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    Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

    Yes, I'm thinking of building a 4th workstation! (In time, due to a main laptop that took a mega shit, this will be kinda back burnered).

    I have a variety of parts around that that are just begging to be put in a new build...

    I have this case:

    https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...9&postcount=24

    (which was my parent's until the SM board in it went belly up; the only SM I've managed to kill and not revive)

    And I also have a spare SM X5DAL-G twin xeon board that was traded (long story in another thread) thinking the X5DAL-TG2 in my other rig (V2/V2.5) was fried. To go with it i have some more 2GB ECC DDR modules somewhere (they're cheap though, so I could always buy more for peanuts)

    In additon, I have an Nvidia 7600GS AGP card in the pile... and this IMHO is the best AGP based platform (and thus would be a good rig for the card).

    I also have/had one of those 550W Ac Bel PSU's; I suspect mine fried though. A later rig seemed to potato chip power supplies (due to it being a hot attic?) and that one was the first victim.

    The mobo and the case seem to match really well. This is one of the few cases I have with adequate RAM clearance (which can be problematic due to the location at the front of the board)... and it has plenty of fan spaces (a 92mm and two front 80mm's).

    There are a few missing things that may make this tricky:

    -Heatsinks: I presently don't have much of anything to use for cooling the CPUs. I do have a clone (or the parts to do it) of V2's coolers (HP pulls + AMD 940 fans), but I don't have a spare set of the threaded back plates which are socket 604/603/423 compatible. Likwise, I don't have any of the socket 423 style heatsinks or mount brackets; the set on this board was moved to another 604 board (Brethin's X5DAE) which had broken brackets. I'd either need to get such coolers and brackets, or find another set of backplates and re-order the hardware needed for such. edit- FYI, 604 heatsinks and the like are pretty expensive IIRC...

    -HDD- I'm a bit in a HDD shortage, and unless I bought yet another 3ware card, used my crappy old 3ware 9500, or swapped boards with V2 (which would be good for both but feels "wrong"), it would need to be IDE. Ugh. HDDs always seem to be my ass kicker it seems. This thing can hold 4 HDDs, but only two are well cooled (and very well cooled even)

    -Sound/1394- I'm thinking of an Audigy 2 card, which would give me both. I actually have such at my old house, minus the 1394 cable (which is a show stopper IMHO). It's a standard pinout on both ends, so I bet I could find a replacement (or ebay a new card/FP set) The front panel of such would really help with another issue, the case's missing 5.25" blank filler (which to date I haven't come across, the PO left a 3rd optical drive in it unused, asshole)

    -Card reader: I'd need to pick between using my 2nd external 3.5" bay for a card reader (I have two USB headers after all) or nuking the floppy drive. The case IMHO looks like shit with the 2nd bay occupied (the area and blank are sculpted, not flat)... Hard choice.

    (edit)-PSU: If my Ac bel is dead, I'll need a beefy enough PSU... I can easily test that though. Again, mostly a $ problem

    -Paint: The plastics have yellowed somewhat and the paint is scratched/scraped... A repainting in black (leaving the purple accents alone) would look awesome IMHO. The problem though is that would require new optical drives, another thing which I'm in short supply.

    Other than the cooler issue, it seems to be all doable... suggestions? (and please don't say "thats junk go for a new i3", if you've seen my builds you know that ain't how I roll )
    Last edited by ratdude747; 08-02-2015, 08:43 PM.
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    #2
    Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

    What went wrong with the laptop?
    Don't buy those $10 PSU "specials". They fail, and they have taken whole computers with them.

    My computer doubles as a space heater.

    Permanently Retired Systems:
    RIP Advantech UNO-3072LA (2008-2021) - Decommissioned and taken out of service permanently due to lack of software support for it. Not very likely to ever be recommissioned again.
    Asus Q550LF (Old main laptop, 2014-2022) - Decommissioned and stripped due to a myriad of problems, the main battery bloating being the final nail in the coffin.


    Kooky and Kool Systems
    - 1996 Power Macintosh 7200/120 + PC Compatibility Card - Under Restoration
    - 1993 Gateway 2000 80486DX/50 - Fully Operational/WIP
    - 2004 Athlon 64 Retro Gaming System - Indefinitely Parked
    - Main Workstation - Fully operational!

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      #3
      Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

      Somehow had the lid and hinge destroyed. Given it's bad track record of killing hinges and lid covers (3rd and 2nd sets dead respecively), I'm probably going to save up and upgrade. There's another thread with details (in VIP room, which was an error on my part, thinking that I was gonna cuss a lot more than I actually did).

      ---

      Good news: I managed to test the Ac bel 550W... and it's good! That system that it was in last (currently out of commission) must have had a wierd issue... as IIRC the 2nd PSU it "killed" tested good at a later date too.

      I looked into getting an audigy 2 with front panel, $60 or so it seems. That listing had a best offer, so I low balled it, because heck, it would be cool. I don't believe in omens per se, but I do believe in convenient coincidences...

      W/o heatsinks though, the most it can do is be run on it's side with some 940 heatisinks held on by gravity... no thanks!

      ---

      side note- why am I thinking of doing this? Well, v2.5 has been running well lately... better than the supposedly better V4.1 (which is actually inferior to V3.5, my nicest, fastest pride and joy).
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        #4
        Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

        do those audigy cards work properly? the earlier 5.1 cards assigned the wrong interupt.
        most people either wouldnt know, or would have non-booting pc til they switched it to a different slot.
        but you can see the cause in Linux in the bootlog.

        some adaptec scsi cards do the same thing btw.

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          #5
          Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

          No probs with my Audigy 2. Well there wasn't until it stopped working last week.

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            #6
            Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

            I've heard they don't linux well, but for windoze they're fine. I'm going to my parent's old house today, and I'll see if I can fetch what's left of my old audigy... IIIRC I have a firewire cable in another unused case that I can reuse to complete what I have (if the lowball offer doesn't go anywhere).
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              #7
              Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

              Whats the laptop? My previous laptop, dell latitude c600, seemed to need new hinges almost yearly. By the time i retired it, I had replaced every part in it at least once, except maybe some screws. On the plus side, there were always tons of parts on ebay from.laptops coming off lease and being parted out.

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                #8
                Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                Latitude e5530.

                ----

                Scored the audigy 2... good thing as my old one corroded a bit in storage.

                I'll nab a screw kit at frys tomorrow and start building it up.

                Still need some socket 604 heatsink suggestions...
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                  #9
                  Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                  Never mind, for 22 shipped I found a pair of heatsinks that have the back plates I need. The raid max screw kit also has the required standoffs (sorta) although I'll probably order more from digikey. Other than the hdd delimma, she's gonna be a real build.
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                    #10
                    Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                    I'm thinking... maybe I should switch mobos with v3... as this is a more topcat-esque build, right down to the audigy 2...
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                      #11
                      Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                      Also ordered the 13mm m3 standoffs, which are:

                      http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...DKV1uorAWBA%3d

                      (From the main rig 2.0 thread)

                      Unlike last time, stainless was in stock... but I still got aluminum due to cost (the aluminum ones in V2 work fine).

                      It seems I can't stop building these things... *cough* topcat *cough*
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                        #12
                        Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                        Sounds like you need one of those laptops for the military. The ones you can take out in the rain throw in the mud and it still works. You are the reason some designers try to make things indestructible. Keep up the Good Work perhaps the rest of the designers will get the message.

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                          #13
                          Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                          Originally posted by ratdude747 View Post
                          It seems I can't stop building these things... *cough* topcat *cough*
                          *steps back and takes a small bow*

                          I'm working on another one myself....for no particular reason at all other than the parts were given to me and I can't bear the thought of wasting them. I'm thinking of stuffing it in that big ass eATX tower on wheels that the old P2 is in.
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                            #14
                            Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                            Originally posted by Topcat View Post
                            *steps back and takes a small bow*

                            I'm working on another one myself....for no particular reason at all other than the parts were given to me and I can't bear the thought of wasting them. I'm thinking of stuffing it in that big ass eATX tower on wheels that the old P2 is in.
                            Well DUH. An eatx tower case unused is an eatx case wasted. Especially an awesome case like that.

                            Sorta the case here... I could stand to see the stuff sit since I had half the parts already.

                            Question: how hard is it to make scsi drives work w/o hotswap bays? The two in the wonky netfinity seemed awful fast. To do another 3ware array feels redundant, to do without raid feels wrong.
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                              #15
                              Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                              ^
                              SCA adapters will convert those form the 80-pin to a 68-pin internal interface.
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                                #16
                                Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                                Noted. I have two really well cooled hdd bays to play with... when I get home I'll shoot some pictures...
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                                  #17
                                  Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                                  Originally posted by ratdude747 View Post
                                  Also ordered the 13mm m3 standoffs, which are:

                                  http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...DKV1uorAWBA%3d

                                  (From the main rig 2.0 thread)

                                  Unlike last time, stainless was in stock... but I still got aluminum due to cost (the aluminum ones in V2 work fine).

                                  It seems I can't stop building these things... *cough* topcat *cough*
                                  I have to say it.

                                  You just can't stop can you? A haswell i3 APU can beat that 7600 by 3fold (FYI I have a 7800 256M AGP OC for sale). And can beat your processing power. You can find a PCI-E hardware raid card for fair prices and quality motherboards, that can take care of your HDD's. You can even get some cheap RE4's all in raid 5. MSI makes a lot of really high quality motherboards (military class IV) and you won't get as much complication.

                                  The difference between you and TC is he has MONEY, as where you have, well not as much. Which is why these workstation builds are problematic because you're stitching old pieces together and hoping you don't get some strange undocumented incompatible issues that i've seen pop up in your case

                                  You can still use high quality cases, power supplies, hard drives and raid. Too bad most haswell motherboards don't have bios ecc support even though the CPU's do
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                                    #18
                                    Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                                    Originally posted by Uranium-235 View Post
                                    I have to say it.

                                    You just can't stop can you? A haswell i3 APU can beat that 7600 by 3fold (FYI I have a 7800 256M AGP OC for sale). And can beat your processing power. You can find a PCI-E hardware raid card for fair prices and quality motherboards, that can take care of your HDD's. You can even get some cheap RE4's all in raid 5. MSI makes a lot of really high quality motherboards (military class IV) and you won't get as much complication.

                                    The difference between you and TC is he has MONEY, as where you have, well not as much. Which is why these workstation builds are problematic because you're stitching old pieces together and hoping you don't get some strange undocumented incompatible issues that i've seen pop up in your case

                                    You can still use high quality cases, power supplies, hard drives and raid. Too bad most haswell motherboards don't have bios ecc support even though the CPU's do
                                    As I stated in another thread, sometimes there is more than specs to a PC.

                                    It's a hobby dude. I'm sure a new kia would outrun an old truck in a road race too... but people who love old trucks don't care about this. I don't care how fast some low end shitty haswell i3 runs... such computers are means to an end. I build rigs like this because I appreciate old equipment that in it's day was top of the line. Not because I'm going for the most bang per buck.

                                    I don't get what your problem is. Don't like it? Don't build it. And BTW, to quote myself from post #1 of this thread:

                                    Originally posted by ratdude747 View Post
                                    Other than the cooler issue, it seems to be all doable... suggestions? (and please don't say "thats junk go for a new i3", if you've seen my builds you know that ain't how I roll )
                                    Exactly.

                                    PS- you may want to see a gastroenterologist about your head being up your... ah, never mind. Back on topic!

                                    ----

                                    I took pics last night but haven't had time to upload... there's a lot of cable management to come (and maybe new case fans). However, given the PSU setup, I probably will do some sort of SATA Raid with a 3ware card... they're just too useful and (relatively) cheap. Given the really good HDD cooling, I think a pair of raptors would do?

                                    (and don't say SSD it... c'mon, no. If anything gets an SSD, it will be a bigger one for my upcoming laptop upgrade).
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                                      #19
                                      Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                                      So an SSD is okay (hey, they are modern consumable throwaway society junk, right?) but a Core i5 is not?

                                      Check Amazon screenshot. You don't need to spend the big bucks to have a nice system. Pick a nice case (plenty under $100 that are very good, or reuse one of those massive things you have), use some power supply and dvd drive you already, problem solved...

                                      You wouldn't need a computer in the next few years, would save a lot in power, reclaim many square feet of space, and not have to "tinker" to make your computer work. Oh, and it would be faster. No RAID arrays, no bizarre incompatibilities, no BS.

                                      Originally posted by Uranium-235 View Post
                                      I have to say it.

                                      You just can't stop can you? A haswell i3 APU can beat that 7600 by 3fold (FYI I have a 7800 256M AGP OC for sale). And can beat your processing power. You can find a PCI-E hardware raid card for fair prices and quality motherboards, that can take care of your HDD's. You can even get some cheap RE4's all in raid 5. MSI makes a lot of really high quality motherboards (military class IV) and you won't get as much complication.

                                      The difference between you and TC is he has MONEY, as where you have, well not as much. Which is why these workstation builds are problematic because you're stitching old pieces together and hoping you don't get some strange undocumented incompatible issues that i've seen pop up in your case

                                      You can still use high quality cases, power supplies, hard drives and raid. Too bad most haswell motherboards don't have bios ecc support even though the CPU's do
                                      100% spot on right there. ECC memory is pointless unless it's a server that's on for hundreds of days at high loads. For p*rn and Facebook (or whatever it is rd747 uses a computer for) there is no benefit. I can't remember last time any of my desktops or laptops blue screened or crashed.

                                      And yes, sure, you go buy an HP, Acer, etc. junk cheapo Walmart computer, the hardware won't be very good. But at this point, as long as it's got an Intel processor, it'll run cool enough that even that will last. Get a Dell or build your own and you'll be fine for many years. It's the really bottom-of-the-barrel AMD junk that is problematic, but that doesn't mean that all new hardware made in the past 10 years is crap - it's not!
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                                      Last edited by shovenose; 08-06-2015, 08:39 AM.

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                                        #20
                                        Re: Yet another Ratdude Workstation Build?

                                        I use SSD's in my laptops only....mainly because they are used for Z-car diagnostics and data logging....so if they get flung into the floor during some spirited driving, nothing will be hurt....

                                        As for these kinds of builds....I still have 2 similar systems still in operation. Keep that old stuff runnin'!
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