Please help w/new graphics card & system build

(126) Re: Please help with new graphics card

How to build a system

 

(127) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Phew!!! Hi everyone. I just spent the last 6 hours transferring my hardware from my old computer to my new P182. I wish I had a video tape of the whole ordeal so you all could watch the bloopers lol. For a case that cost's $170, you think they might include a couple pics in their manual . It was a great learning experience though and the only thing I couldn't figure out is hooking up the Power LED. My old case had a two wire /two connector plug. The P182 has a 2 wire/3 connector plug. I didn't want to screw something up so I left unplugged. Any ideas? Also, what does the reset do or why is it different than the power button? My old machine didn't have one, but the MB had the "rst" so I hooked it up.

With all three fans on low, I do here some noise coming from the top fan. My temps are now CPU 30C, GPU 50C and HDD 29C. So my temps dropped 6 degrees . I'll try gaming later and experiment with the fan speeds. When I start ordering parts, I may also add a 4th fan like Hairy Coo has done to cool the GPU. (great idea!)

The case has built in standoffs, but I still used 2 included brass one's to match my old case. Also, is it ok to plug the 4 pin fan connector into another fan connection and then to the PSU 4 pin for power? In other words I have 2 fans hooked to one PSU 4 pin.

Thanks for the links, I'll have a look when I'm thinking a little more clearer. The door is double hinged, but I'm not pushing my luck opening it all the way. The one thing I don't like about this case is it has more plastic than I care for.

Edit: I just found where the noise is coming from. If I hold my hand on top the case in the middle and push down. The noise stops. It's a humming sound from the vibration of the fan.

 

(12 Re: Please help with new graphics card

Congratulations,Innerpeace,well done!

Know the feeling-any difficult questions are never answered in manuals!
Those wretched front bezel connectors are a real misery-Asus has seen the light and provides a simple plug for its mobos to take the lot!.

The Power LED just tells you the computer is On,so isnt essential,but in my experience experimentation with these plugs wont hurt,till everything is hooked up,if you have enough M/F plugs etc
On my machine,the Power LED lights up just above the Power button-the Hard Drive LED above the Reset Button-this one flickers depending upon activity.

The Reset button of course will restart the computer outside Windows,for example when the system freezes.
Just press it to reboot-its pretty essential.

The cooling sounds good-if you get that fourth fan and point it at the card,its temp will also drop.

The top fan shouldnt be making any noise except the usual,is the fan catching anything?
On my machine there is just a generalized whirr which cant be traced to any one point-double check the fan and the mounting-it may be faulty under warranty.
Regarding the fan connectors,you are supposed to connect most of them into each other with the cable plugs,the number doesnt matter

I found Antec excellent to deal with,even here in Aus.
Just be careful not to accidentally stress the door hinges,which I did,the same for the fan filter holders.
Antec will also replace both of these if necessary under warranty,but simpler to just reglue the hinges with Bostik,which I did about 9 months ago and still working perfectly.

Otherwise a great case,(apart from the door and fan filter plastics)

Did you route all the cables behind the side plate.?

 

(129) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Yep, I was scratching my head more than once thinking about using my sisters computer and asking what to do. I finally saw a little guide on the MB that indicated some of the bezel connectors. I needed a magnifying glass to read it lol.

I went to the MSI site and downloaded the manual for my MB. Like you said, it isn't important, but if I feel energetic, I'll see what it says. Or I may just experiment. The HDD light works fine. There were 2 HDD connectors with the case.

Thanks, I guess that would eliminate the need to do a power shutdown. Nice feature.

I like the cooling so far and I do want the other fan.

See my edit in my last post about the top fan. It's not the fan, it's the case and it's a humming sound. I put a pack of cd's on top and the noise stops. I'll have a look inside tomorrow to see if I can find if something isn't right. It's also good to hear the number of fan connectors doesn't matter. I'll also watch the plastic hinges and use caution. It's nice that Antec has good service too .

I did route some of them that way. If and when I get a new PSU, I will make sure everything is long enough. Some things were a stretch to reach. I also can't wait until I get my SATA accessories. One of my new round IDE cables isn't quite long enough. It works, but it's ugly.

On the lower chamber divider, in front of the two sliding plastic panels is a U-shaped hole. What is it for? Is it for the MB power, but you have to remove the two sliding plastic panels to insert it in the U-shape?

 

(130) Re: Please help with new graphics card

That cut out is to route all the cabling from the bottom compartment to the top and the idea is to close it as far as possible,so as to isolate the heat from spreading to above.
Unplug the MB power cable then feed it through.

That top fan doesnt sound right,as if something is loose or out of balance-check it with a torch inside the case.

The Reset just does a dirty reboot outside of Windows like the normal restart function.
It can cause slight problems with some software because they havent shutdown properly ,for example it interrupts the ShadowProtect full/incremental schedule-so dont use it unless necessary.I only use it to get out of freezes.

Anyway you are on the road to a top system

 

(131) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Thank you Hairy Coo. I took a quick peek and there may be a wire pinched between the top fan and the case. I will have to wait until tomorrow to fix it. There is definitely a vibration near that fan.

 

(132) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Theres quite alot of guides including video out there for that. Yes, thats why you don't rely on one review. The silentpc review is better. It so cold in innerpeace country i thought the ambient air would cool it more but it must be quite warm in his house and trapped air. What about the Antec vga air duct is that effective? to use for the gfx card for now? and yes more fans is not always better.

@innerpeace

Sorted you got the board in and working the rest is cosmetics.

I don't know the make on those Antec Fans. If i buy a cheap case i replace the noisy fans for better. The Antec is a decent design and the fans should be quality and quiet already under 20db. If a fan is vibrating you can fit rubber grommets(supplied with the fan) that the screws go into or you can fit a shroud or gasket round the edge that can create a cushion against the case. On some fans now they don't use screws but long rubber rivets that you stick through the holes and stretch the rubber tight and locks into place. Does the Antec come with anything like that?

yes 12V fans use little power approx 3Watts.

are those fans noisy on the higher settings?

some older motherboards don't have extra connections to fit extra usb, firewire, sound etc from the front bezel. so just leave them off. first two are reset then always miss a pin and then its two pin power. no polarity for the rest but the the hd led has a little + and - so it matters which way round. an easy way to remember is red wire always points forward to the front of the case. speaker goes opposite reset.

if you still got problems post the model of your motherboard and we sort it.

 

(133) Re: Please help with new graphics card

markymoo,

That VGA duct was discontinued about 9 months ago.

The Antec fans provided actually are good,quiet and move a lot of air.
The airflow and db figures are among the better ones.

Seems the fan noise problem may be an out of balance one which may be cured by a bit of readjusting.

My temp figures for the mobo area and video card did improve after fitting another internal 12 " fan

 

(134) Re: Please help with new graphics card

are the fans fitted or do you have to fit them? try removing the fan and puting it back. maybe its one of those plastic holders for the fans that the fans slot into. lets hope it is just a trapped wire.

regarding the power led on older boards the power led were 2 pins next to each other which is opposite the hd led. now on motherboards its the same 2 pins/wires spread over 3 with pin 2 not being used. down to atx design. you need to look in your old case and swap over the black 2 pin pwr led connector with the Antec 3 pin black connector. carefully remove these. a thick pin or a thin flat scewdriver works good for this. if you going to upgrade to a new motherboard in awhile then you have to swap it back so ask yourself is it worth it. in that case just leave it off as Hairy Coo suggested .

these are what i'm talking about to quiet the fan instead of screws.
http://www.acoustiproducts.com/en/ultra_soft_fan_mounts.asp
and shroud
http://www.europc.co.uk/pages/ProductPage.aspx?PID=47752

maybe either of you can take pictures of your case so we can see...

 

(135) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Yes, there is definitely some kind of mid to deep range humming sound going on. I think it's the top fan as I can feel a vibration. It will be taken care of tomorrow . If I can't fix it, Antec will. I'm also not sure of any type of rubber feet or rivet the fan may have until I investigate.

I could definitely hear the two fans on medium. I sorta thought that it might be a bit quieter, but I'm not judging until I sort the top fan out. In all honesty, I think everything would remain chilly and quiet regardless of what I was doing if I added the extra "GPU" fan and ran them all on low like "The Coo" does.

I do have some good news. I turned the top and rear fans on med and then I played 3 quick games of Battlefront. During play, my GPU was 60C and CPU was 45C. In my old case with the side off, GPU was 70C and CPU was 52C. Next time I try it, I leave them all on low.

I can also feel a lot of air sucking in the front vents towards the lower chamber. My PSU feels a lot cooler than it ever has because of this . It's also much more secure with 8 screws .

I'll have a look at the MB manual I downloaded and if I'm still confused, I'll see if I can post the relative info. It's really not a big deal not having a power light because I can hear it when it's on and the door is shut so I can't see it anyways. If your really bored, the MB is an MSI MS-7145 RS480, the MB has RS480M printed on it. One of the stickers shows 7145 v2.1 RS480-A21+SB400-A23.

Thanks again for help and encouragement,
innerpeace

Edit: @markymoo. I just saw your post. The fans are screwed in. I'm not sure about a seal though like in your link. Let's not worry about the Power LED. I did take note of how to swap them though . Hopefully this machine will be running a dual core before too long . It's 4 a.m. here, so I will have a look at the fans tomorrow.

 

(136) Re: Please help with new graphics card

the Antec P182SE and P190 now come with a torch inside attached to a bendy wire. neat idea.

@innerpeace
it cost you more to send the case back. i would just buy cheap anti vibration mounts if it dosen't correct. if all else fails give it a few soft bangs and taps.

 

(137) Re: Please help with new graphics card

The P190 is $400 on sale with free shipping. For that much, it should install your hardware for you .
The P182SE is $180 on sale with free shipping. Much more reasonable. The torch/flashlight is a cool idea .

 

(13 Re: Please help with new graphics card

Innerpeace,
Re our discussion about OEM OS software,apparently it can only be used with the existing motherboard.
If you install a different mobo, the OEM version wont work.
You need the retail version to transfer to a new machine or mobo.

 

(139) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Thanks Hairy Coo. I'll probably have to get an OEM version. I'm not sure of the MS's flexibility if the MB would happen to die and a person replaced it with an identical one. I've heard their ok to deal with for now.

Today I had a look at the fan and it's not a wire pinched between it and the case. The fan is only held in by two rear screws and the front slides into two punched metal holders. I would rather have it held it by 4 screws. There is no isolation between the fan and the case. One of the shrouds that markymoo posted may work. I did email Antec support and I'm going to wait to see what they say.

I think I got the Power LED working, but I have a question. What is the light between the reset and power buttons? The one below the HDD LED.

Edit: Nevermind about the lower LED, It's for a 2nd HDD LED.

 

(140) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Innerpeace,
That shroud markymoo was talking about was for conducting air to the graphics card-it was a monstrous thing,but was discontinued a long time ago for the P180,obviously wasnt successful

If that fan is still vibrating-try taking it off and packing an insulating gasket between it and the case body,otherwise Antec should replace the fan and cable.Cant understand this-its the top exhaust fan?Is you spoiler in place properly?
Not quite sure how you have your LEDs arranged,but as long as they are working.

 

(141) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Sorry, I called it a shroud but I meant insulating gasket like in markymoo's last link. I did get the Power LED working with the help of the MB manual.

Yes, it's the top exhaust fan and I finally got the spoiler on correctly today as the little plastic slide tabs didn't stick down far enough through the case. The humming sound is still there and getting louder. I'll see what they say about it.

 

(142) Re: Please help with new graphics card

just to clear up the confusion and my 2 cents.

The vga duct is to funnel the hot air away from the graphics card which is discontinued on the Antec. The review said it comes but that was at the time of the review but not now. I thought you had this part but no you don't. http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/Antec p180 review/P180 review pics/26.jpg

A shroud or gasket is the same thing which is to cut out vibration on fans or to block the gap between the fan and any part you put a fan against., by doing this it increases airflow even more as all the air gets sent through the fan blades rather than some through the gaps at the side.
See here the white seal around the fan. http://www.acoustiproducts.com/en/fan_gaskets.asp

Alternatively buy a sheet of neoprene which also does a fine job and dampens sound. http://customaudiodesigns.co.uk/seals/hdseal.htm

Alternatively if you buy a fan such as the excellent Nexus(As you need a extra fan anyway.) http://www.nexustek.nl/NXS-nexus120mmrealsilentcasefan.htm
it includes anti vibration mountings such as these which will also do a fine job. http://www.acoustiproducts.com/en/ultra_soft_fan_mounts.asp

If you get a Nexus you can remove the fan making the noise and fit the Nexus in it's place and fit the original fan somewhere else. It is a silent fan meaning anything under 20db is silent which is ironic. Nexus go by another name in the States called Yate Loons. It has a rating of 36 CFM(cubic foot per minute) which is high for 12cm. http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=36_49&products_id=4041

I rest my case.

 

(143) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Hi markymoo. I've been doing a little searching and see others having the same humming sound. It doesn't happen with the side off, but only with it attached. I guess the negative airflow stresses the top fan which is only mounted with two screws.

Antec used to sell a product called Noise Killers which are the gaskets/shrouds. I had a look at NewEgg and they sell a set of gaskets also. I should receive a reply from Antec tomorrow regarding this problem. They have to be aware that this is a common problem with their cases.

I read that one person removed the top fan and installed it in the middle GPU cooling fan mount. They reported nearly the same temps as before. If I have to, I may try this but the top fan is mounted to an external switch so I would need to investigate. I guess I could also see if I can drill two holes in the case for the other two fan mount screws. I'll let you all know what Antec says when they email me, hopefully it's good news.

 

(144) Re: Please help with new graphics card

you mean positive not negative pressure. too much intake air(positive) is coming from the front and not enough exhaust building up pressure making the fan vibrate possibly. the fans have switches so set the one on the front down low and set one the back and top on a higher settings to create more negative pressure. the more negative pressure the more air will flow in. make sure dust filters are fitted at the front. ideally it should be 2:1 negative pressure and trying to make lower pressure inside the case than whats outside, thats why you have the front on low. Heat is dissipated much more quickly at low pressures. You trying to keep the airflow moving and exhausting out, sometimes the exhaust at top can make it worse so try different speeds or turn off or block it. If the temps are same or better with the top fan off or blocked then this would stop it vibrating also. The motherboard you got only allows for 5V fan connector. so you would need an adaptor that isn't worth it. you can control the fans speed by the case feature. i like that case, the PSU is in its own compartment reducing temps.even if you only get a few degrees drop it still a big difference in case temps. the 6C drop you got is actually alot.

Edit:
Those Antec fans are TriCool fans which are good and the Nexus are only slightly quieter according to review. I dont know where Hairy Coo fits his 4th fan but if you buy another fan buy one with a high CFM rating to replace the exhaust on the back to remove the heat more.

 

(145) Re: Please help with new graphics card

markymoo and innerpeace,

My 180,which is substantially the same as the 182, never had this problem with the top fan.

Putting my hand above it now,there is a slight only vibration-nothing unusual.

Sounds like a bearing is gone,but if its a common problem,then the gaskets may help

For a standard set up,the bottom 12" HDD inlet fan is fairly sealed off-so it doesnt count.

So effectively there is 1-12' fan inletting and 2- 12" fans exhausting,one top, one rear-which is exactly the 2:1 negative pressure markymoo mentions.This is what innerpeace has at the moment.

I have an additional 12" fan mounted INSIDE the case on the top HDD cage,with the external 12' fan fitted on the front of that cage effectively.
That internal 12" fan has a a lower CFM rating,and I moved the higher rated one to the rear ,exactly as markymoo suggested.

This is only helping I suppose maintaining the airflow in and out,hard to say but it does help without any adverse results.

Dont think the problem is to do with air pressure,just a mechanical problem.

Edit; Markymoo-all my fans are Tricool which as you say are about as good as most.
You can see from my setup the air pressure should also be OK for innerpeace

 

(146) Re: Please help with new graphics card

If innerpeace buys another TriCool fan and trys it in place. innerpeace will soon see if it's the fan or not. that 4th fan sounds like its doing a job of cooling the hard drives or at least pulling the heat off. We just trying things. to improve temps also, it may likely be a bearing inside the fan is faulty.

I found some info on those TriCool fans. On high its 79CFM which is good enough. I wasn't far out i said around 3W used. It good to get aquainted with this case as i looking at the P190 and Lian-Li cases are approx. the same price for the same features.

High
2000RPM 0.24A (max.) 2.24 m³ / min
(79 CFM) 2.54 mm-H2O
(0.10inch- H2O)
30 dBA
2.88 W
Medium
1600RPM 0.2A 1.59 m³ / min
(56 CFM) 1.53 mm-H2O
(0.06inch- H2O) 28 dBA 2.4 W
Low
1200RPM 0.13A 1.1 m³ / min
(39 CFM) 0.92 mm- H2O
(0.04inch- H2O) 25 dBA 1.56 W

 

(147) Re: Please help with new graphics card

markymoo,

Are you thinking about getting a P!90-should be good!

Part of a review shows the fan fitted on the drive cage in the same position as mine.

here

That fan info is interesting!

 

(14 Re: Please help with new graphics card

Thanks for the great info! You both are very knowledgeable and I'm learning a lot. I now understand more about the airflow in my system. When I place my next order, I'm going to order another fan so I can have 3 in the upper chamber like Hairy Coo's setup and I'm going to get a pair of the silicone gaskets for my rear and top fans.

Antec replied today and asked me to remove the fan and see if it was making noise, if so they would replace it. It sounded normal to me, but it did have a slight vibration. They also wanted me to bend the two clips that hold the fan in place to minimize the space between the fan and the case. I also did this and it didn't help. I wrote them back telling them my results and about the silicone gaskets, but I probably won't hear back from them until Monday. When I replace my MB, I will drill 2 more holes so the fan will be mounted normally and I will also use a gasket.

I see NewEgg has the E8200 and E8400 in stock, but there still a bit pricey for me at $240 and $260. What are the core names from good to best in my price range?

@ markymoo, The P190 looks nice with 1200 watts and 5 fans. Were you going to try air cooling only or still go with water cooling?

FWIW, I get a Newegg newsletter and I have a coupon code for $50 off a P180. That would make the price before shipping $80. They only ship in the US though.

 

(149) Re: Please help with new graphics card

Innerpeace,
You will have 4 fans if you get another in the top-2 front at the top drive cage,plus the rear and the top and of course one at the bottom= 5.
That should be enough for anyone
Good that Antec are helpful

 

(150) Re: Please help with new graphics card

I'm confused (as usual). Are you using 1 or 2 extra fans? If your running 2 extra, is it the one in front of the "GPU" fan that is blowing in from directly behind the upper air filter and the "GPU" fan?

I was thinking about adding only the "GPU" one on the inside of the upper chamber HDD cage with the 2 metal clips to cool the GPU (like in the link you posted ). If I understood you both, this should be a lower CFM fan than my top and rear exhaust fans.