New Project_i7 920 Nehalem build

Got everything except the motherboard yesterday. I will be reusing my 2 EVGA
Superclocked 8800 GTX cards in SLI. I don't think that will be a bottleneck
yet. OS will be Vista Ultimate 64bit.

Components:

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple
Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1333C9

ASUS P6T Deluxe/OC Palm LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model
BX80601920

PC Power & Cooling S75QB 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified
Active PFC Power Supply

Thermaltake V1 Max-Performance CPU Cooler with Massive 110mm Blue LED
Full-Range Variable Speed Fan Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition & Core i7 Ready
LGA 1366 CL-P0401

2X SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223F

Western Digital RE3 WD1002FBYS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive


Any comments or other recomendations are appreciated.... This is my first
build without a floppy...:-). I have several around if I decide to slap one
in. The Thermaltake V1 would probably not be my main choice of HS/Fan, but
there isn't a lot of choices out there for this processor yet. My goal is to
try and get to 3.5+Ghz if at all possible. I can go liquid cooling if need
be, but would rather try for a quiet air cooled system.


Ed

"Don" <> wrote in message
news:r-...
>
>
> "Ed Medlin" <> wrote in message
> news:nPt0l.9449$...
>> Got everything except the motherboard yesterday. I will be reusing my 2
>> EVGA Superclocked 8800 GTX cards in SLI. I don't think that will be a
>> bottleneck yet. OS will be Vista Ultimate 64bit.
>>
>> Components:
>>
>> Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
>>
>> CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
>> Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1333C9
>>
>> ASUS P6T Deluxe/OC Palm LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard
>>
>> Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model
>> BX80601920
>>
>> PC Power & Cooling S75QB 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified
>> Active PFC Power Supply
>>
>> Thermaltake V1 Max-Performance CPU Cooler with Massive 110mm Blue LED
>> Full-Range Variable Speed Fan Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition & Core i7
>> Ready LGA 1366 CL-P0401
>>
>> 2X SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223F
>>
>> Western Digital RE3 WD1002FBYS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
>>
>>
>> Any comments or other recomendations are appreciated.... This is my first
>> build without a floppy...:-). I have several around if I decide to slap
>> one in. The Thermaltake V1 would probably not be my main choice of
>> HS/Fan, but there isn't a lot of choices out there for this processor
>> yet. My goal is to try and get to 3.5+Ghz if at all possible. I can go
>> liquid cooling if need be, but would rather try for a quiet air cooled
>> system.
>>
>
> I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the new build. I am planning a
> very similar build myself in the near future.
> Many are reporting successfully overclocking to 3.8-4 ghz on air with a
> decent cooler.
> I currently run the True Extreme Limited Edition with 2 ea 120mm fans in a
> push/pull config on my Q9450 and plan on probably using it on the I7 when
> I get it. Just will have to get a new backplate for it.
>

The holes on the MB for mounting a HS through the board are much farther
apart for the i7 so you would need some sort of adapter for the HS as well.
The i7 processor is quite a bit larger than the C2Ds and quads probably due
to the onboard memory controller. The Thermaltake V1 is a huge, flower
shaped copper HS with a 120mm fan in the center of the fins that cool the
hot end of the heatpipe system. The reason I don't really like it a lot is
that it uses the plastic Intel push-pin design for mounting. It isn't quite
as heavy as it you would think, but I am still not sure that the mounting
system is hefty enough.

> I also have been reading reports a lot of folks are very pleased with the
> performance of that cpu on an X58 board.
>
I hope it works out. I would have rather held out a few months rather than
be the "goat", but we'll see how it all comes together today. I got the MB
and last night got the memory and processor put into it and will get to guts
of the build this afternoon. The Antec 900 case looks fantastic. I am not
usually all that impressed by a case, but this one really looks nice and has
a great looking cooling system.

Ed

"~misfit~" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "Ed Medlin" typed:
>> Got everything except the motherboard yesterday. I will be reusing my
>> 2 EVGA Superclocked 8800 GTX cards in SLI. I don't think that will be
>> a bottleneck yet. OS will be Vista Ultimate 64bit.
>>
>> Components:
>>
>> Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
>>
>> CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
>> Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1333C9
>>
>> ASUS P6T Deluxe/OC Palm LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard
>>
>> Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor
>> Model BX80601920
>>
>> PC Power & Cooling S75QB 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified
>> Active PFC Power Supply
>>
>> Thermaltake V1 Max-Performance CPU Cooler with Massive 110mm Blue LED
>> Full-Range Variable Speed Fan Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition & Core i7
>> Ready LGA 1366 CL-P0401
>>
>> 2X SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223F
>>
>> Western Digital RE3 WD1002FBYS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
>>
>>
>> Any comments or other recomendations are appreciated.... This is my
>> first build without a floppy...:-). I have several around if I decide
>> to slap one in. The Thermaltake V1 would probably not be my main
>> choice of HS/Fan, but there isn't a lot of choices out there for this
>> processor yet. My goal is to try and get to 3.5+Ghz if at all
>> possible. I can go liquid cooling if need be, but would rather try
>> for a quiet air cooled system.
>
> Good luck, I'm really looking forward to hearing how you go with your new
> system.
>
> <Goes off to Google the Tt V1>
>
> Cheers,
> --
> Shaun.

It is a big brass monster with heat pipes and a huge flower shaped, finned
cooling system with a 120mm fan in the middle...:-). My main issue is the
Intel push-pin mounts and whether they will hold the thing. I have a backup
plan using some insulating material and 4 short nuts and bolts if I don't
like the way it secures.....:-).

Ed
>

Got it all together and stable at 3.65Ghz right now. I am having some issues
with SLI'ing the two 8800GTX cards on this board. Got 20000 on 3DMark.


Ed

Got a call for some "honey do's" before we get snowed on the rest of the
week so I cut that last post short....:-)

There are some things to get used to with these i7s. The first and formost
are the temps. Everything is different from what we have been used to with
the Core processors as far as max temps go. Many of these are running very
stable at better than 80C. I don't like it much, but it seems the new 65C is
now about 85C.
http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/articl...50aHVzaWFzdA==
has some good info on overclocking the i7 920 and the temps to expect. I
have mine now at 3.7Ghz at 2.9vcore and am seeing stressed temps in the
upper 60sC-low 70sC and idle about 48C with the Thermaltake V1. I have a ton
of air blowing across the HS/Fan with this Antec 900 case. It has a huge
exhaust fan on top and a 180mm in the rear. Intake is from 2x 120mm front
fans and another on the side panel. It is amazing that this stays so stable
with the high temps. I haven't messed with the memory yet and have left it
on Auto for the time being and will keep this CPU speed for awhile just to
make sure it stays ok. If you have any questions or even some answers I will
be glad to do what I can. I am still in the learning stages myself right
now....:-).
BTW....I am using 64bit Vista Ultimate with 6gigs of memory.



Ed

"~misfit~" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "Ed Medlin" typed:
>> "~misfit~" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "Ed Medlin" typed:
>>>> Got everything except the motherboard yesterday. I will be reusing
>>>> my 2 EVGA Superclocked 8800 GTX cards in SLI. I don't think that
>>>> will be a bottleneck yet. OS will be Vista Ultimate 64bit.
>>>>
>>>> Components:
>>>>
>>>> Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
>>>>
>>>> CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
>>>> Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1333C9
>>>>
>>>> ASUS P6T Deluxe/OC Palm LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard
>>>>
>>>> Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor
>>>> Model BX80601920
>>>>
>>>> PC Power & Cooling S75QB 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI
>>>> Certified Active PFC Power Supply
>>>>
>>>> Thermaltake V1 Max-Performance CPU Cooler with Massive 110mm Blue
>>>> LED Full-Range Variable Speed Fan Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition &
>>>> Core i7 Ready LGA 1366 CL-P0401
>>>>
>>>> 2X SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223F
>>>>
>>>> Western Digital RE3 WD1002FBYS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Any comments or other recomendations are appreciated.... This is my
>>>> first build without a floppy...:-). I have several around if I
>>>> decide to slap one in. The Thermaltake V1 would probably not be my
>>>> main choice of HS/Fan, but there isn't a lot of choices out there
>>>> for this processor yet. My goal is to try and get to 3.5+Ghz if at
>>>> all possible. I can go liquid cooling if need be, but would rather
>>>> try for a quiet air cooled system.
>>>
>>> Good luck, I'm really looking forward to hearing how you go with
>>> your new system.
>>>
>>> <Goes off to Google the Tt V1>
>>
>> It is a big brass monster with heat pipes and a huge flower shaped,
>> finned cooling system with a 120mm fan in the middle...:-).
>
> Yep, tracked down a site thats sells them. :-)
>
>> My main
>> issue is the Intel push-pin mounts and whether they will hold the
>> thing. I have a backup plan using some insulating material and 4
>> short nuts and bolts if I don't like the way it secures.....:-).
>
> I wasn't happy with the push-pin mounting of the Tt MiniTyphoon on my C2D
> so bought a Thermalright bolt-thru kit, pulled the mobo out of the case
> and fitted it. I wouldn't want to have to do that again so, for me at
> least, I'd "build it once, build it right". <g>.
>
> Cheers,
> --
> Shaun.
Yea, I agree Shaun. Right now I have found "0" bolt-thru kits for the 1366
socket. This one seems to be doing ok and right there with any of the S 1366
coolers. It is just 3 degs or so away from H2O as compared to the HardOCP
videos on overclocking the 920. Actually, my temps are lower than his H2O
temps since I am only running at 2.9V vcore for 3.7Ghz and he was at 3.5V
IIRC at 3.8Ghz. I would like to see the stock Intel fan that they put on the
Extreme, it is supposed to be a lot better than the 920 one. Just for grins
I ran the WEI in Vista and this system is 5.9 across the board. I need to
install Sandra or something to do some memory and other tests just to
compare with the Q6600 system. SLI is ok now with the latest drivers. I am
at 3.7Ghz still and very stable. With all the bad weather outside I will
have some time to mess around a bit today and get some software installed. I
just have the fully updated Vista and a few testing programs on here now. I
am running Vista Ultimate 64 with ALL the bells and whistles turned on, even
Aero. http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=9235721 is my score on
3dmark 06 after updating Vista and turning on Aero and everything. Quite an
improvement over the E6600 and Q6600 scores with everything else equal
except for XP Pro 32 with the other processors.


Ed
>

~misfit wrote:
> I wasn't happy with the push-pin mounting of the Tt MiniTyphoon on
> my C2D so bought a Thermalright bolt-thru kit, pulled the mobo out
> of the case and fitted it. I wouldn't want to have to do that again so,
> for me at least, I'd "build it once, build it right". <g>.

I just put together a low budget system with an E5200 for a someone
with whom I work. It seems that they changed the retail cooler design
to a much shorter design and it has molded plastic in place of the
metal X. The plastic is very thick, maybe 12mm - 14mm, so the
thermalright kit would not have worked without much shorter springs or
longer screws. I gave him one of my old unused coolers. The Q9550
cooler was of a another different design, with thinner "feet" (perhaps
4mm) and also plastic.