Please critique my new build

Very nice indeed! The HardOcp pic is great as that's about the config that I'll eventually have. Also nice to see the HX1000 has enough length in its EATX 12V line so hopefully my TX750, which is specced for a full tower, has long enough leads.

 

Well, that particular case came with an extension for the P8 connector. Otherwise, it wouldn't have reached.

 

I'd try to find some RAM w/ better timings. I really wish that I had a build like that.:cry:cry:cry

 

Aah, I hope my case has an extension too then. Otherwise, I'll get some #18 AWG braided wire w/shrink tubing and extend the P8 cable if needed. I used to work as an assembler back in the early eighties and crimped enough pins to last me a lifetime! Anyways, maybe I'll find an extension locally as I'd prefer that to splicing, less work..

 

Instead of the P8, I probably should have said the eatx12v. Though, I believe there are the same thing.

 

Well, can't find the pic thread on desktop PCs, so, I'll post a link here:

Eventually, I'll be replacing the junk IDE dvd drive with a sata bluray drive.

 

That is some very nice cable management! Sexy!

 

Well, this case helps quite a bit. You don't want to see what the other side looks like....:-D

 

And the messy side....
That fat blue IDE cable will be going away soon..........
Upper right Y-cable is my P8 extension that came with the case.

 

My Antec 1200 (Gaming Rig) has a whole lot more mess on the back. I wish I could afford an 800D, but I hear they're only good if you are watercooling.

 

They are good, either or. as in water cool or not.

 

Any pic updates? Augie?

 

Sorry nope, I ordered on the 1st and as I have to buy with an e-check and then wait for ground transport from the left coast. I figure I'll get it mid-month, say 15th. So instead of crying in my beer waiting for the stuff, I decided to a get bit of light OC'ing in to familiarize myself with the i7 as it's somewhat different from previous procs.

I was quite surprised at the ease I got to 3.2GHZ(%15) without doing anything else than raising the QPI!:eek However, I won't go further than that until I read the OC'ing guide where they start you off by isolating CPU, RAM and chipset and finding the limits of each. This should be good homework while waiting for the parts.

Here's eVGA's E-Leet(CPU-Z) and the temps with a stock HS/F, I've still got some good headroom on the temps while pinning all cores with folding.

 

Got the rest of my stuff yesterday and while unboxing, I dropped my SSD on the hardwood floor!:eek :cry No worries man, the thing survived, I know as I benched it yesterday(yes, Frankie Jr. has grown.) Wow on boot speeds!:major

Now I've got to figure out where to put the H50 radiator, I have two options. Either use the rear fan opening or remove the 200mm output fan on the top. I'm leaning towards the rear fan space for now, maybe make it a push/pull affair.

 

That's the beauty of SSDs. You can drop them like that, and they're fine.

 

I'm probably too late to suggest the Thermaltake Spedo Advance Package over the HAF 932 aren't I :-D

But if i'm not, the TT is far better value than the CM & sorted my cooling issues right out... in fact I had to take some fans out of it that wern't needed, which is the oposite of my last case :-D

I am am too late the HAF should work fine, it's just that I was goin to buy one but picked up the TT instead & havn't regretted it :cool

:major2-Bit-Geek:major

 

I picked up a CM Sniper instead, a decent case but I fought with it and everything else all day. :boxing I even managed to pull out my router's power plug and wondered what the heck happened now, no internet?!!:-D It's been that kind of day.

 

Bwahahahaha! I was working on OC'ing this monster when it just became too much power needs what with the Q6600, Frankie, A/C and TV going on.:-D I'm going to need an extension in here until I can get new line in. Actually, I'm quite surprised that it didn't happen earlier!

 

I literally poured over hundreds of reviews, both vids & written & was still stuck between the Antec 1200, CM HAF 932, CM Sniper & the TT Spedo Advance package :-D I definatly think that I got the best one though, my temps dropped on averange 10C across the range of Hardware

I have started trying to figure out the BSOD thats been plauging my machine for the past 3 months on startup & random intervals. I have been putting it off since the 2nd one :-D I have have 2 of those days trying to figure out how to read mini dumps & then sort the issue... Needless to say it's an ongoing thing lol

:major2-Bit-Geek:major

 

Wow, what an OC'ing marathon today.:eek Started at 3AM 'til 9:30PM, of course had a snooze etc. inbetween. Wasted half a day because the Ram I have needed a VDIMM of 1.6V to be recogniozed as 1600 as opposed to 1066 @ 1.5V. Go figure? I've got it up to 3.8GHz and it seems stable so I'll fold on this overnight, should be as good as any other test.

Tomorrow I shoot for the big dream of 4.0 and join lbmest in the folding frenzy.

 

Damn augie, 35% out the gate on an OC.:major That's great. Folding overnight will find any faults that's for sure.
Temps OK with the H50?
Side note on the folding - I finished a p2683 yesterday and deleted my a3 core to pick up the .22 version. EUE'd two p2684 at start up but am folding a third with an increase in PPD according to HFM of about 10% as expected. (Still using Ubuntu 9.04 in VM.)

 

Well, those WU's are still Martian to me as I'm folding a regular SMP2 in Win7. Doing a 6023 ATM. I'm not too sure how realistic is the folding 'Holy Grail' of 4+ GHz for VM SMP as I don't want to find out a couple of days later that I only have 1500 points!:-D It should be easy enought to tweak the machine to hit 4+GHz but I'm worn out ATM!:banghead

Once I do get it to 4GHz, then I'll finish the cabling and take some pics before buttoning it up. :major The following temps etc. are with a 12" floor fan blowing in to simulate case air, probably will go up when closed. At 3.3GHz and stock HS/f was 70C, now it's 52C with ambient @73F. The H50 is amazing, small size but performs great! If I go to idle suddenly, the CPU temp drops to 28C in some 4 seconds!:cool I love it! It might not look as cool as those huge finned air coolers but it's much smaller size fits in with my mid sized Sniper case. Oh, only one fan on the radiator for now, no push/pull yet.

 

Well, I guess this is my last post in this thread as I finally got it to 4GHz with probable room to go 4.4!:major That will be for another day when I can go back into my BIOS and make changes without fear!-D

It was a good though frustrating experience as I'm basically an OC n00b. I tried two methods which boiled down to the old 'Tortoise vs Hare' methods of OC'ing. I had trouble with the Tortoise approach, most likely PEBKAC, as I got it to only 3.78 when things started to go awry.

I then decided to see what eVGA had to offer and I thought 'Bingo' this should do it! NOT!!! There's a couple of stickies on their forums that give one everything to adjust and if one knows an i7 BIOS, there's lots of stuff I'll probably never understand but I went with it thinking, hey this is an eVGA employee etc., let's do it!

Needless to say, it screwed me up more than before!:-D However, I did pick up a couple of tips from those posts, especially NOT volting stuff without a reason, at least by my standards. My BIOS is much cleaner than theirs.

Anywys, the above was aimed at OC'ing n00bs like me.

'NOW LET'S GET FOOOLLDDIIINGGG'!:-D

 

The very last installment here as this thread is getting as old as I am. I thought there was a 'post yer new build thread' but I can't find it.:-o I just wanted to show people the 'dark side' of cable management as no one ever shows this side of their builds.:-D

This CM Sniper case has not been modified by me but it shows how someone with the proper skills and tools can turn a cheap case into something with excellent cable management.

To those that know me, yes I am a procrastinator!:-D

 

Mmmm: spaghetti!

What's your mailing address? I'll send you some scotch tape...

:drink

 

LOL, keep the useless tape and send me brewskies instead!:drooldrink BTW, it's organized spaghetti!