New Computer Purchase

[Chris91]

Hi folks,

 

We have spent quite a bit of time researching all the old posts for information on computer systems. Based on what we have read and some input from our IT folks we have come up with the following system:

 

Dell Precision Workstation T7400-64bit

- Quad Core Intel Xeon X5482, 3.20GHZ, 2X6M, 1600

- Vista

- 1.5GB PCIe x16nVidia Quadro FX 5600

- 8GB, DDR2 SDRAM FBD, 800MHz, ECC

- 16X DVD+/-RW

- C1 All SATA drives, Non-RAID, 1 drive total configuration

- 250GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, 7200 RPM Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst Cache

- Dell 24" UltraSharp 2408WFP Widescreen Monitor

- Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic(D), Dolby Digital, WXP

- Logitech Z-4 Speaker System

 

There was an option on Dell's web-site to add a second processor. Is this something we should consider?

 

We are not really computer folks and have some trouble running Mastercam on our current system and just want to make sure we don't have a repeat problem. We are using Mastercam to machine injection molds. So we are running 3D surfaces. We are getting into files that are 150-200megs+. We would appreciate any feedback.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Tim

[Guest]

The specs already call for a Quad core processor, unless you are planning on doing some "heavy" crunching PLUS running other "hungry" programs at the same time, IMO, the Dual processor at this point in time would be an unnecessary overkill.

[gcode]

quote:

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- Vista

---

I'd stick with XP myself.. you can still get XP

from Dell.

[Guest]

If you're going to X3 Vista WILL be fine

 

If you are going to run ANYTHING previous, you might well be better off "downgrading"

[Ployd]

At a previous employer we bought only from Dell. But the first thing the IT department did was reformat the hardrive to get rid of all the crap Dell puts on there, like free software trials, music players, etc.

[gcode]

quote:

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all the crap Dell puts on there, like free software trials, music players, etc

---

the workstations I've bought from Dell come in

clean.. just the OS and software I purchased

(MS Office etc)

That's the difference between ordering from the

Home/Home Office website (lots of crap) and the Small Business Division ( clean machines)

[Johnny M]

Quote

At a previous employer we bought only from Dell. But the first thing the IT department did was reformat the hardrive to get rid of all the crap Dell puts on there, like free software trials, music players, etc.

 

 

You can Dell not to put on anything but the OP System

 

chris91 pm for some special info about purchasing from Dell it will by worth your time.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

IMO, you are going to still go nuts saving 200meg files with one 7200rpm drive. I would consider a 10K Raptor or a Raid setup with at least 7200's.

 

Mike

[neurosis]

- Dell 24" UltraSharp 2408WFP Widescreen Monitor

 

I have one of these monitors and love it.

[gcode]

quote:

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Dell 24" UltraSharp 2408WFP Widescreen Monitor

---

I had a Samsung 24" wide screen, but angled lines

circles looked terrible.. I traded up to a Dell 24" ultra sharp and that took care of the problem..

 

10K rapotor hard drive... I agree..

I've got them in all my machines..you will notice a dfifference.. they are well worth the money..

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

Get two monitors. You'll never go back.

[67 Yankee]

quote:

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IMO, you are going to still go nuts saving 200meg files with one 7200rpm drive. I would consider a 10K Raptor or a Raid setup with at least 7200's.

---

YES

 

Just curious... how long does it take to save that size program on your current system? Can you work on files that large with the autosave turned on?

[CAM-mando]

quote:

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you can still get XP

from Dell.

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I don't theen so Babaluey.

 

edit/ I was wrong, you can still get XP as a paid for option on some systems.

 

"Need XP? Windows XP Professional pre-installed when purchasing Windows Vista Business Bonus for only $99 on select systems!"

 

quote:

---

the workstations I've bought from Dell come in

clean.. just the OS and software I purchased

(MS Office etc)

That's the difference between ordering from the

Home/Home Office website (lots of crap) and the Small Business Division ( clean machines)

---

Yes I just baught a Vostro laptop which is their business line and they don't come with any of the crap.

[Steve Biehl - Cimquest Inc]

+10000 on 10k hd, big big difference on MC performance

[Christian Raebild]

I agree on the Raptor or RAID setup for the HD, and you should get the best speed from a striping RAID setup even if you use 7200 rpm HDs (Raptors in the same RAID setup would be faster yet). I would suggest a striping + duplication RAID setup, though.

 

A RAID setup that uses both striping (for speed) and duplication (to prevent data loss) will require 4 HDs, but with the cost of the rest of the system, 4 HDs is a negligible expense, and you might use smaller HDs then the 250 GB you suggest, as the striping + duplication setup means you get twice the storage capacity of one of the 4 HDs.

 

If you only use striping then your data are lost if just one of the two HDs crash, so only using striping make you more vulnerable to data loss than when using only one HD.

 

The 4 HDs have to be the same size, and may have to be the same model (no problem if you are ordering them together with the computer).

 

Remember that to be able to use those 8 GB RAM, you need a 64 bit version of the OS you select. With a 32 bit OS you would only be able to address 4GB of RAM, and some of that goes to extension ports and the graphics card.

[MotorCityMinion]

8gb? 64bit OS? How did you arrive at those specs as being required for MC? SB x-fi and Z-4, gaming gear. As for X3 running on Vista, I'd take a wait and see approach, at least till X3, SP7, MR4 comes out. Let the others test the waters.

[Mic]

gcode, witch 24" Samsung did you have? I have a Samsung SyncMaster 2493hm at home and is very happy with the switch from my old 21"

[gcode]

quote:

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gcode, witch 24" Samsung did you have

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It was a SyncMaster 245B. It was fine for everything but cad/cam.. Lines looked like

a staircase. The Dell UltraSharp is much better

(and more expensive)

[Chris91]

Thanks for all the feedback. This is what we needed to know. I was discussing some the comments made with my tool designer and we have realized what one of our issues maybe. We are running individual Mastercams on the workstations but, the data is being saved to a network server. So, depending on the type of HDs on the server that could be slowing us down. I am currently leaning towards the 10K drive, working off of that and when the project is completed saving all of the files to the server. I am reading a noticable increase from the 7200 HDs to the 10K HDs. Is there a similar difference from the 10K HDs to the 15K HDs?

[gcode]

quote:

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I am currently leaning towards the 10K drive, working off of that and when the project is completed saving all of the files to the server

---

Mastercam writes huge amounts of data to TEMP files on your hard drive. I also port Mastercam's backup ultility to my hard drive.. fast hard drives are always better than slow hard drives

even if you're working off a server.

 

We do all our work on a network.

My employeer recently upgraded our network to a gigabyte switch, added a 10K hard drive to the server dedicated to Cad/Cam storage and ran

dedicated cable from each Cad/Cam station to the server. The difference is amazing..

Files that used to take 1 minute to save on the network now save is seconds...

 

15K hard drivers are better than 10K but you'll

pay about a 40% premium for them and you won't get a 40% performance bump.

I always though the 10K Raptors were a good

price/performance compromise.