Ratdude's Main rig V2

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Possible sound card change coming for my rig..... (In another thread)

Please do not hijack!



I have a battery of pictures taken of it on sunday... Not sure if I'll use them or not. Between work, school, and my GF I've been very very busy...

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

This rig was pulled off the shelf... It had been partially parted to build the successor, V3, however, V3 had major issues and until I can get the right parts (and build it into V3.5), it's been shelved and the parts pulled from V2 (with exceptions, see below) re-installed

There have been some changes, so I'd call it V2.5:

-The RAID setup is still in V3. I was going to use the onboard SATA and a freebie 1TB drive; however, it was toast. In the interim, I'm using an 80gb PATA WD drive, courtesy of Junk Part;s box of drives I was gifted a few months ago. Unless I cannibalize my possibly dead HTPC on steroids for it's 320gb WD drive (it's based off the guts of V1), I don't have anything better to put in it. It will have to do for now.

-I swapped the sound card for an ASUS xonar DG pulled from V3; it has AC'97 header support, and since my HDA mod had failed, I decided to install new NC jacks on the header board and revert it back to AC '97. So far the combo is working; the Creative ailenware card will be shelved until I have a better use for it (it's a damn nice card).

-I swapped out the old heatsink fans for a pair off a spare set of AMD 940 coolers. These fans are Nidec's with temp sensors... they have a faster peak speed but at idle they're the same as the old fans. The idea is that the sensors might give me a cooling boost if I start getting hot... Time will tell how well that works out.

-I temporarily added a QAM tuner to where the RAID card used to be; V3.5 will receive the card once it's been built- this is only for testing and my enjoyment.

Otherwise, It's the same rig... Until V3.5 is built and running, This will be my main rig...

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Since V3.5 was built up awhile back, this rig was shelved... until tonight.

A month ago I re-compounded the CPU's and GPU with some AS5... tonight I finally got to pulling it from storage and setting it up in the corner of the basement... since a lot of the perphrials were redone for V3.5 (keyboard, LCD's, etc.), I had the old ones ready to reuse.

The only issues that came up during the cold start:

-it wouldn't start at first... no POST. tried reseating the RAM, no dice. Eventually I found that my PS/2 mouse to usb adapter was cooked... hooked the mouse via USB, and at least she POSTed

-the CMOS battery died again... and for sure this time. Suggestions on the best 2025 battery brand?

-I also swapped the dead/dying CD-RW for a LG DVD burner I got at a goodwill... but none of my drives showed up. Turns out mr. knucklehead forgot to switch it from master to slave on the jumper settings

-My freebie lenovo USB sound bar seems cooked... when 7 tries to install drivers, it takes a massive shit. unfortunatly the setup doesn't loan itself to traditional computer speakers and even if it did, I'm out of sets... I'll fix that this weekend maybe.

-I tried to novabench it, the RAM disk gave it fits and it had a cow about an "unaccessible drive". As a result, I have no benchmark to post...

Otherwise, she runs well... bootup is slow as usual, but otherwise, she's the best rig limited to 32 bits ever... (but 64 bit is SO much better... )

[pfrcom]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

the CMOS battery died again... and for sure this time. Suggestions on the best 2025 battery brand?

Are you sure it's 2025 ?

CMOS batteries, IME, are CR2032 - maybe why 2025 are dying

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

-the CMOS battery died again... and for sure this time. Suggestions on the best 2025 battery brand?

Put in a 2032, it will fit. Preferably Varta.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Are you sure it's 2025 ?

CMOS batteries, IME, are CR2032 - maybe why 2025 are dying

Put in a 2032, it will fit. Preferably Varta.

Not sure which I have in there now that you mention it... it presently has a radio shack one in whichever battery is thicker (is that 2032?).

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Great, the LG drive keeps crapping out after awhile. I'll keep an eye out for a replacement... Any IDE/ATA DVD drive suggestions?

Why is my luck with LG so shit? My LG phone was shit, every LG desktop drive I've owned is shit... shit shit shit!

Edit- at least the USB sound bar started working again... I'll still want some better speakers though (since I do have an ASUS Xonar in this thing)

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Reviving this thread for updates...

This rig was stuck in limbo for the better part of the last year and a half... I attempted to Slic the bios which was a huge mistake... and through all of it some settings got dicked up and moron here forgot that one must max our the AGP aperture for it to like 8GB of RAM. Since then, the issues have been fixed and it is back to functional condition.

It had been changed though... over the time it was dead, I pulled some parts off it for my two other workstations... it presently only has a single optical drive, an IDE HP lightscribe burner (a nice one) and the hdd shoved in it died (2nd dead WD 320GB in a row) and was replaced with an 80GB seagate clay pigeon. Until recently it was also missing the psu. FinallyBut now it is running again and about to see a couple upgrades.

First, I scored a gold pcb'd firework card with an internal header... and more importantly, a discreet power connector, a Berg. To use it I will need a molex adapter, which I will be making myself as nobody makes one in black presently. Not really a needed upgrade, but I've always heard that it was best to use a firework card with such a power connection to supply the 12V.

Second, I found a seller on eBay with 3 Seagate 160GB 7200.9 drives for 9 bux a pop. To go with that, I also bought some fresh SATA cables and a 3ware 9550sx with BBU. The 9550sx, based on my experience with the other two rigs, is much faster than the 9500s, even with 7200RPM drives. I'll stripe the three, and this thing will fly again (it already does with the single hdd, minus slow booting).

I'll take pics of it once I've made the swap... in the mean time, I'll be keeping my eyes out for a fresh burner for the 2nd optical (the LG drive was a turd and the lite on was moved to another rig).

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

After re-learning the install process a couple of times (the PAE RAMdisk seems to make windows live essentials not install w/o an error), I have it running... and here's the pictures I promised:

An overview of the updated hardware:



First, the (unfortunately empty) 2nd 5.25" bay:



Next, the 3 HDDs and thier cabling:



I think it turned out better than the last setup like this.

The new 1394 card and custom made adapter:



Finally, the new card layout:



IMHO the custom molex adpater I made looks pretty nice, an off the shelf colored one would look like shit in comparison. Speed wise, time will tell... I did novabench it before I had to re-install windows (to make it so live mail/photo gallery would install)... but I had a hard time buying the results. I may re-bench it and post the result.

How does it look? Aside from a 2nd Optical drive, this will probably be the final update to the machine... it's maxed out (physically and/or economically) as far as possible. For a 2003/2004 vintage platform (with some modern GPU assistance), she runs pretty well.


PS- I may be building this machine's fraternal twin from some spare parts I've had sitting around: https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=48027

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

I've been up to no good. Thanks again, Topcat!

(see attached screenshot for what i'm doing...)

[mariushm]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Installed memory : 8 GB (2.5 GB usable)

Good luck with that.

[stj]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

lol 32bit - i'm sure you know that cant use more than about 3.6gig of ram.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

That's not new. Read the thread again. 8gb with 4.8gb in a PAE ramdisk, of which 4gb is page file and the remaining 800mb is a self clearing temp file.

For the real change: Hint look at the picture's filename.

[stj]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

if that's the 900 series then good luck keeping it working - they seem to fail a lot!

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

It's an HP a7217a, aka the Sony GDM-FW900. 24" FD Trinitron, capable of some crazy resolutions. Higher than any of my LCDs for sure. Came out of Topcat's Attic.

The only fault with it is cracked plastic (from transport?) but physically it works great.

[momaka]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

That's not new. Read the thread again. 8gb with 4.8gb in a PAE ramdisk, of which 4gb is page file and the remaining 800mb is a self clearing temp file.

Hehe, I love it when people tell me that you can't have more than 3.5 GB of RAM on a 32-bit system . Nice setup man!

For the real change: Hint look at the picture's filename.

Oh snap!!! Nice monitor. If it goes too bright, Th3_Un1Qu3 had a thread somewhere how he got a similar 21" Sony monitor taken care of. Turns out those 24" Sony's use the same circuit for the A board as the 21", so the hardware hack is the same, as is the software. Let me know if you ever need help finding it. I have it in bookmarks somewhere on my main PC.

if that's the 900 series then good luck keeping it working - they seem to fail a lot!

Yeah, unfortunately, they do. Not sure why widescreen tubes (both TV and monitors) are so weak, but they do indeed fail more often.

I guess enjoy it while it lasts, RD. Should be an awesome monitor for gaming and movies (those deep black levels after the monitor warms up are amazing on a Sony). Makes me want to take out mine. I haven't powered it up in a few years. I sure hope the tube hasn't gone bad. I have finally collected enough "modern" parts for a decent gaming rig (a 560 TI, Core 2 Quad, and a few other things, lol). Maybe I'll do a build thread like your style someday, though I don't know when.

[stj]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

the tubes fail because of the stupid narrow neck,
not enough room for the plates to expand without eventually shorting one of the guns - usually blue.

sometimes mounting the tube upside-down fixes it.

[momaka]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

I thought it was due to loss in vacuum - at least that's what kc8adu said. And that sounds quite likely to me. One of mine is arcing in the neck. Can turn on the monitor fine without the protections tripping if I disconnect the anode. Also I got no glow from the heater even if I apply voltage externally. Tapping the tube makes a different noise from my good one too.

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

I've been up to no good. Thanks again, Topcat!

(see attached screenshot for what i'm doing...)

I remember the conversation too!!

[stj]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

I thought it was due to loss in vacuum - at least that's what kc8adu said. And that sounds quite likely to me. One of mine is arcing in the neck. Can turn on the monitor fine without the protections tripping if I disconnect the anode. Also I got no glow from the heater even if I apply voltage externally. Tapping the tube makes a different noise from my good one too.

all the ones i have seen fail had a blue field.
if you bypassed the safety and tapped the neck it momentarily fixed itself!