Alltheshots

HOW!!
I must know the secret to being 100% happy with my machine. 

My bank manager may want a word with you lol

I upgraded earlier this year and I've been very happy with the result. I just need one more part to put it in a really good spot, and then I'll probably be satisfied with the result for a few years.
 
Can you guess which part it is?
 
The secret is to be satisfied with the level of performance you have. Your computer is already godlike compared to what came before it. If you'd had it 10 years ago, you would've been the envy of everyone here.
 
I sometimes compare my performance to old supercomputers and that makes me feel pretty good. When I consider that my CPU alone is equivalent to the most powerful computer in the world in 1997, the ASCI Red, which required 850 kW of power and took up 1600 square feet of space, I feel pretty happy.
 
Next time you're at your computer, try slapping it while saying "this baby can fit so many early 90s supercomputers worth of performance in it." You'll feel prety good.

I built my first system with a 2600X and an RX480 8GB right before the market went berserk, the only thing I'm still itching for is a better bottom intake fan, something a little quieter and moves a little more air. It plays the games I want it to play at reasonable settings ( on a 720p Roku tv that I win in a raffle) so downscaled 1080p on a 720p display, I'm happy for now.

Never ending cycle. Last upgrade/change I did on mine was going from a 3700x to 5900x back in July. Before that was switching from an EK CPU Block to an Optimus Waterblock and mobo switch from Crosshair VI Hero to Crosshair VIII Hero back in July 2020. Never... ending... EVER
 
EDIT: oh wait... like 2 months ago I swapped PSUs from an EVGA G2 750w to a Corsair HX850 and got some custom cables from Ensourced... 
 
again.. NEVER ENDING!!!

If you send me your machine, I will be 100% happy with it so you do not have to worry about it anymore. 

Honestly, Gen 4 because it can, more cores as I do actually plan on getting into video editing when time allows. The only reason I went for the 3600 at the time is because I'm impatient (as you mentioned earlier, impulse control can be an issue for me). 
 
If I was just looking at/for things to buy then my Mrs is more than capable of helping me spend. 🤣

I find it easier to ask for forgiveness than permission 🙂 just how I operate and my wife tolerates it. Been married almost 16 years, so must be doing something right 🙂 

HOW!!
I must know the secret to being 100% happy with my machine. 

For me it's either the wallet or my Mrs that says no, only one of those can be negotiated with. My last PC lasted around 6 years but that was a prebuilt
 
Glad to see the pain being felt by others too.
 

I'm 100% happy with my machine.  You just have the bug, and have impulse control issues, and it looks like started making some good money too.  Good on you. 😉
 

Fair point. Its a retail key. 
 
Managed to get it sorted. All is good with the world again. Thanks for the advice everyone, ended up on the phone with some automated woman telling me what to do 👍

contact microsoft. They may be able to help you if you explain.

From what I heard just call up Microsoft's help hotline and explain the situation, they will get it sorted out in no time.

Almost, I've rebuilt in a new case: 
 
 
But I also have what seems to be a faulty external HDD: 
 

chkdsk showed no errors
 
I ran one earlier and all drives came back ok
 
I fear you may be correct. I will try to convince the Mrs to let me near her PC (she wont be keen). I'm also going to rebuild the system just to be sure there are no loose connections anywhere but I doubt that will change anything.
 
 
Thanks for the suggestions so far all 👍

i use 3 .. Cinebench is a good quick indicator if your checking overclocking stability ... if you can run 3 back to back runs its probably good enough ... then i will run Aida 64 for 30 min or so once Cinebench has passed ... and then for GPU 3d Mark is where its at !!! Using Msi Afterburner to dial in your overclock

Prime95/OCCT (Small and Large FFT w/AVX ON) - CPUs
TestMem5/Memtest - RAM
Time Spy and Firestrike - GPUs

AIDIA64, prime 95, Cinebench, blender

OCCT 6.10 - it has built in CPU, GPU, Cache and VRAM testing with auto error checking

Thanks for the quick replies 👍
 
I must have had a brain fart as I've heard of most of these but never thought about them. I actually have cinebench right there on my desktop *slaps forehead* 
 
I'll download the others and hope all goes well.

prime95 (powervirus CPU test), cinebench (high load CPU), furmark(powervirus GPU), games I actually play (normal GPU load)

Prime95, Unigine Heaven, Linpack, Memtest - for stability testing
3DMark, Cinebench, Aida64 - for performance testing
 
Could've missed some, this is just off the top of my head

Oooh you can push/pull the radiator now.  

That's a massive case, and very empty.  Otherwise I like the build a lot, nicely done.