Halo 1 & 2 for PC
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  • Subject: Little guide to the knowledge of the PC
Subject: Little guide to the knowledge of the PC
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Turn everything down....close all unused program.
Run msconfig and close all programs starting at startup.
Run a defrag.

[Edited on 5/31/2004 6:48:58 PM]

  • 05.31.2004 6:48 PM PDT
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So, on your posting's advice, I ditched my old Radeon 9200 SE, and recently got a 9600 PRO (all I could afford, and got a great deal). Definitely a performance improvement... I've also tried OC'ing it, which I've fould several great online guides for, using RadClocker and a OC'ing tool that the card maker (FIC) actually created apparently (highly unusual!). I've gotten the card to run stable at much higher frequencies in the core and ram, but for some reason, have actually gotten lower FPS on the benchmarking tests after OC'ing than obtained with factory settings. I've only been running the UT2003 benchmarking... but do you have any insight on this? I'd love to pump a little more juice out of the pro, but only if it's actually going to make my HALO faster!

  • 06.01.2004 11:27 AM PDT
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You can always try a volt mod to make it go higher. 9600's are good overclocker and run very cool.

  • 06.01.2004 12:27 PM PDT
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Well, I know I can do a volt mod... but that might be a little too technical for me. I guess what I'm asking is: do you think the FPS is lower after oc'ing because there isn't the voltage to support those core/ram frequencies, or because of some other reason? I just couldn't understand why my overclocked card SEEMED to be giving me slower fps than the card at factory settings.

  • 06.02.2004 2:09 PM PDT
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Hmmmmm as long as you dont see any visual artefact (white dot or black triangle) the card is cool and will perform better than stock.

  • 06.02.2004 2:46 PM PDT
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Posted by: vanman
So, on your posting's advice, I ditched my old Radeon 9200 SE, and recently got a 9600 PRO (all I could afford, and got a great deal). Definitely a performance improvement... I've also tried OC'ing it, which I've fould several great online guides for, using RadClocker and a OC'ing tool that the card maker (FIC) actually created apparently (highly unusual!). I've gotten the card to run stable at much higher frequencies in the core and ram, but for some reason, have actually gotten lower FPS on the benchmarking tests after OC'ing than obtained with factory settings. I've only been running the UT2003 benchmarking... but do you have any insight on this? I'd love to pump a little more juice out of the pro, but only if it's actually going to make my HALO faster!

thx

  • 06.02.2004 4:45 PM PDT
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HEY HEY EY!

  • 06.02.2004 5:35 PM PDT
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[color=olive]That was one useless crap.[/color]

[Edited on 6/2/2004 8:11:20 PM]

  • 06.02.2004 8:06 PM PDT
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hrrrmmmmmm good guide (not like i already knew all that crap tho lol) but what is with that "eye candy"? lol

got me the x800 pro recently (should have waited for the XT tho, much better but im spneding enough already_) and it TOTALLY deVouRz the 9800XT 256mb... like totally better

sure this took u a while to type....

sure the "n00bs" thank you ;)

  • 06.05.2004 2:14 PM PDT
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That is the point of the guide : "Turn "no-clue people" into "less-no-clue-people""

BTW i realy think your post was a " Total waste of bandwith "

[Edited on 6/6/2004 11:01:32 AM]

  • 06.05.2004 7:57 PM PDT
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Don't knock it till you've tried it. C'mon in and check out our server sometime. It's usually called hogbombers.net or something to do with HB or Hog Bombers. We're usually on nights and weekends starting at about 10 or 11 PM, PST.
It's easy to just post "bs". Come see for yourself before you blow it off. I'm offering proof.

  • 06.05.2004 9:02 PM PDT
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Good guide Coytler... it's good to see that not everyone is buying Dells. I would like to add a few things for someone who is seriously considering building their own system.
-Newegg.com is probably the best place to buy. Newegg has great shipping and awesome service, and you can selfom find a price that's much better (I would check PriceWatch.com just in case), plus their customer reviews and links to pro reviews like Tom's Hardware Guide (also an awesome site) come in handy. Sure, I'm a fanboy, but only because I've had repeated success.
-Don't be afraid to buy used, but only from hardcore gamer-types who upgrade frequently. I got a Radeon 9700 Pro video card for $125 from a guy who got a 9800XT. Best deal I've ever gotten. With video cards, ask if they still have the original box and dongles (S-Video cords, DVI to VGA converters, etc.) and if they have ever overclocked it. You probably don't want it if it was OCed, even if you're going to OC it yourself. Don't buy used CPUs if you can help it, as you can sometimes make a mess getting them off, and don't buy used unless you can save at least 30% over full retail.
-Make sure you have everything you need for a complete system before you buy and start putting it together. Here's a list of all the parts you will need (some you can probably take out of your old system if they're not too old):

1) Case- the external shell of your system. You want one that's not too cramped inside, is well laid-out, and looks cool, especially if you'll be hitting the LAN scene. Aside from cooling capabilties, this has no impact on your system's performance. Go to tomshardware.com and look at their semi-annual case guides for a good idea what to get.
1B) Power supply unit- most cases will come with this, but if yours does not, you have to have at least a 300 watt unit for almost any video card. ThermalTake and Antec make good PSU lines (TruePower and PurePower). 420w or greater is really recommended if you can swing it.
2) Motherboard- the component everything will be connected to. This mounts in your case and should be the first thing installed. Make sure the I/O plate (the big bump of ports on one edge) is facing through the hole in the case. Many motherboards require a custom I/O plate to put on the case, but this is almost always included with the mobo. ASUS is probably the best brand; EPoX and Gigabyte are also good.
3) CPU- the heart of your system. Make sure you get one that fits on your motherboard (the socket type should match up; i.e. all Athlons through the original 800mhz-or-so generation through the Athlon XP Barton use Socket A). Also, if you get the OEM instead of retail, you need a good heatsink- see below. Be ultra-careful when installing the CPU as they are fragile and expensive. Fortunately, once it's in you should never need to touch it again.
3B) CPU Heatsink (optional)- you only need this if you don't get the retail version of the processor. A good brand is Thermaltake, especially the Volcano series for Athlons. You usually wind up spending more on the OEM processor and heatsink together than you would on the retail processor, which includes the heatsink, but sometimes it's worth it-- the Athlon XPs have somewhat crappy stock cooling.
4) Memory- as a rule of thumb, you want memory with a rating greater than or equal to the model of processor. For example, if you have an Athlon XP 3200+, get PC3200 (also called DDR400). Get CAS latency 2.5 or 2.0, never 3. Kingson and Corsair are the best brands. You also want at least 512mb, and if your motherboard supports dual channel, get two sticks (2x256 instead of 1x512), as it improves memory bandwidth.
5) Drives- Get a hard drive with an interface that is supported by your motherboard. If you're not sure, get an EIDE model (up to ATA-133). If you know your motherboard supports Serial ATA (SATA), get a SATA drive; they have thinner cables and better performance. Seagate is a good brand. 80gb is about the smallest size you want. If you can afford one with an 8mb cache (2mb is standard) then get it. As for CD-ROM drives, you will want CD-RW and DVD, which you can get in a combo drive or seperately (LiteOn drives are solid and a good deal). A DVD burner can do the functions of the other two if you opt for one. If you feel you still need a floppy drive, get one, as they are under 10 bucks, but I recommend a USB flash drive for that purpose. If your case is black and doesn't have a door on the front covering the drives, you may want to get CD drives in black; most manufacturers offer this.
6) Video- the single most important aspect of a gaming system. Don't cheap out on this one. With a new generation of cards being released, the old models are getting cheap; the old flagship 9800 Pro is around 200 bucks and is still an awesome card. Be careful as many cards require a direct connection to your computer's power supply.
7) Sound- Most motherboards have this onboard (integrated), and they are almost all in 5.1 surround sound. Don't be fooled- many onboard sound chips are utter crap. The SoundStorm system on nForce 2 chipset-based boards is probably the best out there. If your integrated sound isn't very good, or isn't in 5.1 surround, the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Gamer is a good deal and comes with several free games. The Platinum Pro is the best for hardcore types.
8) Networking- Once again, this is almost always integrated. But not every integrated networking system is equal. Some have Gigabit (1000mbps) and a few nForce 2 based boards have two slots, which comes in handy. If you want wireless, you'll most likely have to buy an add-on card, but some manufacturers have proprietary slots for their own WiFi devices; you can save some money this way.
9) Keyboard and mouse- You don't need anything too fancy. Logitech makes good keyboards, but I've been disappointed in their recent mice. Wireless mice are cool but not that great for gaming. At the moment I would recommend a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer Optical and a Logitech wireless keyboard. At the minimum get a good keyboard and an optical mouse with scrolling. Once again, if your system is black, you might want to get a black keyboard and mouse to match.
10) Monitor- It's entirely up to you if you want a digital flatscreen or not; they're not as good for gaming as a good old-fashioned CRT, but they are very portable. If you opt for flat, make sure your video card has a DVI plug. With CRTs, get a 17" or up with at least .28 dot pitch. I recommend a 19" for gaming. ViewSonic and NEC are my favorite brands.
11) Speakers- You will most likely want a 5.1 speaker system to go with your computer. Logitech, Creative and Altec-Lansing all make good 5.1 systems for around $60. You can go up into the 400 dollar range and make a full home theater out of your computer if you want, but relatively cheap ones will probably suffice. A pair of headphones is useful for LAN parties, as speakers are usually discouraged and it's pretty much impossible to set up a full 5.1 system when all you have is a cubicle.
12) Operating System- This is one that is too easy to forget. You will most likely need a new copy for your new system unless you keep your old hard drive. WinXP Pro is better for networking if you're going to hit the LAN party scene and is probably worth the extra $$. Get the OEM version if you can, and save 50 bucks or so.

Those are the vital parts; anything else is really optional. You can get a fairly high-end system for around 1400 bucks, and have the comfort of knowing nothing crappy was slipped in to cause a bottleneck (Dells are bottlenecks in just about every area except the CPU, and sometimes even there). Upgrading works the same way, except you want to determine what parts are causing a bottleneck and replace them instead of buying everything new. Hopefully with this information and that given you by Coytler, plus thorough readings of all manuals (this is important), you should be able to build your system cheaply and without too much hassle. Good luck.

  • 06.07.2004 3:38 PM PDT
Subject: My computer sucks
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You don't need the BEST. You'll go broke if you always try to get the best video/sound cards.

  • 06.07.2004 7:28 PM PDT
Subject: Little guide to the knowledge of the PC
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Also Silent Thunder, if you live in the UK, the bast place for online buying is Overclockers UK. Next day shipping and excellent value, and great sercurity as well.

  • 06.08.2004 7:57 AM PDT
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How good is a Biostar motherboard?

And how good is my current PC:

Biostar P4SFC-A01 motherboard
Intel P4 2.66 Ghz
I have either: x1 Samsung 512MB DDR PC3200, 400MHz 184-pin
or: x1 Samsung 512MB DDR REG/ECC PC2100, 266MHz 184-pin
ATI radeon 9600
Soundblaster Audgity 2 ZS

I'm going to buy anothr 512 Mb RAM
Is there any advice I could get on how to improve it?
Also I don't have so much money.

[Edited on 6/8/2004 11:03:11 AM]

  • 06.08.2004 11:02 AM PDT
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Biostar can make good things and....very bad things (They arnt constant in their product).
PC 3200 and 2100 dont make any difference for you unless you plan on overclocking (in wich case the 3200 is the way to go).
The radeon 9600 (non-pro] is a piece of defecation.
Get a better video card.
1024mb of ram help if you like MMORPG or any kind of massive multiplayer games (ie: PlanetSide)

  • 06.08.2004 8:12 PM PDT
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As I said I'm going to get more ram. But the video card gotta wait untill I get enough money, wich will be in 2005.

Also is there a way I can OC my pc? The BIOS won't allow it so I wonder if there is a way I can.

  • 06.09.2004 2:12 PM PDT
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P4 have locked multiplier, but you can always increase the fsb but you'll need fast ram to do so.

  • 06.09.2004 4:37 PM PDT
Subject: What about....
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What'll happen when the new BTX is released to replace ATX?


AMD Athalon 2700+ OCed to 3200+
MSI KT400 Ultra Motherboard
MSI Geforce 5900 Ultra
Sound Blaster Audigy Gamer
1.5 GB PC2700 RAM I fixed it : )

Runs Halo great, but I'm upgrading to AMD FX-53 processor,Geforce 6800 Ultra, and Audigy Platinum 2 (I can afford to indulge, are you jealous?). I'll be selling my Geforce 5900 Ultra card cheap, so look on ebay. Oh go to Tweaktown.com and follow the Windows XP tweak guide and Halo guide. My system doubled (no joke). Careful screwing with your registry though. I've had to reformat my hard drive several times due to unfixable errors. The tweak guide takes a long time, but is well worth it.

[Edited on 6/9/2004 6:40:29 PM]

  • 06.09.2004 6:24 PM PDT
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You cant put today motherboard in the new btx form factor. But btx has many advantage such as a much better cooling and airflow.

You should backup your registery before messing with it.

Btw you made a little typo : .... i dont think you have 1.5 MB of ram :D .

[Edited on 6/9/2004 6:37:10 PM]

  • 06.09.2004 6:36 PM PDT
Subject: I know
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Yeah I found that out the hard way. It's not fun. But live 'n learn. If I had then I wouldn't know how to reformat my hard drive. Every cloud has a silver lining they say. And true I meant GB. 1.5 MB would be funny to see though. Commodore anyone? Actually that was only 1 MB I believe if you got the Fatter Agnus card. Great system, ahead of it's time, but never caught on.

[Edited on 6/9/2004 6:39:54 PM]

  • 06.09.2004 6:37 PM PDT
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My 286 4mhz had 1mb of ram and we upgraded to 2. :D

Anyway BTX is not gonna be adopted anytime soon IMO.

  • 06.09.2004 6:55 PM PDT
Subject: BTX
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I read BTX is going to start showing up later this year or early next near, then be fully adopted within two years. My sources may be bad, but with the ever evolving world of technology it wouldn't surprise me for things to change overnight. Kinda annoying to get the best thing avalible, then something twice as good (or advertised as such) appears 4 months later. This is what happened with the Geforce 5900 Ultra with the appearance of the 5950, and now the 6800. I'm cautious though, everyone remembers the 5800 flop, and Nvidia still has a tarnished image because of it.

  • 06.09.2004 8:24 PM PDT
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The 6800 is a realy good card.

  • 06.09.2004 8:47 PM PDT
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I'm considering getting a GeForce 6800 GT, can the GT reach ultra speeds when over clcoked? Or do you need a better fan and more power?

  • 06.10.2004 4:09 PM PDT