Multiple tech. questions for my new build!

[Brigitte]

I just received all the parts for my first computer build and watched enough videos to make me confident at putting it together. But I have a lot of questions about set ups once the power button is on and everything works fine.

1- I bought a second monitor to play my games (different brand and size and resolution) on one and browse on the other. Is it a good idea to use my old graphic card (GeForce 8800 GTS 512) for the web/forum browsing monitor and keep my brand new HD 7850 for my gaming monitor? Or is it impossible to mix up different GPU (my Motherboard is Asus P8Z77-V LK, crossFireX and SLI ready). Or is my GPU strong enough to handle both monitors without taxing my ressources for gaming?

2- I currently have Guild Wars 2 installed and really don't want to redownload everything on the new computer (don't want to go over my allocated bandwidth) . If I copy all the files on a hardrive or dvd then paste them in my brand new HDD, will it work fine or is it better to redownload the game?

3- I see only one HDMI port on my motherboard, should I plug my best monitor in it and plug the old one in the DVI port? Or does it not matter at all?

4- Is there an application like MSI Afterburner that can take care of mild overclocking, temperature, video capture etc? I know Asus as AI suite II but is it any good?

5- Besides latest drivers for the GPU, what other drivers should I get?

Thank you for your time!

[Dzzope]

1.. if you can use 2 seperate cards I'd use the IGP in the CPU over the 8800.. if not the 7850 should be ok for 1 screen with a game and 1 for browsing..

On the game.. usually you have to do a fresh install...
BUT once it has "installed" and starts downloading content you can exit, place the files then re-start...
That way you'll get the registry files then not need to download everything...

3 doesn't matter really they both can handle anything standard (and a 7850 won't be enough for high res stuff)..

4.. dunno about capture but Afterburner or the like should do the OC and temp monitoring

5.. get your motherboard drivers.. Sound, lan, chipset, sata controller etc.. go to the asus page for the board and get pretty much all the latest versions of each driver.. (don't bother with most utilities)

[Brigitte]

I can allocate the CPU IGP for the second monitor? Is it hard to do?

Thanks for the game download advice! Simple and easy I like it.

I will game at 1920X1080 and web browse at 1440X900, my HD 7850 is not good enough?

I thought Afterburner was for MSI GPU only? Mine is an Asus, will the program work on an Asus?

Ok that's a lot more drivers then I thought, now I'm scared to fumble with them lol.

[MARSTG]

Windows 7 is pretty intuitive for setting up different screens on different monitors and the 7850 should be able to do both jobs just fine judging after the specs here ASUS - Graphics Cards- ASUS HD7850-DC2-2GD5
you want to overclock the CPU also? usually that is done from bios these days. what cpu have you got?

[Brigitte]

i5 3570k Unlocked quad core LGA 1155 3.4GHZ Ivy Bridge 6MB
I just want to boost everything midly, safely, just so I can have very good FPS and play at max graphics :) Maybe it's not even needed, to be honest I know nothing about that but I want to learn!

[MARSTG]

I don't know if your game will really need that but I think you can easily hit 4.5GHz on stock heatsink. I don't have experience with Intel rigs but I guess you need to follow a review of that cpu and will be explained very clearly, is just a problem of finding the CPU multiplier in BIOS and adjusting to what you need. Keep in mind also that a jump of current of 5% fed to anything electronic will reduce life by 50%. So try to see how much it will go keeping just the default voltage setting. Overclocking is a thing that requires patience, good cooling and can be dangerous, I learnt that myself when I burnt my Duron at 800MHz trying to bump the speed to 850MHz in the middle of the summer!