Major Upgrade/Rebuild: I Hope You're All Happy...

Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I just blew a small boatload of cash on new hardware for my long-in-the-tooth home-built PC. Code-name: Obelisk II. Pulled the trigger on the whole schmear earlier this morning in large part because I want more processing power for Photoshop and things related. Obelisk II has served me well for several years...

If everything goes well I will upgrading from an Intel Core2 Duo @ 3.0Ghz, 4GB of 1066 DDR2 to an Intel I7 Quad Core @ 3.4Ghz and 16GB of DDR3. The damage stems from a new motherboard, CPU/Heatsink and RAM. I'll be cannibalizing the existing Antec case, GPU, the two internal HDD's, optical drive, PSU and so forth. Can't wait to kill a weekend doing a fresh install/update/configuration of Windows!!

*Longs for the simpler Linux days*
 
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Moab Man

Senior Member
Reading your computer spec you're pretty close to mine. You will love the performance.

FredKingston, enjoy your Apple until I purchase and close the company (my personal vendetta of destruction)... or they self-inflicted implode like they did the last time Jobs was not with the company.
 
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§am

Senior Member
Oooh new PC parts for a self build.
From a self builder here, I like this kinda chat :p

As you're upgrading core components, you'll be reinstalling the OS - which one are you opting for?
 
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WhiteLight

Senior Member
The rig config looks great.
Since you are getting everything refreshed, you may want to consider a NAS setup as well... Will help in the long run

Sent from my Incredible S using Tapatalk 2
 
SkvLTD

SkvLTD

Senior Member
Horoscope Fish said:
It's on my list... Along with a D800.
Click to expand...

lol the price difference of getting a mac could well buy you that D800 and a lens or two. :rolleyes:

Else sounds like a pretty solid rig. My only 2 cents would be to keep Windows on a separate from everything else partition to keep your files safe in case it ever borks on you and you'd have to reinstall.

Kinda need a new laptop for DJing and faster than 2 Duo would definitely help with pics as well.
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
§am said:
Oooh new PC parts for a self build.
From a self builder here, I like this kinda chat :p

As you're upgrading core components, you'll be reinstalling the OS - which one are you opting for?
Click to expand...
Yeah I've been home-brewing my PC's for a while now. If everyone knew how easy it is I'm convinced a LOT more people would be doing it. The hard part, I think, is keeping up with things like new socket configurations. Until a few days ago I didn't know there WAS such a thing as a Socket 1155. Yeah, it's been a while. :)

As for choice of OS: In my heart of hearts, I'd love to have a really tricked out install of Debian Linux (or Arch!!! (drools uncontrollably)), but I just can't bring myself to do it. So, for now anyway, I'll be sticking with Windows 7, but I'm going to do a 64-bit install like I should have before. Then, too, Distrowatch keeps calling. Do I accept the charges?? GAH! I could try a LiveDVD, right? Just for old times and then when it comes time to reeeeally do an actual OS install...

Question though: With 16GB of RAM, is there any need to create a "scratch disk" for Photoshop? I would put it on the slave drive if I made one at all. I'm also not sure what PS will do on reinstall. I have a digital download and I don't recall being asked if I wanted a 32 or 64 bit install, so I'm hoping the 64 bit version will install itself but if not, meh... I'm already over it.
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
§am said:
Oooh new PC parts for a self build.
From a self builder here, I like this kinda chat :p

As you're upgrading core components, you'll be reinstalling the OS - which one are you opting for?
Click to expand...
Yeah I've been home-brewing my PC's for a while now. If everyone knew how easy it is I'm convinced a LOT more people would be doing it. The hard part, I think, is keeping up with things like new socket configurations. Until a few days ago I didn't know there WAS such a thing as a Socket 1155. Yeah, it's been a while. :)

As for choice of OS: In my heart of hearts, I'd love to have a really tricked out install of Debian Linux (or Arch!!! (drools uncontrollably)), but I just can't bring myself to do it. So, for now anyway, I'll be sticking with Windows 7, but I'm going to do a 64-bit install like I should have before. Then, too, Distrowatch keeps calling. Do I accept the charges?? GAH! I could try a LiveDVD, right? Just for old times and then when it comes time to reeeeally do an actual OS install...

Question though: With 16GB of RAM, is there any need to create a "scratch disk" for Photoshop? I would put it on the slave drive if I made one at all. I'm also not sure what PS will do on reinstall. I have a digital download and I don't recall being asked if I wanted a 32 or 64 bit install, so I'm hoping the 64 bit version will install itself but if not, meh... I'm already over it.

SkvLTD said:
My only 2 cents would be to keep Windows on a separate from everything else partition to keep your files safe in case it ever borks on you and you'd have to reinstall.
Click to expand...
Oh hells yes. My secondary "partition" is a whole 'nother drive... I've learned that lesson.
 
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SkvLTD

SkvLTD

Senior Member
Separating the OS part allowed my, laptop, to run as good as new for 5 and a half years now. Both batteries are about dead. CPU fan blew last December and cost me a whopping $10 and a cracked under-the-monitor plastic cover to replace (I think I used Noctua H1 on the cpu).

On a desktop note, my old trusty, half-baked rig seemed to finally depart into computer hell. Got couple iffy-crappy HP hand me downs I could stick my 5 HDDs in or just sit on it and plug em externally when needed. Don't have the cash nor desire to revive this thing considering new lappy is a real priority. And a 70-300.
 
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Mike150

Senior Member
Please don't tell me it's going to be Windows 8.

Not quite sure how it will work on a desktop, but it really sucks on a laptop.
 
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funfortehfun

Senior Member
Horoscope Fish said:
Yeah I've been home-brewing my PC's for a while now. If everyone knew how easy it is I'm convinced a LOT more people would be doing it. The hard part, I think, is keeping up with things like new socket configurations. Until a few days ago I didn't know there WAS such a thing as a Socket 1155. Yeah, it's been a while. :)

As for choice of OS: In my heart of hearts, I'd love to have a really tricked out install of Debian Linux (or Arch!!! (drools uncontrollably)), but I just can't bring myself to do it. So, for now anyway, I'll be sticking with Windows 7, but I'm going to do a 64-bit install like I should have before. Then, too, Distrowatch keeps calling. Do I accept the charges?? GAH! I could try a LiveDVD, right? Just for old times and then when it comes time to reeeeally do an actual OS install...

Question though: With 16GB of RAM, is there any need to create a "scratch disk" for Photoshop? I would put it on the slave drive if I made one at all. I'm also not sure what PS will do on reinstall. I have a digital download and I don't recall being asked if I wanted a 32 or 64 bit install, so I'm hoping the 64 bit version will install itself but if not, meh... I'm already over it.
Click to expand...

You do have 16GB of RAM; creating an 8GB RAMDisk as a scratch drive for Photoshop wouldn't be such a bad idea! ;)
Hardware looks nice on the processing side. Got a GPU?
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I didn't realize we have so many DIY PC-builders here on these forums... Maybe I'll take pictures of the build for the perfect melding of both topics... Tech Photography, is that a recognized niche?

funfortehfun said:
You do have 16GB of RAM; creating an 8GB RAMDisk as a scratch drive for Photoshop wouldn't be such a bad idea! ;)
Hardware looks nice on the processing side. Got a GPU?
Click to expand...
That's kinda what I was thinking... 8GB is good, then, size-wise? I really have no idea... If 8GB is a good number, I'll go with it.

Someone asked about the OS: I'll be running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit after the new install; I'm running on a 32-bit install currently. Windows 8, on the other hand, I'm going to try and bypass altogether, much like I did with Vista (talk about dodging a bullet).

GPU will cannibalized from the outgoing system as well; a GeForce GTX 550 Ti (EVGA) w/1GB of VRAM. A little more power here would have been nice, but I had to draw the line somewhere. I vacillated between an Intel i5 and the i7 proc' but decided my bucks were probably best spent on sheer horsepower so, an i7 it is and the '550 is just gonna have to hold me for a bit longer. It's been discontinued but it's been a good performer for me.

If all goes according to plan (no DOA's etc.) I should be able to put it together next weekend, possibly a little before.
 
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funfortehfun

Senior Member
Of course tech photography can be awesome! :D
7678fa27_DSC_08581.jpeg


The GTX 550 Ti should fare fine. It's not necessary to have a GTX 580 or 680 (580 > 680 in terms of computing power), but the 550 Ti should be decent for giving a little push to the i7.
 
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Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
I would never install any thing but 64 bit now. So make sure you get windows 7 Pro. I handles more memory. I think it handles even the lower amount better than the non pro version but that is just my opinion. When I upgraded to the pro version recently it just seemed to be livelier
 
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funfortehfun

Senior Member
Tracsoft - Don Kuykendall said:
I would never install any thing but 64 bit now. So make sure you get windows 7 Pro. I handles more memory. I think it handles even the lower amount better than the non pro version but that is just my opinion. When I upgraded to the pro version recently it just seemed to be livelier
Click to expand...
32-bit operating systems can only support up to about 3.5-4GB of RAM, depending on the hardware configuration, which, unless you require a 32-bit OS for a specific application, is useless these days.
In addition to this, Windows 7 Home Premium can only handle a maximum of 16GB of memory - which would render any upgrades to 32GB of memory as useless.
Windows 8 does not have the Windows 7 Home Premium problem, however, because it only comes in two editions - Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro, in their respective 32- and 64-bit types.
 
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PapaST

Senior Member
Nice build. I think I'd go with Win7 Pro as well (like someone else mentioned). Also look into VirtualBox and throw on some images of Ubuntu and I suspect Linux Mint would work too. That can be your test/play grounds. Microsoft Virtual PC is pretty good if you want to throw on XP for whatever reason. These aren't musts but fun to have around.

Overall you've got a nice box there.
 
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