Mad, mad, mad, mad Mod

S

starhawk

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
8,908
I'm entertaining the thought of rebuilding my ancient museum-peice mac se that is gathering dust and rust... into a pc.

my q is: can i fit a micro-atx or ( :rolleyes: ) a full atx mobo in there or do i need a mini-itx mobo?
 
ain't got none. blasted box is 1 1/2 hrs away... will get pix this weekend. doesn't look like much, but you can see some stuff about it here (the obsolete computer museum):

http://www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org/mac_se/

mine is beige box only... no expansion or modification i can find so far... that is w/o opening the case. :p
 
I doubt you'd fit a full size ATX mobo in there...even a micro-ATX might not fit. Save up for the ITX.
 
rats. i was hoping for a *good* mobo... anybody know of a p4 mini itx mobo i can get for less than $200 w/o having the remains of a barebones left over?
 
mATX and miniITX boards fit. It's been done many times before. Though i'm really to lazy to find pics for you, sorry :(
 
If you're not worried about having "high end" P4 or AMD XP performance, there's still some older Shuttle SFF mobos to be found.

I picked up 2 Shuttle FV24 mobos on the Anandtech for sale/trade forum a while back (they support P3 or Celery cpu's up to 1.13GHz). Got one going in my upcoming inkjet printer mod, and it's really tiny! :)

Not sure if there's any more available there, but you could also check Shuttle's website . Check the "buy" link at the top of the page. I recently bought two refurb'd AK38N mobos from them, with a standard 1 year warrantee, for a killer price (good for el-cheapo computer builds)!! :D
 
i need at least a 3ghz p4 to prove to my comp retarded mom that my 2.5ghz celeron emachines is crap. so what do i do?
 
starhawk said:
i need at least a 3ghz p4 to prove to my comp retarded mom that my 2.5ghz celeron emachines is crap. so what do i do?
Click to expand...

i think just about any "modern" equipment will beat out a celeron. even the now "dated" nforce2 board, paired with a 3200+ would do nicely.
 
except i have a pathological hatred of amd
in my opinion their 80386 was their best proc except for the 64 fx-## line which i admire

but i do want a p4 3.0ghz or so
 
your flat out silly for despising AMD, their processors are just as good as intel, if not better in many respects.

Anyways to the qustion at hand....what is keeping you from simply swapping out the celeron on the eMachines for a better processor? If you are worried about spending too much money on a motherboard simply swapping the processor, while not the best way to show up your mom, would do a pretty good job of it.
 
starhawk said:
except i have a pathological hatred of amd
in my opinion their 80386 was their best proc except for the 64 fx-## line which i admire
Click to expand...

Why? Every time I consider switching back over to the dark side (intel) I take a look at my options, and AMD not only comes in a couple bucks cheaper, but they usually out-perform.

I'm just peeved for the moment while intels get better mobo's right now... once the chipset and mobo manufacturers remove their head from their *** and give us some good boards I'll be happy again (and will upgrade my now dated 2500+)
 
potroast said:
Why? Every time I consider switching back over to the dark side (intel) I take a look at my options, and AMD not only comes in a couple bucks cheaper, but they usually out-perform.

I'm just peeved for the moment while intels get better mobo's right now... once the chipset and mobo manufacturers remove their head from their *** and give us some good boards I'll be happy again (and will upgrade my now dated 2500+)
Click to expand...


whats wrong with boards like the MSI K8N Neo2? That board is no worse than any of the current Intel 915/925 boards. Granted there are good boards for the older intel platform, but AMD has some very good boards for their older platforms too.
 
"This one has only 2½ megs of RAM and just a stock 68000"

It's got a nice video card :)
 
Erasmus354 said:
whats wrong with boards like the MSI K8N Neo2? That board is no worse than any of the current Intel 915/925 boards. Granted there are good boards for the older intel platform, but AMD has some very good boards for their older platforms too.
Click to expand...

well, if I was gonna do a system today, I'd go with the MSI K8N Neo Platinum... There's nothing wrong with that board. However, if you look at the board with the most balls, the Asus P5AD2 takes the cake with damn near everything you could ever want on the board.

Actually, the P5AD2 would be the ultimate board, imho, if the RAID 5 solution was hardware (it's software, despite popular belief) and if it were on the PCI-X bus and not the PCI bus. Oh, and it'd have to be for AMD ;).

I'm just patiently waiting for PCIX and DDR2 to make it's debut on the 939 platforms.
 
ok, geez did i ever get comments. i'll reply one at a time.

(1) the reason i hate most amd's is this:
- i had a 386 once, still do, it's an amd processor, very good comp. can't argue with them.
- but my pop gets this piece of $#!* comp made by some ctx company. it works like an off-key, out of tune model t with bad gas. it's crap at best.
- my mom has this 8 year old (at least) pentium comp, w/ a pentium 1 90mhz processor. i am not kidding when i tell you it has never been cleaned or dusted inside, and it still runs as well as could be expected.
that's why. but i do respect & admire the athlon 64 fx-5# series.
:rolleyes: okay, okay, if anyone gives me the benchmarks to prove that i don't know what i'm talking about, and that intels really aren't better, i will change my ways. i promise. no overclocked procs tho... only stock ones.

(2) i do not have the money to swap out that proc and i don't want to void the warranty. i need a new video card too. thing uses intel "extreme" graphics 2 and crystal key 2: the far realm keeps crashing. so sue me for liking strategy games cuz i can't shoot worth crap but i still need an upgrade. extreme graphics my @$$. and i only have pci.
:rolleyes: i know, it seems rediculous talking about modding when i have no $$ but i am going to save this for a fat wallet and a rainy day... besides, i wanted to get some advice from experts.

(3) i still like the p4. does the athlon xp really outperform at stock speeds? i will not be overclocking, this will be a pure style mod. if anyone can prove (benchmarks) that an athlon xp would be a better investment i will go with that. they *are* cheaper anyways.
 
Erasmus354 said:
your flat out silly for despising AMD, their processors are just as good as intel, if not better in many respects.

Anyways to the qustion at hand....what is keeping you from simply swapping out the celeron on the eMachines for a better processor? If you are worried about spending too much money on a motherboard simply swapping the processor, while not the best way to show up your mom, would do a pretty good job of it.
Click to expand...

My wife's eMachine won't tolerate any other CPU I've got. She's stuck with a 700 Mhz Celeron until it dies, as she won't let me upgrade her (if it ain't broke, don't fix it sort of thing).
 
arrrg... why can't you get a decent mATX mobo w/o video onboard anymore?!?! grrrrrrrrr... i hate onboard vid... it's generally crap.

ok, i'll go with amd this time... anybody got benchmarks to prove i'm doing the wrong/right thing? athlon xp 3000+ stock vs. intel pentium 4 3.0ghz stock. mobos as similar as possible.

anyone have any feedback on the following tentative specs?
athlon xp 3000+
chaintech 7nil1 matx mobo
1gb ddr sdram via 2 corsair cmx512-3200xl sticks
160gb seagate barracuda hdd
mitsumi floppy drive
52x/36x/52x/16x combo drive
 
i'm thinking a thermaltake polo 735 + nanotherm xtc for cooling that cpu. :p anybody want to tell me i'm nuts and suggest something better?
 
servercase.com
I really really doubt a uATX board will fit in that small ass chassis.
You can get the itx boards at servercase ;D
 
sarreee not flexible inflexible. vias have onboard procs, so no upgrades 4 them. :mad: via mini-itx mobos suck.
 
pity that board is a p4 only board... guess no experimenting with amd for this mod... unless someone has another url...
 
ok... its official... chaintech 7nil1 mobo... any suggestions/objections/opinions/etc. on the rest?
 
ok... here are the specs that i've come up with, with links to where i found the stuff. i'd paste pics if i knew how but copy/paste does not seem to work and i don't know any other trix :( btw... i do not go by sale prices... only prices when the items are off sale. :rolleyes: this is because i probably will not buy the items until the sale is long gone.

Case: old mac se in my garage.

PSU: ModRight X-Connect 500W Ultra Modular Orange UV ATX Power Supply w/ Cable Kit $119.99 @ FrozenCPU.com
http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/psu-107.html

Motherboard: Chaintech 7NIL1 $64.99 @ Directron.com
http://www.directron.com/7nil1.html

Processor: AMD Athlon XP 3000+ Barton Core CPU (OEM) $124.00 @ Directron.com
http://www.directron.com/xp3000oem.html

More to come...
 
btw, prices are per each... more specs:

CPU Cooling:
Spire VertiCool $29.00 @ FrozenCPU.com
http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/cpu-spi-22.html
Aluminum 80mm Fan $11.00 @ FrozenCPU.com
http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/fan-44.html
ThermalTake 90mm UFO Fan (Silver/Red) $19.99 @ Directron.com
http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/fan-112.html
FrozenCPU Black Thermalhood Thermal Duct $14.99 @ FrozenCPU.com
http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/duc-16.html

System Cooling:
2x CoolerMaster 80mm Neon LED-Red Case Fan (Intake) $8.99 @ NewEgg.com
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-999-057&depa=0
2x ThermalTake Multidirectional Intake 80mm Fan (sold by Xoxide as "Silent Cat" fans) $6.00 @ NewEgg.com http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/fan-113.html

More to come...
 
oh man. ive totally redesigned this thing in my head like 3 times.

i may just drop it if i can't get a good idea and stick with it.
 
ok... i think i got this thing straight.

im going to have a floppy and a cd/dvd combo drive on the l side, w a gatewatch whoosit on the front right side. an 80mm orange uv fan (intake) will be next to it.

there will be a window on the left side, and the former monitor hole will become a window as well.

two more fans, aerocool 80mm red led fans w/ aluminum casing, will be on the left side, as intakes.

two silver ufo fans will be on the back as exhaust fans and a centaurus i fan will be on the top somewhere as a cpu exhaust fan. the cpu hsf will be an alpha pal8045, seated on a frozencpu cpu shim.

i will have a chaintech 7nil1 mobo, ocz ocz4001024pdc-k 1gb 2x512mb ddr sdram kit, and an athlon xp 3000+ cpu

probably a 17" flatscreen monitor if i can find one for cheap that is not on ebay... :rolleyes: so i will most likely get a 15" flatscreen

im thinking a powercolor radeon 9800xt video card and a sound blaster live! sound card. okay, so its not the best... but i am not likely to be playing anything fancier than ut2k3 as i prefer myst-style strategy games.

i will probably spring for a seagate barracuda 160gb hard drive... its double the biggest one i have now and i will be unlikely to need anything bigger.

no matter what my rating sez i am a n00b and welcome, no, insist on you posting your opinions, no matter how much disrespect you may have for me...
 
this weekend i plan to prep the case if i have time... this involves:

(1) gutting the innards of the mac.
(2) cutting the side window, bays, fan holes, screw holes, and switch/led holes.
(3) spraypainting the case black w/ testor's spray paint.

Serious offer:
Anybody want to buy a naked mac se for $30?
 
ok... im going to start a new thread cuz nobody is leaving anything remotely resembling an opinion anymore. probably cuz not many people are looking at this one.

read u there!
 
potroast said:
Why? Every time I consider switching back over to the dark side (intel) I take a look at my options, and AMD not only comes in a couple bucks cheaper, but they usually out-perform.

I'm just peeved for the moment while intels get better mobo's right now... once the chipset and mobo manufacturers remove their head from their *** and give us some good boards I'll be happy again (and will upgrade my now dated 2500+)
Click to expand...

A ****ing MEN my friend .... although running 2.740 gig and beating out a 3.8 gig pentium on sandra on a 2500 is nice too :D
 
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