.

[Rick Christopherson]

Yeah, I spent a lot of time talking with ASUS about why the MB wouldn't POST with the card installed. It is listed as compatible. I just replaced the board under warranty last week and still no-go. Back when this started I even rebuilt the old motherboard just to verify that the video card was working on that board. On power-up, the ASUS MB just beeps that no video card is detected.

 

[AlexThePalex]

I've always built my own computers since back in '97 when I got my first one. Never bought a complete one, I love how I can choose all the components and make something tailor made to my own desires. Built quite some for other people too. I got a whole corner of the attic dedicated to computer parts because I am often given people's older systems when they upgrade.

Always prefer Nvidia for my graphics cards. Tried out a Radeon with the last PC I built for myself, but after a week I really hated the thing because it was buggy, didn't have the features I was used to from Nvidia and the picture just wasn't sharp. Send it back for an Nvidia card. Never have problems with Nvidia, as long as you make sure your PSU has enough power to run the card. Very often when you have problems with video cards it is because you're PSU doesn't have enough power.     

It took a lot of troubleshooting to discover that the video card was never shutting down even when the computer shut down.

Just wondering, if the computer is shut down, the PSU is also shut down, so where does the card get its juice?

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Hey SAE, this may have turned out to be a rather fruitful discussion. At least I'm hoping. Discussing this with you made me go poking around the NVIDIA website again to see if I could learn anything new. As I was about to search through their "knowledgebase" I noticed a "chat" button. Waddayaknow, they have 24 hour live support chat.

The technician thinks that a video bios update might solve the problem. So he called me at home and conference called into PNY tech support (which isn't 24 hour) so I could leave a message to have them get back to me with a bios update.

So right now I am getting a mule computer running that I can use to flash the video card before installing it into this workstation. I'm hoping this all works finally.  [smile]

 

[Rick Christopherson]

It took a lot of troubleshooting to discover that the video card was never shutting down even when the computer shut down.

Just wondering, if the computer is shut down, the PSU is also shut down, so where does the card get its juice?

No, the power supply doesn't shut down. It just shuts down certain parts and also goes to low power mode. All modern motherboards are always running a little bit any time the computer is plugged in, depending on the hardware design. The motherboard has to see the signal from the front chassis power switch in order to turn itself (and PSU) on. That doesn't necessarily mean the CPU is running, but that there is at least some circuitry on the board that is monitoring the power switch.

In the case of my previous motherboard, I could set it up to turn on from the keyboard. Even though it was completely off, it would monitor the USB keyboard to sense a key press. As I recall from long ago research, this was a function controlled by the video card not the main CPU. So it may only be available with certain video cards. And that would explain why I don't have that function on this motherboard with the old video card installed. It's part of the various sleep modes, and video cards control them.

I miss that function because the computer is back in the corner and tough to reach in the morning before I get my coffee.  [scared]

 

[GPowers]

'Ever drop a box of punch cards?

Tom

Back in the day, I worked for a bank in Nevada. We would store our Cobol programs on punch cards.

 

[greg mann]

You guys are old.  [tongue]

I used to build computers, a lot of them. Back in the day, I had my own store.

Nowadays, I just order them. The prices are usually hard to beat versus buying components separately. Companies like Cyberpower PC and iBuyPower and the like will build-to-order and use high quality components that can be upgraded.

I have built a few computers for my kids over the past 5 years, but those may be some of the last.

Just my 2 cents.

Shane

No, Shane. These guys aren't old, I am. Reading through this thread, for me, is like trying to interpret a foreign language.

BTW, some of us would argue that you still have your own shop. 

 

[EvereadyHardware]

I built my own PC last year. Pretty mid-range and paid about $600 for it but the best thing is that I've been periodically buying new components to upgrade it. I have my eye on a GTX 980 its going to run me about $550 (almost as much as the desktop its self but it will be totally worth it.) [big grin]

 

[gkaiseril]

It is not only building or just assembling component parts but also getting the OS and 3rd party drivers to work together and be optimized. You might be able to assemble a system for less than a store bought but then you need to buy much of software that would have been bundled with the store model. Than you may need to tweak the drivers for some of the components. Some of that code might be assembler and other pieces of code could be C.

I have built a Processor Technology Sol 20 and added Thinker Toys disk drives with CP/M 2.2. The PT Sol 20 was a build from bare circuit boards, chips, resistors and capacitors. For adjusting the OS to the computer, One had to use assembler to edit create the various drivers and then hand enter the macnine code to get the basic OS up. Then assemble and link as needed for the more complex OS. Adjusting the OS for the memory size required editing the OS in memory while the computer was running.

Ever wonder why Ward Christensen wrote Modem and Xmodem. He misunderstood the wiring instructions for the disk drive connection cables and switched the high to low data bit wires. The result was no one else could read his disks. So he wrote a serial port file transfer program to move his files to others computers. One only had top enter the program on each computer and then assemble the code.

I would rather spend my time doing other things than building and tuning a computer and debugging the system and having to adjust things with Microsoft updates something. Things get a lot more complex when adding scanners, digital touch pads, etc.

 

[andvari]

I've been building my own desktops since the mid-80s. It isn't a matter of saving money, but more a matter of building a machine that is best suited for what I want to do, and having control over what goes into it. There is also a benefit from often being able to re-use some of the parts, like a case you like etc.

More recently I've also been messing with laptops. The one I'm using now was bought fairly stripped and I've added a mSATA drive, upgraded the wifi card, memory and hard drive. There are a fair number of things you can do to extend the life of one of these too, like screen replacement, fan cleaning/replacement etc. I brought my son's laptop back to life by replacing a fan. Nasty job that, it required removing the CPU...

I think my next challenge in going to be working on smart phones and tablets. I bought an Optivisor a few years ago that is going to be helpful there I am sure.

This sort of thing is why I gave up on Apple. For about 15 years I had a Mac in my house too, but eventually I got to the point where I could not stand the lack of hardware flexibility and closed design of those things and stopped buying Apple products.

 

[Thistleman]

Started playing with computers late 70's - acorn atom, BBC B etc, then PC clones, spent ten years putting systems together from components then started using Macs. I now have four PCs that I have not used in years and a windows laptop that ony sees the light of day when I want to run Mathias's gear generator program.

My iMac is five years old and does everything I need it to. The constant flow of money into computer upgrades has ceased and I am now a Festool addict. Need I say more!!!!!!

 

[Gary in Texas]

I spent about a decade, from 1995-2005, building my own PC's, constantly upgrading, eventually putting all of the left overs together for another PC for the kids, and over time, would sell or upgrade more PC's.  It was a good way to tinker around with the electronics, and kinda pay the way for the upgrades. 

I never had any issues with the hardware, as mentioned in a post above, the only issues I ever came across was with the software, which could consume way more time than the actual build.

After laptops became more powerful, I moved away from the desktop PC, eventually moving onto the Apple platform for personal use. Absolutely love my MacBook Pro with retina display. 

My 19 year old son told me last week he wanted to build a desktop for gaming, and I felt a stir within to perhaps join him on this journey.  If he goes that route, I will only offer some guidance, as I would prefer he learn from the experience, rather than watch me put it all together.

 

[carlb40]

I built my first pc 3yrs christmas just gone. Still going strong now. Having never built one before, i just watched youtube videos on it.

Ordered the parts i decided i wanted and then built it. However i also went one step further by modding the case. [big grin]

I ended up drilling out all of the rivets, cutting out cable access holes into the mobo tray. Then spraying the whole interior black and refitting all the panels with black rivets.

I am now sorting out parts for my image editing pc. Hoping to have that built by the end of july. But depending on the case i have a few ideas on modding it yet again.  [big grin] [big grin]

 

[jeh]

I've built my own desktops since '86.  In the last eight years, though, it's been bought laptops only, and I don't see myself going back to desktops in the future.

I too built for a while then moved to notebooks then to Mac's. I do use an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse at my desk so I am not cramped. If I leave the desk it only takes a second to disconnect.

 

[Sparktrician]

I've built my own desktops since '86.  In the last eight years, though, it's been bought laptops only, and I don't see myself going back to desktops in the future.

I too built for a while then moved to notebooks then to Mac's. I do use an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse at my desk so I am not cramped. If I leave the desk it only takes a second to disconnect.

A docking station with two 25" monitors, an Ethernet connection, and an external eSATA hard drive is a good thing. 

 

[sae]

A laptop can't drive dual 30" monitors (except maybe a $5k+ machine), so I'm "stuck" with a lowly $600 desktop.  [tongue]

 

[elfick]

A laptop can't drive dual 30" monitors (except maybe a $5k+ machine), so I'm "stuck" with a lowly $600 desktop.  [tongue]

You need to lower that $5k to $1.3k because any current Macbook pro will drive dual 30"s (2560 x 1600)
I'm pretty sure my 2011 MacBook Pro can drive dual 30s.

I'm sure Dell and the others can do this also, I'm just not familiar with their offerings.

 

[Sparktrician]

A laptop can't drive dual 30" monitors (except maybe a $5k+ machine), so I'm "stuck" with a lowly $600 desktop.  [tongue]

MY $1,500 Business Class HP running Win7Pro does it handily through the docking station; both DVI and VGA (2 ea.). 

 

[sae]

A laptop can't drive dual 30" monitors (except maybe a $5k+ machine), so I'm "stuck" with a lowly $600 desktop.  [tongue]

You need to lower that $5k to $1.3k because any current Macbook pro will drive dual 30"s (2560 x 1600)
I'm pretty sure my 2011 MacBook Pro can drive dual 30s.

I'm sure Dell and the others can do this also, I'm just not familiar with their offerings.

Really? I have an older MBP, and it has more ports than any current one.

VGA/DVI doesn't have enough bandwidth to drive two 30's.

You need dual Displayport or dual dual-link DVIs. Any Intel based GPU won't do it either.

 

[AlexThePalex]

VGA/DVI doesn't have enough bandwidth to drive two 30's.

You need dual Displayport or dual dual-link DVIs. Any Intel based GPU won't do it either.

You should specify which resolution you need to drive instead of screen size, because resolution is what matters.

Many current graphics cards can run at least three 1920x1080 monitors. Everything has Displayport or HDMI these days. VGA is almost completely gone and DVI is only for compatibility with older monitors.

 

[Mr Heavy]

I remember the joys of attempting to write an interactive pornographic rpg for my then recently-built ZX81. The prog was dumped to cassette which took about 45 minutes - yep, c90 in real time - either up or down. Taught me a lot of self control, that did. GF of the time usually got bored and dragged me away instead of immersing herself in the game like she should have.

I ripped a lot of the code out and used it to build a tarot-reading program a few years later, running on a Mac Plus in some flavour of BASIC. It's the sort of thing my kid was doing by the time she was nine, but I was impressed with myself at the time. Just embarrassed now.
Oh that Mac - I was the envy of many friends 'cos I had a hard drive. It was a 20MB Rodime and weighed about the same as my microwave. SCSI cable, of course. You could probably use the same reel to raise the Titanic with. Fantastic piece of kit at the time. Ran Pagemaker and Freehand and a v 1.x version of Photoshop that was black and white. Not greyscale - black and white.
Okay, I didn't build it but I DID get it on line which I think is tantamount to the same thing (before the web of course.)
Vague memories of Kermit and Z-term and Archie and telephone calls confirming "image received." and running into some old dear who was furious at her grandson because she knew for certain that every computer in the world was connected to every other computer in the world and he had left his switched on where she might be undressing, meaning everyone with a computer would be watching her. Now of course it's perfectly true, which is why I place a soundproof, opaque bag over my monitor before I go to bed to stop them reading my newspaper.