Soldato
- Joined
- 31 May 2009
- Posts
- 21,457
Build Log: Smooth Pink Box
This thread will not remotely try to deliver on its title
Anyway I am building a playbox, it will initially be used to trial a beta install of Windows Home Server II Beta: Vail, testing the abilities of the setup with a view to installing a final Vail system eventually, or coverting the box to a HTPC, or into a small light-gaming gaming box.
I am going to try and review aspects of the case and motherboard as I go along.
Building based on a Gigabyte H55N-USB3 motherboard, coupled with an intel i3 530 processor, 2*2GB OCZ 3G1600LV4GK RAM, Samsung F3 2TB HD, and a ModXstream-pro 500watt modular power supply.
The sidepanel attaches with 6 small screws, both left and right panels can be completely removed, to allow god access to the case, and also to allow for easy motherboard installation. The screws are made of weak steel, they provide spares in the case packaging, but I urge anyone who is using this case to use the right size of screwdriver, a smaller screwdriver than required will wring the screws, and then you would have to drill to remove. Gentle pressure is the key.
The PSU sits 'above' the motherboard, on the right hand side of the case, rather than at the top or bottom of the case, it slides into palce from behidn, which makes accessing the system relatively easy, and allows cables to be tidied beofre sliding the PSU home. A backing plate is attached to the PSU and this is in turn thumbscrewed into place. The thumbscrews are a nice idea for switch access back to the board by sliding the PSU out, but as one has to remvoe 6 screws anyway to get the sidepanel off, it really won't save much time. More on this later.
With the motherbaord panel removed, you can see the front switches, front audio (mic and headphones) and the 2 front USB3 port connections. The front 140mm fan slides into place using rubber feet, and can slide out again to access a filter which is washable. There is also a top 120mm fan.
Motherboard panel has 4 builtin risers, and screws are provided for attachment. Again this panel is attached by 6 small screws, as with the other sidepanel.
Motherboard set upon the risers.
Processor installed using the stock intel cooler, and the Ram also installed. Worth noting on this motherboard, any cooler that is even slightly bigger than the stock cooler will interfere with the PCI-E slot, and likely interfere with the RAM also.
They are in very close proximity. There is a sys-fan attachment just beside the CPU attachment, and this proved to be in the perfect position for the top-fan of the case. Length perfect, and cables exceptionally tidy.
Motherboard panel reattached, and backplate fitted, wonderfully colourful..... The PSU slot can be seen, directly above the motherboard on the opposite side of the case.
Reasonable access with the side panel back on. HD audio (front) attachment for the motherboard is in the lower left quadrant, so its black lead and the USB3 cables can be brought down and directly across the bottom of the case, hidden behind the HDD racks.
The middle HDD rack is easily removeable, it slots into place, and is held by a single thumbscrew. The HDDs themselves slide into place, and are held by thumbscrews attched through rubber grommits. This should miminise noise. The grommits are already in place and there is enough room for 4 HDDs in middle rack and 2 in the lower. The lower can be completely removed to provide extra room for a longer GFX card, and is held in place by 2 screws.
The case components provide an alternative backpanel, the replacement slider, allows the passage of the USB3 cables out the back of the case, so they can plug into the USB3 ports on the motherboards back, basically shifting the 2 USB3 ports from the back of the machine to the front. Its a tight squeeze to pass both cables through that one hole, but they are nicely secured when fitted. Oddly the replacement panel is slightly longer than the performated panel, and the tip doesn't bend to engage the outside of the case, so it is held in place by its screw, rather than tight friction at the bottom and screw at the top. Only a very minor quibble.
The USB3 extension cables attached and in position.
So begins the process of attaching the modular cables from the motherboard, hooking up the 24pin (20+4) and the separate 4pin to the motherboard. The 8 pin power cable will be idle, and will eventually be hidden in the 5.25inch bay.
I decided to orientate the PSU so the fan will face the motherboard, this will draw warm air out of the case, over the PSU and jettision it to the back of the Case.
PSU screws replaced with the black variants provided within the case box. When fitting the PSU I had undo several screws to allow for minor backplate repositioning, there was absolutely no give, so all had to be realigned at the same time to ensure a snug fit.
This modular PSU is big, almost too big for this case. The main motherboard connector excess was easily hidden within the 5.25inch bay. If one had a drive in there, I would fancy you would need a smaller PSU. If the PSU was orientated the opposite direction, the connectors would be at the bottom of the case, and I think would become firmly jammed against the lower HDD cage. It might fit with a squeeze but I prefer not to twist power leads as they leave the PSU.
The finished article. Build and assembled, now I shall install Vail and have a play with the functioning.
A few points about it in operation, firstly I have no GFX card, just using onboard GFX for now, and secondly there is no CD/DVD drive, no requirement for using up an SATA port for such. I'll eventually add more 2TB drives for storage, and likely a smaller boot drive for the eventual release Vail product if testing of this goes well.
This system is quiet. I cannot hear the intel stock cooler at all. I cannot hear the top fan unless my ear is right beside it, and the PSU is virtually silent also.
There is a gentle noise from the front fan, I think some vibration, but I will reseat it on its rubber feet and see if that makes a difference, but in a living room beside a TV, this would make much less noise than a Vplus box or an Xbox.
Although it was a tight squeeze for the PSU in the end, I am very pleased I went with the recommendation from this forum, the larger than normal PSU fan is incredibly quiet and as I could mount it to suck air out of the case directly above the motherboard it seems to help.
Yesterday was a warm day, CPU temperatures at idle were 28 degrees, case temperature of 40 degrees. I will conduct proper testing at some stage.
This thread will not remotely try to deliver on its title
Anyway I am building a playbox, it will initially be used to trial a beta install of Windows Home Server II Beta: Vail, testing the abilities of the setup with a view to installing a final Vail system eventually, or coverting the box to a HTPC, or into a small light-gaming gaming box.
I am going to try and review aspects of the case and motherboard as I go along.
Building based on a Gigabyte H55N-USB3 motherboard, coupled with an intel i3 530 processor, 2*2GB OCZ 3G1600LV4GK RAM, Samsung F3 2TB HD, and a ModXstream-pro 500watt modular power supply.
The sidepanel attaches with 6 small screws, both left and right panels can be completely removed, to allow god access to the case, and also to allow for easy motherboard installation. The screws are made of weak steel, they provide spares in the case packaging, but I urge anyone who is using this case to use the right size of screwdriver, a smaller screwdriver than required will wring the screws, and then you would have to drill to remove. Gentle pressure is the key.
The PSU sits 'above' the motherboard, on the right hand side of the case, rather than at the top or bottom of the case, it slides into palce from behidn, which makes accessing the system relatively easy, and allows cables to be tidied beofre sliding the PSU home. A backing plate is attached to the PSU and this is in turn thumbscrewed into place. The thumbscrews are a nice idea for switch access back to the board by sliding the PSU out, but as one has to remvoe 6 screws anyway to get the sidepanel off, it really won't save much time. More on this later.
With the motherbaord panel removed, you can see the front switches, front audio (mic and headphones) and the 2 front USB3 port connections. The front 140mm fan slides into place using rubber feet, and can slide out again to access a filter which is washable. There is also a top 120mm fan.
Motherboard panel has 4 builtin risers, and screws are provided for attachment. Again this panel is attached by 6 small screws, as with the other sidepanel.
Motherboard set upon the risers.
Processor installed using the stock intel cooler, and the Ram also installed. Worth noting on this motherboard, any cooler that is even slightly bigger than the stock cooler will interfere with the PCI-E slot, and likely interfere with the RAM also.
They are in very close proximity. There is a sys-fan attachment just beside the CPU attachment, and this proved to be in the perfect position for the top-fan of the case. Length perfect, and cables exceptionally tidy.
Motherboard panel reattached, and backplate fitted, wonderfully colourful..... The PSU slot can be seen, directly above the motherboard on the opposite side of the case.
Reasonable access with the side panel back on. HD audio (front) attachment for the motherboard is in the lower left quadrant, so its black lead and the USB3 cables can be brought down and directly across the bottom of the case, hidden behind the HDD racks.
The middle HDD rack is easily removeable, it slots into place, and is held by a single thumbscrew. The HDDs themselves slide into place, and are held by thumbscrews attched through rubber grommits. This should miminise noise. The grommits are already in place and there is enough room for 4 HDDs in middle rack and 2 in the lower. The lower can be completely removed to provide extra room for a longer GFX card, and is held in place by 2 screws.
The case components provide an alternative backpanel, the replacement slider, allows the passage of the USB3 cables out the back of the case, so they can plug into the USB3 ports on the motherboards back, basically shifting the 2 USB3 ports from the back of the machine to the front. Its a tight squeeze to pass both cables through that one hole, but they are nicely secured when fitted. Oddly the replacement panel is slightly longer than the performated panel, and the tip doesn't bend to engage the outside of the case, so it is held in place by its screw, rather than tight friction at the bottom and screw at the top. Only a very minor quibble.
The USB3 extension cables attached and in position.
So begins the process of attaching the modular cables from the motherboard, hooking up the 24pin (20+4) and the separate 4pin to the motherboard. The 8 pin power cable will be idle, and will eventually be hidden in the 5.25inch bay.
I decided to orientate the PSU so the fan will face the motherboard, this will draw warm air out of the case, over the PSU and jettision it to the back of the Case.
PSU screws replaced with the black variants provided within the case box. When fitting the PSU I had undo several screws to allow for minor backplate repositioning, there was absolutely no give, so all had to be realigned at the same time to ensure a snug fit.
This modular PSU is big, almost too big for this case. The main motherboard connector excess was easily hidden within the 5.25inch bay. If one had a drive in there, I would fancy you would need a smaller PSU. If the PSU was orientated the opposite direction, the connectors would be at the bottom of the case, and I think would become firmly jammed against the lower HDD cage. It might fit with a squeeze but I prefer not to twist power leads as they leave the PSU.
The finished article. Build and assembled, now I shall install Vail and have a play with the functioning.
A few points about it in operation, firstly I have no GFX card, just using onboard GFX for now, and secondly there is no CD/DVD drive, no requirement for using up an SATA port for such. I'll eventually add more 2TB drives for storage, and likely a smaller boot drive for the eventual release Vail product if testing of this goes well.
This system is quiet. I cannot hear the intel stock cooler at all. I cannot hear the top fan unless my ear is right beside it, and the PSU is virtually silent also.
There is a gentle noise from the front fan, I think some vibration, but I will reseat it on its rubber feet and see if that makes a difference, but in a living room beside a TV, this would make much less noise than a Vplus box or an Xbox.
Although it was a tight squeeze for the PSU in the end, I am very pleased I went with the recommendation from this forum, the larger than normal PSU fan is incredibly quiet and as I could mount it to suck air out of the case directly above the motherboard it seems to help.
Yesterday was a warm day, CPU temperatures at idle were 28 degrees, case temperature of 40 degrees. I will conduct proper testing at some stage.
