Dauthi693

Did some playing around with your parts while waiting on the bombcast http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Jlvt

Note: If you go with your original choice of Keyboard and mouse you will get a 120GB SSD for an extra $15 from your latest spec.

Only other thing i can suggest before you contact ASROCK or who you bought it from is using the CLRCMOS jumper on you mother board.

http://www.manualowl.com/m/ASRock/Z77-Extreme4/Manual/268129?page=35

sorry for the wierd layout on the page but first scan of the manual the board came with i found.

p13 number 15 shows you where it is on your board.

pg 35 tells you what to do.

Remember to move it back to the default position when your done.

@pandasteeler43

You have cleared the CMOS so everything will be at its default in the BIOS.

Not entirely sure but i would hazard a guess that it's changed the storage mode back to IDE instead of AHCI which is unwanted with an SSD.

Go into the bios and change the following setting Advanced -> Storage Configuration -> "SATA Mode" and make sure that "AHCI Mode" is selected.

Also have you tried pluging ur monitor into your motherboard hdmi slot in case it has defaulted to the onboard graphics and not the card?

Best of luck.

Sound card not needed really for gaming don't use built in speakers i just find it detracts from the experience.

Whats happened to all the mechanical hdd makers all i can see atm is WD and Seagate?

I doubt console price would be possable i.e $400 i can see them being $550-700 with free games. As for exclusive HL3 etc i can't see that but i can see valve doing a timed exclusive under the guize of making sure the console versions are the best they can be. Could be lower if vavle really want to be aggessive.

+1

Going off his track record when he isn't on about polygon count. It usually games need to be more mature in his usual ham fisted manner.

As pointed out above for the budget its hard to improve the only thing i would deffinately change the HDD to a non power saving(Green for WD) drive. A 5400rpm drive for gaming. *yuck*

As for more objective choices would say get a 3570k cpus aren't the limiting factor for gaming these days and overclocking has never been simpler.

Also make sure you are okay with the noise cards like the 680 can produce. I'd personnally grab a 660-670 or AMD card and not have it sound like i'm gaming next to a airplane. Yes that would probably mean 3 upgrades over the cycle at around the same cost. But with a new console who knows 3 years down the line you might need some new "feature" to play the games you want, Ala Battlefield 3 being Directx 11 only for example. Doubt it will happen but also the most likey time for it to happen in my eyes.

Then finally 256GB Seems big for a OS drive but you have a better idea of what you will be putting on there.

Please clarify.

Also have you plugged the 6 pin pci-e connector into the side of he graphics card.

But to be honest it should be running the PSU seems powerful enough never heard of diablotek thou.

If i were to guess it would be either be overheating or a power draw issues.