Hardware pr0n...w00t!

**clocker** · 07-30-2005, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by SnnY

What about one of those NV silencers from Arctic Cooling for you graphics? Some say they work very well.

If I buy a new unit for the card it will be a Stasis Thermal RS , but I have several do-it-yourself/cobble-it-on solutions to try first.

I know that Arctic Cooling had issues with proper seating with the first version of the NV-5, and their rev.2 cure (fat thermal tape for the RAM) doesn't appeal.

I did acquire the Thermaltake Big Typhoon CPU HSF (why is TT so enamored with orange fans? Makes me cringe...) and a new PSU, the Seasonic S12 r.2 600w, currently the darling of SPCR.
I can already tell I'll miss the modularity of the NeoPower (lots of long twisted cables to deal with) and the 24-pin ATX cable looks distressingly short ( not sure it will even work in my BTX style case), but I hope it will solve my low +12v readings (typically @11.7v) from the Antec.

If the ATX cable won't stretch to the header on the motherboard, I'm not sure what I'll do.
Retaining the BTX layout is crucial IMO...the orientation of the vid card is necessary to make any of my proposed heatpipe cooling solutions work (not to mention the far more favorable position of the SATA ports), but a quick visual check confirms that the Seasonic ain't gonna work in my current case without an extender (UGH!).
The Gateway server cases are standard ATX layout, but that can be changed I suppose.
The CM Stacker, with it's option to mount the PSU either high or low, would solve the problem, but spending another $150 just to prove a point seems excessive even to me.

Which means I'll probably do it.

**clocker** · 07-31-2005, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by clocker

The CM Stacker, with it's option to mount the PSU either high or low, would solve the problem, but spending another $150 just to prove a point seems excessive even to me.

Which means I'll probably do it.

How's this for pathetic....I'm quoting myself...

I must be psychic.
Our new Stackers came in and naturally, I bought one.
Oddly, when put side by side I much preferred the silver over the black, so now Sprocket is in her second silver behemoth.

CM has made a few revisions since my first one.
Minor, but irritating.

Now, when you convert to BTX it is really supposed to be BTX and not just a flipped over ATX.
In order to retain the correct back panel layout for my pseudo installation a bit of trimming/filing was required to get the mobo tray to sit properly.
Not a real big deal, but I didn't have to do that on my first case.

They also seem to have a quality control problem with the threaded inserts used for the board standoffs...they weren't tapped all the way thru and I had to run a threading tool through them to get the standoffs to go in.
Of the ten standoffs I use I needed to repair five of them.
Not very good for a premium priced case.

The instuctions for case assembly are among the very worst I have ever seen.
For a unit with as many weird features as the Stacker has you'd think the instuctions would be very detailed, but they're not.

It took me three tries to get the floppy mounted correctly and boy, did I feel stupid.

But all of that is behind me now.
All that is left is to drain the waterloop and swap out the motherboard and HDDs.
And figure out how to cool the video card.
I may just bring home a crap PCI card from work so I can be up and running while I figure out a course of action...don't want to rush into this.

I've already had a pretty decent offer for the Silverstone case with all the watercooling stuff in it and may just kiss it goodbye.
If I decide to watercool again I'll just try all new hardware.

Ultimately, I think I've made a good decision.
The Stacker is perfectly suited for either good air or water cooling with little ( and hopefully, no) modification, but , having already had one Stacker already, the thrill of new hardware is missing this time around.

Sigh.

**Snee** · 08-05-2005, 09:13 PM

Clocker, have you ever tried drivers like these people people have?

Trying their version of NVidia's beta 80.40 drivers, and while they actually dropped my 3d mark 05 score 30-50 points, the graphics look slightly nicer and my games have a better flow to them.

Some people claim they've boosted performance 20% or something, but I'm doubtful about that, but be that as it may they still may be worth trying if you haven't (and if you dare).

The ones I use have coolbits integrated too.

**clocker** · 08-06-2005, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by SnnY

Clocker, have you ever tried drivers like these people people have?

Hmmm....link is wonky, I think.
I see a parent directory and one other file, but "don't have permission" to access either.

I feel soooo unworthy.

**Snee** · 08-06-2005, 03:34 PM

Yeah, it seems the server is down, can't reach their forums either.

Was working yesterday, tho'.

At any rate, when it's working it might be worth looking into.

**Snee** · 08-07-2005, 10:48 AM

WRT TweaksRUs:

AoA hosts some of their files, but you need to be registered, in case you really really want to have a look ASAP.

Otherwise they should be back soon:

Originally Posted by Daishi

We were having too many server problems and that was the last straw... So we purchased a dedicated server from a different webhost and are currently setting everything up. If all goes well the site should be fully operational within 24 hours.

I realise you might not be interested, but JUST IN CASE.

**clocker** · 08-07-2005, 11:20 AM

Oh, I am always interested in performance tweaks, thank you.

Later today, after a bout of hardware hacking, I shall be installing Windows Vista Beta 1.
I *ahem* acquired it yesterday and installed it on a test machine...it's basically a reskinned XP at this point...few, if any, of the new features are present/functional.
So why install it?
NO, I repeat, NO activation nags or apparent time limit.

A fully (seemingly) functional XP Pro that looks just like my black skinned version, SP2 (ugh) included...with no nags.

We'll see how it goes.