cases?

[kwshipman]

Here is my recomendation. It should fit that board too. Sorry but it does have a window.:shrug:

[stephen2002]

I think I'll be going with this:

http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=140108

430W PSU + 3 case fans included

Will this work for a Dual-XEON system? The specs look right but does the xeon chip require a special PSU like the P4 does? This PSU is listed as P4 compliant.

[Lukashi]

stephen thats the case i have :), i recommend it :)

[Valkyrien]

almost the same as mine. Same basic design, so i can recommend it!;)

[raz-0]

the layout internally for that case is similar to their older design, EATX is going to be tight. Be prepared to curse a lot. But under $300 you don't have much in the way of options for EATX.

It also wont have the mounting holes for a dual xeon, hopefully you are checking out your intended motherboard layout in comparison to the inside of the case. Memory can squeeze under the drive bays (depending), but a cpu with heatsink wont.

Many of the dual xeon boards require an EPS12V PSU. Antec makes one with the right connectors, but I don't know if that is what ships in it. (my guess is no as the 430W truepower listed elsewhere appears to only have the 20pin ATX connector). Check your motherboard requirements.

[secretasianman]

i would go with the atx server case he pictured.
i love that case.
you can get it with or without the psu.
hell get the one that has the water cool kit in it.

[MattClary]

I have a similar Chieftec. Very good cases.

[dvornik]

Here (http://www.emscomputing.com/ProductInfo.asp?guidSession={20089ABA-E76B-4D41-8DA0-817B1748C6B5}&guidProduct={6F7803C6-86DE-4B6F-8A8E-C5A485035AB2}) 's the same one with free shipping for $131. Staples also has deals on them from time to time.

[rouslan]

If your mobo is EATX (extended form factor), make sure the case can accomodate it. Also a lot of Dual Xeon boards require EPS12V power supplies. These are NOT common, and almost all cases come with regular 20 pin ATX PSUs, not EPS12V 24 pin. Make sure you've got these two items covered before you buy a case, especially with a PSU.

[MattClary]

Go to http://www.newegg.com You can find these much cheaper there.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=7&manufactory=1516&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1



http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=7&manufactory=1502&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1

[kwshipman]

BAH!!!!!!!! where is my link, oh well, you all have already posted the same case anyways. I was trying to link to the same ones that mattclary did.

[stephen2002]

Thanks for all of the recomendataions. I'm starting to think I should save myself the trouble and get a pre-built system.

Anyway, I was thinking of this motherboard, which is ATX:
http://www.supermicro.com/PRODUCT/MotherBoards/E7505/X5DAL-G.htm

Or this, which is the EATX:
http://www.supermicro.com/PRODUCT/MotherBoards/E7505/X5DAE.htm

The 2nd is prefered, the 1st dosn't have enough PCI slots. I plan on a dial-up modem, wireless card, TV tuner, and IEEE 1394 cards in the PCI.


I suppose, would somebody care to recomend a good dual-xeon motherboard? I'm kinda lost on that one too. I can't find the power pin specs, both of them say:

"To ensure system stability, a 400W (minimum) ATX12V power supply (besides the 24 pins, both 4-pin and 8-pin +12v power connector) is required."

Thanks again!

[raz-0]

OK, I have the X5DAL-G. It will fit in the chieftec style case just fine.

The x5DAE is going to be a pain at best and will come down to routing cables, and how your ram is configured is my guess.

They BOTH need an EPS12V power supply. The vantec stealth PSUs have all the right connecters, plus an adapter to use it on 20pin atx connectors as well. They are nice quiet power supplies. The 520w one is what I am using in my system and it is just fine so far.

[stephen2002]

The X5DAL-G wouldn't work too well for the PCI cards that I am looking at. Wireless, dial-up modem, TV-tuner, and audio w/fire-wire (probably an Audigy board) would be needed to fit the 4 PCI slots. You're right about the cursing for the bigger board though, it looks like the RAM slots/IDE cables/power connector will be far under the drive bays.

The main reason I would like to build the system is a lower price and education. Is it starting to become a myth that you get a lower price building out of componenets? I was also looking at either a BOXX system or an Alienware MJ-12, the Alienware is much less for the same spec.

[danylyon]

Well this is not a recomendation, but a suggestion: Tiger i7505 (S2668) (http://www.tyan.com/products/html/tigeri7505.html)

I'm about to build my Dual Xeon and pretty much settled on that one (but not brought yet). Unfortunatly I haven't found any first hand informations about it (no reviews).. the reason, probably because it's very new.

It's ATX and I'll run it in a Lian Li Midi Tower.. It seems to just fit (from the specs I mean).

[stephen2002]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I examened the specs. Does anybody here know the signficicant difference between the "32-bit 33MHz (5V) PCI 2.2 slots" and the other PCI slots avalable, such as

64-bit 133/100/66MHz (3.3V) PCI-X slot
64-bit 100/66MHz (3.3V) PCI-X slots

Do most cards out there just use the 32-bit 33MHz? From looking at the boards the slots for the 32-bit 33MHz ones are shorter than the 64-bit versions.

Edit* After paging through a lot of CompUSA's listing of expansion cards (audio, TV tuner, network, etc) they just say "PCI". Squinting at all of the little images it would appear that all of them run on the 32-bit 33MHz, which is the shorter of the two.

What does worry me is that I found some technical articles that list the throuput of the 32-bit 33MHz bus as 133MByte/sec. Is this per device, or for all of the devieces on the bus? Would it be safe to plug up a IDE RAID controler (dual HD, RAID level 0) and a IEEE 1394 card and then proceed to capture video?

More searching reveals that it is 133MByte/sec for the whole bus. I guess I should look for a motherboard with integrated IDE RAID and IEEE 1394.

* Edit again *
Still searching (should really be studing!) it would appear that the Tiger board listed in the previose post does have integrated ATA RAID/SATA RAID, solves that problem :) I also found a place selling it:
http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=241845
$320, is that reasonable?

[BadMange]

Right now all PCI cards run on a 33MHz system bus. PCI-X is a new format and there aren't any cards commercially available yet, as far as I know. Benchmarks show that SATA isn't that much faster than ATA133, and ATA133 isn't a whole lot faster than ATA100. The same goes for 8x AGP vs. 4x AGP. This info is from a recent Maximum PC benchmark test, btw. I can post the numbers if anyone likes.

I did tons of research when I put together my first system back in Jan. However, I researched single P4's, not dual CPU systems. I have the Antec case (430w PS) some mentioned in this thread, but it's not aluminum like you wanted. I love that case! They do make an aluminum case called the SOHO (but it has a cheesy windowpane on the side door). Definitely check prices at pricewatch.com, pricegrabber.com and nextag.com, then go from there. Example: Bought my case from AMatterOfFax.com, and they're much cheaper than Googlegear. To compare, Googlegear's price is $118.99 + $40.63 (!!) for UPS Ground, while A Matter of Fax's price is $106.06 + $21.69 for UPS Ground. Shipping was to my hometown. My budget was $1000, so I tried to save money wherever I could, including shipping charges. Gotta watch out for those.

Lastly, Alienware has a cool looking case, but they are way overpriced. I've read good reviews of Boxx systems, but they are expensive. Always check resellerratings.com before buying a pre-config system from anywhere.

Good luck!
-Bad Mange

P.S. Sorry for the long rant, everyone.

[stephen2002]

Thanks for the info. I was looking at the "professional" Alienware systems (if I were to do pre-built, but I doubt I will now) which just have a rectangular black case, none of that odd bubbly stuff in their new design.

I think I've settled on the Antec SOHO (without window) for the case. It seems to be the right size, it has a door, it's aluminum, and it even has an air filter on the front fan grille.

I think I've settled on the Antec TurePower 550W for the PSU. 550W is overkill (I think) but it is their only one with the proper connectors for the Dual-Xeon motherboard.

[raz-0]

If noise bothers you, I suggest staying away from the aluminum soho cases. They are fairly flimsy, and can rattle pretty well. Steel is heavier and more dense and thus absorbs sound a bit better. I got an aluminum antec soho style case, and even after lining the whole thing with acoustic foam it is almost as loud as a steel case without.

[stephen2002]

Originally posted by raz-0
If noise bothers you, I suggest staying away from the aluminum soho cases.

Thanks for the heads-up. Noise does bother me. Could you suggest a similar case that is steel?

I found this:
http://www.electroseller.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ST_A1ES-W&Category_Code=008

It looks to be essentially exactly the same as that Antec SOHO but steel. Humm, no front USB/FireWire though.

*edit*
I also found this:
http://www.impression-brand.com/3002680.asp

It dosn't have a front cover but the color is such that it dosn't really matter as long as the drives are beige (which most of them are).

[raz-0]

go to

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=7&manufactory=1502&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1

search for the following number on the page.

N82E16811125322

it's the chieftec version of the soho case, it has front USB2.0 and firewire ports and a drive bay cover as well as being steel.

[danylyon]

Originally posted by raz-0
If noise bothers you, I suggest staying away from the aluminum soho cases. They are fairly flimsy, and can rattle pretty well. Steel is heavier and more dense and thus absorbs sound a bit better.

I don't know, about the soho cases but I've brought myself a Lian Li and it's very well build... no rattle or anything.
Well I might agree that because of the thinner and lighter material an alu case would be louder.. BUT because of the alu (better heat dissapation) you'll need less fan's who spin slower.

Originally posted by raz-0
I got an aluminum antec soho style case, and even after lining the whole thing with acoustic foam it is almost as loud as a steel case without.

omg.. that's almost like making holes in a condom ;)

The whole point of an alu case is better heat dissapation, which you made useless with acoustic foam. I'd rethink this... maybe you can get rit or slow down some of your fans? (if you take the acoustic foam out)

to stephen2002.. if noise really bothers you, I'll suggest to put your PC in another room. Any standart Dual Xeon rig will be quite noisy and there's no easy fix.

[stephen2002]

to stephen2002.. if noise really bothers you, I'll suggest to put your PC in another room. Any standart Dual Xeon rig will be quite noisy and there's no easy fix.

I really can't put it in another room without running LONG cables across the floor where people will trip on them, it's going to be right next to my desk or nearby. So the goal will be to get it as quiet as possible, it dosn't have to be silent I just don't want it to end up sounding like a blowdryer. I've heard some awful loud systems, the loudest was a big Sun quad-CPU rig, two full towers sitting right next to each other. The could have easily taken out half of the fans from those things because they were blowing room-temperature air out the back.

From what I have heard it's the stock Xeon CPU fans that give off the most racket.

Well, thanks for everybodies help...I think I'm off to a good start :)

I think I'll go with steel something, not 100% sure what yet. I'm not about to go high-end and spend $300 on a case unless it will make a significant difference in the noise/heat dissipation.

[DeathCarrot]

i thought the antec plusviews were steel? well this one is anyway:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/antec_plusview1000amg.jpg
mmm... me wants :bounce:

[BadMange]

I think the LANBOY is Antec's only aluminum case. Look HERE (http://www.antec-inc.com/Detail.bok?searchpath=7f000001f4f51386d313&category=Enclosures&start=1&total=28&no=209) for info.

-Bad Mange

[raz-0]

The whole point of an alu case is better heat dissapation, which you made useless with acoustic foam. I'd rethink this... maybe you can get rit or slow down some of your fans? (if you take the acoustic foam out)


If your case is acting as a heatsink, then you have problems, The point of an aluminum case is not heat distribution, it is weight reduction. I have a properly cooled system in a steel case, and another in an aluminum case. They run the same temperature more or less.

I also did temp testing on the aluminum case before and after soundproofing it. There was no significant temperature difference (i.e. less than 1 degree celsius). Your CPUs are going to heat up internal air much faster than an aluminum case is going to absorb heat by convection. You need to move air mass through to keep things cool.

Aluminum cases will save you a couple bucks on shipping though.

[BadMange]

Anyone have any experience or own a Koolance Exos external liquid cooling system? I wonder how loud the fans of the cooling unit are?

Koolance Exos (http://koolance.com/products/product.html?code=EXT-A01)

-Bad Mange

[huydoan.com]

how about this nice black cube case? It doesn't have a front firewire/usb panel but you can always buy an addon for about $25-40.

http://www.directron.com/yy0221bk.html

and you can keep the drives far away from the motherboard for cooling purposes - you know, kinda like a McDLT.

[stephen2002]

That cube would worry me. The motherboard chamber only has room for 1 80mm intake fan. Considering the CPUs generate the most heat (ok, 6 HD would generate more heat if you were to max out that case, but I'm not going to) one fan might leave things a bit warm.

I would assume that 3 larger fans and the pump on a liquid cooled system would be quieter than 2-3 case fans + 2 CPU fans but I've seen one myself. I just read a review on the Koolance setup, it seems to be like it would be a big hastle to install and maintain overall and it's not really designed for dual-CPU usage so I don't know if the heat dissipation would be enough.

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