jedihobbit
Rated XXX
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 Posted: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:09:42 Post Subject: BluHaz reDux v2.0 Worklog |
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Currently I trying to work on three builds, two of which are “updates” with one more or less a “from scratch”. Two of these you may have already seen, DreamCatcher v2.0 and the newest Yoda’s SMN. However my first mATX attempt goes way back starting as simply BluHaz , then BluHaz reDuxand now BluHaz reDux v2.0. Now comes the “final” installment of the trilogy (hummmmmmmmm sounds like where my moniker comes from!)
Originally had planned on bringing DreamCatcher mobo/cpu assembly over to BHrDxv2 until had a fitting problem between the top fan and the hsf. Also starting thinking about heat issues as I would have an oc’ed Opty 170, oc’ed HD3870, and a Raptor in the build. So decided to make this the server and move the other stuff over to Yoda’s SMN build.
03/15/08
So we’re back to what we had along with the new stuff in Bold/Italics
CASE: akasa Blue Acrylic mATX
PSU: Enermax Liberty ELT400AWT 400W
MOBO: Biostar Tforce 6100-939
CPU: AMD A64 3700+ San Diego CCBWE 0549 WPMW
HSF: AMD Stock Opteron Cooler w/ Tt 80mm Smart Fan
GPU: On Board 6100
MEMORY: G.Skill F1-3200PHU2-1GBZX (2 x 512)
HDDs: Primary > WD740GB-00FLC0 Raptor
Secondary 1 > WD5000KS-00MNB0 400GB
Secondary 2 > WD5000KS-00MNB0 400GB
Before I continue there is something I need to clarify about BluHaz reDux, it is a “bling” case first and hardware second. Meaning if hardware has to be “compromised” to keep the aesthetics I’m after so be it.
As you can see I’ve really torn into it for trying to make things fit and look good.
 
First on the list was the PSU issue that I was working on earlier. Did all the taping and marking and fretting in preparing for the drill and cutting. Must of spent several hours laying everything out and was getting a little bit confused as to what was happening to the mounting hole location. Well DORH!! Had it taped on the inside but laying it out as if it were the outside. So off came the tape and I put it aside to think about it. Part of the issue is I really needed to see the PSU thru the acrylic, so………..
Laid the back plate on the PSU to position the holes and mark the cutout needed for the power switch and plug. It was good I decided to do it this way as I actually had to move the supply up a fraction to miss a tapped insert and allow for enough material between an old mounting hole and the new one. Turns out I lost one of the mounting holes on the bottom (figured that), but the case provides a standoff / rest that carries most of the weight.
So at 01:30 Saturday Morning I started the easy re-work…..
Didn’t bother with pictures as I was cutting, filing and drilling. Basically after I made the cutout I position the back and PSU to locate one hole. After that they were bolted together and “eyeballed” the other two hole locations. For the “wiggle room” factor I used the next largest drill bit over the original clearance holes. This part was actually fairly easy and came off without a hitch. For drilling I used a cordless that was low torque and it seemed to have no grab issues with the plastic. The first time I drilled some holes I used a standard electric drill, which grabbed and broke off a piece of acrylic where I was working. Luckily it was not in a “strategic” area!
Here is what it looks like “finished”
Before…….
After……..
If you look closely you’ll be able to see the cutout for the plug and switch…….
Now that this will be my “server” had to figure out where to put the other two HDDs as I’m leaving the 74GB Raptor “in place”. First and foremost the FDD had to go as one drive was to occupy that spot. I raise the Raptor’s location an inch so I wouldn't loose the fan controller as it moved up one slot. This required me to drill a couple of new mounting holes, which was no big deal. All the parts seemed to go into place without a hitch with the exception of a 5.25 bay 3 x fan / HDD cooler. This was left over from the aborted upgrade of the wife's original build called OZ1, and had decided to use it last week.
Course being a “bling” machine I couldn’t leave it as “out of the box”…….
  
The brackets that come with it was/is to be used to mount one of the HDD, but as I started mounting the HDD and fan bracket it became obvious it was meant for a deeper cage. However I think it's workable. So everything was in place, the two new HDDs, and repositioned fan controller and Raptor, then…………
Along about 04:00 it occurred to me to mount the side plate that holds the mobo to see if there would be any minor interference.
Then it was down hill……… with the hardware layout that took 3 hours to get in place, there was an issue. I had a choice of covering up one of two minor items on the mobo – my only two SATA ports or the CMOS jumper. Should have gone back and looked at the original worklog for BluHaz & remember why the first HDD and then the Raptor were canted. I think it was in the back of my mind that the Biostar layout was different enough from the Chaintech 7NIL-1 so it wouldn’t matter. Well I missed the IDE & FDD connectors unlike the 7NIL-1 but covered the other stuff. Also in flipping the PSU, the mobo power cables won't tuck away as nicely and may even get in the way of the other cable management. So much for engineering on the fly, you'd think I'd learn.
Lets see what was the reason to switch the builds again……… oh so I wouldn’t have to move the top fan and it would be an easy build I could finish in a day, that’s right.
By 05:30 think I may have re-engineered everything to fit, but it is all compromises (what’s new). Primary concern now is I will have two HDDs mounted at 45 degrees.
Eyes were heavy, too tired to think on it any more, and paint some HDD standoffs so off to bed for a short nap.
Late Afternoon 03/15/08 – Early Morning 03/16/08
Finally got the HDDs in place and started working on mounting the other hardware, etc. Here you can see the Raptor (Primary) at the top, a WD5000KS just below that, the fan controller, and under that is the second WD5000KS with the HDD 3 x fan cooler in front, and finally at the bottom is the Plextor 716A. The second picture shows where the first attempt to remount the Raptor occurred (empty hole) and then its final location.
 
One of my major concerns with the new HDDs was supporting the bottom one as I was only able to use the front holes in the mounting bracket. Then I tripped across two 3.5 acrylic bay covers I had, so……..
 
Had a delay in getting the Plextor optical drive mounted (slowed everything down for fitting). When I painted the drive I had to wait a week to put on the clear coat, and during that week the cover screws disappeared. It seems they are proprietary as nothing I had would fit. Eventually they “showed up” and was able to get it mounted. After getting the HDDs and drive bay stuff in place it was time to start getting BH rDx “put together”. With the added HDDs, a running led memory mod, and the new HDD cooler wiring layout became a major nightmare. The PSU cables are long and the lay out is kinda sorta wasted. When the Liberty series came out they were great as SATA drives were just starting to come along. So Enermax laid the cables out PSU plug > Molex > SATA > Molex > SATA, all in about 18”. Try hiding the extra crap in a SFF case! Anyway after much shoving and cramming everything seemed to be in place.
 
It is all there except for the e-SATA bracket and cable and the PCI SATA 2 port expansion card for the 2 WD 400GBs. Here is what it now looks like from the front and a closer look at the bays units.
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