IC 11 is cranky :(

BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of PropagandaOKC Icrontian
edited October 2010 in Folding@Home
Hey crew- IC 11 has been running nice and happy at 1606mhz but lately hasn't been to happy. We cracked the case open and found the northbridge fan on the AK31 is dead.

The problem w/ replacing the north bridge cooler is that there's a capacitor right next to it which blocks the installation of all orb type coolers, and the heatpipes on the HSF sit over it a bit, nixing the idea of the passive Zalman type heatsink.

We're in a bit of a predicament. We can't run it as fast as it has been running, so for the time being, we've clocked it down a bit to try and keep it stable. Still, this baby is fast, and we'd like to juice every mhz out of it for the team. So what should we do?

Should we try to fix the current northbridge fan? Should we fit an orb on it all lopsided-ish? Should we replace the Coolermaster Heatpipe heatsink with something better and then get the Zalman for it?

We're looking for suggestions..

Taking one for the team,
Buddy J and Garg

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    The old icerberq cooler from vantec (The aluminum red one, or the copper one) comes with a set of passive sinks and frag tape. It's about $20, and you can get a sink on the bridge, and the active cooler in the iceberq package might fit..
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Buddy J.. what board is it? and what CPU?

    If a new board is easier, I have a decent board sitting in a box at work that could provide a new body for the brain :)
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    I just got one of those actually :) (referring to Vantec set)

    My northbridge fan (and Buddy J's) have also crapped out this week. I used the large passive sink that came in the set on my board, because the orb wouldn't fit. Doesn't look like the orb will fit on IC11 either. I could perhaps thermal glue (I have some Arctic Alumina adhesive) it on a bit crooked, except the heatpipes from the CPU HSF would still be in the way. The last heatsink in the set I think may be a little inadequate. Looks like it's best suited for a southbridge.

    Shorty, it's a Shuttle AK31 with a 1600+ Palamino AGOIA. The generic RAM that was bought with the team fund has turned out to be pretty impressive, too.
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    We had that ram running @ 153, which is very impressive for generic ram on that board. Most AK31s wont go over 145 stock. With better cooling and unlocking that AGOIA, I think we could get a better OC.

    So the magic question is- What's in Shorty's box?
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited October 2003
    www.1coolpc.com has some alpha wingfin heatsinks, one of which should fit. They also have some square chipset hsfs that may fit.

    Also check http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=270&type=store
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited October 2003
    Geeky, it doesn't need a heatsink, it really only needs a 40mm fan. I just had to change 1 out on my old KG7 board a few months ago.

    Buddy J or Garg, do you have 20mm of room above the nb heatsink itself, not counting the fan, without interfering with the hsf on the proc? If so, speak up. I can rob the 40X20mm fan I installed on my KG7 and send it to you, since I'm no longer using that board at the moment.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    I'll check on it when I get back from work tonight (on lunch now :D ). Thanks muddockter!
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited October 2003
    I think I have another 40mm fan if mud doesnt. I prolly have several if need be.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    IC_11 is going under the knife! Muhaha!

    I got my SLK-900 from SVC a couple days ago and I've been debating what to do with it. I really hate installing heatsinks, especially the SLK with it's amazingly stiff clip. But, I'm biting the bullet and installing it as soon as I get done posting.

    I'm going to let IC_11 borrow my SLK-800 when I put on the SLK-900 on my rig. It'll be installed with AS3, and probably with my Smart Fan 2. I'm going to unlock the processor if I can find my magical orange goo, too :D

    After the upgrade, she should be good for another 100mhz or so. :thumbsup:

    I'll be removing a Cooler Master heatpipe heatsink, so if a new SM_x rig needs a heatsink, I can send it on it's way. The heatsink allowed IC_11 to run 206mhz above stock, and it was stable up to 62*C. Right now, Sensor 2 (wherever it's at) reads 33*C and the CPU is at 52*C.
    The SLK-800 and fan are still mine, so if IC_11 ever gets transferred to a new host, it will need a new heatsink if the Cooler Master is needed by a new rig.

    And for the northbridge, I'm just going to remove the non-working fan so the airflow over the small passive heatsink won't be obstructed. My computer ran fine like that for a week (while folding and playing games) before I put on a slightly larger passive heatsink, so IC_11 should be ok.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited October 2003
    Gargoyle, the solution to the stiff clip is actually really easy... use a REALLY F**KING BIG :screwed:

    I've actually started using a flathead screwdriver that is just very slightly larger than the hole in the clip (so that you actually have to push it in/pull it out, rather than just dropping it in) that has about an 8" long handle. The additional leverage makes installing the SLKs dead easy.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited October 2003
    I always use a screwdriver for installing HSs.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    SLK's are definitely not screwdriver optional. I can only imagine my poor fingers trying to do it :sad2:

    It actually worked out better for me to use a small flathead this time, but I can't think of a good way of describing how I did it.

    Only thing that sucks is that now only one of my two sticks of RAM is being recognized. Either stick will work in the first slot if the others are unoccupied, and with the second or third slot occupied, only one of the chips is happy in the first slot (but then only one of the chips is recognized). It did this when I first got the RAM too. Not sure what to do, I've cleaned the contacts on the RAM and spent half a can of compressed air blowing out the slots. I guess I should really post that in another thread...

    Anyway, since I've spent so much time screwing with my RAM, IC_11 may have to wait until tomarrow. It's still running though -no worries, won't shut it down until it's go time :D
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    OK, I'm finally gonna get to work on IC_11. It's going under the knife as soon as I post this!

    Gonna get the SLK put on, and may install the Iceberq onto the Northbridge. I'll take a closer look at it once I get the Heatpipe HSF off.

    The supplies laid out, the girly-man beer has been opened - it's IC_11 unlocking time!!!

    How's that for drama? :D

    Here's the operating room:
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    The patient has had a quick and full recovery!

    The unlock was sucessful, and I'm running it at 140x12=1680 tonight to test stability. Vcore is at +.075. This is about 75mhz faster than before it was unlocked. The RAM is good for another 15mhz or so, and there's still 0.5 left in multiplier, so there's still some room left to OC if the board can handle it :)

    It's been running about 5 minutes when I post this, but so far the SLK-800 cooled by the Smart Fan 2 and the addition of an intake fan seem to be keeping the CPU nice and cool. The Vantec copper Iceberq northbridge cooler needed a little bit of modding to fit (dremeled out a place for compacitator, and improvised mounts), but it's on the board and looking good. :D It was an absolute pain to get the stock northbridge fan off. I ended up having to freeze the entire motherboard to get the double-sided tape (really nothing thermal about it - it looked like Scotch brand) brittle enough to release.

    Surgery photos:
    1.jpg 54.7K
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    The pegs were a bit mangled, so I had to hold them down with red motherboard washers and paperclip pieces :)

    Buddy J's idea :mullet:

    GHETTO STYLEE!
    2.jpg 42.4K
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Closeup of modded Iceberq.
    3.jpg 36.1K
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Isn't she beautiful? :D

    I'll keep you all updated on the OCing progress. I'm thinking about ducting in some air from the window it's next to :thumbsup:
    4.jpg 67.7K
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    You are nuts.. but that rocks! :rockon:

    Good work mate :fold:
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Thanks :)

    It ran stably all night, and only at 37*C!
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited November 2003
    OC some more if the mobo can handle it. As long as its stable.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    I just edged the FSB up another 3 mhz. 143x12=1716.

    I don't think AGOIAs are good for much more, but it's still running really cool, and is stable so far. If it runs stably at this speed the rest of the night I'll bump it up a bit more. It's already running 100mhz faster than before, so I'm pretty happy :)
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited November 2003
    I think those got to like 1800 or so.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    It just may. I wish mine would. Mine tops out at 1720, but I'm severly limited by my PCI cards right now.

    Gonna bump it up a wee bit more. It ran stably while I was at work :thumbsup:

    edit: Just moved it up to 1752.
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited October 2010
    Seven year bump. ;) Garg mentioned this thread to me in an email. Thought I'd bring back some memories with a classic necro.
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    edited October 2010
    Buddy J wrote:
    Seven year bump. ;) Garg mentioned this thread to me in an email. Thought I'd bring back some memories with a classic necro.
    Yeah, but does it still work?
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited October 2010
    Yes it does.
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited October 2010
    ALL HAIL IC-11!!! Great job keeping her folding!
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited October 2010
    VICTORIOUS!

    sigimage.php?u=21649&bg=1

    I don't have a desktop at home right now, and I wanted something to hook up to my new projector. So, I decided it was time to dust off IC11 and give her a couple victory laps. I mentioned a couple details already in the Guantlet thread, but here's the story:

    The RAM crapped out 31 months ago, and it wasn't too much longer before we basically retired the ICx project, so that's the way she stayed. After upgrading my work rig, I had a bunch of DDR400 left over, so I popped it in and started her up. And she started right up like a champ!

    The board has nigh-exploded caps, though, so while it does run, I think they may be causing the problems I'm having with getting it boot at anything besides the BIOS "safe" settings of 16x100 MHz. Which sucks, because it'll fold all day at over 2200 MHz. She was upgraded twice since this thread was posted, BTW, and is now has a watercooled Barton core Athlon XP.

    Issues aside, I did want a usable rig, so I went ahead and upgraded the Ubuntu 7.4 Gutsy install to the new 10.10 Maverick hautness. That was tricky, since I don't have an optical drive to hook up to it, and the A7N8X won't boot off a USB drive. I gave myself a big pat on the back once I figured out how to get GRUB to boot the USB stick with the Ubuntu installation image using the existing Linux kernel from the old OS. It feels good to hear the reservoir bubbling again, so I might just let it roll for awhile. She's turned in two WUs already :fold:

    Now, it's been too long since you've seen a vodka-cooled computer, hasn't it?

    attachment.php?attachmentid=28631&stc=1&d=1288314484
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