05-22-2011, 02:38 PM
I put together my first custom PC, which also happens to be my first ever desktop. I would like to thank everyone on these forums for all the help as well as Mathieu for writing all the articles - it would have been much harder without them.
This is a lower-cost rig, I spent about $680 on everything except the graphics card (still shopping for that).
Parts:
CPU: i5-2500
Ram: Mushkin silverline 2 x 4gb ddr3 1333
Case: Lian Li Lancool K68
Mobo: MSI H67MA - E35
PSU: XFX XXX series 650W modular
HD: Samsung spinpoint f3
![[Image: SDC10755.JPG]](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_gnmbVGlMxhU/Tdlhgr9KMRI/AAAAAAAAAC4/0ew82kYV2Hk/s576/SDC10755.JPG)
Everything's in there, wires a pretty messy though. I later realized how to route them around the back...
![[Image: SDC10764.JPG]](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_gnmbVGlMxhU/TdlhjHEjsJI/AAAAAAAAADE/zHrQmn97meo/s576/SDC10764.JPG)
Here's where it got interesting. I actually had my computer running before this pic, installed windows 7 and messed around a bit, but there was this annoying clicking noise coming from my computer. Kind of like a loud hard drive (that's what I thought it was at first). After sticking my head in there turns out it was the PSU. Apparently other people have had this problem too. I wedged something in the fan and turned it on: silence.
![[Image: SDC10777.JPG]](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_gnmbVGlMxhU/TdlhlGgiCyI/AAAAAAAAADM/vjGQpO8OoBI/s576/SDC10777.JPG)
So... Instead of trying to return I took it apart. It's a habit of mine I guess. My awesome case has 2 140mm fans on the top, the PSU has a 135mm fan with a metal cover (that black piece in the pictures), it was a perfect fit! Problem solved.
![[Image: SDC10778.JPG]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_gnmbVGlMxhU/TdlhmG4Z3yI/AAAAAAAAADQ/IbtH2WuBWp0/s576/SDC10778.JPG)
I wrapped electrical tape around my pliers to unplug the fan, I didn't feel comfortable sticking my fingers in there.
![[Image: SDC10781.JPG]](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_gnmbVGlMxhU/TdlhnHmbQjI/AAAAAAAAADU/5F2m_Fle4_E/s576/SDC10781.JPG)
Now I have a custom PSU with a larger fan.
![[Image: SDC10783.JPG]](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_gnmbVGlMxhU/Tdlhn6Oh96I/AAAAAAAAADY/ud1WEDA01E0/s576/SDC10783.JPG)
All done.
![[Image: SDC10776.JPG]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_gnmbVGlMxhU/TdliH3HW3RI/AAAAAAAAADo/OVku8_Amoek/s800/SDC10776.JPG)
This is a lower-cost rig, I spent about $680 on everything except the graphics card (still shopping for that).
Parts:
CPU: i5-2500
Ram: Mushkin silverline 2 x 4gb ddr3 1333
Case: Lian Li Lancool K68
Mobo: MSI H67MA - E35
PSU: XFX XXX series 650W modular
HD: Samsung spinpoint f3
Everything's in there, wires a pretty messy though. I later realized how to route them around the back...
Here's where it got interesting. I actually had my computer running before this pic, installed windows 7 and messed around a bit, but there was this annoying clicking noise coming from my computer. Kind of like a loud hard drive (that's what I thought it was at first). After sticking my head in there turns out it was the PSU. Apparently other people have had this problem too. I wedged something in the fan and turned it on: silence.
So... Instead of trying to return I took it apart. It's a habit of mine I guess. My awesome case has 2 140mm fans on the top, the PSU has a 135mm fan with a metal cover (that black piece in the pictures), it was a perfect fit! Problem solved.
I wrapped electrical tape around my pliers to unplug the fan, I didn't feel comfortable sticking my fingers in there.
Now I have a custom PSU with a larger fan.
All done.