Hooray, it's upgrade time.

[Dezolat0r]

Yeah, I found it

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sho...3&page=1&pp=30

According to them, it's basically impossible for a BIOS flash to fail on a GTO2, so that all sounds good. I'm still wondering about the heat of the card though, but I can't be bothered to sign up to their forums to ask

Also, whilst I'm posting again, and to save me clogging up the boards with a 2nd thread, I have another question:

Now that I'm getting a new motherboard, CPU and graphics card, this means I'll have to reformat my hard drive, right? So I want to back up all my documents and data. There's a lot of stuff on there so what's the best way to go about doing this? I can't access the PC itself as the CPU has already asploded like I said in 1st post, so is my only choice to put it into someone else's PC and transfer it across to an external HDD?

Are there any better options? Thanks!

[Hullz-Modz]

No need to wipe your HD.

Just insert into your new system and basically all it'll do, is add/install the new drivers, for your new system hardware.

Then away you go

[Dezolat0r]

No need to wipe your HD.

Just insert into your new system and basically all it'll do, is add/install the new drivers, for your new system hardware.

Then away you go

You're sure? I was told from my friend, a computer technician who definitely knows his stuff that when you got a new motherboard you have to reformat? Or maybe he just recommended I reformat

Can someone confirm this for me? This is brilliant news if I don't have to reformat. That was the main thing holding me back from purchasing everything in the first place! Thanks

[Splash]

Generally if you're switching to a new board with new chipset and stuff I'd say bite the bullet and reformat. It'll be worth it in the long run!

[Hullz-Modz]

Yeah, your friend probably recommended it to you, although its not a must, i've used the same HD in various systems.

Plus i doubt it'll "be worth it in the long run" if you want to keep all your current info/data.

Upto you in the end, although i do re-itterate, its not a must.

[Dezolat0r]

Awesome. So theoretically I could just order the parts tomorrow and install them straight away once I got them, and itd be just like nothing had changed software wise apart from drivers?

Also, is there anything else I'd need to buy, like thermal paste or whatever? I'm not sure how to install all this stuff but Im sure i could figure it out

You guys are truly awesome. Thanks so much for the help so far, you've no idea how helpful you've been

[Hans Voralberg]

Yes, most of the time just plug it in. Uninstall the old driver, install new one. The necceessary stuf are thermal paste, screw, fan etc.

[Dezolat0r]

Argh

I hate to doubt you guys but some people here http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.p...t=removing+cpu are saying the computer SHOULD be reformatted. I'm confused guys :/

Sorry about the constant questions >_<

[BrandX]

it takes and hour to back up even the most biggest of files etc on a home standard home system and another hour to install OS again. Sheesh man its 2 hours out of your life. If something as easy as installing an OS is bugging you maybe you shoud go buy a Dell!

[Dezolat0r]

...

My PC is BROKEN! How can I back up my data without actually being able to turn the computer on!

Installing the OS isn't the difficult part. My CPU doesn't work so short of taking the hard drive out and putting it into another PC (which I cant do) I have no way of backing it up.

Im trying to avoid backing it up not because I'm a noob who cant do something simple like install an OS, but because I physically am incapable of doing it!

Be patient, I know my questions are probably getting on your nerves but saying I should buy a Dell... well that's harsh man Bear with me whilst I sort this out

[Hans Voralberg]

Argh

I hate to doubt you guys but some people here http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.p...t=removing+cpu are saying the computer SHOULD be reformatted. I'm confused guys :/

Sorry about the constant questions >_<

SHOULD = Recommended but not neccessary. The rule of thumb is if you moving from, say NF3 -> NF4, u can afford not to format the disk, changing from 1 NF4 mobo to another also doesnt really require a format. But if u r changing from 1 to a completely different it would be recommended. I personally hold a driverless image of my Win so i dont need to bother with the formating and stuff.

[BrandX]

...

My PC is BROKEN! How can I back up my data without actually being able to turn the computer on!

Installing the OS isn't the difficult part. My CPU doesn't work so short of taking the hard drive out and putting it into another PC (which I cant do) I have no way of backing it up.

Im trying to avoid backing it up not because I'm a noob who cant do something simple like install an OS, but because I physically am incapable of doing it!

Be patient, I know my questions are probably getting on your nerves but saying I should buy a Dell... well that's harsh man Bear with me whilst I sort this out

Dezolat0r I was trying to make it sound a bit tongue in cheek

Have you sorted it yet? Why don't you order a cheap small hardrive for your new system install yor os to that then put your old one in your system as a slave and drag over what you need to the new one. Then format the old drive and drag the stuff back to it. Just use it for storage purposes.

[Dezolat0r]

Dezolat0r I was trying to make it sound a bit tongue in cheek

Have you sorted it yet? Why don't you order a cheap small hardrive for your new system install yor os to that then put your old one in your system as a slave and drag over what you need to the new one. Then format the old drive and drag the stuff back to it. Just use it for storage purposes.

That sounds like a good solution. perhaps I should just splash out and buy one of those 36GB 10000RPM Raptor drives? Not sure what difference it would make and I'm already strapped for cash though! cheers

EDIT: Wow they're pretty steep. &#163;70+ in Scan. Looks like a no go for me at the moment considering I can't afford the original stuff people recommended in the first place yet! probably just get me a cheap 40Gb drive or something then, yeah?

oh, and NOBODY calls me a Dell user and gets away with it! kidding, sorry to overreact I think everyone is getting impatient with me now after all my questions!

[DigiGuru]

Just a quick one... was the A64 you had before a OEM version or a Retail version?

If it was a retail and you used it with the specified heatsink+fan, then you should be able to contact AMD for a replacement.

Also, I would seriously check other components in that system, for example, the power supply, if your system blew the chip... it takes a fair amount to burn out a chip, even at overclocked levels, as most motherboards will auto-shutdown at 75 degrees C.

If the chip blew, there must be something else that caused it, and I would seriously check what that could be before you install a newer, more expensive, motherboard and chip in and it blows again.

Stu

[Dezolat0r]

Just a quick one... was the A64 you had before a OEM version or a Retail version?

If it was a retail and you used it with the specified heatsink+fan, then you should be able to contact AMD for a replacement.

Also, I would seriously check other components in that system, for example, the power supply, if your system blew the chip... it takes a fair amount to burn out a chip, even at overclocked levels, as most motherboards will auto-shutdown at 75 degrees C.

If the chip blew, there must be something else that caused it, and I would seriously check what that could be before you install a newer, more expensive, motherboard and chip in and it blows again.

Stu

Actually, the guy I spoke to said the CPU had burnt out because I hadn't applied thermal paste every 4 months like I was supposed to. This was confusing, because my old computer I had for like 6-7 years and still works fine today =/ plus I've never heard of this reapplying-thermal paste thing you have to do, it sounds weird to me!

The CPU came preinstalled with the rest of the PC over a year ago (i know, I should've prebuilt, I was a noob then! but I've learnt a lot since despite what this thread would lead you to believe!) so I can't get a replacement I don't think as it's through its warranty. Could it be possible that the company I brought the PC from didn't apply thermal paste properly the first time round causing it to give way now?

Ahh! now that you mention it, my mobo has a feature where it shuts down the PC if it reaches a certain temperature. my average idle temp on the CPU was about 47c, under full load it was about 60c tops. that doesn't seem too bad to me and I hadn't overclocked it at all, so what could've caused this?!

The PSU i have is a Raidmax 420W which came with my case. I know they aren't the most reputable of brands but their cases are pretty good - could it really be that? I don't want to add a new PSU to my list of things to buy when I'm already strapped for cash, but i suppose it'd be better than shelling out again after my cpu went for a second time


cheers.

[DigiGuru]

The re-applying paste is an absolute load of [insert word to be removed by swear filter here]!!!

The guy obviously doesn't know what he's talking about, and if the paste was meant to be constantly replaced, why would there be a "warranty" sticker thats broken when you remove the case on prebuilt PCs? The thermal paste only needs to be cleaned and re-applied once per time the fan and heatsink are removed.

If it was a prebuilt, however, the system is likely to only have OEM parts which will very likely only carry a 1 year warranty on.

If you still have the system, I could arrange to test some of the parts (memory, cpu and graphics) for you in a Sempron rig I've just built, as those kind of temps wouldn't burn out a chip, especially if its being run at stock voltage and fsb.

It might well have been just a cheap motherboard (read: PC Chips, ECS) or something else similar where a chip blew.

Stu