TJ Maxx

[Virtualbody1234]

Both the 32-bit and 64-bit Vista versions work fine for me. No driver needed but I did get the "better" Nvidia video drivers.

[j2k4]

That's good, 'cuz you guys are gonna provide my lead when I make my next-gen purchase.

How do you like Vista so far?

Are you gonna go with XP or Vista to start on TJ Maxx?

[clocker]

I'm going to triple boot The TJ.
Vista, both 32 and 64 bit, plus regular XP Pro 64 bit.

Just preparing to install the 64 bit Vista now.....

[j2k4]

I'm going to triple boot The TJ.
Vista, both 32 and 64 bit, plus regular XP Pro 64 bit.

Just preparing to install the 64 bit Vista now.....

Ah.

'Bated breath, and all that.

[suprafreak6]

so clock...whats new? show me your progress...

[lynx]

so clock...whats new? show me your progress...

Please ?

[clocker]

Triple boot accomplished.
Total- and I mean total- pain in the ass.

Vista does not use the old-style boot.ini- after doing a "boot from CD" type install it did not realize that there was an old "legacy" OS present so I could not access my XP Pro.
Nor did it recognize the other Vista (64 bit) OS.

So here's the trick...
You must install Vista from within your XP Windows environment.
While running your standard Windows, insert the Vista DVD and begin the install.
It takes a while...Vista seems to copy the full DVD to disk and then run the install from there, which is probably why the "free disc space" requirements are so high (20GB!).
If you want to run both versions, lather, rinse, repeat.

Ultimately you end up with an option screen at bootup similar (but actually cruder looking) to what we're used to.
Which you can't edit, of course.
The days of opening the boot.ini, renaming and reording the options is over.
Until I found VistaBootPRO, that is.
This little sweetie is what you be wantin.

After the long install time, Vista is quite a pleasant surprise.
I was on the desktop and connected to the internet without having to load a single driver.
Sound being the exception- the Creative 32bit Vista drivers seem to work but the 64 bit ones DO NOT.
Like VB, I upgraded to the newer nVidia video drivers.
Everything is just a bit different and I'm still just wandering around bumping into walls, but overall I like it so far.
I have no idea how MS figures this but here is my Vista Rating...

Note that this rating was taken in the 64bit Vista.
What's odd is that I had just finished the installs and like normal, when installing I dial back the CPU to stock settings (i.e. 2.2GHz).
Just now, in the 32bit Vista, I retook the rating test with the CPU clocked up to 2.75GHz and the CPU score was only 4.0...an oddity I'll look into later.

Although I've spent most of this weekend working with software I did manage to get some work done on the case as well. Pics of that later.

[suprafreak6]

You know why the score is so low? because it doesnt like that your computer is better than the computer it was made on
haha looking nice...got any pics of the case with everything? or is it in one of the other pages...

[clocker]

...got any pics of the case with everything? or is it in one of the other pages...

No, it's right here.

First up is visual evidence of what I spent most of my weekend doing...

Getting my current Sprocket set up to triple boot.
I'm operating out of XP 64 bit now (mainly because I have everything installed that I need to manipulate photos- although it's hard to tell given the crappy pics I take... ) and I already miss the visual gloss of Vista.
I guess I'm just a sucker for the eye candy.

The major project on the TJ was to get the radiator installed.
I could think of several ways to do it but I'm trying not to make any permanent changes to the case itself and that is becoming increasingly constraining.
After wandering around my favorite hardware store I finally came up with a plan.
The main attachment is going to be Velcro- two patches applied to the bottom edge of the rad and affixed to the mirrored floorskin.
Then, as a safety measure, two springs, sandwiched between shouldered rubber washers which apply tension from the middle case floor.
Like so...

Surprisingly (and gratifyingly) sturdy, the rad is in position seems quite stable.
No holes were drilled and no animals harmed during the install- what more could you ask for?

Next I got sidetracked a bit.
Every time I look at the Fragtek fan bracket I think "It sure would be nice if that extended to the floor and to left as well...cover up some wiring it would"

Apparently I was channeling Yoda for a while.

So I remade the bracket to do just that.
It was tits...just what I wanted.
Except it was black.
Now black is elegant and all, but too much gets boring and I was losing the cool reflections from the mirrored floor.
So I made another one, this time out of a medium smoked grey piece I had laying around.
While I was at it I decided to replace the two 60mm fans over the DIMM slots with a single 120mm.
Oh yeah baby, now we're talkin.

I also decided it was a good time to make the beauty panel for the front bay area...cover up all those messy holes and slots.
I have a Lian-li v-series sidepanel that I've been planning on using as external filler panels (primarily the front bezel where all the bay covers are) and it is large enough to make this piece as well.
The color and graining of the LL anodised finish is a nice compiment to the Silverstone exterior and I was even able to incorporate the nice scalloped edge on the two visible sides.
Which brings us to here...

The panel screws into some motherboard standoffs that in turn are screwed through stock bay holes and retained with nuts. Remove four screws and the panel lifts away for access to the opticals and HDD mounting screws.
Another (this time with flash) shot...

Now I can begin the wiring.

[suprafreak6]

its looking nice...one question..why are your computers so organized but your rooms arent...whats up with that my friend? anyways its looking like progress has occured and its great that velcro solved your problem...i like how many fans are in this computer but what will the noise level be??