Advice on New System

[Half Baked]

Hi All,

A long time lurker who has finally joined this great site . I have finally decided to build a new system and have pretty much settled on the specs.My current computer is five years old with the Intel OR840 mobo and PIII cpu's purchased second hand so they are even older. I'm definitely due for an upgrade.

The machine is a multi-purpose computer for web surfing, light gaming, image manipulation and MySQL/SQL Server database design and testing. I'm looking for a quiet computer, but not completely silent.

Here are my current specs:

Case: Antec SLK3000B
Power Supply: Seasonic S12-430
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA 965P-DS4
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Memory: 2Gb (2X1Gb) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC5400C4 (667)
Hard Drives: 2 x 300Gb Samsung Spinpoint T HD300LJ
DVD R/W: NEC ND-4571 Labelflash
Video Card: GT7900 with Dual Link DVI
Monitor: 2 x 20" LCD with 1600 x 1200 Resolution

I'm not sure on the exact video card yet, nor on the monitors. The LCD screens do not have to be top end, but I'd like refresh rates of 12ns or less.

For cooling I was thinking of:

CPU Heatsink: Scythe Ninja
CPU Fan: 120mm Scythe S-Flex
Case Fans: 1 or 2 120mm Scythe S-Flex
Video Cooler: Zalman VF900-CU

I might trying overclocking the E6600 if it doesn't compromise the cooling too much.

Is that a reasonable build? Any recommendations on video cards or LCD screens?

[stromgald]

Hi All,
Here are my current specs:

Case: Antec SLK3000B
Power Supply: Seasonic S12-430
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA 965P-DS4
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Memory: 2Gb (2X1Gb) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC5400C4 (667)
Hard Drives: 2 x 300Gb Samsung Spinpoint T HD300LJ
DVD R/W: NEC ND-4571 Labelflash
Video Card: GT7900 with Dual Link DVI
Monitor: 2 x 20" LCD with 1600 x 1200 Resolution

For cooling I was thinking of:

CPU Heatsink: Scythe Ninja
CPU Fan: 120mm Scythe S-Flex
Case Fans: 1 or 2 120mm Scythe S-Flex
Video Cooler: Zalman VF900-CU

Welcome to SPCR!

I dont know too much about the details of monitors so i'll skip that. I'd recommend looking into an Antec SOLO case. It should be quieter than the 3000B, and you can soft mount your hard drives better. The only drawback is the extra $40. To balance that, I'd recommend getting only a 380W PSU. Unless you're thinking of doing SLI (which isn't very cost effective), you generally don't need more than a ~350W PSU.

I'd also think about this graphics card at newegg. The heatsink/fan design is similar to the Zalman VF series, so depending on how well you can undervolt the fan, you might not need an aftermarket heatsink on it.

Another thing, make sure you secure that Ninja well. I'm always afraid of such large heatsinks. Personally, I think it is unnecessary on a Core 2 Duo. I'd presonally just get a SI-120 or SI-128. The blowdown configurations of those heatsink/fans would also help cool passive motherboard components.

[Howard]

nm

[Half Baked]

Welcome to SPCR!

Thanks

I dont know too much about the details of monitors so i'll skip that. I'd recommend looking into an Antec SOLO case. It should be quieter than the 3000B, and you can soft mount your hard drives better. The only drawback is the extra $40. To balance that, I'd recommend getting only a 380W PSU. Unless you're thinking of doing SLI (which isn't very cost effective), you generally don't need more than a ~350W PSU.

To be honest I prefer the look of the 3000B case over the SOLO. Also, there is only a few £ difference between the Seasonic PSU's here in the UK when you can still find the smaller ones.

I'd also think about this graphics card at newegg. The heatsink/fan design is similar to the Zalman VF series, so depending on how well you can undervolt the fan, you might not need an aftermarket heatsink on it.

Sounds a good idea if I can find it here in the UK.

Another thing, make sure you secure that Ninja well. I'm always afraid of such large heatsinks. Personally, I think it is unnecessary on a Core 2 Duo. I'd presonally just get a SI-120 or SI-128. The blowdown configurations of those heatsink/fans would also help cool passive motherboard components.

I'm worried about that with the Ninja. Does anybody know if I'll have problems mounting a SI-120 on the Gigabyte GA 965P-DS4 motherboard?

nm

Huh! Not sure what you mean

[stromgald]

I'm worried about that with the Ninja. Does anybody know if I'll have problems mounting a SI-120 on the Gigabyte GA 965P-DS4 motherboard?

Check out http://www.thermalright.com/ . Go under installation and select the XP-120 or SI-128 (yeah they're huge and scary heatsinks, but they're much lighter than a Ninja). Looking at your motherboard on newegg and Gigabyte's own site, I think it'll fit. There might be a smidgen of overhang from what I can tell, but it shouldn't be a problem in the SOLO or 3000B. Just make sure you install the heatsink first before putting the motherboard in (very carefully). I don't think you want to be trying to install those big heatsinks in the confined space of a case.

[Bories36]

thats a high end system but a not to great of case, i heard it doesnt get to good of airflow

[stromgald]

thats a high end system but a not to great of case, i heard it doesnt get to good of airflow

High end, but not much that much heat produced except for the video card. The 3000B used to be pretty good. Just because new cases such as the P150 and P180 are better doesn't mean that its bad. For an inexpensive solid case for silent computing thtat is low on the 'bling' factor, the Antec 3000B and Evercase ECE 4252 are the ones recommended most on here.

[Half Baked]

Check out http://www.thermalright.com/ . Go under installation and select the XP-120 or SI-128 (yeah they're huge and scary heatsinks, but they're much lighter than a Ninja). Looking at your motherboard on newegg and Gigabyte's own site, I think it'll fit. There might be a smidgen of overhang from what I can tell, but it shouldn't be a problem in the SOLO or 3000B. Just make sure you install the heatsink first before putting the motherboard in (very carefully). I don't think you want to be trying to install those big heatsinks in the confined space of a case.

Good advice on the installation. Am I right in thinking that the 3000B doesn't have a removable motherboard tray?

thats a high end system but a not to great of case, i heard it doesnt get to good of airflow

As Stromgald said it is a good, solid, inexpensive case without any bling and that is what I am looking for. If it turns out to be unsatisfactory I haven't lost too much money when I replace it.

[stromgald]

Good advice on the installation. Am I right in thinking that the 3000B doesn't have a removable motherboard tray?

Yes, the 3000B does not have a removable motherboard tray (IIRC, most Antec cases don't because a loose motherobard tray could cause rattling). Try to install everything in (PSU, hard drive, optical drives, etc.) before installing the motherboard with ram, chip, and heatsink already attached. Then, the last thing is the graphics card.

Be aware that with your graphics card choice, it may slightly block one of the hard drive slots. I have a 3000B with an nVidia 6800 and 4 hard drives in the drive cage. The one right across from the graphics card has very cramped cables. It is IDE though, so if it was SATA it would help. It shouldn't be a problem for you since you have only two hard drives.

[Half Baked]

Thanks Stromgald, I'll do that. I can live with the graphics card taking up a drive space. If I need more hard drive I'd rather replace those with larger drives than increase the number of drives.

I have ordered all the parts now. The list is slightly different than original, but not by much:

1 x Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 CPU
1 x ThermalRight SI-128 Heatsink
1 x Gigabyte GA-965P-DS4 Motherboard
1 x Corsair Twin2X 2GB DDR2 (2x1024MB) XMS2 5400C4
1 x Antec SLK3000B Case
1 x Seasonic S12-380 380W PSU
1 x XFX GeForce 7900GT 256MB (PVT71GUDFR)
1 x Aerocool VM-102 Fanless VGA Cooler

2 x Samsung T133 300GB HDD
1 x NEC DVD+-RW/RAM 16x IDE Black LabelFlash

3 x Scythe S-FLEX 120mm Fan at 1200rpm

I also have some supplementary quieting stuff, such as some Zalmon 7v resistors for the fans and some rubber fan mounting thingies on the way. I also have a Dell 2407WFP instead of two 20 inch panels.

Hopefully everything works fine and I don't encounter any incompatability problems

My current plan when everything arrives is as follows:

1. Check everything has arrived
2. Check beer is in the fridge
3. Install PSU in the case then HDD and Optical Drive
4. Install two case fans. One as an intake at the front and one sucking out at the back behind the CPU (I think that is the SLK3000B fan placement)
5. Install HDDs and Optical Drive.

6. Check beer is cooling nicely!

7. On nice clean desk layout motherboard
8. Stick memory into slots
9. Clean CPU and Heatsink.
10. Install CPU and Heatsink
11. Install Motherboard in case
12. Stick in graphics card and connect the cables to everything.

13. Quick prayer to whatever gods might be looking over me!

14. Connect peripherals such as keyboard, mouse and monitor.
15. Press start button and begin installation of windows.

16. When finished, drink beer and play

Any suggestions? Does anybody know which drivers I should collect first? Should I use Nvidia's or one supplied with card.

With any luck the entire thing will go smoothly with minimum amount of troubleshooting. Worse comes to worse I have a very good plan B:

Give up until the next day and drink cold beer

[stromgald]

Make sure you read the review: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article210-page2.html . Its a little tricky to get the front bezel off and to get it back on right. Also, it might be easier to install the drives, then the PSU. Then again, I kinda had trouble because I thought the optical drive installation was like my Dell (slide the drives in place from the inside out), but you install the external drives from the outside of the case.

Also it'd be a miracle if it works on the first try. There's usually something hooked up wrong.

P.S. Internal components are not hot pluggable. I did that with a hard drive and nearly fried my PSU.

[jaganath]

My current plan when everything arrives is as follows:

1. Check everything has arrived
2. Check beer is in the fridge

These are the two most important steps IMO.

Good luck!

[Half Baked]

Make sure you read the review: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article210-page2.html . Its a little tricky to get the front bezel off and to get it back on right. Also, it might be easier to install the drives, then the PSU. Then again, I kinda had trouble because I thought the optical drive installation was like my Dell (slide the drives in place from the inside out), but you install the external drives from the outside of the case.

I have to admit the case already arrived and I managed to remove the front bezel before reading your advice. After dealing with my old case the 3000B looks like an absolute dream to work with. I'm not sure I'd quite know what to do with all the features of a proper high end case. Thumbscrews are a novelty for me

Your advive regarding the drives sounds excellent as I only have the case, drives and graphics card so far. The rest will hopefully arrive tomorrow

My current plan when everything arrives is as follows:

1. Check everything has arrived
2. Check beer is in the fridge

These are the two most important steps IMO.

Good luck!

This is a serious process and you must be properly prepared