Waste not, want not -- or another use for dead HDDs

[jpollard]

In my case, I broke down and got a 19" rack, 72" high (with wheels so I could move/rotate as needed).

The UPS went on the bottom (not quite on the floor), then two 1U rack servers (old VA Linux 1000 ones- a bargain at the time, still work too - though used more as a shelf now), then the main system (a 4U SuperMicro rackmount/desk side dual quad server/workstation) a big gap, and then a 1" wood shelf now holding miscellaneous stuff)... and a fair space for growth.

Much less floor space (or table space) than what I used before.

[Gareth Jones]

Sometimes the floor is the best place for a computer though. When my previous machine was at the end of its death throws, after much despair, I finally got it to boot one last time so that I could order a removable hard disk and parts for a replacement machine, and copy the files off it. The trick: kick the damned thing a good three inches across the floor first. It's amazing what a good wallop will do for dodgy electronics.

[Evil_Bert]

Originally Posted by Evil_Bert

In the meantime, I'll see if I can rustle up a shot or two of the new cooler and internals.

Pictures added in my album here.

[jpollard]

Originally Posted by Gareth Jones

Sometimes the floor is the best place for a computer though. When my previous machine was at the end of its death throws, after much despair, I finally got it to boot one last time so that I could order a removable hard disk and parts for a replacement machine, and copy the files off it. The trick: kick the damned thing a good three inches across the floor first. It's amazing what a good wallop will do for dodgy electronics.

Wasn't really anything wrong with the machine.

Many times an ailing system is caused by minor corrosion/oxidation of contacts. Cleaning them (or just wiggling them in the connector) is enough to make good contact.

Several time, old disk drives that won't spin up can be recovered by gently tapping them (with a bit of rotation) against a hard surface. I do it by holding the disk between my hands such that the axis of rotation for the platters is in my palm (or closer to my wrist if possible), then just rotate my wrist vertically and impact the floor (or table).

This works for most for old disks where the oil has frozen after being powered off. It works because of the momentum given the platters in the rotation loosens the bearings when the case hits the floor. This is a minimal impact on the bearings, and near zero impact on any heads.

Kicking across the floor can cause major damage to the heads.

[Dan]

... and your toes if you kick it hard enough. <....>

Originally Posted by Evil_Bert

Pictures added in my album here.

As much as I like this new case of mine ... airflow has never been optimal.

The CPU very rarely gets over 110F, but the GPU (which is lowest in the case) regularly hits ~130F if I'm doing GPU intensive stuff. This particular video card doesn't have an external heat-dump vent, so it's easy to get air to move through the fins with the stock fan ... but not so much to get fresh air into the region.

I kinda wish they made a liquid cooling system specifically for video cards. I could eliminate two of those fans if they did. (And I could afford to buy it. <....> )

[Gareth Jones]

Originally Posted by jpollard

Wasn't really anything wrong with the machine.

Well, there were plenty of other things that were quite broken, and it was old enough that I was intending to replace it soon anyway (it was a 2000 Athlon T'bird, although it did run Linux pretty well even with Compiz etc. until it was retired in 2009). I don't think the disks were damaged as the last thing I did before the final shut-down was run badblocks to wipe the disks, and I also had a look at the SMART info too.

I've still got it in a corner, and would replace the dodgy components if I could find a use for it.

Thanks for the advise about hard-disks though, if I do revive it your trick for loosening the bearings may well be useful.

[Evil_Bert]

Originally Posted by Dan

The CPU very rarely gets over 110F, but the GPU (which is lowest in the case) regularly hits ~130F if I'm doing GPU intensive stuff. This particular video card doesn't have an external heat-dump vent, so it's easy to get air to move through the fins with the stock fan ... but not so much to get fresh air into the region.

I won't do the screenshot, but after 2+ hours to stabilise temps and at a steady ambient temp of 25.0 deg C with no extraneous airflow from outside the case, this machine's CPU idles at 32-33 deg C (that's overclocked). During stress testing, at full load in similar ambient conditions, it peaked at 48 deg C (still overclocked). I'm impressed with the new cooler.

I kinda wish they made a liquid cooling system specifically for video cards. I could eliminate two of those fans if they did. (And I could afford to buy it. <....> )

I looked at CPU water cooling but decided it wasn't worth it, plus most of the good ones need a 120mm exhaust vent (which I don't have). Much of the online advice regarding overclocking was that water cooling wasn't necessary.

I've never heard of water cooling for a graphics card, but give it time ....

[DBelton]

graphics card water cooling has been around for quite awhile, with several companies making water blocks for the GPU's.

Here is a link to a company that has been making them for 10 years that I am aware of.

http://www.swiftech.com/GPU_waterblocks.aspx

But yea, I haven't needed water cooling for any P4 overclocks. I did need it when I was overclocking a PIII, though. (But then again, I was running a 700Mhz at 1.1Ghz, too

[Evil_Bert]

Originally Posted by DBelton

http://www.swiftech.com/GPU_waterblocks.aspx

Whoa, those things are more expensive than my graphics card.

[Dan]

Kinda out of my reach too, but I had suspected that.

Even if I had an unlimited budget I wouldn't waste it on this

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...14&subcat=2255

[Dan]

<....>

Uhm ... you can buy a decent new laptop for that!

[DBelton]

The GPU water blocks used to cost a lot less until the graphics cards went to that crappy full coverage fan assembly that makes it really hard to replace a fan when it goes kaput (which they do, and very often since they put POS fans on them)

I have a waterblock that was made for the Geforce 4 series cards and also works as a northbridge cooler. Costed me a whole 10 bucks.

I have most of my old water cooling stuff in a box now, though. Not worth the hassle on the P4 stuff unless you want to try and run at 5Ghz+ speeds

But then again, here is what you could put in...

Try 96 processors, each one running 5.2Ghz, all water cooled...

[bob]

Dang! That looks scary. Is it even street-legal?

[DBelton]

yep! and it's even in production and in use as well. In the IBM zEnterprise systems. (I happen to use several (30 to be exact) machines with those very processors in them at work. Imagine 30 of those connected in a parallel sysplex