Another thing I keep forgetting is the handy msconfig window for configuring boot-time stuff, like controlling whether certain applications are automatically started on boot-up:
It also assists if you are multi-booting more than one OS. This window is brought up by:
When connecting up wires in a motherboard from the case, color is important. This table pretty much covers it:
| Wire | Polarity |
|---|---|
| Red/Black | Black is negative, Red is positive, |
| Color/White | Color is positive, White is negative. |
I looked at the tower I built in 2009 and thought, “It can be better, with not much effort”. One easy way to add more power to a rig is to overclock it’s CPU. My current CPU is rated at 3.16Ghz. I believe I can get a stable build at around 3.8Ghz; a significant increase in processing power.
To carry out this idea, I needed to get an aftermarket cooler, as the CPU core temps were hitting 70 degrees (too high) with the stock cooler that came with the Intel CPU. First, behold the sorry, “soon-to-be-landfill”, Intel stock cooler:
Message to Intel: please stick to CPU-making. Channel all your efforts into getting more cores onto your CPUs. You really are wasting your time on coolers.
Now, behold the Noctua CPU-cooler which I selected to bring my temps down and bring forth that 3.8Ghz goal:
Unboxed - 2 Fans and a Heat Dissipation Tower
On Goes the Tower
Clean the Old Intel Thermal Paste Off with Some Rubbing Alcohol and Cotton Bud
On Go the Fans
Update: I got it up to 3.9GHz stable!