Rebuilding a computer

[jjsaul]

I thought i'd put something on here for either interest or knowledge to those who want to read it :p

I decided i was bored of my computer case. That, and it started rattling....

so i went to ebuyer.com and bought myself a new case. This one (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=77922)

first of all i started removing the bits from the old case....

before i put them into the new case i cleaned all the dusty bits, you can either use a can of compressed air, but i just blow on it because its cheaper :p

required tools, a philips head screwdriver, possibly small fingers for certain jobs. also maybe a torch/good desk lamp for reading some of the writing on the motherboard once its in the case.

some pics to follow.


1. the hard disks in the old pc. the top one isnt in use, the middle 2 are IDE ones and the bottom one is a SATA one.
2. the new case with the PSU and dvd / cd / floppy drives installed.
3. the old case with cd /dvd/ floppy /psu removed.
4. the new case has a fan built into the side panel, seen here from the inside.
5. this shows the fan in the top of the new case, the mesh is a fan filter i ordered, also from ebuyer, for about 80p. i fitted on the top and side case fans as they blow in, not out.
6. the front of the new case with the panels removed to allow fitting of optical / floppy drives.
7. you have to remove these metal panels as well to fit the drives in, you simply bend them backwards and forwards till the small joints snap.
8. some of the removed panels.
9. the pci cards as fitted in the old pc.
10. seen from the outside.
11. the 4 hard disks left in the old pc chassis.
12. motherboard, 1 pci card and graphics card in new pc case.
13. everything installed in the new case.
14. the sides now put back on the case.
15. this case has a 'door' on the front to hide the cd/dvd/floppy drives, this is in the open position.

[jjsaul]

16. everything now plugged in and running including all the lights in the case / fans etc.

[TheGurkha]

Groovy looking case. Is the fan quiet?

[jjsaul]

Groovy looking case. Is the fan quiet?
erm good question, daft answer, i dont really know yet.

my old pc used to run 24/7 but i always have the radio on so it isnt too noticeble....i'll let you know in the morning if i got to sleep tonight.... :rolleyes:

it certainly runs cooler than the old one did.

[tractorboy16]

loving it james, looks gorgous

That was quick delivery. whan you order it again?

me xx

[jjsaul]

loving it james, looks gorgous

That was quick delivery. whan you order it again?

me xx

1st april, and they attempted to deliver it on the 8th but i was out so we collected in on the morning of the 9th from the initial city link place....

you can have next day delivery but you pay more...and you know what i'm like :D

[Saratoga]

Ahh, the delights of having a case big enough to put more than one hard drive eh!

I think I've capacity for about 16 HDDs here... Not sure how I'd manage it IDE/SATA wise.

Nice article. I'll speak later on MSN :)

[series_3]

Ahhh good old ebuyer :p

Cept the second time i ordered my bits from there they sent me the wrong motherboard, psu and other things, so had to return them and wait for the replacements, not good when you dont have a pc and your waiting for the bits to build another one. :(

[jjsaul]

Ahhh good old ebuyer :p

Cept the second time i ordered my bits from there they sent me the wrong motherboard, psu and other things, so had to return them and wait for the replacements, not good when you dont have a pc and your waiting for the bits to build another one. :(

my only complaints with them so far is the fact they use initial sh**ty link....

[Slime101]

Ebuyer are great except if you have to retun anything, just like Dabs used to be!!

Come on then james, let see you build a monster dual processor system like i used to use for rendering.

[Saratoga]

Come on then james, let see you build a monster dual processor system like i used to use for rendering.


We've got this nice little twin processor machine at work. It's in a Quiet PC case and is really quiet. Carries 2tb (2000 gb) of storage and its on an uncapped ADSL line. Used for off-site backup and hammers the 3 meg connection to the full between 1200-0700 daily. It has been indicated to me that although the graphics is pretty awful you could run some pretty intensive games on it without it missing a beat :)

Alas outsite my budget.

Now, what would be a challenge, would be installing an ITX. They are, erm, rather fiddly to put together. Guarantee skinned knuckles and blue air!

[jjsaul]

Come on then james, let see you build a monster dual processor system like i used to use for rendering.

When i have the money to pay for it i might well do....this one was using all of the bits out of the old one except for my dvd writer (£35 :p )

[olo]

a good make i like for fans are zalman, dead quiet and do the cooling job! (check out their CPU coolers especially, widely used for OC'ing pc's). RAM wise i like to keep to Amp X personally as they very effective and dont ask for the brand money that kingston etc. do.

lovely tower jj, would have never expected u could build such a pc so cheaply to be honest. really truely and honestly lovely ;)

if u into high performances just remember, RAM has to be timed with CPU, so the Mobo, cpu and ram have to be all matchingly top notch. otherwise u'd find the cpu fsb downclocking to keep up with ram. oh and also remember that the HDD is wot really slows down the pc ;)

if u like me, u'd push your 2.4 ghz to 2.6ghz just to get the cpu to meet the ddr 433 of the ram :p

[Slime101]

However overclocking is a fine balance and the RAM and CPU dont have to run syncronously, which is why you have an FSB and Multiplier on CPU's (unless the latest processors are all multiplier locked).

My personal preference for RAM has always been Crucial (known as Micron in USA) as you can buy direct, and they are a massive supplier around the world, very cheap and ultra reliable.

[series_3]

On the subject of buliding pc's, ive also used these two companys and they seem cheap enough.

http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/k.asp

http://www.aria.co.uk/

[Saratoga]

Come on then james, let see you build a monster dual processor system like i used to use for rendering.

I've just upgraded my Amd2.4 Ghz... To Macs :)

James. If you want any Macintosh's to play with being a server, I've some here :) How many would you like... :D :D :D

[jjsaul]

I've just upgraded my Amd2.4 Ghz... To Macs :)

James. If you want any Macintosh's to play with being a server, I've some here :) How many would you like... :D :D :D


ooh more toys :)

[Saratoga]

Too many computers...
In line with cix:mac/7main:5594 I have now received all the machines.

I've got 5 machines, 4 keyboards, 3 mice, a trackball, at least 2 modems,
and a large box of magazine CDs and stuff.

The machines I have are:

4400 / 160 (Not working apparently. Refuses to boot)
7200 / 90
7300 / 200
6200
8600 / 200

I would have loved to have got it going this evening after digging out a
place for it and routing over power and network... Until I found I didn't
have a video data cable :( Hmm. Drat.

Not sure what to do with the others yet... I'll have to find something
before the end of May, as I lose my transport then :(

Alas working tomorrow ;(

[jjsaul]

seeing as i never replied, the fans are reasonably quiet, and im glad i put those filters on, theyre full of dust now which HASNT gone into the case :)

[TheGurkha]

Filters! How posh is that!!

[jjsaul]

Filters! How posh is that!!

50p each from ebuyer, its only a little wire mesh thing but it stops a lot of the dust from ending up inside the case :)

[Slime101]

Thing about grills and filters is the ammount of air flow they restrict, not worth it in my experience.

[jjsaul]

Thing about grills and filters is the ammount of air flow they restrict, not worth it in my experience.

Well i've probably gone overkill on the amount of fans that my pc needs (its only an AMD2600) so it still keeps it fairly cool even with the filters on.

If you've got a high perofrmance pc that gets very hot then it probably restricts the airflow too much.