Syberia 3/Steam Threat Found

After installing Syberia 3 to my laptop I get the following message when trying to start the game:

McAfee - Detected an infected file on your PC. Restart PC so we can fix it.

Threat found: JTI/Suspect!65754
Quarantied From: C:\Program Files(x86)\Steam\Steamapps\Common\Syberia3\Syberia3_DATA\Mono\DBDATA.EXE

My PC specs are:

Windows 10
Processor Intel Core i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00 GHZ
Installed RAM 8.00 GB
System Type: 64-Bit OS,x64-Base Processor
Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6700M Series Intel HD Graphics 3000

Thanks for any thoughts/ideas.

Robert

Can you tell McAfee to ignore the file?

McAfee is known for false positives.
It's worse than useless IMO.

Glad you said it, Jenny! I also find McAfee worse than useless.

I think you're right about McAfee. I contacted them to find out how to temporarily disable the program
and it took them over a half hour to tell me something that could have been explained in 2 minutes.

Anyway I finally was able to disable the virus software and, surprisingly before that I was able
to start the game and got to the main menu then, after selecting different options, the game just
died.

When I went to restart it I got a message that read 'unable to run dbdata.exe.'

I'm still working on that, without much success, but I'm beginning to wonder if my PC can
handle this game.

I don't know if uninstalling and reinstalling the game might help or not.

Thanks for any help.

Robert

If McAfee deleted one of the Syberia files, uninstalling and reinstalling might help.

After uninstalling McAfee through Add/Remove programs, you have to also run the McAfee uninstaller (MCPR) to really get rid of it. It has its roots in deep and a regular uninstall isn't enough to get rid of it.

You can find a link to MCPR and instructions for McAfee removal on the McAfee website here
https://service.mcafee.com/webcenter/portal/cp/home/articleview

System requirements for Syberia 3 are on the Steam page
http://store.steampowered.com/app/464340/

What they will never admit is the possibility that Denuvo DRM might prevent the game from running.

Thanks for the info.

I'm afraid I don't understand what Denuvo DRM is or what kind of impact it would have on games.
If you don't mind can you explain that or provide a link to an explanation?

You're recommending uninstalling McAfee - I was thinking about uninstalling and reinstalling
Syberia 3. One problem I have is that McAfee was a download through Staples and I'm not sure if I
have the information - even though I'm pretty sure I have it somewhere. If not, maybe I'll just
switch to a different virus protection program - just have to decide which one.

One other thing - and I don't know if you know this or not - I ordered Syberia 3 via Amazon and got
the deluxe edition which has 'WIN/MAC' on the case but the DVD just has PC on the label. Do you know
if the DVD can be used for either PC or MAC? There are instructions for MAC users included in the case.

Sorry for so many questions and thanks again for your help.

Robert

DRM is copy "protection"
Denuvo is a type of online copy "protection."
Like every other type of copy "protection" it prevents a certain percentage of gamers from playing their legally purchased games. It can interfere with antivirus and with computers themselves.
Denuvo does not uninstall when you uninstall a game that is crippled with it.
If you want to know more, check Wikipedia.
Steam lets you know if a game has Denuvo and the information is on their Syberia 3 purchase page.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/464340/Syberia_3/


You could try that too. But if McAfee deleted a Syberia 3 file before, it will do it again.

One of the Amazon reviewers said

Another reviewer says

and another reviewer

Steam gives system requirements for a Mac version:

Information from:
https://www.amazon.com/Syberia-3-PC-Deluxe/dp/B06WWRR72F/qid=1493258749
So the disc doesn't have either the Mac or the PC version of the game on it, and could easily have both Mac and PC installers for the Steam client.

I noticed on Amazon that the "Deluxe" edition should include the following according to a question asked. :



My deluxe edition does not include those things.

I started the game again this morning and it started loading with a little bird (I think) walking
at the lower bottom of the screen and when it stops I can hear background sounds but no picture - the
screen is blank or a white color. When I hit escape a message comes up that syberia.exe is unable to
start.

I went on the Steam site and someone else was having the same problem and the answer from Microids
was to "check on Steam launcher.>Game properties.>Local files.>Verify integrity of game files."

I have no idea where that is located. If anyone else does please let me know.

Thanks,

Robert

They may be on the disc rather than hard copy.
Or maybe they're supposed to be included with the Steam download, since Steam is selling a "deluxe" edition.


Steam has a help page for how to verify integrity of game files
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2037-QEUH-3335

I don't use Steam so if you need more help, someone else will have to help you.

I use STEAM, but have never had to troubleshoot a game, so I'm probably not much more help. The link Jenny provided is probably the best one for this issue.

I am now able to get to the menu for the game and can see and select the 'new game' option.

After selecting that there is, I guess, a load process and in the lower right of the screen what
looks like a bird walking. When that finishes I can hear the game start and someone is talking
but I have no video.

I opened a post on Steam yesterday about the problem and two people responded that they had the same problem but I have yet
to receive any technical response.

At this point I don't know what else to do.

Thanks again for all the input.

Robert

Robert, I was looking at your specs again... you mention both a Radon 6700 series and the Core i7 integrated graphics. Are you sure you are using the Radon video card? I'm not sure that 6700 series can run this game either, but I don't have time to check right now. Have to go do a tour in the rain at the horse rescue ranch this morning. But I will look closer when I get back.

Draclvr,

I opened Device Manager and under Display Adapters there were two entries:

AMD Radeon HD 6700M Service
Intel HD Graphics 3000

Robert

The Intel HD Graphics is the graphics chip on your Core i7 processor. The Radeon 6700M is a stand alone video card, although I don't know what is meant by the 6700M "service." From what I can find, although it's pretty low end, the 6700M "should" be able to run this game. It compares favorably with the recommended Radeon R7. I was only able to find a Radeon 6670 at GPUBoss.com though. Does this laptop have the Optima option which is supposed to switch between the two video chips?

You said you were able to get to the menu... is there an option to turn down the video effects?

First "service" was a bad typo it should have been "series."

I'm not sure how to check for the Optima option, from what I can see I don't have it.
How would I check for that?

The game menu doesn't have any way to turn down the video effects. The main menu to play the game
has three option categories:

Screen Resolution
Graphics Quality
Select Monitor

I tried changing the screen resolution and graphics quality (that might be what you're referring to)
but to no avail - I still have the same problem.

Robert

Yes it would be the graphics quality. But if you turned it down to low and it Still won't work I'm not sure what else to suggest. Did you use that link Jenny posted?

I believe you're talking about verifying the integrity of the game files.

Yes I did. As a matter of fact I ran it a few times. The first time it said I had 2 files that
failed to validate and the next couple of times it said I had 1 file - and it indicated each time
that the files(s) would be reacquired? I'm not sure what that means or how it's done or if I have
to do something to assure the files are reacquired.

Would you know anything about files being reacquired and if there's something I have to do?

Thanks,

Robert

Since this is STEAM, I'm going to assume it means that the next time you start the game, it will connect to your STEAM account and then "reacquire" the files - whatever that means.

Right now, my ISP is just getting my internet back up. They had a lightning strike at one of the towers yesterday. I have internet, but it is so slow I can barely navigate around. I will wait until they have things worked out and then check at STEAM and see if I can figure out what they mean.

EDIT: Was just able to do a search for this issue... hoo, boy. The list is long and not very helpful! It takes a couple of minute to let to just one of these search results, so, I'll get you muddle through some of them to see if anything helps. This is the one I was able to get to.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3843-OKCB-6345

Just do a search for 'STEAM what does reacquire files mean'

Have you tried uninstalling the game and then redownloading from STEAM? This time without McAfee running?

"Optimus" is the combination of Intel graphics with an Nvidia chipset piggybacked on it. It was supposed to automatically switch to the high performance Nvidia when you ran a game, but this didn't always work with adventure games."Optimus" may have improved over the years, but I've always avoided it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_Optimus

A combination of Radeon with Intel would not be "Optimus."

I think Radeon called their version "switchable" at one point, though they seem to call it "Hybrid" or "Dual" graphics or "PowerXpress" now
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_Hybrid_Graphics

You'd choose whether you want the "long battery life" or the "high performance" option either in the BIOS or somewhere in the graphics settings in Windows. At one time, I think you could choose which to use yourself, but had to reboot for it to take effect. According to Wikipedia, PowerXpress automatically uses the Radeon if the laptop is plugged in.



There are lots of posts on Steam forum about this message. The consensus is to ignore the message -- if Steam needs the file, it will re-download it.

Thanks for explaining Optimus, Jenny. I simply cannot look up much of anything right now. Simply doing a post here at Gameboomers is taking at least a minute!

According to UserBenchmark, the R7 260X is significantly better than the 6700M
http://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Radeon-HD-6700M-vs-AMD-R7-260X/m7769vs3151

So a 6700M may not be good enough for the game.

That's where I was kind of leaning - that the video card was just now enough. But the info at GPUBoss did not even have the 6700 M. All I could use there was the 6670 M and it compared favorably. I did find that odd as I assumed the AMD R7 260 would be better.

EDIT: Just endured the 2 minute wait to look at your link to the Benchmark score. What a difference... GPUBoss rated the 6670 M higher in both graphics and gaming. I think I need to start using the Benchmark website from now on.

Jenny100 - Thanks for all the video and reacquire info.

Draclvr - Also a thanks to you for the reacquire information.

I uninstalled and reinstalled the game with McAfee disabled and ended up with exactly the
same results.

I keep wondering why I'm able to see the initial screen with the menu and options and then
when I select to start the game this problem occurs. I would think, obviously, there is a
change that affects the video once the game is started.

What is even more frustrating to me is that I posted the problem on the Steam discussion forum
2 days ago and have yet to get a response. Is there anyplace else to post problems like this;
maybe directly to Microids?

I installed Syberia and Syberia 2 from the DVD and they installed and ran ok but I wasn't able to
get a full screen on either on of them.

Robert

So, is the consensus that my graphics capability isn't good enough?

I ran the UserBenchmark program against my system and here is the result.

Robert

That's what it looks like. It was worth a try since you already bought the game. Sometimes games will run when you don't quite have the requirements, though they may be sluggish and jerky. But it looks like this one won't run.
Maybe try it on your next computer, but be careful what graphics you get on a laptop. Laptop graphics can't be upgraded.

I guess you're right. My laptop that I tried the game on is newer than my desktop. I couldn't even install
the game on my desktop.

For years I've been toying with the idea of getting a Mac to go along with my PC laptop.

My current desktop looks like it's going to need a power supply pretty soon and, even though I know
power supplies aren't that expensive it's just the idea of whether or not it's worth putting anything
into a relatively old machine.

Again I'd like to thank both of you Jenny100 and Draclvr for all you help.

Even though I'm having all these problems with this game it might be what I needed to get me back into
adventure games again.

Robert

Just remember that a lot of new PC games won't play on a Mac. Developers are getting better about porting games to the Mac, but not all do. And Macs at the high end are astronomically expensive. I recently tried to price a gaming Mac laptop for someone and about had a heart attack! The 15" MacbookPro with Radeon Pro 455 graphics and a 512 GB SSD was right at $3,000!

As a last resort, you can try having the gamedebate.com website test your laptop.

http://www.game-debate.com/games/index.php?g_id=796&game=Syberia%203

I agree with Draclvr re: Macs are expensive and will not play most of your existing Adv. games you have unless it states it will play on a Mac.

Also if you or anybody are thinking of buying a New Laptop or Desktop, Make sure it does not have an Intel Video card, most new Machines will come with Windows 10 and from what I have read via the Windows Insider Program, Win10 still does not like Intel Video Cards, this might have changed with the latest update which comes with a Gamers Mode, which one should check out especially if you buy a machine with an Intel Video card (my opinion, Avoid an Intel card at all cost even if it means you have to dish out 1 or 2 hundred bucks more, you will be glad you did.

As for your Syberia 1 and 2 games Not playing Full Screen, I had the same problem with these 2 games and several others while testing Win10 with my Intel video card. Sandford on the other was able to get to play Syberia 1 and 2 in Full Screen because he did not have an Intel Video card.

Starcom, are you talking about the video chips in the Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 CPU's? These are integrated video chips - they're just in the CPU instead of on the motherboard. They are not good for much gaming beyond casuals and low requirement adventure games.

I've built and had built several low end computers using an Intel Core i5 CPU along with Windows 10 and the integrated video chips work just fine for normal computing and casual gaming. Just don't expect to do much higher end gaming with them!

You are right, I should have added "These are integrated video chips" and highlighted the word "Integrated", so yes, Integrated chips are not the best as compared to Dedicated Video chips, sorry about the confusion Draclvr.

No confusion at all... Integrated video of any kind = bad gaming! However, there was an issue when there were Intel motherboard chips which were roundly denounced.

So in the end if I do buy another PC what exactly should I be looking for in a video/graphics card?

Desktop or laptop? Budget? Lots of things to think about!

More than likely a desktop.

If you're planning to do any gaming - even just adventure gaming - look for a desktop with the best stand-alone video card you can afford. Many of the more recent new adventure games require a separate video card - integrated video just won't cut it any more.

My internet is still down, so I can't do any research, but I would suggest going to websites of brands you already prefer such as HP or Dell and take a look around. Places like ecollegePC.com and CyberPower.com will also build one for you to your specs.

I look at Dell computers from time to time but they always seem to be a little behind with the video cards.

They're getting better as long as you look at the Alienwares. The Aurora desktop is a pretty decent mid-range desktop with an Nvidia Gforce GTX 1060 video card.

http://www.dell.com/en-us/member/shop/productdetails/alienware-aurora-r6-desktop/dpcwxt02s

That PC looks good. The only thing I notice is if you want to make any feature improvements the price really starts to jump - especially when you look at the "Alienware recommended" list - not that the price is that low to begin with.

I guess you could buy the basic machine and add upgrades later.

I notice it comes with a 2TB hard drive but I'm confused as to the description of, what I think, is a solid state hard drive described as 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD listed just below the 2TB drive for an additional $69.30. How does a solid state drive capacity compare to a SATA - if I have that right.

As far as graphics and the rest, memory, etc. I guess the package components should be ok.

I looked at other Alienware PCs and for some reason I can't find a model number for any of them, did I miss it?

We were talking about a MAC earlier and my daughter has one she bought a couple of years ago and it started having so many problems she ended up taking out an annual - I think - maintenance contract with MAC for roughly $400. She uses it for business so she can't afford much down time. One of the reasons I was considering a MAC was because I thought it wouldn't have as many problems as a PC but now I'm not so sure. I know my daughter's example is only one but it does make you wonder if MAC has lost some of it's luster.

If you have any other PC suggestions I would appreciate it. For the most part I've always used HP systems but willing to change if I could find something better. The desktop I'm using now is 9 years old and when I bought it the hard drive was bad and they had to send me another right off the bat. But since then it's been running like a PC - sometimes good, sometimes not so much.

Robert

Ignore those "recommendations." That's THEIR idea of what you need! The base model of that one would be great for adventure gaming. The power is a tad puny, but it would be OK.

Here is HP's version of a gaming computer... HP Omen 870

The 2 TB hard drive would be a huge capacity drive. The SSD is a solid state drive - meaning it has no moving parts like a standard hard disk drive. They are super speedy, but they are also very expensive. 256 GB is very small if you want to install games and programs.

Here is a similarly configured computer built by eCollegePC for $1424. Their customer service is second to none.

Intel Core i7 7700K 4.2Ghz 8MB Cache Quad-CoreS
Stock Intel LGA1151 Heatsink and Fan
ASUS Prime Z270-A (Intel Z270, HDMI, 3xPCI-E, 7xSATA, 4xDDR4)
16GB (8GBx2) PC4 17000 DDR4 2133Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty (Major Brand)
1TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps Toshiba P300
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW
6GB GeForce GTX 1060 GDDR5 PCI-E DVI/HDMI/DP (Major Brand)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64bit (Includes DVD + COA)
Corsair Black/Red Carbide Alpha (3 3.5, 4 2.5) 3 Fans, Audio/USB 3.0
600watt Corsair CX600 V2 80 PLUS CERTIFIED
Onboard 1Gbit LAN included
Onboard HD 7.1 Sound included
Wires and Cables ran behind case and tied up for maximum airflow
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty
Standard processing time: Ready to ship within 5 to 7 Business Days

This is that Corsair Carbide Alpha case they are using... sharp looking. http://www.corsair.com/en-us/landing/specalpha#

Draclvr

Your link to "HP Omen 870" took me to the Corsair Carbide Alpha case page.

Robert

Oops! Try it now!

Thanks. So, of the PCs you referenced, if you don't mind, which one do you think is the best
one for a (hopefully) long term investment and can be updated if needed?

Thanks,

Robert

Try this one then
http://store.hp.com/us/en/mdp/towers-349501--1/hp-omen-870--1

I don't know much about current HP, but I wouldn't recommend Alienware after my experience with them. Around 5 years ago I bought an Alienware Aurora R4 for close to what the Alienware you're looking at is selling for. After 6 months, the vaunted "liquid cooling" system I didn't ask for plugged up because Dell used cr@p coolant -- apparently based on Sobo glue because that's what the so-called liquid turned into, completely plugging up the works and leaving the poor processor without sufficient cooling. It shut itself off within seconds in self defense. We replaced the useless liquid cooling apparatus with a conventional heatsink/fan. 3½ years later the motherboard failed. I never had a motherboard fail quite like that before, right in the middle of using it, and I have computers from the early 1990's that still work with nothing more than occasional power supply and CMOS battery replacement. I did have a PIII motherboard go bad from bad capacitors, but that one gave some warning as to the problem, so I knew what was wrong -- and we replaced the motherboard with one same model to get a working computer -- cost about $60.

Yet this Alienware failed suddenly and without warning after only 4 years, like it was on a timer, and the problem didn't seem to be the capacitors. I certainly didn't stress it either. In fact I hardly used it for games at all other than DOSBox stuff. The most stressful game I used on it was Among the Sleep, which I played for about half an hour before quitting due to motion sickness. Replacement cost for the Alienware motherboard would have been around $400. A different motherboard that could take the same processor would cost at least $300, and would require purchase of a new, non-Alienware-brand version of Windows 7. It was a junker.

I usually put together my own computers, but the Alienware went belly up at the worst possible time. I checked both eCollegePC and a local computer shop that builds custom computers. Prices were similar, and I went with the local shop. I'm using that computer now, and I'm happy to have something that can be repaired, if it ever needs it, and which isn't a throwaway with proprietary parts like the Alienware.

My experience may only be one, but there are plenty of other people with bad Alienware experiences. Check Google for more horror stories about bad Alienware motherboards.

Alienware indeed got a VERY bad reputation about 5 or so years ago. From what I've read, they have gotten better since Dell purchased them. Not sure why because I've never been a huge fan of Dell

You could "probably" upgrade any of these computers... the motherboard is the thing to make sure is upgradeable. We don't know what they are using for the Dells or the HPs. Dell used to used proprietary hardware, but I don't know if they still do. I suspect they are decent, but they don't tell you what they are. You'd have to upgrade the power supply in the HP for sure and probably the Dell too. The base configuration for the HP is also a Core i5 and if you wanted the higher end Core i7, that would be more. I have an older Core i5 and do a lot of higher end RPG and shooter gaming with no problem.

I'd say any of them would be fine. If you want personalized customer service and a 3 year warranty on parts and service for no extra charge, then eCollegePC is the best choice. But if you are more comfortable with a name brand, then either the Alienware or the HP would work just fine.

Bottom line for gaming is that video card. Of course, your budget is always the limiting factor.

Dell purchased Alienware back in 2006.
http://www.dailytech.com/Dell+Buys+Alienware/article1381.htm
They've owned Alienware for over 11 years now.

The reason I went with an Alienware in the first place was that it seemed to have good specs for the price -- and I'd previously had luck with a Dell -- a Dell Dimension 8400 from around 2003 -- which still works and is a great XP computer.

But after I started Googling for problems with Alienware, I found that not only the Aurora R4, but also previous Alienware models under Dell had had issues. And they use proprietary motherboards and weird guts that make replacement with a non-Alienware motherboard a modder's job rather than a simple replacement.

I'd rather pay for something that isn't proprietary and can be repaired if necessary. Not that my Alienware junker couldn't have been repaired, but it wasn't worth the $400 price to get another Alienware motherboard with a finite lifespan.

Oh, good grief! Has it really been that long since Dell purchased Alienware?! I was thinking it was more like 5 or 6 years. If they are still doing the proprietary stuff, then I absolutely would not recommend them. The last couple of Dells I worked on had perfectly normal motherboards, but maybe they are still doing the weird hardware with the Alienwares.

So, Robert, after reading what Jenny has to say, I sure can't recommend the Aurora. To be honest, to be sure you get something you KNOW what you have, I'd have to say go for the eCollegePC. It's just like building it yourself - only someone else does all the work.

I brought a computer into a local repair shop it was a Dell but the issue was a fried video card. This was some time ago as my current machine is from E-College bought four or five years ago meaning it is the longest running PC I've owned going back to the days of Win 3.1. I had an old used video card that still worked to use as a short term replacement until the new card I ordered arrived. Upon startup that card fried too that's why I made the trip to the local shop. It turns out it was an authorized Dell warranty repair shop. However the pc was well out of warrantee. The guy told me it is the motherboard that's the problem before he even opened the case. Upon checking he verified that was the problem. He said with Dell it is always the MB because they use nothing but garbage and the cheapest MB's they can find and that's why they never tell you what kind of MB is in their systems.

So I didn't know this guy from Adam but take it for what it is worth.

Drac told me about E-college some time ago. I bought one great customer service and they respond fast. So my wife, daughter and son now own one as well.

Had a similar experience with a Dell XPS, but that's been about 8 years ago. Stepson and DIL purchased this quite expensive computer one Christmas. Within a year, it had to be completely rebuilt - by Dell since it was still under warranty. Less than a year later, it happened again, but this time it wasn't under warranty. The power supply had died again and when I opened it up, the entire mess was proprietary. I told them there was nothing I could do with it.

They limped along with some low end laptops for about a year, but then asked me to build one for my grandson in 2011. That computer is still rocking the house! Grandson mostly does retro FPS gaming, so everyone is happy. I recently opened it up and was still amazed at the high end components I was able to put in this thing. Added a 512 GB SSD and now the thing just screams.

Draclvr,

I can't seem to find this particular model you mentioned in the 14 to 1500 dollar range:



Robert

That's because you have to "build" it!

Go here to this page... http://www.ecollegepc.com/

I clicked Customize on the system on the right for $1301. In the next screen is where you select the components you want. I left everything as they have it selected, but added a DVD player and the Windows 10 operating system. Maybe you'd like to add a BluRay player instead of just a plain DVD player - just click on the down arrow and select what you want. If you wanted a bigger hard drive, you could click on the little down arrow and select say a 2 TB drive if you wanted. I've always had good luck with Western Digital hard drives, so you could pick a WD drive for an extra $24. Or if you wanted more RAM, you could click next to that and select more RAM... If you wanted an even better video card, same thing. If you don't like that case, click on the down arrow and they have tons of other cases to choose from.

And contact them for any help you need - you will get an answer back very quickly. And, of course, we'll help you too!

Oldmariner, I'd forgotten you'd gotten a computer from them too! So did Greyfuss.

Thanks for the response Draclvr - I'll look into it. It's looking more and more like ecolloge is the place to go. I do wonder how the name of the site originated - not that it matters, just curious.

Robert

Someone on the Steam Community board said to use the Intel graphics instead of ATI when trying to play Syberia 3 - I guess they're referring to the AMD Radeon.

Is there any way to do that? Are they talking about uninstalling the AMD drivers?

Thanks,

Robert

There is no way your Intel graphics will work - it is integrated graphis and is lower graphics than the AMD card.

Robert, I'm also using a computer from e-College pc. So far, so good. Bought it in August 2015.

Wow... I don't remember you getting one either, oldbroad!! But then my rememberer does not work well at all any more!

I sent you the specs through a personal email and asked you to take a look for me. Mostly I wanted to make sure I had enough fans.

NOW I remember!!

Well, I hope you also remember the other computer that I emailed you about 2 months ago or so. You put a lot of time into helping me with that one. Guess what? I'm embarrassed to say I never got around to returning it. It's still in the box ready to go but way too late now, so I may be asking about that one again some day.

Drac I bought one four years ago on your recommendation a few months later my wife bought one. When my son saw mine he priced one and said you can't even buy the parts for that price through my job. He is computer systems manager for I.P. He bought one too. Then I bought another for my daughter. Every one of them are at least three years going on four years old and still going strong.

Wow, amazing! They do good work and are so good with their customer service.

oldbroad, I still have those emails and every time I see them I remind myself to ask about that computer! Not to worry, when you're ready we WILL get that one going.

I've had an ecollegepc.com computer since March 2011. Still working great. Highly recommended.

Wow, you are all coming out of the woodwork!

And out crawls another - we have two computers from ecollege!

I have one too

Draclvr,

I would think the configuration you mentioned of the eCollege system could be upgraded
at a later time if I wanted or needed to.

One other thing, you said this in an earlier post:



How can I be sure I am using the Radon 6700 series?

Robert

I don't have any idea how your laptop works. You might look in any documentation you have to see if there is anything about "switching" from the integrated Intel graphics to the AMD 6700 graphics. If you can give me the brand and model of your laptop, I can look online for you too.

If that configuration fits into your budget, it would play games for you for a long time. The motherboard is what I always look at for upgrades down the line and the motherboard in that configuration is a very good one. They also have the 6 GB GTX 1060 in it which is a step up from the 3 GB GTX 1060.

One thing I forgot to ask though... Will you be using your old monitor? If you are, you need to check to see what kind of cable it requires - VGA or DVI or perhaps even HDMI. Many monitors have multiple types of ports, but are only shipped with the older VGA type cable. The GTX 1060 video card has 3 HDMI video ports, 1 Display Port and one Dual Link DVI port. Since your old monitor is being used with quite an old desktop, I'm going to assume it is using a VGA cable. If it has ports for either HDMI or DVI, you will need to get a new cable to be able to connect to your new video card. If it doesn't, and you really want to continue using the old monitor, you will need to get an adapter to go from VGA to HDMI. This is something you should email them about at eCollegePC when you are ordering this computer.

This is a pretty decent graphic of all the different display ports - just the ones on the bottom are the ones I'm talking about.

Video Ports

I posted a link comparing the Radeon 260X and the Radeon 6700m earlier in the thread
http://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Radeon-HD-6700M-vs-AMD-R7-260X/m7769vs3151

The 260X is considerably faster.
Remember with a laptop you'll have the 6700m they put in laptops and not the 6700 they put in desktops.

I stopped by our local Best Buy today to see what PCs they had available - not much. They had quite a few
all-in-one systems. As far as towers they had Lenovo, Dell and a few HPs. I did notice most of the towers
have gotten quite a bit smaller than they use to be.

I asked one person about the MAC and he said they could handle most of what is currently running on my PC, for
what that's worth, but could not handle Steam - I don't know if that's true or not.

My current monitor does have an HDMI input so that shouldn't be a problem with any eCollege computer.

I really like the eCollege PC but it is a little? more than I planned on spending but, you know what, I'll probably take the plunge especially if I'm able to make changes if required down the road.

Jenny: Thanks, I did see that post.

Robert

And I'll bet you anything that those towers at Best Buy didn't have stand alone video cards or decent power supplies! Those small form factor cases are not made for decent cooling either. They are not for gamers.

You can definitely back off on a few things to bring the cost down... I put together something that backed off the processor to a Core i5 and a different case, but it was only about $200 less. I wouldn't compromise on the motherboard or the video card though.

If you've got HDMI on your monitor, then you are good to go there.

Guess it all depends on the budget.

Those small form factor PC's aren't the best for gaming. Not only is it harder to find a video card that is suitable for gaming and will also fit in the case, but the small case makes these small PC's harder to cool. Some of them even use laptop video graphics, which run cooler but are slower and not as good for games as the full size versions.


How would he know what's on your PC?
Unless you tell him you're a gamer and want to play 3D games, he'll assume you're only running desktop programs like Microsoft Word and a web browser. You'd need to print out the system requirements of the most demanding games you want to play and show him those.


Steam has a Mac client.
http://store.steampowered.com/macos
But if he's talking about Steam games that run on a Mac, Best Buy is very likely NOT selling any Macs that have enough graphics power to run the more demanding games. Macs for gaming would cost more than most people would want to pay.


You probably wouldn't have to upgrade it for quite some time.
One thing about the configuration --
If you want to play Obduction, Cyan recommends playing from an SSD. You don't need your Windows installed on the SSD, but they recommend an SSD to install the game on to speed up load times.

Well, I bit the bullet and ordered a PC from eCollege. I had to change the case because I added a blu-ray player and it would not have fit in the first case - so rather than get an external player I changed the case per the suggestion of the person at eCollege.

I'll let you know how it goes once I get the PC.

Thanks again for everybody's input and help.

Robert

A new machine !! Fantastic !! And congrats. rmelone

Excellent! What case did you get?

I got the "Enermax Ostrog GT Blue (3 5.25, 8 3.5) 3 Fans, Audio/USB 3.0."

Good choice - excellent cooling in that one. Plus it took $10 off the cost...

I haven't received the new PC yet but in the meantime I was wondering how I can transfer anything from the old PC to the new PC and also what to do with the old one.

Robert

You can move things like documents and photos by copying them to a flash drive and then from the flash drive to the new computer. If you have actual programs you want to keep, you will need to reinstall them on the new computer.

Personally, it this is an old computer, I'd keep it for the old games you can't play on a new system!

I'm sure I don't need to say this, but since I DID have a friend call me once about it when setting up a new computer... make sure you plug your monitor into your new video card, not the motherboard video card!

I vote for keeping the old one around also.

I don't remember if they give you instructions to open up your case when you receive the computer, but do so, because they pack stuff inside to keep it from moving around.

I'm thinking more along the lines of donating the old PC to a local church - they have a fund raising at least once a year to raise money by selling - for a very good price - old PCs. The only problem I'm having is reaching a friend of mine who belongs to the church to arrange that - hopefully that will happen.

Actually the old PC probably needs a new power supply because whenever we have a power outage and the PC was on I am unable to power it up by hitting the power button. The only way I can get it to power up is to use a hair dryer to blow into the fan area of the power supply and then it powers up automatically. I did use a method I saw on Youtube to check out the supply and it passed that test. I guess it's possible there is a bad connection??

So I'll be sure to mention that to my friend - if he thinks it's worth it, if not I may have to scrap it.

I still have an HP laptop - which is much newer than the old desktop so I can run old games/programs from there.

Robert

That doesn't sound like a power supply problem, but it may be the switch or a connection. Hard to know. Are you able to power it back on with the switch after you shut it down normally?

If you give it away or scrap it, be sure there is nothing personal on that hard drive. If there is an option to reset it back to factory defaults, that would be a good idea.

What operating system do you have on that laptop?

Does it power back on after being shut off normally (Start button --> Shut down) ?
Or is it showing problems there too.
It 'could' be the power supply is starting to go, though I've never heard of blowing a hair dryer into a power supply to help start it up.

You should probably get a UPS so you have a few minutes to turn off the computer normally when there is a power outage. Otherwise suddenly losing power when it's on could corrupt Windows files -- especially recent versions of Windows that always seem to start doing something in the background when you're not using the computer.

Yes, the PC turns back on with the power button after a normal power off. The problem happens only if power is lost because of a power outage. I realize the "hair dryer" solution is a little unusual but I figure whatever works to get a PC working I'll do. I saw this idea on Youtube - where else - right?

My Laptop has Windows 10 on it.

The UPS idea is probably a good one.

There is one thing I just realized with eCollege and that is they immediately charge your credit card the day you place your order - which was 05/04 - I would have thought they'd at least wait until the unit is assembled and ready to ship but maybe that's just me. I'm hoping to hear from them shortly; as of today I haven't heard anything. I do realize it's only been about 3 business days....just impatient I guess.

Robert

Their website says they ship in 5 to 7 business days.

If you want to play older games, Windows 10 might not play them if they have any kind of DRM on the disks.

1, My PC is to be delivered today - 05/13 - I just ran a clean installation of Windows 10 on my old PC, is that enough or do I have to run some other program(s) to wipe the hard drive?

2. I just received the PC. Right now I'm a little confused - but I haven't looked at everything yet. But it looks like I have to install some components, is that normal? If it is I will be a little disappointed considering what I paid for it. I can't check it out until tomorrow so maybe I should wait until then to come to any conclusions.

Thanks,

Robert

A clean install of Windows 10 should do it.

What makes you think you have to install components? What components are you talking about? You should just be able to plug in your power cord, monitor (to the video card, not the motherboard), your mouse, your keyboard, your Ethernet or however you connect to the internet and any other peripherals you might have and be good to go. Assuming you have a printer, you will need to install the printer drivers.

Not sure what you mean here...

I powered on the system this morning and, so far, everything seems to be running ok.

Here is what I received with the PC:

20 - what looks like plastic guides.
CPU installation tool.
SLI HB Bridge (whatever that is)
Some kind of jumper block.
Four fasteners.
Jumper cable.
MSI Graphic Card User Guide.
ASUS User Guide.
Prime Z270-A Series DVD
Driver and Utility DVD for MSI nVidia.
Windows 10 DVD (Windows 10 is already installed.)

According to my order form Windows 10 should be "DVD + COA" the Windows 10 DVD I received states "not a COA" - not sure, if anything, what that means.

As far as the other DVDs I wonder if I should run them or just keep for backup.

So, you were right, there was no assembly required. I guess the hardware I received is for any future changes or if there is a problem.

I was a little surprised as to how big the unit was.

My monitor has an HDMI connection so, as far as I can see, can only be plugged into one place on the PC. Is that what you meant by video card versus mother board?

I loaded Syberia 3 and it's working fine. I wish I could figure out how to use a controller instead of the keyboard.

Thanks for your help.

Robert

What you are looking at is all the parts that were left over from the assembly. You get a lot of parts you don't use when you purchase a motherboard and a case. They just sent you all the leftover parts! I have a big box with leftover parts from computers I've built over the years.

All those discs are drivers for the motherboard, the video card or other components. It's the same as if you purchased these components yourself. eCollegePC has already installed the drivers and they are just for you to keep. in case you ever need them.

Not sure about the Windows 10 DVD, but I suspect somewhere on there is a Windows 10 key. The last builders version of Windows 10 I installed a few weeks ago had a sticker on the little cardboard sleeve. It was a "scratch off" covering which I was able to peel off and stick on the side of the case, so the key wouldn't be lost.

You have two places to plug in an HDMI connection to your monitor. The motherboard connections are all in a group most likely higher up on the back. That will have all the USB connections, sound card, ethernet etc. Your video card will be in a horizontal position lower down. It will have all the connections you need for the monitor including an HDMI connection there.

OK, Robert, it's been a week or so now... I'm dying to know how you are getting on with your new computer!!

Draclvr,

Sorry, I've been playing Syberia 3 and hadn't checked back to the forum.

As far as the PC is concerned everything is fine. You were right about the HDMI connection
I had it in the wrong place and someone named Pete at eCollege helped straighten me out. I will say, they do respond fast to any questions - at least during business hours.

This PC has to be the quietest tower I'v ever had and I've been buying them since 1993;
when I retired.

My plan is to start playing more adventure games and break away from the Big Fish type games
now that I have a PC that handle just about anything new out there.

As far as Syberia 3 I have to say I was disappointed just like many others. It was tough to
navigate - even with a controller - and I really didn't like the ending.

In any event the PC is humming.........thanks for the reference.

Now I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my old HP PC. My friend who used to take
old PCs and donate them to a church for flea market type sales said the church stopped taking
PCs so I'll have to think of something else.

Robert

Glad you like the new PC rmelone!

That's good to hear! The customer service at eCollegePC is one of the reasons I recommend them.

Sometimes the only thing to do with an old PC is take out the hard drive and destroy it and take it in to an electronic recycling place.

You can always just put the old PC away in a closet. As long as it still works, it may be useful to have it around as a backup in case the new one gets a virus or something and has to go to computer hospital.

If you really don't want it in the house, you can try craigslist and see if there's someone in your area who will come pick it up.