Heeuge! build me a pc! / performance woes

[Heeuge]

Did it survive the test? Have you noticed any performance increase over your beasty AMD?

Is it shiiiiiiny?

[ash]

Seems to be "ok" at the moment. Bit reserved because I am wondering about quality of the hard drive currently. Last night was going thru dalaran with 35->40 fps with an out of date Ati driver.

Noticed a few "errors" in event log relating to the HDD which recommended a checkdisk. I scheduled one after a reboot. I then found it would get stuck on stage 2/3 checking indexes always got stuck at 67% (I left it overnight to do it eventually). Also couldn't cancel the checkdisk (no any key!! nah it just wouldn't) and so gave up on it.

So I decided that one partition of 730 gb was retarded and have wiped the drive and reinstalled Vista from scratch. New partitions created as well (did this, this morning from 5:45->6:30!). Will be running checkdisk when I get home tonight.

If it still gets stuck checking the indexes I will restore the drive using the dell image thingamajig and give them an irate phone call

[ash]

Right!

After installing windows myself, running a full HDD scan inc bad sector check, it all looks good. The kettle cable they sent appears to be lame so if you move it even slightly it cuts the power. Frickin arf. Being a nab, I have far too many computer parts around so I've changed that already

In terms of the shizzle. Its looking good. Installed latest ati drivers no probs. wow loads nice fps in heavy populated areas all maxxed quality. Will be nice to see what its like in a 25man nax. That used to kill my PC. I think its a combination of totems and DK effects.

Getting grips to vista is a bit weird. Never used it before but I got the bloody user protection nagware thing turned off ASAP. Managed to get a cross over cable connected up between my old pc and new one np, just specified IP address and away I go for file transfer.

Wireless has installed first time, no issues at all.

All that is left for me to do is a hard burn in test.

Which can mean only one thing.

Let the games begin!

[Vecko]

Aaaah the great feeling of having a new pc that can run all!

[tomas]

So we're talking at least September for me to upgrade, but more likely next year unless my current Laptop fails badly (it's broke at the moment, but i've got 2 months left on the warrenty, so it could break whenever when I get it back...)

So the company phoned, there was a graphics card problem which they'll fix under warrenty. But aparantly the screen is broke in the corner or something, and theres been some screen bleeding or other.

They said that's not covered under warrenty, and they'll give me a quote to fix it.

They also said I sent the laptop back to them in its bag, and I should have sent it in the original packaging, but who the hell keeps an original box laying around for 3 years?!

I am not happy

[Commando]

Ouch - screen problems = £££. If it's expensive, you might want to consider claiming on house insurance if that's possible. If they're saying the screen damage isn't covered because it's accidental damage, maybe your house insurance covers accidental damage.

[tomas]

Ouch - screen problems = £££. If it's expensive, you might want to consider claiming on house insurance if that's possible. If they're saying the screen damage isn't covered because it's accidental damage, maybe your house insurance covers accidental damage.

Yeah, they said it's been dropped at some point or something. So when i've got the quote I'll have to see about insurance.

The biggest shame is I think i'm gonna go mad playing much more wow in 800x600 ress and I need something better ASAP.

I'm half tempted to see if I can spend a couple of hundred quid on something until i've saved enough for a super laptop.

Might see if I can find a second hand laptop, or PC. Maybe even take a look at those "Free Laptop, pay us for broadband for 2 years" things, if the broadband off them is good it might be a good idea...

[tomas]

Maybe even take a look at those "Free Laptop, pay us for broadband for 2 years" things, if the broadband off them is good it might be a good idea...

Further to that, what are peoples normal useage? I know when i've briefly looked at these deals different companies have different limits, and I often think I'd have to get the max allowed (some offer unlimited).

But I know some of the ones with limits are quite good prices, but I dunno what sort of limit I'd need :p

Although... my experience of machines like this lead me to believe they tend not to have dedicated graphics cards in there... which would make it a bit crap anyway!

[Commando]

The "free laptop" will usually be a netbook, which will be unsuitable for anything much more demanding than Solitaire. They're designed to browse websites, not play games.

As for bandwidth, I struggle to stay under my 30 gigabyte cap each month, and that's with my torrents running only on the unmetered time between midnight and 8am. I'm sometimes a bit bewildered by how fast I chew through my usage allowance, but it's a rare month that I don't go over 25 gig.

I'd suggest, rather than buying a new computer, just to get a new external screen as a temporary measure. You can get a 17" panel for £65, or a 19" for £75, if you're not overly bothered about the quality. You can hook it up to a desktop while you're waiting for your laptop to be repaired, and then connect it to the laptop when you get it back. It makes it a bit less portable but not ridiculously so. As a temporary fix until you decide to replace the laptop, it's workable if not particularly elegant, and once you get a new laptop the desktop can keep the screen.

Of course, it might be that a replacement screen isn't all that expensive.

[ash]

It is my honest opinion that laptops are a complete waste of time unless you use it for business purposes. This in no way helps you, but hey.

I could sell you my old PC for a few hundred

[tomas]

Of course, it might be that a replacement screen isn't all that expensive.

Yeah, maybe not. Will have to see.

Having had a quick look, the "free" laptops do seem a bit crap, and was already thinking about spending the money on a laptop without broadband since it seems like a better option. If I can get a laptop that will run Wow, and hopefully the likes of DoW2 it'll be worth it, since that should last me a year or so. Even if it doesn't run DoW2, but still works quite well with WoW, it'll be nice to have it around, even when I do get a new laptop.

The think the main problem with the Desktop i'm using is the Graphics card, although it could also be any number of other parts which are just getting on a bit. I think the entire thing is 6/7 years old.

Using a Monitor with my current laptop sounds awkward, i'd have to have the monitor to the side? Unless I can completely take the screen off the laptop? As for getting a desktop, It'd need a monitor/keyboard and stuff with it, since i've never personally had a desktop so don't have that sort of thing about (I'm currently using my Dads).

[Commando]

For what it's worth, my PC complains that my graphics settings in DoW2 are slowing the game down, even when it's on the lowest possible settings. 6-player matches seem to need a lot of power.

[Beckie]

When the screen broke on my sisters laptop she connected a standard monitor to it, she had a computer desk with the keyboard tray thing and just bent the screen back to 180 degree angle and slide it under the desk (two bricks and a piece of wood to hold the monitor on a standard flat desk would work as well), using the keyboard with the standard monitor. You could also go the whole hog and get it a docking station. But they would ofc be tempory measures because if you wanted to go anywhere with it, it would be like not having a laptop at all. But if the screen is only broke in the corner and doesnt effect the whole screen you could get away with that with the limited time your on the move? Seths old laptop used to have lines down the middle of the screen, sure it was annoying but you could still see what was going on.

[Roper]

Further to that, what are peoples normal useage? I know when i've briefly looked at these deals different companies have different limits, and I often think I'd have to get the max allowed (some offer unlimited).

I'm not sure what you use your connection for but if its mostly WoW you'd be surprised how little you need. As an example here is my usage over the last 6 month. I don't download much so most of this is gaming, browsing and the odd download. As you can see in general I don't use much, there is the odd time when I use more than usual, I think September for example was when I downloaded the WAR beta, but apart from that its pretty low.

[ash]

0.46 !

wth is that!?



Im assuming its gig but weird screenie