The new home "server" from an old gaming rig!

[Blecter]

So I had the opportunity the other week to pick up an old desktop from my parents that I use to game on in my younger years. They were not using it, so why not bring it home and play with it?

 

Boy, how the memories have started flooding back. 

 

The system in question started life in 2006 as a P4 based machine, which I believe was clocked at 3.0GHz, with some nVidia 6800 video card and whatnot. Thought it was a great system (a local computer store built it as I didn't have any good experience back then), and over the years it did us well. The 6800 was defective, which showed real fast by playing Battlefield 2, so we ended up having it replaced with a Sapphire ATI Radeon X1900GT. The X1900GT worked well, but boy did she run hot. Ended up putting a Zalman air cooler on it as the single slot cooler sucked a big one. The card still ran hot, but much more manageable with the Zalman cooler.

 

Then the big one happened. The event that would change my computer building life forever.

 

Mom accidentally kicked over the tower while I was gaming. She was trying to swap over the laundry before the commercials on TV were over and kicked it while running past.

 

She'll never admit it though, only smirk when I mention it and deny any knowledge! Gotta love her.

 

The P4 gave up on life after the fall, so new parts were ordered and I was given the thumbs up to play inside the tower. The tower got the following new parts:

 

CPU: Intel Core2Duo E8400

Mobo: ASUS P5Q Pro

RAM: 4GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800MHz, 5-5-5-18

 

I retained the X1900GT/450w Antec PSU/etc from the original build. Used this build for a while, then the X1900GT was replaced by a Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4850. I don't remember when exactly or why. All I remember is picking Sapphire because the X1900GT had been Sapphire. Talk about not looking into other brands!

 

So that brings us to today. The current setup includes the following:

 

CPU: Intel Core2Duo E8400

Mobo: ASUS P5Q Pro

RAM: 4GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800MHz, 5-5-5-18

GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD4850 512mb

PSU: Antec 450w non-modular

HDD: Western Digital 640GB

Case: Some A-Open generic case

Other: LG DVD Drive and a FLOPPY DRIVE

 

Not too shabby for playing around with.

 

So what's the plan? Well, hardware-wise it is going to stay the same, however I will be adding the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo air cooler to it once my Swiftech H220-X arrives for my main rig, and I'm debating dropping one of my GTX 760's into it when I get my hands on a GTX 980 for the main rig. I'll be modding the case to improve the non-existent airflow (part of my problem with the X1900GT running hot), and painting it to make it more visually appealing. I've already been using this rig for a small Teamspeak server, and will throw some games like Minecraft on it for hosting small scale every now and them. May add more HDD's later for general storage as well.

 

Now to start with the pictures. As I got it (no cables or nothing):

 

 

The case is in good shape. Next I cracker her open and a purple monster popped out! A relic from the P4 that use to reside in there.

 

 

This might be a problem. Cables everywhere, and only one fan, set for intake, for airflow. Not good for heat dissipation.

 

 

I've never head of this brand of fans - anyone ever use them?

 

 

Dem cables I tell ya! After putting a modular PSU in my current rig I'll never go back to a non-modular one. And them IDE cables! Haha

 

 

The sophisticated looking HD4850:

 

 

Facepalm for cable management options...

 

 

Top: Intel C2D E8400 cooler. Bottom: Intel Core i5-4670k cooler. Not much has changed in 6 years.

 

 

Never again. After this goes back in the build that is:

 

 

Cheap case that has a removable HDD/floppy cage. Why doesn't my modern Corsair 330R have a removable cage?

 

 

She's naked:

 

 

I loved these stickers. Not any more.

 

 

And finally the core of the system:

 

 

And that's it for now. Got to decide that colours I'll be going with, then I'll pop into town tomorrow to pick them up. Thinking I should have most everything done by the end of the weekend, minus the 212 Evo/possible GTX 760.

 

Stay tuned for more!

[ELSknutson]

Its not worth It its too old let it die.

[Aniallation]

AFAIK Vantec makes HDD enclosures. That's all I've known them for. I have a NexStar 3 2.5" enclosure from them and it works, but I have no clue what their fans are like

[Blecter]

Its not worth It its too old let it die.

 

Where would the fun in that be?

[Spongy141]

Where would the fun in that be?

Don't listen to him, I turned one of my old rigs (similar to that one) into a server for minecraft and teamspeak, works just fine.

[NotSoEpicMods]

Its not worth It its too old let it die.

It's got a Core 2 Duo it's not that bad but yea I wouldn't invest any more than $20 into the project personally. Have fun with it OP!

[Blecter]

Got the case all chopped up the way I want and started priming. Need to pick up some more primer and paint later in the week to finish it off. My H220-X should be here by then too, so I'll be able to swap my 212 Evo over to this rig.

 

Fun little project. I loves me some time playing with my grinder/die grinder!

[flibberdipper]

Those fans are actually pretty decent. And I'm interested, so I'm following this!

[Blecter]

I rushed home from work today to install my new H220-X into my main computer today - and totally forgot to stop for some more primer and paint for the case! It's sitting about half primed. Gah! Must get the rest of what I need tomorrow. Thinking of going black on the silver trim with a more vibrant colour for the panels/case/etc. Gonna make my "final" decision tomorrow.

 

But for now here's a couple pics from today. Stripped the old thermal paste off the C2D E8400 with some brake cleaner, then threw on the CM Hyper 212 Evo that came off my main rig today. Looks beastly! Gonna have to see how far I can push that E8400 in terms of OC'ing. You know, for fun and stuff! Haha

 

 

[MattBoxer]

 

 

 

That's a bit overkill don't ya think? jk

[flibberdipper]

That's a bit overkill don't ya think? jk

When it comes to computers, nothing is overkill.

 

NOTHING.

[Blecter]

When it comes to computers, nothing is overkill.

 

NOTHING.

 

Haha truer words were never spoken!

 

Hit a few snags with the paint I've got (rattle-can Krylon! Haha) so I'm a little behind, but it's coming!