Any Core I7 users yet?

[Bryan Daugherty]

Joe, that is a nice looking heatsink. I have not had good experience with that particular vendor (shipping issues) but I will keep that cooler in mind. Thanks!

[Joe Parker]

I didn't think Vigor did direct sales. But regardless, I got it from Newegg. Never a problem with them.

[Bryan Daugherty]

No i meant Newegg, I have never bought a Vigor product.

[Bryan Daugherty]

For speed, I decided to go with a thermaltake cooler from my local BB store. The black widow edition SpinQ.

Quick question on my operating system. I ordered OEM Win7 ultimate from NewEgg and got a "system builder" OEM version. I know OEM software comes without support from microsoft and have no problem with that, but I am completely unfamiliar with "system builder" edition. I understand the purpose is for people (or companies) who build systems for someone else. Have any of you installed using a system builder edition? Is there anything about this type of install that would give you pause? Anything I should be worried about? Thanks!

[Steven Reid]

Originally Posted by Bryan Daugherty

For speed, I decided to go with a thermaltake cooler from my local BB store. The black widow edition SpinQ.

Quick question on my operating system. I ordered OEM Win7 ultimate from NewEgg and got a "system builder" OEM version. I know OEM software comes without support from microsoft and have no problem with that, but I am completely unfamiliar with "system builder" edition. I understand the purpose is for people (or companies) who build systems for someone else. Have any of you installed using a system builder edition? Is there anything about this type of install that would give you pause? Anything I should be worried about? Thanks!

Bryan, I installed exactly the same version of Win 7 (OEM, 64 bit, Ultimate). Did the same with Vista, too. No issues whatsoever. Pop the DVD into your optical drive, reboot, and you're off to the races. And if you need support -- I'm not assuming you do -- then perhaps you ought not have bought the OEM version. If you need help, however, you have only a few hundred tech forums only happy to dish it out. :)

One important point that I don't really care about since my OS stays on one computer: you can't migrate the OEM version. I think the registration/validation is pretty much tied to your hardware setup. Aside from that non-issue, you should be fine.

$0.02,
Steve

[Joe Parker]

This is off topic for this thread, but I noticed the System Builder is only about $5 cheaper (than the upgrade price). The killer for me is that they only sell either 32 or 64 bit in these packages. The system I need it for is older (32 bit), but will be updated one day.

[Jeff Harper]

No need to settle for the OEM version, which only has one disc as opposed to upgrade version that has both discs. Upgrade version can be installed cleanly. Reformat your hard drive, but do not enter the product key during the installation of Windows 7 upgrade; opt for later.

Google "clean install of windows 7 upgrade" or some variation of that phrase, and you'll find the instructions out there somewhere, as I did. Works exactly the same as the full version. It is in fact the same; the difference is in how you install it.

[Randall Leong]

Originally Posted by Joe Parker

This is off topic for this thread, but I noticed the System Builder is only about $5 cheaper (than the upgrade price). The killer for me is that they only sell either 32 or 64 bit in these packages. The system I need it for is older (32 bit), but will be updated one day.

All retail-boxed copies of Windows 7 include both 32-bit and 64-bit setup discs. Furthermore, the "upgrade" copies of Windows 7 can be installed without an earlier operating system installed on the hard drive.

The "System Builder" edition of Windows 7 may seem cheaper - but then, you get basically no support from Microsoft when any issues crop up with your installation. The "System Builder" license, as defined by Microsoft's "Get Genuine" policy, limits Microsoft technical support to between Microsoft and the original system builder provided that the builder and system owner/user are not the same person. In other words, OEM and system builder copies of any Microsoft product are intended to be purchased by system builders who then resell or give away their just-built systems (along with any copies of the software used in the systems) to someone else. (The primary difference between the "OEM" and the "System Builder" licenses is the number of machines built for other people - the OEM copies are for larger builders who build dozens or hundreds of systems per week or month while the "System Builder" copies are for smaller-volume builders who assemble a few systems for others.) It then becomes your responsibility (as the original builder of the system) to provide technical support to the owner/end user.

Therefore, the "system builder" editions of Windows are inappropriate (and illegitimate) if you build a system for your own personal use. In this case, the only legitimate versions of Windows for people who build systems for their own personal use would be the retail-boxed copies.

[Randall Leong]

Originally Posted by Bryan Daugherty

Quick question on my operating system. I ordered OEM Win7 ultimate from NewEgg and got a "system builder" OEM version. I know OEM software comes without support from microsoft and have no problem with that, but I am completely unfamiliar with "system builder" edition. I understand the purpose is for people (or companies) who build systems for someone else. Have any of you installed using a system builder edition? Is there anything about this type of install that would give you pause? Anything I should be worried about? Thanks!

The choice between the two depends on the quantity of systems to be resold or given away and the frequency of such resales: If you're only occasionally building a few systems here and there to resell to someone else, you'd need the System Builder edition; if you're regularly building a bunch of systems to resell to other people, you'd need the OEM edition. If on the other hand you are building systems for your own personal use, the only edition of Windows that's legitimate for your use would be the retail-boxed edition.

[Kajito Nagib]

I'm getting ready to place an order tomorrow just wanted to make sure if everything on my newegg wish list looks ok. I have taken the advise of many of videoguys Videoguys Blog - Videoguys' DIY7.7: Intel Core i7 with Vista 64 AND Now Windows 7
and many of you here on this forum so here are my system specs:

1.Not sure which Power supply to get.
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V or Thermaltake W0319RU 850W ATX?
2.ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard
3.Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Retail
4.Not sure which memory to get will either work which is better?
CORSAIR XMS3 12GB (6 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) or
CORSAIR XMS3 12GB (6 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
5. (1)HITACHI Deskstar HD31000 IDK/7K (0S00163) 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s
6. Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade - Retail
7.Antec Nine Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case ( or maybe something else any recommendations?)
8.Pioneer Black Blu-ray Disc/DVD

Coming from my old system:
1.(1)ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series 1024 MB
2.Lacie e-Sata interface card (to GTech External HD 2GB)
3. Presonus Firebox
4. Coolermaster cpu cooler don't remember the model #(not sure if it's compatible with i7 if not then I'll probably get either the Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120, Noctua NH-U12P or COOLER MASTER Intel Core i7 compatible V8 RR-UV8-XBU1-GP.
If I don't overclock or OC a little would the stock intel cooler be ok? Forgot to mention my NLE is Vegas Pro.
Thanks! :-)

[Jason Robinson]

could be my preferences, but I wouldn't get anything but a seagate for my HDDs. I have had ZERO problems with my desktop seagate drives (laptop form factor on the other hand is different, and probably due to bad case design / cooling).

[Jason Robinson]

the stock cooler should be fine for your CPU assuming you don't OC, and assuming your case has good air flow. a bad case an almost eliminate the advantage of a pimped out cooler.

[Mark Williams]

I have the Antec Nine Hundred Two case and it has fairly decent airflow. You have switch controls on the back of the case to change the speed of the rear and top fans. Two front fans have individual knob controls. I have both turned down to low and am running idle temps on all 4 cores between 37 and 39C. If you need a really quiet aire cooled case you may want to look at another product. If I had to do it over I would probably go with water cooling as the Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz throws out a fair amount of heat.

[Randall Leong]

Originally Posted by Jason Robinson

the stock cooler should be fine for your CPU assuming you don't OC, and assuming your case has good air flow. a bad case an almost eliminate the advantage of a pimped out cooler.

Actually, with decent case air flow, an i7-920 (D0 stepping, which any new 920s sold at resellers should be of) with stock cooling (assuming that the CPU has been purchased in a retail box with its stock cooler included) should be able to be safely OC'ed to around 3.5GHz (stock is 2.66GHz). And since I got my i7-920 upgrade, I have been able to sustain an overclock to 3.5GHz with just the stock cooler - on an Intel-brand motherboard. (Granted, the Intel DX58SO I'm using allows overclocking and many of the essential voltage tweaks; however, like a lot of motherboards, it allows DIMM voltage tweaking only in increments of 0.04V. I use 1.66V for my 1.65V-rated DDR3 memory; the mobo's default setting for most memory is 1.54V.) Buying a better CPU cooler should allow you to squeeze a few hundred extra MHz worth of overclocks with this processor.

Intel recommends a maximum sustained core temperature of 70°C for its i7 processors. An overclock to 3.5GHz with the stock Intel boxed CPU cooler will achieve this maximum or slightly above at 100% load. Intel also allows peak (short-term) temperatures in the 80s and lower 90s (by default, the maximum core shutdown temperature point is 96°C).

All this assumes that you also have good-quality RAM to go along with the processor and motherboard. The first set of memory I bought for my i7 made Windows or the NLE crash every time I tried to render a long HD video project even with the CPU at stock speed so I had to replace the bad RAM modules. Bad or incompatible memory makes everything unstable even at stock.

[Kajito Nagib]

I've had both Seagate and HITACHI in the past never had a problem with either one.
I will probably bypass the fancy coolers for now since my room is always cold in the winter but I might get one before the summer. Also I want to monitor the stock cooler for the next few weeks to see how it performs. At some point I will OC but for now I want to keep everything at it's default value to get some kind of a baseline then if needed I could start slowly tweaking. Any advice on the power supply I'm wondering if I should get a 850W instead of a 750W I might add another video card at some point. Either memory I listed would work fine right?

thanks again.