- Joined
- May 21, 2008
- Messages
- 955
So about a month ago, I proposed the idea of getting rid of my computer towers (yes, there are two of them) to my wife to save some space in our office. She liked the idea (of course) and has helped with input along the way. Well, today I finally slid the shelf into my desk and hooked it all up (and yes, it runs... that is how I am posting).
To start my computer specs aren't impressive by today's standards, but it is just over two years old (I built it just before the ATI 4870 came out):
Mobo: Asus P5B-E
CPU: Intel E6600 (running at the stock 2.4ghz)
RAM: 4GB OCZ Reeper (800DDR2; 4-4-4-12) I have an additional 2GB of Patriot RAM waiting for an OS upgrade
Video: Gigabyte 3870 512MB
HDD: Western Digital 250GB SATA
PSU: OCZ StealthXTreme 600watt (I have a 700watt as a "stand by")
Cooling: CPU = Zalman 9500 (no LEDs for me)
Northbridge = Zalman ZM-NBF47
RAM = OCZ OEM Reeper heat spreaders (with heatpipes)
GPU = Zalman VF-700
While in my Antec 900 the case was cooled by 4 Scythe S Flex 120mm fans (3 intake 1 exhaust) and the 900's "Big Boy" 200mm fan (and yes, the Big Boy fan will break the skin if you let it hit you at full speed)... while the case wasn't loud, I felt like it didn't cool nearly as well as you would expect.
So on with the build up....
I started with a very simple design of a shelf/tray to hold all of the components. I knew I would want it to be on sliders, so I could easily access the "guts" when I need to... and as a result, finally be able to play with some overclocking since the jumper will be MUCH easier to get to:
From there I started figuring out how and WHERE to fit everything:
I wanted plenty of space under the motherboard for cable routing and airflow on both sides:
The hardest part to figure out a home for proved to be the power supply.... it is big... and awkward. I also wanted to put it some where that I would be able to upgrade to a bigger one if needed (the big 1000w psu are deeper), so I finally decided to hang it from the bottom of the tray:
A 5inch L bracket proved to be the perfect size. You can also see the HDD and DVD drive rails (made from aluminum L shaped channel) in the above picture.
This morning, I finally mounted the sliding rails to the desk and slid the mostly completed computer into the desk:
(yes... grainy iPhone picture)
I still need to build the front/back to the drawer, add sound dampening, add sound deadening (no, they are not the same thing). I will post a couple of follow ups with additional pictures of it completed in the next week or so.
I will also be building a second sliding unit in the near future for my game server (and will likely be rebuilding the server too), so I will document that build as well...
To start my computer specs aren't impressive by today's standards, but it is just over two years old (I built it just before the ATI 4870 came out):
Mobo: Asus P5B-E
CPU: Intel E6600 (running at the stock 2.4ghz)
RAM: 4GB OCZ Reeper (800DDR2; 4-4-4-12) I have an additional 2GB of Patriot RAM waiting for an OS upgrade
Video: Gigabyte 3870 512MB
HDD: Western Digital 250GB SATA
PSU: OCZ StealthXTreme 600watt (I have a 700watt as a "stand by")
Cooling: CPU = Zalman 9500 (no LEDs for me)
Northbridge = Zalman ZM-NBF47
RAM = OCZ OEM Reeper heat spreaders (with heatpipes)
GPU = Zalman VF-700
While in my Antec 900 the case was cooled by 4 Scythe S Flex 120mm fans (3 intake 1 exhaust) and the 900's "Big Boy" 200mm fan (and yes, the Big Boy fan will break the skin if you let it hit you at full speed)... while the case wasn't loud, I felt like it didn't cool nearly as well as you would expect.
So on with the build up....
I started with a very simple design of a shelf/tray to hold all of the components. I knew I would want it to be on sliders, so I could easily access the "guts" when I need to... and as a result, finally be able to play with some overclocking since the jumper will be MUCH easier to get to:
From there I started figuring out how and WHERE to fit everything:
I wanted plenty of space under the motherboard for cable routing and airflow on both sides:
The hardest part to figure out a home for proved to be the power supply.... it is big... and awkward. I also wanted to put it some where that I would be able to upgrade to a bigger one if needed (the big 1000w psu are deeper), so I finally decided to hang it from the bottom of the tray:
A 5inch L bracket proved to be the perfect size. You can also see the HDD and DVD drive rails (made from aluminum L shaped channel) in the above picture.
This morning, I finally mounted the sliding rails to the desk and slid the mostly completed computer into the desk:
(yes... grainy iPhone picture)
I still need to build the front/back to the drawer, add sound dampening, add sound deadening (no, they are not the same thing). I will post a couple of follow ups with additional pictures of it completed in the next week or so.
I will also be building a second sliding unit in the near future for my game server (and will likely be rebuilding the server too), so I will document that build as well...
the new ones don't require you to mess with jumpers it stops the OC in the BIOS and makes you change it. Was a life saver for me when I tried to suicide with a 3ghz overstock OC lol.
