sym

IMPORTANT NOTE: I will be the only forum member messaging the winners of this giveaway. If you receive a message from any other member telling you that you won something, it is NOT legit, and you should NOT respond to that message.
 
 
Today marks an exciting day - we are officially launching our new page over at http://vessel.com/linustechtips!
 
Of course, some of you may be wondering what exactly Vessel is... So before Linus took off to Asia, he created this video:
 

 
We also have an FAQ thread where you can ask questions about or make suggestions for the service at http://bit.ly/linusfeedback
 
As Linus mentions in that video, you can sign up for a full year of Vessel, absolutely FREE for the first 72 hours after launch! (March 24, 2015 @ 12:01am PST - March 26, 2015 @ 11:59pm PST)
 
 
We also have an official Vessel FAQ and Feedback thread, which you can view here. Linus and the rest of our team will be monitoring that thread, reading every post made over there, so ask any questions you may have and we will answer them to the best of our ability!
 
Now, on to the exciting stuff for you folks... THE GIVEAWAY!
 
What could I win?
One of each of the following (WINNERS HAVE BEEN SELECTED. EACH WINNER HAS 72 HOURS TO RESPOND BEFORE PRIZES ARE RE-DRAWN):   @Shaaaddoooww Galax GeForce GTX 980 Hall of Fame @Tomislav Matic LG 34UC97, 21:9 Curved Monitor @Moistmoose ASUS G750JZ Gaming Laptop with GTX 880M @safwanroslan AKG K7XX Massdrop Edition Headphones @secrethacker125 Nvidia Shield Portable @JackStaton Luke's "Scrapyard Wars" PC @TdawgG Linus' "Scrapyard Wars" PC   If this thread reaches these total post counts, the following will ALSO be added to the giveaway:   25,000 posts: @raymen1 Kingston V310 960GB SSD 50,000 posts: The Hardline Watercooled PC build (featured in the Vessel early access video) 100,000 posts: Linus' PERSONAL PC  
How do I enter?
Comment below and list:
 
Your Vessel username
Links to your two favorite videos on our Vessel page that you watched and liked
 
You can gain bonus entries by sharing the link to both this giveaway and our Vessel referral link, http://vessel.com/linustech
 
Add a:
Facebook share
Twitter share
Instagram share or
Other social media share
 
to your post to gain an additional entry! (Yes, you gain an additional entry for each one, so share away!)
 
You can also gain an additional entry by posting another comment in this thread (yes, you can post more than once from the same account) with a friend or family member's information (the same as listed above - Vessel username, favorite two videos from our Vessel channel, and any social media shares).
 
 
 
So please, watch, like, comment, subscribe, follow, do all of the online video things! And get multiple chances to win some awesome gear!

Another update from our friends at Corsair.  They have updated their Corsair Link Beta Software.  As of 4/17/2014 - Corsair Link Software Update BETA Version 2.6.5214 is now available.  The link below should bring you to their main page.  This Beta Version may be better for those of you out there that are having problems with the software working with Windows 8, and 8.1.  I have installed the latest version using the instructions on the Corsair forum, and so far so good.  Knock on wood.  All my device temps, and fans are showing, even my Asus Maximus Formula VI motherboard temps are now showing. But I don't want to sound too exited, lest I anger somebody, and my whole system crashes.  Good Luck to you if you decide to upgrade to the latest.  I hope it can help fix some of your issues.  In the interest of using the latest software I'm re posting the link here; http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118618

AMD FX series which are budget processors don't have mini itx motherboards.  Intel does have mini itx be it wouldn't be good for this budget.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2SQYP This is good for overclocking and future upgrades.  This is atx but you could get mATX if you wanted, but the motherboards aren't great
Left some space for Peripherals.  You could get OS by other means
There's a good color scheme too

Here is my PC I made for you
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2SRKy
 
BTW there isn't a graphics card so hopefully he can be patient if not I can change out the SSD and keep the hard drive and add a graphics card
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2SRKy Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2SRKy/by_merchant/ Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2SRKy/benchmarks/   CPU: AMD A10-7850K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($174.99 @ Newegg)  CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ SuperBiiz)  Motherboard: Asus A88XM-A Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard  ($78.99 @ Mac Mall)  Memory: PNY Optima 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory  ($69.98 @ Amazon)  Storage: A-Data Premier Pro SP900 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($79.18 @ Amazon)  Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($59.98 @ OutletPC)  Case: Silverstone PS09B MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($39.99 @ Amazon)  Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Plus 750W 80+ Silver Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($119.99 @ Newegg)  Keyboard: Microsoft JWD-00046      Wired Standard Keyboard  ($8.36 @ B&H)  Mouse: Microsoft Basic Wired Optical Mouse  ($11.00 @ Amazon)  Total: $672.44 (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.) (Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-13 21:29 EST-0500)  
This is the build with a graphics card so yeah but I would think that he should wait since I'm using an Nvidia graphics card Maxwell their new graphics card architecture is nearly out and might make the 700 series geforce cards even cheaper.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2SRRb
 
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2SRRb Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2SRRb/by_merchant/ Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2SRRb/benchmarks/   CPU: AMD A10-7850K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($174.99 @ Amazon)  CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ SuperBiiz)  Motherboard: Asus A88XM-A Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard  ($78.99 @ Mac Mall)  Memory: PNY Optima 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory  ($69.98 @ Amazon)  Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($59.98 @ OutletPC)  Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card  ($309.99 @ NCIX US)  Case: Silverstone PS09B MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($39.99 @ Amazon)  Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Plus 750W 80+ Silver Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($119.99 @ Newegg)  Keyboard: Microsoft JWD-00046      Wired Standard Keyboard  ($8.36 @ B&H)  Mouse: Microsoft Basic Wired Optical Mouse  ($11.00 @ Amazon)  Total: $903.25 (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.) (Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-13 21:32 EST-0500)   I do realize its $100 dollars over budget but spending more might make him slightly unhappy waiting for the delivery guy and making him happy when gaming

So a friend asks me, if I've seen good prices on gaming laptops, and if so what are they.  My response to him was: Why?? What do you want a "Gaming" laptop for?  I had to ask because my friend doesn't really do anything in the PC gaming world.  As I type, he is currently logged on to the Xbox, and is playing away as usual.  His response to me was he wants to play different games, but on the PC rather than the Xbox, in order to make use different Mods, and features that the PC experience provides.  Games such as Mass Effect etc.  Ok,  I reply,  "but you don't want a laptop.  For a better experience you should get a desktop PC.  My thinking is a Mini ITX PC would provide a much better experience than a Laptop, and offer more in the way of customization, and upgrade ability.   I've built my own Gaming/ home PC. So I'm perfectly capable to build for him a custom build.  But I personally went waaayyy over budget, for a specific look, and theme on mine.  Which was fine for me, but not when I'm making recommendations to friends.   I don't want to push him into a direction that would end up being too expensive and not accomplish what we want to achieve.
 
So,  Enter the LLT community. 
So,  with planning a new Mini ITX build in mind.  Can you help us out?
1. Budget & Location
He is wanting to spend between $500 to $800 US.  But would go over if the case can be made for specific value or quality. 
2. Aim
The aim of the build would be a Mini ITX system suitable for Gaming at 1080p to 2k on 1 monitor, and basic home use (web browsing, work related MicroSoft office stuff)
3. Monitors
He has a 1080p Sony 37 inch that he would use for a Monitor.
4. Peripherals
He would need to get a keyboard, and mouse for games that do not support a game controller, but otherwise the Keyboard and mouse will be secondary to the controller. 
5. Why are you upgrading?
(See first paragraph) - But really,  my thoughts were why not jump on this opportunity to "convert" a Console gamer to the "proper" PC MASTER RACE cause so any help and suggestions would be great. 
Thanks in advance.

Found a work around of sorts! This is for Windows 8.1 users, and it allowed me to gain control of my entire H80i! These are my steps for anyone wanting to replicate;
 
1)Installed Corsair link from downloads section Here (2.4)
2) Uninstalled program and driver(both in Programs and features) after H80i was not detected
3)Did a restart
4)Installed the beta version (2.5.5) provided by Sym above (here)
5)Was asked to update my firmware by the software when I opened it 
6) Realised that everything apart from my fans were detected- and my fans became very loud and spun too fast 
6)Uninstalled the software and driver (from Programs and features)
7)Installed the original (non beta software -2.4) again. here
8) Open the software - and BOOM there was the entire H80i - including the fans. Turned down the fan speed to Quiet mode , and it was happy days!
 
Must say this was using an Asus motherboard , FX 8320, with Windows 8.1 installed. (Also - because this was mentioned before - I have AI Suite installed , but it didn't seem to cause any problems)

Did you uninstall the corsair link USB dongle? 
 
It worked for me without uninstalling it^ 
 
and one more question that Firmware is for the H100i/H80i?

Good news,  sort of.  Corsair has released a new version of their Corsair Link software for the H100i that does resolve some issues for some systems that are using Windows 8.1.  After following the instructions for the new install on their forums and trying it myself I can report that the end results was a mixed bag of good, and not so good.  I was able to "see" and change my Pump LEDs, however I still could not see my fans.  After reading thru the forums, this result was not too unexpected.  The guys at corsair are trying to fix up their software to work with all systems, but are not quite all the way there.  For any out there wishing to try out the latest software you can find it here: http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118617
My advice to you all is read up first, ask questions, and proceed after making sure you know what version of the Corsair Link software you are currently using before you uninstall and install the latest.  (just in case you need to go back to the version you were previously using)  Good luck to you. 

Just because you set up your mobo to be in RAID mode does not mean you have to use it, its basically AHCI with the option of RAID. For example I have my mobo in RAID mode and have a RAID 0 array and also have three regular drives as well that are not in a RAID array which are treated as standalone drives as if AHCI , I also have the Hot Swap option enabled so I can offline one of the non-RAID drives from the Disk Management and pull it out while the OS is still running then insert another drive online it and new drive mounts.

Thx. Really appreciate the help. I'm not to experienced with how raid works but really want the speed increase for the OS. Thank you.