Modding plans

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:52 pm

Righty Ho, thought this forum was looking a bit sparse, so I'll post my ideas for my PC.

No.1: Apart from getting the bastard thing up and running again)

Watercooling and replacing my yet unused processor.

Ive payed for my lovely solid silver Cascade waterblock

and it currently winging its way to me from Endre's favourite place

Ill need to get some other spangly bits (like a funky Res and a decent radiator etc for my primary cooling loop (my graphics card is having a dedicated one with a seperate rad) but that will be happening relatively soon

As for the processor, you may have heard about the Mobile cversion of the AMD processors (they use them in laptops)

Well, these are ideal for overclocking as they use very low voltages at stock operation (1.4 v at 1.8Ghz for a 2500 M compared to 1.6v for a regular 2500) which means they run very cool. Also, as the processors in laptops arent an easiy upgradeable item, AMD pick the best cores to go in them as to avoid problems. This meansthey are really good fro FSB overclocking (there are a couple of people on the forums have 2.8Ghz on air!!) Me wants one of these quite desperately.

No.2

LCD Mod

As I've mentioned before on Esato, I have been tinkering about with a PSOne LCD (attempting to get the bugger running via RGB from VGA so I can display temps and flowrates etc. I've got pretty far, but now need to find a suitable graphics card to run it as it runs at a stupid refresh rate of 13-14 kHz) I did a lot of modding to the AV multi out, and found it quite easy until I managed to blow up a screen by shorting something with some stray wires. I've now found a site that has a guide to doing this properly, so no more accidents hopefully.

No. 3

I really need a decebt fan controller, but all the ones that are on thge market at the moment are bloody ugly IMO. So, the plan is to mod a cheapy one to look how I want it.

I really hate sticky out nobs for tweaking temps, so I plan to build an extension onto the front of a regular rheobus and attempt to build some alu nobs that sit flush with the bezel. (Ill post pics later)

No.4

Replacing the fromt panel on my Black Widow for an Intel Audio control panel, and incorporating 2 USB 2.0 ports into it. The existing panel has 2 USB 1 ports and a firewire connection, which I'm happy in losing.

Ill keep you updated on how this goes of course

Wish me luck

Post by **fac51** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 2:57 pm

sounds like you've been busy. I have seen a great looking fan controller in a mag somewhere - i'll find out the make and let you know. I'm after one myself now as I have 4 case fans blazing away and i could do with them all plugging into one source therefore less spliteers and less mess and of course it would be nice to be able to control the fan speeds

Have you bought a graphics card yet andy?

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 4:04 pm

I havent got round to buying a graphics card yet due to lack of funds in the old wallet department, but im thinking of getting the Hercules 9800 SE AIW and softmodding it to a 9800 Pro.

Trouble is, Hercules are being pulled out off the graphics market by Guillemot (their parent company), so I'm not too sure. Think i probably will tho, as I need a DVI capable GPU to run my new monitor

As for rheostats, the CoolerMaster AeroGate2/ CoolDrive 4 is a nice looking unit, except no where in the UK sells it in the colour I want!

Post by **fac51** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 5:29 pm

The soft mod doesnt always work on the 9800 though or so i read. Why would Hercules being pulled out of the market (which incidently i am very surprised to hear as they are one of the big players) affect buying a card from them? surely they will still offer the warranty?

what colour fan controller were you after? are you sticking with the same case with your rebuilt pc?

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 2:15 pm

Theyre still gonna be in the market in general, just not the graphics market anymore. Reason I was a bit doubtful was cos of my usual bad luck with companies (*cough* ebuyer *cough* but I'm gonna buy it anyway. Doesnt matter too much if the softmod doesnt work, as it still performs better than the 9600XT and it has a TV tuner.

As for the fan controller, I'm needing a black aluminium one as I now have one of these

Post by **fac51** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 2:19 pm

what make is that andy?

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 3:52 pm

Its the CoolerMaster ACTS B BXT (no longer available under that guise unfortunately, its now called the Praetorian and doesnt have a side window, where as mine does)

As for the fan controller, I've found somewhere that sells the Aerogate 2 in black, so I ordered one yesterday and it came this morning

May well have my PC up and running tomorrow

Post by **fac51** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 5:54 pm

Great stuff

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 2:39 pm

Update!

My spangly solid silver waterblock arrived 3 days ago, and yesterday I won this beastie:

http://www.villagephotos.com/viewpubima ... d_=8385629

and heres a crap shot of my desk at the moment:

http://www.villagephotos.com/viewpubima ... d_=8385630

And here is an amazing piccy of my plans for the loops:

http://www.villagephotos.com/viewpubima ... d_=8385552

Sorry for the linkies, but Ive not go me no webspace yet

mkush · Post by **mkush** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 2:14 pm

That looks like it's going to phat when finished

But that Looks like thats going to be a hard job getting all that to fit in your case

So how the hell does the gpu block work? What u just remove fan from card and replace with water block?

will u have to have a mounting bracket to hold the block onto the card or sumit then?
This water cooling is all very interesting shit,when u first said about it on esato,thought u were pulling my leg

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:41 pm

The GPU block fits onto the card using the mounting hjoles left from the HS/F combo already fitted, but I'll need to get a cardkeeper to keep the card in the bracket.

Have now added HDD cooling into that diagram, but have yet to post it up.

Fitting the rad on the side of my desk is gonna be a problem, as its gonna be bloody heavy whwn its full of water!

mkush · Post by **mkush** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:41 pm

how big is it then? the rad, Perhaps u should go for a reinforced steel desk

So does the card fan go then, yeah? and just clamp and screw the water block to the card.

(Just see the pic) so u ARE going to have a nitemare trying to mount that rad enit

and aint it going to kick out alot of heat

And s'pose it will be like your car then, keep it topped up all the time,or will it not use too much? and will u need to change it once in a while?

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:46 pm

Its a Ford Sierra rad, and its 24 by 14 inches I believe, so not too big

Think I may have to reinforce my desk somewhat, considering its a cheapo Argos jobby.

As for topping up the system, It shouldnt need doing that often once filled and bled, as I will be running either de ionized water and antifreeze/corosion inhibitor, or a lovely substance mentioned in this months Custom PC called Fluorinert

mkush · Post by **mkush** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:53 pm

Why so big couldn't u have used a motorbike rad? so that stuff
'Fluorinert' guess thats a single solution no need to add Anti-freeze (not that it would freeze

) to water,unless u add that stuff to water as well.

Post by **fac51** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 10:31 pm

Andy wrote::

or a lovely substance mentioned in this months Custom PC called Fluorinert

as used by NASA