Project: Rebuild It

Halestorm · 7 Sep 2013 at 20:47

Hi Guys
This is my first project, im currently updating my rig to be...reasonable rather than the ***pbox it is now.
Well, I've been slowly updating the whole thing but I've had a bit of a cash influx for building so I thought It might be a good idea to future proof as much as I could afford.

Current Specs are:

Case: Zalman Z9+ (keeping)
Mainboard: Asus Sabertooth 990FX r2.0 (keeping)
CPU: AMD FX8-8350 (keeping)
RAM: 16GB Generic DDR3 with "heatsinks" (replacing with 8GB decent RAM)
GPU: Asus DirectCU Radeon HD6770 (replacing with GTX680 or HD7970)
Cooler: Noctua Aircooler (replacing with Corsair H80)
Fans: LEPA 70D 120mm x 4 (removing some to make room)
PSU: Horrible Win-Power 750w Modular (replacing ASAP)

This is How she looks currently:

With Side Panel Off:

Old gpu (its a bit furry in the heatsink)

The Solid State OS Drive:

The Noctua heatsink - going to be the front intake eventually

Mobo & CPU out of the case

The case all naked

SSD Mounted on the back of the Mobo Tray

Hard Drive in the very bottom slot to help airflow

Mobo back in the case

NEW COOLER! BOOM!!

Fitted in Push/Pull out the back of the case

I have also now got one of these bad-boys on the way: http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=120-PG-0650-GR

and one of these:https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BB-000-LP

I've also got some colour matching camo design 550 Paracord to do some braiding with too.

Any comments/recommendations for parts are more than welcome

Halestorm · 8 Sep 2013 at 10:33

I've plugged some of the old stuff back in just to get the machine up and running, as I don't like typing on my laptop much because its uncomfortable.

Just with the cooler change I have noticed a drop in about 10degrees under load, When the build is finished I will get some proper benchmark results. And its so quiet without all the LEPA fans running at full speed all the time

Halestorm · 9 Sep 2013 at 18:28

First of all some bad news...the FX8-8350 is no more, came to boot my PC today and the Red CPU led was lit, checked the cpu out, no bent pins socket was fine...no joy. But i have an 8120 as backup, so thats currently in the system working away happily. Going to dig through my receipts box for the 8350 invoice so I can RMA it as im sure its only about 10months old.

However on a better note today my EVGA powersupply and Lamptron Fan Controller have arrived! Hurray! so they will get built into the machine, using the cables as stock for the moment until my heatshrink arrives and I have time to sleeve the cables.

So here are some photo updates!

New Toys!

In all its sexy black 80plus gold glory

In its rightful place

Lamptron goodness

All cabled up

Behind the tray is a bit messy...but for now it will do until they are sleeved...and maybe in a new case

Todays work done

More updates soon I hope.....going to be getting a new GPU and RAM soon (waiting for people to pay me from a well known online auction site)

Halestorm · 9 Sep 2013 at 18:32

And before I forget...the idle temp on the 8120 shown in core temp

Halestorm · 10 Sep 2013 at 20:28

Not much to report today, just cut my fingers up trying to do cable braiding

Here it is!

I dont think its too bad for a first try...i probably need to use 3:1 rather than 2:1 heatshrink as it doesnt seem to get tight enough and still slides on the cable a little

Halestorm · 16 Sep 2013 at 15:31

Ok, no major work updates, Im waiting for some cash to come in to buy some more parts, but I have decided what the next steps are

New RAM:Vengence Pro Silver
New GPU: 7970 Matrix
New Case: Carbide Air

Halestorm · 21 Sep 2013 at 11:25

Some more progress soon, I've literally just ordered a Carbide Air 540, which should hopefully arrive with me Monday. Maybe I will even get some Haribo in this box...so far had 3 orders from OCUK and no sweeties

Halestorm · 21 Sep 2013 at 11:49

lee1101 said:
Looking good The CPU temps are so low!!

I've also had no haribo in my last 4 orders

It sounded like a hurricane was coming through the room though, I've got the H80 fans connected to the fan controller rather than the built in pump controller, so on full they were spinning at max rpms

Halestorm · 23 Sep 2013 at 13:49

The Carbide Air has arrived at my house, waiting for me to build into it when I get home from work...which means MOAR PIKCHURS for you guys to look at!

Halestorm · 3 Oct 2013 at 08:18

The computer is part built into the carbide air...pictures coming of that....but just a little update so you guys can see one of my investments in trying to keep temps down

CoolLabs Liquid Pro and a GPU die piece too!

Halestorm · 3 Oct 2013 at 09:32

Hopefully my case lighting will arrive today and I can get most of it finished off (the mrs is on nights so got plenty of time to work on the PC)

Whilst im thinking on, anyone think of a decent GPU (7950 kind of pricing) that will match the sabertooth colour scheme? If not i'll try my hand at some hydro dipping maybe

Halestorm · 3 Oct 2013 at 10:05

I thought that about spraying it up, I might invest in a custom water loop sometime next year too, the GPU and RAM wont get ordered until after christmas now though, unless I suddenly come into some money, by that time the price may have come down because the new AMD cards will be out and selling.
My spraying skill are..poor to say the least but I will find away...the 6770's shroud is red and black and doesn't look too bad though so the Matrix should look OK

Halestorm · 3 Oct 2013 at 18:25

Ok gents....as promised..some more pictures!

First of all...the lighting

The Heatsink taken off the 6770 to put the cool-labs liquid metal square

and after a little clean up

The pretty chamber of the case

How she looks now

and in her little place next to my desk

Coming soon - a special collaboration!

Halestorm · 18 Oct 2013 at 18:05

OK here we go....some more pictures for you...New braided cables, made up especially for me by out very own (that was the special collaboration)

A massive massive thankyou to Dave who has done an incredible job doing shrinkless paracord braiding for me...it puts my previous attempts to massive shame!

Here are the pictures

The cables arrived!

Look how a neat a job Dave has done!!
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAfA/TCdENcNKNfs/w503-h889-no/IMAG0016.jpg

24 pin in place
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAfo/JX7fToDfEqA/w503-h889-no/IMAG0019.jpg

Rubbish focus...but the 8pin cpu cable in place
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAf0/tkcbzMr4ghs/w503-h889-no/IMAG0020.jpg

The PCIE in place (actually 2x 6+2's so I can plug in a new card easily in future
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAgA/04i_yD1lgFo/w503-h889-no/IMAG0021.jpg

The whole lot in place
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAgM/pbUiu2_hS7Q/w503-h889-no/IMAG0022.jpg

Once again a HUGE thanks to Davido_Labido for doing all this work for me!!!

Also....this is my cats reaction to the build

97gugs0ziJ-e9R3f-BTIKOWcP9y1WXQpI2Q5UTYVIAs=w205-h362-p-no

Halestorm · 28 Nov 2013 at 10:51

The build has been chugging away for a while....then i got some random blue screen errors....turns out 1 of my generic sticks of crap ram died.
Luckily Gibbo is some kind of reducing price god and did me a deal on the Avexir Yellows, and they arrived today!

they are pretty

Halestorm · 29 Nov 2013 at 10:22

Another update!! New fans for the H80! got these at a steal price from a friend who never even took them out of the box! If they are nice and quiet I may purchase some more and replace the rest of the case fans with them.