Ratdude's Main rig V2

[thesloc]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Poverty rig lol

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Poverty rig lol

Why would you say that? Just because I got lucky on some freebies and cheapies doesn't make it a poverty rig...

[momaka]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Poverty rig lol

If his computer is a poverty rig, I don't know what you should call mine then.

[rilski]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

This makes me wanna build an old-school AMD Socket A rig!

Just saw an old DFI Lanparty nForce2 board from a local Computer shop. Was in prestine condition and selling for $40. If it's still there, I wish I could haggle the owner.. LOL

@ratdude

Nice rig overall! Especially the 9800 AGP card..

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

This makes me wanna build an old-school AMD Socket A rig!

Just saw an old DFI Lanparty nForce2 board from a local Computer shop. Was in prestine condition and selling for $40. If it's still there, I wish I could haggle the owner.. LOL

@ratdude

Nice rig overall! Especially the 9800 AGP card..

Originally part of the design was to use a dual 462 Board... turns out that something went wonky with the recap and nuked one of the CPU sockets... hence where the RAM came from.

If you do build a dual 462, let me know as I have a pair 2600+ T-bred MPs and a pair of decent (but whining fast) coolers up for grabs...

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Are there supporting backplates behind the CPUs on the board? Are they thick and sturdy?
- If not, your heatsink bolt mod can seriously warp the board over time. At the place I work, we get Xbox 360s all the time, and when people usually apply a similar heatsink bolt mod, the damage is usually worse than from the original X-clamps.
Then again, the Xbox 360s also run a bit hotter than your CPUs, so that contributes to the damage a lot more.

The system still runs but I think you might be right... come to think of it, the board came out warped when I gutted the system for the dremel mod...

The only fix I can think of is to install the original clips and pay $60-$80 for some standard mount coolers. Thats IMHO out of budget... maybe I could cut some spacers of the correct thickness to go between the board and the heatsink?

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

I had a "Eureka!" moment and found a solution:



I took 8 of the obscure M3 standoffs in a raidmax screw kit and stacked them by 2 and threaded them into the screw plate. Since the screw plate's threaded studs stick out of the board, I took the #6 washers from the old setup and placed those on the exposed studs. In order to get the height right, I also had to add a #4 washer. These standoffs fit nicely into the oversized holes in the the heatsinks:



The tops of the standoffs are ever so slightly recessed, so the screws can actually provide the pressure needed for a good fit:



I only had enough standoffs and #4 washers for one CPU, so I removed the other CPU and as shown in the first pic, used the top screws to hold down the screw plate and #6 washers. I did that so I can install the second set of hardware w/o removing the mobo (you remove and replace the screws one at a time).

I personally think this is a pretty elegant solution. My only beef is that I had to stack the standoffs; if they made M3 standoffs in that height it might have looked prettier.

Fry's has the standoffs and I'll be in indy this weekend; I'll pick up another screw kit and more washers and get CPU #2 back on line. I'll also swap the washers for non-stainless ones (I borrowed these from my dad's stainless washer stash) and maybe even use some blue thread locker on the standoffs.

Comments?

[rilski]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Wow that is a nice fit for that CPU cooler!

Noob question! Why are the metal washers in use for? I see two of them in each 4 sockets.. hehehe

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Wow that is a nice fit for that CPU cooler!

Noob question! Why are the metal washers in use for? I see two of them in each 4 sockets.. hehehe

The lower ones are larger and they are there to cover the exposed studs protruding from the backplate. This is done to keep the backpate firmly clamped to the board (this reduces Board flex).

The upper washers are smaller and are used to raise the standoffs to the correct height. In this design, the height is extremely critical to preventing board flex.

[rilski]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Good measurement on placing those washers. Board flexing reminds me of the Xbox 360 with the 3RL/X-Clamp fixes.

[momaka]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

The lower ones are larger and they are there to cover the exposed studs protruding from the backplate. This is done to keep the backpate firmly clamped to the board (this reduces Board flex).

Are the backplates metal? If so, then your board may be fine even with the original bolt mod you did. Your new "stud-mod" looks pretty legit too, though (maybe even better).

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Are the backplates metal? If so, then your board may be fine even with the original bolt mod you did. Your new "stud-mod" looks pretty legit too, though (maybe even better).

they were metal but not very stiff metal. . there was observable board flex when the board was removed.

[momaka]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

In that case, your new stud-mod should help a bit. The board may still flex a little, but that's inevitable. A thick back plate is the only way to go.
But don't worry - those BGA sockets will usually take a lot of board warp before they loose contact with the board.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

In that case, your new stud-mod should help a bit. The board may still flex a little, but that's inevitable. A thick back plate is the only way to go.
But don't worry - those BGA sockets will usually take a lot of board warp before they loose contact with the board.

My thoughts exactly. It's pure physics.

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

FWIW, I was surprised at how much the board flexed when I put the copper sinks on my last SM 771 build....hasn't been a problem. it wasn't extreme, but it was noticeable.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

The other worry I had regarding flex is that the board might have warped to a point where the HS no longer was held tightly to the board.

[c_hegge]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

s775 boards always flex slightly with the stock coolers.

[rilski]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Well that means investing on a much "better" aftermarket cooler. The Freezer64 series! I Want..

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Well that means investing on a much "better" aftermarket cooler. The Freezer64 series! I Want..

Off topic: I have a S775 PWM one of those in my junk box. If you are interested, send me a PM.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V2

Good news: I bought the washers and standoffs today

Bad news: I snapped a standoff and thus I am still down to 1 CPU.

I didn't give it that much torque before it went... brass is a weak metal.

My new plan is to buy some M3 13mm Standoffs (to replace the 2x 6.5mm stacks):

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...QiNbuUkvX7s%3d

OR

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

Both are the same diameter Hex as well.

One is SS, one is AL. The backplate's studs are Galvanized steel... so should I go with SS?