Advice required with build

[Bernard981]

Hey guys following a video I saw on YouTube where a gaming rig was built out of old server parts I decided to give it a go myself 

 

first the game, 7 days to die

this rig is pretty much a gaming/ dedi server set up, last I heard a laptop has enough power to run this game in a dedi server mode with 8 online players.

 

so out of a dellt7400 I set on to build my rig 

 

specs.

mobo: dell t7400 

cpus: 2X intel x5472 quad 3ghz 1600mhz fsb 

ram: dell ram riser 16slot expansion (need to check brand) 16X 8gb 667mhz

(total 128gb) ddr2 ecc fb-dimm 

ssd: kingston 60gb

bios: flashed to dells newest version 

GPU: asus GTX 1050TI strix 

cooling: water cooled with 3x 120mm rads with 2x corsair and 1x oem fan with a pwm fan expansion permanently connected to it it’s all in a single loop arranged, pump, rad, cpu, rad, cpu, rad, second resivour and back to pump

case: custom made but nothing fancy about it 

 

had to install oem fan on the cpu fan connector due to corsair causing all system fans to run flat out because the system thought there was a fan failure, however Corsair in any other fan slot causes no issues weird I know also required custom fan extension cables that I could swap out the plugs on for something thinner which I could also cut down to make fit the dell proprietary slots 

 

What I need to know 

1. is my system on the correct track, game runs fine but as a dedi server role its use as a gaming rig will be short lived untill I save for a dell Alienware 17

 

2. I have seen a damaged zotac gtx 1080ti going cheap thus far and I am confident in making repairs to it I just need scematics for component identification and replacement if anyone knows where I can find such data and would it be worth replaceing my gtx1050 for the repaired gtx1080? 

 

3. Hdd recommendations that are cheap, I was thinking WD blues in raid 0 and a raid 1 setup 

 

4. Would a re-arrangement of my plumbing into parallels help with thermals? 

I.e (if this makes sense) pump, rad, splitter 1-2, cpu rad cpu rad, splitter 2-1, second resivour, pump 

 

5. Bottle neck 

How am I best to test for bottle necks? 

 

6. Overclocking 

would it be worth it? 

with dells locked clocks I heard a way that by insulateing two cpu pins will make the mobo think a 1600 MHz fsb cpu is installed so installation of a fsb 1333mhz will lead to an overclock? 

 

 

[brob]

1. Don't really understand what you are asking. Nothing inherently wrong about using server hardware to run games. Its all just software to the system.
2.  Board schematics tend to be protected IP.
3. Seagate Barracuda tend to be a bit less expensive than WD Blue. Often Toshiba drives are competitive. But if you plan to put drives in an array I'd suggest spending a bit more to get drives designed for that use. WD Red, Seagate Ironwolf, or HGST Deskstar NAS.
4. This question is better asked in Liquid and Exotic Cooling.
5. Play. Game performance pretty much lays it out.
6. Unlikely.

[Bernard981]

Thanks for the advice 

 

the system is running windows 10 and I’ll re ask my cooling question in cooling thanks 

 

is there any suggestions on free maintenance software I can use to keep it running at peak performance? 

 

As for the 1080 gpu I have seen what’s your best advice?

 

thanks

bernie 

[brob]

There really sin't much to do vis-a-vis maintenance. Windows 10 does a decent job of keeping resources optimized. About all one needs to do is periodically clean up storage - remove temporary and unused files, etc.

 

Dell may have software for the motherboard that allows for setting fan profiles. Otherwise the BIOS may have some fan control.

[Bernard981]

I heard dell keeps their bios tightly locked down to user adjustments, is that true? 

 

Also done a bench mark of my system on valley benchmark 

cpu sat at 20-30% periodically spiking to 40% (over both cpu) sitting at a cool 50-55c photo below of bench mark with the ugly unfinished cased pc below lol