[candice keenan]

OK, bouncing off a couple points in the previous post, I have an SSD question.

I've been doing a lot of review reading, and have noticed a trend. A small, but consistant, percentage of the reviews show a problem with longevity. Most negative reviews seem to blame the internal controller and rushing to put drives on the market. This shows across ALL the brands, except Intel.

Is this still an issue? Is Intel worth the extra bucks to avoid this problem?

[Phoenix Draven]

OK, bouncing off a couple points in the previous post, I have an SSD question.

I've been doing a lot of review reading, and have noticed a trend. A small, but consistant, percentage of the reviews show a problem with longevity. Most negative reviews seem to blame the internal controller and rushing to put drives on the market. This shows across ALL the brands, except Intel.

Is this still an issue? Is Intel worth the extra bucks to avoid this problem?

Hmm, I've had my OCZ SSD for nearly 2 years now and it seems fine to me.

[Svenja Hedrich]

Hmm, I've had my OCZ SSD for nearly 2 years now and it seems fine to me.

When I'm thinking of buying a new part, I read the bad reviews first. Just on the first page of OCZ on Newegg, the one egg reviews ranged from 13 to 35% of the total. I saw the same thing across all models for all other brands, except Intel. Intel seems to have a couple bad sizes/models, but most are missing the bad reviews.

Main problems seem to be freezes, BSOD, boot failure, not recognized by OS, DOA or failing after days/weeks, and a lot of the blames is aimed at the Sandforce controller many/most of them use.

[emily grieve]

When I'm thinking of buying a new part, I read the bad reviews first. Just on the first page of OCZ on Newegg, the one egg reviews ranged from 13 to 35% of the total. I saw the same thing across all models for all other brands, except Intel. Intel seems to have a couple bad sizes/models, but most are missing the bad reviews.

Main problems seem to be freezes, BSOD, boot failure, not recognized by OS, DOA or failing after days/weeks, and a lot of the blames is aimed at the Sandforce controller many/most of them use.

IMO when reading those reviews on Newegg (or any other site), you really should take them with a grain of salt. I have seen on numerous occasions where the person writing those negative reviews either didn't know what they were doing and thus blames the part, automatically assuming that it is defective or a POS. Other times they have bad experiences with shipping and still want to blame the site they orderd it from instead of the shipping company.

Don't take everything as accurate and factual.

[Code Affinity]

IMO when reading those reviews on Newegg (or any other site), you really should take them with a grain of salt. I have seen on numerous occasions where the person writing those negative reviews either didn't know what they were doing and thus blames the part, automatically assuming that it is defective or a POS. Other times they have bad experiences with shipping and still want to blame the site they orderd it from instead of the shipping company.

Don't take everything as accurate and factual.

I don't just look at the number of negative reviews, I actually read them all. You can tell who knows what they're talking about and who is an idiot. There are enough tech savvy people experiencing the same issues to trigger caution in my purchasing.

I take no reviews as gospel, but I will give more weight to a well written logical 1 star review than I do to a glowing 5 star puff piece recommendation. I normally find the 4 star rated reviews to be the most credible, but they tend to be the people who have not seen the issues raised in the lowest rated reviews. When there is an unpromising number of problem reviews, I get concerned. That's why I came here for a second/third/etc. opinion.

SSDs are not a bad thing. A history of similar issues observed over a broad range of brands, models, and sizes in what I consider to be a statiscally significant percentage could be a bad thing.

[Sophie Morrell]

Just picked up a Seasonic X750 PSU, so I'd like to grab a second Radeon 6850 to make the most of it. I've got a bunch of rebate cash cards coming and since (to my knowledge) I can't combine all the cards when shopping online, I'll probably be buying from Micro Center. Was just looking for a little advice on which brand I should buy. http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.phtml?Ntt=6850&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

[Sunny Under]

Just picked up a Seasonic X750 PSU, so I'd like to grab a second Radeon 6850 to make the most of it. I've got a bunch of rebate cash cards coming and since (to my knowledge) I can't combine all the cards when shopping online, I'll probably be buying from Micro Center. Was just looking for a little advice on which brand I should buy. http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.phtml?Ntt=6850&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

Which brand do you have now?

The HIS seems to have the highest clock speed. All three are good companies, so you really can't go wrong with any of them.

[Dylan Markese]

So my cousin brought me her laptop to "fix" yesterday (Dell Inspiron 1545). Normally the issue is she downloads everything she sees from any ad that pops up and ends up with all sorts of spyware, malware, etc etc etc. However, the issue this time is that Windows (7 Home 64bit) would no longer boot up (missing volmgrx.sys, bootmgr, osloader, I've gotten each one to display, just after "Windows is starting"). The Windows repair wouldn't do it automatically, then I tired to fix the boot loader manually via the command prompt, and it still didn't work. So I deleted and formated the HDD, then tried to install Windows 7 again (I've tried using the disc that it came with from Dell and I've also tried a backup copy I use for my system). Copying files jumps immediately to 100%, and expanding files has only worked once (and it still didn't end up booting into windows, giving me the same issue), and every other time I got an error saying that it couldn't locate the installation files.

What's odd is I did have Linux Mint (9, had an old copy laying around) installed before going back and trying to get Windows 7 to install. So I don't know what's going on. At first I thought maybe the CD/DVD drive was bad (As sometimes it vibrates really loudly) but again, no problem with installing Linux. I also thought maybe it was the HDD, because when using 'bootrec /rebuildbcd' it would scan for the OS and only find the disc(D:\) and nothing for C:\, (or anything else) even the one time Windows didn't give me the error during expanding files.

Anyone ever dealt with this before? I'm going ahead and installing Linux Mint 9 again, which seems to be working (copying files @ 28%). Are there any tools on Linux I can use to check to see if it's a failing HDD, a memory issue, etc?

EDIT: Linux Mint 9 installs and boots just fine.

[Kelly James]

so my Asus laptop had an issue with loading the log in screen today, as in it would not. so i went into safe mode w/ networking and googled the problem. learned that i should try a clean boot, [problem solved, kind of].

now i am wondering if i should set a system restore point at this point in which i am able to log on successfully, with all of the non essential start up junk enabled, or would that be a mistake as i have yet to pin point the specific program(s) that are causing this problem at start up?

aditional information:

to my knowledge no new programs have been installed in the last week, i am the only person who uses this laptop.

i have not previously set a system restore point, infinitly unwise i know, but i have now been inspired to do otherwise.

the most recent program to prompt itself after start up is some Asus driver thing asking me to update the drivers, which i ignore.

Edit: also malwarebytes just prompted "[OpenEvent] Failed to perform desired action. Error Code: 2"

[Mistress trades Melissa]

Which brand do you have now?

The HIS seems to have the highest clock speed. All three are good companies, so you really can't go wrong with any of them.

Right now I've got http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908 at reference clocks. Should the Gigabyte card run significantly cooler than the others since it has the dual fan setup?

Full Rig:

i3-530 @ 3.8 GHz w/ CM Hyper 212+ Cooler
ASRock H55DE3
Sapphire Radeon 6850 1GB
8GB Ripjaw X DDR3 1600
500GB WD Caviar Blue
Seasonic X750 PSU
CM Elite 430 Mid Tower

On a side note, I've been having a weird problem. When I boot my PC, it always has to try twice. Right after I hit the start button, it will start up, shut down before the post screen appears, then start again successfully. Then, at Windows login (Windows 8 preview), none of my USB devices will work, and I'll have to hit restart once before I've got a working keyboard to log in with.
It is somehow overclock related, since I don't have any of these issues at stock clocks, but I'm not sure what to do about it. Once I'm finally into Windows, everything runs great. I can run Prime95, StressCPU2, and any game for hours without a hitch, and I can run Folding@Home for days without any issues, so what's with these weird problems at startup?

[Jeffrey Lawson]

I'm having some trouble with Ubuntu.
I used wubi to get a Windows XP and an Unbuntu 11.10 dual boot.
(wubi is basically a windows-installer for ubuntu)

But Ubuntu is having a lot of issues.
I'll start with the biggest two issues:

--Ubuntu is very, very slow--
The computer isn't exactly great, but it runs Windows XP very well. Intel Celeron 2.8Ghz, Nvidia 6200 GT, 500MB or 1GB ram. Don't quite remember how much ram.
All windows in Ubuntu open en close very slowly.
I have activated the current nvidia driver.
I have done this in GUI.
When I tried the following:

sudo apt-get install nvidia-current

It returned the current version was already the latest.
When booting Ubuntu, the screen gives an "Input Signal Out of Range" error, and the screen is a little messed up (shifted to the left, very small font). This error disappears when the log-in screen appears, and the screen returns to normal at this point.

--Wireless won't boot on start-up--
I used ndiswrapper to install my windows-xp drivers for my wireless-usb adapter. The connection works, but I have to do the following after each boot:

sumodprobe ndiswrapper

And then unplug and replug the usb adapter.

What I used to install the drivers:

sundiswrapper -i nat5532.infndiswrapper -l	    (to check the install, seems fine)modprobe ndiswrapper   (after this command, I get a working connection)ndiswrapper -mndiswrapper -mandiswrapper -miecho ndiswrapper >> /etc/modules

I have been reading page after page of Ubuntu-forums, and it's getting me nowhere.
Could anyone offer me some advice?

[Spooky Angel]

1. It's very slow because you're using wubi. Wubi works by creating a loopback virtual disk in Windows, the experience is never as fast as it would be in a proper install.

2. ndiswrapper isn't meant to be permanent. Use the linux drivers if there are any. What is the make and model of your wireless adapter?

[Joey Avelar]

Is anyone here familiar with and/or uses Windows Home Server 2011? I am considering setting up a Home Server network and would like to know if I can run games on it the same as on Windows 7, as my server would be for media streaming and the like including the occasional "game session", but will be used to strem media to the rest of the house as well. Although I pretty much know my way around nearly all of Micro$oft's OS', the last "server" OS I tinkered with was Advanced Server 2000, which was not gaming friendly. Alas, I am a dinosaur....

[DeeD]

Is anyone here familiar with and/or uses Windows Home Server 2011? I am considering setting up a Home Server network and would like to know if I can run games on it the same as on Windows 7, as my server would be for media streaming and the like including the occasional "game session", but will be used to strem media to the rest of the house as well. Although I pretty much know my way around nearly all of Micro$oft's OS', the last "server" OS I tinkered with was Advanced Server 2000, which was not gaming friendly. Alas, I am a dinosaur....

I wouldn't use WHS as a desktop machine, it wasn't really meant for that, and the borrowed Windows Server code will make lots of programs complain (especially free non-commercial and other licensed programs).

If you're not planning on using it as a desktop, I don't see how the OS choice for your server could have an impact on your ability to play games on other computers. When it comes to home servers, I think the likes of Zentyal/FreeNAS/Amahi or just about any other linux distro would be a superior pick simply because remote and web-based management on them is so much simpler, allowing them to more easily be ran headless and out of the way while still being easily configured. Microsoft even frowns on using remote desktop on WHS (it'll give you a warning message when you connect to it through RDP). There's also some hardware limitations on WHS (I know WHS original had very limited hardware compatibility, dunno if that's true for WHS 2011, but I do know WHS 2011 is 64-bit only which means no power-saving green Atom-based WHS 2011 setups).

Perhaps you could clarify exactly what you mean by the occasional "game session" and how your server would play a role in it.

[Ria dell]

I wouldn't use WHS as a desktop machine, it wasn't really meant for that, and the borrowed Windows Server code will make lots of programs complain (especially free non-commercial and other licensed programs).

If you're not planning on using it as a desktop, I don't see how the OS choice for your server could have an impact on your ability to play games on other computers. When it comes to home servers, I think the likes of Zentyal/FreeNAS/Amahi or just about any other linux distro would be a superior pick simply because remote and web-based management on them is so much simpler, allowing them to more easily be ran headless and out of the way while still being easily configured. Microsoft even frowns on using remote desktop on WHS (it'll give you a warning message when you connect to it through RDP). There's also some hardware limitations on WHS (I know WHS original had very limited hardware compatibility, dunno if that's true for WHS 2011, but I do know WHS 2011 is 64-bit only which means no power-saving green Atom-based WHS 2011 setups).

Perhaps you could clarify exactly what you mean by the occasional "game session" and how your server would play a role in it.

I was considering placing the server in my living room (where I usually game at when I get the time) and "workstations" in the bedrooms (for guests/family) and garage. I do recall that other MS server operating systems have the same problems as you listed, but I was hoping it would be different with a modern OS. The gaming sessions I described consists of Skyrim and/or Hearts of Iron 3 and AoE3. Guess I could keep my simple Home Network setup as is. I am only considering the Home Server OS due to the media streaming/backup features and the low price offered recently by NewEgg.

[Lilit Ager]

I was considering placing the server in my living room (where I usually game at when I get the time) and "workstations" in the bedrooms (for guests/family) and garage. I do recall that other MS server operating systems have the same problems as you listed, but I was hoping it would be different with a modern OS. The gaming sessions I described consists of Skyrim and/or Hearts of Iron 3 and AoE3. Guess I could keep my simple Home Network setup as is. I am only considering the Home Server OS due to the media streaming/backup features and the low price offered recently by NewEgg.

So... you would hook WHS to your TV or something in your livingroom and directly play games on it using it as an HTPC desktop? Yeah, I definitely wouldn't recommend using WHS for that, too likely a chance of something complaining and MS actively tries to get you to NOT use the desktop on WHS putting warnings everywhere you must click through before you can use it. Also since it's based on Windows Server, none of the free AVs work on it, so you'd need to pony up for the expensive business-grade AVs or the only slightly-cheaper WHS AVs.

If willing to learn, the backup software on Linux is better anyway, as it's cross-platform and has great web interfaces (FOG for full system images, BackupPC/Bacula+Webacula for file backup) and there's plenty of DLNA servers for Linux to stream media.

[Penny Flame]

So... you would hook WHS to your TV or something in your livingroom and directly play games on it using it as an HTPC desktop? Yeah, I definitely wouldn't recommend using WHS for that, too likely a chance of something complaining and MS actively tries to get you to NOT use the desktop on WHS putting warnings everywhere you must click through before you can use it.

If willing to learn, the backup software on Linux is better anyway, as it's cross-platform and has great web interfaces (FOG for full system images, BackupPC/Bacula+Webacula for file backup) and there's plenty of DLNA servers for Linux to stream media.

You lost me at "if willing to learn..." I puttered around with Ubuntu for a bit, but unexpectedly ran out of Tylenol. It's looking more and more like the same old Microsoft from days gone by in regards to server software. Thank you for the information, as I will pass on the WHS and keep things the way I currently have them.

[Matthew Aaron Evans]

I want to get a gaming PC but I really don't know much about it. So far this computer: http://www.walmart.com/ip/CyberpowerPC-Black-Gamer-Ultra-GUA250-Desktop-PC-with-AMD-Quad-Core-FX-4100-Processor-8GB-Memory-1TB-Hard-Drive-and-Windows-7-Home-Premium-Monitor/17811825?adid=bzv_fb_revshr_001

Is what I'm getting, the only things I want to play are fallout 3, new vegas and skyrim on it and I'm not worried about the graphics. I'd apreciate it if somebody who has one of these could tell me how it is.

[Anthony Rand]

You lost me at "if willing to learn..." I puttered around with Ubuntu for a bit, but unexpectedly ran out of Tylenol. It's looking more and more like the same old Microsoft from days gone by in regards to server software. Thank you for the information, as I will pass on the WHS and keep things the way I currently have them.

It's not "same old MS from days gone by in regards to server software" but rather you're wanting to use desktop software on a server. There are significant differences in the structure and kernel between Windows Desktop and Windows Server, the server one being optimized for different things than the desktop one. This is only natural since it doesn't make sense to use a server OS for a desktop.

The reason WHS was released in the first place was because Linux was making significant inroads in the home server market as there's top-notch backup and media streaming software for Linux available for free with wonderful web-based UIs. Microsoft wanted to compete so it released WHS. WHS wasn't released to be a HTPC (just like FreeNAS isn't a HTPC), but as infrastructure for a HTPC.

[Lucy]

Right now I've got http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908 at reference clocks. Should the Gigabyte card run significantly cooler than the others since it has the dual fan setup?

Full Rig:

i3-530 @ 3.8 GHz w/ CM Hyper 212+ Cooler
ASRock H55DE3
Sapphire Radeon 6850 1GB
8GB Ripjaw X DDR3 1600
500GB WD Caviar Blue
Seasonic X750 PSU
CM Elite 430 Mid Tower

On a side note, I've been having a weird problem. When I boot my PC, it always has to try twice. Right after I hit the start button, it will start up, shut down before the post screen appears, then start again successfully. Then, at Windows login (Windows 8 preview), none of my USB devices will work, and I'll have to hit restart once before I've got a working keyboard to log in with.
It is somehow overclock related, since I don't have any of these issues at stock clocks, but I'm not sure what to do about it. Once I'm finally into Windows, everything runs great. I can run Prime95, StressCPU2, and any game for hours without a hitch, and I can run Folding@Home for days without any issues, so what's with these weird problems at startup?

It should make a little difference, but I can't say for sure how much.

As for the second problem, I'm not sure, but maybe someone else has an idea. Consider this post a bump.

[teeny]

1. It's very slow because you're using wubi. Wubi works by creating a loopback virtual disk in Windows, the experience is never as fast as it would be in a proper install.

2. ndiswrapper isn't meant to be permanent. Use the linux drivers if there are any. What is the make and model of your wireless adapter?

1. Ok, that makes sence. I will try to remove the Wubi installation, and install Ubuntu properly with a USB-stick. This should be no problem with the help of tutorials on the interwebz.

2. It's a Siemens Gigaset USB adapter 108. Can't tell you anything else right now. I'm not at home. As far as I looked, no Linux drivers exist. I have a cd with drivers that came with the adapter, but it only contains Windows ME/2000 and Windows XP drivers.

Thanks for the insight and help

[abi]

1. Ok, that makes sence. I will try to remove the Wubi installation, and install Ubuntu properly with a USB-stick. This should be no problem with the help of tutorials on the interwebz.

2. It's a Siemens Gigaset USB adapter 108. Can't tell you anything else right now. I'm not at home. As far as I looked, no Linux drivers exist. I have a cd with drivers that came with the adapter, but it only contains Windows ME/2000 and Windows XP drivers.

Thanks for the insight and help

You can try the instructions here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:19uQNeypjIUJ:blog.radevic.com/2012/02/how-to-install-13855f01-netgear-wpn111.html+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=opera

(google cache link because the source page wouldn't load for me).

It's a different USB dongle, but it's the same wireless chipset so it should work. I recommend doing these instructions with a direct ethernet line, don't use the ndiswrapper driver for your current wireless card while installing the native driver.

Otherwise you can try these instructions for getting ndiswrapper to like you: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1707327

[Andrea P]

Now that the HD 7000 series is out I decided to check on Newegg to see if the prices for the 6000 series had dropped any. I wanted to get another 1GB HD 6950 from Sapphire to run in Crossfire, but the best GPU in the 6000 series they have from Sapphire is the 6870? Has Sapphire stopped making the 6950's and 6970's?

[Wanda Maximoff]

Now that the HD 7000 series is out I decided to check on Newegg to see if the prices for the 6000 series had dropped any. I wanted to get another 1GB HD 6950 from Sapphire to run in Crossfire, but the best GPU in the 6000 series they have from Sapphire is the 6870? Has Sapphire stopped making the 6950's and 6970's?

Appears to be deactivated, which means it probably isn't coming back to Newegg. I tried checking elsewhere, but the prices are the same as a brand new card when they came out. Maybe they did stop making them.

[Eibe Novy]

Appears to be deactivated, which means it probably isn't coming back to Newegg. I tried checking elsewhere, but the prices are the same as a brand new card when they came out. Maybe they did stop making them.

That svcks

Maybe I can find one at a PC shop somewhere.