Random Question Thread: Tech

[Callisto]

Random Question. Is there any reason to ever flash your MB bios unless your PC has a problem? I've never once done this on a PC but I'm curious if there is any reason to do so unless there is a problem.

I'm not qualified to answer from my own knowledge, but when I was building my own PC I asked a much more knowledgeably friend this exact same question and he said absolutely not.

[Jodwahh]

The only time I would flash the bios is for an update to support a cpu that is not supported by my MB as standard. Even then, I would only use a bios from the MB manufacturer.

[Isiolia]

No real reason to do it unless you want or need one of the listed changes. Most of the time it's just expanded CPU/RAM support, so kind of moot if your system is working fine already. Never know though, so it can be worth checking in case they add some tweak to the BIOS. Barring a failed flash (which is pretty rare), worst case is usually that you're better covered in case you upgrade parts.

[Omniyoji]

"if it isn't bork, don't fix it!"

[sruon]

Random Question. Is there any reason to ever flash your MB bios unless your PC has a problem? I've never once done this on a PC but I'm curious if there is any reason to do so unless there is a problem.

Nope.

[Kirin]

I have never built a PC from scratch before, mostly just installed new parts in an already existing case. My main point being, I've never shopped a case before.

My current case is now a good 6 years old and showing it, as the entire left side has been replaced with a box fan for cooling issues which wasn't used as often due to winter time. Now that its creeping back into spring/summer in Georgia, Im thinking I should pony up some extra cash lying around and buy a new case. Am I going to have to shop an entire new mobo as well? Are current market cases generally universal in terms of mobo + screw placement? Am I going to have to drill holes into stuff? Is it difficult to transplant a system into a new case?

Asus P5QC Motherboard if this matters.

[Cephius]

I have never built a PC from scratch before, mostly just installed new parts in an already existing case. My main point being, I've never shopped a case before.

My current case is now a good 6 years old and showing it, as the entire left side has been replaced with a box fan for cooling issues which wasn't used as often due to winter time. Now that its creeping back into spring/summer in Georgia, Im thinking I should pony up some extra cash lying around and buy a new case. Am I going to have to shop an entire new mobo as well? Are current market cases generally universal in terms of mobo + screw placement? Am I going to have to drill holes into stuff? Is it difficult to transplant a system into a new case?

Asus P5QC Motherboard if this matters.

Unless you buy a case from some unknown shitty company, they're all pretty much universal. They all come with pre-drilled holes for micro-ATX and ATX motherboards, you just need to line up the holes on your motherboard to see which ones you need to put the standoffs into.

[Callisto]

Case changes are super, super easy. Find out what form factor your mobo is, find a case for that form factor, swap stuff over. If you're on a budget and have a full ATX board I highly recommend this guy: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129042

[Isiolia]

Are current market cases generally universal in terms of mobo + screw placement?

Yes. The primary "fit" thing with cases is size of the board, which is predominately Micro ATX or ATX. Your motherboard is ATX. What you'll usually find is that a case will come with stand-offs pre-installed for Micro-ATX, and additional ones to install if you have an ATX board. Holes are already there, you just need to screw the stand-offs in, and then the board on top of those. You'll also probably pop out the generic backplate and take the one out of your current system as it'd match your motherboard (I assume).

You don't need to buy a new motherboard, but you do need to make sure that you buy a case that accommodates an ATX board, and not just Micro ATX (usually only an issue if you're hunting for a smaller case or home theater PC case).

Transplanting a system over isn't hard, but it does mean effectively rebuilding your whole machine. Outside of actually mounting the board and connecting the power switch/LEDs/etc, it's probably all stuff you've done before.

[Kerberoz]

Case standards haven't changed for over a decade. Pretty much everything on the market is ATX/microATX.

[Boyiee]

What cards are you running? I've heard only good things by misc. overclockers about using W.index as a benchmark for your system. I can see a problem when you get to the max of 7.9 having trouble knowing, but very few people sit at 7.9.

sli 580's, and what?

[Caiyuo]

The case questions reminds me, is there a lot of foreseeable trouble if I were to basically replace everything in a really old, really shitty P4 system from like 2002 yet tried to use the old system image with entirely new hardware? Person has a ton of shit to install that's mostly a lot of audio software and plugins that seem like a huge pain to have to deal with and/or pirate all over again. I'd likely set up a dual-boot setup retaining his old XP image with a fresh Win7 install, but is it even worth it?

[Cephius]

The case questions reminds me, is there a lot of foreseeable trouble if I were to basically replace everything in a really old, really shitty P4 system from like 2002 yet tried to use the old system image with entirely new hardware? Person has a ton of shit to install that's mostly a lot of audio software and plugins that seem like a huge pain to have to deal with and/or pirate all over again. I'd likely set up a dual-boot setup retaining his old XP image with a fresh Win7 install, but is it even worth it?

If you swap out all the hardware a) its very unlikely anything will work since all the drivers will be wrong b) the system might not even boot and c) windows will deactivate itself anyway even if it does

[Caiyuo]

shiiiiiiit. I think I'll put off messing with his crap for awhile. Thanks, Ceph

[Arximiro]

If they ever change the 2 form factors we have now it will cause a shitstorm for the ages. I think we all like it the way it is.

[Overburn]

I have a question on listening to music at home. My only option really is to listen on my laptop, which is a fairly standard Dell computer. I have 595s and was wondering on advice for either a new soundcard (I've never done something like this before, but I imagine it is something I can get help with from somebody I know) or a headphone amp, which I've heard mixed reviews from on almost all of them. My budget is about $100-150 if that's possible. Thanks.

[chiyio]

this guy on ebay puts up really good headphone amps pretty often that he makes himself. http://myworld.ebay.com/biosciencegeek/

I have two of them and they work great. Usually like $50. best bang for your buck by far I think

[sruon]

The case questions reminds me, is there a lot of foreseeable trouble if I were to basically replace everything in a really old, really shitty P4 system from like 2002 yet tried to use the old system image with entirely new hardware? Person has a ton of shit to install that's mostly a lot of audio software and plugins that seem like a huge pain to have to deal with and/or pirate all over again. I'd likely set up a dual-boot setup retaining his old XP image with a fresh Win7 install, but is it even worth it?

+1, Windows will not work with different drivers.

[Callisto]

Kind of a two-parter: Does anyone know the best way to get an accurate read of your GPU's clock speeds? I have this card, and CPU-Z is showing the core clock at 405MHz, but it's supposed to be running at 765MHz. If CPU-Z is considered pretty accurate for this, anyone willing/able to walk me through getting the clock up to where it should be, or would I be better off contacting PNY customer service?

edit: herpaderp, I guess it changes based on application, if I pick '3D application in CPU-Z' everything looks normal, go me not knowing anything about GPUs

[sruon]

I'd recommend installing MSI Afterburner.