboard, of course it’s going to need quite a lot of pressure.

This image shows how it should look.

The CPU Cooler

The next a final step now comes, the fitting of the heatsink or CPU cooler as some like to call it. Either way something tells me no matter what you call it, it will still complete the same task. Cool your CPU. Ha

Anyway, i know you can buy better and quieter ones, and that you can even buy water cooling ones such as the Corsair H50 Hydro, which I’ve seen in action and must admit its pretty damn good.

However I stuck with Intels standard heat sink for cost sake. Yes it is included when you purchase a CPU.

It’s pretty straight forward, just PLEASE make sure there is cooling paste on your heat sink before you fit it, this aids in firstly holding it together but also for transferring the heat from the CPU to the heat sink.

Basically, all you do is sit it on top of the CPU lining up the 4 push screws and then turn each of them in a clock wise direction, nothing too much to it.

This image shows the heatsink fitted, the other image shows a view from the rear of the MB. and case

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also this was another reason i liked the HAF 922 Case, you can take off the other side panel and there is an access hole to the back of your motherboard.

This is very handy for say fitting a Corsair H50 Hydro, because it comes with a retention bracket that fits to the back of your board to hold the water cooling system on. With this handy access hole, it means you do not need to remove your MB from its case. Neat, eh?

Anyway that pretty much concludes part 1, I shall update ye when I purchase the next part, which will most likely be the RAM or PSU (power supply unit).

Please leave a comment after you read this whether it be commendation or criticism, I really don’t mind, but criticism helps me to learn.

Also if you have any questions regarding this post that you do not wish to post publicity, you can contact Tech-n-life, or myself (ex13mail@gmail.com).

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Avast Free Antivirus 5.0 Now Out With Loads Of New Features

January 20th, 2010

OK, OK, I know there are many free anti-virus software available out there. We have Microsoft Security Essentials and AVG as 2 fine examples of great free anti virus software

Some of you may want to pay for anti virus software because you believe that you will be better protected, and that’s fine. That’s a personal decision. However, it’s not necessarily the case at all, I used AVG free and AVG pro, never got a virus with either. I used Kaspersky which is not  free , however Microsoft Security Essentials did the job just as well and is free.

Well, I’d like to now bring your attention to Avast Free 5.0!

Yes as it’s name suggests it’s free and yes there is a pro version you can pay for if you wish.

The Key Components that compile this latest version according to Avast are:

1. Improved anti virus and anti spy ware engine
2. Avast Intelligent scanner
3. Silent/Gaming Mode
4. Behavior Shield
5. Real Time Anti Root Kit Protection
6. Smart Virus Updates
7. Avast Community IQ
8. Behavioral Honey Pots
9. Green Computing
10. Avast I-Track
11. File System/Mail Shield
12. IM/P2P Shield
13. Network Shield

Lifehacker also brought out that this latest version brings a new Behavior Shield, heuristics engine and code emulator.

Many of you who are familiar with Avast will be pleased to hear about some major improvements. You will notice that the Interface has greatly improved in terms of it’s ease of use. The new interface is much more simple to use, and is that bit easier on the eye.

Also you will notice that scans run faster than the previous versions, which in turn makes it more efficient.

On one final note, you will notice as i mentioned above, that it has a Silent/Gaming mode. So, no more distracting pop ups and voices that close your game down involuntary.




I would seriously recommend this latest anti virus, whether you use an older version of avast, or perhaps you’ve never before used Avast, or perhaps you have used Avast, and have then changed to a different anti virus software. Either way I am making a serious recommendation, at least just try it, if you don’t like it, then simply uninstall it. Although you will need to give serious consideration before doing this if you are using a paid for anti virus as you may lose your license. (READ – Backup your licence)

To Download Avast 5.0 just click here.

I would very much appreciate your comments below, it really does help to get other peoples opinions. You could mention what you like about it, what you don’t like. Or even you could note your preference of anti virus and why. You see when other readers voice their opinions it gets other readers thinking about programs that they don’t use, so they will try them out. Its only by sharing our opinions that information gets around, and in turn benefits us all.

 

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FLS Launcher – Application Manager

January 18th, 2010

Are you sick and tired of having a cluttered desktop? Are you waisting 2 or 3 minutes of valuable time just searching for a particular file or program?

Well, there are many solutions out there. However, the latest and most efficient I have come across is the ‘FSL Launcher’.

Why is this so efficient compared to other products you might ask. Well it was Lifehacker who first brought this application to my attention.

The main purpose of FLS Launcher is to aid in accessing files, folders and applications. However, FLS does this in a way that is both appealing to the user, and easy to use, with its simple yet impressive interface.

What I liked about this application is its ability to group shortcuts. You can have many different groups, such as Programs, Games, Internet, Misc, Music, Movies, Utilities. . .  the list goes on. Simply put you create whatever group names you want, then they appear as tabs which you can simply switch between. Once the groups have been made you can then add shortcuts for anything you want, any files, folders, and applications.

If you wish, you can then back up these groups and shortcuts to a portable drive and restore them if for some reason you need to re install your OS, or you un-install the program, and then wish to install it again.

FLS launcher can be launched by clicking on the system tray icon or by simply  moving your mouse to the upper left corner of the screen.

There is also a donation version available, but most of the features are in the free version. The donation version adds in keyboard shortcuts and some customization options, but most users will find the free version more than enough.

Don’ t write it off as just another app manager. This has some serious advantages over other app managers and is free. It’ s definitely something that is worth a try. If you don’t find it useful, you can simply un-install it. Nothing lost by just trying it.

You can download it from this link:

FLS Launcher






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IronKey – The Ultimate in Portable Storage. . . . Safe, Secure and Neat

December 19th, 2009

You’ve all used memory keys right? . .

So tell me what is it you use them for? . . No doubt at some stage you carry some personal, sensitive or important data with you!

Whether these are personal files, business files or just general files, one thing will always be certain, you like your privacy.

Let me put it into perspective for you, you have all your business records and transactions stored on your memory key, even financial records and yes even perhaps credit card details. (I know it seems strange, but I’ve actually seen it done, credit card details!)

Now what happens if you accidentally leave it behind you in a coffee shop, or leave it plugged into a computer in an Internet cafe?

Yes, that’s right some one will take it, view its contents and yes perhaps share them online after they purchase a new phone, PS3, watch and diamond ring for their wife, with your credit card details. There is a solution to this common problem. The solution is IronKey.



IronKey is the latest in portable storage technology. These memory keys are made out of steel and are waterproof, it also keeps your files secure with AES 256-bit hardware encryption.



Before you ask no this is not the same as installing True-Crypt on a normal memory key. (No offense to True-Crypt, it is a fantastic bit of software.)

However IronKey’s AES 256 bit encryption is in the hardware, their is a hardware encryption chip physically built into the drive, therefore your security is always on, and cannot be tampered with by malware.

This makes it almost hack proof, I know ill get some over zealous self glorifying tard telling me “Nothing is hack proof”. Well for your convenience, that is why I said almost hack proof.

What makes it even more impressive is that after 10 wrong password attempts, it internally melts all your data, making it impossible to recover.

Impressive eh??

Well Impressive comes with a price, you should expect to  pay between €200 and €300

So worth it though eh!

It also has a very impressive interface when you plug it into your computer, simple yet effective.



Iv been using one for a while now, its unreal, and you can back up all your data, so that if your key goes into meltdown accidentally you can restore your back up on a new IronKey

Check out this fantastic demo video:    https://www.ironkey.com/demo-personal

Hope you enjoy this bit of information, if you have any other questions or comments just post them below.

Regards

RichardX13

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Backupify – Makes Regular Backups of Your Online Data

November 30th, 2009 Twitter, WordPress, Facebook,  Delicious, Basecamp, Google Docs, Gmail, Zoho, Flickr, Photobcket. . . . . . . . . Your probably wondering why i just listed 10 web applications. Well, no doubt anyone here reading on this blog uses one or more of these applications. Most of these apps are very useful, whether it be for communication, photo sharing, sharing business documents or simply storing some information. However, what happens if for example, someone hacks into one of these accounts, deletes everything or changes your password or finds some sensitive information that you are trying to protect, or for exampe what happens if they’re servers crash. Well one solution is Backupify. . . . . . . .            

Why Should You Backup Your Online Accounts?

Well, Backupify have answered this question themselves, they say “Your lifestream contains important data, but all those pictures, videos, documents, and blog posts are exposed to potential loss. Some web 2.0 services shut down without warning. Others are hacked. Sometimes data is lost from basic human error, or the intentional actions of a disgruntled employee. Don’t put your lifestream at risk when there is a simple, easy, low cost way to back it up.” To summarize in a neat format we could just look at 6 reasons why backupify is beneficial:
1. It’ s easy
2. It’ s automatic
3. It’ s a low cost solution
4. It protects your important data
5. It’ s private
6. It’ s secure
One of my favourite blogs Lifehacker has recently outlined this service, they mention:

“Backupify is a spiffy service that automatically performs scheduled backups at one of the 10 online services they support. Supply the login credentials of the sites you want backed up, and Backupify takes care of the rest. Once you’re up and running, if your Gmail, Google Docs, or FriendFeed account flakes out, you won’t have to freak out because all your important stuff is stored safely somewhere else. Backupify offers Twitter backups for free and three additional premium plans that range from $3.95 to $14.95 per month, depending on how much storage you need. Seems like a reasonable price to pay for the comfort of knowing the data you store in the cloud won’t disappear into the ether some day.”

So hopefully this post has been helpful. Why not download the trial and post a comment at the end on how you found it, what you liked and what you disliked about it. Hopefully you can see how much this low cost, high performance service offers. Head to Backupify now

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