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The HDD cage has to stay obviously. Otherwise, where would the HDDs go? In any case, the H50 will go once I get the water loop components. I am making that space, a single 140mm radiator that will hook up to the top 360 radiator.

That should give me extra chill power and enough to include in the CPU into the loop.

Side note, I am going to get a sorta lavish reservoir, the FrozenQMod Helix Reservoir. It looks like the Resident Evil T-Virus hold canister. It will go perfectly since I am going to use a light blue or clear dye. The Helix interior will be blue going along with the theme.

depending on how many HDDs you have, are the hot swap bays in the front not enough?
 
depending on how many HDDs you have, are the hot swap bays in the front not enough?

4 HDDs in the Hot Swap bays, and 1 SSD in the bottom two trays. I plan to expand to an extra SSD. Leave the Intel drive as application storage, the new SSD as bootup drive, and the RAID array as multimedia and just general stuff storage.

I didn't include those changes to the original plans because I thought of them like 4 days ago while reading a Intel article on NAND flash storage.
 
That said, once the warranty expires, I might go and experiment on it.

it takes a lot of self control I commend yours. There is no product warranty I have not almost immediately broken once I have opened the box LOL

In fact I just purchased this cute little 70 dollar toy video projector a couple weeks ago and converted it into an electronic version of a camera obscura for my art business what I did to it totally voided the warranty within hours of its arrival.
 
it takes a lot of self control I commend yours. There is no product warranty I have not almost immediately broken once I have opened the box LOL

In fact I just purchased this cute little 70 dollar toy video projector a couple weeks ago and converted it into an electronic version of a camera obscura for my art business what I did to it totally voided the warranty within hours of its arrival.

I'm just waiting for the non-trivial stuff to run out of warranty. After that I will go berserk customizing.

As far as the 5850s go, I'll hold up on those on air for the time being. Reason is, they have lifetime warranty with XFX and best off all, XFX doesn't care if you take the air based cooler off and install a 3rd party water block, in fact they encourage it. In their warranty it has a clause that says if the card needs service, just re-asemble it back and send it off to them.

Anyways, just tested the CPU for higher overclock, it appears to hold. Still at 200MHz baseclock, but this time at a higher multiplier, x23. That means a 4.6GHz overclock on the H50, temps hold. I'll get to posting soon (after Microprocessors, and Controls Systems test)
 
I'm just waiting for the non-trivial stuff to run out of warranty. After that I will go berserk customizing.

As far as the 5850s go, I'll hold up on those on air for the time being. Reason is, they have lifetime warranty with XFX and best off all, XFX doesn't care if you take the air based cooler off and install a 3rd party water block, in fact they encourage it. In their warranty it has a clause that says if the card needs service, just re-asemble it back and send it off to them.

Anyways, just tested the CPU for higher overclock, it appears to hold. Still at 200MHz baseclock, but this time at a higher multiplier, x23. That means a 4.6GHz overclock on the H50, temps hold. I'll get to posting soon (after Microprocessors, and Controls Systems test)

what programs are you using to stress test?
 
Ok, small update. Rather an infuriating one.

Long story short.

- Cousin (12 year old) came over and asked me to use Macross to play Crysis WH.
- I say yes
- I leave him for 20 minutes
- He comes back saying he got bored
- I go turn Macross off because he left it on.
- BSOD in full force; mind you my first non-overclocking produced BSOD
- Reboot Macross
- POST message says Unstable/Failed Overclock
- Go into BIOS settings
- Settings I had: x19 multiplier * 200MHz BCLK @ 1.225 V VCORE
- Settings I now see: x21 * 210 MHz @ 1.225V VCORE ... duh its going to go wrong; not enough voltage
- Try to reload settings previous... fail for 30 minutes. Get frustrated.
- Reset CMOS

Now, I have been trying an entire day to redo the settings as they were before. Not happy as I get a stable overclock at x18 * 200 @ 1.225V. However, if I step it up to x19, I no longer get a stable system (reboots, crashes, BSODs). I have upp'd the VCORE all the way to 1.26ish and still I get unstable system. I am pissed right now. I had a nice low voltage for that awesome overclock.
 
How long did you stress test your stable settings?

- Bios updated?
- Temp Check
- RAM Timings set for your type of ram?

try these settings

Ai Overclock Tuner.....................[Manual]
CPU Ratio Setting......................[21.0]
Intel(r) SpeedStep(tm) Tech............[Disabled]
Xtreme Phase Full Power Mode...........[Enabled]
BCLK Frequency.........................[200]
PCIE Frequency.........................[100]
DRAM Frequency.........................[DDR3-1603MHz]
UCLK Frequency.........................[3208MHz]
QPI Link Data Rate.....................[Auto]

CPU Voltage Control....................[Manual]
CPU Voltage............................[1.35]
CPU PLL Voltage........................[1.80]
QPI/DRAM Core Voltage..................[1.335]
IOH Voltage............................[1.12]
IOH PCIE Voltage.......................[1.50]
ICH Voltage............................[1.20]
ICH PCIE Voltage.......................[1.50]
DRAM Bus Voltage.......................[1.64]
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA...........[Auto]
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA...........[Auto]
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB...........[Auto]
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB...........[Auto]
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC...........[Auto]
DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC...........[Auto]

Load-Line Calibration..................[Enabled]
CPU Differential Amplitude.............[800mV]
CPU Clock Skew.........................[Delay 300ps]
CPU Spread Spectrum....................[Disabled]
IOH Clock Skew.........................[Auto]
PCIE Spread Spectrum...................[Disabled]

C1E Support............................[Disabled]
Hardware Prefetcher....................[Enabled]
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch...........[Enabled]
Intel(r) Virtualization Tech...........[Disabled]
CPU TM Function........................[Enabled]
Execute Disable Bit....................[Enabled]
Intel(r) HT Technology.................[Enabled]
Active Processor Cores.................[All]
A20M...................................[Disabled]
Intel(r) SpeedStep(tm) Tech............[Disabled]
Intel(r) C-STATE Tech..................[Disabled]

if this doesn't work increase your "CPU Voltage" and/or "QPI/DRAM Core Voltag
 
^^ Thanks man. I managed to get the previous overclock stable. I now have a VCORE rating of 1.26875 on the BIOS settings, much higher than the 1.2225 I used to have.

Also, in reference to the x18 * 200 overclock, it was a 6 hour testing for that one. To up the BCLK I usually do 10 minute testing via PRIME_95, and take 20 minutes when it comes to upping the multiplier. However, seeing as I couldn't get a stable x19 I decided to test x18, get it stable and then go for x19 and see how to make it work.

Well, it paid off. I'll post the results on what my voltages are later on. BTW, if you notice the temps, they are high because I am running Folding@Home in the background, so the CPU is idling higher than usual. Oh the screen shot show the current load on the CPU is around 26%


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^^ Thanks man. I managed to get the previous overclock stable. I now have a VCORE rating of 1.26875 on the BIOS settings, much higher than the 1.2225 I used to have.

Also, in reference to the x18 * 200 overclock, it was a 6 hour testing for that one. To up the BCLK I usually do 10 minute testing via PRIME_95, and take 20 minutes when it comes to upping the multiplier. However, seeing as I couldn't get a stable x19 I decided to test x18, get it stable and then go for x19 and see how to make it work.

Well, it paid off. I'll post the results on what my voltages are later on. BTW, if you notice the temps, they are high because I am running Folding@Home in the background, so the CPU is idling higher than usual. Oh the screen shot show the current load on the CPU is around 26%


*** CLICK TO ENLARGE ***

For stress testing the CPU I do a combination of Prime 95 and Linx

I run linx first and see if it passes 20 runs

then finish of with Prime 95 Blend test for 8 hours, if it passes the OC is stable.

Linx will find errors before prime 95 finds errors, so I use it for a quick check on OC before messing with the bios and it also runs your baby a little hotter than Prime 95, a combination of both programs will def get you a stable OC.

Some recommend ITB(Intel Burn Test) but it puts serious heat on your cpu and I'm not down with that unless I'm under water.

I also run memtest86 even though primes blend test, tests both cpu and ram.
 
For stress testing the CPU I do a combination of Prime 95 and Linx

I run linx first and see if it passes 20 runs

then finish of with Prime 95 Blend test for 8 hours, if it passes the OC is stable.

Linx will find errors before prime 95 finds errors, so I use it for a quick check on OC before messing with the bios and it also runs your baby a little hotter than Prime 95, a combination of both programs will def get you a stable OC.

Some recommend ITB(Intel Burn Test) but it puts serious heat on your cpu and I'm not down with that unless I'm under water.

I also run memtest86 even though primes blend test, tests both cpu and ram.

Another quick update, I ran Prime_95 for 4 and a half hours before Macross reboot itself; I was on my MacBook on a side desk when I heard the Windows 7 start-up chime. However, here is the kicker, Linx made 40 passes; settings were Real-Time, 64-bit, Stop on Error, Problem size 11000, 8 threads, and 76*C maximum temp allowed. Temperatures were around 75*C maximum during the Prime_95 testing.

I'm thinking maybe it was a small fluke? That or, I'll raise the VCORE by another increment.


Edit - As of now, I'm doing an ALL Linx test. For me, that means, Problem Size 24508 and Memory is 4602 MiB.
 
Macross failed to pass the previous mentioned All test under Test Run #12. Stop on Error kicked in.

Raised the VCORE by 2 increments. Giving it another go and checking further stability.

Edit - Will report tomorrow with results, today I have Controls homework to finish.
 
Just inserted a new SSD into the machine. 16GB Kingston SSD. Why do low? It is set as a Recovery Core drive. I put in this drive the entire Windows 7 image (or .iso). In other words, if the main SSD corrupts and Windows becomes unbeatable. I can easily fix and repair it using the 16GB SSD.
 
I don't think it is possible given the fact that the motherboard is an Asus one and that OS X doesn't have HD5850 support.

If I get it working, it'll be running under the bare essence of OS X.

You sir underestimate the power of the dark side ;)
Hackintosh can run custom kexts built by the community. Most installations are successful through trial-and-error and verbose boot analysis.
 
You sir underestimate the power of the dark side ;)
Hackintosh can run custom kexts built by the community. Most installations are successful through trial-and-error and verbose boot analysis.

Don't get me wrong. I wanna see how OS X runs on it (it has been an irking curiosity of mine says Day 1), but I have little to no space left in my main SSD, much less the newly acquired Recovery Core SSD to put OS X in.

Not to mention, the last thing I want is for a messed up BIOS and having to redo the current over clock.
 
Don't get me wrong. I wanna see how OS X runs on it (it has been an irking curiosity of mine says Day 1), but I have little to no space left in my main SSD, much less the newly acquired Recovery Core SSD to put OS X in.

Not to mention, the last thing I want is for a messed up BIOS and having to redo the current over clock.
OS X only runs on EFI. Since your mobo does not support EFI, the bootloader will install an EFI emulator, similar to the BIOS emulating layer of Boot Camp, to let OS X run without messing with your BIOS settings. Which means your overclock is kept safe while you use OS X.
 
OS X only runs on EFI. Since your mobo does not support EFI, the bootloader will install an EFI emulator, similar to the BIOS emulating layer of Boot Camp, to let OS X run without messing with your BIOS settings. Which means your overclock is kept safe while you use OS X.

See that's another thing. I know very little about OS X on custom built hardware.

I know the very basics (not everything is supported, EFI support only, Chameleon, driver headaches) but not the detail things that create a successful OS X installation.
 
I don't think it is possible given the fact that the motherboard is an Asus one and that OS X doesn't have HD5850 support.

If I get it working, it'll be running under the bare essence of OS X.

I think you should be able to get it working without too much trouble. If you are looking for an easier way to get it working (insanelymac can be quite the rabbit hole), I would advise tonymacx86.com using the iBoot+Multibeast method.
 
I think you should be able to get it working without too much trouble. If you are looking for an easier way to get it working (insanelymac can be quite the rabbit hole), I would advise tonymacx86.com using the iBoot+Multibeast method.
Tony's method is OK, but just in case your hardware is not supported by Multibeast, you should go to InsanelyMac forums for further help.
 
Tony's method is OK, but just in case your hardware is not supported by Multibeast, you should go to InsanelyMac forums for further help.

Sure, but it's quite probable that tony's method would work for him. Nothing too out of the ordinary. For the 5850, graphicsenabler=yes should work, as for the mobo, the only trouble I see would be finding a specific DSDT as it may not be in tony's dsdt database. It's an x58, so no major hacking should be needed.
 
Tony's method is OK, but just in case your hardware is not supported by Multibeast, you should go to InsanelyMac forums for further help.

That's the thing, if I try to do it, I will do knowing that I can achieve little probability of failure. Last thing I need is flipping through various files and cmd lines to get the computer back at its original state.

Sure, but it's quite probable that tony's method would work for him. Nothing too out of the ordinary. For the 5850, graphicsenabler=yes should work, as for the mobo, the only trouble I see would be finding a specific DSDT as it may not be in tony's dsdt database. It's an x58, so no major hacking should be needed.

Ouch! Yes, the mobo I have can be a pain to deal with. I looked stuff up on it regarding OS X and it has its complications.
 
That's the thing, if I try to do it, I will do knowing that I can achieve little probability of failure. Last thing I need is flipping through various files and cmd lines to get the computer back at its original state.



Ouch! Yes, the mobo I have can be a pain to deal with. I looked stuff up on it regarding OS X and it has its complications.

Its ridiculous how long the update procedure takes not mentioning the kernel panics you can have and instability issues I would not do osx if I were you ...how bout linux instead?
 
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