Best Core 2 Series Desktops-Results and Specs

[Bud41]

Got all my parts for my quad build. Most as recommended on first page of this thread except for motherboard. I got the Asus P5KE. specs look alot like the delux but no wifi and a couple of things in the bios was omitted.
I didn't think they looked like they would effect stability. (hope it works out as it was a financial issue.)
OK. first question is just to confirm the first few steps as I fire this thing up.
From what i gather from page 1 of this thread, there is no need to go into bios ? Just start up with OS disk and install windows then update the OS to current. Then go into bios and configure as on Page 1 ? (before or after installing Pro Tools ?) This machine will be built around Pro tools M Powered (have the firewire 410) and anything that won't play nice with Pro Tools will not be installed.
Any advice will be apreciated. (don't want to screw it up first thing)
This thread has been very helpful but it is getting large and i hope I don't ask anything that has been covered.
Just want to make sure I understand the steps.
THANKS
"BUD"

[mykhal c]

Originally Posted by Bud41

Got all my parts for my quad build. Most as recommended on first page of this thread except for motherboard. I got the Asus P5KE. specs look alot like the delux but no wifi and a couple of things in the bios was omitted.
I didn't think they looked like they would effect stability. (hope it works out as it was a financial issue.)
OK. first question is just to confirm the first few steps as I fire this thing up.
From what i gather from page 1 of this thread, there is no need to go into bios ? Just start up with OS disk and install windows then update the OS to current. Then go into bios and configure as on Page 1 ? (before or after installing Pro Tools ?) This machine will be built around Pro tools M Powered (have the firewire 410) and anything that won't play nice with Pro Tools will not be installed.
Any advice will be apreciated. (don't want to screw it up first thing)
This thread has been very helpful but it is getting large and i hope I don't ask anything that has been covered.
Just want to make sure I understand the steps.
THANKS
"BUD"

sounds like a plan i would suggest doin' the bios tweaks before the PTLE install. get the system nice and stable with all your settings/tweaks in place and then have at it!!! lotsa eyes usually on the thread. so help isn't too far away. good luck!!! also you might want to list all your components in your build in case you run into issues.

[sunburst79]

Originally Posted by 3ohm

Thankyou SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much Sunburst! Thanks for the great advice and help, dude!

I'm gonna build my pc around that P5K with a Q6600 and get that 'Pesky' ProTools up and ROCKING ASAP!

Do I still need to stick to an ATI card or can I go for the Geforce?
(Leadtek, MSI, Asus, Sparkle, XFX, Saphire? Any recommendations?)

You can run any card you like smaller is better as it tends to leave more system memory free. You might want to google "nVidea" and "solderbump" before you buy a card

[sunburst79]

Originally Posted by Bud41

Got all my parts for my quad build. Most as recommended on first page of this thread except for motherboard. I got the Asus P5KE. specs look alot like the delux but no wifi and a couple of things in the bios was omitted.
I didn't think they looked like they would effect stability. (hope it works out as it was a financial issue.)
OK. first question is just to confirm the first few steps as I fire this thing up.
From what i gather from page 1 of this thread, there is no need to go into bios ? Just start up with OS disk and install windows then update the OS to current. Then go into bios and configure as on Page 1 ? (before or after installing Pro Tools ?) This machine will be built around Pro tools M Powered (have the firewire 410) and anything that won't play nice with Pro Tools will not be installed.
Any advice will be apreciated. (don't want to screw it up first thing)
This thread has been very helpful but it is getting large and i hope I don't ask anything that has been covered.
Just want to make sure I understand the steps.
THANKS
"BUD"

Generally speaking I like to do the install at the default settings and let XP install as many of its own drivers as possible. Then I install any board specific drivers like the chipset and video drivers etc. Dont install the USB drivers on the manufacturers disk.

Then I go through and do the BIOS tweaks and shut off anything I'm not going to using RAID controllers, Sound card, Parallel and serial ports etc.

At least on my board installing the the sound card driver and then disabling it would result in a annoying missing hardware popup message as Windows launched that no amount of registry tweaking and uninstalling would eliminate. If you not going to use the onboard sound I would leave it on during the initial install and see if XP has drivers for it then disable it. If XP doesn't have native drivers for it than I would just disable it in BIOS and not install any drivers.

[3ohm]

Originally Posted by sunburst79

You can run any card you like smaller is better as it tends to leave more system memory free. You might want to google "nVidea" and "solderbump" before you buy a card

Thanks for the 'heads UP' about nVidea! ATI it is!

[Mike Deepintheghetto]

I would like to put together a system but have a hard time itemizing the components, so I would like to try a barebones kit.
Will this MB work with pro tools LE?
Thanks for any help....

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...251&CatId=2405

[sunburst79]

Originally Posted by Mike Deepintheghetto

I would like to put together a system but have a hard time itemizing the components, so I would like to try a barebones kit.
Will this MB work with pro tools LE?
Thanks for any help....

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...251&CatId=2405

I'm not seeing any major conflicts. You would need a second HDD for audio and a PCIe video card. I can't find a listing of the actual Fire Wire chip so if your running a 002/003 MBox2 Pro than you might need a approved FW card also.

[iLLPHiL]

First of all I'd like to thank all of you for posting on this topic and for contributing to this forum in general! This forum is great and as a new user to pro tools it's helped me a ton! I'll continue to stay active and will some day contribute to this forum and the pro tools community. Anyway, I've decided to sell my 2.66ghz x 2 intel mac pro i bought sort of hastily back in november to make some extra cash for some effects pedals and a synth i've really been wanting. I'm going to go with a pc based quad setup for pro tools as it seems I can get the same performance for alot less cost. I also feel extremely comfortable with pc's due to always building them myself and knowing about them inside and out.I have very little mac knowledge under my belt and just feel more in control when I'm working in windows. The problem I am having is trouble deciding between the p5k or the p5b. I like the built in firewire on both but heard that the built in firewire on the p5k deluxe is a no go, is this true? If so would i be better off finding a p5b or just getting the p5k and a firewire card?

I think as it stands now i'm leaning towards the p5k only because of its availability, the p5b seems to be out of stock at newegg at the moment. Also, I think the q6600 quad core processor seems to be the choice of cpu but is there a particular series, core, or version I should be trying to locate as far as that chip goes? This will be my first intel based system I've always been an amd guy since I threw together an amd k6-2 300 system together back in the day so that I could play quake 2 after seeing it for the first time on a friends computer!



One thing i also noticed was that the cases on the mac pro's seem to be very sound dampening. I can barely hear the things run! Since I'm building this myself and wont have a seperate room for the computer would you guys and/or gals have any recommendations as to an extra quiet case fan, cpu heatsink/fan combo's, cases and power supplies?

I've also heard that clean power supplied to a pc can make a bit of difference as far as stability goes, at least with windows systems anyway. If theres any truth to this I was also considering getting something like a Monster Power 300 to keep the computer plugged into...any thoughts?

PS: I currently use a digi 003 factory with pro tools le 7.3 and plan on putting windows xp on this new machine


Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!

[mykhal c]

Originally Posted by iLLPHiL

The problem I am having is trouble deciding between the p5k or the p5b. I like the built in firewire on both but heard that the built in firewire on the p5k deluxe is a no go, is this true? If so would i be better off finding a p5b or just getting the p5k and a firewire card?

I think as it stands now i'm leaning towards the p5k only because of its availability, the p5b seems to be out of stock at newegg at the moment. Also, I think the q6600 quad core processor seems to be the choice of cpu but is there a particular series, core, or version I should be trying to locate as far as that chip goes?

it's very late so i'll make this short for now. no problems at all with the onboard F/W on the ASUS P5K Deluxe. i'm usin' it with no issues and so are others. feel confident with that selection if that is your choice Q6600 should be with the G0 stepping. be sure to check page 1 of this thread. there are quite a few builds for you to check out.

[Anthony01]

I was going to go with the P5K Deluxe board but my computer builder says to go for the newer P5Q Deluxe (with a Quad Q6600), but I haven't seen a posting about this board on the site. Perhaps it's too new. Any thoughts?

PT 7.4 MBox2