Need advice upgrading PC

[KilesJr]

Hi,

I am planning to upgrade my DIY PC(see right hand column for the specs) as it has been giving me problems(unable to startup occasionally, giving 3 or 6 beeps sometimes). I use it to surf net and play games(such diablo 3, L4D2, POE and other new games I can find). My budget is $1k. Advice on what to purchase is very much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Alternative X]

Suggested hardware parts:

CPU+ Mobo: ASROCK H81M-HDS + i5 4460 (319)
GPU: SAPPHIRE R9 280 3GB DUAL-X (285) (lazada.com)
SSD: OCZ VERTEX 460 120GB (99)
PSU: SUPERFLOWER HX 600M GOLD MODULAR (109)
Monitor: DELL S2340L (235)

Total Cost: $1047

Unless otherwise stated, buy at PC Themes, #04-15, and ask for discounts. DIY yourself. If you can't into DIY, get PC Themes to assemble for you for a fee.

Notes:

1) 3 beeps suggests RAM issues, 6 beeps suggests bad keyboard connection. Reseat your keyboard connection and your RAMs and run Memtest86+ to see if there are any issues with your RAM.

2) The inclusion of these parts will enable you to play most games you fancy at max settings at 1080p.

3) Install the OS in the SSD and enjoy decreased boot up and loading times.

4) Not sure what is the resolution of the Viewsonic 20'', a Dell S2340L is included to allow you to game at 1080p.

5) Can consider using the AMD A4-3400 and the MSI A55M-P35 for a HTPC/BT build since AMD's FM1 CPUs are designed to be quite power sipping. Can also keep the Enermax NAXN 550W PSU as a spare PSU as it is a good quality PSU.

 

[KilesJr]

Suggested hardware parts:

CPU+ Mobo: ASROCK H81M-HDS + i5 4460 (319)
GPU: SAPPHIRE R9 280 3GB DUAL-X (285) (lazada.com)
SSD: OCZ VERTEX 460 120GB (99)
PSU: SUPERFLOWER HX 600M GOLD MODULAR (109)
Monitor: DELL S2340L (235)

Total Cost: $1047

Unless otherwise stated, buy at PC Themes, #04-15, and ask for discounts. DIY yourself. If you can't into DIY, get PC Themes to assemble for you for a fee.

Notes:

1) 3 beeps suggests RAM issues, 6 beeps suggests bad keyboard connection. Reseat your keyboard connection and your RAMs and run Memtest86+ to see if there are any issues with your RAM.

2) The inclusion of these parts will enable you to play most games you fancy at max settings at 1080p.

3) Install the OS in the SSD and enjoy decreased boot up and loading times.

4) Not sure what is the resolution of the Viewsonic 20'', a Dell S2340L is included to allow you to game at 1080p.

5) Can consider using the AMD A4-3400 and the MSI A55M-P35 for a HTPC/BT build since AMD's FM1 CPUs are designed to be quite power sipping. Can also keep the Enermax NAXN 550W PSU as a spare PSU as it is a good quality PSU.

Thanks for the advice. I will probably get the CPU+Mobo, GPU and SSD that you recommended, but reuse the old monitor and PSU since they are still working. By the way, since I will be reinstalling the OS on to the SSD, are there any easy ways to transfer the user settings from my old HDD to the new SSD? Thanks again!

 

[Alternative X]

Thanks for the advice. I will probably get the CPU+Mobo, GPU and SSD that you recommended, but reuse the old monitor and PSU since they are still working. By the way, since I will be reinstalling the OS on to the SSD, are there any easy ways to transfer the user settings from my old HDD to the new SSD? Thanks again!

The OCZ Vertex 460 comes with a copy of Acronis disk cloning software and you can use it to clone your HDD over to the SSD.

 

[FinalTidus]

The OCZ Vertex 460 comes with a copy of Acronis disk cloning software and you can use it to clone your HDD over to the SSD.

Sorry ot a bit since I am about to clone my OS HDD to ssd.

My OS drive is 1TB. My SSD is only 240GB. but currently my OS is only using 150GB data. 850GB is unfilled.

Is there a way to clone to the 240GB SSD?

 

[Alternative X]

Sorry ot a bit since I am about to clone my OS HDD to ssd.

My OS drive is 1TB. My SSD is only 240GB. but currently my OS is only using 150GB data. 850GB is unfilled.

Is there a way to clone to the 240GB SSD?

Just clone it? The copy will be 150GB in size and you put this disk image into the SSD and get an exact copy of the HDD in the SSD. The process should be about the same as making pirated copies of a DVD.

 

[FinalTidus]

Just clone it? The copy will be 150GB in size and you put this disk image into the SSD and get an exact copy of the HDD in the SSD. The process should be about the same as making pirated copies of a DVD.

The entire partition is 1TB. It doesn't fit into the 24-GB SSD.

 

[Alternative X]

The entire partition is 1TB. It doesn't fit into the 24-GB SSD.

Erm... no, disc cloning software does not work that way. Even though the partition is 1TB in size, the software ignores the size of the partition and instead only cares about how much data is in the HDD. If you have 150GB data, the software will recognize that there will be 150GB of data to be ported over and not the 850GB of empty space. Since you have a 240GB SSD (240GB, right? Why would anyone still have a 24GB SSD in 2014? ), you should have no problems fitting 150GB worth of data into a 240GB SSD.

If disc cloning is like how you have imagined, people installing SSDs into their OEM systems are going to be in a lot of trouble since they are highly likely to be trying to fit data from a 250GB/500GB partition into a 120/240GB SSD.

 

[KilesJr]

The OCZ Vertex 460 comes with a copy of Acronis disk cloning software and you can use it to clone your HDD over to the SSD.

Thanks but will the SSD be able to recognize the new Mobo and GPU after cloning? Or do I need to reinstall Windows 7 over the SSD after the cloning?

One more thing, you mentioned I can reuse the old mobo to build a HTPC. Can you advise what components to buy for the HTPC? Thanks again.

 

[Alternative X]

Thanks but will the SSD be able to recognize the new Mobo and GPU after cloning? Or do I need to reinstall Windows 7 over the SSD after the cloning?

My bad, I have forgotten that you are changing into a motherboard with a completely different chipset. Please skip the cloning and just do a fresh Windows install or else you will get driver conflicts if you simply clone over the HDD.

What kind of settings are you hoping to port over from your HDD?

 

[KilesJr]

I will be importing internet settings(bookmarks, cookies, etc), user account settings and software programs

 

[Alternative X]

OK, lets settle the HTPC build first.

HTPC parts:

RAM: G.SKILL PC 12800/1600MHZ DDR3 CL11 VALUE RAM (4GB) (53)
SSD: OCZ VERTEX 460 120GB (99)
HDD: TOSHIBA 1TB 7200RPM (69)
DVD-RW: LG 24X DVD-RW SATA OEM (25)
PSU: FSP 300W 80% ATX PSU (39)
Case: CM 344 MICRO CASE (44)
OS: WINDOWS 7 HOME PREM (120)

Total cost: $449

Buy at PC Themes, #04-15, and ask for discounts. DIY yourself. If you can't into DIY, get PC Themes to assemble for you for a fee.


How to transfer your stuff from the A4 rig to the i5 rig:

1) Build your HTPC first, install the WD HDD into the HTPC, install the Toshiba HDD into the i5 rig. Do not clone the WD HDD yet. Install the Windows Home Premium into the SSD in the i5 rig.

2) Install the software programs that you want to transfer over in the i5 rig first.

3) After you got both rigs running, get a ethernet cable and connect both computers with the cable through the LAN ports. Create a network between the 2 rigs. (Normal USB cables will not work.)

4) From the A4 rig, run Windows Easy Transfer and use it to port over Internet settings, user account settings and software settings.

5) You can proceed to clone the WD HDD over to the HTPC SSD after you are done. There is no need to reinstall Windows 7 Professional for the HTPC.

Read this for more info about Windows Easy Transfer:
How to Use Easy Transfer in Windows 7 - For Dummies
Windows Easy Transfer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia