Saxman's Work of Art

[Saxito Pau]

well, there is barely TWO INCHES of clearance between top of HSF and the side panel in MY case... O_O

[Saxito Pau]

This update is long overdue, but seeing as I am gong to upgrade again very soon, I've decided to post up current pics of my rig along with current specs. I'll create a separate thread for the benchies.

So, as of Monday 9th July 2007, this is the full detailed specs of my PC:

CASE: Thermaltake Armor Jr., Black with clear side window, top USB/Firewire ports removed. (now available at Circuit Zone)
MOBO: AsusM2N32WS Professional (damn, I hate those 64-bit PCI-X slots!)
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+, 2.2GHz stock speed,
HSF:  Therlmalright Ultra-120 Extreme HS and Thermaltake Smart Fan, Blue LED; also using Ceramique by Arctic Silver as thermal compound
VIDEO CARD: XFX GeForce 7900GS @ 525/1.5
TV CARD: MSI Theater 550 Pro
PSU: Ultra Products XVS Modular 600 Watt PSU (modular connectors are standard IDE connectors, so you can make 'custom' PSU cables if necessary.
OTHER: Belkin PCI-E 1x 4-port USB 2.0 Card (doesn't even work due to incompatibility between board and card; when I switch back to MSI board it should be fixed)
HARD DRIVE 1: Seagate 160GB SATA II (operating system and my documents)
HARD DRIVE 2: Hitachi 250GB SATA II (stores all my downloads; has the same dual power connectors - remember i fried the last one?)
HARD DRIVE 3: Seagate 500GB SATA II (stores media files; also does backup of first two drives)
OPTICAL DRIVE: Pioneer 16X DVD Burner
FLOPPY DRIVE: Standard 3.5" Floppy Drive
CARD READER: Silverstone FP34 3.5" Card Reader (VERY Highly Recommended as it has USB, FireWire, azalia (HD) sound; and ALL connectors go to motherboard. Just make sure you have 3 USB, 2 FireWire headers and the sound card headers on your motherboard.)

Extra Notes:
- the Silverstone card reader was purchased to replace the top USB ports.. a lil expensive but dam convenient.
- hard drive cage was moved from bottom to top of case ("BTX configuration" according to Tt) to get extra air in for better circulation and hopefully lower CPU temperature in my uber-hot concrete roof house
- replacing current intake/extractor fans with a 2 Silverstone 120mm that push up to 110 CFM of air! will get them same time as 5200+
-  used a bit of cable sleeving to neaten the front panel connector wires.... and they are VERY long
- got some black case thumb screws to replace the silver ones supplied with case

And now for pictures (file sizes between 60K and 200K):


1. Front View


2. Front/Side View


3. Side Vew


4. Side View, side panel off


5. Back View


6. Close Up of Card Reader


7. Close Up of Video Card


8. Close Up of HSF (no flash, and yes, i just HAd to post it big)


9. HSF and RAM from another angle


10. Close Up of RAM (looks so pretty!)


..and there you have it

[Grim Reaper]

Very impressive SaxMan, your Computer is indeed a work of art. You've got yourself what I'd surely call a medium end performance machine. If you plan to upgrade it in the future again, your well on your way to creating powerhouse of system. Good job and I wish you luck with it!

[Saxito Pau]

Thanks, Grim.

And to think I invest almost TT$12,000 (about US$1900) behind it thus far.

It'd be a lot less were it not for having to import most of the stuff from the US (and associated taxes/freight costs). If you did this it might cost you just US$1500 or so

Anouncement:  the pics finally up 2 posts above this one so everyone, feast your eyes!!

[daniboy79]

GREAT stuff Sax!!

like the lights... looks like a fire-place, lol

(Almost as pretty as mine, hehehehee) 

[Crixx_Creww]

got a question for the people using the Ultra-120 Extreme

ive seen a bunch of reviews of people "lapping" their hsf for proper contact with the processor

did yu have to do this as well?

[Saxito Pau]

Nope. (And for the record, I only know myself to be using the Extreme  )

Last time I did ANY kind of metalwork was back in Form 3 in Diego Sec. (1993!)

and I ent trust them 'rough' people in the metal shops with my sweet precious HSF. Next thing they grind off the whole base?

I have no reason to doubt that the lapping will make a difference, I just not going through all that trouble.

[Crixx_Creww]

so yours fit flat on the processor without the lapping?

[Saxito Pau]

as far as I could tell.

next time I decide to un carjack my HSF off my processor, I examine the surface more closely and let you know. I better ask daniboy about my surface as he been present through a few of my CPU installs...

[Crixx_Creww]

yars that would be great

but i dont think ill get one in any case

saw the ultima 90 thingy from them, smaller, just as powerfull and lot less hassle.

das me right dere
an is 50 dollars


did up the specs last nite, and excluding keyboard an mouse

is about 1500 usd yes lawl

trying to see where i could "chinks" "lawl no offense to our oriental breadthrens winyy poo"

[daniboy79]

trying to see where i could "chinks" "lawl no offense to our oriental breadthrens winyy poo"

CRIXX, you gonna cuss... use an AMD processor, and you'll save a few $$$'s

[Kaizen]

daneh...
conroe is teh light

nice build up sax i guess we all on am2 6's xD

[Crixx_Creww]

dani, you know of an amd processor that cost 89 dollars and when oced performs as well as a 6850?

think not

make some sense next time nah

[daniboy79]

so yours fit flat on the processor without the lapping?

lapping isn't very hard to D.I.Y. eh...

First, you need some things; pane of glass (true-flat surface) various sheets of sandpaper (emery paper) 200, 400, 800, 1200 Grit sizes, and some H2O.

place 200 grit on glass pane, liberally wet the sandpaper, then using a figure 8 rotation while holding the CPU pad flat onto the sandpaper, let the lapping commence.

it won't take too long for the 200 to 'true' any uneven areas, you can check this by periodically observing the CPU pad (probably have to wipe it off with paper-towel to see it better). once you see complete coverage, STOP! excessive material removed essentially reduces the clamps ability to apply pressure on the CPU, so be carefull. (if you can't help removing too much because; either the factory really screwed up and left a very rough surface, you can still 'shim' the bracket by adding a flat washer with the equivalent dimension removed)

you should rinse off the residue build-up from the sandpaper often as it makes the process take longer, and it's just darn messy.

work your way up to the 1200, trying to remove as little as possible.

no science other than that.