As some of you may know, I kept a running build thread of my prior computer, the
Xaser TASER. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and accordingly, I have had to make a new computer. I have named it
Xaser Brixfire.
This thread will serve a few purposes. First, it will follow the mods I have made and will make to my case. Second, it will serve as a real-time list of hardware for my computer. Thirdly, it will follow my attempts of overclocking her and the gains therefrom. (If a Mod thinks this is better served elsewhere, please let me know so we can move the thread accordingly.)
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My first case mod was done when the case had its older hardware. The idiots at thermaltake decided "let us put a fan behind a solid acrylic panel!" That said, it had to go. Thus, here is how I did it:
1) Take blue painter's tape and stick it down on the case where the fan should go.
2) Tape the fan filter in place on the far side and hold to the light to get an idea for the circle.
3) Hold the door flush against a piece of wood (to prevent blowout) and drill a 3/8" pilot hole
4) Cut out the circle with a 3/8" scroll saw
6) Line up the intended fan grill
7) Put tape under each of the mounting points, and mark the wholes
8) Drill each hole (again on the wood to prevent blowout) large enough for a #10 bolt
9) Find some #10 rubber washers lying around your basement
10) Realize the washers are too thick and bisect them with an exacto
11) Feed the bolt through the grill, then the washer, the door, a metal washer, and a finally a nut
12) Lay the door on the carpet and take a picture
13) Remount the door on the case
NOTE: This mod was done with my dad's tools.
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I forgot to put in my CPU Lapping Log. (^_^
Since I am limited to 38 pictures, I will just link you over.
Page 1 of 6
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Now, I know my wire routing skills are bad. That said, I wanted to do a mod to the case to improve them. My plan was to put a hole behind the HDD cage and spin the HDDs around. I also planned to put a hole on the back wall near the SATA ports which would have the SATAs and PCI-E connectors attached to it. The last hole would be for the ATX-24pin connector.
Knowing my drill stinks, I decided to work on the area least likely to be seen if I mess it up. Thus, I taped off the area behind the HDD cage:
As you notice, my drill was made in 1976; it shows. Further, I lack a hole saw. My idea was to put a few 1/2" holes together and then knock out the fill between them.
BAD IDEA
Despite me drilling an 1/8" pilot hole, making into a 1/4" pilot hole, and then a 3/8" pilot hole, the drill physically cannot provide enough torque to drill a 1/2" hole into the 1mm steel. So, after making 4 VERY sloppy 3/8" holes, I admitted defeat. I covered the sharp parts in masking tape until another day.
My friend offered to loan me his contractor's grade drill next week. If I am up to it, I'll buy a hole saw bit and try again.
For now, I just did the best I could taping down wires to the back wall with scotch tape.
I know this is not the best wire job, but if you know me, you know this is leaps and bounds over my usual work.
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The first thing I had to do when I received my motherboard was to replace the stock bracket with my SI-128's mounting bracket.
For the record, I am using a 5400+ BE as you know.
This was as easy as removing the top plate and then using the SI-128's backplate. The SI-128 backplate was of a little heavier material as the stock backplate, so I decided to swap that too. (They are the same size and shape.) Then I applied Arctic Silver 5.
Then mounted the SI-128. (Very boring, not shown here.)
Unfortunately for me, I decided on very tall RAM DIMMs. Those being, G.Skill DDR2 800 (F2-6400CL4D-4GBPI).
The Slot 3 DIMM BARELY fits under the SI-128. I will be incapable of putting RAM in Slot 4 without modifying it or the SI-128's frame. As it stands, I think it possible that the board is slightly flexed because of the pressure between the RAM and the SI-128.
I installed Vista, and then tightened the RAM up to its specced 800 MHz, 4-4-4-12-1T @ 2.1 V. I ran 3D Mark and was underwhelmed by the results.
9019 with Brixfire to
TASER's 9005.
I have yet to try overclocking.
Anyone know a fix or workaround to the Brisbane temperature bug? According to Smartguardian, I am right now running at 17º C core temp for a 21º C ambient. I suppose I could put a 4º C handicap on it, but I do not know if the sensor is off by 4º or by more. Everest reads the same 17º C for the CPU, and Core 1/2 read -3/2º C respectively. Chipset is at 42º C, PWM is at 36º C, and GPU is at 33º C. The BIOS reads the temp as 28º C. I understand I have "COOL and Quiet" on, but there is no physical way (yeah thermodynamics!) to have a cooler CPU than ambient.