Dell Optiplex 790 build

[asand1]

I'm not sure if this should be here or in Build Logs, please move if I guessed wrong.

 

Last week I ordered this Dell Optlex 790 with an i7 2600, 8GB of DDR3, and 1TB HDD. 

 

Immediately after receiving it, I POST tested it and thankfully it worked. I replaced the 1TB HDD with a 750GB HDD I already had, and after changing the settings to AHCI, UEFI, and and manually typing the HDD name in, I was able to boot into Windows. I then used the included Win7 COA to activate Win10. The 8GB RAM was in the form of a 2x4GB pair, so I added two sticks of 2GB for a total of 12GB RAM.

 

[asand1]

 

I removed the CPU cooler and replaced the hardened Thermal Paste with Arctic MX-4.

 

[asand1]

I bought a used GTX 1080 from friend for my X58/Xeon machine, and will swap my GTX 960 into this Optiplex as soon as I have a proper PSU to power it.

[TheRandomness]

-Thread moved to Build Logs.

[asand1]

@TheRandomness Thank you.

 

I pulled 2 4GB sticks out of my X58/Xeon machine and put them in the Optiplex for 16GB in each. I will eventually purchase more RAM for the Optiplex, as I am just a little OCD and dont like empty DIMMs on the X58.

[kelvinhall05]

Nice! If you've read my description or seen some of my posts, you might know that I also have a sleeper rig in an old Dell chassis (although it's not nearly as powerful, and is in a Studio XPS 8100 case). I've got full specs in my signature, which is all correct except for the GPU which died on me, so I'm currently using a super shitty HD 8490 with a dying fan (so it sounds like a fly buzzing inside my case). Hopefully, I'm going to spend about $450 and get some speakers, a mousepad, a new mouse, a new headset, and most importantly, a 1050. I'll probably do this when I get back from Bratislava.

EDIT: I love sleepers. If I could have the same specs, temps, and noise levels in either a (nice looking) OEM case or a (for example) tempered glass, RGB case, I would pick the OEM case.

[asand1]

@kelvinhall05

Today I flashed the BIOS to fix the Intel/Dell AMT vulnerability.

 

Story here:

https://www.404techsupport.com/2017/05/08/dell-bios-updates-intel-amt-security-advisory/

 

White paper and BIOS versions for affected computers:

http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/extras/m/white_papers/20443914

[asand1]

I ordered a refurbished semi-modular Corsair CX550M PSU for $39 from Newegg, and purchased an HP 27SV Monitor locally for $160. I also ordered an SD card reader to put in the second 5.25 bay for my daughters photography.

 

[clickme.sh]

10 hours ago, asand1 said:

I ordered a refurbished semi-modular Corsair CX550M PSU for $39 from Newegg, and purchased an HP 27SV Monitor locally for $160. I also ordered an SD card reader to put in the second 5.25 bay for my daughters photography.

 

2

Awesome build

[asand1]

@Navneet Suresh

Thank you. I imagine with Ryzen coming out there should be similar corporate machines becoming available in India as well? I hear the used market there is abysmal.

[clickme.sh]

33 minutes ago, asand1 said:

@Navneet Suresh

Thank you. I imagine with Ryzen coming out there should be similar corporate machines becoming available in India as well? I hear the used market there is abysmal.

I don't know about other Indian states, but I am finding it extremely difficult to find any good used products in Chennai, TN ?  (CPU/GPU etc). 

[asand1]

The Corsair CX550M arrived this morning and I installed it along with the Gigabyte Windforce GTX 960 OC. Runs great and looks pretty good in that. I was able to play CSGO with no hiccups.

 

The PSU comes with a single PCIe cable that splits at the end terminating in two 6+2 plugs. The SATA power cable was long enough I could use a single cable.

[asand1]

Today I installed 2x4GB Team Elite 1066Mhz RAM, a 5.25" to 3.5" bay adapter and a 3.5" media card reader.

[asand1]

 

[asand1]

Playing CSGO the other night, my CPU temp creeped up north of 60c and the fans were making too much noise for my comfort level. This was no good so I disassembled the tower and started modding.

 

Looks like a good place for a fan.

 

This is in the way and will have to go.

 

That looks better.

 

[asand1]

Then I cut out the front of the tower and zip tied in a 140mm NZXT RF-FX142-NP that came stock on my Kraken X61.

 

Oh yeah, that'll do.

 

I had a small harness from a Dell server that had identical pin plugs on each end. These plugs were the same as the 5 pin PWM fan connectors on my motherboard, so I cut them in the middle and soldered the wires to make pins.

 

Next I inserted the 5 pin connector leads into the 4 pin header, transposing the #1 (tachometer) and the #3 (ground) leads to match the 4 pin PWM standard.

[asand1]

And one with the front bezel installed over the new fan.

[r3d3mpt10n]

I find builds like this interesting. Unfortunately the used market where I come from is full of scalpers, who have unrealistic expectations about what their stuff is worth...

[asand1]

After adding the 140mm fan, CPU temps didn't get any better. Now this could be because the the craptacular OEM cooler, or it could because i removed the cooler twice after changing the TIM, with subsequently replacing it. Now I could have forked out $30 or so for a Cryrog H7 or something similar under 145mm, but why would I do that when I had a perfectly good CM 212+ collecting dust. Let the hackery begin.

 

Hyper 212+ mounted

 

Preliminary cuts made.

 

Final cuts made to bring the front edge forward, and a touch of black satin

 

 

 

Temps are now hovering ~45-46c with CPUz stress testing.

[asand1]

After enabling fan overide in BIOS, and enabling Dell mode in Speedfan, I was able to configure Speedfan and get the fans running at 500 and 600RPM. PC is almost silent now. Even gaming they are whisper quiet.

[Exia 00]

Cool project! I did the same with a Dell Precision T1650 and moved it into a Bitfenix Phenom M case.

 

Look forward to seeing what else you do with this build.

[Forge]

Before you installed the front fan, how did you get rid of the HDD metal frame? Did you hammer it out?

[asand1]

Drilled the rivits I believe.

[Forge]

And since you removed the back fan, did you connect the front fan to the same 5-pin connector? I guess it's the only other that controls fans?

[asand1]

I believe you are correct, there are only the two headers.