[null, {"document_url": "http://frostwolves.blogspot.ca/2012/03/we-interrupt-this-wow-blog-to-talk.html", "unformatted_src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xRP-Jf-fQCM/T25qwnZLr6I/AAAAAAAAC_I/B5qDEY3oQnI/s400/IMAG0159.jpg", "src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xRP-Jf-fQCM/T25qwnZLr6I/AAAAAAAAC_I/B5qDEY3oQnI/s400/IMAG0159.jpg", "formatted_filename": "IMAG", "rendered_width": 239, "rendered_height": 400}, null, {"document_url": "http://frostwolves.blogspot.ca/2012/03/we-interrupt-this-wow-blog-to-talk.html", "unformatted_src": "http://es.gigabyte.com/images/assets/ru/global_news/mb_250322011/GTX%2059000.jpg", "src": "http://es.gigabyte.com/images/assets/ru/global_news/mb_250322011/GTX%2059000.jpg", "formatted_filename": "GTX", "rendered_width": 400, "rendered_height": 256}, null, {"document_url": "http://frostwolves.blogspot.ca/2012/03/we-interrupt-this-wow-blog-to-talk.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdskx0do38Y/T26C4R_mRzI/AAAAAAAAC_Q/cLeCHOoxjM8/s320/IMG_1546.JPG", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdskx0do38Y/T26C4R_mRzI/AAAAAAAAC_Q/cLeCHOoxjM8/s320/IMG_1546.JPG", "formatted_filename": "IMG", "rendered_width": 320, "rendered_height": 240}, null, {"document_url": "http://frostwolves.blogspot.ca/2012/03/we-interrupt-this-wow-blog-to-talk.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JWl1bPYNygk/T26DDTs8hCI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/g9DPqYiQND8/s320/IMG_1547.JPG", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JWl1bPYNygk/T26DDTs8hCI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/g9DPqYiQND8/s320/IMG_1547.JPG", "formatted_filename": "IMG", "rendered_width": 320, "rendered_height": 240}, null, null, {"document_url": "http://frostwolves.blogspot.ca/2012/03/we-interrupt-this-wow-blog-to-talk.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtjWXoPO6sM/UDD2E3z6dyI/AAAAAAAAGAM/_6KyljBfWDw/s400/Typhoon+andrew+and+my+mage.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtjWXoPO6sM/UDD2E3z6dyI/AAAAAAAAGAM/_6KyljBfWDw/s400/Typhoon+andrew+and+my+mage.jpg", "formatted_filename": "Typhoon andrew and my mage", "alt_text": "Image"}, null, {"document_url": "http://frostwolves.blogspot.ca/2012/03/we-interrupt-this-wow-blog-to-talk.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qxyjGJgU2rA/TaRJHkSQ-VI/AAAAAAAAANk/eoABjrrcuOY/s400/dark+phoenix+hatchling.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qxyjGJgU2rA/TaRJHkSQ-VI/AAAAAAAAANk/eoABjrrcuOY/s400/dark+phoenix+hatchling.jpg", "formatted_filename": "dark phoenix hatchling", "alt_text": "Image"}, null, {"document_url": "http://frostwolves.blogspot.ca/2012/03/we-interrupt-this-wow-blog-to-talk.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xSIKjzDmVSQ/T89kNNo2gEI/AAAAAAAAEZk/Jbhkuy6js4Y/s170/Phat%2BLootz.jpg", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xSIKjzDmVSQ/T89kNNo2gEI/AAAAAAAAEZk/Jbhkuy6js4Y/s170/Phat%2BLootz.jpg", "formatted_filename": "Phat BLootz", "alt_text": "Wear the Daily Frostwolf", "rendered_width": 170, "rendered_height": 83}]
March 25, 2012

We interrupt this WoW Blog to talk about some geeky stuff....

It was funny that Effraeti was talking about building her computer, because I got a new shiny this weekend... a new computer!
It's been 3 years since I bought my last computer, and for "tax purposes" it's best to get a new computer every 3 years, so it was a good time to get one.  Lushnek also wanted a new computer and he always wants to spend outrageous money on top of the line stuff, so I thought WHY THE HECK NOT!  He asked me what I wanted to get, and I was happy to go with his choices, though I do prefer NVidia cards, not for any reason other than I've always had one and I like them.  I had a feeling we were going to go down the monstrous huge heavy path again (our GTX 295s were so huge back then!).  I also said I needed more HDD space for video rendering and editing and I do like my video cards to support to DVI outputs for both my monitors so I can always blog or edit pictures and videos while I'm waiting during a raid wipe for everyone to get back.
So Lushnek sends me a pic of our new Christmas presents, all packed up and ready for us to pick up from the store. But the most impressive (or maybe OUTRAGEOUS) thing I think was the box the video card came in!  It looks like a damn TOOLBOX!  I don't have the green packaging anymore because I was too excited to get into the box to get at the card so I have to take this pic from Gigabyte's website. It comes with a gaming mouse!  No wonder the thing was damn expensive.  The mouse itself is not bad, it's a 5 button mouse and comes with a 20g and 3x 6g weights to load into your mouse.  I don't like playing with a light mouse, I prefer a heavier mouse anyway.  So I took a picture of it with my 2 year old son for perspective.  Don't mind the mess. So I am sure you're wondering what I've wasted my money on?  Well, have a look:

CPU: Intel Core i7 3930K 3.8GHz
GPU: Gigabyte GTX590 (OMG it has 3 DVIs!!!)
MB: Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5
RAM: 32GB (4x 8GB) Corsair
Storage: 2x 120GB SSD and 2x 3TB HDD
Case: Coolermaster HAF in black

I thought my last case was big but this one is even bigger.  At least it fits under my desk. Computer building is not something you do with toddlers around.  Lushnek came by on Friday night with all the goodies and hubby rolled his eyes at the amount of STUFF we had.  He told me it was a waste of money.  A good computer is never a waste of money, IMO.  Cheaper than a wedding dress and I have to spend lots of time with it so I might as well make it look and go nice, right?  So I had to get the kids into bed before I could start putting my new toy together.
Building a computer is a bit like putting Lego together, really.  Roshii asked me why I would build my computer.  I have been doing it for my last 4 systems.  The first time was a bit daunting, but there was a sense of satisfaction when you finish doing your first one.  It comes with instructions if you don't know what to do, or have difficulty seeing all that teeny tiny writing on the motherboard.  If I was doing it all by myself, I would have been a bit more proactive.  As it was, everytime I got stuck about something, fortunately Lushnek was sitting nearby doing his computer so he could lend me a hand.  I remember being anxious about putting the CPU in... where was the little triangle??  I couldn't see it and I didn't want to put it in the wrong way or BAD things might happen!  Of course, when I closed the cover on top of it there was the triangle on the outside of the cover - SOO useful... NOT.  Putting the cooling system on it was a bit of a headache - I have never used one of those Corsair Cooling systems before (fan not liquid) but it required me to take out one of the fans from the case to install.
I'm really bad at making things tidy inside the case.  All those fancy rubber holes in the case for threading cables in and out - geez, I never would have thought I would do much of that because I just used to pile the cables in all over the place inside, but I admit it looks a lot neater with it tied up nicely inside.  And the solid states fit nicely into one slot, one on either side of one of the sliders in the bay.  They're so teeny tiny... so cute!
So my computer is up and running, I haven't got my data drives yet, just the SSDs so have the system up and running, but not really much else on yet.  That's the worst thing about setting up a new computer, getting EVERYTHING back on, and digging out all those stupid serial numbers again, and then sifting through all your junk deciding if you want to keep it all or not.  I'm happy though, this beastly machine doesn't growl like a beast, it's not too loud (though I haven't worked it hard yet in terms of graphics loads) and it has a nice little sliding cover to hide the power and reset buttons from prying little fingers.  Nothing worse than doing a long blog post and suddenly the computer shuts off and a guilty little face is looking up at you with his hands on the magic button...
So what's going to happen to my old computer?  I was going to donate it to Roshii but he didn't think it was good enough so maybe my parents will be happy to take it off my hands.  I gave them my old G5 mouse last time, I think all the buttons are wasted on them though :P  So take a look at my "free" Gigabyte M8000X and see if I should swap my G9 for it... (though I'm tempted to anyway since button 4 and 5 are a bit iffy lately and I am not getting a lot of Wild Growths off because the buttons don't work that well sometimes) What's the worst thing about building your own computer?  THE RUBBISH.  All those nicely packaged boxes turned into a roomfull of styrofoam, cable ties, instruction leaflets, plastic wrappers, screws, leftover bits, and random cardboard and plastic casings that I had to spend an hour just trying to put into the recycling and regular rubbish bin.  I was almost tempted to pay someone to get rid of the whole damn mess.
I'm sure I'll get lots of flak for throwing money on a huge system that is way overpowered for what I need.  But, I think of it this way - people like to drive around in their fancy cars... Porsches, Ferraris, M5s and zippy little Golf GTIs.  I don't have a fancy car, but I have my fancy computer.  And it's my money I saved up.  I can buy whatever the hell I want, as long as it lasts me another 3 years :)
Labels: computer geek stuff non-WoW



