Build Log – Corsair Obsidian 800D Liquid Cooled Dual Loop System

[texhex]

Fantastic looking build.

I noticed from your parts list that you set up your OS using two 150 Raptors in a RAID 0.

It's up to you, but that's a pretty risky way to go IMO.

Very nice build out on this machine. Congrats!

[Mr_Armageddon]

Fantastic looking build.

I noticed from your parts list that you set up your OS using two 150 Raptors in a RAID 0.

It's up to you, but that's a pretty risky way to go IMO.

Very nice build out on this machine. Congrats!

Its fine, I have been using a similar RAID0 setup going on 3 years now and have never had a problem with it. User Data, Program Installs, and Game images are all on separate Hard drives. I also have a backup image for the OS using Achronis. If anything ever did go wrong with the RAID, I would just replace the damaged drive and reinstall the image to be up and running again in less than 30 min.

RAID0 can be risky, but I have taken appropriate measures to safeguard my data. Plus the speed benefits of two Velociraptor drives in RAID0 outweigh the possibility of an error. Like I said, 3 years now using speedy Raptors and now even faster Velociraptors in RAID0, no problems to date.

[texhex]

You do know you just doomed yourself right? =)

J/K

Gratz again on the nice rig.

[shadow46x2]

just hack the os to allow you to do RAID5

--j

[SirKronan]

Its fine, I have been using a similar RAID0 setup going on 3 years now and have never had a problem with it. User Data, Program Installs, and Game images are all on separate Hard drives. I also have a backup image for the OS using Achronis. If anything ever did go wrong with the RAID, I would just replace the damaged drive and reinstall the image to be up and running again in less than 30 min.

RAID0 can be risky, but I have taken appropriate measures to safeguard my data. Plus the speed benefits of two Velociraptor drives in RAID0 outweigh the possibility of an error. Like I said, 3 years now using speedy Raptors and now even faster Velociraptors in RAID0, no problems to date.

I've been doing the same thing with my Western Digital black edition 640's. So far everything's been quite speedy and quite stable. All the important stuff is backed up on the server, just in case.

Although I need to quit being lame and do two things:

1. Install my real copy of Windows 7 Ultimate
2. Move all the innards into my new 800D that's been sitting here for weeks...

[Mr_Armageddon]

I am getting sick of waiting for the GT300 (Fermi) cards to at least get officially announced.

Hopefully by CES we will have a better idea of an actual release date so I can buy two EVGA 380GTX (or whatever they call them), get their waterblocks, and be able to finally finish my build.

[Mr_Armageddon]

My Scythe Kaze Server fan controller just died on me. Only 1 of the 4 fan controllers is working. Currently bypassing the controller and running all the fans at their max rpm, and I am not liking how loud it is. Temps are great though!
I'm gonna head to MicroCenter this weekend and swap the Kaze Server out for a new one.

On a different note... anyone else anxious to see some specs on the Nvidia Fermi cards, and maybe even a release date at CES?

[closetredneck]

On a different note... anyone else anxious to see some specs on the Nvidia Fermi cards, and maybe even a release date at CES?

This.

[shazza]

Sorry about your fan controller - was hoping the server model was more robust than the regular Kaze Master.

Yep - looking forward to seeing what might come out of CES.

[Mr_Armageddon]

Well, we at least know the card is real now. Check out the link below for more info:

NVIDIA Shows off GF100 at CES 2010



Looks like the single GPU variant uses a 6-pin and an 8-pin. They have it running the Haven DX11 Benchmark, but what I really want see is some 3DMark numbers or something similar.



Hopefully we can get more details at Nvidia's Editor's Day in Las Vegas right after CES 2010. Specs and benchmarks would be nice, along with a release date.

[Antioch]

I'm ready for the release dates, prices, and availability numbers. My new build hinges on these new cards - my 8800GTX is starting to show it's age

[SirKronan]

You know, x58 supports ATI cards too .... :P

[nlancaster]

You know, x58 supports ATI cards too .... :P

But does ATI support ATI cards?

Seriously more problems with drivers on ATI cards then on any other hardware in any computer I have ever built.

[Mr_Armageddon]

You know, x58 supports ATI cards too .... :P

No thanks. I have no problem using ATI graphics on my HTPC, but my main ring will run Nvidia graphics. I don't want my dedicated PhysX card to go to waste, and the GPU loop is GREEN. It would be wrong to use a green liquid loop with and ATI gpu setup.

[Wezly]

No thanks. I have no problem using ATI graphics on my HTPC, but my main ring will run Nvidia graphics. I don't want my dedicated PhysX card to go to waste, and the GPU loop is GREEN. It would be wrong to use a green liquid loop with and ATI gpu setup.

This is true. But it is hard to do on a Classified considering all the accents are RED....

Oh gasps, I just realized that I have a bunch of red primochill 1/2"

*breaks out the green paint*

[SirKronan]

No thanks. I have no problem using ATI graphics on my HTPC, but my main ring will run Nvidia graphics. I don't want my dedicated PhysX card to go to waste, and the GPU loop is GREEN. It would be wrong to use a green liquid loop with and ATI gpu setup.

You are such a fanboi....

As for ATI not supporting their cards .... It went through FOUR GTX 295's before I finally got one that works properly. Each time, the manufacturer's service was good, but they were also stumped as to what was happening. They honored their warranty very well, however, and each time they were able to verify that the hardware was indeed defective.

I am still proud to have it in my rig. And it took almost a year for ATI to come out with anything faster, so I'm not bashing nVidia, but I've built dozens of builds in just the last two years, many with ATI dedicated cards, nVidia dedicated cards, and various integrated solutions. Honestly, graphics have ALWAYS been the least of my worries, and continue to be that way. The only recent problem I've had with ATI was with a 4850 I sold to a friend, and it took about 30 seconds to employ the easy "fan speed fix" (something I've had to do with nVidia cards before in similar fashion). Perhaps my luck is just wonderful, but I have always felt like I've received excellent support and compatibility updates from both parties over the years. Sometimes proper updates have taken longer than I'd like, but neither party has ever disappointed noticeably more than the other.

Perhaps your ATI experience has not been as positive, but that doesn't mean that ATI never supports what they release. A blanket statement like that based on your experience alone is not representative of the whole situation.

You can find bashers on both sides, though.

This is true. But it is hard to do on a Classified considering all the accents are RED....

Oh gasps, I just realized that I have a bunch of red primochill 1/2"

*breaks out the green paint*

Lol.

[Mr_Armageddon]

Perhaps your ATI experience has not been as positive, but that doesn't mean that ATI never supports what they release. A blanket statement like that based on your experience alone is not representative of the whole situation.

Where in my post was I suggesting that ATI wasn't reliable or that they don't support what they release. You pulled that one out of the air....

[SirKronan]

Where in my post was I suggesting that ATI wasn't reliable or that they don't support what they release. You pulled that one out of the air....

Not you. "nlancaster".

[Mr_Armageddon]

Ok. I have been adding a few things here and there to my build, but have been really lazy about posting the updates. Nothing major, but updates none the less. For a full update and more pictures, head to post number #22

• New Intel X-25m 160GB SSD
• New EVGA USB 3.0 PCIe Card
• New XSPC Acrylic Dual 5.25in. Reservoir for Two Pumps
• New Scythe Kaze Master Pro 5.25" Fan Controller
• Added a few heat sinks to varoius "hot-spots" on the motherboard
• Added 4 Koolance QDCs (Quick Disconnects) to my loops. Makes draining and refilling a breeze.

Here is a preview of the new set up with the QDCs installed.



I just looks a bit cleaner, and as I stated before, its much easier to drain, clean, and refill now.



The next thing I want to do is finally get an SLI or Crossfire set up going. I have been "ready" to do it a few times now, but keep getting cold feet because of rumors of new hardware and such. I know that by playing that game, I will always be waiting for the next best thing, but I am for sure going to pull the trigger after these new 6000 series AMD (it still doesn't' seem right to call them AMD...) card are supposedly released in October.

I don't know if I will do an AMD Crossfire setup, depends on how the new cards perform. If nothing else they will bring down the price of the GTX 480
.

[ScottALot]

Usually T-lines put me off a bit... yours looks so natural and great together like that!

[Mr_Armageddon]

Patiently waiting for the EVGA GTX 580 Hydro Coppers to be back in stock in EVGA's online store. Getting two for SLI, and my i7-970 should be in next week as well. Finally going to finish my build.

[Saltire]

Impressive system.

Outstanding home office / study

[Rotaryloop]

I was kind of freaking out when I ran into the issue with the barb from the radiator sticking out into the top 5.25in bay. I thought I had planed so meticulously, and this kind of mistake really pissed me off. Luckily, the fix wasn't too bad, and ended up only being a minor delay. I was able to move the card reader from the 4th bay down, up to the top bay, and put the optical drive in its place. Problem solved.

Here you can see where the barb was in the way and how far it made the optical drive stick out. No bueno.

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Here is the fix by switching the card reader with the optical drive.

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Here is a shot of the tubing I used for this build. PrimoFlex Pro LRT UV Tubing -3/8in. ID


I used two of these reservoirs, one for each loop. XSPC 5.25in Drive Bay Reservoir, Black face. They come stock with a blue LED, so on one of them I had to remove the blue LED and solder in a green one. These make for easy filling. Just slide it out of the computer a bit and fill via the fill port on the top of the res.


Here is the guy that was giving me all the problems. The X-Flow design means that there is one port on each side of the radiator. That way you don't have to run tubing across the PC case. I though it would make for an easier install, but that proved not to be true because of the barb issue.
The fans are Cooler Master R4 120mm Blue LED Fan R4-L2R-20AC-GP. They push a lot of air, but can be a bit loud when maxed out. With the fan controller I have them at about 1,000RPM, and they are whisper quiet and still move plenty of air through the radiator. They do have blue LEDs but they are not very bright and give a soft blue glow to the inside of the case. I used 6-32 x 3/8" Socket Cap Head Screws to secure the fans to the radiator, and the radiator to the case.

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These are the fan extensions cables that plug into the Scynth Kaze Server Fan Controller. I used vinyl dye to get them jet black. You can see them plugged in along with some of the temperature monitor cables.

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For my liquid I went with PrimoChill PC-Ice non-conductive fluid. UV blue and UV green to match the colors of the tubing.

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That's all for now. I will have pics up of the completed system hopefully by tonight.

did PrimoChill ever stain your clog your system at all?

[Mr_Armageddon]

did PrimoChill ever stain your clog your system at all?

Overall I was pretty happy with the PrimoChill liquid, but after a while I did start to notice some build up. It wasn't anything major, more like the residue you get if you have hard water in a home. Nothing near the levels that would clog someting up, but enough to make me try something else. Now using Feser One, and so far so good after about 6 months.

Just ordered some more to change out the fluids when I add my 580s and new i7-970 to the build this week. I will let you know how it looks once I drain it.

[Mr_Armageddon]

Well I have Great news, good news, and bad news.

The Great news is that my Hydro Coppers came in today!!


The Good news is that I got a shipping notification that my Intel i7-970 is on its way...
The Bad news is that is is shipping from China and won't be here til Monday.

Looks like I won't be upgrading anything this weekend Hopefully I can do it Monday or Tuesday night. Depends on work, and how much time I can sneak away from the wife and kids.