Upgrading

[CJW]

New Mobo: Asus M5A97 LE R2.0
New CPU: AMD FX 4100
Existing Memory: 2x Kingston HyperX DDR3-1600 - 4GB Total

But didn't realize the new Mobo doesn't have onboard graphics, so now I need to get a graphics card. Anyone know which graphics card would go well w/mobo & cpu from above? I'm leaning towards these Radeons. I don't play many games (yes old, but I still play RtCW, DOOM 3, Serious Sam which are the highest I have; but may try a few others, depending on the card). Cash is low, so these would be best in my price range.

 

[stormy13]

Even better and the same price as the 6670 you linked to,

Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GV-R677D5-1GD Radeon HD 6770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

 

[bassfisher6522]

I prefer the AMD cards...I use the HD 6790D, see specs. IMHO..I think their the best bang for the buck cards out there.

 

[CJW]

Stormy13: Too many bad reviews & a friend of mine has also stated problems he's had w/2 of the GIGABYTE GV-R677D5-1GD, thanks for the info though.

Bassfisher6522: Thanks for the info, going to look into the Radeon 6790.

 

[CJW]

Finally able to get a new grapics card, the ASUS Radeon HD 6670; but can someone help me a bit?

1st, I have the Antec Super Lanboy case & need a little assistance in getting the front audio & USB cables attached to the ASUS M5A97 LE R2.0 mobo. The comfuser is not up & running just yet (see #2), but I don't get any beeps when testing boot-up.

2nd, should I go through & setup the mobo's BIOS before/after installing the OS (which will be 7 Pro 64Bit)?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

2nd, should I go through & setup the mobo's BIOS before/after installing the OS (which will be 7 Pro 64Bit)?

Not sure what you mean by "set up" the BIOS. I'd reset to a default BIOS before any clean installation of an OS.

After the install, I'd generally familiarize myself with its navigation, layout, and choices, but I wouldn't change anything from defaults without a good reason.

I'd look for stuff that might speed up booting.

I typically might change 3 or 4 things after a clean install and leave the rest at default---if not overclocking.

 

[Britton30]

The front panel cables for you Audio and USB 2.0 ports will connect where shown. The Audio cable should have two connectors, one HD Audio and one AC97, use the HD one.

Do you have a motherboard speaker attached?

 

[CJW]

ignatzatsonic: I'm going to take a look around in the BIOS before OS installation but not change anything just yet.

But there is a SATA Mode Notice (from the manual) I don't quite understand:
"For Win7, you can install the AMD SATA AHCI DRIVER from the mobo support DVD after installation for better compatibility." "If your existing Win OS is installed to a SATA drive that was set to IDE mode during OS installation, you may encounter system boot failure after connecting the hard drive to the new mobo w/the SATA port set to AHCI mode by default. Follow the instructions below to prevent system boot failure: Error message occurs after you change the SATA mode of the boot drive

Since this is a new mobo & new, clean SATA drive, do I really need to do anything?

Britton30: I didn't install any motherboard speaker, I've never had to w/past mobos; do I need to w/this one? I've attached more pics of the wires coming from front of case. I've tried pluging in the 1 black 7-pin connector, then the individual connectors; no beeps either way. Am I out of luck? BTW, I was told the case's front audio is AC'97 & the mobo manual states the mobo can use either HD / AC'97.

 

[bobkn]

The audio plug is for newer motherboards that support the standard. (Such as yours.) The discrete pins are for older boards.

If your case is wired for AC97, set the front panel audio to that in the BIOS settings. If it's Azalia (HD Audio), use that instead. Make sure that you have it right before connecting anything to the front panel audio jacks. Damage may occur if you don't.

You may need to use a case speaker to get BIOS beeps. Not all motherboards will give BIOS beeps through the onboard sound controller with external speakers.

 

[Britton30]

Yeah a case speaker will be needed. Not trying to contradict anyone, but I've never had beep codes come through external speakers.

 

[CJW]

Ok, a bit confused here. Since my case's front audio is AC'97, I should use the discrete pins & set the BIOS setting to AC'97 - or - since this is a newer mobo, use the Audio Plug & still set the BIOS setting to AC'97?

Using previous mobos, when I hit the computer's power button, a POST beep would come from inside the case (not external speakers) & I just thought that was the case w/all mobos.

I'll give the connections another try later tonight.

 

[bobkn]

Ok, a bit confused here. Since my case's front audio is AC'97, I should use the discrete pins & set the BIOS setting to AC'97 - or - since this is a newer mobo, use the Audio Plug & still set the BIOS setting to AC'97?

Using previous mobos, when I hit the computer's power button, a POST beep would come from inside the case (not external speakers) & I just thought that was the case w/all mobos.

I'll give the connections another try later tonight.

Use the plug. Set the BIOS to AC97.

The plug and the pins serve exactly the same purpose. The plug is more convenient, if you have a motherboard with a header that takes it.

I've never owned a motherboard with an onboard sound transducer that makes beep codes. I think they may put them on some server boards. (Vague memory.)

 

[CJW]

Looks as though I may be out of luck in getting beeps unless I buy a mobo speaker.

I've tried:
Audio Plug & set BIOS to HD with & w/o keyboard plugged in = No beeps
Audio Plug & set BIOS to AC'97 with & w/o keyboard plugged in = No beeps
Pins & set BIOS to HD with & w/o keyboard plugged in = No beeps
Pins & set BIOS to AC'97 with & w/o keyboard plugged in = No beeps

I tried w & w/o keyboard b/c I know I should get an error beep if it's not plugged in (at least on all my past mobos I have) but I didn't get beeps either way, just an error message stating no keyboard found.

From pic below, my mobo does have a 4-pin set that is labeled 'Speaker' on the System Panel Connector, anyone know what this is for?

As you suggested bobkn, I'm going to use the Plug & set BIOS to AC'97. Going to install 7 Pro 64Bit, but does anyone know how to install using an Upgrade disk on a new, clean drive? I did it before w/o problem, but lost this instructions. I can't remember if I start w/a Custom install, then upgrade over it while in 7/do a double Custom install.

 

[Dwarf]

The Speaker connection on the motherboard is specifically for connecting a small speaker (sorry for stating the obvious). These are generally piezo devices and are polarised, so observe the polarity (if it doesn't beep, reverse the connections). Its sole function is to provide you with an audio confirmation of the BIOS POST progress - a single beep indicating that everything has passed; whereas multiple beeps indicate a problem, in which case the sequence indicates the area in which the problem lies.

Since the motherboard audio isn't enabled during the BIOS POST phase, you won't get audio feedback of this progress through its speakers, only the speaker connected as described above is able to do this.

As regards clean installing using upgrade media, see: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

 

[DocBrown]

These little speakers can be borrowed out of any old MS DOS, win95, win98, winXP computer

 

[Britton30]

It will look like this one. Newegg.com - APEVIA Model CVTCSPK 2" Case speaker cable for computer cases that connects to the motherboard
Older boards may have had something this soldered to the board.

 

[CJW]

Britton30: thanks for the pic & info concerning the motherboard speaker. If I decide to buy 1, does it matther what type?/should any mobo speaker work?

Dwarf: thanks for the link to the 7 installation routine.

 

[Britton30]

Britton30: thanks for the pic & info concerning the motherboard speaker. If I decide to buy 1, does it matther what type?/should any mobo speaker work?

Yes any of the type in the Newegg link will work. You might check computer stores to see if they have some too. You might score a free one.

 

[CJW]

Finally, after a few system freezes (explained below) 7 Pro 64Bit w/SP1 & all updates is installed; YAY!!!

During OS installation, this happened a few times:
The computer would freeze, just freeze w/o any warning messages/anything to let me know it was about to happen. This would happen when I was on the final portion of OS installation/after OS completed installation & while updates were on their last leg of installation. I had to restart the whole OS & updates installs each time, but now everything is finally installed & so far so good.

Now just need to install all my programs & I'm set.

 

[Pedroc1999]

report back if you have any other freezes