Core 2 Extreme/Quad and GTX 260 Retro build

[iHardware Shelden]

Didn't originally plan to do a build log on this system but as I started to work on it things got dirty and I thought some of you might want to follow along  Here is what we are working with currently:

 

 

The plan was to originally just move this system into a Gigabyte 3DAurora I picked up recently and call it a day but I would like some input!

 

 

 

The current CPU is a Core 2 Extreme X6800, which is only a dual core. I also have a Core 2 Quad Q8300 I could throw in or do I go a different rout? 

 

Hopefully you follow along and if you have some ideas please let me know! At the end I hope we can install Windows Vista and have a pretty cool retro system. 

[iHardware Shelden]

Delicious, glad I pulled all the panels off. Had no idea there was a dust filter in the front panel. Not that it did a whole lot since the front fan also looks just as bad...

 

 

[aisle9]

If you're doing Vista, go with the Q8300. It's objectively a better CPU. If you change your mind and join the XP Nation, the Core 2 Extreme (which just sounds way cooler) is the better choice, because XP doesn't know wtf to do with four cores.

[iHardware Shelden]

1 minute ago, aisle9 said:

If you're doing Vista, go with the Q8300. It's objectively a better CPU. If you change your mind and join the XP Nation, the Core 2 Extreme (which just sounds way cooler) is the better choice, because XP doesn't know wtf to do with four cores.

Good point. That is my dilemma, the Core 2 Extreme is just cooler. I could put Windows XP and make a pretty killer XP system, the case even has a XP Pro key right next to an old Athlon X2 sticker so I guess we know what use to be in this case to begin with! Dual boot might be an option also 

 

[aisle9]

4 minutes ago, iHardware Shelden said:

Good point. That is my dilemma, the Core 2 Extreme is just cooler. I could put Windows XP and make a pretty killer XP system, the case even has a XP Pro key right next to an old Athlon X2 sticker so I guess we know what use to be in this case to begin with! Dual boot might be an option also 

 

[iHardware Shelden]

Gotta have a floppy drive, got lucky with it matching the CD/RW drive. The floppy drive even was manufactured within a few months of the case. Perfect!

 

Lots of disinfectant and compressed air later the front panel is much cleaner as well as the fan.

 

[iHardware Shelden]

Rear fans cleaned and installed as well as the ASUS motherboard. Now if I really wanted to do this right I would have done an all Gigabyte build with a good old blue LGA 775 board but here we are with a Gigabyte case, ASUS motherboard and EVGA GPU 

 

I am super lucky to have gotten the original fans with this case as the owner of it before had removed them since they didn't like the blue LEDs, he kept them and gave them to me when I got the case. Super cool and match the front one as well!

 

 

I am super proud of this cable management, the clip really helps! Also the IDE cable from an old Dell Optiplex

 

[AndreiArgeanu]

Windows XP is pretty useless when it comes to using more than 2 cores. I'd say you might prefer getting a wolfdale core 2 duo since they have a good performance uplift. Funily enough, the Q8300 is faster single core than your core 2 duo extreme. You may come ahead if you overclock the duo. An an E8400 provides a 20% performance upflight in single thread, it seems Intel had great ipc uplift around this time.

One of these core 2 duo's may be the best if you're actually interested in upgrading. Although the pentium may be worth avoiding if possible due to it's lower cache.

[iHardware Shelden]

23 minutes ago, AndreiArgeanu said:

Windows XP is pretty useless when it comes to using more than 2 cores. I'd say you might prefer getting a wolfdale core 2 duo since they have a good performance uplift. Funily enough, the Q8300 is faster single core than your core 2 duo extreme. You may come ahead if you overclock the duo. An an E8400 provides a 20% performance upflight in single thread, it seems Intel had great ipc uplift around this time.

-snip-

One of these core 2 duo's may be the best if you're actually interested in upgrading. Although the pentium may be worth avoiding if possible due to it's lower cache.

-snip-

That is a good point, I do have a 3.33ghz overclock on the Core 2 Extreme currently, I think I might push it a little more. Though I do have a bunch of 45nm Core 2 and Pentium Dual-Core chips.

 

Really the only good reason I would have to stick with the X6800 is purely the name

[iHardware Shelden]

Got the GTX 260 installed, that almost did not fit. I'm not even using the HDD cage since the case didn't come with the drive sleds. Luckily I have an open 3.5 under the floppy which actually looks much cleaner and made cable routing easy.

 

 

 

Speaking of the Hard drive, going era correct even on this since there is nothing important being installed or stored on here. Gotta have those authentic boot times and sounds!

 

[iHardware Shelden]

System has posted! Just need to get cable extensions to connect the rear fans and clean up some cables.

 

 

Going to start with Windows XP then hopefully try and get it to dual-boot with Windows Vista. Even added an RGB period correct RAM cooler!

 

Still can't decide what to do about the CPU, might just fork it and pick up a Core 2 Quad Extreme but they sure are pricy just for a name...  

[iHardware Shelden]

Happy Wednesday everyone, sorry for the lack of updates if you have been following along!

Few things that have been done:
-Connected Floppy drive, found a floppy cable and was able to get that connected and hopefully test soon

-Installed a DVD RW drive on the top bay and got it connected so I can install Vista from a DVD

 

I installed Windows XP but forgot to partition the drives correctly so going to start over and try Vista first and XP second on the secondary partition. It has been forever since I set up a dual boot Windows computer