Dell mATX case mod? Dude, I got a Dell..

lol train derailment is a normal process to ups :)

seriously, i thought ups delivers through trucks like those commercials, perhaps their truck caused the derailment or they had wait to get around the train
 
Well, I received my stuff today.. Those penny crushing kids cost me a days worth of no modding.. LOL. I was able to get the backside of my little external enclosure finished.. now its off to the powder coater for some green-ness.. LOL. I cut the back off and put a small piece of aluminum in its place. The aluminum was just some scrap that I bought from performance pcs.com almost a year ago. The factory fan housed a small 60mm fan that was rated at approximately 18cfm. Now, I cut the new piece of aluminum to hold a standard 120mm fan (its an AC Ryan which matches the two case fans on the Dell). It is 70 something cfm. I increased the air primarily because I wanted to keep my new Western Digital hard drive on the cooler side of the spectrum.. Not to mention, everything is supposed to quasi match.. Anyway, I also cut the little hole for the power cord and cut out two rectangle shaped holes. Those holes will be for my SATA cable connections. Since the SATA cables came pre assembled as part of an external PCI bracket, I took the liberty to take them off of the bracket as I sleeved the cables to match the rest of the setup. Here are a few pics to give you an idea of the before and after of the backside of the case.. Obviously, in the first photo, I had already cut and installed the aluminum back. I simply riveted the aluminum piece back in..


DSCN9488.jpg



DSCN9486.jpg
 
LOL. Gosh I don't mean to laugh at your misfortune but jeesh, never heard of cargo trains having derailment problems... especially with shipment nowadays. That's really random man... best of luck to ya.
 
Looks like it's coming together nicely. Glad the stuff came in w/o issue too. :)

P.S. I didn't get the popcorn hour yet. I ordered it on 2/22 but I have no idea when it's actually going to ship.
 
Trageta said:
LOL. Gosh I don't mean to laugh at your misfortune but jeesh, never heard of cargo trains having derailment problems... especially with shipment nowadays. That's really random man... best of luck to ya.
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That was really random. The box looked completely intact. It was the original box used by Newegg and the contents appeared to be packed very well with packing peanuts and bubble wrap. When I asked UPS about the derailment, their response was, "We're not sure exactly what happened other than it was noted in your delivery history". Hahaha, nice answer UPS. It's not a big deal other than my package arrived one day late. No biggie.

silent-circuit said:
What do you use to cut the aluminum?
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I do it the old fashioned way.. A hand held jig saw, a cordless drill, a metal file and some 160 grit sand paper.
 
Got a small update.. I went ahead and installed my copy of Vista x64 on my hard drive. I didn't plug in my serial (as the new serial / vista ultimate DVD has not arrived yet). I have 30 days to register it so I'm sure my DVD should get here in the next 30 days (but then again, you know those trains and their derailment issues).. LOL! My hard drive and optical drive are just sitting on the counter next to my computer but hey... it works. I installed 3dmark06 and the initial run is VERY encouraging.. Here is my screen shot:

(3dmark06 has my CPU speed way up in the 3.8ghz range.. Obviously, I am not at that speed.. I am at 3.4ghz.. COMFORTABLY. I feel that this thing is capable of MUCH more):


3dmark06firstrun.jpg
 
Ohhhhh.. I forgot to mention.. I took my little enclosure over to TOP KOAT (power coater) and they said it should be ready for pick up late Wednesday or Thrusday! Hopefully my new Vista DVDs will come in before that. I should be rare'n 2 go!
 
silent-circuit said:
I'm confused. 3Dmark is reading your CPU speed wrong?
Click to expand...

yep.. that is a little weird.. I can assure you, I am NOT at 3.825ghz.. The problem is the multiplier, I believe.. Instead of using the 9x mulitplier, I dropped it to 8x.

8 x 425fsb = 3.4ghz
9 x 425fsb = 3.825ghz

CPU-Z and Core Temp both report the correct CPU speed. It's still weird ..LOL.
 
dude, that is a gorgeous background!!!

Im excited to see the powdercoating on this.... *CANT WAIT*
 
Thanks Illuminate.. Overnight, I decided to run a little stability test.. I used Everest Ultimate's CPU stability test where it max's all 4 cores out at 100% load.. I ran the test for 7 hours, 51 minutes and 20 seconds.. It was stable as a table.. but I am only at 3.4ghz, so I figured it would be stable anyways.. Just needed to make sure my vcore setting wasn't my weakest link. Here is a screen shot.. Since my other quadcore is on a phase change setup, I am not TOO familiar with quadcore temps on air.. Are my temps "OK" for being under 100% full load for basically 8 hours straight?

(I had Everest Ultimate, CPU-Z and Core Temp up on the screen shot)


StabilityTest34ghz.jpg
 
officermartinez said:
Thanks Illuminate.. Overnight, I decided to run a little stability test.. I used Everest Ultimate's CPU stability test where it max's all 4 cores out at 100% load.. I ran the test for 7 hours, 51 minutes and 20 seconds.. It was stable as a table.. but I am only at 3.4ghz, so I figured it would be stable anyways.. Just needed to make sure my vcore setting wasn't my weakest link. Here is a screen shot.. Since my other quadcore is on a phase change setup, I am not TOO familiar with quadcore temps on air.. Are my temps "OK" for being under 100% full load for basically 8 hours straight?

(I had Everest Ultimate, CPU-Z and Core Temp up on the screen shot)


StabilityTest34ghz.jpg
Click to expand...

How are you getting Everest and rocketdock to work with vista?? whenever i try, i get nothing. It says that i dont have the right OS for it...
 
illuminate said:
How are you getting Everest and rocketdock to work with vista?? whenever i try, i get nothing. It says that i dont have the right OS for it...
Click to expand...

What version of Everest Ultimate are you using? I'm using 4.20 build 1227.
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/865/EVEREST_Ultimate_Edition_4.20_.ZIP_Package.html

Rocketdock is version 1.3.5. It shows Vista as a supported O/S.
http://rocketdock.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=13

Both work flawlessly.. You might have to run those programs as "ADMINISTRATOR".
 
Everest works in vista for me as well. Just had a small problem during install or something but works fine now, 4.20 as well.



@officermartinez,

i am assuming you just put tons of icons in the middle top of the page, but how did you get rid of the start menu?

Edit: gah, don't tell me, it's on auto-hide?
 
robman_rob said:
Everest works in vista for me as well. Just had a small problem during install or something but works fine now, 4.20 as well.

@officermartinez,

i am assuming you just put tons of icons in the middle top of the page, but how did you get rid of the start menu?

Edit: gah, don't tell me, it's on auto-hide?
Click to expand...

LOL.. yeah.. It's on Auto Hide.. the rocketdock helps me keep a clean desktop. It's very easy to just access my most common programs there instead of keeping a cluttered desktop with Icons everywhere.. Gasp.. Should I dare say: It feels sort of "Mac-ish". ..hehehe.

illuminate said:
ooo, ok thanks. Sorry for taking your thread:)
Click to expand...

No problem at all. You'll never know the answer or remedy to something if you never ask any questions.
 
dolphumous said:
It won't run @ 3.4 with fewer volts?

I wouldn't go above 60*C
Click to expand...

Well.. I know 65-ish is the high end of the "norm" for temps on a Q6600 on standard ATX setups.. But this is a mATX. mATX setups generally run a little warmer simply due to limiting factors.. ie.. small confined internal case space, the necessary use of smaller cpu coolers, etc..

I have my vcore setup 1.4v in the bios. On CPU-Z during idle, it shows my vcore as 1.376. When all four cores are maxed out at 100%, my vcore droops down to 1.296v. I am not sure I would be able to drop it anymore without affecting stability. I guess there is only one way to find out.. LOL.
 
Got home and have been playing around with the BIOS a little.. I decided to see if I could get a higher stable overclock with this little mATX motherboard.. Well, I had to crank down on the VCORE.. But after setting it to 1.5v in the bios, it seemed to be initially stable on a quick little run of Everest Ultimate CPU stress test (initial quick test of only 30 minutes). The temps shot up however all the way to 68c.. So, I think I'll bump it back down to 3.4ghz and call it good. I was surprised to see this quad hit a 450 FSB with no problems.. Not too shabby for a little HTPC.. hehehe. I wonder.. 470 FSB? ...LOL! I'll try a run of 3dmark06 to see what she'll score while I have it at this setting. But I was pretty darn impressed with how ZIPPY everything feels! I click something and POW! Right to it. So, I checked my latency on my RAM and I was pretty impressed. Check out the screenie..


Screenie2.jpg
 
...if my desktop doesn't OC at least as well as your "spare" HTPC you will hear me cursing your name all the way from SC. ;)

Nice.
 
silent-circuit said:
...if my desktop doesn't OC at least as well as your "spare" HTPC you will hear me cursing your name all the way from SC. ;)

Nice.
Click to expand...

Eeeeeeek! I hope you hit ATLEAST 3.8ghz! I just hit 3.6ghz and tested 3dmark06.. It's nothing to write home about but not bad for a lil 8800gts 640mb card.. not too far off of 13,000!


3dmark0636ghz.jpg
 
robman_rob said:
need more outside system pics! :)
Click to expand...

I would post more outside pics but I'm in a holding pattern til Thursday or Friday.. That's when the rest of my parts come back from the powder coating place. Once I get those parts, I will be fully finished with this build.

I also will start a little "mini" worklog on my son's Coolermaster Centurion 5 case. Again, it's not going to be super fast or anything like that... But it just shows a little creativity.
 
Funny thing--I ended up with almost the same computer in a very similar way. I was on my way home from fixing someone's computer and noticed someone had set out a computer for the trash guy. I picked it up and took it home. A little cleaning up and a little Fluxbuntu and it runs beautifully. The tool-less design is simply awesome.

This is a bit late (sorry, haven't been to the worklog subforum in a while), but it looks like the hard drive would fit nicely between the expansion cards and the side panel. You'd have to make some sort of bracket, but it looks like there's enough room there.

Have you considered putting some sort of filter or screen in front of your intake fans so that dust/cat hair/people's fingers don't go where they're not supposed to? I really like the look so far--can't wait to see what it looks like with the side panel on.

What is the total distance between the back of the case and the front of the 5.25" bay? Given that you're not running massive RAID arrays, SLI, or multiple processors, I wonder if you could have used a smaller PSU and included the optical drive in its traditional spot.
 
Mohonri said:
Funny thing--I ended up with almost the same computer in a very similar way. I was on my way home from fixing someone's computer and noticed someone had set out a computer for the trash guy. I picked it up and took it home. A little cleaning up and a little Fluxbuntu and it runs beautifully. The tool-less design is simply awesome.

This is a bit late (sorry, haven't been to the worklog subforum in a while), but it looks like the hard drive would fit nicely between the expansion cards and the side panel. You'd have to make some sort of bracket, but it looks like there's enough room there.

Have you considered putting some sort of filter or screen in front of your intake fans so that dust/cat hair/people's fingers don't go where they're not supposed to? I really like the look so far--can't wait to see what it looks like with the side panel on.

What is the total distance between the back of the case and the front of the 5.25" bay? Given that you're not running massive RAID arrays, SLI, or multiple processors, I wonder if you could have used a smaller PSU and included the optical drive in its traditional spot.
Click to expand...


I'll get your measurements when I get home tonight. I picked up the remaining parts and this build should "officially" be over tomorrow. I also got my son's parts in on his Coolermaster case.. So that "mini worklog" will start tomorrow. Pics for BOTH setups coming soon.
 
Finally got my machine back together today. Using all stock air cooling at the moment, though, so no OCing right now... but it's running. Having some problems reusing my Vista install, SLI isn't showing up as an option, but I'm going to hit a reinstall real quick here, and hopefully I'll be good to go.

It says stupid stuff at boot like my chip is running at 66x9... but then it works fine once it's booted up. Who knows. Not running the latest BIOS yet.

EDIT: Still doing odd things like deciding it's a single core sometimes... which has me worried to say the least.

Despite this, the "This system is properly configured to use Nvidia SLI Technology" thing is probably the prettiest info bubble ever.

EDIT2:

Something strange going on here. Is 3535 CPU score good for a quad at 2.4Ghz, or is it not making use of all 4 cores? I'm leaning toward it's only getting to see 2 cores... not good.

I get ~12900 with both GTXs and the X3220 at stock at 1280x1024 all default settings.
I get ~12300 with both GTXs and the X3220 at stock at 1920x1200 all default settings.
Obviously CPU limited.



Shit.

/threadjack
 
silent-circuit said:
EDIT:

Something strange going on here. Is 3535 CPU score good for a quad at 2.4Ghz, or is it not making use of all 4 cores? I'm leaning toward it's only getting to see 2 cores... not good.

I get ~12900 with both GTXs and the X3220 at stock at 1280x1024 all default settings.
I get ~12300 with both GTXs and the X3220 at stock at 1920x1200 all default settings.
Obviously CPU limited.

Shit.

/threadjack
Click to expand...


LOL.. Well, at 3.4ghz, I'm scoring a 5285.. So I think something might be up with your CPU. Did you disable speed step and Enhanced C1E thingy muh jig..?

As for me, I've been working on finishing up my little enclosure.. Everything came out nicely. I've finally finished it and here are some pics..

DSCN9490.jpg


DSCN9501.jpg
 
Before:

DSCN9500.jpg



I added a little wire grill on the inside to prevent any wires from touching the inside part of the fan..

DSCN9502.jpg


Here is a final shot of the outside of the case.. Again, I added a salvaged Lian Li fan guard to prevent anything on the outside of my case from touching the exterior part of my fan..

After:

DSCN9507.jpg
 
mrweasel said:
nice work!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I am very happy with the finished product!


robman_rob said:
what is that? is that like some external thing?
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Yeah.. It's an external enclosure for my CD-DVD ROM & my Western Digital 640gb Hard Drive. The top mounted bay device is a hard drive dock. I can remove my hard drive in less than 2 seconds! Plus, it has a little internal fan that helps keep my hard drive cool (not to mention a 120mm 77cfm case fan sucking the internal case air out (negative pressure)!
 
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