How to build a 3+ghz, 200+mhz FSB dual Xeon thread...for cheap ;)

[Albigger]

Here's where I got it - Newegg

But its ~ $108 after shipping.

 

[dustybyrd]

Link not working:

Sparkle/Fortron FSP550-60PLG (one 36A 12v rail) $70
Purchase website:
http://www.excaliberpc.com/product_info.php?cPath=208_612&products_id=2267

Would be interested to know which PSU you are referring too, im looking for a decent one around $70.

looks like their website is down...and won't reopen until mid march...

you can get that same psu at newegg for about $100

and it is a very, very good psu...

 

[dustybyrd]

I still suspect my PSU, even though it is the Fortron 550W -PLG that dusty raves about. I have occasionally seen the 12v dip to 11.97
-shoek

when i had my M0 stepping 2.4ghz at 3.5ghz along with 6 drives and a o/c'd 9700pro, etc..., i checked the voltages with a multimeter during full load and no load:

here are the results:

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=357775&highlight=fsp550-60plg

 

[greenman100]

the excalibur PC link is broken

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=PS-SP550PG&show=p

 

[dustybyrd]

the excalibur PC link is broken

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=PS-SP550PG&show=p

thanks, all fixed!

looks like excaliberpc.com may be down until march...they had this psu for $20 cheaper than ewiz, but that was before i knew about they're price...

so actually, i bought mine from the link you provided, and it came in 1 day and in perfect condition from ewiz

 

[iceage]

Case Temps / MOSFET Temps

I just finished building a dual Xeon rigs using these specs and have it up and running at 200x15 with a PC-DL MB. I'm watercooling the CPUs and at 1.6V (using the u-wire mod) my temps are ~30C at load. Not too shabby. I'm using MBM5 to display the temps. However, the 'case' temp is displaying temps between 45-50C at load.

I've sinked up the MOSFETs for the CPUs and the two MOSFETs between the AGP card and the NB. Used Arctic Alumina adhesive and OCZ copper sinks. I have plenty of air blowing over that area with 2x 80mm enermax fans. The CPU MOSFET HS are just warm to the touch. The AGP/NB MOSFET HS is pretty hot to the touch!

I was wondering if these kind of 'case' temps from MBM5 are typical for this kind of rig. I'm going to load Speedfan and see what temps it displays. My 3.2E P4 OCed to 4.0 on a IC7-G Max2 doesn't get the sinked MOSFETs above 45C, so I thought these temps on the PC-DL to be a little odd/concerning.

Thanks!!

PS- Wasn't that stuff on the stock aluminum MOSFET HS nasty?! Looked like bubble gum!

 

[dustybyrd]

I just finished building a dual Xeon rigs using these specs and have it up and running at 200x15 with a PC-DL MB. I'm watercooling the CPUs and at 1.6V (using the u-wire mod) my temps are ~30C at load. Not too shabby. I'm using MBM5 to display the temps. However, the 'case' temp is displaying temps between 45-50C at load.

I've sinked up the MOSFETs for the CPUs and the two MOSFETs between the AGP card and the NB. Used Arctic Alumina adhesive and OCZ copper sinks. I have plenty of air blowing over that area with 2x 80mm enermax fans. The CPU MOSFET HS are just warm to the touch. The AGP/NB MOSFET HS is pretty hot to the touch!

I was wondering if these kind of 'case' temps from MBM5 are typical for this kind of rig. I'm going to load Speedfan and see what temps it displays. My 3.2E P4 OCed to 4.0 on a IC7-G Max2 doesn't get the sinked MOSFETs above 45C, so I thought these temps on the PC-DL to be a little odd/concerning.

Thanks!!

PS- Wasn't that stuff on the stock aluminum MOSFET HS nasty?! Looked like bubble gum!

congrats on a nice setup!

i believe that case temp that you are getting is from the VRM and since the single VRM of the PC-DL supplies both cpus, it gets quite hot...

and since you are water cooling, you might not be getting as much air flow around the VRM area...

i wouldn't worry about it unless it's unstable or the temps exceed 55-60C

 

[C38368]

The OP in this thread lists five total 2.4GHz Xeons as being good candidates for good overclocking: the D1 SL6YN, SL6VL, and SL74T and the M0 SL73L and SL72D sPecs.

Ok, that's all good and well but what about the proud-cut Gallatins (SL7DF and SL7D4), each of which sport 1MB of L3 cache? Anyone use these, or know if they're better/worse than the standard Prestonias?

 

[dustybyrd]

The OP in this thread lists five total 2.4GHz Xeons as being good candidates for good overclocking: the D1 SL6YN, SL6VL, and SL74T and the M0 SL73L and SL72D sPecs.

Ok, that's all good and well but what about the proud-cut Gallatins (SL7DF and SL7D4), each of which sport 1MB of L3 cache? Anyone use these, or know if they're better/worse than the standard Prestonias?

the 2.4ghz gallatins (again the 2.4ghz ones are the best for o/cing, because of the ability to boot at 200+mhz fsb) are great overclockers too...

they are all M0 stepping (the best prestonia stepping)...and will likely do at least 3.2ghz with 1.6v, probably 3.4ghz, and maybe 3.6+ghz...

BUT, they cost an arm and a leg at least $300+ a pair on ebay...and $250+ each on newegg

and thus, don't warrant being mentioned in the guide to building a cheap 3+ghz duallie especially for only 5-10% max increase in performance with the extra 1mb L3 cache

 

[C38368]

BUT, they cost an arm and a leg at least $300+ a pair on ebay...and $250+ each on newegg

and thus, don't warrant being mentioned in the guide to building a cheap 3+ghz duallie especially for only 5-10% max increase in performance with the extra 1mb L3 cache

This is true. I ask though, because I'm relatively risk-adverse when buying things that may or may not turn out to be what I want, and the L3-bearing Xeons are a sure bet (being as they're all M0 and such)

Thanks for the info... now I'll prolly just turn around and buy some plain Jane 2.4 anyway, and hope for the best

 

[dustybyrd]

i couldn't find the gallatins at newegg anymore...or ebay

cheapest on pricewatch is $277 a piece...

 

[C38368]

Newegg lists them as Prestonias, since they're not "true" Gallatins. Same was true for the M0 Northwoods.

Anyways, the Egg has them for $275 each, but are out of stock at the moment. A lot I know, but if you can stomache the extra $100 for two it's an easy way to guarantee M0 stepping.

 

[dustybyrd]

Newegg lists them as Prestonias, since they're not "true" Gallatins. Same was true for the M0 Northwoods.

Anyways, the Egg has them for $275 each, but are out of stock at the moment. A lot I know, but if you can stomache the extra $100 for two it's an easy way to guarantee M0 stepping.

i see them now...i think they are Gallatins...since they have 1mb of L3 cache...but newegg just mislabeled them...

$275 a piece is very steep, but you're right that you are guaranteed M0 stepping...

but if you must buy them new, these are probably the best bang for the buck xeons without 64 bit support...as long as you plan on o/cing them to 3.4+ghz

 

[C38368]

i see them now...i think they are Gallatins...since they have 1mb of L3 cache...but newegg just mislabeled them...

$275 a piece is very steep, but you're right that you are guaranteed M0 stepping...

but if you must buy them new, these are probably the best bang for the buck xeons without 64 bit support...as long as you plan on o/cing them to 3.4+ghz

Yeah, they've got to be Gallatins. I suspect that Intel is referring to them as Prestonias as well, though.
I agree that $275 is high, but if you think of it as insurance...

 

[speciestraitor]

Anyways, the Egg has them for $275 each

For about ~$100 more you could get two Noconas @3.2ghz stock w/EMT64 though.

 

[QSW]

Koolance adapters

Just received my 1.6LV D1 and NCCH-DL, can someone help me out on choosing which Koolance adapter will I require for my koolance waterblocks?

1) Xeon Nocona Adapter
http://www.koolance.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=25_35&products_id=170

or

2) Xeon Prestonia Adapter
http://www.koolance.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=25_35&products_id=103

Thanks.

 

[C38368]

For about ~$100 more you could get two Noconas @3.2ghz stock w/EMT64 though.

True, but where's the fun in that? Besides, everything I've been able to dig up suggests that EMT64 would require me to suffer onboard graphics, or move to PCIe.

 

[speciestraitor]

True, but where's the fun in that? Besides, everything I've been able to dig up suggests that EMT64 would require me to suffer onboard graphics, or move to PCIe.

The NCCH-DL has Nocona (EMT64) support. It has AGP 8x for all your (and my 6800gt) video needs.

 

[{PMS}fishy]

The NCCH-DL has Nocona (EMT64) support. It has AGP 8x for all your (and my 6800gt) video needs.

As well as the DH-800, if you can find one.

Also there is a hybrid BIOS for the PC-DL that allows Noconas to be run.

 

[Orgy]

The hell are the Asus System Foundation Drivers anyway?? BTW, it's afd.zip, not afs.zip on the "Easy use easy life" website. Talk about "Engrish".

Even after installing afd and rebooting (already had IIS installed for ASWM), Speedfan is still giving me wacky temps, probably same crap I get on MBM if I bothered to run that again.

All these are in Celsius:
Temp1: -3
Temp2: -11
Temp3: -9
Temp1: 127
Temp2: 127
Temp3: 0
Temp: 127
Temp: 127
Local: 45
Remote: 55
HD0: 32
HD1: 30

Only temps that make sense are my HD temps and maybe local, although that's warmer than ASWM has ever reported. Oddly enough ASWM usually reported my CPUs a few degrees below ambient, if that makes any sense.

On the plus side this thing monitors your HD SMART feature which is nifty since I was looking for a freeware utility that did that. But I'd be a lot happier if I could get valid temps.

Now I may be quite happy with my cooling setup, but there's no way I'm getting below freezing temps on my CPUs with passive cooling!