[GTALUG] Build critique request and the story behind it.

[Russell]

On November 27, 2017 5:14:42 PM EST, lsorense at csclub.uwaterloo.ca wrote:
>On Mon, Nov 27, 2017 at 02:21:33PM -0500, Russell wrote:
>> Top posting this as the hardware build is complete and functioning.
>> 
>> Case = CoolerMaster HAF XB EVO - easy to work in, on and around.
>Added a Masterliquid 240 water-cooling unit. The rad took up the case
>mounting holes at the front, so I jury rigged the case fans as pull
>units. It's called duct tape for a reason :-) I'll cobble up an offset
>adapter for the original case fans later.
>> 
>> Quiet, you bet. When I fired it up, I had to put my hand on the w/c
>pump to see if it was really on. 4 fans push/pull @ 850 rpm on the rad
>keep the temp around 30 c. although there's no real load as of yet. I
>can't even hear the fans if I listen for them. I have to speed them up
>manually in bios to hear what they sound like. 
>> 
>> CPU = i7-8700 - locked so no overclocking 
>> 
>> Asus Prime z370-A - You can get the board today at Canada Computers
>for $174.00 after 20$ mail in rebate.
>> I had no problem with the audio codec. It worked right off. Intel UHD
>graphics seems to have lost DRM support in Fedora 27. It was apparently
>ok in 25, so something should be available down the road. Had to beef
>up display graphics capabilities by adding i915.alpha_support=1 to
>boot. Have to figure out efi & grub2 to make it persistent.
>> 
>> RAM = 1 x 8 DDR4 2666
>> 
>> SSD = Intel 512 Gig - over-provisioned it shows up as 475 Gig. I left
>an additional 40 Gig undefined. Separate partitions for / (40Gig)&
>/boot/efi (40Gig) & /swap (16Gig) & /home 
>> 
>> I also had to pick up a 500w p/s. My 6+2 power dongle on the existing
>one showed up on the diagnostic LED's as a CPU fault. I even ordered an
>RMA label on the CPU before I figured it out. Jumped the gun because of
>fear of  Christmas congestion.
>
>Oh yes a 6+2 is for graphics, not the same as a 4+4 for CPU.  Totally
>different pinout (almost reversed in fact).
>
>I am surprised if they fit in each other, but I have never tried.

Sorry I misspoke. I tried the 6x2 as a last effort. You're right, there's no way to make it fit. It was a 4x4 snapped together, one plug in constant use. I guess the other was a dud or perhaps it was corroded and threw off spikes.
>
>-- 
>Len Sorensen

-- 
Russell