Cheap and "cool" case

zagi988 · 22 Sep 2014 at 14:47

Hello everyone.
This is my lets say, custom build.
I'm planning to build some "ultimate" AMD rig.
Got some cheap ass case and got an idea to mod it, so I'm working on that now and buying new components when I can.

I've started with old Chiftec PSU (550W), Patriot RAM that I've borrowed from my dads PC, FX4100 with stock cooler, but I've bought newest R9 290 Tri-X. I've just had to.

Next thing, I've cut a window on the side of case.

Bought green Plexiglas and made a window.

Oh yeah, at that time I've had a 15" 1024x768 LCD... on R9 290 Tri-X... yeah

Next thing, I've cut the grills on front 120mm intake fan, for better airflow and less noise.

also, added one 80 mm intake insted of two 5.25" slots.

And cut two holes on front, for 120 mm intake...

To be continued, soon...

zagi988 · 22 Sep 2014 at 14:48

Next, finally a new monitor arrived!

After that, new speakers...

and finally, new PSU to power that power hungry 290 beast

And also, I've put a grill on that cut intake in front...

Next thing to be done is to replace that stock cooler on FX, so I've got Raijintek Themis Evo

Default AMD mount made it be in this position

Of course, this is nonsense so I've took Intel mounts, did some modification and and made it be in position that it should be.

To be even more continued soon...

zagi988 · 22 Sep 2014 at 14:49

Next, finally a new monitor arrived!

After that, new speakers...

and finally, new PSU to power that power hungry 290 beast

And also, I've put a grill on that cut intake in front...

Next thing to be done is to replace that stock cooler on FX, so I've got Raijintek Themis Evo

Default AMD mount made it be in this position

Of course, this is nonsense so I've took Intel mounts, did some modification and and made it be in position that it should be.

I've noticed that when FX4100 is FSB + multi overclocked to 4.54 GHz, MOSFET's and NB get really hot, you can't even touch the cooler.

So, I've googled and searched through this forum to find some aftermarket coolers...

And I've got them!

NB cooler

MOSFET cooler

And also, bought my own RAM!

Time to put these coolers on the motherboard.

So, this is stock GA-990FXA-UD3 MOSFET/VRM cooler, removed.

And this is Thermalright placed instead of him.

Had to secure it in this way because the original mount couldn't fit between capacitors and coils.

This is the northbridge when you remove the cooler.

And this is everything on it's place.

Also, I've did lapping on my CPU... didn't quite got the glow but it's leveled pretty nice.

Finally, this is how it looks now.

BTW. Here is a video of my "sound system"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QRzb8fPcM8&list=UUkg6kP2Mt-cWkRTWYBQVmVg

And also, today rubbed pads for 120 mm fans arrived so I'm putting that in to get even less noise.

zagi988 · 22 Sep 2014 at 15:45

Yeah, I get it... but it was free, I've found it near dumpster in front of my building, together with adapter for it.

So I took it and I still have it as backup and for second monitor sometimes (BF4 map).

zagi988 · 22 Sep 2014 at 18:34

Yeah, I've bought Tri-X on 24 installments... Two years of paying that thing.

BTW. If you didn't read the first post about building an "ultimate" AMD PC, read it.

My plan is to put at least FX8320 and OC the **** out of it.

Thanks to everyone.

zagi988 · 22 Sep 2014 at 20:47

What part in "I'm planning to buy at least FX8320" you didn't understand?

This FX4100 is only here until I gather the money.

Damn.

Also, the case is here just because it's awesome to me to have something like this and that kind of hardware in it.

It's like having a 300 hp Golf III with stock look and I find it awesome and don't really care what others think.

I've represented it here just to show the world what I did, and I've expected positive and negative comments...and I'm prepared for that.

zagi988 · 22 Sep 2014 at 22:41

Had to have it! hahaha, I just couldn't resist not buying it

I've bought it three days after it arrived in my country and had it in box for 3 weeks until I've bough this MBO and CPU.
Just had to buy it.xD

zagi988 · 23 Sep 2014 at 08:13

Probably not.

It was a great way to stop dust and cat hair get inside + it's not finished yet so this isn't the final look.

zagi988 · 28 Sep 2014 at 13:22

New plexiglas, colored and added AMD logo.
Still not even close to finish.

Painting (spraying)

AMD logo

Finished

Current state

Will continue in matter of days or weeks...

zagi988 · 26 Dec 2014 at 22:38

Haven't done any mods to do case yet, but here is one thing I did today.

I've put my PC outside, since it's -3 °C outside.

** Any image wider than 1280 pixels has to be resized or linked as spoiler tags are not permitted within Project Logs **
http://www.pohrani.com/f/3B/Hl/2NYq79qo/img5860.jpg

My phone is connected to Wi-Fi and is USB tethering to PC.
Intake and exhaust 120 mm fans are at 100% and intake 80 mm fan is controlled by MBO.

http://www.pohrani.com/f/37/hv/iJSVGUm/img5859.jpg

Here is the complete setup for this test:

http://www.pohrani.com/f/15/Zc/4qbRJROa/img5858.jpg

And now, the temperatures...

This are CPU temperatures after 10 minutes of prime95 blend test: http://www.pohrani.com/?S/EQ/2UHNj3xo/prime-blend.jpg

This is GPU temperature after 10 minutes of Furmark blend-in test: http://www.pohrani.com/?a/Tm/ByXFvl9/gpu-load.jpg

This are temps after 15 minutes of prime+furmark: http://www.pohrani.com/?M/k3/3IfIiGOJ/gpucpu-load.jpg

And this are idle temps after 10 minutes... http://www.pohrani.com/?1F/3n/4uQyF5YU/idle-after.jpg

Also, here is exhaust temperature during GPU+CPU load:

http://www.pohrani.com/f/2Y/xa/SH0JlEB/img5861.jpg

Just had to do that, can't wait for -15 in a few days

zagi988 · 27 Dec 2014 at 15:00

Why not? This PSU has plenty of power for my setup (even when I upgrade to FX8320) and I've got it for like 60 GBP.

zagi988 · 5 Apr 2015 at 17:01

So, this is what happened...

I said to myself, I need nicer fan control and I need a new look!

So...

3D printed bracket with a switch that controls the relay switching from 50 to 100% fan power

This is the case now

BTW. I cleaned everything

Polished the CPU

And this is the final look for now

Also, here is a YT video of how that fan switch works

YT video

zagi988 · 5 Apr 2015 at 18:38

Well, actually it's green.
AMD letters should have been white to fit better, but that's not the way I like it.

http://www.clustervision.com/sites/default/files/images/AMD-logo.preview.png

zagi988 · 5 Apr 2015 at 20:37

Well, I don't know how much can you see on this pics.

Basically, I took an Intel mount, 4 of these little plates that have two holes and some screws and nuts to hold that together (from original AMD mount to that Intel part).
Then I drilled the holes on the mount that goes over the block so it would fit the new arrangement.

Sorry, english isn't my native so I can't really explain it the right way...

zagi988 · 7 Sep 2015 at 09:49

Upgrade!

From FX-4100 to Phenom II X6 and Raijintek got design flaw removal!
Now air goes thru the cooler and doesn't escape before even cooling it down!

Printed Raijintek logo and laminated the paper

Glued it together!

Got 10 °C lower temps with 30 more W TDP (and overclocked X6 to 4 GHz when I need it and 3.8 for regular use)!

Validation: http://valid.x86.fr/14peml

zagi988 · 22 Dec 2021 at 10:35

Dayum, I never updated this thread on this forum and I've made so many changes to my PC.

Anyhow, here's the "new" configuration:

MBO: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 Rev 3.0
RAM: 4x4 GB G.skill Ares 1600 MHz
CPU: AMD FX-8320E @ 4.2 GHz /w Raijintek Triton custom water cooling
GPU: Sapphire R9 290 Tri-X + EKWB full cover water block
PSU: Sama Armor 750W 80+ Gold
HDD: Kingston SSDnow 240 GB + Seagate Barracuda 500 GB + Seagate Barracuda 250 GB

Pictures of the case now:
Opened:

Closed:

Water temperature display:

Contactor doing the "logic" for fans, one fan or all fans; just because I like the THUMP that it makes when switching:

Current setup:

zagi988 · 22 Dec 2021 at 15:21

Doubt there were these components in 1998. :cry:

zagi988 · 17 May 2022 at 11:42

A few updates...
Added ESP8266 remote control for startup/shutdown/force restart

Added Viper VPN100 512GB NVMe SSD

Keeps on going

zagi988 · 10 Jun 2022 at 21:30

Can still game, can still edit 1080p videos, I'm good

zagi988 · 11 Jun 2022 at 10:17

Wing-Man said:
did the SSD make it feel like a new system.

I had an SSD before but it was an old Kingston SATA SSD that had read speed of not even 500 MB/s. This has cap of PCIe 2.0 which is 1.3 GB/s. System loading seems the same but games - holy smokes! Loading times are not that and even FPS is smoother. I'm loving it.