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THP PC builders Unite!!!

RocketMan said:
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Sum, if storage is your issue have you considered turning your old system into a Server? If your not fluent in Linux, Microsoft Server 2003 or 2008 for Small Business run pretty strong or you could even use Windows Home Server which is based on Server 03 and 08 and can serve for backups and file storage. I found a 4 bay, hot swap capable, drive system that mounted inside my tower for about 60.00 and it's been great. You could even use a KVM so that you can use the same Keyboard, Video and Mouse for both systems.

Just a thought.
RM
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I've dabbled in several variations of this idea RM. Storage is no longer an issue... for now. And Win7's home network stuff is good enough for my needs. Eventually I'll move to a NAS, but for now that's pointless money being spent when I'm the only one in the house. Things would certainly be different if I had 5 people trying to access this all at once. Not interested in running a RAID configuration. I'd rather manage each disk individually. And ALL of my information is backed up on either and old IDE drive which I have tons of, or off site at a friend's house. The really important files, all my architecture work, also exists on DVD's and CD's.

queequeg152 said:
clean lines are for architects and other rigid boring people.

go for the geek cred and build your own water cooled system with a heater core from and old volvo.
Click to expand...

That's for people who are 17.

Or for those whom can properly manage the Steampunk Style.
 
lol i freely admit im a child.

why go water cooling at all tho? if you want quiet, just get slow fans...large case...tower cpu cooler, and a diff gpu cooler. alot less then water cooling.

i had a three fan radiator cooled antec p180 for a long ass time. i had it overclocked like a mad man. at some point the bios during a lengthy move, lost its battery and all the settings, then i stopped caring.
without the overclock my radiator didnt even need fans, it just got hot to the touch.

i actually bought new blocks and a new 2 fan radiator for this build like 150 bucks worth of crap that i never even installed. just couldn't be bothered to re crimp and extend all the stupid molex connections and pop rivets. i might get to installing it at some time.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5090/antec-p280-when-enthusiasts-are-engineers
 
That Anandtech P280 isn't bad looking and their specs sound good, but how do you access the front drives? I'm guessing the front cover swings open like a door? Yeesh, bad experience with that type of case config.
 
yea front door swings open. theres little plastic pop out covers for the drives. i think theres one... 3.5" bay but not sure. its same layout with all the cable management and rear accessible mobo. years ago i saw a setup that allowed you to slide out the entire mobo assembly by undoing some screws in the back around the IO panel, obviously you would need to undo all the power cables and w/e... i wish they still made cases like that.

top takes 2 fan radiator too. the fans it came with had those stupid 3 position clickers on the cords that are terrible. typical 18gauge pop rivet construction.

edit: actually anantech is just reviewing the case. its made by someone else i cant rember.
 
Ah, my bad. Antec P280. Got confused seeing so many similar letters.

On another note, the CPU cooler and PSU are on their way from Amazon. Estimated day of arrival is the 8th, but this is shipped by Lasership, and they are usually faster than that. I'm thinking the 7th.
 
Opened up my door this afternoon on my way out, guess what... yep, the CPU cooler and PSU arrived today. Wasn't expecting this till Monday. Lasership has their $#!+ together.

IMG_5414.jpg


Intimidating bunch of parts for tonight, but I got the CPU radiator and fans all mounted in their proper position. Hopefully, I have the fans blowing in the right direction... this was not a simple feat with the mobo already installed. The MOSFET radiator really got in the way.

IMG_5415.jpg


I'll probably get to the PSU later tonight, but no pics until it starts to make sense.

Here's your car radiator QQ. :P

IMG_5417.jpg


And the fans underneath it all.

IMG_5418.jpg
 
Com ing to get her nice ly. Just the tip (okay, two tips):

Read up on the mobo and see if the RAM should be seated in DDR3_1 and DDR3_3 for dual channel. Many times they alternate, so 1 & 3 are channel A and 2 & 4 are channel B, for example.

Dont run all the PSU's rails unless you need them.
 
Good tips. Already thought about that. It's been taken care of. Trust. The PSU is installed and a preliminary run of wiring was done last night. Now it's looking over it to see if a better path can be found for a cleaner install. All the rails that weren't needed for this setup have been stripped.

Maybe some more pics coming today, but no promises... working on the THP Throwdown today.
 
Sum, how are your fans set to run? I was taught to pull front and side and blow out the back, though I have reversed it when I had a unit that was going into an enclosure that had vents on the sides and front. Do you have air flow over the HD's? With a 4 stack that's going to be a really good heat source.
 
I have two 140mm fans running fresh air from outside the case over the HDD's. That four stack will turn into a five stack + an SSD on the bottom unit running the system software. The side 200mm fan draws air from outside the case and blows directly onto the PCI-e slots. Perfect for cooling hot GPU's and the mobo. The 140mm fan up top in the back is case exhaust, as well as the two 140mm fans at top exhausting case air through the CPU radiator.

The PSU draws air from outside the case (bottom) and exhausts it directly out the back. The GPU will take case air, and with it's shrouded fan, exhaust it out the back as well. I'm not worried about the heat dissipation in this setup.

The only place I could mount another fan would be on the floor of the case, but I think that just might be excessive in this instance.

Good question! Glad I could clarify.
 
Very helpful TLM. Much simpler when I can see what's being described. Might try that in a few.

For everyone's info, I had everything wired and was set to turn it on for the first time to start loading the OS. No dice. Nothing happened. Switched the power pin (+/-) to the front panel. No dice.

I'm in troubleshooting mode here.
 
jump the power supply, if it works, swap the mobo.

if it dosent swap the power supply.

you do have the 24 pin + the 4 or 6 pin right?

if you dont have ram seated it will beep and show error codes. if you dont have a cpu seated same deal.
 
Ah! We have good signs! Reseated the mobo power cable and the USB 3.0 cable right next to it. Power! Fans going. Fan LEDS (bling) going.

BIOS image flashed up several times. I'm assuming it's looking for something to load. We're in business.
 
Great thread! I just built a new rig about six months ago. So much fun and so satisfying to build a computer to your own specs. And a clean OS install without bloatware. Just ran across this thread, and it looks like you're in business. Good call on the HT100. That is what I ultimately went with. I had bought one of the large Zalman coolers and it wouldn't clear my RAM. In a pinch I ran across town to Best Buy (which I never do) and they happened to have an HT100. Fit perfectly, and kept things cool during my initial attempts at OCing. Congrats on your new rig!

zdecker said:
This thread has me wanting to build another gaming PC. Unfortunately I haven't been in tune with the latest tech for like 5 years now and have no idea where to start.
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This happens to me everytime I decide to build a new computer, as I don't keep up with the technology between builds. It takes me about a week or two to get caught up with the new technology so that I know what components to use. Love the SSDs!
 
Thanks Doc. This was definitely fun, and I'm very happy with the initial results. FASSSSSST!

Loaded the OS (Win7) last night, EVGA video drivers, mobo drivers, VLC player to test some video and sound... works great. Today starts the fun of installing program software.
 
are you just running the integrated g processor? the IVB one is astonishing to me... i was playing HoN on it for weeks before actually getting a hold of a GPU.
 
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