Discussion Sandy Bridge Build Log

Hello, this is a thread I will update periodically, as this is an ever progressing build. Let me know if this in the wrong category, etc.

This build actually started when I ended up getting my hands on a computer from eBay and it had some parts I wanted.

I kept the following:

EVGA Fallout 4 Edition GTX970
16gb (2x8gb) Corsair Vengeance Red DDR3 2400mhz
Cooler Master 700w PSU
2tb Barracuda
Antec Three Hundred case with blue LED fans
I also got a 2500k+board+cooler+8gb ram bundle on eBay for $100.

I kept the GTX970 on a shelf as a cool display piece, but one evening the idea hit me, I should make a Windows XP computer out of it. I knew it would need modded drivers to work, but It is possible.

I previously had an XP LGA775 computer, but it was made out of OEM dell parts, lego case, just janky in general. I ended up killing the board and giving up. This would be a much better system.


Phase 1

i5 2500k @4.8ghz
Corsair A70 Cooler
Asus Z68 V LE
16gb (2x8gb) Corsair Vengeance Red DDR3 2400mhz
EVGA Fallout 4 Edition GTX970
2tb Barracuda
700w Cooler Master
Antec Three Hundred

View: https://imgur.com/sn1UIbs


I wasn't really happy with it, so I improved it.

Phase 2

For one the case was horrible to cable manage in. Additionally, the air cooler was blocking first 2 ram slots. The ram didn't match the color theme either.

I didn't trust that PSU given it was like 7 years old and I don't think it was a very good unit.
View: https://imgur.com/k4bpC68


I was looking on eBay one day and stumbled on a used Enermax Platimax 500w PSU for 30 bucks.
View: https://imgur.com/ISctmR3

Completely overkill for this PC, but it solved my problems. At this point the cable management in that case was so bad it made me mad, so I went and grabbed a NZXT H440 Blue case I had in my room of spare parts. It was sitting there since UPS smashed it up awhile back. Even still, it looked much better. I love my NZXT cases, although right now I cant speak much good for NZXT given the whole PR and H1 thing. I went ahead and moved some of the LED fans from the Antec case to the NZXT as well.

View: https://imgur.com/WZ7P7Ow


I tried and tried to paint the accents on the top of the ram, but mother nature was not allowing. Below freezing and snow are less than ideal for painting. Eventually I got access to a proper paint room, but after trying one coat I realized the paint can must have had some issues and was not spraying evenly. Likely clogged nozzle. I had to start over again. Eventually I got it done.

View: https://imgur.com/vgjK0fa


Ram went from this:
corsair-8-gb-2-x-4-gb-vengeance-pro-blackred-ddr3-2400-mhz-cl11.jpg

To this:
View: https://imgur.com/JNLuu8B

They do make blue vengeance pro, but 2400mhz DDR3 ram is 'spensive, so why not make use of what I have.


I also waited around and found a deal for just over $50 on a brand new Cooler Master ML240L RGB AIO. Price was after rebate, unfortunately. I would recommend this AIO. Very good for the money in every aspect. Looks great, decently quiet, and performs well.

View: https://imgur.com/2Gy07nl


View: https://imgur.com/INwXQpE

At this point, it looks very slick and way better than any other computer I own, including my Ryzen 5 3600 machine. In my opinion at least.
 
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I have some future plans for this pc:

  1. Overclock the CPU as far as possible. I have already been experimenting and can say this AIO is WAY better than the A70.
  2. Add SSD of some sort. Preferably Samsung because they are the best IMO.
  3. Swap the case for an un battered H440. I really like the H440 in general.
There is a small chance I may upgrade to 32gb ram and swap the board for a nicer Asus z68, and add a 2700k. I would like to get rid of my brown PCB motherboard. These are going to be in the distant future, if they happen at all.

The motherboard is 100% fine VRM wise, but the VRM looks puny.

Also, I had to format my HDD, so I am getting it re setup. It's a great test bench so far, but it also works well for XP.

Unfortunately I don't have any optical drives in this PC now due to the H440, so thats not great for XP usage.
 
Looks like a beast,and it sure is one. I love the falout backplate,i love the blue/black team,i love the ram,you've done a amazing job here man.Even the sata cable is blue xD
Habe you thought about getting blue/black psu sleeve extensions?
 
Really cool card. When I learned that backplate was factory I had to keep it.
Best Buy: EVGA Fallout 4 Edition NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 Graphics Card Black 04G-P4-3979-KF

I hadn't thought of getting extensions, but that would be cool. I honestly thought these cables were custom when the PSU came. They aren't, but they are really nice braided modular cables.

I kind of like this PSU more than my HX750i tbh.

More ram would look good. However, I did not record what exact paint I used on the current kit, and I threw the can away since it was spent by the time I finished painting. So the chances of matching the color are small.

I found another kit on eBay, but that kit is 2/3 of the cost of the entire PC that ram came out of.
Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) PC3-19200 DDR3 2400MHz CMY16GX3M2A2400C11R 843591045957 | eBay
 
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Really cool card. When I learned that backplate was factory I had to keep it.
Best Buy: EVGA Fallout 4 Edition NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 Graphics Card Black 04G-P4-3979-KF

I hadn't thought of getting extensions, but that would be cool. I honestly thought these cables were custom when the PSU came. They aren't, but they are really nice braided modular cables.

I kind of like this PSU more than my HX750i tbh.

More ram would look good. However, I did not record what exact paint I used on the current kit, and I threw the can away since it was spent by the time I finished painting. So the chances of matching the color are small.

I found another kit on eBay, but that kit is 2/3 of the cost of the entire PC that ram came out of.
Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) PC3-19200 DDR3 2400MHz CMY16GX3M2A2400C11R 843591045957 | eBay
115$ geez
 
I love those Platimax DF cables. Enermax did a great job offering those.
Honestly I love them. At first I was 100% certain that they were aftermarket cable mod cables or something until I did more research and realized they were factory.

Main complaint I have is that the wires do not stay together, since there is no sleeving to hold the wires together.
 
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Okay, so I have a BIG upgrade coming soon. You might even call it an overhaul.

Got a deal I couldn't pass up on, it will be shipped soon.

i7 2600k
Generic 120mm tower cooler
Asus Z68-V Deluxe Gen3
16gb Corsair Dominator 1333

I won't use the tower cooler, and the dominator will probably go into my x58 PC or something.

So I will keep the ML240L and the 16gb 2400mhz Corsair vengeance ram but with the new board and CPU.
 
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punkncat

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Neat thread.

I love getting old computers and hand me down parts back up and running again. My wife, well.....

I have (5) PC in 'working' order, (4) of them being used daily. ATM I have a (re) build going with my R7 1700 but need a base level graphics card better than the 210 I stole from the old Pentium 4 rig (which is technically 6).