Best Core 2 Series Desktops-Results and Specs

[sunburst79]

This is the ram I ordered.
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

I will check when I get home if thats what they actually sent me.

Double check the timimgs they should be on the label. If its not 5-5-5-15 then we need to set the BIOS to whatever they read.

I installed in the yellow slots only.

Good, thats correct. You might for kicks and grins try them in the black slots and see if it makes a difference.

I ran the memtest86 on the dominator ram and passed. I havent run the test on the xms.
Im doing well on the d verb test (255) but still getting errors when working in protools, and the ocasional blue screen.

Start checking the Error logs in the Windows Management Console under Event Veiwer and see what it says. Start>Control Panel>Performance and Maintenance>Administrative Tools>Event Viewer. noting the exact time it happens might be helpfull.

It wouldnt hurt to run Memtest on the new memory sticks but the fact that we've tried two sets of memory is making me lean towards something being set wrong In BIOS or a bad mobo.

[unclemonkey]

xms ram ok 5-5-5-15 should I set bios to default?

[sunburst79]

xms ram ok 5-5-5-15 should I set bios to default?

That would be a good idea.

[unclemonkey]

I'm building another machine for a friend. Parts should be in this week. Same as mine except with the xms ram a different case a lite on cd drive and 1 video card. You were saying try the ram in the black slots. well I'm thinking of ordering 2 more gigs. Should I mix the dominator with xms or put the dominator in his computer and go all xms. Dominator had a price drop 181 bucks plus $40.00 mail in rebate. 2 gigs $141.00. aLL dominator?

[sunburst79]

DJ I hit Crooks and Liars and the video played fine in my browser, I tried both the Quicktime format and the Windows Media Format and they played just fine.

I'm using I.E.7 though if memory serves me your using Firefox correct? Can you see if the problem is browser related? Try Safari for Windows or I.E.7 maybe?

I did not down load the videos however. I just played them in the browser at the default settings. hopefully that helps some what.

[6969]

DJ I'm not sure what you have going on with the Video. I have never seen a Green ASUS logo in the lower right hand corner of the Screen, Are you talking about a icon in the system tray perhaps? Or was it on the actual desktop? Can you right click the Green ASUS logo? I'm guessing its actually the video card properties icon. If I recall corresctly the ASUS Video properties icon was blue.

I used the ATI drivers this time around and the logo is red.

Don't mess with your BIOS yet I doubt that thats the problem.

The ATI card driver includes a Video converter I'm guessing that perhaps the site your visiting perhaps uses a obscure video codec and the card driver is doing the conversion in real time. Thats a wild azz quess though.

Are you playing the video in Windows Media Player or in your browser and if in your browser what browser are you using? I haven't had this problem but will check this weekend.....

Out of curiousty whay happens in the CPU meter during the video.

You might want to check the "Error Reporting" feature in "Computer Management" and see if it was logged, usually you can right click the error and if may link to some additional info on that problem.

I doubt if its a hardware or BIOS issue more likely a driver or playback codec issue. Does it only do it with the one website?

Hey Sunburst

Sorry for not being clear. When I watch certain videos,looks like windows media,from a website I visit the screen has a miniscule flicker and then a logo appear on the upper right hand corner of the screen that says..."Powered by ASUS SPLENDID" and then it disappears. Its a logo appearance thing. But one time when I was done watching a video from the site my computer crashed to a FULL green screen. I had to reboot. I haven't had a problem sinse that day though. I have loctaed "Computer management" but I don't see "error reporting" anywhere. My computer CPU temps are running at 57C 59C 52C 55C while on the internet and it doesn't change when I watch a video. It is a bit hot in here so maybe the temps would go down a few notches in the night. I might just have a hot case. I don't know. I'm not gonna worry about the temps anymore. Ok. Thats all for now. Thanks again.

DJ

Edit: When I just opened up my front door it must have allowed some air to flow into my apartment and my temps change too... 54C 57C 50C 52C . I just have an absolutely horrid apartment I guess. It traps hot air like a $#%@^&*^%#^

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Specs:

Digi Mbox 2 Pro factory 7.3.1cs4

XP Home SP2
Intel Core 2 QUAD q6600 LGA775 2.40 GHz B3
ASUS P5K Deluxe WiFi AP (P35)
Crucial Ballistix 2Gb (2 x 1 Gb) PC2 8500 1066 MGz 240 pin DDR2
Corsair HX520 W PSU
ASUS VGA EAX1600PRO SILENT 256M Video Card
X2 SEAGATE Barracuda 250 Gb 7200 SATA
Zalman CNPS9500 Heatsink
Samsung SATA DVD Burner with lightscribe

Link to my CASE~~~~> 120MM fan front and 120MM fan back
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147033

[sunburst79]

Hey Sunburst

Sorry for not being clear. When I watch certain videos,looks like windows media,from a website I visit the screen has a miniscule flicker and then a logo appear on the upper right hand corner of the screen that says..."Powered by ASUS SPLENDID" and then it disappears. Its a logo appearance thing. But one time when I was done watching a video from the site my computer crashed to a FULL green screen. I had to reboot. I haven't had a problem sinse that day though. I have loctaed "Computer management" but I don't see "error reporting" anywhere. My computer CPU temps are running at 57C 59C 52C 55C while on the internet and it doesn't change when I watch a video. It is a bit hot in here so maybe the temps would go down a few notches in the night. I might just have a hot case. I don't know. I'm not gonna worry about the temps anymore. Ok. Thats all for now. Thanks again.

DJ

Its "Event Veiwer" not "error reporting" My bad! I was answering it from my MAC, I'm going to guess its simply a heat issue then. Out of curiosity did you install the the demo/trial version of WinDVD or Power DVD that ASUS packs with the board or card? I never installed of the DVD decoder software thats normally bundled so that might be the problem there. If it starts flickering again try aiming a fan in the case to see if its tempature related. Other than that I'm glad you liken the Quad!

[spaids]

Sunburst, Sorry to leave you hangin. Had to take a night off from playing with my computer and pay attention to my wife. She is very patient considering the time and money I have been spending on my new hobby.

So I will have to crack the box back open tonight and get the specs on the hard drives for you. I'll see if I can figure out the firewire card to althogh I am not using it for ProTools so I don't think it is effecting my performance. Then again I didn't think that it mattered what interface I was using either until I was corrected.

I am surprised how well this seems to be working considering I did NOTHING but plug the stuff in. I did update the BIOS to 0404 but I didn't make any changes or tweaks at all. Everything is running as default. This is a pretty loud machine though. I have the power settings to "always on" and the fans seem to go full blast all the time. I used to leave my machines on all the time and let them go into standby but this one gets shut down when I am not using it becuase the fans.

What do you guys do with your machines? Only on when your using it?

oh yea and check out the custom voice mail message I got done from Vocalvoodoo. Its freakin hilarious.
Vocalvoodoo

[sunburst79]

Sunburst, Sorry to leave you hangin. Had to take a night off from playing with my computer and pay attention to my wife. She is very patient considering the time and money I have been spending on my new hobby.

So I will have to crack the box back open tonight and get the specs on the hard drives for you. I'll see if I can figure out the firewire card to althogh I am not using it for ProTools so I don't think it is effecting my performance. Then again I didn't think that it mattered what interface I was using either until I was corrected.

I am surprised how well this seems to be working considering I did NOTHING but plug the stuff in. I did update the BIOS to 0404 but I didn't make any changes or tweaks at all. Everything is running as default. This is a pretty loud machine though. I have the power settings to "always on" and the fans seem to go full blast all the time. I used to leave my machines on all the time and let them go into standby but this one gets shut down when I am not using it becuase the fans.

What do you guys do with your machines? Only on when your using it?

oh yea and check out the custom voice mail message I got done from Vocalvoodoo. Its freakin hilarious.
Vocalvoodoo

Josh is the Man If I lived in STL I would buy him a beer Er Beverage!

I have my fans turned down in BIOS (Q-FAN)as low as they will go. You can try that but check your temps till your sure its cool You might see the biggest benefit from swapping out your current fans for some quiet ones from NEXUS or Noctua. I just ordered some Noctuas to test and will post my results on the top post. I have a list of quiet stuff going on

I'm currently running a Zalman CPNS9700 and Nexus fans, its pretty quiet. I'm debating trying a Thermalright Ultra120 but they are kinda expensive! Best cooler out there right now so they say

BTW you should be able to get the HDD info from the Hardware tab in the System Proporties menu. It should list the drives with a manufacturers prefix E.G. WDC=Western Digital ST= Seagate tecnology. ETC Just let me know what the abreivation is and I'll figure it out.

I thought the board had onboard FW, I checked Newegg and ASUS and see it doesn't have onboard FW so we know the answer to that now

Pretty soon they will drop that price to 99.00 and that will be cool can you tell I want a entry leval 600.00 Quad system

I'm glad the built went easy for you, easiest one I have ever done also. People seem to have problems getting the memory figured out and I'm still working on a way of wording how to set up memory timings that eliminates error.

PT wants the power scheme to be "Always On" every other machine I have drops into standby after 10-15 minutes and hibernates after 30-45. From a "Green" standpoint it would be nice if PT was "Smart" enough to let the machine know if it was busy or done with something like a BTD and then shut down.

[unclemonkey]

I'm building another machine for a friend. Parts should be in this week. Same as mine except with the xms ram a different case a lite on cd drive and 1 video card. You were saying try the ram in the black slots. well I'm thinking of ordering 2 more gigs. Should I mix the dominator with xms or put the dominator in his computer and go all xms. Dominator had a price drop 181 bucks plus $40.00 mail in rebate. 2 gigs $141.00. aLL dominator?

How many others are using the Dominator ram?