Monday build!!

[Chris [BEANS]]

I've started this in general hardware because I'm very much open to help and advise while I do this. It'll be done by tonight and depending on how it turns out I'll either ask that it be moved to 'project logs' or it can simply drop off the first page and die...

Before I start, this is NOT a build guide!! There are loads of threads and videos and posts etc on these forums from people who genuinely know what they're doing. I'm not one of them!
This will be the third computer I've bought and built from scratch, but that's in the space of about ten years so I'm basically a 'noob'.

The reason for this thread is that I figured I've enjoyed researching different potential builds and looking at various peoples specs and pics of their rigs etc, and people always like a bit of a butchers at what others have done for inspiration or to decide if they don't like something or they'd do something differently etc..
So I thought I'd contribute, and here's my new build.



My Monday afternoon starts with one of these

Then I got to unpack all of this

(It's like Christmas!! )

Components

NZXT Phantom USB 3.0 Full Tower Case
NZXT FN-140 Enthusiast Performance Case Fan
i5 3570K 3.40 GHz (Ivybridge)
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
NZXT Havik 140 CPU Cooler
Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H
GeIL Dragon 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C11 1600MHz
KFA2 GeForce GTX 670 EX OC 2048MB
Kingston HyperX 120GB 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Drive
Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 6Gb/s 16MB Cache - OEM
Samsung SH-B123L/BSBP 12x BluRay ROM / 16x DVD±RW Lightscribe SATA-II Optical Drive - Black (I have the retail version)
Corsair HX 750W ATX Modular SLI Compliant Power Supply
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-Bit - OEM

The whole lot came to around £1,200.00, and that was making the most of 'this week only' deals and 'daily' deals too.
The spec is as a result of asking around on here, a few online reviews, and the fact I really like the look of the case


So.... I'll get cracking and there will be plenty more posts with pics to come.
Comments and tips, pointers etc are very welcome

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Ha, immediately I've realised this may take some time!!

My aftermarket CPU cooler looks like a nightmare to mount!!

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Right....

Behold, the motherboard!!

I hope this next part was the most stressful part of my day.

Super paranoid about the CPU, dropped it in slightly off centre, instantly assumed I'd ruined it, dropped it in perfect the second time and decided that the creaky noise that the clasp made was clearly a noise that only happens when you're doing it wrong...

but after me being a big girl, it was installed...

Then came getting the back plate and mounting bracket for the cooler...
Again, not overly difficult, but with my massive paranoia about the CPU I sweated a lot doing it.

Then I couldn't decide how much thermal paste to use, checked out multiple schools of thought online, put it on an instantly decided that i'd put too much on and it was all going to go horribly wrong....

However, eventually, the heatsink was on and secure....

Time for another cuppa, I think.....

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Very exciting I haven't built a computer for years now But still remember the excitement on putting it together

This is sounding more and more like a build log to me though...

Is it lame that as a grown man with quite a responsible job, I was actually pretty nervous and stressed doing that last part?!

This may well become a build log, however, right now it's a thread where someone who hasn't really got much idea what he's doing is relying on the good folks at OcUK Forum Land to steer him from knackering it all up!!

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Next up came the memory....

Had to take a pic of the 'warning' that came with it:-

Frankly, anything that has pictures of dragons on it and says "Before unleashing the beast" is effortlessly cool

RAM went into slots 1 & 2 on the mobo which aren't next to each other. I mean, why would they be?! that'd be logical, and where's the fun in that?!

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

CPU fans installed, They're massive, it's sillyness!!

Actually straightened them a bit since taking this pic....

I had no intention or interest in overclocking this rig, however, with this cooler I kinda feel obliged!!
Another project for another day perhaps....

Oh, just to put your minds at ease, I was switched on enough to ensure that both fans push/pull in the same direction towards what will be the back of the case

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Next up I guess is the test boot, right?

Worth putting the GPU on for this?

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

If you are test firing it out of the case then personally I wouldnt bother installing the GPU yet. You have a power button on the mobo that is handy Make sure you have all the power connectors in (24 pin and the P4/8 pin aux power too), obvious comment but many forget the P4/8 lead

Also when you come to install the OS to the SSD leave the other HDD disconnected, once the OS is installed the HDD can be connected.

Trust me, in this thread, nothing is an obvious comment!! All tips or advise very welcome

I'd already chucked the GPU on as per the Newegg video linked above.

I'm quite out of touch with components, but my first thought on this was "Jesus that's big!!". It's heavy too.

My first Nvidea card
Always been a fan of Ati, my first 'big boy' card was a 9800 Pro, was a beast when I got it, can't imagine what it'd look like next to this beast

With the card and the cooler on the mobo you can't really see any mobo!

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

It's alive!!!! [/victory dance]

PSU comes in quite a random faux suede bag, and has all of the modular cables in a separate bag..
Excuse the DVD's underneath, they were simply to allow the air to the fan which is mounted to the underside of the PSU.

After a shuffle to get the whole thing near some power supplies which weren't in use, I plugged it all in and pressed the big illuminated power button on the mobo (great little touch by the way, good work Gigabyte!!)

I was not happy Everything lit up, it appeared to start working, then changed it's mind and appeared to power itself off again
After about five seconds, it lit up again, the bios splash screen happened and then this....

Which made me very happy

This thing makes NO NOISE!! I had to put that in capitals, because I was amazed at how incredibly quiet this thing is!!
The old rig I'm using to post here sounds like a bloody hover craft, this thing with a huge card, huge cooler and much more powerful PSU really can't be heard.

I'm very happy so far.

Now I get to play with the case, which in a very childish way I've been very much looking forward to opening up

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Was going to put weird science on while I build, but then got super stressed over the CPU and the TV's been on mute since

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Love this case

Was going to sling the PSU in first, see how easily the main power cables reach the board, then chuck my additional case fan in the front (Can't tell which way it's blowing which is annoying), then chuck the mobo in and start wiring everything up...

Sound right?

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

I do love that case in white. Has a feel of starwars about it.....or maybe that's just me lol

You can tell the direction of airflow on the fan by the guard over the blades. See that exhaust fan in your pics? The guards are at the back so the air is being pushed out, if you could see the guard over the blades in the pic it would be moving air into the case.....make sense?

Thanks, I did it wrong!

Swapped around now

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

PSU mounted fan down

I have however made my first silly mistake

Mobo mounting was a bit of a pain with the CPU 8 pin power cable pushed through the relevant hole at the top of the case.
I pulled it through to the back while I mounted the mobo, but now there's not enough room to get the power cable back through.

Mobo needs to come back out

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

OK, mobo, PSU and additional case fan mounted....

Getting there boys!!

Just had an error message saying I've exceeded my upload limit to imagshack!! Any recommendations for other hosts?

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

postimage.org

Funnily enough, just found that myself Cheers dude

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

I always use that !
I like your build, why dont you use the hole for the 24 pin closest to the mobo?

Glad you asked, I meant to say when I posted the pic...

The cable is actually quite stiff, if I use the hole closest i practically have to fold the stiff cable in half and it looks pretty messy

I'm going to have to look for some way of covering the wires that aren't fully sleeved as it plugs into the mobo, looks rubbish huh!!

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

New confusion!!

I've got the case all plugged into the mobo, all bar the E SATA port.... Can I just plug that into any old SATA 2 port on the motherboard??

Edit:

Updated pic...

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Nice Thread Chris. Rig looks really nice what are you going to be doing with the machine ?

Cheers
First thing I intend to do is have a crack at Shogun TW 2...
Really enjoy the TW games and everybody loves Samurais and Ninja's and stuff!! Didn't bother getting it when it came out because my old rig wasn't up to it...

Be nice to play CoH and maybe even GTA IV at 1080 with high settings...

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Anyone got any idea where I need to plug the E SATA cable from the case onto the mobo??

I'm a touch confuzzled....

 

[Chris [BEANS]]

Cheers

Just need to install my drives now and it's a computer!!

On that note, they're both (SSD and mechanical) SATA 3 drives, but I read somewhere recently that it's not worth plugging an SSD into a SATA 3 port??
Is that right? Doesn't make sense to me....