next on the shopping list an i7 (build log - LOADS-O-PICS)

Neil, my Asus board has been great, apart from an issue with USB 3.0 ports, but that's an issue with a lot of MOBO's at the moment. I should have gone with the P67 rather than the H67, but I can live with that.
 
I'm using Corsair XMS 1300 with no problems, but only have 8gb.
 
right well ive ordered the asus (the pro version) and got an RMA for the gigabyte and XMS3, board should arrive tomorrow so either tomorrow night or thurs i'll report back..
 
im starting to think im cursed on this build.

so i ordered the board and a 4 to 8 pin ATX power lead from scan yesterday at 11am for next day delivery today. last night at 8pm i get an email saying there are stock problems with the board and they dont have an eta.

argh. so why bloody advertise it as in stock if you dont have any (they were still showing as in stock this morning). anyway ranted at them this morning and cancelled the order. and if there were stock orders why the 9 hour delay in telling me so i couldnt source somewhere else?!

got a slightly more expensive one reserved at novatech that i can go and get tomorrow and ordered the lead from overclockers on special delivery for tomorrow morning too.

hopefully tomorrow i'll have a system that works properly :|
 
<sigh>
 
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Been an interesting read. glad its working right at last.

I'll be building a i7 some time in the next few months. I've built quite a few systems in the past and I've never used anything other than Asus boards. They seem to always have some small quirk (this P5K-E has sleep problems occasionally) but generally they just work and are reliable. Looks like I'll be sticking with Asus. m-atx looks a bit too fiddly and restrictive to me so it'll be atx.

I know where to ask if I have any problems :)
 
yeah by all means just shout if you want advice :)

its been a very frustrating build to be honest what with starting off with the heatsink not fitting, then the memory/motherboard issues.. but it's not really something that could have been forseen. we got there in the end though..

to be honest although m-ATX can be a bit fiddly (try ITX, that was my last system and that's even worse!) ive got no need to keep opening the system up now it's finished and done with so shouldnt be too much bother. for me m-ATX suits the space requirements for the system and although the motherboard and case can take it i'm not going to be adding any more drives because of the NAS.

if i upgrade anything on this in the future it'll be graphics card, which may have a knock on to the PSU.
 
And you can overclock it now ;)
 
Stuck it at 43 (first number I tried) as multiplier and it'll run fprime all day with the temps maxing at 75deg. I reckon I could get more out of it if I started playing, but it's plenty fast enough as it is ;)
 
Neil,
What GPU are you using ?
nice setup and lovely,small case...although I still love mine 700D ;D
 
neil_g said:
XFX Ati HD 4650 1Gb, nothing special just enough to run 2 screens and the occasional bit of black ops :)
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yhm
I dont think you could fit 6950in this case ?;)
 
neil_g said:
the lower hard drive bay is removable so will take a 350mm card :)
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still love mine tower and not going to change it ;D

but nice build
 
same here...but need couple hundret of ££ to do it...
 
i found myself pricing up some EK blocks earlier (cpu, 2x mosfet, chipset) as i was bored, came to about 130. thats without pump, rad, res, tubing, fittings.. or a GPU block.
 
neil_g said:
i found myself pricing up some EK blocks earlier (cpu, 2x mosfet, chipset) as i was bored, came to about 130. thats without pump, rad, res, tubing, fittings.. or a GPU block.
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it can be pricey ....

am not planning on o/c so machine is not loud

wc would be just nice addon ...maybe one day...
 
See - 4.43GHz... should have listened to me first time around ;) :D
 
bastic said:
I am not planning on o/c so machine is not loud
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The beauty of the Sandy Bridge architecture is that the overclock only takes affect when you're running something that uses it. My desktop i7 is clocked at 1600MHz and then turbos to 4300MHz when it is doing something. The laptop ideles at 800MHz and turbos to 2600MHz when doing something. The Sandy Bridge "overclock" isn't actually an overclock, it's a limit on the maximum frequency the CPU can reach. My desktop is pretty silent most of the time but the CPU fan is regulated by the BIOS and when the turbo boost is at 43 (i.e. 4300MHz) it turns the fan speed up. I.e. it's only loud when the CPU is straining and is as loud (or quiet) as a stock CPU for 99% of the time as the stock and "overclocked" (i.e. CPU max multiplier set to something above the standard ship point) actually idle at the same frequency....
 
Yeah it is pretty neat, mine too ambles along at 1600 until something needs more juice. I notice it adjusts the vcore power too so the efficiency varies, i think it uses 2w at idle or something daft
 
going to have to have a fiddle with the clocking, every now and again it fails to post at first attempt with an "overclock failed - press Fsomething to enter setup". but if you reboot it works fine. sometimes it reboots mid post and then goes through okay.

there is a new bios update out so will try that, google suggests it might be the RAM settings.

edit - for note, dont change the BCLK. that was the cause of my instability at the end of my build log. for some reason the AI util let the BCLK increase to 102.1 or thereabouts so the memory was running at some stupid freq even though i set it to 100 so it failed to post quite often. reset the clock to 100x44 in the bios and its been fine.
 
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personally i would have gone with an intel motherboard (worth the cost), processor, chipset, NIC. you would not have a problem with that config :)

just my view :)
 
theboss said:
personally i would have gone with an intel motherboard (worth the cost), processor, chipset, NIC. you would not have a problem with that config :)
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The choice of Intel Sandybridge boards available from the "ususal outlets" (i.e. Scan/Ebuyer) is not good.

Neil didn't have any problems once he conceded he needed a P67 based board ;)
 
have a small update as im bored..

swapped the 4650 out for a 5770, pretty nice jump in performance. MW3 plays a lot nicer..


Graphics Upgrades by neilgates, on Flickr

and the viper fans installed, have taken the lower hard drive cage out too for better airflow..


Back together with the Vipers by neilgates, on Flickr

tempted to get another 5770 for xmas with a larger PSU and run crossfire, just for the lulz. definately need a larger PSU in the long run had a warning about a drop on my 5v line yesterday.

oh and i moved the whole thing out of its cubby onto the desk for better cooling..


New Home by neilgates, on Flickr
 
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That looks rather neat, although those BeQuiet cables are bringing back unhappy memories:'(
 
I think I can squeeze a little more in this case..

Added a second 5770 and swapped out the 480w BeQuiet for a 750w OCZ.


Crossfire install by neilgates, on Flickr

Wondering if it was the right move though, the top card doesn't get much ventilation and runs pretty hot and loud.


Crossfire install 2 by neilgates, on Flickr

I wish PSU makers would have an optional SFF cable kit, surely there must be a market for them? I guess there is the custom cable route.


Crossfired up and running by neilgates, on Flickr
 
I'm pleased to announce that I've joined i7-2600k club :)

Even on idle it runs colder than my previous Phenom :)
Still need to reinstall all apps including fan control ( without it fans run on minimum on rad all the time making gpu go over 60 on load( don't like it)
 
bastic said:
I'm pleased to announce that I've joined i7-2600k club :)
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Having built one for someone else I find myself thinking about an upgrade to an i7 quite a lot lately. not sure I'll resist much longer :)
 
RobertP said:
Having built one for someone else I find myself thinking about an upgrade to an i7 quite a lot lately. not sure I'll resist much longer :)
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Just give up and there will be no more pain ;)
 
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