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#119985 - 05/04/06 08:04 AM HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Joe Offline
SimHQ Technology Editor
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Registered: 04/05/02
Posts: 16196
Loc: Somerville, NJ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
LCD Response Time is not the same as CRT Refresh Rate. LCD response time is a measure of how long it takes an LCD pixel to turn on or off; a 16ms or lower response time is good for gaming. The refresh rate on a CRT is a measure of how many times per second the entire image is redrawn on the monitor glass. For CRTs, the higher the refresh rate the better (to avoid flickering). For LCDs, a refresh rate of 60 Hz is recommended, and this value has no effect on the displayed image.

If you want to create a dual-boot system with Windows 98 and Windows XP, you must install Windows 98 first. Each OS must be installed on its own hard drive partition.

HARDWARE TROUBLESHOOTING & DIAGNOSTICS
Testing memory: Memtest86+
Testing CPU/memory stability: Prime95
Overall system evaluation: SiSoft SANDRA
CPU/memory/motherboard information: CPU-Z
System monitoring: Motherboard Monitor & SpeedFan
Power calculations: Overclockulator

Hard drive diagnostic utilities are available from your hard drive manufacturer's website.

To test your power supply (PSU), disconnect all connections to your computer hardware and use a paperclip to short the green pin on the 20/24-pin ATX connector to any black pin. This will start the power supply and turn its fan. It is not good for your power supply to retain this condition for a length of time, but it is good for a quick test.

Be aware that not all power supplies are created equal. Lesser-known and no-name brands will rarely supply their rated power.
Avoid PSUs from the following manufacturers: Deer, Allied, FoxConn, Powmax, Raidmax
Buy PSUs from the following manufacturers: Antec, PC Power & Cooling, Seasonic, Sparkle, Fortron, Enermax, Tagan


BENCHMARKING
3DMark 2001
3DMark 2003
3DMark 2005
3DMark 2006
PCMark 2005
HDTach


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ALTERNATIVE BROWSING
FireFox
Opera

ANTI-SPYWARE / ANTI-VIRUS
Adaware SE Personal
Spybot - Search & Destroy
Windows Defender
Avast!
AVG
TrendMicro housecall (online scan)


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DEDICATED HARDWARE NEWS AND REVIEWS
Ars Technica
Anandtech
HardOCP
Tom\'s Hardware

DEDICATED HARDWARE FORUMS
HardOCP
Overclockers.com
Anandtech

BRAND_SPECIFIC FORUMS
Abit
DFI
MSI


BRICK & MORTAR HARDWARE LISTINGS
salescircular.com

ONLINE HARDWARE RETAILERS, US
Newegg
Directron
ZipZoomFly
MWave
TankGuys
HeatSink Factory
SV Compucycle
Sidewinder Computer Systems
SilenX
Azatek

ONLINE HARDWARE RETAILERS, UK
dabs
Komplett
Maplin
Micro Direct
PC World
Aria
Chillblast
Ebuyer
Kustom PCs
Misco
Overclock.co.uk
Over-clock.co.uk
Scan.co.uk
Tekheads
TheCoolingShop
Overclockers.co.uk

ONLINE HARDWARE RETAILERS, Canada
NCIX


BUILDING A NEW PC
Tom\'s Hardware building guide
Ars Technica Budget Box
Ars Technica "Hot Rod" (fast gaming rig)
Anandtech buyer\'s guide
Build Your Own PC
Silent PC review

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VIDEO CARD DRIVERS & UTILITIES
The Guru of 3D
Powerstrip
RivaTuner
nHancer (nVidia only)
Coolbits (nVidia only)
3D chipset specs

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dead pixel finder

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#119986 - 05/04/06 09:50 AM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Tristan Offline
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Registered: 03/04/02
Posts: 1041
Loc: Chelsea, Michigan, USA
Wow! Great index; thanks, Joe.
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#119987 - 05/04/06 12:16 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Joe Offline
SimHQ Technology Editor
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Registered: 04/05/02
Posts: 16196
Loc: Somerville, NJ
updated

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#119988 - 05/04/06 02:25 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Gatticus Offline
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Registered: 08/06/05
Posts: 2894
Loc: Canada
ONLINE HARDWARE RETAILERS, Canada/US

http://www.ncix.com
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"Electronic music should have freed the masses from the limitations of fretboards and fixed-pitch instruments. But apparently some missed the memo..." --thegibsonian

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#119989 - 05/04/06 06:54 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
speedbump Offline
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Registered: 11/23/05
Posts: 4272
Loc: Corsicana
http://overclockulator.pimprig.com/
Overclockulator 1.36 for PSU calculations. Glad to see the new sticky, Joe.
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#119990 - 05/07/06 11:37 AM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
tankeriv Offline
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Registered: 08/21/02
Posts: 3585
Loc: Holland
Some more links :

Guru3d.com many drivers, beta drivers and utillities for your graphics card

http://www.tweakers.net Dutch hardware site. (for the Dutch amongst us) (very comprehensive)
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#119991 - 05/08/06 04:35 AM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Mr B Offline
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Registered: 12/22/01
Posts: 2285
The definitive graphics card specs page:
http://users.erols.com/chare/video.htm

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#119992 - 05/08/06 05:15 AM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Revvin Offline
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Registered: 04/12/00
Posts: 1612
Loc: United Kingdom
Overclockers.co.uk is a popular online shop here in the UK.
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The CH Hangar - Profiles, news and help for CH users

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#119993 - 05/10/06 11:32 AM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Rilex Offline
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Registered: 02/20/02
Posts: 2918
Loc: Washington
How can you leave out arstechnica.com ?!

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#119994 - 05/11/06 06:23 AM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Gatticus Offline
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Registered: 08/06/05
Posts: 2894
Loc: Canada
For those wanting to build a quiet PC
http://www.silentpcreview.com/
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"Electronic music should have freed the masses from the limitations of fretboards and fixed-pitch instruments. But apparently some missed the memo..." --thegibsonian

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#119995 - 05/13/06 02:01 AM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Gatticus Offline
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Registered: 08/06/05
Posts: 2894
Loc: Canada
Quote:
Originally posted by Mr B:
The definitive graphics card specs page:
http://users.erols.com/chare/video.htm
That's a handy list and I have seen it before but the guy has got it wrong here.

# Radeon X1900 XTX
# GF 7900 GTX

The X1900XTX is slightly faster than the 7900GTX.
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"Electronic music should have freed the masses from the limitations of fretboards and fixed-pitch instruments. But apparently some missed the memo..." --thegibsonian

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#119996 - 05/20/06 03:28 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
speedbump Offline
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Registered: 11/23/05
Posts: 4272
Loc: Corsicana
Dead pixel finder, works great.
http://www.astris.com/dpl/
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"Warm winds blowing, heat and blue skies and a road that goes forever"

ASUS P5N-E SLI..E6300 Wolf @ 3.8Ghz..2x1GB DDR2 AxeRam
2x320GB Seagate RAID 0..1TB WD..PNY 8800GT 512..Win7Pro


www.razzledazzleart.com


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#119997 - 06/04/06 06:33 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Stormtrooper Online   grunt
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Registered: 07/10/02
Posts: 15666
Loc: Washington State
Yeah awesome idea Joe.
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#119998 - 06/07/06 09:59 AM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Haggart Offline
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Registered: 10/22/99
Posts: 6959
Loc: Texas
I downloaded speedfan to my old Dell Pent II and got a temperature reading of 4 celsius (40 degrees)

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#119999 - 07/03/06 09:09 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Gatticus Offline
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Registered: 08/06/05
Posts: 2894
Loc: Canada
This thread was showing 13 replies so had to make it 14 as 13 is just unlucky. \:\)

Here's how to get a 3D desktop running in Ubuntu Dapper on Nvidia cards for those interested.

http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper#How_to_install_Xgl.2FCompiz_.28Nvidia.29
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"Electronic music should have freed the masses from the limitations of fretboards and fixed-pitch instruments. But apparently some missed the memo..." --thegibsonian

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#120000 - 07/24/06 04:12 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Davros Offline
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Registered: 06/19/01
Posts: 7013
Loc: Liverpool
ps: how about a list of free firewalls ?
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#120001 - 08/21/06 07:32 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Joe Offline
SimHQ Technology Editor
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Registered: 04/05/02
Posts: 16196
Loc: Somerville, NJ
updated (sorry for the long delay)

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#120002 - 08/21/06 07:44 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Davros Offline
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Registered: 06/19/01
Posts: 7013
Loc: Liverpool
heres a free firewall
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
+ of course everyone knows about zonealarm
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#120003 - 09/07/06 01:27 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Gatticus Offline
SimHQ Member

Registered: 08/06/05
Posts: 2894
Loc: Canada
Here's another free firewall. You get full version for 30days then it downgrades to free version if you don't buy it.


http://www.kerio.com/kwf_home.html

This one is more than just a firewall, it's more like a net nanny with firewall.

http://www.netveda.com/consumer/safetynet.htm

This one is free but can be a bit daunting to set up.

http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpostfree/download.php
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"Electronic music should have freed the masses from the limitations of fretboards and fixed-pitch instruments. But apparently some missed the memo..." --thegibsonian

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#120004 - 09/09/06 08:26 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS
Gatticus Offline
SimHQ Member

Registered: 08/06/05
Posts: 2894
Loc: Canada
Buyers Guide For PC Systems

This list is updated every month and has three levels of systems. Budget Box, Hot Rod and God Box.

http://arstechnica.com/guides/buyer/system-guide-200608.ars
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"Electronic music should have freed the masses from the limitations of fretboards and fixed-pitch instruments. But apparently some missed the memo..." --thegibsonian

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#2333702 - 09/08/07 01:41 AM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS [Re: Gatticus]
Mick Offline
SimHQ Junior Member

Registered: 09/05/07
Posts: 60
Loc: UK
Here's a little gem that I always use. SIW, very similar to Sisoft Sandra, except it's a freebie.

http://www.gtopala.com/
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#2357339 - 10/13/07 01:05 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS [Re: Mick]
Stormtrooper Online   grunt
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Registered: 07/10/02
Posts: 15666
Loc: Washington State
Take almost all the above links and toss them into one site....here ya go

http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads2.html
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FSX
SF2/SF2WOE/SF2WOI merged
Rainbow Six Vegas/RS6V 2

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#2620553 - 11/20/08 05:25 PM Re: HARDWARE / SOFTWARE FAQ and USEFUL LINKS [Re: Stormtrooper]
JAS39 Offline
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Loc: NYC
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XP Pro, SP3, 1024x768x32
Antec Basiq 550w
Gigabyte GA-P35-S3G
C2D e8400, OC 3.3Ghz
PQI 2x2GB DDR2-800
Galaxy KFA 9600GT 512MB, OC
Integrated Sound
Maxtor 60GB PATA 42k rpm
ASUS DVD-ROM PATA

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