Quick [tech] Questions Thread

[Trippy]

What I'm not sure about is the amp requirement.  The 460 OC needs 38A @ 12v rail.  Does that mean that two will require 76A @ 12v?  Or does it not scale that way?  According to the Thermaltake rep I spoke to, he said everything should be fine - but I'm not 100 percent sure he knew what he was talking about...

That's not how it works. Those numbers you see is the recommend amps on the 12V line(s) for the entire system including the GPU. The GPU itself not-OC'd will draw max 160W or 13.3A on the 12V line (scroll to bottom):

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product-geforce-gtx-460-us.html

For total system power draw you can check out measurements such as this one:

http://www.techspot.com/review/309-geforce-gtx-460-sli-performance/page9.html

The above is only a rough estimate since the system they used to measure the power draw may not be close to what you are using so you need to extropolate/guesstimate a bit.

[SnakeCharmer]

Ah, ok.  Thanks for the information, good stuff as always.

[Engels]

So, I'm wondering what the deal is with SLI for us 'average' gamers. Even if you have a big screen, wouldn't it be best to just get the top single card than running the risk that some kewl new hotness won't run on SLI properly?

I can understand the budget approach of getting a single cheaper card and then have, in theory at least, the option to add in another of the same later on down the line to keep costs down, but for folks with ready cash for multi thousand dollar systems, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

[Sheepherder]

The game communicates to the hardware through several layers of software, and the signal going to the display is no different.  The game itself doesn't actually need to know what kind of hardware it's running on: that's the role of DirectX and display drivers.

[fuser]

The game communicates to the hardware through several layers of software, and the signal going to the display is no different.  The game itself doesn't actually need to know what kind of hardware it's running on: that's the role of DirectX and display drivers.

Do you still have to wait for nvidia to still create profiles for games?

[Sheepherder]

You can make your own.

The profiles are just slightly more advanced GPU settings.  The most significant change they make is whether the two cards operate in tandem or whether they draw alternate frames, most of the rest will be stuff you could access via the registry if you were so inclined (alternate methods of drawing certain shaders/effects, or substituting one for another of similar effect), or stuff you could change normally via the control panel.

[SnakeCharmer]

I have an untold amount of digital family pictures and videos I desperately need to get organized.  Some of it is duplicates of backups of backups because I'm so paranoid about losing something.  And it's spread over 2 external HDD.  Long shot in the dark:  Is there any program out there that can pool all the video and photos together, organize/rename them according to the date, search for duplicates, etc?  Or do I just need to set aside a week or two and physically look at everything by hand?

[Engels]

Well, assuming that your duplicates have the same file name, then you can probably do some fairly easy filtered searches, then dump all the search results into one folder. When the copying process runs across a duplicate, it will ask if you want to overwrite, etc.

I'd do a search for *.jpg for example. All the results, no matter what, put 'em in one folder. In the event of duplicates, if they have the same file name, they will have a (2) or so after the name.

As for dates, they should all have a created-on label.

[Vision]

I use Null medialink to stream files to my PS3 from my mac, although it prohibits me from changing audio tracks or subtitle tracks when I watch them on my PS3. Since I watch a lot of foreign films/anime, getting stuck with the english audio track since it is the primary in a lot of these .mkv files is annoying. I was wondering if there was a way to switch up the primary audio track for the individual files, or get it switched through medialink itself.

[Salamok]

I'm trying to decide if this is just going to be a total piece of crap, but for $10 it is tough not to just roll the dice:

Verizon Westell 7501 Wireless G Router

I'm even considering buying 2, 1 for a print server and 1 for a media server to set next to my ps3 with a 500gb usb drive attached.  Add to this the total piles of shit that linksys seems to be content cranking out lately and the urge to try something new is quite compelling.

[SnakeCharmer]

Well, assuming that your duplicates have the same file name, then you can probably do some fairly easy filtered searches, then dump all the search results into one folder. When the copying process runs across a duplicate, it will ask if you want to overwrite, etc.

I'd do a search for *.jpg for example. All the results, no matter what, put 'em in one folder. In the event of duplicates, if they have the same file name, they will have a (2) or so after the name.

As for dates, they should all have a created-on label.

They don't have the same file name - some have copy, or (1) or even a completely different name.  I have 125,000someodd .jpgs.

Maybe I've watched too much CSI, but isn't there some sort of embedded data on every photograph that some sort of software can sort through to pick out duplicates.  Free would be nice as I could start on this tonight, but I'm not worried about cost.  I'd rather spend the money than lose the entire set of photos from the day my son was born.

[Chimpy]

You could probably find something that sorts by EXIF metadata. But the files actually have to have information there. That is all dependant on the software that saved the file in the first place.

Also, I do not have any information about a specific program that will "do that for you".

[Sky]

Will a PCI Express 2.0 x16 card work in a PCI Express x16 slot?

As I mentioned in Useless Conversation, my pc is tits-up right now. Getting graphical garbage, neon pixels in a different pattern seemingly per resolution. Difficulty booting, safe mode does work, albeit with the graphical anomalies. I've isolated out the RAM and it doesn't seem to be a factor. The graphical issues seem to point at the gpu, but being able to boot into safe mode and run the computer seems odd.

I spent some time trying to stabilize the computer, nothing's working. I can imagine it being many different vectors, and honestly I'm wary of slapping a new video card into a suspect environment, even if the answer to my above question is yes (and I can magically conjure up a couple hundred bucks from nothing, heh).

[Chimpy]

It should as long as it fits in the slot.

The PCI-E spec is supposed to be backwards compatible with the cards working at the highest clock speed of the slot if it is slower than the card (and vice versa).

[Engels]

That said, Sky, chances are pretty danged good that it is your vid card. The reason it can boot to safe mode is that it doesn't call on the advanced chipset features on your GPU that are broken; its using a simpler basic VGA driver that probably doesn't engage the seriously horked elements.

I know this because I had the exact same problem a few months ago. I swore up and down it couldn't be the GPU because not only would it boot to safe mode, but the system could use a Linux boot CD without a problem either. Lo and behold, I put in a spare vid card and all the problems went away.  We also recently encountered this on a laptop with a dedicated nvidia gpu. Turns out its an HP with those broken Nvidia cards that's causing a class-action suit.

I know you don't have a spare GPU, but do you have a spare computer you can put the broken card into?

[Sky]

Ok, that's cool. I'm tempted to get a 460gtx to slap in there (again, if I can work budgetary miracles given the lack of a wall in two of my rooms right now), if that's really what ails the pc. Could be months before I can do that and we're getting into Kepler territory at that point. I'd hate to grab the 460 on the eve of a really nice upgrade in gpu tech...and longer term I was thinking of two 460s in SLI (I made a quick convert, eh?), but it might be literally years before I can do the cpu/mobo/ram/gpu upgrade I talked about in the upgrade thread. If it turns out to be systemic and the psu is screwed as well, I'm truly fucked at this point.

Engels - only an AGP computer I long for the days when we had a good LAN group in the area, things were so much simpler then. A room of six geeks and everyone had pcs and a duffel with spare bits to swap around and troubleshoot.

[Engels]

Sky, what mobo and cpu do you have? I ask because it may not be worth upgrading to a 460 and you can get away with buying a chapo 9000 or ATI 4000 series card instead.

Also, what is this new revolutionary graphics tech of which you speak? If you mean the Nvidia Kepler 28 nm chip that's slated for 2011, I personally wouldn't hold my breath. The one before, the Fermi chip now used in the 400 series cards took forever to release. AMD is releasing the 6000 series, but it looks like just mild boosts to the existing 5000 series.

If you are refering to Zacate, AMD's new on-board gpu, that's not really for us. That's maybe for the mid range laptop market. For people who want to play full screen Hulu on their laptop without having a dedicated GPU. Same thing goes for Sandy Bridge, Intel's new 32 nm cpu that ostensibly does graphics.

[Sky]

Kepler. My reasoning with a 460 is not having to duplicate effort, the hundred bucks I'd drop on a 9800gt would put me halfway to the 460, which I could then SLI when I can finally upgrade the system. I'm running a C2D e6600 stock 2.4GHz on an ASUS P5W DH Deluxe which is an intel 975X board.

I can't see getting a cheapo 9 series, because it would perform worse than my monster 8800gtx, which (was) really a hell of a card for its time.

All this based on conjecture that it's actually /just/ the gpu at fault here...

[Engels]

well, its rock, meet hard place then :/ Sorry bud.

[Sky]

I'd be excited if I weren't getting pummeled by expenses this year. Not going to bitch about it when people are looking for jobs, though.

[Sky]

Was able to keep it stable in safe mode for a couple hours last night to run some tests that weren't turning up any results. Ordered the 460 linked below, if it turns out to be something else the egg is awesome about returns. 6 months no interest ftw.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130568

[Yegolev]

I need LEDs, coin batteries and possibly other bits, and I don't know if Radio Shack is the place to get that nerd shit anymore.  Anyone have any preferred electronic parts dealers?

[Viin]

Radio Shack has that stuff, just not as much as it use to.

I also see those types of things at Lowe's, in the bolts, screws, washers, etc area.

But, I mostly order all that stuff online. www.mouser.com

[Chimpy]

I need LEDs, coin batteries and possibly other bits, and I don't know if Radio Shack is the place to get that nerd shit anymore.  Anyone have any preferred electronic parts dealers?

If there is a Fry's nearby, they have that shit. Probably more than your local radio junk does nowdays as they have shrunk their electronics parts down to almost nothing.

[Sky]

460 - fixed.

Then it occurs to me I should've used evga's lifetime warranty on the 8800. Dammit. I guess I could return the 460, but....I'm weak when it comes to issues of graphics and gpus...

[Chimpy]

But you would have to wait for the RMA on the 8800!

[Lantyssa]

And once you use that new card for the 3D games that your 8800 was having trouble keeping up with...

[Yegolev]

But, I mostly order all that stuff online. www.mouser.com

SPROING

Thanks for the link, assuming the service is good.  Exactly what I was looking for.

One Fry's in Georgia, not in a reasonable place.

[Sky]

And once you use that new card for the 3D games that your 8800 was having trouble keeping up with...

They were mostly cpu-bound, and additionally the 460 is probably bound by the PCIe (not 2.0) slot it's in. The 8800gtx was a hell of a card. We'll see :P

Chimpy, true, but evga is pretty awesome about cross-shipping. Still, a few more days...and it's a 5-day weekend starting in 2-1/2 hrs....

[Murgos]

They were mostly cpu-bound, and additionally the 460 is probably bound by the PCIe (not 2.0) slot it's in. The 8800gtx was a hell of a card. We'll see :P

I'm curious about how this is going to turn out.  My MB is also only  PCIe x16 (Intel P35 chipset) 1.0 and I'm currently running an 8800GTS in it.  On Civ V I can run in DX9 with most settings medium or high without too much issue but selecting DX 11 just makes it crap out.

I'm not really ready to upgrade my MB just yet (and by extension RAM, CPU, GPU and probably OS) so a nice intermediate step would be good.

[Sky]

So far the 460 is exactly what I hoped to get, a decent speed bump that draws less power and generates less heat. The rear exhaust setup on the model I got really pumps all the hot air right out of the case...but the fan seems cheap. Not super loud, but I can hear it when it gets up around 60% under heavy load (modern dx10 with ridiculous amounts of polys and effects).

Civ 5 I'm running with everything cranked in dx11, runs much better. Some odd draw-in behavior on my small map save game near the end of the game, low res terrain seems to stick until I move the camera back and forth over it a few times, then the high res stays loaded. Dunno. Anyway, it runs the dx11 client well, we'll see how it gets later in the game on bigger maps, though.

Nothing has put it over 72 degrees and about 65% fan so far. Haven't measures case internals, but they've got to be drastically lower with the external exhaust setup, the gpu exhaust is hot and the 12cm rear pc exhaust is barely over room temp under load. Note - that exhaust is unique to certain evga cards like the one I linked/bought.

Hope I can swing a system upgrade and SLI this puppy, but for now I've got a decent little speed bump to get me through for a while.

[Engels]

Good to hear. Thanks for the review, specially about the specialty cooling.

[Sheepherder]

The GTX460 is a very nice card, I'd have a hard time not recommending a single for midrange systems, or SLI for high end.

[MuffinMan]

Have had my new computer for about a week now. Build as follows:

EVGA P55 LE
I5 760 2.8ghz
Coolermaster V8 CPU Cooler
8gb 1333mhz Corsair RAM
GeForce 470 1.2gb
Antec 850W PS

Everything's been great but when I start it up all of the lights come on, fans whirl for about 3 seconds then it shuts off. No beeps, POST, display or anything. 2 seconds pass and then it turns on and fires up normally. I've never had a PC do this, is it some kind of self-test? It's not a problem for me, just intriguing.

[Engels]

Sounds like it might be shorting out. Check to see that the motherboard is not touching the baseplate in the case; ie, that the risers are all in and nothing got stuck underneath.