Quantum Reality

Update. It's likely heat-related. I found the lockups became more frequent the more I ran the tests; I left the computer off overnight and the window is open to an overcast day. I fired the computer up, ran 3DMark06 and got almost all the way through then barfed with a "DirectX 9 device lost" error message; ambient right now is 18 degrees C.

I think the project will, in its present form, have to be abandoned. This thing will just need more breathing room than the current case can provide. Was fun getting all this stuff up and running, though.

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KusH

Don't really need to abandon the build just put some fans in it. And floppy disks are obsolete, there is no point in having one but if you like to have that archaic piece of hardware in there be my guest.

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Quantum Reality

I'm trying to crash it with an HD4350 in the top PCI-E slot looping the 3DMark06 3x per test. So far the fps is appalling, but I can't crash the thing. I've done a BIOS update as well so that parameter in the test has been unavoidably changed. But if this holds up I'll put back in *one* of the 8800GTs and see if I can get it to crash again.

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nategr8ns

Maybe you need a case mod
more fans please

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Quantum Reality

Well, folks, I put the entire thing into an Antec 300 case, hooked up the fans in it, and threw the same OS drivers etc back on and it only hiccupped on the 185 WHQLs on the first reboot. Enabling SLI mode went OK and 3Dmark06 actually passed all benches.

Conclusion: This project was not viable in the older case without some serious case mods, which I do not know how to do.

More results as they come, particularly as I now isolate some troublesome driver issues reported to be associated with the 185s.

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Quantum Reality

Oh, she's beautiful now. Just yanked the side off the case to show y'all the new 300. I even did a little cable management with the zipties.

Unfortunately I can't overclock this CPU very much; I get lockups even at a 207 MHz reference clock, and I think it's prolly heat-related, since the GPUs get pretty toasty in there. I'll get together a consistent set of 3dmarks for y'all in a bit.

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Quantum Reality

Pictures, as promised

The first is a wide-angle of the case. The second is my attempt at a close-up, and the third is of the top inside showing my impromptu re-use of the masking tape that came with the case in order to secure the fan's speed-control switch in a safe manner.

Edit - one more closer close-up added.

Attached Thumbnails

       

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JadedFloridian

Got cable management? I have a Antec 300 with dual 9800's, and my interior looks much neater than yours. Try to clean it up a bit and it will improve your temperatures, like routing cables around the motherboard instead of all over the place on top. I'm almost tempted to snap a pic of my setup to show you, but those pictures will come later when I case mod my 300 for cable management and plasti-dip it!

Quantum Reality

Well, as it is I can feel the air being sucked in from the front and the grille on the side. I put those switches at medium (didn't want to put them at high since the manual stated on that setting the fans should be plugged into proper voltage regulators), and they seem to be doing a decent enough job as it is.

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JadedFloridian

Well, you're stating that you don't think you can get very good overclocks due to the video cards being "toasty". Cable management can definitely help that! I took the fan that came as the original back exhaust fan and put that on the side (as exhaust). I have 2 110 CFM fans in the front, a beastly rear exhaust fan, and the stock top fan. My 9800's still have the stock cooler and I'm getting around 45 C idle and 75 C heavy load - is this significantly better than your temps? Just trying to help

Also, I have both the fans that came with the 300 running on high with absolutely no problems. I don't think you should worry about turning it up, if the manual's got you worried.