Post by Kooper909 on Apr 17, 2009 14:19:33 GMT -5
Do we have any other "computer people" on the board--- people who built their own computer, people who overclock ... etc? Or maybe just a few people who have done some of their own hardware upgrades. 
Me, I used my old computer to learn about repairing and replacing ... as well as overclocking, a little. I was limited by the stock cooler. I bought that computer in 2004, and I finally built a new one this February. First computer I ever actually built myself, from scratch, even though I had my old one completely apart and back together a few times.
Here are the specs, and the process ....
I took my existing case (because I love it) and modified it ... because the airflow through it was awful. Originally, the front of it was closed off, as seen here.
So I cut away the plastic I didn't need, and made a drilled aluminum front panel, like on a PowerMac.
Next, I cut the front of the case to mount a 120mm intake fan behind the new front panel.
The 60mm fan hole in the back had to be expanded. A 60mm fan is too small to help airflow without being really loud.
Now it takes a regular 80mm fan.
With the case mods complete, I bought an ASUS Silent Square processor cooler. I lapped it to make a flatter & smoother contact surface ... and to get rid of this pit ..... (I bought it used)
Unpleasant surprise ... the cooler's retaining bracket doesn't fit my processor! Time to make an adapter.
Successfully mounted.
So here are my specs.
AMD Athlon X2 64 6000+ dual-core processor.
- stock speed is 3.1 GHz. I run it at 3.3 GHz 24/7, and the top speed I've ever reached was 3.6 GHz.
ASUS M3A32-MVP Deluxe motherboard.
- AMD 790FX Northbridge
- ATI SB600 Southbridge
- Supports 4x Crossfire
G.Skill PC2-8500 RAM, 2x1 GB.
- Running at 825 MHz, Dual Channel
hec ACE-580UB 580W power supply.
XFX GeForce 8400 GS video card.
- This card is just a cheap one I bought until I can afford something better.
Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB hard drive.
Me, I used my old computer to learn about repairing and replacing ... as well as overclocking, a little. I was limited by the stock cooler. I bought that computer in 2004, and I finally built a new one this February. First computer I ever actually built myself, from scratch, even though I had my old one completely apart and back together a few times.
Here are the specs, and the process ....
I took my existing case (because I love it) and modified it ... because the airflow through it was awful. Originally, the front of it was closed off, as seen here.
So I cut away the plastic I didn't need, and made a drilled aluminum front panel, like on a PowerMac.
Next, I cut the front of the case to mount a 120mm intake fan behind the new front panel.
The 60mm fan hole in the back had to be expanded. A 60mm fan is too small to help airflow without being really loud.
Now it takes a regular 80mm fan.
With the case mods complete, I bought an ASUS Silent Square processor cooler. I lapped it to make a flatter & smoother contact surface ... and to get rid of this pit ..... (I bought it used)
Unpleasant surprise ... the cooler's retaining bracket doesn't fit my processor! Time to make an adapter.
Successfully mounted.
So here are my specs.
AMD Athlon X2 64 6000+ dual-core processor.
- stock speed is 3.1 GHz. I run it at 3.3 GHz 24/7, and the top speed I've ever reached was 3.6 GHz.
ASUS M3A32-MVP Deluxe motherboard.
- AMD 790FX Northbridge
- ATI SB600 Southbridge
- Supports 4x Crossfire
G.Skill PC2-8500 RAM, 2x1 GB.
- Running at 825 MHz, Dual Channel
hec ACE-580UB 580W power supply.
XFX GeForce 8400 GS video card.
- This card is just a cheap one I bought until I can afford something better.
Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB hard drive.
