cushy91

Hardware
CASE: XClio Nighthawk
PSU: Cooler Master GX 550W
MB: Asus M4A78LT-M
CPU: AMD Sempron 140 2.7GHz (Unlocked to a Athlon II X2 440  :))
HS: Stock AMD heatsink
RAM: 2GB DDR3 1333
CONTROLLER CARD: Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 SAS Card
PARITY DISK: Seagate 3TB ST3000DM001
HDD 1: 2x 2TB Western Digital WD20EARS
HDD 2: 1x 2TB Western Digital WD20EARX
HDD 3: 1x 2TB Seagate ST2000DL001
HDD 4: 2x 1.5TB Samsung HD154UI
HDD 5: 2x 1.5TB Western Digital WD15EADS
HDD6 : 1x 1TB Samsung HD103UI
CACHE: 1x 160GB Western Digital WD1600AAJS
 
 
Software and Configuration:
The box is running unRAID 5.0-beta14. Single parity disk protecting 9x array disks. Currently looking to downsize by replacing smaller disks with 3TB now that prices are starting to come down, just replaced the parity with a 3TB last weekend. Will need to wait until there are fewer moths in my wallet to continue though!
 
Usage:
Like most with these large arrays (if mine could be called that looking at Rudde's and Whaler's) I use it to hold all our movies and TV shows. It serves as the central point for these as well as being the central XBMC MySQL database for all the players/PCs in the house.
 
Backup:
No backup. Danger is my middle name  :lol: 
 
Additional info:
The box's name is Goliath to go along with David, my smaller 1TB CrashPlan and general PC backups server.
 
POWER CONSUMPTION:
Boot - 142W
All disks spun up - 135W
All disks spun down - 83W
Avg - 120W
1 disk spun up, 1080p MKV - 89W
 
 
Photos
 

 

 
Before a cable tidy

 
After some cable tidying this morning (quite tricky to do anything with those SFF-8087 cables)

 

Hardware
DEVICE: HP Proliant MicroServer N40L (off the shelf solution)
CPU: AMD Turion II Neo 1.5GHz
RAM: 2GB DDR3 1333 ECC
CONTROLLER CARD: Onboard 4-port SATA RAID controller (uses SFF-8087 connector to an internal backplane)
PARITY DISK: Seagate 1TB ST31000528AS
HDD 1: 1x 500GB Western Digital WD5000AAKS
HDD 2: 1x 500GB Seagate ST3500820AS
ADD-IN CARD: TBS 6981 Twin Tuner DVB-S2 Satellite TV Receiver
 
 
Software and Configuration:
The box is running unRAID 5.0-rc11. Single parity disk protecting 2x array disks. It's a basic box but does what I need it to.
 
Usage:
This box serves a few different functions. It is where all the PCs in the house backup to using CrashPlan, it holds all of the backups of install files for several different apps that I have, Clonezilla images of a few of the PCs in the house, it holds the archive of my old iTunes library (now in Google Music) before I moved to Spotify. Lastly it DVRs and serves up satellite TV to whomever connects to it via XBMC. 
 
Kept powered on 24/7. Uptime is currently sitting at 14 days after a dust clean out.
 
Backup:
CrashPlan+ 
 
Additional info:
This box is the baby of the 2 I have. Its name is David to go along with Goliath, my larger 18TB media server.
 
POWER CONSUMPTION:
Boot - 85W
All disks spun up - 56W
All disks spun down - 50W
Avg - 64W
1 disk spun up, 1GB network file transfer - 54W
 
 
Photos
 
 

 
Lockable

 
Compact little unit with all of the drive screws as well as tool stored in the door. Motherboard is removable too, using the 2x blue thumbscrews, for installing components.

 
Included coldswap drive sleds

 
Internal USB port that I use to boot the server.

 
The 2x coaxial inputs on the PCI-E satellite card

Hardware
CASE: XClio Nighthawk
PSU: Cooler Master GX 550W
MB: Asus M4A78LT-M
CPU: AMD Sempron 140 2.7GHz (Unlocked to a Athlon II X2 440  :))
HS: Stock AMD heatsink
RAM: 2GB DDR3 1333
CONTROLLER CARD: Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 SAS Card
PARITY DISK: Seagate 3TB ST3000DM001
HDD 1: 2x 2TB Western Digital WD20EARS
HDD 2: 1x 2TB Western Digital WD20EARX
HDD 3: 1x 2TB Seagate ST2000DL001
HDD 4: 2x 1.5TB Samsung HD154UI
HDD 5: 2x 1.5TB Western Digital WD15EADS
HDD6 : 1x 1TB Samsung HD103UI
CACHE: 1x 160GB Western Digital WD1600AAJS
 
 
Software and Configuration:
The box is running unRAID 5.0-beta14. Single parity disk protecting 9x array disks. Currently looking to downsize by replacing smaller disks with 3TB now that prices are starting to come down, just replaced the parity with a 3TB last weekend. Will need to wait until there are fewer moths in my wallet to continue though!
 
Usage:
Like most with these large arrays (if mine could be called that looking at Rudde's and Whaler's) I use it to hold all our movies and TV shows. It serves as the central point for these as well as being the central XBMC MySQL database for all the players/PCs in the house.
 
Backup:
No backup. Danger is my middle name  :lol: 
 
Additional info:
The box's name is Goliath to go along with David, my smaller 1TB CrashPlan and general PC backups server.
 
POWER CONSUMPTION:
Boot - 142W
All disks spun up - 135W
All disks spun down - 83W
Avg - 120W
1 disk spun up, 1080p MKV - 89W
 
 
Photos
 

 

 
Before a cable tidy

 
After some cable tidying this morning (quite tricky to do anything with those SFF-8087 cables)

 

Hardware
CASE: XClio Nighthawk
PSU: Cooler Master GX 550W
MB: Asus M4A78LT-M
CPU: AMD Sempron 140 2.7GHz (Unlocked to a Athlon II X2 440  :))
HS: Stock AMD heatsink
RAM: 2GB DDR3 1333
CONTROLLER CARD: Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 SAS Card
PARITY DISK: Seagate 3TB ST3000DM001
HDD 1: 2x 2TB Western Digital WD20EARS
HDD 2: 1x 2TB Western Digital WD20EARX
HDD 3: 1x 2TB Seagate ST2000DL001
HDD 4: 2x 1.5TB Samsung HD154UI
HDD 5: 2x 1.5TB Western Digital WD15EADS
HDD6 : 1x 1TB Samsung HD103UI
CACHE: 1x 160GB Western Digital WD1600AAJS
 
 
Software and Configuration:
The box is running unRAID 5.0-beta14. Single parity disk protecting 9x array disks. Currently looking to downsize by replacing smaller disks with 3TB now that prices are starting to come down, just replaced the parity with a 3TB last weekend. Will need to wait until there are fewer moths in my wallet to continue though!
 
Usage:
Like most with these large arrays (if mine could be called that looking at Rudde's and Whaler's) I use it to hold all our movies and TV shows. It serves as the central point for these as well as being the central XBMC MySQL database for all the players/PCs in the house.
 
Backup:
No backup. Danger is my middle name  :lol: 
 
Additional info:
The box's name is Goliath to go along with David, my smaller 1TB CrashPlan and general PC backups server.
 
POWER CONSUMPTION:
Boot - 142W
All disks spun up - 135W
All disks spun down - 83W
Avg - 120W
1 disk spun up, 1080p MKV - 89W
 
 
Photos
 

 

 
Before a cable tidy

 
After some cable tidying this morning (quite tricky to do anything with those SFF-8087 cables)

 

Hardware
CASE: XClio Nighthawk
PSU: Cooler Master GX 550W
MB: Asus M4A78LT-M
CPU: AMD Sempron 140 2.7GHz (Unlocked to a Athlon II X2 440  :))
HS: Stock AMD heatsink
RAM: 2GB DDR3 1333
CONTROLLER CARD: Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 SAS Card
PARITY DISK: Seagate 3TB ST3000DM001
HDD 1: 2x 2TB Western Digital WD20EARS
HDD 2: 1x 2TB Western Digital WD20EARX
HDD 3: 1x 2TB Seagate ST2000DL001
HDD 4: 2x 1.5TB Samsung HD154UI
HDD 5: 2x 1.5TB Western Digital WD15EADS
HDD6 : 1x 1TB Samsung HD103UI
CACHE: 1x 160GB Western Digital WD1600AAJS
 
 
Software and Configuration:
The box is running unRAID 5.0-beta14. Single parity disk protecting 9x array disks. Currently looking to downsize by replacing smaller disks with 3TB now that prices are starting to come down, just replaced the parity with a 3TB last weekend. Will need to wait until there are fewer moths in my wallet to continue though!
 
Usage:
Like most with these large arrays (if mine could be called that looking at Rudde's and Whaler's) I use it to hold all our movies and TV shows. It serves as the central point for these as well as being the central XBMC MySQL database for all the players/PCs in the house.
 
Backup:
No backup. Danger is my middle name  :lol: 
 
Additional info:
The box's name is Goliath to go along with David, my smaller 1TB CrashPlan and general PC backups server.
 
POWER CONSUMPTION:
Boot - 142W
All disks spun up - 135W
All disks spun down - 83W
Avg - 120W
1 disk spun up, 1080p MKV - 89W
 
 
Photos
 

 

 
Before a cable tidy

 
After some cable tidying this morning (quite tricky to do anything with those SFF-8087 cables)

 

Introduction:

I'm Adi, 28, rooting from Israel. Oh ye, we love the Tech Tips channel out here too ! :)

Like others, I'm a rather causal subscriber to the channel, I've been following it about 2 years after it's initiation and learned a lot from it. Linus has that spot on attitude for videos that are fun and easy to watch. :)

This project started back in October 2012, but I went through a Long-a$$ learning curve. I've never done such project before, but I looked at other people's work and knew what I want my project to look like. So I aimed high, but my skills are rather low-mediocre at best. Also, part of the learning curve was learning (and still learning) hardware and what stuff exactly to get... it's tough when you have such huge variety of pc parts, AND it's even harder when most of the project has to base on parts imported from over-seas (shippings costs, customs, delays, oos, etc'). So far though, I believe I've done it right with perhaps minimal mistakes. So far. ;)

* This log is also posted on various other forums, content may differ a little. My nickname is the same on all forums so you can look them up if you want. :)
** Some pictures may not depict colors as they are in real life. Well obviously, but my camera is extra crappy and has a broken screen display so I can't really see what I'm shooting.

Here's the official spec planned:

Board - MSI Z77 Mpower (former board was GB z68x-ud3h)
Cpu - i5 2500k
Gpu - Evga GTX 670 ftw (SLI planned once I hunt down another ftw).
Ram - 16gb G.skill Sniper 1866 CL9
Psu - Seasonic X-560 (this beast can carry a 2500k and two 670 ftws! prolly not the best idea, but for a fact, it can)
Case - Fractal Design Define R4 (well, obviously lol)

Water cooling equipment:

Pump - Swiftech 655 -B D5 w/Bitspower modkit in matte black.
Radiator - Black Ice GTS (2nd gen) 360mm
Tubing - Nickle plated copper tubings in conjunction with Bitspower Multi-link adapters
Coolant - Ice Dragon Nano Fluid
Cpu Block - EK Supreme LTx (nickle and plexi edition) or XSPC Raystorm
Gpu block - EK FC-680 (old style, also nickle and plexi edition, this one is from the last 2012 batch in October)
VRM & Chipset blocks - Liquid Extasy (should be here by April)
Res - Bitspower multi-z upgrade kit for D5 (also have 80 and 250mm versions)

Sleeving:

MDPC: Orange, Shade, Black, Aqua Blue MKII, White
Techflex Clean cut: Black & Grey (only colors available)

* The first post is gonna get updated from time to time so be sure to check it out for some new info.

Lets go:

Taken apart anything that won't be used, hdd/od cages & gromits.



My first interaction with sleeving was cleancut so I used that for the first sleeving tasks:

Black & grey cleancuts:



- mdpc yellow -



- mdpc b-magic -



Sleeved the front panel with clean cut:



Quick test assembled:



Gonna give the usb 3 wiring a special treatment which I like to call the "mdpc treatment", more on that later. :)

Sleeved some sata cables, some for practice and some for using in the actual build:



In black (mdpc):



And as an extra practice, these two short satas:



Sleeved one of my fans:



And various other fans:







Painting the i/o shield white is a must (all pci brackets are white):

Prepping:



Quick assembly review:



Got an acrylic piece that will cover the perforated floor of the R4:



Cut into size:



New board:





New ram:



Close up:



The stickerless G.skill Snipers:



Yellow covers removed and heatsinks cleaned from sticky residue:



IO area cleaned from stickers:



Assembled:



Close up:



A'right, water cooling parts started to arrive:

Black Ice GTS 280... it's nice and everything but gonna need a replacement since it's slightly defected. Edit: Black Ice were kinda enough to ship a new radiator to me, a GTS 360 and as a bonus another 120mm radiator + free shipping with Fedex. Brilliant customer service in my book.



The new radiator:



With eLoops attached:



First attempt at making an adapter plate for the radiator:







First attempt went ok, but not good enough. I will use my first attempt to make a new piece, this time using the first adapter as stencil and duplicating it (minus the defects) using my Router.



Good old' XSPC Raystorm:



Unboxed:



Another block I got off ebay, it's an EK Ltx Nickle/Plexi edition:



Arrived a bit dirty so cleaned it up:



Also had to get a proper backplate for it:



"Old style" FC-680:



I also plan on getting this set of blocks for the motherboard. It was just released by a German brand called "Liquid Extasy". It's not a popular brand, but it looks serious. Their shop is a bit weird as you have to wire-transfer your payment (no Paypal option atm). Anyway, it should be in stock around April so it may get added after the build is completed:



Bitspower multi-link adapters, some new sleeving (Mdpc orange):





Rest of the colors:



Close up (the blue is way way off, I promise better pictures later on):



First attempt at uni-sleeving:



Swiftech "uber" 655, -B model with BP modkit & v2 top:



BP 80mm multi-z res (tube only):



Complete res, 250mm



I also got the upgrade kit so I'm covered in both tube size (I've got 80, 150 and 250) and both variations, either attached to the pump top or separated because all parts are interchangeable! :)

Close up:



BP res brackets for 140mm radiators:



Unboxed:



Close up shot:



Lian Li case feet (also got the wheels, not sure which I'm going to use yet):


 
// Updates from May-June 2013
 
Psu cables wip pics: