Are there any new questions about building?
Are there any new questions about building?
I am simply adhering to the guidelines provided, referencing the torque screwdriver manual if necessary!
photo of torque screwdriver
it is actually a very high-quality tool to use, I believe official dealerships for premium vehicles employ this method, which explains why amateur attempts often fail—over-tightening causes failure, while under-tightening leads to parts coming loose.
it would be beneficial if they had taught this in school.
I plan to thoroughly examine both the setup and the fitting process, since in the past I relied on guesswork without ESD protection or proper tools, such as incorrect screwdrivers.
Before using the bit, check how well it fits with a screw head. There should be no movement or looseness inside the screw head. Also, ensure the bit reaches the bottom of the screw head and isn't too large for the screw. All necessary screws should already be included in the PC hardware you purchased, eliminating the need for additional ones.
Through years of PC building, I've accumulated a lot of leftover PC screws and store them in a plastic zip bag. Of course, I organize them because HDD/SSD screws differ from fan screws, which in turn are distinct from MoBo screws.
Rubber is an insulating material that prevents ESD. It's actually one of the most effective substances for blocking electrical flow.
I believe the screws come with the Phantek Enthoo Pro kit, so I’ll need to compare them with the specifications mentioned by the mobo.
For the installation, I plan to set up a temporary work table and look for quality screws from Travis Perkins since the current ones are too loose. This might seem a bit off-topic, but it’s relevant to the setup. What type of screws should I choose for securing metal legs to some inexpensive MDF? The leg has a thin surface—about 2mm thick—with four holes around 4.5mm in diameter. If this isn’t what you were thinking, please message me privately. The goal is to attach all four legs, build the PC on the table, and then take it down once finished, since I don’t have a permanent space for even a small table.
I might try to find a rubber mat instead, as sometimes using something meant for another purpose works best.
with the mobile guide, on page 7, it mentions "case standoff keep out zones"—not clear what that refers to.
On page 9, it explains that when installing the screw-type CPU heatsink... I’m installing that?
Regarding Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, at page 20 it states that using the 5GHz band depends on Windows 11 support; if I use Windows 10, will I only get 5GHz?
If that’s the case, what speed should the modem data rate be before it becomes a problem for Windows 10?
As I planned to use Windows 10, I was told in a previous discussion that I could use my Windows 10 key to install Windows 11, but at first I wanted to stick with Windows 10.
On page 22 it says it has a Dual BIOS—what does that mean?
Page 19 gives the audio specs: Realtek® ALC4082 Codec + ESS ES9280AQ Combo DAC/HPA
• 7.1-Channel USB High Performance Audio
• Supports up to 32-bit/384kHz playback on front panel.
• Supports S/PDIF output
Is this considered "high quality"? Or should I consider getting an audio card instead? For example, when digitizing some of my old vinyl albums at a very high sampling rate, will this suffice?
The description says "high performance audio," but sometimes such terms are used loosely (like calling something "junk"—e.g., comics), while "very good condition" usually means "not great").
On page 23 it mentions "server grade PCB" and "2oz Copper thickened PCB"—does this indicate something exceptional or just standard?
Concerning video output, the USB type-C port is meant for higher data rates; if the other end uses HDMI, does this affect the maximum data rates?
Also, regarding maximum data rates at the monitor—are only monitors with USB3 type C ports capable of reaching today’s speeds? Or can other connectors achieve those speeds?
My current monitor doesn’t have a USB3 type C port.
On page 28 it talks about 4 channel speakers—do these provide four separate sound streams, or are they two copies of two streams?
It also mentions 7 channel sound, including a subwoofer—would that mean six different sound streams?
Isn’t there a risk of the room becoming very noisy?
Humans only have two ears; having more than two sound streams doesn’t really help. And wouldn’t it be problematic if all areas in the room had incorrect audio?
It’s similar to trying to see three images with just two eyes—if everyone wants the same experience, maybe using Bluetooth stereo headphones would be better.
On page 18 it advises checking www.msi.com for more info on compatible memory. Does this mean there’s no current list in the manual, but an updated online list? Or will I find these later? I’m still struggling with earlier sections. I’m learning a lot, but as you mentioned, I’ll likely need to read it multiple times—perhaps three or more.
If available online, could you offer tips on finding the approved memory compatibility list?
Meaning that when there are standoffs on those spots in the PC case, you should remove standoffs beforehand. Else-ways, those stand-offs can create short circuit with MoBo. Btw, those three stand-off spots are used for micro-ATX and flex-ATX MoBos. So, some PC cases may have preinstalled standoffs at those points, which you need to remove. Now, i'm not sure if Phanteks case has those stand-offs mounted there or not. Need to double check it before installing MoBo into PC case. Yes. Dark Rock Pro 5 uses it's own aftermarket bracket and screws to be mounted on the MoBo. So, you need to unscrew and take off the plastic bits around CPU socket, before installing CPU cooler. That much is also said in the Dark Rock Pro 5 manual. Win 10 can use 2.4 Ghz, 5 Ghz and 6 Ghz wi-fi bands. The 6 Ghz band is actually using 2.4 and 5 Ghz bands. Now, the latest, 6E wi-fi band, will not work on Win10, only on Win11. Source: Not the network guru myself, so, found this good article from Intel that explains the minute differences between 2.4 Ghz, 5 Ghz and 6 Ghz; link: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/...-5ghz.html Meaning that MoBo has two UEFIs (BIOSes), whereby when you brick one due to failed BIOS update, you can use backup BIOS to get the PC working again. Further reading from MoBo manual, page 55 (or 57 if you use the total amount). Some high-end MoBos can have dual BIOS, as a redundancy, while most MoBos only have one BIOS. And if BIOS update fails, without having backup BIOS, MoBo will be bricked, where only fix is MoBo replacement. Since most MoBos have only one BIOS, updating BIOS isn't something you can do on a whim. BIOS update, as such, is only viable when you know for a fact that newer BIOS fixes the specific issue you have with your PC. (E.g if i want to use Kaby Lake CPU with my Z170 chipset MoBo, i need to update my MoBo BIOS.) If there are no issues, there is no reason, what-so-ever, to update BIOS. Just because you "can" update BIOS doesn't mean that you "have to". Or in other words: "If it ain't broke - don't fix it." Most MoBos never get their BIOS updated and work fine until they are obsolete. Also, do note that when BIOS update would be interrupted for whatever reason (e.g power loss), your MoBo will be bricked since PC won't run when MoBo has corrupt BIOS. And only fix is MoBo replacement. If lucky, you can roll back the BIOS update, if your MoBo has that feature. Or use 2nd BIOS which some high-end MoBos have. Anyone who are updating their BIOS on a whim and brick the MoBo, will be paying stupid tax afterwards. A standard format for very high-quality, downloadable music is 24-bit digital music sample, taken 384,000 times per second (384 kHz). Designated as 384/24. 384/32 designation means that a larger sample size of 32 bits is used rather than 24. To put it into commonly known metric for audio quality: "kbps", we need to use following formula; sample size (in bits) x sampling rate (in kHz) x audio channel amount = transfer rate (in kbps) 32 bit x 348 kHz x 2 (stereo) = 22272 kbps for comparison: 24 bit x 192 kHz x 2 = 9216 kbps 24 bit x 96 kHz x 2 = 4608 kbps 16 bit x 44.1 kHz x 2 = 1409 kbps - common quality for audio CD 320 kbps - high-res MP3 file 128 kbps - common MP3 file So, you tell me, if this audio quality is "good enough". It leans towards being a good feature, rather than common place. Now, your MoBo has 8 layer PCB, which for one, is very expensive to manufacture. But will give several benefits. Most apparent one would be much thicker PCB, which is far more durable than 6, 4 or 2 layer PCB. There are other advantages (and disadvantages as well), further reading: https://www.wevolver.com/article/pcb-lay...ed-to-know It does, IF the HDMI cable is 1.4 or 2.0 version. But if HDMI cable is 2.1 version, then no. HDMI revisions vs DP revisions. Do note that your MoBo USB type-C supports DP 1.4. HDMI 1.4 HDMI 2.0 HDMI 2.1 DP 1.2 DP 1.3 DP 1.4 DP 2.0 1080p @ 120Hz ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 1440p @ 30Hz ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 1440p @ 60Hz ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 1440p @ 120Hz ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 4k @ 30Hz ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 4k @ 60Hz ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 4k @ 120Hz ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ 8k @ 30Hz ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ 8k @ 60Hz ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ 8k @ 120Hz ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ HDR ❌ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ Monitor doesn't need to have USB type-C port to utilize the max reso what MoBo can output. As i said, your MoBo can output DP 1.4, where max reso is 8K at 60Hz. For monitor to utilize all that, the panel needs to be able to display 8K reso at 60 Hz, where input port is either DP 1.4, DP 2.0 or HDMI 2.1. 4 channel system is 4 channels, since it uses two cables, where one cable carries two channels. But if you'd use y-splitter from Line-out, then it would mirror the stereo. 7.1 channel system is actually 8 channels. Depends on your audio setup. You do not have to have big free standing satellite speakers, hogging up the space. You can wall mount the satellite speakers and those get quite small. Sure, humans have only 2 ears but 7.1 (or 5.1) audio system is to create surround sound. Surround sound gives you better sense on which direction the sound comes from. Best example: If you sit still and face forward and hear car passing, can you: * tell from which direction the sound comes from, as car passes you? * or you just hear that there is a sound, with 0 idea from what direction it comes from? Other than hearing the sound volume to rise (when car gets closer) and fall (when car gets further away). 🤔 As of having the wrong sound from wrong speakers, that depends on if you connected the speakers correctly and also if you configured the audio channels to correct speakers. Ears and eyes aren't comparable. Might as well say: humans have one mouth and one tongue, so, humans can only taste one type of flavor. While in fact, you can taste: sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami. 5 different flavors, but only one tongue - imagine that. 🤔 It's not MoBo manufacturer's obligation to hand out free headphones with their MoBo. Each person decides for themselves how much of an audiophile they are and what kind of sound system they are going to use. Pretty much. Link: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MEG-X670...upport#mem Once there, select the "Memory by 7XXX" tab.
ok, there is a potential hazard, I'll have to double check that when I reach that stage
lucky I asked! I thought maybe it wouldnt apply!
is 6E allowed in the UK?
my internet service provider's speed test says for my deal 8Mbps "speed to router" and 3Mbps "speed to device", guaranteed download speed is 3Mbps, so I think maybe 2.4Ghz is plenty?
will the system automatically select the 2.4Ghz if that is best, or do I have to manually select from 2.4, 5 and 6Ghz?
will be some time before I reach that page!
I wasnt aware of this jeopardy, I wanted to upgrade my 2010 mobo BIOS, but wasnt sure how to!
in future I wont try to upgrade these!
I checked and looks like I opted for 88.2KHz x 2 channels with audacity, which has created digitisations which are 346MB lossless flac recordings. where that was the lowest sampling rate that the quality was acceptable, the initial recordings I did at a much higher sampling rate created files which were too huge, where if I digitised everything it would take up too much drive space. Not sure how many bits. CD rate was no good.
88.2 was a compromise between filesize and quality, where I want the digitisation to be lossless also.
this may be where accurate torque can be important, as I dont want the PCB to crumble from too much pressure!
the specific cable I bought which you recommended in the earlier thread is this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B015RIVYJK
I cannot decipher from the above URL what HDMI version it is,
I have 2 large (but not ginormous) hifi loudspeakers from 1985! and the lack of space makes it a challenge to have those, I dont plan to use any more. these have tweeters and woofers, but no midrange.
really superb sound.
Spoiler:
potentially off topic about perception
human ear is just 1 sound signal, so even with all the technology in the world, your brain just has 2 sound signals, its like having just 2 pixels of sound, but where the pixel has 1000s of different components of colours, corresponding to the hairs in the cochlea in the brain. whereas the eyes have huge amount of pixels but each is one of 4 different colours: red, green, blue, white (rods). basically 4 kinds of pixels, red, green, blue, white. each pixel sends a pulse if it detects that colour. the rate of the pulse determines the brightness. but each pulse is identical regardless of the brightness, but there is a higher rate of identical pulses for brighter light.
basically the brain can perceive from that one sound signal different "sounds" eg with say a pop song, you can discern out just the singer, or just the guitar, or just the drums, or just the voice of the DJ on the radio, and "ignore" the other sound components.
but this is from one pixel of sound, the brain is clever like this, same way from one eye, your brain can perceive from one image, say a table, a book, a mug of coffee.
now from the 2 pixels of sound, namely the 2 years, the brain will perceive the guitar at volume1 from ear1, and volume2 from ear2, and interpolates this to now also perceive 2D position. but there is a circle of viable positions for the interpolation centred on the axis between the 2 ears, and perpendicular to that axis.
basically the human ear cannot tell the height of the object, but it decides this by context, eg if its the sound of an aeroplane it interprets this as higher up.
to further disambiguate, you have to turn and or tilt your head. eg if you hear a sound, you turn your head to look at where the item is, as vision is more useful than sound, the sound interpolation plus context gives your brain a clue where the object is, and once you look directly at it, the 2 ears should receive the same volume also. as you rotate and maybe tilt your head, volume1 : volume2 helps guide your eyes to the object.
eg volume1 very loud, volume2 quiet, means it is near your left ear, eg a fly buzzing your left ear.
whereas if volume1 quiet, and volume2 slightly quieter, means a fly far away. volume, expected volume, ratio of volumes, and then also visual context, decides the overall perception, and overall perception can be wrong, where you get "fooled", which includes scams and deception and traps and clickbait etc.
because the 1 sound signal is so impressive, a lot of people wrongly believe hearing is 2D, it isnt! the hearing from 1 ear, is basically a spectral graph. x-axis frequency, y-axis amplitude. nothing else, there is no positional info whatsoever. the brain then also perceives higher level sounds, eg say a specific person's voice, or a piano's notes, or a word spoken by a specific voice, from that 1 ear.
2 dimensions emerge from the interpolation of the 2 ears, where an extra dimension emerges.
whereas with vision, each pixel is a spectrum of 1 point: either binary red=0 or 1, or binary green=0 or 1, or binary blue = 0 or 1, or binary white = 0 or 1. versus audio which is a spectrum of thousands of points, this is why sound is such a rich experience, as it essentially splits a dot into a graph, what you might call a spectrograph. and it requires major hardware to split one dot, which is one cochlea:
this is the hardware to spectrally split 1 pixel of sound
the semicircular canals in that diagram are the hardware to detect rotational motion, each ear has 3 semicircular canals, allowing more info via interpolation.
I have an A in A level zoology, which is a course you do aged 16 to 18, and is equivalent to 2 solid semesters of the subject. ie as if for 2 semesters, all day every day just zoology lessons. you do 3 subjects over 2 years, where each day they alternate those 3 subjects equally. our course focussed on human zoology, but also covered the entire animal kingdom in overview.
from the 2 ears, the brain has this spectral info from both ears, where it tunes into higher level perceptions eg a specific voice saying a specific word, and where volume1 from the one ear, and volume2 from the other ear, then tell the brain which direction it is from. for real sounds, ie not from equipment, but eg the sound of a car or a motorbike or a bird, your brain will also take into account its experience of that sound to decide how far away it is. eg far away in the distance you hear a motorbike accelerate or an aeroplane far away. or a helicopter really near (because it is loud).
when you watch a film on TV with mono speakers, your brain uses the visuals to perceive where the sounds are from. eg a guy on the left of the screen talks, but the sound is from the speaker in the middle, your brain will apply that visual info to perceive the sound as coming from the left. perception is "elastic",
propaganda and brainwashing are based on this elasticity, where they recondition the higher level perceptions. when Stalin learnt of Pavlov's experiment with the dog, he established the soviet union's propaganda agenda based on this! because Pavlov showed you could make a dog salivate by ringing a bell, where the dog perceived the bell (a sound) as food.
all perceptions: sound, vision, touch, temperature, taste, etc are merged into an overall perception. eg if you shut your eyes, and move your hands around you can "see" with your hands and identify objects. and identify objects by their sounds. dogs bark, cats miaow, elephants trumpet, lions roar etc.
you can run up the stairs with your eyes shut.
Spoiler:
potentially off topic about hearing perception
they are comparable! they are different MOs for the same problem, which ultimately is to detect food at a distance. furthermore both ears and eyes are based on 2 identical pieces of equipment, 2 ears, 2 eyes.
the most basic biological function of animals is eating.
taste is the original sense, to recognise captured food. smell is to taste at a distance in order to move towards where the food is. touch is to capture food for eating. sound is touch at a distance, where its a very subtle sense of touch of the air. vision is sensing objects really far away from an even more subtle touch, namely light reflection, which is electron-touch, whereas sound is molecular-touch.
light basically makes outer electrons of atoms temporarily jump an energy level.
sound makes an entire molecule move.
touch is where molecules move en masse.
its all the same, but via different emphases, and the brain merges the different perceptions into a unified perception, eg Bowie singing the word "fashion".
the same way a spymaster might have different spies, and then merge their different reports into one unified assessment.
a secondary evolution is to determine threats at a distance, especially predators, which is to avoid being detected as food.
the ear can be thought of as 1 pixel, which can perceive thousands of different frequencies at different volumes,
the eye is millions of pixels which can be thought of as 3 specific frequencies (red, green, blue) at different volumes. rods are basically sums (red + green + blue) hence rods are much more sensitive than cones and higher resolution.
with one eye, the world is just 2D. but with 2 eyes, we get stereoscopic vision and can perceive distance via parallax. when we look at a photo, we use experience to perceive further stuff. but in fact you have to learn to understand photos.
when I first watched 3D TV, I watched the 2012 olympic wild water rafting, and it was as if it was in my room. I remember it as miniature canoeists (kayakists?) hovering in a miniature current of water in this room. But that is because I hadnt learnt yet to interpret it as full size the way I would with 2D TV!
its the same with hearing, with 1 ear, you just hear 1D sound, you can discern a voice, a guitar, drums, etc. distances are entirely perceived via volume and expectations. eg guitar very loud, everything else very quiet, means guitar very near you, other stuff far away, eg some huge stage.
Spoiler:
potentially off topic about taste perception
that isnt quite true!
sweet + salt + bitter + sour is an oversimplification, I am sceptical of umami, sounds like japanese nonsense!
like their photographic idea of bokeh! bokeh is just an arbitrary phenomenon and umami is an arbitrary taste genre.
the japanese have rightly observed that savoury foods arent covered by the sweet+salt+bitter+sour idea, but they are wrong to think it is one further sense.
in fact the tongue is not dissimilar to the ears, that it can perceive an entire spectrum of tastes,
if you took some table sugar, some salt, some quinine, some vitamin C, and something the japanese class as umami, there is absolutely no way you can synthesize all other tastes by merely combining these!
eg how do you plan to synthesize the taste of bubblegum from those?
or the taste of mint?
or the very unique taste of a mango?
or the taste of vanilla ice cream?
or the taste of german bratkartoffel where they fry potatoes with onions?
or the taste of mustard?
or the taste of chilli peppers?
or the taste of carraway?
or the taste of a mulberry?
or the taste of an apricot?
or the taste of caramel?
I can go on,
these japanese concepts like umami and bokeh, are just arbitrary items from a myriad of different ones.
the japanese notice A phenomenon, and then it becomes THE phenomenon.
and in fact the sense of smell is an extension of the sense of taste, eg if you drink a mug of freshly roasted coffee, the aroma and the taste are essentially an inseparable experience.
the gamut of smells is phenomenal, taste isnt much different. taste is the original sense,
Spoiler:
potentially off topic about directional sound
if you want lots of speakers to make a sound move across the room diagonally, that would work, but you'd need to move your head, and if you do that too much you will get neck strain. so its ultimately a gimmick.
perception is elastic, and your brain will use context to perceive this kind of thing.
I once went to a Friday the 13th horror film in 3D, I think around 1980, and they shot something like an arrow directly at the audience! it is 44 years ago, so my memory is a bit imprecise. But this is what happens with this kind of effect, they'll have a few such gimmicks in the film. but is there a proper plot?
with music, is there actually a tune?
if you go out in the real world, you have sounds emanating from a myriad of locations. impressiveness is about ideas, eg plot and tune, its not about the mechanics of the perceptions, that is gimmickery, like interactive art installations: interesting but ultimately inconsequential.
ok, it is well hidden!
Here are the key details you need to consider for selecting the right drill bits for your torque screwdriver:
The information provided includes photos of the attachment end, the manual, certification documents, and product images. Specific recommendations come from the Phantek Enthoo Pro screws, which have distinct grooves on one side. The optimal choice should allow smooth insertion and removal of screws without slippage. You mentioned looking into MSI and Phantek resources for guidance, and you noted an MSI video demonstrating the use of a torque screwdriver. It’s important to verify whether the screwdriver has electrical protection or not, as some models may lack it. Consider consulting the official manuals and expert advice before making a purchase.
Concerning BIOS updates, there is always a chance involved.
Most of these updates are straightforward, just involving the installation of newer files. They usually need only a restart after installation. For instance, Firefox or similar applications often follow this pattern. Certain Windows updates may also be handled without any user intervention.
From time to time, Windows or driver updates might necessitate a complete PC restart.
However, BIOS updates are distinct. They demand not just a restart, but also must be completed without interruption. If an update encounters failure or is halted by a power outage, the motherboard remains without a working BIOS. The computer may start up but will never progress to the boot phase, even if all other parts are functioning properly. The machine can power on, yet it simply does nothing.
Some motherboards can recover from this situation, while others cannot. Certain boards feature dual BIOS configurations to mitigate such risks.
This is not a typical software update; it occurs directly on the motherboard and could potentially cause irreversible damage.
Keeping the BIOS up to date offers no disadvantages, but the associated risk is significant enough to warrant careful consideration before proceeding.
Updating the BIOS is advisable when the computer faces issues. If everything appears normal, it’s better to avoid changes.
Another justification for updating is hardware compatibility. New RAM or CPU models might need a newer BIOS to function correctly. Updated BIOS versions are released to fix minor flaws and ensure compatibility with new components. Again, if no such hardware is present, it’s safer not to alter the BIOS.
The main reason to update BIOS is when the PC is being assembled for the first time. The motherboard has likely been stored in a box for an extended period, making its BIOS outdated. Since the machine is brand new and the motherboard is under warranty, the likelihood of losing a functional device is low. Updating the BIOS to the latest version would be sensible.
After that, it’s best to wait unless a problem emerges that could be resolved with a BIOS update.
This should not be avoided entirely; it’s something that should only be undertaken for valid reasons.
It’s generally safe and harmless.
how much is known to the general public about what exactly the BIOS update is?
or is it say very manufacturer and model specific, ie not standardised?
the software in the BIOS update, would this typically be not for the CPU to use, but other controller chips on the mobo?
the BIOS calls are for the CPU, eg I use them to set up floppies, and for booting from floppies. and you can program this from Windows "command prompts" (what I call a "shell"), where Windows emulates the 16 bit environment. I use this environment to manufacture the boot disk, via a batch file of some 16 bit programs that I wrote. I may make an example available eventually, including source code.
Spoiler:
potentially off topic about BIOS programming
but those BIOS calls might then communicate to other chips, I dont know how the BIOS might do that, but as a programmer I communicate with other chips via the bus, where to communicate to a chip you write to special areas of memory which are fake memory, which the peripheral hardware listens out for and intercepts the data as commands. the peripheral hardware replies either through fake memory locations that I have to read or via "interrupts".
but maybe the chipset software is updated with a BIOS update, where the circumstance might be self referential, where the code loading the update is itself updated, and if halted midway the system is now stuck, neither here nor there.
there is a great website which I use for using the BIOS, the ONLY website I used for BIOS call documentation, but this is for 16 bit programming when an older era PC starts up:
the main website:
https://www.ctyme.com/rbrown.htm
the top level set of 256 overall command groupings:
http://www.ctyme.com/intr/int.htm
but in fact more useful is the grouping by function:
http://www.ctyme.com/intr/cat.htm
and then eg say you click 16 you get those for that int value,
http://www.ctyme.com/intr/int-16.htm
"ints" are a 16 bit ancient era PC programming MO, where the BIOS programming interface is via "int" commands.
some of which are proprietory, where it mentions some manufacturer, and some are available on all PCs, I only use the ones available on all PCs. the PC I use is usually not on the list, so I soon find out if I used a proprietory call by mistake!
those enable you to program without OS, where instead you use the BIOS as a rudimentary OS, what I do is start with that, loading software from the floppy, and then that software promotes the CPU to 32 bit, and then some 32 bit code promotes itself to 64 bit. going from 16 bit to 64 bit is a major performance.
the UEFI is probably the modernisation which I wished for at the time, but which most PCs wouldnt have, so no point programming for it at that time. I may be able to junk my 16 bit code via the UEFI, but I know nothing at all about UEFI. with most other CPUs, eg say Motorola 68000, or MIPS R2000, or PPC, you hit the ground running with say modern 32 bit programming.
with an ancient era PC, if you set the floppy to be the first boot device, if you insert a floppy and power up, the hardware loads the first sector, and checks if is marked as "bootable", if so, it executes the program on the first sector, and that is the end of the hardware boot. the data on that sector has to do everything further, eg load further sectors and execute these, which is the "bootstrap", where the idea originates from
lifting yourself up by your bootstraps
, where I think you lift your bootstraps and fly upwards into the air! like a Warner Brothers cartoon. in mathematics also you have the problem of bootstrapping, which is a topic of "foundations of mathematics", where mathematics is boostrapped out of virtually nothing.
with multicore, the hardware boots with just one CPU, which has to optionally "wake up" the other CPUs, via some involved protocol invented by Intel. if you dont wake up the other CPUs, the system will just function with 1 cpu, with the other cores asleep. I specifically programmed AMD multicore and not Intel, because in that era, there was no overlap of AMD cores, but Intel hyperthreaded cores overlap, which is a nuisance factor as several CPUs might be fighting over the same shared item. I dont see the point of hyperthreading, because multitasking is best done in software by the OS, and not by the hardware. I heard in any case it is problematic to hyperthread more than 2 items because of proliferation of complexity. some things are best done in software!
but the moment I leave 16 bit, I no longer use the BIOS, and have to "hit the hardware" directly, and its a lot of work deciphering any specific hardware, some hardware is straightforward to program directly eg the mouse and keyboard, but the IDE drives are a total nightmare! I had to get help from a guy on the standards committee which covers IDE to get that to work.
possibly you can use the BIOS from 32 and 64 bit, but I never tried this, as it looked a bit scary.
I havent done any of this programming for many years, except a few maintenance checks to verify it still functions. when I got code for working on hard drives, which was probably around 2006, PCs booted from IDE drives. I think things like SATA are backwards compatible with IDE, so any programming for IDE will work, via hardware emulation, BUT there are probably size limits, where data beyond some subset cannot be accessed, namely the size limit of IDE drives.
more generally, code for obsolete hardware will often work on modern hardware via hardware emulation, I have no idea where the hardware emulation occurs, possibly at the peripheral hardware, but maybe in the chipsets, but from my perspective I am just programming some ancient hardware, and it automagically works on modern hardware.
with the CPU also, if you program it in 32 bit, you can only access I think 4Gig of memory, but from 64 bit, you can access all memory. I forget what the limit is with 16 bit, as the 16 bit Intel uses tricks to go beyond 2^6=65k. I didnt waste time on 32 bit programming, and just used 32 bit as a bootstrap stepping stone to 64 bit.
if a new mobo doesnt function, I will probably action a refund!
The task requires consulting your ISP regarding the issue. With a speed of 8 Mbps, 2.4 Ghz Wi-Fi is sufficient. This frequency can deliver speeds up to 450 Mbps (or even 600 Mbps with certain devices). At 5 Ghz Wi-Fi, you can reach up to 1300 Mbps. The available connection offers 500 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload, which matches the fastest plan your ISP provides. Therefore, using a 5 Ghz network is practical for my needs. You must manually choose the Wi-Fi network you connect to; after selection, the PC will link automatically unless you set it to log in each time.
A closer look at the details on Amazon points to an HDMI 1.4 cable, capable of 4K at 30 Hz. The torque screwdriver manual specifies a 6.35mm x 4mm HEX bit. Alternatively, you can visit a local hardware store, bring the screwdriver, and ask for advice on the most suitable HEX bit for your tool.
The HEX bits I own are standard and compatible with my battery-powered drill and screwdriver. The screws I use are typically cross-head style, which is common in Phanteks products. I’ve used PZ1 and PZ2 bits (Pozidriv) for PC screws.
However, general users often struggle to assemble desktops, and awareness of BIOS updates remains limited. DIY enthusiasts usually understand BIOS changes, but the risks involved are not widely known even within this group. Occasionally, we encounter discussions where people have had their systems bricked due to a BIOS update and then seek guidance.
BIOS updates aren’t just software patches—they’re hardware firmware updates. If you appreciate the role of firmware in hardware performance, you might not need further clarification on what a BIOS update entails.
Beyond BIOS, there are other firmware updates to consider: SATA SSD firmware, M.2 NVMe updates, and gaming peripheral updates (any device with extra features needs dedicated software). These are often manufacturer-specific and require reading the manual for proper steps.
Regarding BIOS specifically (excluding SSDs and peripherals), some systems need CPU and RAM installed during the update. Others can be updated via power only from the PSU, without installing additional components. Thus, each system is unique. A USB thumb drive is usually needed to store the new firmware. The exact process varies—some require renaming the file in the manual, others place it in a designated folder on the USB drive. Always refer to the manual for precise instructions.
When preparing for a BIOS update, consult the manual, particularly pages 70-71 (or 72/73), which outline the steps. Your system offers three update methods; the third is typically the simplest.