Serener GS-L01 Fanless Mini-ITX Case

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sat, 06 Aug 2005 08:21:35 Post Subject:

It is definitely best to be cautious, and it sounds like you need to be!

There are definitely better brands of thermal paste on the market, that many people swear by. I am using that fairly generic stuff in mine, but if you want to spend some more $, look for Arctic Silver.

As far as the metal bolts... mine are just from Home Depot. I don't recall the size, as they were just laying around from another project, but perhpas take the plastic pin with you to size it up when you're shopping. Also make sure you have some paper motherboard washers to isolate them from the bottom of the board.

Not sure what else you can do... That is a warm room temperature, but sounds like you have to deal with that!

vanaalten · Posted: Sat, 06 Aug 2005 12:07:48 Post Subject: Re: Running too hot!!!

rinnan · Rated PG Joined: 06 Aug 2005 Posts: 3

Thank you everyone for your help. At this point I'm at a loss. I did everything exactly as in the instruction manual. I simply don't see the ambient temperature as being that big of a problem -- after all it's only 5 or so degrees higher than normal room temperature. I got all the readings from the BIOS -- I don't have a optical drive yet so can't boot it and install anything yet.

I'm going to try to order some Artic Silver and apply that and see if that doesn't make a difference.

E

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sun, 07 Aug 2005 18:24:57 Post Subject:

According to Logic Supply, there are variations in height during assembly of these boards. As I suggested in the review, the chipset and CPU should have separate coolers to make installation easier and more reliable.

Perhaps your height difference is a factor. I know mine isn't making the best contact possible, but the steel bolts have helped that through brute force alone.

Also... do you guys have modern BIOSes on your boards? My M10000 is up to date, and sadly VIA has decided to drop the temperature monitoring from the BIOS now. Other features (like functional VGA) made the BIOS update necessary, but I do miss the temp display.

For a secondary means of monitoring the heat... look for a download called Speed Fan. I like it, and it seems more reliable than Motherboard Monitor which doesn't work well with these boards.

rinnan · Rated PG Joined: 06 Aug 2005 Posts: 3

Something I read suggests sanding the heat pipe until the contact surface is smooth. I noticed that it's quite rough, maybe that's it? As for height of the components, that seemed to be a good fit on the M12000. I guess another factor might be that it IS an MII12000, which I suppose might take more juice than an M10000, don't know.

Tomorrow I'm going to work on all of this, when our local electronics supply store opens. Arctic Silver 3, or whatever's best. Also going to look at disk-on-chips, so I can put on LinuxBIOS.

Eventually these are going into products for customers so I don't want it to look like it's a computer booting! Smile

Squonk · Posted: Tue, 09 Aug 2005 09:23:16 Post Subject:

I am living in France, and Logic Supply does not ship international Sad

However, I found it at Picco.

Unfortunately, they provide no manual with it Bang Head

Would you please send me (or post here) the LogicSupply PDF manual you are speaking about in the review?

Thanks,

Michel

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Tue, 09 Aug 2005 09:30:08 Post Subject:

I thought I had linked to it in the review... Oops. I will get a copy up later today. I will also ask if they have an updated version, as I had some suggestions for them and I know they were considering it anyway.

Thanks.

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sun, 21 Aug 2005 13:49:37 Post Subject:

I forgot to follow up on this until now... Logic Supply asked that I not share the PDF manual... The case is sold OEM style to them from the manufacturer, and they put a good deal of value added effort into the package they sell... including the manual. I am unsure if anyone else selling these do such a thing, and it would be unfair to give away what LS has worked hard to make.

But, if people need help with specific issues, please feel free to post and I'll do what I can.

In addition... I also asked them about the "no 80 wire IDE ribbon" warning and the drives showing as ATA-33. The PCB that hard wires the drives in does have 40 wires, but given the extremely short distance and gauge of the traces, it is possible for the drives to operate at full spec, despite what the BIOS reports. I would tend to believe this, based on the benchmark results I posted previously. My ATA-100 drive is performing at or above ATA-100 specs based on SiSoft Sandra.

snowdog · Rated PG Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 1

I justed installed a VIA M700-10E into this case. Required removal of the drive I/O board, SATA power adapter for the DVD and hard drive. Works fine but clearance with the memory stick was minimal due to the optical drive cables. It is faster than the older boards the case is designed around and the board is a dedicated fan-less one so you might even get away without installing the heat pipe but I recommend using it anyway.

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:10:29 Post Subject:

Hi - So, can you use drives OK anyway? I suppose with more tradition cables?

As for memory... Maybe a low profile module would help? Kingston (and others) have some that are half height that are great for small form factor.