1) That sho is a purdy computer...looks a lot like this one on bit-tech.net:

http://www.bit-tech.net/article/114/

I've never been fussed with mods before, instead I've silenced my PC with no regard for aesthetics but when I saw that I'm starting to think I need some neon....

2) Zoidberg that arcade cabinet is awesome!!!!

3) I want to upgrade to an Athlon 64. Does S939 suck all that much compared to S754 (I've read the clip breaks after <10 operations :thumbdwn: ) but obviously want to buy the new chipset?

I do find the case interesting in that the mobo is mounted the other way, i.e. cpu at the bottom, PCI slots at the top.

I'm about to build a A64 S939 PC this weekend - went out to PCW to buy all the bits worthwhile...

I really want to upgrade my current rig but my lil' 1700+ Athlon (normally running at 1.1GHz) is quite happy running at 2GHz so it's still purring away rather happily

Rob, I don't think any branded motherboard manufacturer still uses jumpers / dip switches for setting CPU speeds on Athlon-based systems. It's all through the BIOS. At least since SS7 AFAIK.

Rob, I don't think any branded motherboard manufacturer still uses jumpers / dip switches for setting CPU speeds on Athlon-based systems. It's all through the BIOS. At least since SS7 AFAIK.

All the Athlon motherboards I've used over the past year, from a variety of manufacturers, have all used jumpers/dip switches! The fine-tuning is done through the BIOS (for o/clocking and the like), but the basic settings had be done the old-fashioned way...

Rob.

3) I want to upgrade to an Athlon 64. Does S939 suck all that much compared to S754 (I've read the clip breaks after <10 operations :thumbdwn: ) but obviously want to buy the new chipset?

Up until recently you couldn't have a pci/agp lock on S754, which is a real problem when u come to overclocking. If I were to choose a mobo now then I would go for S939. Dual memory is also a bonus with S939 but the performance enhancements involved are very slim so that wouldn't be a deciding factor for me. If your on a budget then S754 mobo's are cheaper then the newer S939 as future upgrades will be non existent because AMD are not developing chips faster than 3800+ for the S754 anymore, rather they are concentrating there efforts on the S939 format.

While all that shower hose looks pretty (very Geiger-esque) surely it doesn't help with airflow? Although i notice you've got two side fans, are they inlet or exhaust?

My baby's not so extreme, went for the Coolermaster alloy look instead...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/Kaiserb_uk/DSCF0003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/Kaiserb_uk/DSCF0007.jpg

Specs:

AMD64 3400+

X800pro (softmod to x800XT)

2 x 512mb corsair 4000 xms twinx pro

2x200 gig SATA Raid 0 (was 800 but 2x200 failed:()

Tagan 480w PSU

Next rig:

fx-55 pci-e dual ati x850's/6800GT's or whatever works best at the time of purchase.

Watercooled or vapourchilled...not decided yet.

Does this mean you pay for and actaully receive(rather backorder) a X800 pro and mod to XT - is it just fooling it or does it actually work ??

Does this mean you pay for and actaully receive(rather backorder) a X800 pro and mod to XT - is it just fooling it or does it actually work ??

The x800 pro is an x800XT chip with either:

4 x Disabled pipelines - The pipes actually work but due to insufficient 'pro' cards available for the market ATI disable 4 and make an 'XT' a 'pro' (just mho).

4x Disabled pipelines - Due to the manufacturing process its very difficult to get 16 pipelines working and sometimes the card will have say only 14 working pipelines, so ATI will disable a further two and reduce the XT to pro status.

If your a lucky one (like me :P) you will have purchased a Vivo version that has four working pipelines disabled. All you need to do in this instance is to flash the vga card with a different (gigabyte worked for me) bios to enable the four disabled pipelines to make 16 pipes. Then re-flash with standard ATI bios otherwise you will not be able to attain the XT clock speeds and will be stuck to the pro clock speeds with 16 pipelines. I was also lucky enough to have the samsung memory that can be clocked upto 600mhz although mine is set to 550 mhz.

There are a few guides around that will give you more in-depth info.

X800pro to X800XT softmod

There is apperently a 'hard-mod' too which will help if you have the pipes laser cut, although I didn't fancy hacking up my

While all that shower hose looks pretty (very Geiger-esque) surely it doesn't help with airflow? Although i notice you've got two side fans' date=' are they inlet or exhaust?

My baby's not so extreme, went for the Coolermaster alloy look instead...

[url']http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/Kaiserb_uk/DSCF0003.jpg[/url]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/Kaiserb_uk/DSCF0007.jpg

The two side fans are inlet. The rear fan is exhaust. The top fan is exaust. The front fan is inlet. PSu also acts as an exhaust.

CPU temps : 32c idle

41c load

vga temps : 41c idle

68c load

Sata HD : 28c

Case : 27-29c

The shower hose stuff will restrict airflow in a 'normal' setup but due to the setup of my fans (airflow = side to top rather than front to back) I have no temperature problems.

All heatsinks skimmed and tim replaced with AS 5.