rupert86

SATA and PATA drives are the same internally. Its the PCB/controller/interface that's different. Drives seldom reach sustained data transfers above 75MB/s, and thus a UATA-100 drive has the same as a SATA-150. The only benefit is in the burst mode, and the easier to manage cables of course.

It would be quite right if one can build up confidence to go in. Anyway if some woman happens to be changing her tampon/napkin and somebody looks this way she's sure to have her hands trembling. Men are easier to deal with harder situations. Anyway this washroom is a real place for those agency-people (secret agents of security agencies, police observers etc.). Most probably in 2035 a classified document would leak out of the concerned agency telling that this spot was really used to spy on one of the office windows in the adjacent building. Or it may be that Ted Allbuery is on my mind?

Its amazing that somebody mailed me these pics abt 2 yrs ago, telling that it is the underwater palace of King Fahad of Saudi Arabia. Confusion guys! Can anybody really clear it up. Maybe the beautiful building will end up in Australia after research . Anyway its cool. Has somebody any idea how do you get into it? I can see no tunnel.

Aah, this is a very good question indeed, considering that I have each and every piece of software on all my systems pirated (No offense other people, I'm giving reasons). First of the reason is poverty. Can you believe that the fastest processor shipping here is the Prescott 2.8GHz? It forms just the best system here. The latest gaming rig I sold was: AMD Athlon XP 2500+ MSI KT6 Delta-SR 2x Kingston ValueRAM 256MB CL3 Aopen GeForce4 MX4000 (I don't remember the model no.) Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 ST340014A 40GB Just look at it. Does it look like a gaming system. It can't even run NFS4 at a good speed! Here a US dollar costs about 58 Pakistani Rupees. Consider it 60/-. A WinXP Professional costs about $140, nearly equal to the Rs. 9000/- @ some major vendors like Marsons USA Corp etc. The only other piece of software that ships here is the MS Office productivity suite. Other software publisher simply do not have agencies here. I've heard there are some in our capital, Islamabad. But Islamabad is the city of the elite, it's Paris in Pakistan. It's not a thing out of this country. Also, it's 1466km from the greatest computer market (i.e: Karachi). We have no concept of shipping by post. (We've no highways either, reaching this Islamabad takes nearly 60 hrs. of continuous driving, which many people do not do due to fear of highaymen at night). There is much development needed. (Just for example: We have only 16 ATM machines for a city of 12 million). Also, people do not have the buying power. Rs. 9000 is far greater than many people can ever save. And, the system which would otherwise cost @ Rs. 60000 now costs for Rs. 45000 (since software is quite free). I cannot very proudly say that our enterprise manages to sell such a system once in every three years. These are the two major reasons plaguing us: inavailability and cost. On the other hand, for Rs. 18 (eighteen) a CD can acquired which has, not the latest, but some three or four months old version of sooooooo many software that may otherwise cost Rs. 20000. Plus, like XtremeMac from Turkey said he orders software from online stores. Oh for sake man, if I did like it, my postman would end up running the software. We are simply delved in corruption. (Not to be proud, but Pakistan was No. 1 in corruption in 1996). Where most of the people are buying branded Pentium IIs which are discarded (I've heard the corporations simply throw them away) for Rs. 3500, how in the world do you suppose would they be able to sell them some software which is even expensive? I myself earn Rs. 1500 a month. Look at my system's specs: ______________ ;config.tXt ;28.09.2004 ;07:07 PST Graphic Card: Matrox Millenium G200 AGP Model #: Just ain't feeling like unscrewing to look inside............. Sr #: Just ain't feeling like unscrewing to look inside............. Driver version: 6.83.017 in Win98, 5.92.006 in WinXP PD version: 6.83.017 in Win98, 6.92.004 in WinXP VT version: N/A MGA Bios version: 1.4.004 Hardware rev.: 133 CPU: AMD Athlon 600 MHz (AMD K7600MTR51B) @687MHz (FSB114, CL2) Chipset: VIA Apollo KX133 (VT8731 + 82C686A) Motherboard: SL-77KV Motherboard Bios: L5 PCB ver: M5 Motherboard chipset patches: AGP GART 1.80a from VIA Hyperion 4.51v RAM: 2x Kingston 256MB KVR133X64C3/256 (@114MHz) OS: Windows 4.10.2222A & Windows XP 5.1.2600.2180 SP2 Desktop resolution and color depth: 1024x768, 32bpp DirectX version: DX9.0b, 4.09.0000.0902 in Win98, Win2000 Hard Drive: Seagate Baraccuda 7200.7, ST380011A; firmware v3.06 SCSI card type: NIL Sound card and driver version: Integrated VIA AC'97, drv v5.50a in Win98/WinXP Hardware rev.: 032 Monitor brand: Philips 105S2 CD-ROM Drive (make/model): Asus S520/A, firmware rev. 2.0L Network card: NIL Fax MODEM: Amigo AMI-2019E, (also called AM HW 3056) (PCI slot 3 of 5) Driver Version: 3.37 Hardware revision: 001 IRQ settings and other devices: ----------------------- Yet I have top 5 of the best systems in friends/family. But since our public can't afford it, it doesn't mean that they do not have the right to live. Just for a reminder: Bill Gates himself lives in 26 room palace. We are doing no harm to him. If we encounter a problem, we don't just go running toward Microsoft/whatever other publisher, asking to rectify it. We have learnt to live with it. People have no choices: There's no Linux distro available here. What's available, is pirated mandrake 9.0. Yeah but borrowing decisions are based on what we desperately need. And we can't download things (etc. freeware, cuz that rarely comes in pirated CDs; point is: if it was freeware, why would it be called pirated?). It takes me 1hr 40min to download 10MB (Realplayer basic, for example). Our whole country has a bandwidth of under 170MB/s. 134MB/s of it is concentrated in PIE, the main router situated in Karachi. It failed 67 times alone in May 2003. Okeez guys. Think I went too long in my woes. P.S: I dislike piracy, even though I suppport it. Even we consider USA (where main publishers of software are registered, and consequently pay taxes to US govt.) as one of our enemies (no offense, anyone, that's what Gallup poll in April 2004 published), I don't find a justification to use stolen software. Plus, it is against Islamic teachings.

Yes, but buying the first generation of anything would be not my first choice. They're either problematic (although we have seen that Intel's PCI Express chipsets weren't problematic, except for the server-oriented Lindenhurst). And anyway today it is harder to overclock a PCIe board, since they are not as advanced as to have working PCIe speed locks. And anyway with SiS, VIA, nVidia and ATi all releasing PCIe chipsets for A64, it will be a very tough competition indeed. I'd suggest you to wait for the 2nd generation of these chipsets. After all, nForce3 150 was quite a flop, but nForce3 250 boomed out. Just wait for the refinements. I personally think it will be paper launch on 19th Oct. It would take time for these products to get out in the market.

You've made a nice combination. All the Athlon 64s are downward unlocked. That means its easy to UNDERclock them. Of course that's necessary for the Cool 'n' Quiet technology. All the Athlon 64 FX's are upward unlocked also. That's the benefit of paying more than twice for a 10% performance increase over a 3800+.

It all depends on the OS. E.g: I use Win98 and XP both, and have 5 partitions (C, D, E, F, G). Whenever I install a new HDD, like my friend's for data transfer), If I start it in WinXP the first partition of new HD appears after the last one of mine, like H:. It is the same as your situation in Win98, that the original D: is replaced by the NEW C:.

Yes, you could as well get an Athlon 64 FX-53 for Socket 939, w/ an nForce3-250 (look here: its 250, not 150) and unbuffered 1GB of RAM. It would be more positive, more overclockable, and after all cost you lesser since registered RAM is more expensive (nearly twice). And anyway S940 is dying, the way to go is S939. Point is: Suppose you have a problem with your system after 2-3 years of use, it would be easier to find a friend w/ an S939 CPU to swap it with yours.

I advise my customers not to have one. But it is a difficulty getting them understand its now of no use. I think it has too long been in fashion. Personally, I myself have one in my system, and I'm likely to discard it if I get that Virtual Floppy disk type of prog. The main reason is, it is much needed in BIOS & firmware updates, although being most unreliable method.

Maybe the driver enhances the power-saving features of your CPU. That is, your CPU switches to half-speed under lesser load, such as when just looking at the device manager, but when gaming etc. which makes the CPU work harder, it switches back to full-speed. I think it is the PowerNow feature of Athlon XP. Try the real-time clock checker from CPU-Z

I was talking abt dual-channel DDR. Its not the property of RAM, rather of the chipset. But the VIA PT800 doesn't have a dual-channel memory controller, whereas PT880 has. And both Intel's 865xx and 875P also have.

Mobile's best if buying to overclock. Anyway the 2800+ is faster by stock, so why not get it?

Most probably he means the PCB version of the mainboard. Its best to look for what is physically stamped on the PCB. Why spend for a software when its as easy as opening a lid and closing it again. It may be hard to find, though, especially if you're doing it the first time. Tip: It will be either near where the keyboard connnector is soldered or between the PCI slots. Why on the earth are you writing bold? And sure you can tell us why must you have the PCB version? After its not so important thing.

Congrats on your new system. Its even better than what I recommended. Its cool. But for video encoding you sure need dual DDR?

Just before you go on to spend money, try that air blowr option. Sometimes it helps. There maybe a broken fan fin. There might be a (HDD etc.) cable interfering with the fins of the fan. That's why I dislike AMD's cooling solutions. Intel has made their parts so that the stater comes above the fan, and acts as a protective cage for it.

Try swapping the card with a friend since it my be faulty. Also, rest assured this card will work with your system. I myself am going to get a GF4 Ti for my KX133. There must be some settings in the BIOS like AGP aperture size, AGP Fast Write, AGP drive control, etc. Ask XFX technical support how to set these values. Maybe they'll ask you to set the AGP aperture size to 256M/max. (That's what Matrox guys told me for my G450).

@SiMoNsAyS, Oh how difficult it is to type your handle. Anyway, user experiences are also very important. e.g: I have a Soltek board. It was not the fastest of its time, but like in the Top 10. But I am happy that it has a support center in Asia, 5 hours ahead me in terms of time. And wow, they reply in 5 mins. To think big companies like Asus & MSI take 3 days to respond. That's the same with graphics cards. And oh yeah, low-end cards create lesser problems. Mainly because they generate lesser heat, and require lesser power. Most of them have passive cooling, so failure due to fan stoppage is impossible.

Ahem, Sticking to one company is always harmful to one's health. Just read out reviews on the net, and then make your decision. It is always the same with nVidia vs ATi, Intel vs AMD, etc. No company will come to reward you at your home if you be loyal to them. Be somewhat selfish. Look for your own benefit.

vsh80en /A also fires up the setup.

No, it is a single file named vsh80en.exe. Typing vsh80en /? on the prompt only starts the installer (shows no parameter info). Also, it is not only the .DAT updates. It is the engine updates & .DLLs as well that I want to update. And, the engine update takes more time. The .DAT update completes in 20 min. approx.

I am a registered user of McAfee VirusScan 8. The problem is, my dad got it way ago yesteryear. Now whenever I install it again (that's every 7-8 weeks, we have power failures/load-shedding everyday), a need rises to update it. Now the installer has come with virus definitions upto 23rd Aug 2003. Now updating it takes a painful 2-4 hours. It is build no. 8.0.17 Current is build no. 8.0.41 Can anybody tell me how to get a newer installer for it. McAfee do not have such an option on their site.

@prathapml: Congrats for soooo many posts. You helped me w/ your best. I acknowledge it. Ppl already have told various reasons why they prefer MSFN. I don't think I need to say anything right now. However, one point everybody missed: MSFN loads quickly on narrowband. I'm connected to my ISP @ 21600 bps (sometimes connects better like 45200 bps) and downloading Office 2003 SP1 (which is alternating b/w 710 bps & 6420 bps), but only surfing on MSFN.org. Guess why: No other site is loading; flashget eats up all the bandwidth, all other servers go time out. But MSFN is taking only 15 secs per page.Sure I say there was no help for me however good be the portal, if I couldn't load the pages. Thumbs up MSFN for your simplistic, quick-loading design.

Hey guys arablizzard2413 told you he didn't like AMD. I myself use AMD and know all the ways its better than Intel. Please don't force him into buying an AMD. Again, for the best cost-performance: AMD Sempron 3100+ (socket 754) + MSI K8T-Neo (VIA K8T800). + it has an even better cost-performance ratio than my earlier recommendation, since AMDs generally have better cost-perf ratio.

You don't sound like a hardware geek. Anyway, I myself think an Intel Pentium 4 2.26 GHz (not the Prescott which is 2.26A GHz) coupled with a Gigabyte 8VT880-L (or the 8VT880-RZ but it sure is more expensive) would make the best cost performance ratio. Notes: 1. Hyper-Threading is a waste of money if the application is not really tailored for multi-processor systems. 2. Intel's chipsets are far faster (and more expensive) but a very tight chipset interconnect (or interhub link) which is only 266 MB/s for 865 & 875P & their variants. This makes installation time (of std WinXPSP1a) greater by 10 mins. If you can bear it, go for the more expensive solutions by Intel. 3. This combination is an approach to the best cost-performance ratio: It will certainly not run DOOM III and the likes.

I assume that you are doing it the very first first time in your life. Yet if the system is not POSTing (or gives 'no display' - as in or local slang) it is the hardest problem to troubleshoot, since there can be a number of devices gone wrong. If you are finding it hard, get the whole system in its state to a nearby computer workshop. My suggestions: 0. Keep trying the 'CLEAR CMOS' jumper. It is most probably the only jumper on your board, notified by 'JP2' or 'JBAT1'. 1. Detach everything (HDs, DVDs, every extra connector). Detach their power cables as well as data cables. The only things connected together should be CPU, mobo, PSU and RAM (of course the VGA card if it is not integrated). 2. Get the mobo out of the casing, and the PSU. Put it on a thick book, insert the VGA card so that its tail hangs off the book. Now you have mobo on the book, with RAM, CPU and VGA card fitted. Connect the PSU, only the monitor and keyboard. Now the next bit is hard: Short the two pins marked 'POWER_ON' or 'POWER_SW' on the front panel connector (insert a screw driver or one leg of needle nose pliers between the two pins). The fans should run. If they run, its OK. Now there should be some display. If its not go to #3. 3. Exchange RAM, VGA card ad CPU between systems, if you have any other at hand. By that I mean, try this CPU on the other, plus the other system's CPU here. Go with only one thing changed (e.g: RAM) to all of them (RAM, VGA, CPU). If all the things worked on the other system, and all the other system's components worked on your system, naybe returning things to their original locations would also do. Plz. note that #2 is asking for too much care. Although I've noted that sometimes hit & trial works (there were some cases in which I didn't know of the location of the 'POWER_SW' connector). I myself have burned two boards doing this. #3 can be followed also when your mobo is installed in the casing. Did you say that the power LED lights up for a sec. Hmmmmmmmmm: maybe somethings shorting, but the PSU trips instantly. P.S.: A hundred times it has happened with me (esp with older systems) that changing of 'climate' (install components on the other board and they POST, install it back into their own mobo, they start to run; new life, it is) helps too much. Can somebody tell me why. This most usually occurs with Klamath & Deuschutes CPUs, and unbranded RAMs.