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Custom Computer Build Nerd Thread

Old Jul 11, 2009 | 04:46 PM
  #1  
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Custom Computer Build Nerd Thread

hey guys, post your custom builds here. there are a couple of us with new builds so post them up once you're done building! mine is from exactly 2 years ago but i just upgraded a few items. this is an intel e6850 core 2 duo overclocked from 3 to 3.6ghz on stock voltage, 4gigs of ram, thermalright cpu cooler, 2 seagate 320gig hard drives and 1 western digital 1tb hd, antec 650 watt power supply, asus p5k-e socket 775 motherboard, and you can see in the pics i just put upgraded from an 8800gtx to a gtx260 today. i'm still using an eide dvd burner...thinking about upgrading to a blu-ray drive.

the gtx260 is the 216 stream processor 55nm gpu version. it was total PITA to put it in because the card is exactly the same size as the 8800gtx but it's fatter the whole way through and blocks 4 out of 6 of the sata ports so i had to rip the whole thing apart to put in an l-shaped sata connector. i paid $500 for the 8800gtx 2 years ago and it has 128 stream processors. the gtx260 cost less than 1/3 that and it has 216.

in case you haven't noticed, yes, i like neon





this is the old antec 900 which didn't come with cable routing options so i dremel'ed cable routing holes in.


the 8800gtx that was taken out:


i'm using the logitech g15 old version1 keyboard. there's a really cool program called everest ultimate which will display temps and stuff on the OSD. you can get the program for free by signing up for a trial and cancelling it. i'd definitely get the g15 v2 if i needed a new keyboard.
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Old Jul 12, 2009 | 11:06 PM
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I get my case in tomorrow!

Hopefully I can find time to do the build. I'm so anxious to put this thing together.

I should be adding some pics to this thread tomorrow.

Your build looks nice! Cable routing looks like it was a PITA though.
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Old Jul 13, 2009 | 08:25 AM
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"official"
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Old Jul 13, 2009 | 08:50 AM
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sweet lightus, looking forward to your pics. yes, i built my computer before antec realized that they should be putting cable routing holes in all of their cases which they do now.
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Old Jul 13, 2009 | 08:57 AM
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You may want to ask for a thread title change.

https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/re-official-threads-722909/

Also, I was never here.
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Old Jul 13, 2009 | 12:38 PM
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whoops...i never saw that. hopefully one of the mods will just change the name of the thread.
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Old Jul 13, 2009 | 10:19 PM
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I'll post my build when I get everything in. It all arrives wednesday.
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Old Jul 13, 2009 | 10:47 PM
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I don't have one of my gaming machine, but this is my linux file server/bittorrent box/vmware funtime machine.

Amd Phenom 9600
4 gb of ram
The cheapest motherboard I could find with gigabit Ethernet
Seasonic 380w psu
1 250 gb hd
4 mismatched 500gb hard drives in software raid 5.





Despite my cheapness it has been very stable.
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Old Jul 18, 2009 | 10:08 AM
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nVidia 680i MB
E6600 Core 2 Duo (Never really OC it)
1TB HD
EVGA 9800GT (OC sometimes...not often).
1kW PSU (XPS720)

How do you like the GTX260? I was looking at one but I wasn't sure if it would bottleneck..
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Old Jul 18, 2009 | 10:57 AM
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the GTX 260 has been awesome so far, but i have nothing to compare it to really. I can run crysis on high settings but not max if that helps
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Old Jul 19, 2009 | 09:10 AM
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I have never played Crysis, but CoD4+5 and Source games run fine for me. Assassins Creed runs pretty shitty though...Made me want to return the 9800GT and opt for a 260 but I'm not sure if its even worth the hassle.
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Old Jul 20, 2009 | 04:24 PM
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i bought the 260gtx for about $145 so it ended up being a cheap upgrade. the 260's are all on sale right now. it runs cooler and uses less energy (my UPS tells watts used) than my old 8800gtx. i didn't test the limits of the card but i overclocked it to 700 core/1500 shader/1150 memory easily using EVGA's precision tool. it should hold up pretty decently when some newer games come out.

it should be a pretty big upgrade from the 9800gt.
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Old Jul 20, 2009 | 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by wasupdog
i bought the 260gtx for about $145 so it ended up being a cheap upgrade. the 260's are all on sale right now. it runs cooler and uses less energy (my UPS tells watts used) than my old 8800gtx. i didn't test the limits of the card but i overclocked it to 700 core/1500 shader/1150 memory easily using EVGA's precision tool. it should hold up pretty decently when some newer games come out.

it should be a pretty big upgrade from the 9800gt.
I'm having trouble with my GPU fan speed using EVGA's Precision tool. I have it set on 40% with auto on, yet it never actually increases fan speed once it get hotter. Any ideas?
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Old Jul 20, 2009 | 10:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Lightus
I'm having trouble with my GPU fan speed using EVGA's Precision tool. I have it set on 40% with auto on, yet it never actually increases fan speed once it get hotter. Any ideas?
Same thing for me. Always at 40
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Old Jul 25, 2009 | 05:34 PM
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Haven't built anything in a LONG time, but:

Antec 500W
Lian Li V2000A
Intel Q8200 @ 2.65Ghz w/ Scythe Infinity & 120mm Delta
P5Q-LE (Worst OCing motherboard ever)
4GB Cheap GSkill w/ BLUE Heatspreaders @ DDR901
Powercolor 4830 @ Stock

Very simple, cheap, and effective build.
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Old Jul 25, 2009 | 05:45 PM
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Great case! Lian Li cases are great.
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Old Jul 25, 2009 | 06:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Stapler

I co-worker of mine bought this exact case for his new build. It's a pretty neat case.
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Old Jul 26, 2009 | 02:24 AM
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Damn, you guys make me want to keep my cpu and mobo to build a new system.
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Old Jul 26, 2009 | 06:49 AM
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I built one about 4 years ago. I'd post the pics, but I can't remember which hard drive image I have them on. Its probably nothing compared to what you guys have anyway.

It was my first build, and I had planned to do a build once a year, but never got around to doing another one. I'll probably do another one for the release of Starcraft 2, but knowing Blizzard and their ever changing release dates, I have plenty of time.

Last edited by WdnUlik2no; Jul 26, 2009 at 06:53 AM.
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Old Jul 26, 2009 | 02:08 PM
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hmm...

all i know is i want to replace my case with one that has no doors, doors = the suck. and also one with no window.
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Old Jul 28, 2009 | 01:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Mizouse
hmm...

all i know is i want to replace my case with one that has no doors, doors = the suck. and also one with no window.
ugh.. after looking around, i can never find the perfect case

its like one cause has the features i want, but some features that i hate, another case has other features i want but other i dont want

then there are times where there is one case but has 2 different models, both splitting the features i want.
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Old Jul 28, 2009 | 03:26 AM
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What exactly are the features you want?
It sounds like most lian li cases fit your no door and no window criteria.
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 02:58 PM
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Last time I built a rig was like over a year ago...maybe its been 2 years. Crap time to build a new one. Anyways currently running Antec 900 case, XFX 780i mobo, 2x 8800GTXs in SLI, 8gb OCZ reaper @ 1066, 2x WD 640 ATKs, CoolerMaster RP Pro 1000w

Keyboard and mouse I have had my same G15 and G5 for quite some time now and they both work as awesome as ever. Monitors right now I have hooked up are a 24inch Acer and a 20inch Dell.

Also have a media center PC hooked up to the LCD TV in the living room and 2 laptops. 1 for work and 1 for gaming. Hardly ever use my gaming laptop anymore though. Wife uses it now for her pictures, its a mess. I am so anal with my computers and the way my files are organized and she just puts files everywhere!
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 04:12 PM
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My computer is getting old now... past 1.5 years... =[
Nothing too crazy either,

Q6600, 8800gt, 4gb ram, 500gb, 2 x 1tb, (a non impressive) gigabyte mobo 2 x 22inch samsung ToC. Time for an upgrade?

I'm the same as anthracite... I need my files filed a certain way and the GF and brother (and anyone else who uses my computer) seem to just save all the files ON the desktop and in no order...
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 04:26 PM
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waiting for win7 so i can install it on my intel ssd.
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 06:22 PM
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yea i could go for a reformat but i'm just going to do it when i get my windows 7 discs. i've been running xp on my desktop for 2 years not to mention working with xp since the late 90's, i'm ready for any sort of change with my OS.

i paid like $650 exactly 2 years ago for my 24" dell wfp2407 monitor and i don't regret it at all. i think the current model wfp2409 still costs around $400 now.
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 07:12 PM
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I just did some minor upgrades.. new case and CPU fan in anticipation of going Core i7 soon.. I'll try to take pics later today
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by stylin
I'm the same as anthracite... I need my files filed a certain way and the GF and brother (and anyone else who uses my computer) seem to just save all the files ON the desktop and in no order...
haha don't you just hate that shit

I forgot my proc btw I have a good ol Q6600 also.
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 07:33 PM
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oh yeah and Ted, we are case twins

haha
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 08:42 PM
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Originally Posted by wasupdog
yea i could go for a reformat but i'm just going to do it when i get my windows 7 discs. i've been running xp on my desktop for 2 years not to mention working with xp since the late 90's, i'm ready for any sort of change with my OS.

i paid like $650 exactly 2 years ago for my 24" dell wfp2407 monitor and i don't regret it at all. i think the current model wfp2409 still costs around $400 now.
i call

windows XP came out in 2001.
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 09:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Stapler
What exactly are the features you want?
It sounds like most lian li cases fit your no door and no window criteria.
actually i dont mind the window.

but i want a case with good cable management, the hard drives turned on their sides to the cables face the left side of the case when inside.

at least 6 hard drive spaces

painted interior

power supply on the bottom if that really makes a difference but i like the position of it.

closest case i found to what i like is this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133086

but im :meh: about thermaltake cases.
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 09:49 PM
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I haven't used any of their 100 dollar plus cases but you may want to look at coolermaster.
They have the cosmos 1000 and atcs 840 that sound like they are in the same class as the one you posted.
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 09:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Mizouse
i call

windows XP came out in 2001.


I was in the Whistler Beta program
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 10:22 PM
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haha damn u guys know what i mean. i was using some windows version lol.


Originally Posted by Mizouse
actually i dont mind the window.

but i want a case with good cable management, the hard drives turned on their sides to the cables face the left side of the case when inside.

at least 6 hard drive spaces

painted interior

power supply on the bottom if that really makes a difference but i like the position of it.

closest case i found to what i like is this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133086

but im :meh: about thermaltake cases.
you have a lot of pr0n.
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 11:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Stapler
I haven't used any of their 100 dollar plus cases but you may want to look at coolermaster.
They have the cosmos 1000 and atcs 840 that sound like they are in the same class as the one you posted.
yea i prefer cooler master, im using their mystique case right now, its ok, but i hate the doors and the way the hard drives are arranged.
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Old Aug 3, 2009 | 11:26 PM
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Originally Posted by wasupdog
haha damn u guys know what i mean. i was using some windows version lol.




you have a lot of pr0n.
theres no such thing as alot of pr0n.
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Old Aug 4, 2009 | 12:16 AM
  #37  
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I have the HAF 932 and I love it, the cable management in it is the best i've seen or personally dealt with.. The side panel has a bulge so you can hide most of the cable as I did

It's too bad my mobo, proc and mem are all outdated.. Looking forward to either an eVGA X58 or an Asus P6T V2 deluxe w/ 6gb DDR (3x chan) and a Core i7 920!
(oh and an SATA cd rom for shits sake that IDE cable drives me nuts)




Last edited by timmahh; Aug 4, 2009 at 12:19 AM.
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Old Aug 4, 2009 | 12:32 AM
  #38  
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nice, thanks for the pics.

that big box area where the power button is, whats that spot for?
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Old Aug 4, 2009 | 12:32 AM
  #39  
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i was considering that case but the larger full tower.

yours is the 922
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Old Aug 4, 2009 | 01:16 AM
  #40  
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Miz, you will never be disappointed with a quality Lian Li case.
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