Asus M3A AM2+ System "Swamp Thing" (56k Warning)

[Methious]

Yea after pulling the cover it's Top Power, got some mis information from the manufacturer. The company rep is new.

The 4 12v rails run 20 amp, when you use the Turbo slider they combine into one big rail with 56amp.

Here's the voltage rating panel


And a couple of shots of the PSU

[stev]

Methious.

That rear fan looks like the exact same make I have in my XClio case behind the ThermalTake Typhoon.

[skier]

i sure hope those LEDs don't start to annoy you like mine did

i dont know if you've seen this, but this IS the swamp/pond creature
I'm Old Greg!!!!!!

[Methious]

Naw the Leds don't bother me, the side of the ThermalTake Armor has a huge 250mm fan and is split into 3 smaller windows so I hardly even see the LEDs. Haven't put a CC kit in it because it's pretty well lit the way it is and those can become annoying.

It's probably the same fan Stev, it's a ThermalTake case.

[DMB2000uk]

Turbo slider? Is that an actual slide thing?

Old Greg! The Boosh Rocks!

Dan

[skier]

Old Greg! The Boosh Rocks!

Dan

Old greg has been floating around the local high schools here all year... then Why's it attached to your rod motha licka !!

[Methious]

Yea there's a turbo switch on the back in the form of a slide switch. Like the 115-230 selector on some PSU. Turbo gets you one combined rail, normal gets 4 low amperage rails.

[DMB2000uk]

Why would anyone want to not have it on turbo mode? Is there some kind of penalty for using it in 'turbo' mode for extended periods of time?

Dan

[Methious]

I've ran voltage tests on it over a 3 day period and there's no down side to staying on Turbo I can see. Comes default at Turbo, and when tested both ways voltages might vary .01% if that. I even put a lesser vidoe card in it and ran tests with the rails split and the voltages were stable at the wall and 24 pin connector. Really if I'd been resopnsible I'd just have defaulted it to Turbo and left out the switch.

[Methious]

Here's a couple of shots of a new USB JBOD One Touch Backup system made by Tagan It's an Icy Box external JBOD IB-3220. The drives for it will be in tomorrow if the tracking isn't wrong on them.

Front


Back


Accessories


Box

[kenc51]

Sweet!
I like my storage devices, but need the ethernet connection (NAS)
I've got a Zyxel 2 drive NAS which works nicely. (with 2x 1TB WD GP Drives)

I'm thinking if getting another NAS as well. (Can never have enough storage)
The Thecus N4100+ looks nice, as there's 4 bays and lots of mods for it (Linux based)
http://www.thecus.com/products_over.php ... 04cc90db0e

[Methious]

Seems my storage needs are rather modest in comparison to a lot. I usually keep about 320 Gig in the system in 2 160s some times raided in Raid 0, some times dual boot.

Probably going to put a third drive in it pretty soon and keep 2 raided, and one for Vista (again). Maybe it got better with SP1.

I'll get some info up when the drives get here on Friday. USB 2.0 isn't going to be blazing fast but as long as it does what it says it'll do I'll be happy.

[shplaine]

hey everyone. its been a while since ive messed with computers but ive finally freed myself from consoles for gaming. Ive spent the last few weeks putting a system together and ive been pretty nervous about it but reading these posts have made me feel a little better. ive ordered:
Asus m3a
athlon 64 x2 6000
2 gig kingston ddr2 800
xfx 8800gt alpha dog 512mb
now my only real purpose is to play games. can anyone let me know if this rig will do for latest games or will i need some overclocking. im a little scared since ive never overclocked. i got a few extra fans for my case and cpu but i have no idea what ill need. thanks for the help

[Methious]

You should be fine for gaming in most instances, with the exception of Crysis, which you'll be able to run like the rest of us acceptably. Not to worry no one can run Crysis really well it's the game and not the machine.

[Methious]

Some new toys coming for the rig

[Methious]

Here's the new Swag to lay around the Rig.

Piranah Gaming head set from Razer




Destructor Gaming Mouse Pad

[XstollieX]

I really dig the the results you have gotten with your system. I'm running virtually the same system except i have the alphadog extreme (640 core 950 mem stock), And g.skill memory pc 6400 2x2gb. How where you able to attach the waterblock to the nb. Im a bit new to oc'ing, so any advice you may have for me will be appreciated.

[Methious]

Swiftech makes a NB Water Block that might be easier to attach but, I took a Dremel and cut one of the legs off the Zalman, then just slightly ground into the base of it. With the leg removed and the notch no more than 1/32 inch in on the same side the leg was cut it's a snug fit but it'll go on with the hold down bar included with the Zalman.

I made a neoprene rubber ring of thin neoprene to keep the NB balanced just in case, then on the side I cut the leg from oriented that toward the capacitors next to the hold down loop. Tilt the hold down bar a little to snag that loop, fit the modified Zalman into the space between the two loops, then gently push down on the unsecured end until the hold down hook can snag the other loop.

If you go there, clean the chip and throw some thermal grease on it (very small amount), then be gentle when seating and removing the WB, there's no chip protector on the NB chip, and the loops you hook to can pull out. I removed and replaced mine 3 times no problem.

The trick to that is when you have the capacitor side hooked and the WB seated the way you want it is to put your finger on the capacitor side hold down bar, and use another finger to push the opposite side down until you can hook it. Reverse that process to remove it.

[XstollieX]

I went ahead and picked up the swiftech block for the nb. Looks like it will work well. Ill be able to use the existing wire hooks from the stock heatsink if i can get it loose. Hopefully i can convince the wife to let me purchase the rest of the stuff this weekend.

[Methious]

I know that feeling, I have an almost complete second water cooling setup, and a 775 water block on the way to complete it. My better half doesn't say much because almost all of the Tech stuff I get from doing computer work and selling and trading computers.

Some I get for reviewing. I just got a sweet 1100w Tagan Modular for review, but I'm a little backed up so I have to finish the stuff I have before I can tear into it and get it installed. Darn thing weighs like 14 pounds, but I swear it's got enough connectors and cables to furnish two computers. Then at 1100 watts probably supply both with power.