Slider46

So i'm building a PC for a friend of mine with lots of money to spend

I order all the parts to start from scratch, case, hardware, watercooling supplies.

The build goes almost perfectly. I install XP Pro and start installing drivers, updates, etc.

Finally get to start benchmarks and testing and then I start experiencing system instability, overheating and it only gets worse.

I eventually take the PC back to my place to troubleshoot this thing.

Main problems:

- Screeching PSU
- Overheating GTX 260 (on water)
- Can't overclock worth a damn

After plenty of research on the forums I decide to upgrade the cooling system by adding another rad (wasen't enough cooling to begin with) and ordering a new, better motherboard.

I order a motherboard and Radiator. "Horray! Parts are here!" I exclaim, until I realized I've ordered the wrong motherboard. Not even an SLI-capable motherboard, it's for CROSSFIRE!

Order yet another motherboard, this time the correct one.

I install the new radiator and motherboard. Still the same thing. Overheating card, screeching PSU, GPU, CPU. System instability.

I finally figure out it's the power supply not providing enough power (faulty)and go ahead and order another one along with another GTX 260 just incase the first one has become damaged.

So the parts finally get here and I go about installing the new power supply and GTX 260. I get everything installed.

Now I decide to change out the coolant to something proper (just added distilled water to the exising coolant to help fill the radiator).

In the process of draining, flushing and refilling the coolant, I did the most idiotic thing i could have ever done with a PC.

I had disconnected a hose from one of the radiators and let it sit above the top level of the case while I was draining the system. Put some new coolant in the res, primed the pump and flipped the switch while on the other side of the PC.

Had I been on the window side I probably would have noticed that the hose had fallen back INTO the case.

It was actually somewhat beautiful to watch as the UV blue-green coolant gushed out at 1200lph all over the motherboard and down into the Power Supply.

Normally I might have screamed and tried in vain to grab the hose to stop it. But not this time. I just stared in awe at what I had just done. With the powersupply still spinning and starting pop and crackle I unplugged the cord from the wall.

I pull the PSU and dump out about a dixie cup worth of water from the thing.

Now i've ordered my 3rd motherboard and powersupply and currently waiting for them to get here.

Another little genious thing I did - after destroying the Antec build, I pulled the CPU and graphics card to test them in my other system. They worked fine.

Only thing was, when I pulled my old CPU to test the new CPU I somehow dropped it on the carpet, apparently damaging the CPU in the process.

Plugged my old CPU back into the MoBo and no post. Plugged the newer CPU in and it works fine.

*Sighs*

Went to newegg again and ordered another CPU.

So in the course of less than one month i've gone through 3 motherboards, 2 video cards, 3 power supplies and a CPU.

And i'm supposed to a PC technician?? lol

I can only hope I dont do anything else wrong..

I'm gonna try and RMA the crap I messed up and hope Newegg doesn't hunt me down lol.

Just wanted to share that little story with everyone - Moral: Pay Attention!

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Hammerstein

Im not askin you to build mine :P, unlucky m8 some bad luck there for sure.

Robilar

Might I suggest a different career choice?

Kidding. I had a computer business for almost 10 years. The number of bonehead things I did in that time is staggering....

Spartan8

Wow, talk about a bad month! Hope everything works out ths time around. Keep us posted.

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elementskater706

Wow....I'm sorry.

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kurei

well ... we all have those times man..... theres always a build that refuses to have anything go right...

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swaying to the Symphony .....the symphony........ of destruction....!
My guides:
Memory Usage http://www.overclock.net/intel-memor...os-memory.html

CPU Voltages and temps http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...5-degrees.html

OverClocking on Intel Boards http://www.overclock.net/intel-mothe...rds-guide.html

Eddie3dfx

Hmm, I feel your pain after 6 rmas on my 680i.
I had a small leak once, from 9/16-18 barbs (weird size I know)..

Watercooling is 90% planning, 10% build.

Sorry to hear it all went bad but look on the bright side, it will eventually be built!

But seriously.. the crossfire instead of sli..

mojoopo

wow... u deserve to be..... and then u need a few of these..

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check out my intel air cooling guide http://www.overclock.net/showthread.php?t=10991

kurei

As long as we are sharing stupid stories.... i went to a friends birthday party... had a lotta vodka a.... came home ... all pumped up... decided it was finally time to do the pin mod on my G33.... did it.... put the case back together.... turned it on.... booted perfectly.... Voltage upped successfully..... in joy I did something amazingly stupid.... woke my girlfriend up to tell her what i did....... damn! women are cold when woken from a slumber..... had to crash on the couch in front of the rig that night....by the way ... the rig still works... ;-)

__________________
swaying to the Symphony .....the symphony........ of destruction....!
My guides:
Memory Usage http://www.overclock.net/intel-memor...os-memory.html

CPU Voltages and temps http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...5-degrees.html

OverClocking on Intel Boards http://www.overclock.net/intel-mothe...rds-guide.html

PhillyOverclocker

I agree with the new career choice, but unfortunately I'm not kidding. The accident with the liquid is just that, an accident, but ordering the wrong parts and such, that was all pretty stupid. You should make these mistakes and learn on your own dime, not someone else's.

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My rig (needs updating)

My daughter's super-fast kiddie rig

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