First build help

[redfish]

At this "stable" setting I ran the benchmark that crashed my computer before and it crashed again, I guess this setting isn't so stable after all. Windows gave me a message in BIOS telling me that it shut down the computer because an error occurred- it was something to do with a processor core not cancelling clock within allocated time. I'm going to run it again, crash it, take a pic, and show you exactly what it said. I don't think that this has to do with OC'ing, though. Exactly the same result as before, and my PC is very stable other than this, a windows error, and an occasional freezing video game.

 

[redfish]

This time it didn't crash- it just froze, and I was able to start task manager and exit the program. I'm running that 3DMark benchmark software and every time it gets 6 seconds into the CPU benchmark before it freezes and eventually crashes. I'm wondering if the software has bugs.

 

[patonb]

Nope, its all fine, Iu run the program on both my lappy and q6600 which is OC'd.

3dmark is more for the gpu than cpu, so i'd run prime95 or occt to stress the cpu in a stability test. Are you on XP, or Vista/7?

 

[redfish]

I'm on Windows 7. I've noticed that it won't boot in safe mode- it gets as far as loading the PCI-E drivers and then freezes.
Still no opinion on the video?

 

[patonb]

You should use 3dVantage its designed for the newer hardware. You might be right about an unhappy software... Never ran win7.

Usualky when it won't get past the boot, its unstable. I've only oc'd via the bios, so i don't know how the software works.

About the gpu... i know very little on ATI, but your last choices seemed fine.

 

[redfish]

It boots fine in normal boot, but if I try to boot in Safe Mode it freezes and makes me run a windows repair.

 

[redfish]

I've decided to return CPU to stock settings for now; no point in overclocking if the GPU is such a big bottleneck (not to mention the monitor). This should answer some of my questions about whether or not it was indeed unstable or if it was bad software.

 

[redfish]

I ordered a new PSU that was on sale from Newegg today. Here's the link: Newegg.com - hec XPOWER780 600W(780W Peak) ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI NVIDIA HYBRID-SLI Certified CrossFire Certified Active PFC Power Supply
It's an HEC 600w (780w peak) ATX12v v2.3 PSU with active PFC, an efficiency of 87%, crossfire certified, etc. It was on sale for $60. Do you think this will hold me over for a while? (e.g. will it handle a billion fans and unnecessary active cooling items, at least two hard drives, at least two ODDs, my Phenom II x6 135w CPU, an ATI Radeon HD5750 card, and all sorts of other random unnecessary items)?
Speaking of fans, I recently decked out my PC with LED fans. I have a BlueGears b-Cool 120mm in the rear exhaust, a 40mm UV-reactive UV-LED fan I jury-rigged into a 5.25" bay, and two 120mm blue LED fans in the side and front intakes. I know, overkill. But it looks cool! I also got an 80mm fan for the CPU cooler but then found out that it's the wrong size. Whatever. I'll post pictures of it lit up when I can find the time.

 

[Slaymate]

HEC isn't that good of a power supply, there 600 watts would probably be call 500 watts by Antec or Corsair. But I still think it should power everything up OK.

 

[redfish]

Yeah, it was either this or an OCZ Fatal1ty series 550W which I would have bought instead if it weren't for the efficiency, wattage, LEDs and sale price. The advantages to the OCZ were the trustworthy brand, modular PSU, and more SATA connectors.
Looking back at the stats, it says that it has three independent +12v rails. I thought that all PSUs under 1000w just had one split rail marketed as multiple rails?