Q6600 System Advice, Opinions etc

[alexkoon]

I currently run a very old box under linux and I only use the box for serving files through Samba, squid proxy server, firewall, small webserver, print server, ssh server (to get out of work firewall!), surfing, a few some downloads, torrenting etc. Some general purpose paperwork type tasks (using OpenOffice).

Hardware is P4 2.8, 512Mb RAM, a 80Gb IDE system drive, Promise SATA 4 port card with 2 x 400 GB SATA and 2 x 500 Gb SATA drivers. PSU is a 430 watt Seasonic S12. It runs quietly enough using 12cm fans etc. The CPU clocks down to 350Mhz now when idle or doing lightweight fileserving etc - only ramps up when using the desktop).

I am looking to run the same sorts of apps but also want to run a virtual XP (via VMWare or similar) for when I need to work from home and remote in (currently need to fire up an old Windows machine for this).

Plan is for a Q6600 G0 (better power efficiency) with 4GB RAM, same set of HDDs (maybe a newer OS drive) as previous and same PSU. Silent 8600GT card for graphics duty (plan is to later get a Dell 2407 HC TFT). Motherboard will be a Gigabyte p35 chipset board - seen some suitable ones from Scan.

PS - No gaming as such and no overclocking required - may try to overclock just to get more performance and just for the hell of it but no serious long term overclock.

Questions:
1 - Anyone have any issues with the p35 chipset with linux?
2 - Is the hardware choice good?
3 - Have read the 4 x 1GB vs 2 x 2 GB RAM thread - I will most likely get and prefer to get 2 x 2GB for now so I can upgrade to 8 GB if required. I have seen an OCZ kit on ebuyer (http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/128014) - is this good stuff as its the most reasonable price for the memory.
4 - Can someone clarify exactly what mem speed I will need without overclocking? (I think the Q6600 runs at 1066 so 533 mem is the absolute minimum to have a running system - and to overclock I will need faster memory).
5 - Is the 430 PSU sufficient to power the Q6600 and the new 8600GT card (currently the P4 2.8 Northwood and an FX5200 card).
6 - Also plan on the Scythe Ninja plus for cooling as quietness is a higher priority than overclocking.
7 - Any other advice welcome.

[Thorsson]

I suspect that your current PSU is cutting it rather fine with the new system. Maybe it will run at base clocks, but not OC. I'd go with Abit over Gigabyte for the mobo.

[staffsMike]

That all looks like a good choice of hardware. I Think i'd go with 4 x 1gb of ram to be honest. Saves money.. you get tighter timings and 2gb will be better down the line but your next upgrade will probably be to DDR3 anyway.. (maybe get a mobo that supports DDR2/3)

Personally I'd get the Abit IP-35 (no ddr3 support) it's a fantastic board for everything, overclocking ( medium clocks), raid etc.. and lovely build quality.

Dont go with gigabyte.

The OCZ kit is pretty much the best value for money 2x2gb kit I can think of and should do you fine but i'd still be tempted by 4x1gb.

The slowest ram you need for the q6600 is 533mhz RAM as you said but i'd have 667mhz or if you want some serious overclocking potential.. pc6400 (800mhz)

The PSU is a good one as i'm lead to believe so should be fine for that system especially with the low power graphics card.

I'f you aren't gaming I can thoroughly recommend the Gainward 8500GT SilentFX (passive) lovely quality passive solution. Stays around 45 degrees idle and gets to about 60 in games so you shouldn't be able to push it any harder than that.

I also used the scythe ninja rev b in my silent build. It's a fantastic cooler. my E6600 was 18 degrees idle using it at stock settings and it has almost all the overclocking potential as the very best coolers (thermalright 120 extreme etc..)

Futher Advice: Build it!!

[alexkoon]

I'll check out the Abit boards. Are you running this abit board with the Ninja cooler? No installation issues? I need to check out a PSU calc to see if the 430 will power the system - my only concern is the 5 HDD (and maybe 6) with the 8600GT and Q6600 - plus associated bits such as sound, DVD-RW etc).

[staffsMike]

Yeah i've done a build with the ip-35 and ninja, no problem.

I think it might be tight but theres no harm in trying it first and it doesn't work get something like the 520w corsair.

[5aboy]

i would try to stretch to any of the newer asus p5k mobos - they overclock very well, and are quite stable, and well supported in the forums.

[aidanjt]

Originally Posted by alexkoon

1 - Anyone have any issues with the p35 chipset with linux?

I have an i965 board that works fine, the drivers for the northbridge are fairly universal so there shouldn't be any foreseeable problem there. However there may be new auxiliary chips that may or may not be supported (however again, most of the hardware has standard interfaces that should already be supported).

Originally Posted by alexkoon

2 - Is the hardware choice good?

No problems there. Gigabyte would not be my first choice, but each to his/her own.

Originally Posted by alexkoon

3 - Have read the 4 x 1GB vs 2 x 2 GB RAM thread - I will most likely get and prefer to get 2 x 2GB for now so I can upgrade to 8 GB if required. I have seen an OCZ kit on ebuyer (http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/128014) - is this good stuff as its the most reasonable price for the memory.

Good idea, RAM sticks are fine, but if you streach it a little bit you could get PC2-6400 sticks.

Originally Posted by alexkoon

4 - Can someone clarify exactly what mem speed I will need without overclocking? (I think the Q6600 runs at 1066 so 533 mem is the absolute minimum to have a running system - and to overclock I will need faster memory).

That's correct, however Intel northbridges have multipliers to deal with async frequencies, ideally you'd want PC2-6400 (since you'll be staying at clock mostly), or higher if you wish but it's mostly pointless, your FSB will be saturated as it is.

Originally Posted by alexkoon

5 - Is the 430 PSU sufficient to power the Q6600 and the new 8600GT card (currently the P4 2.8 Northwood and an FX5200 card).

It'll do fine if it's decent, but what model do you already have?.. a cheapo £10 PSU from PC World would most likely cause problems.

Originally Posted by alexkoon

6 - Also plan on the Scythe Ninja plus for cooling as quietness is a higher priority than overclocking.

Fine choice. I got a Scythe Infinity myself, but it's HUGE.

[staffsMike]

Originally Posted by aidanjt

It'll do fine if it's decent, but what model do you already have?.. a cheapo £10 PSU from PC World would most likely cause problems.

It says in the original post thats its a seasoinc s12 so I think it will do the job.

[aidanjt]

Ah yes, my bad. Yes, a Seasonic S12 would easily run that machine.

[alexkoon]

Thanks all - I checked out a PSU calc and it came to just over 400. I may get a Corsair 520 quiet PSU as I may move the PSU on with the others old parts into another PC for other use. Just searching for a decent price point thats not too extortionate for 2 sticks of 2 GB Memory. If anyone spots a decent deal on 2 x 2GB for reasonable money please free to SHOUT.

[aidanjt]

Originally Posted by alexkoon

Thanks all - I checked out a PSU calc and it came to just over 400. I may get a Corsair 520 quiet PSU as I may move the PSU on with the others old parts into another PC for other use. Just searching for a decent price point thats not too extortionate for 2 sticks of 2 GB Memory. If anyone spots a decent deal on 2 x 2GB for reasonable money please free to SHOUT.

Take what PSU calc says and divide by 2, they are horribly horribly horribly unreliable, and people that code them should be sued for false/misleading information.

If you're going to get another PSU, get a VX450 or something like that, more modern and energy efficient.

[staffsMike]

The VX is good but i'd take the HX as its modular so a bit easier for cable management.

[aidanjt]

Cable management is easy when you do it right, modular or no. If it takes you a bit longer to tidy up your cables for lower 'leccy bills it's time well spent.

[staffsMike]

Originally Posted by aidanjt

Cable management is easy when you do it right, modular or no. If it takes you a bit longer to tidy up your cables for lower 'leccy bills it's time well spent.

You're preaching to the choir mate.. ive got an ocz with mamouth cables all tidied nicely. But having done a few builds with the antec p182, modular makes things a lot easier as the cables come out right next to a fan so there isn't anywhere for them to go apart from behind the mobo tray which is already crowded with all the cables you do need.