[Project]: SR-2 Build (No name yet)

[JTF195]

Taking the stock cooler off was simple, but it was a pain in the ass to cut and align all the TIM pads for all the little chips on the board. And after I had the cooler on the board, I had a little bit of trouble getting the screws to go into the standoffs straight, but with a little concentration, I got it done, and overall it wasn't too bad.

[JTF195]

I shipped the res back to P-PCs today, nothing really new other than that.


I also just wanna throw out the beacon that I'm looking for a Koolance PSU-1300ATX-12N: http://www.koolance.com/product_arch...product_id=665

Unfortunately, the PSU-1300ATX-12N has been discontinued since last year, so I have no idea where to even begin looking for one.


If anyone has one, or knows where I might be able to find one, I'd love to know.

[paulbagz]

Subbed.

Very jealous, have always wanted to do an SR-2 build

Can't wait to see how it turns out.

-PB

[JTF195]

So, I decided to plug everything in and do a really really short bootup without any active cooling - just long enough to check if it would POST and get into the BIOS. I'm pretty glad I did, because my graphics card failed. Luckily, I had a pretty good idea what I had done wrong. I figured I'd probably put the internal SLi bridges on backwards, the same mistake I made when I installed the first waterblock.
So I tore the damn thing back apart, and sure enough, I had the bridges plugged in to the wrong sides, and let me just say, getting the DVI ports into the slots on the PCI bracket, while simultaneously keeping the SLi bridges connected is SUCH a pain.
So I finally got everything back together, plugged it all in, booted up, loaded up the BIOS, and promptly shut down before the CPUs reached 60C


On another note, I've had all the fittings off for a couple days, and I cut out all the green o-rings that came with them, and I'm going to buy a bunch of red ones, just because.
But I'm debating the idea of buying a whole bunch of rotary angle fittings, and go with the "rigid lines" style, as opposed to the "curvy loops" style.

[theseeker]

So, I decided to plug everything in and do a really really short bootup without any active cooling - just long enough to check if it would POST and get into the BIOS. I'm pretty glad I did, because my graphics card failed. Luckily, I had a pretty good idea what I had done wrong. I figured I'd probably put the internal SLi bridges on backwards, the same mistake I made when I installed the first waterblock.
So I tore the damn thing back apart, and sure enough, I had the bridges plugged in to the wrong sides, and let me just say, getting the DVI ports into the slots on the PCI bracket, while simultaneously keeping the SLi bridges connected is SUCH a pain.
So I finally got everything back together, plugged it all in, booted up, loaded up the BIOS, and promptly shut down before the CPUs reached 60C


On another note, I've had all the fittings off for a couple days, and I cut out all the green o-rings that came with them, and I'm going to buy a bunch of red ones, just because.
But I'm debating the idea of buying a whole bunch of rotary angle fittings, and go with the "rigid lines" style, as opposed to the "curvy loops" style.

I am looking forward to your results and thoughts, regarding the SR-2.

Great build!

[JTF195]

So I got impatient and slapped together a really basic loop, just to get the rig up and running


Been overclocking all day, Trying to get to a 200 bclk.

[theseeker]

What is your overall impression with the SR-2?

[JTF195]

What is your overall impression with the SR-2?

It's pretty awesome so far.

I just wish the rest of the hardware was better

[theseeker]

It's pretty awesome so far.

I just wish the rest of the hardware was better

Which hardware in particular?

I have the R3E with a 990x, and it looks good on air. However, I have only used it for about 45 minutes.

I am trying to convince myself to buy the SR-2 and then I get confused regarding the CPU's. The W3680's look great and the X5600's make my head swim. WTF, to do?

[JTF195]

Compare:

990X: http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=52585
W3690: http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=52586
X5690: http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=52576

The only difference between them, besides name and price, is the number of QPI links they have.

Unfortunately, that's the difference between the processor you can use in the SR-2, and the ones you can't.

You have to use a processor that has 2 QPI links, and there's a couple reasons for that.

In order to use two processors, they have to communicate with the QPI bus as usual, but they also have to communicate directly with each other. But even if you don't want to use two, (or you just don't want to lay out the money for the 5500/5600s) the orientation of the QPI links on the dual socket boards is reversed, and the first QPI link is actually the one that links the two processors together, so if you use a processor that one has one link, it can't even communicate with the board, rendering it useless.

The other major factor is that Xeons don't have unlocked multipliers, so all the overclocking is done with the bclk, and the higher end processors with bigger multipliers will OC a lot higher, because the bclk can only go so high (180-200 usually)

Hope that helps

[JTF195]

Which hardware in particular?

I only have two sticks of 1600MHz C8 dual channel RAM, I don't have an SSD, my graphics cards don't support DX11 (though they are otherwise quite powerful), and my PSU is only 1100w.

Even the CPUs could be better, though for the price, I'm not complaining.

[JTF195]

I can't get 200 bclk stable, so I'm trying 190 right now. Running a 24 hour stability test on LinX. 2.5 hours in with no errors so far.

[=[PULSAR]=]

Yea its a bclk issue tried getting mine stable for WCG and 195ish was the sweet spot, cooling and voltages weren't an issue just max it would go on water. Think it was (22x196) I'll take 4.3Ghz on 12 physical cores

[JTF195]

What were your voltages?

[=[PULSAR]=]

Its not up and running right now still waiting on enermax magmas I ordered a month ago, but I believe it was 1.375-1.4vcore and 1.325-1.3VTT on X5670s.

[JTF195]

Ok, I might be able to lower some of my voltages then.

I was using this as a reference: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/mot...-sr-2-review/4

[JTF195]

Got my CPUs OC'd stable for 24 hours.

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=1788950

[JTF195]

Got some new stuff, it's all starting to come together.

My new reservoir, the updated version that'll work with the 1/2" ID 3/4" OD fittings:

24Gb of Corsair Dominator GT - 2000MHz (If I can break through the 200 bclk wall)

Some nice UV red Bitspower fan grills:

RAM installed, looking sexy:

Fans installed too, just for kicks, only until I get the EK waterblocks I'm gonna stick on them:


The build is really shaping up, but I keep letting more parts sneak into the equation. I have a 240Gb Vertex 3 Max IOPS Edition on the way

[NKrader]

wow.. you just spent more on this build than i have made in my entire life..

/facepalm


so amazing. im quite speechless

[Utnorris]

That looks so sweet! Wish I could go SR-2, but this time around I will have to stick with a single chip. Keep posting updates, loving this build.