Gaming Build Check

Conclusion · 27 Jul 2012 at 08:51

I have build a gaming PC for the first time and don't know if I have made any mistakes. It starts up without any problems, and fans are spinning, does this mean I have connected everything?

ozzymundo · 27 Jul 2012 at 09:01

Well if everything's booting ok and is stable, the temperatures are ok, there aren't any funny sounds and it runs like a computer should then I would say it's ok. Generally you only realise it's been put together wrong only when something stops working, but if everything's running it's probably ok.

Conclusion · 28 Jul 2012 at 16:19

ozzymundo said:
Well if everything's booting ok and is stable, the temperatures are ok, there aren't any funny sounds and it runs like a computer should then I would say it's ok. Generally you only realise it's been put together wrong only when something stops working, but if everything's running it's probably ok.

Will give it a check, any other advice?

tamzzy · 28 Jul 2012 at 16:32

did you build your rig like this?

if you did, it should be fine (barring any doa parts)

Conclusion · 28 Jul 2012 at 17:09

tamzzy said:
did you build your rig like this?

if you did, it should be fine (barring any doa parts)

I watched the two videos before I build the gaming PC, and I build it similar to the one shown on the video, but only started the PC just to make sure it worked and turn it off

tamzzy · 28 Jul 2012 at 17:21

if it booted and everything spins, sounds like you did okay

olivier renault · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:03

yeah. You can install the OS and run some benchmarks to make sure everything's up to speed.

Make sure you have SATA in AHCI mode in the bios, and that's a about it.

Conclusion · 29 Jul 2012 at 10:01

olivier renault said:
yeah. You can install the OS and run some benchmarks to make sure everything's up to speed.

Make sure you have SATA in AHCI mode in the bios, and that's a about it.

Which benchmarks should I test with which software to use? I'll check if SATA is in AHCI mode in BIOS,

Using the Zalman Z9 Plus with Gigabyte Z77 motherboard, I think I have connected the cables which the case provided into the motherboard but haven't tried the sound yet but I tried the Power, Reset button and it works but not sure how the HDD button on the front works

I'm using OCZ ZS Series 550W PSU which provided cables to power up components. In one SATA cable, it has 3 ports head, does it matter which one I plug in?

Since the PSU that I have has a 135mm fan, I've faced the fan to the bottom of the case, I've provided a image of it with a red arrow,

http://i.imgur.com/C2xEd.jpg

Is this a good airflow? or face the PSU fan up?

olivier renault · 29 Jul 2012 at 11:40

Since the PSU that I have has a 135mm fan, I've faced the fan to the bottom of the case, I've provided a image of it with a red arrow,

as long as the floor isn't a dust magnet, and that you have a removable dust filter in the case. If not, face it up.

I'm using OCZ ZS Series 550W PSU which provided cables to power up components. In one SATA cable, it has 3 ports head, does it matter which one I plug in?

No it doesn't matter which connector you use.

not sure how the HDD button on the front works

it lights up when the HDD / SSD are used.

Which benchmarks should I test with which software to use?

some tools I use :

Graphics : Unigine, 3DMark 11, GPU-Z, MSI AFterBurner.
System : OCCT / Prime95, HWMonitor, CPU-Z, CineBench 11.5.
Memory : memtest86.
Drives : CrystalDiskMark, ATTO, BootRacer.

tamzzy · 29 Jul 2012 at 11:41

that doesnt look like a good opening to me lol.
i think i'd have it fan up instead

olivier renault · 29 Jul 2012 at 11:49

yes... On the Z9, fan up. IF your computer sits on the desk, then down is fine, but on the floor, up.

Conclusion · 29 Jul 2012 at 16:04

olivier renault said:
Graphics : Unigine, 3DMark 11, GPU-Z, MSI AFterBurner.
System : OCCT / Prime95, HWMonitor, CPU-Z, CineBench 11.5.
Memory : memtest86.
Drives : CrystalDiskMark, ATTO, BootRacer.

Will give the softwares a try for benchmark

olivier renault said:
yes... On the Z9, fan up. IF your computer sits on the desk, then down is fine, but on the floor, up.

My computer desk is similar to this one, the PC is placed in the same place as in the picture but the place is wider,

http://i.imgur.com/MAZku.jpg

Which way should I face it?

tamzzy · 29 Jul 2012 at 17:02

fan up

Conclusion · 30 Jul 2012 at 11:14

tamzzy said:
fan up

I faced my PSU up, thanks for your advice

If I'm not wrong, I've 3 intake fans near the motherboard with the PSU fan facing up, is this a good airflow?

http://i.imgur.com/rnTWe.jpg

stulid · 30 Jul 2012 at 11:28

The two top fans should be blowing straight up and out of the case?

honosuseri · 30 Jul 2012 at 11:43

Conclusion said:
I faced my PSU up, thanks for your advice

If I'm not wrong, I've 3 intake fans near the motherboard with the PSU fan facing up, is this a good airflow?

http://i.imgur.com/rnTWe.jpg

Having the PSU fan up actually helps cool the inside of the case, as the warm air inside is vented out by the PSU. To be fair it does look pretty cool seeing the fan

Your fans around the heatsink are actually set as exhaust not intake. I have mine the same

I actually tuck the ceiling fan cables out the back through the holes in the mobo tray. Then connect these top two fans to the fan controller. The dial on the front controls the speed of these fans and dims the light when set to low.

If you poke the Black and white fans molex plug out there too it can be daisy chained to the fan controllers molex power. I actually swap this fan for the LED front intake. Then you have all 3 LED fans around your heatsink, the rear exhaust you plug into a mobo header and the black fan now at the front can get power from the cable powering the HDDs.

Conclusion · 30 Jul 2012 at 12:30

stulid said:
The two top fans should be blowing straight up and out of the case?

The 3 fans near the motherboard are set as exhaust

honosuseri said:
Your fans around the heatsink are actually set as exhaust not intake. I have mine the same

Thanks for the correction, feeling good that I have setup the fans correctly for a good airflow

honosuseri said:
I actually tuck the ceiling fan cables out the back through the holes in the mobo tray. Then connect these top two fans to the fan controller. The dial on the front controls the speed of these fans and dims the light when set to low.

Will unscrew the motherboard and tuck the fan cables under it for a neat finish

Mei · 30 Jul 2012 at 12:36

Conclusion said:
Will unscrew the motherboard and tuck the fan cables under it for a neat finish

hehe dont do this, what happens if you ever want to replace the fans or take them out for cleaning

honosuseri · 30 Jul 2012 at 12:51

I remove the metal blanking plates from all the optical bays behind the front panel too. The ceiling and heatsink fans will draw the air in from here, so it's worth popping them out to improve airflow. There are dustfilters in the front panel

A more extreme mod is to cut out the hexagonal mesh that blocks the fans. If you look at your dust filter on the front you see the mesh pattern builds up in dust on it. Cutting out the mesh improves the air flow and helps reduce noise.

The top panel (if you look) has the fine mesh on top, below that there are vents cut into the plastic.......finally the hexagonal mesh on the case itself. I felt these fans were restricted more than the front intake, so the hex mesh had to go.

It sounds like a faff because it is. I can honestly say though, that it does help with noise (im hoping you took the fan off the side panel). Temps were definately better after the mod, noticed 2 degrees knocked off my GPU too at idle......good considering the case is pretty much full with expansion cards

Conclusion · 30 Jul 2012 at 14:19

honosuseri said:
I remove the metal blanking plates from all the optical bays behind the front panel too. The ceiling and heatsink fans will draw the air in from here, so it's worth popping them out to improve airflow. There are dustfilters in the front panel

Removing all the optical bays cover in the front panel? Will it not cause a lot of dust coming into the case?

honosuseri said:
It sounds like a faff because it is. I can honestly say though, that it does help with noise (im hoping you took the fan off the side panel). Temps were definately better after the mod, noticed 2 degrees knocked off my GPU too at idle......good considering the case is pretty much full with expansion cards

I took the fan off the side panel and placed it at the top of the case as exhaust, my expansion slots 2-3 is used as graphics card and accidently ripped out the first expansion slot but will fit a sound card in there to replace it