Project: It "USED" to be a bit tight :O

C

cerbrus2

Banned
Project Tight "used to be" Tight​


Ok so after asking around alot, watching some vids, searching google like mad. I have come to the conclusion that YES! the MB will fit in my scout case BUT! their are a few issues.

So whats the project then? well basiucaly it was time to stop being lazy and keep telling my self that the system will be fine for anougher year or two. And go and spank down some cash on a new system.

now when I built my current system a few years back. it was done cheaply.

The specs:

Gigabyte M52 boared

Novatech none branded Nvidia 9800gt

AMD Athlon X2 7750 black edition

2 gig of OCZ 800mhz ddr2

80gig IDE hdd

250gig Sata hdd

now the reason it has taken me so long to upgrade is because the damn system refuses to NOT play something. even crysis and metro 2033 on full settings it still puts out 30-45fps.

But its time i gave this system to my 6 year old and got a big boy computer for my self.

So the specs of the new machine.

Asus Maximus IV extream

intel i7 2600k ( first intel chip I have ever owned EVER! )

8-16 gig of corsair vengance 1600mhz ram

ASUS 6950 (with 6970 bios flash) OR 2X XFX 6870's in cross fire, still undisided here.

Novatech 1000watt powerstation PSU. (this has had great reviews and at £100 its on the bargain side)

2X 40gig OCZ SSD in raid 0

2X 500gig WD 500gig HDD in raid 0

Im hoping this should give me a nice boost in performance for my gaming and all round use.

The problem

My case. I love it and dont want to part with it. It is a CM storm scout case.

Problem I have is that the maximus is an oversize boared, however it will just fit. And the case needs a few mods in order to route cables ETC.

So first job. strip the case down to nothing and then start the dremmel up.

this is the scout when it is totaly naked.

SDC11665.jpg


SDC11666.jpg


As you can see from this next picture I have cut a hole in the drive may storage. this is for the MB powersupply to come through.

SDC11668.jpg


And also cut a hole at the top of the drive bay to allow the front panel connections to drop down through.

SDC11669.jpg


Now i just need to wait for my edings to arrive and clean it up a bit. and hopefully that should be it for cable management.

Anougher problem that has presented itself is if I dont cut away some of hdd enclosure, I will actualy block off 2 of the 8 sata ports. not realy a problem, but these 2 happen to be 2 of the 6gps connections. but without the boared here this will have to wait, till i can do a mockup of the boared in place.

Next issue, well its more of an annoyance realy. the large hole on the motherboared tray, is slightly off to the where the new intel 1155 cpu socket is. so the access to the back of the boared will be restricted, and means having to remove the MB in order to change a cooler. Not realy a problem but like i said an annoyance.

so any ideas and help is greatly appreciated along the way with the build. ie the spec i have chosen etc.
 
If you're taking a dremmel to the case anyway you could always make that opening a little bit bigger.

Anyways nice work so far, bonus is the cables will be hidden by the drive cages when you plug everything in.
 
Also might be an idea to get some of this edging to protect your cables from getting cut open on sharp edges.

Edging bead

With regards to the sata ports,as grizzly said the bonus is that they'll be hidden,but if you do find things a little to tight you can try some of the L shaped sata connectors,which might give you a little more play.

But from looking it should be fine.
 
Yeah I have just placed an order for a tone of shrink wrap, braiding and some edging.

I just cut down some 2mm carbon fibre sheet to slip into the HDD cadge, this will hide the HDD's and more importantly the birdsnest of wires that will undoubtably nest their.

SDC11670.jpg
 
that was the only drawback I saw in both the Sniper and Scout cases is that the cpu hole was off and small. But hell I love removing my mobo to change coolers
biggrin.gif
lol NOT as I have the Noctua NH D-14 I dont need to change it hehhehe.

But good job so far post more when ya get it there.
 
well not done anything to the case so far today as ive been at work. But needing to get my bum in gear, and go and get my compenents So i can get everything to fit in properly.

also i am a complete noob with this watercooling lark. I only want to coole the cpu with water. and their are lots of kits available to do it. But I need a 140mm radiator and all the kits come with doubles and triples. I already have a double sat in the cupboared and their is no way of fitting it, without cutting a huge hole in the top of the case. So deffinatly needing a kit with a 140mm rad.
 
Right i small update,

I decided that i would put a little custom touch to the Side window.

So I started by removing the window from the side panel. So easy with these little push fasteners.

SDC11682.jpg


Then grabbing my trusty dremel with a carbide engraving cutter. (how I managed to live without one of these is beyond me)

SDC11679.jpg


And then using CS2 i did my desighne and then flipped it so it would print backwards.

SDC11681.jpg


I used masking tape to stick the desighne to front side of the window. so that I could etch it from the back. And it turned out nice I think.

SDC11680.jpg


And then mounted into the side panel.

SDC11684.jpg


And then a few shots of it in the case. I tried to see if the red fan was bright enough to light it up, but unfortunatly it wasnt. so untill I get a couple of red cathodes. onto the sidepanel, It not going to stand out that much.

SDC11685.jpg


SDC11686.jpg


SDC11687.jpg


SDC11688.jpg


This is the first time I have ever tried engraving a window, and not being very artistic, was nervous of it. But it turned out ok I think.
 
Decided to take the day off work today, so i could actualy go and get the hardware for my PC, well some of it anyway.

MMMMMMMM silicone

SDC11689.jpg


2X 6870's should be plenty of power for a 24" screen. plus they came with Shogun total war 2 So I have 2 copies of that now lol

SDC11691.jpg


8gig of Corsair Vengence 1600mhz ram.

SDC11692.jpg


Novatech powerstation 1000watt psu

SDC11694.jpg


The PSU and the bag that carries your spare cables

SDC11695.jpg


SDC11696.jpg


The Maximus

SDC11697.jpg


SDC11698.jpg


Installing the i5 2500k

SDC11702.jpg


Cpu cooler and Ram installed. Using the stock cooler for a wile untill the watercooling setup i orderd turns up.

SDC11704.jpg


Squezzed into the case, and I do mean squezzed. their is less than 1mm between the MB and the lip of the drive cage.

SDC11705.jpg


MB powersupply coming through the makeshift hole I had to cut.

SDC11706.jpg


The graphics cards installed, thankfully they fitted in without hassle

SDC11708.jpg


ROG MB shield plate

SDC11707.jpg


back of the case

SDC11709.jpg


And how it is at present.

SDC11710.jpg


When the water cooling turns up i have atleast a days worth of work. doing the cable management, and re-braiding all the power wires.

I have 2 ssd on order, so cant wait to get them.

I did a quick install of windows to make sure everything is working ok. And Im extreamly impressed with the horsepower this thing has got. Loading times are so much faster install times are so much faster. Im going to give a fw games a go later on and see if this expencive upgrade was well worth it or not lol.

So still got lots and lots to do. But the main point is.

THE HUGE MB ACTUALY FITTED.

P.S

I have no sound at present, new drivers installed etc etc. All that comes up is the HDMI on the AMD cards. in my sound devices. So not sure what is happening with the onboared sound. I am about to have a play with the efi bios, And im hoping its somthing in their.
 
DAT STOCK COOLER

Build looks really good mate, would deffo like to see a few more pics when the water cooling is done.
 
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