Re: Canageek tries to build a computer using a very old case
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:44 am
So, its been a while. I've kind of been enjoying the new computer. It can run everything I have at 60 fps without trouble (Not that it is great or anything, but I haven't really kept up with the gaming scene, so the games I've been playing are Fallout 3 [with mods], Civilization 4 (I have 5, but am not tired of 4 yet, and I just got all the expansion packs in the Humble sale), and Boarderlands (Ok, bored of that one, though at least it looks prettier now). Oh, and Dust. 2D game, sure, but fun.
ANYWAY. the humming on the two fans I have is pretty annoying, so I'm determined to replace them with the larger one I have, since even if it has a bit less airflow, almost all the time, even when I'm gaming, my power supply fan isn't even coming on, and I can't hear the cooler fan inside the case.
Herein is where I'm an idiot. So, I go to open the case. The only workspace I have is my desk. I don't turn my monitor away. I'm removing the rather stubborn front panel when it comes flying off and dings the face of my brand new monitor, leaving a short (4 mm?) scar. *headdesk* Now, I got lucky, and I can't find it when the monitor is on-- unless I go looking for it, even moreso then the one dead pixel it has. I guess I just nicked the anti-glare coating or something. Anyway, I got damn lucky, and learned a lesson about prepping my workspace.
Anyway, don't want to take my motherboard, et al. out of the case again. So I look and see if the font and back will come off the same way the top came off when I cut a hole for the power supply fan. No dice. So much for my plan to get new holes drilled in it. However, determined that I was going to get SOMETHING out of damaging my monitor (At the time I was pretty sure that section of the monitor was going to glow white forever), I kept poking around, and checking on the front side audio dohicky I was given by the school tech guys (It is really annoying climbing under my desk to plug in my headphones each time; To save money I didn't get a sound card or speakers, and this case doesn't have front side audio.
In case anyone wants to see the dohicky or the useless front side panel I have: http://imgur.com/a/oH5oJ
So I was trying to screw this thing in to fit in the floppy or CD port, though I'm a bit worried about it only being supported on one side, and of course it doesn't work. Then I realize it needs a nut. I don't work with my hands much (At least not in this way; I'm a chemist, so if you want me to mix things, grind things, measure things down to the miligram, perform an air-sensation reaction or work with a vacuum line, I'm great at it. Screws don't come into it much. Anyway, I realized there are lots of holes under where the fans are, I just need to get a nut of the right size and I can mount the fan through the hole and into the nut to hold it in place. Not ideal perhaps, but it should hold it securely.
Sadly mounting the second fan on the back would still require holes drilled in the case, and even I know anything involving metal fillings and a computer are bad news.
Also: I now get the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' bit. >.>
Once I get these fans in, this thing isn't getting opened again for a good, long time.
Unless I see a really good sale on some speakers, and decide to get a sound card....I'd like some speakers, but they are NOT cheap.
ANYWAY. the humming on the two fans I have is pretty annoying, so I'm determined to replace them with the larger one I have, since even if it has a bit less airflow, almost all the time, even when I'm gaming, my power supply fan isn't even coming on, and I can't hear the cooler fan inside the case.
Herein is where I'm an idiot. So, I go to open the case. The only workspace I have is my desk. I don't turn my monitor away. I'm removing the rather stubborn front panel when it comes flying off and dings the face of my brand new monitor, leaving a short (4 mm?) scar. *headdesk* Now, I got lucky, and I can't find it when the monitor is on-- unless I go looking for it, even moreso then the one dead pixel it has. I guess I just nicked the anti-glare coating or something. Anyway, I got damn lucky, and learned a lesson about prepping my workspace.
Anyway, don't want to take my motherboard, et al. out of the case again. So I look and see if the font and back will come off the same way the top came off when I cut a hole for the power supply fan. No dice. So much for my plan to get new holes drilled in it. However, determined that I was going to get SOMETHING out of damaging my monitor (At the time I was pretty sure that section of the monitor was going to glow white forever), I kept poking around, and checking on the front side audio dohicky I was given by the school tech guys (It is really annoying climbing under my desk to plug in my headphones each time; To save money I didn't get a sound card or speakers, and this case doesn't have front side audio.
In case anyone wants to see the dohicky or the useless front side panel I have: http://imgur.com/a/oH5oJ
So I was trying to screw this thing in to fit in the floppy or CD port, though I'm a bit worried about it only being supported on one side, and of course it doesn't work. Then I realize it needs a nut. I don't work with my hands much (At least not in this way; I'm a chemist, so if you want me to mix things, grind things, measure things down to the miligram, perform an air-sensation reaction or work with a vacuum line, I'm great at it. Screws don't come into it much. Anyway, I realized there are lots of holes under where the fans are, I just need to get a nut of the right size and I can mount the fan through the hole and into the nut to hold it in place. Not ideal perhaps, but it should hold it securely.
Sadly mounting the second fan on the back would still require holes drilled in the case, and even I know anything involving metal fillings and a computer are bad news.
Also: I now get the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' bit. >.>
Once I get these fans in, this thing isn't getting opened again for a good, long time.
Unless I see a really good sale on some speakers, and decide to get a sound card....I'd like some speakers, but they are NOT cheap.