View Full Version : Computer upgrade tomorrow
:eek:
I'll upgrade most things without fear (it's only plugs and sockets - easy), but as I've already posted before, I have a phobia of anything involving thermal compound and heatsinks, and since it's a complete rebuild this time, guess what I have to do. :(
I'm not messing with thermal grease/AS5/anything else like that. Just going with what's on the bottom of the heatsink. My eyes really aren't up to anything more complicated. Hope to god I never have to remove it. :(
So, any moral support, advice, warnings, panic-stricken 'OMG I killed it' messages, or anything else, relevant or semi-relevant? ;D
I hate replacing heatsinks too, ever since I killed my athlon chip by pressing down too hard ;D
I'll have to replace this one at Easter though because the cpu fan sounds like a jet engine.
Erm so break a leg :D But not a cpu :p
I've replaced many processors and still hate the crushing sound they make as they settle in.
Aye. The board that's coming out has one of those lovely crushable Athlon XP chips in it. Someone else fitted the heatsink on that one, and thank god it's still working. :)
good luck with the stock Intel heatsink !!!!!!!
The LGA775 clips/pins are a bitch to fit
There will be no stock heatsink here. Freezer 7. :)
There will be no stock heatsink here. Freezer 7. :)
If those are anything like the Freezer 64 Pro then it should be pretty simple - plus the pre-applied compound is very good.
As always get yourself a nice clear well lit space to work in and take your time - plenty of breathers in between the more stressful bits works for me.
Good luck with the upgrade :)
Space? Here? I'll probably use the bed as that's the biggest bit of clear space I have.
Quite a complicated upgrade this one as I have to replace disks as well.
As always get yourself a nice clear well lit space to work in and take your time - plenty of breathers in between the more stressful bits works for me.
Aye.. this is where cases with slide-out motherboards are great. You can put CPU and memory in without trying to be reaching through the case to do it. Sadly mine doesn't have a slide-out motherboard tray, though it is an awesome case for airflow.
I hate replacing heatsinks too, ever since I killed my athlon chip by pressing down too hard ;D
I learnt the hard way too... with the replacement CPU I bought a shim. It was a pretty awful design flaw from AMD.
Aye.. this is where cases with slide-out motherboards are great. You can put CPU and memory in without trying to be reaching through the case to do it. Sadly mine doesn't have a slide-out motherboard tray, though it is an awesome case for airflow.
I think, like me, Mark is a bit of a fan of Stackers so hopefully he'll be alright in that respect - though he has to find all the screws (12 or 16 I think) to get the thing out first :shocked:
You don't really need the slide out tray on the stacker though - a miner's hat and a good length of rope and you could just climb in there, be sure to notify a family member first though so if you're gone for more than 6hrs they can tug on the other end of the rope and get you out of there :D
I think I've been very lucky with my SocketA machines, despite all the creaking and cracking noises I think the worst I've done is snap a plastic lug off - had a few close calls with screwdriver and motherboard though :eek:
Yeah, I'm the screwdriver into motherboard crashing kinda guy. I've also dropped screws onto motherboards numerous times.
None dead yet, thank god, save for the one that thought electrolyte belonged outside capacitors, rather than inside them. I also had a PSU that made the same choice, forcefully (both were in the same case, but at different times). :eek:
Stackers? They look interesting.
Still, I love my Chenbro Gaming Bomb, so I'm sticking with that :p It was capable of handling the right sort of airflow for an Athlon T-Bird 1400 without even breaking a sweat, using just the CPU cooler and a reasonably quiet rear 120mm.
With this X2 in it that runs cooler that the Toaster-bird I'm using a SilenX 120mm on the back so its even quieter.
If anyone does look at Stackers, try and nab an 810 from somewhere. They went downhill with the 830.
Progress, just for kicks:
Remove beige floppy drive
Fit black floppy drive
Remove beige CD-ROM
Fit black DVD-RW
Remove hard disk and decant to USB caddy
Hook up additional USB cables
Fit new hard disk
Remove PCI cards (note to self - HDD connectors 1,2,3,4 - L->R T->B) ;)
Upgrade RAM on RAID card
Remove motherboard tray
Remove motherboard
Unpack and 'soft-dock' new motherboard
Figure out how to get into CPU packaging
Install new CPU
Install HSF :eek:
'Hard-dock' motherboard
Fit RAM and GFX
Install motherboard tray
Connect DVD
Test
Connect HDD and FDD
Test again
Refit and test RAID
Consider overclocking
Install Linux
Use :)
Progress, just for kicks:
Consider overclockingNo no that should read "overclock the hell outa this Core2Duo"
I don't overclock. Tried it once and got scared. :eek:
Still got to figure the C2D packaging out. Let me in damnit. :)
Ha ha once you get the box open the CPU will fall on the floor the plastic holder is rubbish
I've already had the box open. The CPU is still in the holder. I tend to treat these things too gently. :)
Found a loose (as in rattling around) motherboard post under the board when it came out. Hope that came out during disassembly and not before. :eek:
I wouldn't worry too much. My PC spends half its life with something inside it rattling when I move it about. And it's lasted 2 and a half years touch wood.
Admiral Huddy
03-03-2007, 16:48
Heatsink?? Artic Compound?? What are they??
HSF was easy. It was the CPU I got wrong. I hope I didn't bork it, but we'll know soon.
I'm sure it will be fine. I've found them to be pretty tough, I sometimes need to use a credit card to move the pins back into place.
God know how I manage to keep my job.
;D
Quite right though, CPUs are a lot more rugged these days. Not saying you can use them for a kick about, but they're not eggs either.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the first post from the new box. :D
Currently running Ubuntu 6.10 from CD as I haven't connected up any HDDs yet.
Current problems: 2nd hand graphics card may not be very healthy (had a few display issues, and the fan isn't too happy). It's only a cheapy though, so no biggie.
woot!!! \0/
Well that's the hardest bit over and done with anyway - congrats on the spangly new rig :)
Rebuild complete. Now for the software and testing. :)
Nicely done Mark. :) I've been playing with partitions and multiple boot stuff to play with Vista - ubuntu is now on one of my machines as the primary OS as it is on my laptop.
Is it wrong that I enjoy doing this sort of thing?
I wish I had more money to spend building more computers and tinkering with stuff :p
Any pics? :D
It's a mess inside. I really don't want to show pics. That's what you get for having a shedload of IDE cables in there.
Looks nice on the outside though. :cool:
This was my effort last year:
http://www.pilotpyles.co.uk/Pyles/PC/PC.html
Starting with a clean slate is such a joy. At work I tend to scavange bits so everything is a mess before I start.
Most of what's in this box is relatively new. There are however two problems with it.
The version of CM Stacker that I have only allows the PSU to be installed at the bottom, but the motherboard expects the PSU to be at the top. :/
The RAID card. It's a full length jobbie, so big, and with four IDE connectors (all used). I'll go SATA next time, but having just replaced all four disks, that won't be for a while. Scary thing about the RAID card is just how much it bends (full length cards are designed to fit into guides at the front of the case, but the CM Stacker, being extra deep, doesn't have them). Still working after five years though. :)
Bendy cards ftw! :cool:
I've never understood the moving of the PSU. I was under the impression that BTX just used a flipped motherboard and that was it.
Bendy cards ftw! :cool:
I've never understood the moving of the PSU. I was under the impression that BTX just used a flipped motherboard and that was it.
The logic is that a PSU operates optimally at cooler temperatures. When the PSU is at the top of the case the heat rises from internal components, so your PSU is having to cool both itself AND some of the heat rising from the CPU / GFX card etc. etc. Put the PSU in the bottom and it runs cooler and more efficiently. Then all you have to do is have appropriate cooling for your system built into the case.
vBulletin® v3.7.4, Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.