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-   -   My first build (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=148837)

XabbaRus 03-03-09 03:15 PM

Bill are you having a mid-life crisis?

First the Evo now an uber computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

longam 03-03-09 03:44 PM

What no SCSI Raid 5? pfft

JK, That thing should run Office 2525 with no problem.

Bill Nichols 03-04-09 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XabbaRus
Bill are you having a mid-life crisis?

First the Evo now an uber computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Bill Nichols 03-08-09 07:03 PM

The build has begun!

I started yesterday. Thus far, I have everything installed except for my graphics and sound cards, and the power supply.

I would continue working, but I must get up at 4am tomorrow to catch a flight (business trip), and would rather not be falling asleep in my meetings.

I'm also taking plenty of pics. Soon as I return (Wednesday, I hope) I'll begin posting my assembly photos.

:woot:

nikimcbee 03-08-09 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk
Nice Bill! Get with Neal. He is thinking i7 core also. :up: Looking forward to the pics!

Wow, thanks for contributing to my bonus/ coppenhagen spending money.:woot:

Onkel Neal 03-08-09 08:13 PM

The suspense! Looking forward to hearing the details and seeing the pics!

Bill Nichols 03-11-09 07:25 PM

Okay, nearly done!

Having always purchased brand-name PCs for my gaming habit, I at last decided to try building my own PC.

Here's the parts list:

Intel i7 920 processor
Cooler Master V8 CPU cooler (probably overkill, I know0
Asus P6T motherboard
6GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 RAM
2 X EGVA GTX285 (SLI)
SoundBlaster X-Fi ExtremeGamer
WD 300GB Velociraptor HD (for performance)
Seagate 1.5TB Barracuda HD (for mass storage)
Cooler Master HAF 932 case
Corsair 1000 W. PSU
Vista Ultimate 64b
Logitech G9 Gaming Mouse
Logitech Illuminated Keyboard

For sound, I'll be re-using my Logitech 5.1 wireless speaker system. I'll also be reusing my Samsung SyncMaster 245BW monitor.
Here are the pics I took during my build. There are a bunch of them, so I'm splitting them up into multiple posts.

Part 1 - Getting started and prepping the case.

Here are all the parts in one pile:

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4630/pcbuild001.jpg

The case:

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/8142/pcbuild002.jpg

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/6216/pcbuild003.jpg

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5822/pcbuild006.jpg

First step - install the back connector plate:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/5653/pcbuild008.jpg

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/5048/pcbuild010.jpg

Using the provided template, identify which standoffs are needed for the motherboard:

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/3772/pcbuild013.jpg

Here are the standoffs after installation. There are nine of them.

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/5325/pcbuild015.jpg

The motherboard, CPU and "Cooler Master V8" CPU cooler:

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9157/pcbuild012.jpg


Next step: Installing the CPU, CPU cooler, and memory.

:know:

Bill Nichols 03-11-09 07:53 PM

Part 2.

Installing the CPU onto the motherboard.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3995/pcbuild022.jpg

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7786/pcbuild024.jpg

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/6836/pcbuild025.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6080/pcbuild026.jpg

Installing the V8 Cooler:

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/6289/pcbuild016.jpg

Insert the double-threaded screws into the two mounting brackets:

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4153/pcbuild017.jpg

Screw the brackets onto the base plate of the heat exchanger:

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4456/pcbuild020.jpg

Add the four rubber anti-vibration pads:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8840/pcbuild021.jpg

Thoroughly clean the surface of the heat exchanger. Do the same with the exposed top of the CPU.

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/4421/pcbuild028.jpg

Attaching the cooler to the motherboard is going to be a bit awkward. I'm going to do it the easy way... upside down!

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/645/pcbuild027.jpg

Add the heat exchange compound to the CPU. Believe it or not, this is all that is called for in the instructions that came with my compound.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7524/pcbuild029.jpg

Place the cooler on its back (with its legs pointing up) and carefully lower the motherboard onto the cooler. Install the support bracket and tighten everything down with the four nuts.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2738/pcbuild030.jpg

Here's what this monster looks like after installation:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/3080/pcbuild031.jpg

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4060/pcbuild032.jpg

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/5194/pcbuild034.jpg

Next we add our memory.

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/7899/pcbuild035.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7155/pcbuild036.jpg

Finally, we mount the motherboard into the case:

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7964/pcbuild037.jpg

The ports on the back of the motherboard should line up perfectly with the back plate we installed earlier:

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8943/pcbuild038.jpg


:know:

Bill Nichols 03-11-09 08:04 PM

Part 3: Installing the drives and graphics/sound cards.

Now is a good time to attach the cables for the case's front panel to the motherboard:

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/1213/pcbuild040.jpg

This case has lots of cutouts on the back side panel where we can route the cables out-of-sight.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/373/pcbuild041.jpg

The hard drives sit in sliding trays, which makes installation a breeze.

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/79/pcbuild042.jpg

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/29/pcbuild043.jpg

The optical drive slides in from the front. The button I'm pointing to locks it in place -- no screws required!

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8040/pcbuild044.jpg

The data cables for the drives are now attached to the motherboard.

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/4916/pcbuild045.jpg

Now it's time to install the graphics card. It's a monster!

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6585/pcbuild046.jpg

If one is good, two must be better! Each graphics card gets requires two power cables! Now you can see why I went with a 1000 Watt power supply. Note the SLI 'bridge' connecting the two cards.

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7069/pcbuild047.jpg

The SoundBlaster card is the last to be installed.

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/4656/pcbuild048.jpg

:|\\

Bill Nichols 03-11-09 08:14 PM

Part 4: Power supply and cables.

The power supply mounts in the bottom of the case. I could have mounted it in the top, but it's easier this way.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8184/pcbuild049.jpg

The cable situation on the back side of the case is getting pretty messy.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2006/pcbuild050.jpg

A few zip ties help to get things a wee bit more organized:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/291/pcbuild051.jpg

Voila! All the power cables are connected...

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3176/pcbuild052.jpg

Except for the fan on the side cover. I wish that cable was a foot longer:

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8292/pcbuild053.jpg

Time to button 'er up. Looking good, don't you think?

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/3561/pcbuild054.jpg

:|\\

AVGWarhawk 03-11-09 08:23 PM

Looking very sweet Bill. And to think when we were kids a ball and new baseball glove was heaven:D

Blacklight 03-11-09 08:41 PM

That's the largest master cooler I've ever seen !! :o

It looks like a car engine !

longam 03-11-09 09:16 PM

Wow, that is so sweet. These cooling systems they have now just blow my mind.

Onkel Neal 03-11-09 09:42 PM

Man, Bill doesn't do anything halfway :salute:

That fan is bigger than the one on my car. That thing is awesome.

nikimcbee 03-11-09 11:30 PM

That's not a fan...
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/5194/pcbuild034.jpg

It looks more like a nuclear reactor:o

Does that monster come with an LN2 supply? How does the motherboard support that monster's weight.


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