|  Author | Topic: A Server to call my OWN! (Read 519 times) |
devnull
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Karma: 5 |  | A Server to call my OWN!
« Thread Started on Jul 12, 2005, 11:06pm » | |
Well, it took me 3 solid weeks in April to choose each and every component of the server I wanted to make. It started as a Socket A Barton system just to use as an FTP and slowly became modern beast that will host its first LAN on friday. Only now (after extensive modding) am I REALLY happy with how it has turned out. Its always gonna be my work in progress, however, I think now its ready for duty.
Its stats are as follows:
-- Soltek QBIC Barebones System (Provided by SilentPCReview.com)
-- 1024mb PC3200 @ 2-3-3-6
-- 20gb 7200rpm Hard Drive
--AMD A64 3000+ (Venice Core)
--NVidia 5700Ultra Graphics Card
--XP-90 Heatsink w/ 2 Vantec Stealths
Here is the machine I first started working with:
![[image]](http://img274.echo.cx/img274/555/left7sg.th.jpg "[image]")
Essentially, it was your typical SFF by Soltek. The temps werent too hot, but it was on the loud side. It had a blower and the PSU as the only means of exhaust and the hard drive cage really REALLY restricted airflow. So, I did a little modding of my own and this is how it came out.
![[image]](http://img350.imageshack.us/img350/6429/server2005sm8wo.th.jpg "[image]")
This is a side-view of the case, showing the 5700 Ultra that my cousin gave to me. No! That is NOT the standard fan that came with it. This card was actually SUPER loud when I got it, louder than my crappy 80mm Coolermaster fans, and it whined so I replaced it with a nice quiet fan of similar size. Miraculously, it fits under the case with a little room to spare. The fan isn't actually controlled by the card, but instead a PCI fan controller in the back! Lastly, you may notice that the PSU is black. Well, I decided that I didn't want to merely paint the PSU because I wanted to keep the serial numbers on it in tact. So instead, I covered the PSU in light foam to both absorb a little noise and provide a little more refinement to the interior of the case. I also lined the bottom of the case and the rear of the case with similar foam.
![[image]](http://img350.imageshack.us/img350/8549/server2003sm6gb.th.jpg "[image]")
Here you can see the other side of the case. Instead of the crappy, small and overly loud CPU cooler, we now have a nice XP-90 with Vantec Stealth mounted on top. The fan blows up towards the exhaust fan of the PSU, creating a definitive flow of air up and out of the case. Its a tight fit but it works very well. The processor runs 9 degrees C cooler than it did and its so much quieter. Also notice the new hard drive cage, made entirely of lexan. It was hard to make but I think it gets the job done quite well and leaves room for air to flow over the north and south bridges.
![[image]](http://img308.imageshack.us/img308/3149/server2006sm3ql.th.jpg "[image]")
Here's something that REALLY helped out this little baby. A nice custom made 120mm blowhole. This is also a vantec Stealth and is controlled by the same device that controlls the gfx card fan, the PCI rherobus. It really pulls a lot of air up and out of the case. It does it so well, you can feel air coming INTO the case from the sides to fill the negative pressure the fan creates from the top. Very cool!
Essentially, this machine is pretty powerful but its true beauty lies in the fact that it is quiet, too! When I have both the GFX card and the exhaust fan turned down, my air conditioner is louder than it.
I have had so much fun doing this over the past few weeks and just wanted to thank http://www.SilentPCReview.com for reviewing this case and then selling the tested product to me. They answered quite a few of my questions and allowed this LAN Party machine to be possible. I also wanna thank you guys for providing an atmosphere to motivate me into making this BA machine.
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Current Project -- Water Cooling
--Maze4 GPU Block
--TDX CPU Block
--D5 Pump
--Black Ice Pro (2x120mm) Raditor
--2 Vantec Stealth Fans
Silence++
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ben
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|  | Re: A Server to call my OWN!
« Reply #1 on Jul 13, 2005, 3:54pm » | |
nice work, thats something to be proud of.
now...
build me one 
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TRow
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Karma: 6 | | Re: A Server to call my OWN!
« Reply #2 on Jul 13, 2005, 7:15pm » | |
A Server to OWN ON!
Time to get tweaky tweaky. So much potential in that system, and thats an understatement. You have an XP90 so you can get clocky. The Venice is potent, and it runs cool overclocked.
I would expect about a 25% overclock.Nice work, welcome to la famalia.
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devnull
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Karma: 5 | | Re: A Server to call my OWN!
« Reply #3 on Jul 13, 2005, 11:04pm » | |
Yeah, I did a little bit of overclocking, to about 2.2 but I really didnt need the extra speed so I just dropped it back down. It takes a lot of time, too. I really dont know if my ram is up to the challenge, as it is already overclocked from 3-3-3-8 to 2.5-3-3-6. I think pushing the envelope on the processor overclock may prevent stability so I am just gonna keep it cool till i get to school where the nights are chilly and such. THEN I will bust out some mad OC and see whatI can get...
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Current Project -- Water Cooling
--Maze4 GPU Block
--TDX CPU Block
--D5 Pump
--Black Ice Pro (2x120mm) Raditor
--2 Vantec Stealth Fans
Silence++
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TRow
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AOL is the Internet FOOL!
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Posts: 968
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Karma: 6 | | Re: A Server to call my OWN!
« Reply #4 on Jul 14, 2005, 11:55am » | |
Quote:| Yeah, I did a little bit of overclocking, to about 2.2 but I really didnt need the extra speed so I just dropped it back down. It takes a lot of time, too. I really dont know if my ram is up to the challenge, as it is already overclocked from 3-3-3-8 to 2.5-3-3-6. I think pushing the envelope on the processor overclock may prevent stability so I am just gonna keep it cool till i get to school where the nights are chilly and such. THEN I will bust out some mad OC and see whatI can get... |
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You adjusted your timings, not the clocks. tRas should probably be 7, especially if your only run stock speeds. tRas is unique in that lowering it, you can actually lose performance. Run benchies, and Memtest86 to Burn-in to see if its stable. Memtest for 24 hours. Run SuperPi, Prime95.
What kind of Ram is it? Meaning what are the letters on each chip? TCC5, TCCD, BH, D43, etc...
As far as scaling the Ram with the CPU, this is where dividers come into play. Aka Max Memory Clock in the Bios.
166mhz Memlock*: The Ram will scale with the HTT, but not at 1:1, but at 5/6.
200HTT=*166mhz Ram =DDR333=PC2700
240HTT=*200mhz Ram=DDR 400=PC3200
250HTT = *208mhz Ram=DDR416
260HTT= *216mhz Ram =DDR 432=PC3500
--
Overclocking AMD64's is a lot more complicated then an Intel where you just adjust the FSB with 1:1 ratio. Doesnt work like that. A lot more involved, and a lot more to know.
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devnull
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Karma: 5 | | Re: A Server to call my OWN!
« Reply #5 on Jul 14, 2005, 12:35pm » | |
Let me rephrase. I am running my ram at NON-stock.
I read up on dividers and such, too but really havn't had a chance to implement any of my readings just because it takes so much time to overclock the HTT, go into CPUZ and see where I am at, run SuperPi 32M for stability and all that. I just don't really know where a relatively safe overclock ends and where I should actually be running a lot of stability tests...
I cant see the actual memory modules so I cant, at this time, tell you what they are. Newegg doesn't really explain it either. I cant seem to get the heatspreaders off so it prevents me from knowing really how much overhead I have in pushing to module.
|
Current Project -- Water Cooling
--Maze4 GPU Block
--TDX CPU Block
--D5 Pump
--Black Ice Pro (2x120mm) Raditor
--2 Vantec Stealth Fans
Silence++
|
|
TRow
Administrator
member is offline
AOL is the Internet FOOL!
Joined: Jun 2004
Gender: Male
Posts: 968
Location: The Danger Den
Karma: 6 | | Re: A Server to call my OWN!
« Reply #6 on Jul 14, 2005, 2:31pm » | |
Prime95 will tell you in less then a minute. SuperPi will say "Not exact in Round". Ive been able to run 1M stable, but 32M was impossible past 3rd iteration.
The trick is find the max overclock for each component. This is what takes time, but once you find the thresholds, you know exactly what needs to take place.
Everything you need to know.
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devnull
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 441
Karma: 5 | | Re: A Server to call my OWN!
« Reply #7 on Jul 15, 2005, 12:25am » | |
Yeah, I was able to boot into windows at 230mhz HTT overclock but couldnt get SuperPI to post 19 iterations of 1M. In fact, I couldnt get more than 3. That was even with really lax memory timings. Essentially, I think my memory is holding me back, but I dont know. Even 225 is kinda goofy.
Ill read up big time on the forum. Thanks man
|
Current Project -- Water Cooling
--Maze4 GPU Block
--TDX CPU Block
--D5 Pump
--Black Ice Pro (2x120mm) Raditor
--2 Vantec Stealth Fans
Silence++
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