CC:MSI MEGA 651 barebones

[squall458]

kk moved the thread from hot deals, post anything u like here. so far i have heard from reviews and ppl on rfd that it runs hot. i was going to put in an agp card for gaming but now im worried about heat issues. still not sure which intel chip to stick in here. anyone have luck using a non msi brand drive in hi fi mode?

[balou911]

Ok i want one again.

Anyone selling - lmk please.
or where i can get one retail.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


Ive owned in the past.

yes they run hot.

as for the optical drives, ive tried about 6 different models, and they all worked fine in both pc and hifi mode.

I used the pioneer 2x dvd-r drive, 2 different 52x cdrws, 2 different dvd rom and a cdrw/dvd combo drive.

[jb22]

I was thinking about buying one as an HTPC, mainly as a PVR. I mean all I would have to add is a tv tuner card right? Maybe a cheap AGP cardfor TV out, so that's an extra $100 or so, so less then $500 for a PVR. I'd go for it but just dropped a few hundred on a PSP, one toy at a time for me.

[Canadianpsycho]

Well, provided CC calls me I've decided I'm definitely going to use this system.

-I'm going to throw in a mobile Celeron and OC it to 133 MHz FSB, provided it recognizes the chip. The 651 Chipset is supposed to.

-Going to add 512 MB RAM, since its so cheap these days

-Going to look for a 5200 or 9200/9600 w/128MB, TV out and DVI so I can connect to my DLP's HDMI w/ and adapter

-Possibly will scoop up one of those cheap Chaintech audio cards.

-Way I see it, I'll run 100+80+50+50+30 plus tax and whatever it costs for a HDD. Still not sure if I want to get a monstrous HDD or just stream from one of my PCs upstairs.

Can anyone recommend a QUIET DVD-ROM that's recommended? Balou, I know you said you tried quite a few, got any model numbers of the quieter ones?

[squall458]

how much does the mobile celeron go for around, i know it depends on cpu speed but ball park figure. and im going the same route as u Canadianpsycho. mobile celery, 512 ram (are u going with 333 or 400, the chipset only supports 33 right?) and when u said that u were gonna oc to 133 FSB, is that kinda low? i thought it would be 400 oc to 533??

[Canadianpsycho]

I'm planning on buying used parts, so I'm hoping around 80 bucks for the celeron.

100-133 is the same as 400-533, the FSB is "quad pumped" so 4x100 = 400 and 4x133 = 533.

I'll probably go with DDR400, unless I get a wicked deal on some used DDR333. DDR400 is backwards compatible, and will probably run tighter timings to make the system a little faster.

My DLP actually has a VGA in, so I'm probably holding off on a vidcard until I can raise some $$$.

My biggest problem is my receiver now. I only have 1 coax and 1 optical in for digital... I may need to find some sort of switch or something... My Xbox is running optical to my receiver atm.

[Canadianpsycho]

Well, just finished talking to somebody over at AT...

The mobile Celerons should be recognized by that chipset... I'll need to remove a CPU pin though. A 1.8 should be recognized at 2.4 GHz AND also run at 1.2V, making this even better for a system that tends to run hot...

[squall458]

Well, just finished talking to somebody over at AT...

The mobile Celerons should be recognized by that chipset... I'll need to remove a CPU pin though. A 1.8 should be recognized at 2.4 GHz AND also run at 1.2V, making this even better for a system that tends to run hot...

thanks for the info! i forgot it was quad pumped, intel noob here, hmm remove a pin?? sounds dangerous and not warranty friendly..but for $80 bucks for a nice chip, i would try it out! thanks for the info again

[felix]

Edit: Link to this deal for a MSI MEGA PC 651 at Canada Computers so easier for people to find ..

MSI MEGA 651 Barebone System Socket 478 SiS 651 w/ AM/FM Tuner, 6-in-1 Card Reader, Remote Control
$99.00
http://www.canadacomputers.com/cc/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=003295&cid=BS.325

Link to original thread in Hot Deals ...
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showthread.php?t=152443

Link to MEGA PC 651 downloads ..
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/download/dld/spt_dld_detail.php?UID=431&kind=4

-----------------------------------

Can you post the specs of the Celeron you are referring to.

Does this mean this MEGA PC 651 is confirmed to work with mobile P4 processors? I'm still looking for mine ... but it's not easy that's for sure. While shopping around, does mPGA-478B mean it's a mobile P4? And mobile ones listed as PPGA only, while the standard ones as PPGA and PPGA FC-PGA2?

[bk]

Can you post the specs of the Celeron you are referring to.

Does this mean this MEGA PC 651 is confirmed to work with mobile P4 processors? I'm still looking for mine ... but it's not easy that's for sure. While shopping around, does mPGA-478B mean it's a mobile P4? And mobile ones listed as PPGA only, while the standard ones as PPGA and PPGA FC-PGA2?

The mobile P4s I've read will default to 12x multiplier, so they're not very good for this machine since you can't overclock the FSB enough to compensate for it (I believe there's no AGP/PCI lock either).
Am curious about mobile Celerons working on this though. Let us know how your experiments go if you get one, Psycho!

[felix]

balou, or anyone who knows, have you had any luck using 2x512MB Corsair Value dual channel ram kit on this? I know it doesn't support dual channel but does it work like normal 1GB ram on this thing?

[AnitaPeterson]

I'm so happy... I'm finally getting one myself...

If you guys have any suggestion for RAM/CPU, please post them.
Personally, I'm a little reluctant to try CPU modding UNLESS it actually works, and someone can attest to that :)

As for the video, I'm thinking a Radeon 9550 or 9600, passively cooled, would be perfect for the job...

BTW, here are two more links on this beast:

http://www.sfftech.com/showdocs.cfm?aid=398

http://forums.sudhian.com/messageview.aspx?catid=93&threadid=40517&enterthread=y

[sfu_lifer]

Hi guys who have this thing
How loud is it?

I'm thinking of getting one off Fleabay but will only order it if it's not so loud.

[felix]

Anyone tried with PC3200 ram? If so, which brand/model?

[Canadianpsycho]

PC3200 should work just fine. Its backwards compatible anyways.

After I've found out if I'm getting one today/tomorow, I'll be happy to answer all the CPU questions. Right now I'm a little too bitter about being passed over to begin with.

[squall458]

PC3200 should work just fine. Its backwards compatible anyways.

After I've found out if I'm getting one today/tomorow, I'll be happy to answer all the CPU questions. Right now I'm a little too bitter about being passed over to begin with.

im thinking of going the celeron mobile way as u Canadianpsycho, and thanks for ur tips!

[uddinf]

if you're looking to use a mobile celeron here are the links that the info originated from:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1527123&enterthread=y
http://www.bloodyfist.net/computer/fsbpinmod.html

[Canadianpsycho]

Well,

Looks like I may be getting a unit after all. I've arranged a purchase for a mobile 1.8 celeron, 512MB DDR333 and a passively cooled Radeon 9250 w/ 256 MB of RAM and DVI/VGA/TV Out.

For more info on Mobile Celerons, and modifications:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1527123

For somebody selling Mobile Celerons @ 45 bucks US shipped (so like 55 bucks Cdn.):

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=45&threadid=1560862&enterthread=y

This guy is #2 in total positive evals on the Heatware list, so should be safe.

[felix]

Thanks for the links. Let us know how it goes and your overclocking results with your Celeron on this MEGA 651. :)

[ONgBAk]

i think a user named JAC has a mobile celeron fs

[JAC]

i think a user named JAC has a mobile celeron fs
Yep. 1.7 runs great @ 2.7.

[squall458]

Well,

Looks like I may be getting a unit after all. I've arranged a purchase for a mobile 1.8 celeron, 512MB DDR333 and a passively cooled Radeon 9250 w/ 256 MB of RAM and DVI/VGA/TV Out.

For more info on Mobile Celerons, and modifications:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1527123

For somebody selling Mobile Celerons @ 45 bucks US shipped (so like 55 bucks Cdn.):

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=45&threadid=1560862&enterthread=y

This guy is #2 in total positive evals on the Heatware list, so should be safe.


did u get a great deal on the ddr333 or did u find out that ddr400 isnt compatable?

[Canadianpsycho]

did u get a great deal on the ddr333 or did u find out that ddr400 isnt compatable?

I bought everything from the same guy, he gave me a package deal.

I wouldn't worry about DDR333 and DDR400 compatibility.

[squall458]

i got a celeron 1.0 ghz to test it out, im only using it as a htpc so i dont need hardcore performance

[renhui]

For you guys concerned about optical drive compatibility, please check http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?topic=73932.0

[scottyb]

i got a celeron 1.0 ghz to test it out, im only using it as a htpc so i dont need hardcore performance

Likely a different socket type... 370 for the 1 ghz chip i bet.

[squall458]

Likely a different socket type... 370 for the 1 ghz chip i bet.

i forgot to mention that it was the mobile celeron 1.06 ghz chip, is that one a different socket than?? i hope not!

[AnitaPeterson]

So what kind of DVD-RW drive will you guys put in your MEGA PCs?

I'm thinking of either LG or Pioneer, preferably one of the multi-format dual-layer models, like these:

NEC 3520A 16X DVD+-RW Dual Layer Drive
Pioneer DVR-109 16X D.L. DVD+-/RW
LG - GSA4163B - Dual Layer 16x+/- DVD-RW

It remains to be seen which one will work. They're all about $80...

I'm waiting to gather enough money for RAM, HD and CPU (not to mention a video card), then I'll get a drive.

The way I see it, the best way to determine compatibility would be to physically carry the unit in a computer store and try several models... IN Ottawa, I know several stores like RBC, Cas-tech or OEM Express will let you do so...

If you get any of these drives to work, please let the rest of us know about it.

Also, Canadianpsycho, PLEASE tell us if the pin mod works!

[AnitaPeterson]

I forgot to add something.

Although the reviews I've seen so far say the power supply is 200 W PFC, the PS I have is a different model, rated for 250 W.

Check your units, and see which PSU you have!

There's a *slight* possibility that there would be BIOS modifications that might not require a slower CPU ??? Then the CPU mod *might * not be necessary?

Again, we won't know unless we talk among ourselves.

[felix]

So where did you end up getting yours from?

Mine came with a 200W PSU.

[renhui]

My mega 651 also comes with a 250W PSU. I got mine from CC@Kingston.
Manufacturer: FSP GROUP INC.
MODEL: FSP250-60MS

Also, what motherboard version do you guys get?
Mine is MS-6760 VER:1

[AnitaPeterson]

I succeeded, eventually, to get one of the famous Canada Computer units... I'm still amazed myself :)

I'll post here the exact specs, when I get home (I'm currently at work).... stand by...

edit

Yep, I got that, too:
PS Manufacturer: FSP GROUP INC.
MODEL: FSP250-60MS

Mobo: MS-6760 VER:1


VERY INTERESTING!!!

I googled "MS-6760 VER:1" and came up across two links:
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:nGOd2GP1JK0J:www.glm.it/Default.aspx%3Ftabindex%3D1%26tabid%3D2%26dep%3D6% 26view%3D10%26id%3D2792+MS-6760+VER:1&hl=en&start=4
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:IB8jeg_RHSYJ:www.milltek.ca/PC%2520Pages/MEGA%2520PC%2520-%2520MEGA651.htm+MS-6760+VER:1&hl=en&start=3

Please not that in BOTH cases, the CPU used is a Pentium 4 2.8 GHz FSB533...

Would this indicate that the current model has support for 533 FSB CPUs?
(also, look at the price in Euros at the first link!!! :eek: )

[squall458]

I forgot to add something.

Although the reviews I've seen so far say the power supply is 200 W PFC, the PS I have is a different model, rated for 250 W.

Check your units, and see which PSU you have!

There's a *slight* possibility that there would be BIOS modifications that might not require a slower CPU ??? Then the CPU mod *might * not be necessary?

Again, we won't know unless we talk among ourselves.

do u have any links to more info?? :D

[AnitaPeterson]

do u have any links to more info?? :D

LOL, look in the post just above yours! ;)

[felix]

oops, lifted up the cover and checked just now. I was wrong, the model numbers for the PSU and motherboard are same as yours. :)

[renhui]

check http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/slim_pc/slm/pro_slm_cpu_support_detail.php?UID=431&kind=4
for cpu compatiblity list.

I succeeded, eventually, to get one of the famous Canada Computer units... I'm still amazed myself :)

I'll post here the exact specs, when I get home (I'm currently at work).... stand by...

edit

Yep, I got that, too:
PS Manufacturer: FSP GROUP INC.
MODEL: FSP250-60MS

Mobo: MS-6760 VER:1


VERY INTERESTING!!!

I googled "MS-6760 VER:1" and came up across two links:
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:nGOd2GP1JK0J:www.glm.it/Default.aspx%3Ftabindex%3D1%26tabid%3D2%26dep%3D6% 26view%3D10%26id%3D2792+MS-6760+VER:1&hl=en&start=4
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:IB8jeg_RHSYJ:www.milltek.ca/PC%2520Pages/MEGA%2520PC%2520-%2520MEGA651.htm+MS-6760+VER:1&hl=en&start=3

Please not that in BOTH cases, the CPU used is a Pentium 4 2.8 GHz FSB533...

Would this indicate that the current model has support for 533 FSB CPUs?
(also, look at the price in Euros at the first link!!! :eek: )

[AnitaPeterson]

I've seen that list, but it's still vague...

[sfu_lifer]

Anyone try a Prescott core on this baby (despite the claims by MSI)?
I had a barebones from Jetway before with the same mobo and I put in a 2.8 'B' CPU w/ no issues. I'm wondering if it can take a Prescott :)

[Canadianpsycho]

I succeeded, eventually, to get one of the famous Canada Computer units... I'm still amazed myself :)

I'll post here the exact specs, when I get home (I'm currently at work).... stand by...

edit

Yep, I got that, too:
PS Manufacturer: FSP GROUP INC.
MODEL: FSP250-60MS

Mobo: MS-6760 VER:1


VERY INTERESTING!!!

I googled "MS-6760 VER:1" and came up across two links:
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:nGOd2GP1JK0J:www.glm.it/Default.aspx%3Ftabindex%3D1%26tabid%3D2%26dep%3D6% 26view%3D10%26id%3D2792+MS-6760+VER:1&hl=en&start=4
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:IB8jeg_RHSYJ:www.milltek.ca/PC%2520Pages/MEGA%2520PC%2520-%2520MEGA651.htm+MS-6760+VER:1&hl=en&start=3

Please not that in BOTH cases, the CPU used is a Pentium 4 2.8 GHz FSB533...

Would this indicate that the current model has support for 533 FSB CPUs?
(also, look at the price in Euros at the first link!!! :eek: )

FSP = Fortron/Sparkle. Well know reputable PSU company. Those PSUs will be good for anything you throw at them. The wattage claim is usually underestimated and they are usually very efficient.

Anita, the CPU compatibility list over @ MSI already clearly states you can use a 533 FSB CPU. Newer revisions also support the 3.06 unofficially (check reviews and the MSI MEGA forums), but you won't get hyperthreading. I'd forget about getting a 3.06, as they are the ONLY 533 to support HT, so they will be in high demand and overpriced, not unlike slot 1 gig P3s still are in some cases.

on the brighter side, my Mother (28 and I'm asking for Mommy's help still ;) ) picked up a unit for me yesterday, only after I b*tched and moaned at CC over the phone about being passed over the prior week.

As far as the pin mod is concerned, I may not even need to mod the chip... That will only be necessary if it isn't recognized at stock vcore. Unfortunately, I'm looking at at least another week for the remainder of my parts... They ship out today, and my PO Box in the US that I borrow isn't checked daily.

[Canadianpsycho]

Anyone try a Prescott core on this baby (despite the claims by MSI)?
I had a barebones from Jetway before with the same mobo and I put in a 2.8 'B' CPU w/ no issues. I'm wondering if it can take a Prescott :)

It will not take a prescott. Check the MSI forum link. A couple posts about Prescott core CPUs not booting whatsoever.

[Canadianpsycho]

Oh, and as far as DVD-RWs are concerned...

The MSI forum also has a sticky about some drives that work.

Personally I don't plan on buying a burner. I have a burner in my main PC, so I will more then likely just stick a DVD-ROM in there. I'm going to use it strictly as a HTPC, and not a workstation/surfer. I'm going to build it and see how much I use it to determine if I'm keeping it.

I just hope I can find a DVD player that is silent. My NEC 2500A is a very quiet drive, but is also a bit longer then a standard DVD ROM (I think, been a while since I checked) which will be a pain for both space and ventilation.

[uddinf]

how are you guys managing to get units?
I am on a waiting list for the mississauga location. The guy there said that he will be getting 12 soon and will call me when he does.

[Canadianpsycho]

how are you guys managing to get units?
I am on a waiting list for the mississauga location. The guy there said that he will be getting 12 soon and will call me when he does.

Best of luck. When I originally called the Miss location, they told me I needed to talk to head office. That got me nothing for the first round.

When I talked to head office this week, they didn't even want to give me one. I told the guy (the 2nd guy I talked to was very friendly) I had already caled twice about one. He returned my call and finally let me have one, but only if I picked it up yesterday (Thurs) as they had orders for them.

I'm guessing they gave units out to the ppl at HQ, then they were planning on shipping them out to branches. Seeing as though I wasn't originally considered for the 2nd shipment and was scewed out of the first, I'm guessing a couple people may have tried the same thing at HQ. Which means a few folks waiting might be getting screwed over. I don't recall if they said they were getting any more in the future. I would think so, but never know.

[bk]

I originally had it reserved at Pacific Mall... got screwed over too because I don't think that guy ordered from the head office... but I had emailed CC when this thread first got started, to check on shipping, and they finally got back to me on Monday and said it'd be $18 or pick up at HQ. So my friend's going now to pick up at the Markham HQ.

They said they had "lots" in stock now, so whoever still wants them I'd advise to call their HQ

[Cronic]

damm could have had mine yesterday, was being shipped COD, but I was at work..second delivery attempt was today, so I called and told them to hold it at the terminal, so I will be picking mine up on monday........oh well a few more days will not hurt me.... :(

[uddinf]

I got mine just now from the Mississauga loaction. I was on the waiting list.
I saw in the back that there were at least 5-6 left, maybe more.

I'm looking at the thing right now and its much smaller than I expected.

[squall458]

I got mine just now from the Mississauga loaction. I was on the waiting list.
I saw in the back that there were at least 5-6 left, maybe more.

I'm looking at the thing right now and its much smaller than I expected.

nice, now more ppl can get on it. im really happy with this purchase except that i have to spend so much extra $$$ on parts. im waiting to get cheap parts but even then, building a new pc makes one broke

[bug]

I emailed them asking how to order one online. They replied saying Payment for mail order is done by COD "Cash, Certified Cheque and Money order" Only. Email confirm with name, address and phone number. Not many places still ship COD.

[uddinf]

I should also mention that I called head office a few days ago and they said they had 30 units at the office.

I doubt you'll be able to get a unit at Mississauga since they are all reserved as someone already mentioned.

Call head office and see if they might be able to set up and order for you.

[BlueMax]

I was so tempted to snag one for the wife! They'll be all gone by the time my paycheque comes though. :(

I'd have been content to use onboard video and a standard Celeron 2.0GHz. The wifey's cool web/typing machine.

Oh well - if any of you guys find it's not what you want, you have someone willing to take it off your hands. ;)

[WLJ101]

They are in white box and it is OEM not refurbish unit.

There has 6 in Mississauga Locations and they are put on hold and some of them hold until April 15, so the ppl on the waiting list may have chances to get one because of that. What I saw was that there has 14 ppl still on the waiting list which not included in the reserved one. Will they getting any more? I don't think so, the Main Warehouse has 2 left at 7pm today ...... if I remember correctly.

[Esca]

Hmm...I put one on hold at the Mississauga location as well. Now that I think about it, the call I received on Thursday night might have been from them (the number was different from the one the have on the website). Guess I'll call them tomorrow and hope that mine is still on hold...

Is the CanComputer Samsung 512MB PC 3200 DDR400 ram a good deal? I'm thinking about getting it for this PC if I manage to get it.

[sfu_lifer]

I emailed them asking how to order one online. They replied saying Payment for mail order is done by COD "Cash, Certified Cheque and Money order" Only. Email confirm with name, address and phone number. Not many places still ship COD.
Yeah I emailed them the first hour it was posted on RFD. They shipped me a unit yesterday. Once I get that P4 2.8 in there, I'm a happy camper.

[Cronic]

I would say the samsung ram that cc sell is a great deal since you dont need anything to special as this mobo does not have a hell of a lot of O/C options for the need of good ram!



Hmm...I put one on hold at the Mississauga location as well. Now that I think about it, the call I received on Thursday night might have been from them (the number was different from the one the have on the website). Guess I'll call them tomorrow and hope that mine is still on hold...

Is the CanComputer Samsung 512MB PC 3200 DDR400 ram a good deal? I'm thinking about getting it for this PC if I manage to get it.

[uddinf]

I'm not sure, but I think ncix and cancomputers have the same samsung RAM for cheaper. Might be a better deal depending on where you live.

edit: cancomputer has free shipping on samsung RAM. I just bought 2 sticks of 512 MB. see front page of RFD for details.

[WLJ101]

update:

CC will be getting some more in next week. that's all I know.

WLJ1O1

[riskit]

I need a CPU now!

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showthread.php?t=154774

[WLJ101]

My friend sold me his 2.4B CPU for 90 dollars. is it a good diu?

WLJ1O1

[akwok]

Very good deal. The 2.4B are alright overclockers too, I pumped mine up to 2.8 before it gave up. Considering the 2.4C's are $200 a pop (if you can find them!), that's a fantastic steal!

[AnitaPeterson]

So, who else got his/her 651, and what are the components you put in?

[WLJ101]

What is the Fastest CPU you guys install in the 651?

I am trying to install a 2.4B in there, but one thing i don't understand is why the Intel Celeron D 335 2.8 533FSB won't work on it. Do you know why? did anybody try that?


WLJ1o1

[BlueMax]

What is the Fastest CPU you guys install in the 651?

I am trying to install a 2.4B in there, but one thing i don't understand is why the Intel Celeron D 335 2.8 533FSB won't work on it. Do you know why? did anybody try that?
WLJ1o1

Does not accept the newer Prescott cores. No CeleronD for you. ;)

Don't forget to let me know if anyone wants to dump their machine. ;)

[squall458]

anyone know if the mobile celeron 1.06 gzh chip work with it? here is a link celeron mobile specs (http://www.cpu-world.com/sspec/SL/SL643.html)
pleasee i hope it does, its not the socket 370 version like the P3s incase anyone was thinking that

[AnitaPeterson]

I'm getting one of those 512 MB of Samsung RAM as well.
Add one of those famous mobile Celerons at 1.8 GHz...

Will add a 120 GB/160 GB Seagate, as well as a video card and DVD-/+RW... has anyone determined which drives are compatible?

[AnitaPeterson]

squall, both me and canadianpsycho are getting these ones :

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1527123

Are these the same as the one you're asking about? So it seems, except for a different speed, if I look at these tables...
http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/list.asp?ProcFam=58&NoNav=NO&CorSpd=ALL&SysBusSpd=ALL&MfgTech=ALL&step=ALL&cache=5765&PkgType=ALL&btnFOS=Filter+on+selections

I think you'll be alright!

[toalan]

I hate canada computers

I went to the college location twice and even though on the web they show they have stock, they actually have none. Then they tell me the Sauga location has 5 of them, I ask them to make sure they are really there, they say "if you go now you should be able to pick up 1, they should not be sold out". I call the Sauga location 3 times and no one picks up, So I drive there, and all of them are already reserved.

[Canadianpsycho]

Just got home from picking up my barebones at my Mother's place.

Same Fortron/Sparkle PSU, same mobo revision as earlier mentioned.

My CPU/RAM/Vid/HDD are in transit, I hope to build this system by next weekend if it hits the PO Box by Thursday. I'll share more info then.

I still need to dig up a DVD ROM drive however.

[WLJ101]

I hate canada computers

I went to the college location twice and even though on the web they show they have stock, they actually have none. Then they tell me the Sauga location has 5 of them, I ask them to make sure they are really there, they say "if you go now you should be able to pick up 1, they should not be sold out". I call the Sauga location 3 times and no one picks up, So I drive there, and all of them are already reserved.


yeah, sometimes even though you see there has few instock, "sometimes" is sitting there waiting for RMA, Reserved or Broken.

YOu should call one of the nearest CC and ask them to put you on waiting list. If you really want it when the warehouse receive it from the supplier, you can try to call the main warehouse to reserve one.

There still has almost 10 ppl on the mississauga waiting list....

Sorry about all of that trouble, but make sure you call before you acturally go to the store.

WLJ1O1

[bk]

I hate canada computers

I went to the college location twice and even though on the web they show they have stock, they actually have none. Then they tell me the Sauga location has 5 of them, I ask them to make sure they are really there, they say "if you go now you should be able to pick up 1, they should not be sold out". I call the Sauga location 3 times and no one picks up, So I drive there, and all of them are already reserved.

and can you really blame CC when so many people in this thread have already said you should call first, and only two days ago there were people that said all the Mississauga location ones were on reserve? Even CC's site says "stock listed above does not take into account... any items on hold".

[squall458]

squall, both me and canadianpsycho are getting these ones :

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1527123

Are these the same as the one you're asking about? So it seems, except for a different speed, if I look at these tables...
http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/list.asp?ProcFam=58&NoNav=NO&CorSpd=ALL&SysBusSpd=ALL&MfgTech=ALL&step=ALL&cache=5765&PkgType=ALL&btnFOS=Filter+on+selections

I think you'll be alright!

thanks so much for ur help!!! i was gonna get the same mobile cpu as u guys but
then i cheaped out in the end for a cheapie on ebay. hmm mine is only 133 FSB though, that purely sucks. is that already quad pumped? i think i should have gotten the one from anadtech.

[Canadianpsycho]

Here's a pic (just got a digicam, so I'm screwing around with it). I take reallly bad pictures so this is the only good one so far:

http://img118.echo.cx/img118/3549/im0001816xg.th.jpg (http://img118.echo.cx/my.php?image=im0001816xg.jpg)

[AnitaPeterson]

squall, I have no idea if the lower speed will give you trouble... I'm totally clueless in that regard, sorry...

What videocard are you getting, canadianpsycho?

[WLJ101]

Here's a pic (just got a digicam, so I'm screwing around with it). I take reallly bad pictures so this is the only good one so far:

http://img118.echo.cx/img118/3549/im0001816xg.th.jpg (http://img118.echo.cx/my.php?image=im0001816xg.jpg)

can you see that there has a "TV remote" three pin connector inside the mega651? Do you know what is that for? i m worry that i unplug it by accident or what.... help.

WLJ1o1

[felix]

If it's the one I think you are talking about, it's for the optional TV tuner.

[sukasem]

it's so stupid they don't have TV-out built-in.

damn, is msi remote support AIW? MS-8606 is hard to find and so expensive.

[Canadianpsycho]

squall, I have no idea if the lower speed will give you trouble... I'm totally clueless in that regard, sorry...

What videocard are you getting, canadianpsycho?

ATI 9250 w/ 256 MB of RAM, DVI/TV Out. I wanted a passively cooled vicard that would help with DVD playback. I also wanted DVI out as I have HDMI on my DLP TV and want a pure digital signal.

Had a choice of that or a 9600SE. The SE had less RAM, and ran higher clocks but with crippled 64 bit bandwidth. I figured the lower clocked 9250 would run cooler and more video RAM wouldn't hurt.

I don't plan on gaming at all, as I've read a bit hotter cards really crank up the temps in this barebones.

I also wanted an ATI card, as their cards are typically shorter then Nvidia ones, to help with airflow.

[Cronic]

this review says they used a p4 3.0 with HT enabled as a test chip? thought this does not support HT?

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/msi-mega-pc/

[Canadianpsycho]

this review says they used a p4 3.0 with HT enabled as a test chip? thought this does not support HT?

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/msi-mega-pc/

If you read the review, it says they have a newer revision of the chipset. How to tell the difference I don't know. I'd almost assume we all have the newer revision, since we all seem to be getting the newer Fortron/Sparkle PSU also, but who knows. I'm not going to bother taking off the NB fan just to see since I won't be bothering trying to find a 3.06

I think a 3.06 would be pretty pointless, as I've stated before, Unless you have one lying around, or find someone selling one cheap (which is higly unlikely as they are rare being the only HT enabled 533 MHz P4 CPU)

The 3.06s will run quite warm... In that review, 51 deg C in standby... Can you imagine under load?

MS recommends 2 GHz for 720p and 3 GHz for 1080p... Since nobody broadcasts in 1080p yet, I'm not really worried. I'm hoping 2.4 and a videocard that helps with hardware playback will be enough...

After I get the system built, I'll D/L a couple true HDTV feeds and see how the system does, and report back here.

[WLJ101]

Hi expert,

I am going to install a Ti4200 4X video card in the mega, Do you think I can underclock the card so that i can make the mega a little cooler inside?

WLj1O1

[uddinf]

Hi expert,

I am going to install a Ti4200 4X video card in the mega, Do you think I can underclock the card so that i can make the mega a little cooler inside?

WLj1O1

You can underclock a card but I'm not sure if you'll get it to run cooler. When the cards are running under a light load the temperature probably won't vary much. If you plan to connect this computer to a TV then an nVidia card is not always the best choice. ATI is generally better for TV output quality according to HTPC builders.

I'm still not sure which card I am going to use. I have a 128 MB Radeon 9800pro in my current desktop. I was thinking about putting the 9800 in the mega and upgrading the desktop video card. good choice or no?

[BlueMax]

You can underclock a card but I'm not sure if you'll get it to run cooler. When the cards are running under a light load the temperature probably won't vary much. If you plan to connect this computer to a TV then an nVidia card is not always the best choice. ATI is generally better for TV output quality according to HTPC builders.

I'm still not sure which card I am going to use. I have a 128 MB Radeon 9800pro in my current desktop. I was thinking about putting the 9800 in the mega and upgrading the desktop video card. good choice or no?

The 9800 might run uncomfortably hot in that beast.... I wouldn't recommend it.

[Canadianpsycho]

The 9800 might run uncomfortably hot in that beast.... I wouldn't recommend it.

Yeah, that reviewer ran a 9800 pro and 3.06 and it had some pretty scary temps...

I think a ti4200 might be ok, the GeForce 4s have better IQ then the GeForce 3s, but I'd probably stick with an ATI solution. I don't think you'll damage the system by trying out the 4200 though.

[tjuzer]

update?

[Esca]

Hey, Canadianpsycho, it seems like you want to do the same thing as I do (play videos from PC on to TV). So a lot of questions. A quick search gave me this card, Radeon 9250 (http://www.canadacomputers.com/cc/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=006380&cid=999.821), which I think is same as yours but with half the RAM and no DVI output. What do you think of it (I also want to do some gaming)? So does using say some S-video cable compared to a DVI connection or some other connection make a huge difference? I don't really want to invest on some expensive video card then buy some pricey cable when I could get similiar results with a cheaper setup. I mostly want to watch anime (anyone tried this before? is the quality good?) so if anyone has done this, feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.

Ultimately, I would like to use the system to play videos using the remote, play PC games, AND surf the internet (or maybe even all three at once? :lol: ). It'll be a good summer project.

[squall458]

i knew i should have stuck with ATI! i got a cheapo geforce 3 but it should do the job.

[Canadianpsycho]

Hey, Canadianpsycho, it seems like you want to do the same thing as I do (play videos from PC on to TV). So a lot of questions. A quick search gave me this card, Radeon 9250 (http://www.canadacomputers.com/cc/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=006380&cid=999.821), which I think is same as yours but with half the RAM and no DVI output. What do you think of it (I also want to do some gaming)? So does using say some S-video cable compared to a DVI connection or some other connection make a huge difference? I don't really want to invest on some expensive video card then buy some pricey cable when I could get similiar results with a cheaper setup. I mostly want to watch anime (anyone tried this before? is the quality good?) so if anyone has done this, feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.

Ultimately, I would like to use the system to play videos using the remote, play PC games, AND surf the internet (or maybe even all three at once? :lol: ). It'll be a good summer project.


Gaming will be hard, as any decent 3d card will put out a lot of heat. I don't think the 9250 is that great of a gaming card. The reason I went with it is its:

-ATI (better IQ and DVD playback)
-Passively cooled (therefore cooler then a card that needs a fan)
-256 MB of RAM (to help with video playback)
-Has DVI, letting me have a true digital signal to my TV (as opposed to using VGA ot TV out which would be analog and not as sharp, one would assume)

Please remember... I haven't even built this system yet... The parts are on the way atm.

If you just want to play DVD and Divx, and non true High definition TV/Movies etc, pretty much anyhting will work. My Xbox (733 P3, 64 MB of RAM, and not sure what video) plays all of the above just fine. It CANNOT do True High Definition playback. This is why I'm getting this barebones. So those of you looking to dl/rip DVDs, you should be just fine with even the onboard video w/ a TV out card, or picking up any cheapie Vidcard that you can find with TV out. I think out there is some sort of component (HD) cable dongle adapter that ATI sells. How it works, I haven't looked into yet. I will later

DVI out will only benefit you if you have DVI or HDMI inputs on your TV. If you just have composite or component, you should be able to use the TV (or S-video) out.

I don't think this will be a good gaming rig. No way is it going to run newer games like Doom 3 or HL2 except at very low resolutions. I do think it would be a great HTPC and Websurfing PC though.

If you want to know how well your card may produce in games, try Tom's VGA charts... I used it to decide between the 9200 and the 9600SE...

http://www20.graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20031229/index.html#participants

Please remember, these are old cards on old games... Maybe a 6600 or 6600GT might be a good idea... They game pretty well, and help with video playback... I just don't know hot hot/cool they run.

[Canadianpsycho]

i knew i should have stuck with ATI! i got a cheapo geforce 3 but it should do the job.

Yeah, it should do just fine.

[AnitaPeterson]

Actually, for a better comparison than the tomshardware charts, you can look here:

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2195&p=5
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2195&p=6

The first chart uses the 9600 Pro as a standard for measurement, and the second one uses the 4200...

These will provide a better understanding of the challenge.

I think a 6200 would be the best nVidia solution for this rig, since these little - passively-cooled! - cards can reach speeds comparable with the 600 GT, when tweaked properly.

But I haven't seen any 6200 in AGP format in Canada...

[sukasem]

How about compatible optical drives?
Any1 recommend QUIET DVD-ROM or BURNER please

[WLJ101]

I am going to put the DW1620A and NEC3520 to see if it is compatible or not, i will post the result later today


Does anyone know where I can buy the 60mm x 10mm case fan? I can't find anything in CC and bigfootcomputers is far away from where i live and they are selling each for $10!...

wLJ1O1

[sukasem]

I am going to put the DW1620A and NEC3520 to see if it is compatible or not, i will post the result later today


Does anyone know where I can buy the 60mm x 10mm case fan? I can't find anything in CC and bigfootcomputers is far away from where i live and they are selling each for $10!...

wLJ1O1

Group buy from ebay is a good idea because 10mm thickness can just send as a letter-mail when you resell

[WLJ101]

i m trying to find a way to put a 60mmx10mm fan near the ram slot, there has 1.4mm space for the air intake...

...

[Canadianpsycho]

i m trying to find a way to put a 60mmx10mm fan near the ram slot, there has 1.4mm space for the air intake...

...

I wonder if an exhaust might be better then an intake... Getting the warm air out might be better then pushing cold air in. Let us know if you find one and how it goes. I'm going to try keeping it stock, as I'd like to keep the system quiet.

[BlueMax]

But I haven't seen any 6200 in AGP format in Canada...

And you likely won't... the original 6200 was phased out in favour of the "Turbo-Cache" version which requires PCI-Express technology. In fact, they're already moving to 6300TC!

[habfan]

Hey all

I found some celeron 1.8Ghz cpus (retail) from a distributor for $67. Anyone interested in that?

Steve

[felix]

Yes! Is this the mobile celerons? How can we buy it?

Hold on, so is it confirmed these 1.6 Celerons are overclockable on this MEGA PC? Just the mobile versions or non-mobile too?

[habfan]

Not mobile celeron just older stock
Celeron 1.8Ghz (Willamette, FSB400, L2 Cache 128KB)

[Canadianpsycho]

Yes! Is this the mobile celerons? How can we buy it?

Hold on, so is it confirmed these 1.6 Celerons are overclockable on this MEGA PC? Just the mobile versions or non-mobile too?

Willys do not OC very much at all, nowhere near the 600 MHz increase you'll get compared to the mobile celerons.

Remember, the 651's BIOS only lets you pick 100 or 133 FSB... There are no incremental values. I'd wager a 1.8 Willy Celeron won't run 2.4, especially considering I think the Willys topped out at 2.0 or so (*not exactly sure on that)

[JIS]

Why does my optical drive's tray slide out everytime I boot up and when I shut down?
I then have to close it by hand or push the eject button, is this normal?

[AnitaPeterson]

which optical drive is that?

[JIS]

which optical drive is that?

It's an LG CED-8081B.

[uddinf]

The drive issue doesn't sound normal. Test out another drive if you can.

[Cronic]

got my sweet MEGA 651 less then an hour ago....thing is really kewl :cheesygri :cheesygri

BTW: my 12x Creative cd burner works like a charm inthe Mega system

[squall458]

i juss got ram for it from a fellow nice redflagger, cpu coming soon, but no hard drive yet

[Hippak]

Been trying to get my hands on one for a week and haven't been successful... If anyone has an extra or isn't happy with theirs, PM me and i'll buy it off ya :) (probably unlikely but figured I'd try :) ).

[Cronic]

i juss got ram for it from a fellow nice redflagger, cpu coming soon, but no hard drive yet


What CPU are you getting? and what HDD are you putting in yours??

[squall458]

Been trying to get my hands on one for a week and haven't been successful... If anyone has an extra or isn't happy with theirs, PM me and i'll buy it off ya :) (probably unlikely but figured I'd try :) ).


there is apparently stock at pacific mall? i would call and confirm or go in person and reserve one. im sure u can get one if ur a little patient and persistant

[squall458]

What CPU are you getting? and what HDD are you putting in yours??

im getting a cheapo celeron mobile 1 ghz chip. hdd not sure on at all, juss want a cheap storage baby. i got a ddr333 stick off rfd here. what plans do u have??

[Cronic]

I have 1.8 celly mobile, just need to get some ram and a HDD am also looking at a AIW 8500 for a vid card.

im getting a cheapo celeron mobile 1 ghz chip. hdd not sure on at all, juss want a cheap storage baby. i got a ddr333 stick off rfd here. what plans do u have??

[AnitaPeterson]

The way I see it, there are two possible issues here:

1) the CPU compatibility (not really a problem, as long as things are carefully weighted)
2) the optical drive compatibility (the biggest problem...)


We've already established that the following drives:

LG CED-8081B - has compatibility problems
12x Creative cd burner (what model?) - works flawlessly

Please continue to post...

[Canadianpsycho]

The way I see it, there are two possible issues here:

1) the CPU compatibility (not really a problem, as long as things are carefully weighted)
2) the optical drive compatibility (the biggest problem...)


We've already established that the following drives:

LG CED-8081B - has compatibility problems
12x Creative cd burner (what model?) - works flawlessly

Please continue to post...

Yeah, I'd like to know if anyone's having success with plain old DVD-ROMs... Preferably quiet ones.

[Cronic]

sorry here is the model # Creative Blaster CD-RW 121032


QUOTE=AnitaPeterson]The way I see it, there are two possible issues here:

1) the CPU compatibility (not really a problem, as long as things are carefully weighted)
2) the optical drive compatibility (the biggest problem...)


We've already established that the following drives:

LG CED-8081B - has compatibility problems
12x Creative cd burner (what model?) - works flawlessly

Please continue to post...[/QUOTE]

[2000fordfocus]

These this thing includes the CPU fan??

[BlueMax]

These this thing includes the CPU fan??
Yep. It's not easy being green, eh? ;)

[uddinf]

I've been doing some research on the remote. I would really like to have 1 remote to control Hi-fi mode and MCE2005 in PC mode.

The solution I am going to go with uses a program called Girder and a plugin coded by someone on the MSI forums. With these, you can use the supplied MSI remote and the built in IR port to control Hi fi mode and use Girder to program the remote to control functions in windows.

See this link for more details:
http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?topic=51520.0

[squall458]

I've been doing some research on the remote. I would really like to have 1 remote to control Hi-fi mode and MCE2005 in PC mode.

The solution I am going to go with uses a program called Girder and a plugin coded by someone on the MSI forums. With these, you can use the supplied MSI remote and the built in IR port to control Hi fi mode and use Girder to program the remote to control functions in windows.

See this link for more details:
http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?topic=51520.0

is girder still free? i last heard that they were bought out? i havent used them in the longest time! is the interface the same still? it was clunky but it worked

[uddinf]

Yeah Girder went commercial. The software cost is $20US. I'm not sure if the interface is the same because I have never used it until now. But I do know that most people are happy with Girder's functionality.

[Hippak]

Finally got my hands on a system :) Picked it up today. The build quality is so much better then the QBIC SFF I have.

I also bought a 2.0 ghz celeron. Going to set it up today.

[sukasem]

Finally, I can't wait for celly mobile to come. I just bought brand new desktop celeron 2.4GHz.

I'm using Mega 651 typing this post now. I'm very happy with it. even tho I have to spend $105 on CPU.

Most of the time the CPU fan not spin. I think mobo set min. at 40 degree. I have to get speedfan to check temp.

I will report back

[bug]

Got mine delivered by UPS today. I have a P4-2.4A, 60gb maxtor, and 512 Kingston ddr400. I'll have to try a few cd drives to see what works best. Will probably install some small 60mm case fans on each side for better ventillation.
Going to use an old Geforce 32mb AGP and an ATI ehome wonder TV card and install MCE 2005.

[Hippak]

Just finished installing everything and installing windows xp. So far everything is working great.

I've put the following in the system

Celeron 2.0ghz
512mb PC3200 Ram
40 gig HD
Creative 52X CDrom drive (works fine with all functions in Hifi mode)

Dont need anything fancy since this PC is just going to replace the other one that was in my kitchen.

I've got to say, compared to my QBIC (which is still my main PC) this thing is amazing. The build quality is exceptional and it was very easy to install everthing. My Qbic took a few hours of hair pulling to get everything inside, the Mega literally took 7 minutes from opening it to closing it up and turning it on.

For those of you on the fence, if you can get your hands on one don't hesitate, its well worth it.

[BlueMax]

GRAAH!! I want one!! :( :(

[WLJ101]

Got mine delivered by UPS today. I have a P4-2.4A, 60gb maxtor, and 512 Kingston ddr400. I'll have to try a few cd drives to see what works best. Will probably install some small 60mm case fans on each side for better ventillation.
Going to use an old Geforce 32mb AGP and an ATI ehome wonder TV card and install MCE 2005.


i m still thinking put those two fans on each side.....

[tjuzer]

i m still thinking put those two fans on each side.....

Are the hole already or we have to drill :confused:

[felix]

Are the hole already or we have to drill :confused:
No side fan grills of course. You'll need to mod yourself if you want to add more fans. Not sure why you'd need to, would that make it super loud?

[Hippak]

GRAAH!! I want one!! :( :(

I think i might still be on the waiting list for a unit in the GTA. If Canada Computers calls me and you're interested I"d be happy to ship one out to you at cost.

[felix]

Finally, I can't wait for celly mobile to come. I just bought brand new desktop celeron 2.4GHz.

I'm using Mega 651 typing this post now. I'm very happy with it. even tho I have to spend $105 on CPU.

Most of the time the CPU fan not spin. I think mobo set min. at 40 degree. I have to get speedfan to check temp.

I will report back
sukasem, weren't you selling a P4 cpu not long ago? Why did you need to buy a new celeron one?

[BlueMax]

I think i might still be on the waiting list for a unit in the GTA. If Canada Computers calls me and you're interested I"d be happy to ship one out to you at cost.

That's why Hippak is one cool dude! :D Thanks! I think I'll take you up on that!

[sukasem]

sukasem, weren't you selling a P4 cpu not long ago? Why did you need to buy a new celeron one?

Yeah, I sold it before I got this. :mad:
Now, I pay more and get less :D

[Cronic]

How much did you pay for your celly mobile? I paid $40.62 canadian including shipping for a new pull 1.8 celly mobile. :razz:


Finally, I can't wait for celly mobile to come. I just bought brand new desktop celeron 2.4GHz.

I'm using Mega 651 typing this post now. I'm very happy with it. even tho I have to spend $105 on CPU.

Most of the time the CPU fan not spin. I think mobo set min. at 40 degree. I have to get speedfan to check temp.

I will report back

[WLJ101]

who want to group buy the 60mm x 10mm fan?

I have a deal on ebay user sepe22 for $4 each!

I bought two with a 3pin Y cable from him

I live in mississauga.

PM me if you want any.

Wlj101

[felix]

How much did you pay for your celly mobile? I paid $40.62 canadian including shipping for a new pull 1.8 celly mobile. :razz:
Where did you get yours? eBay?

[tjuzer]

Is this quiet? I assume this is because its home theatre :?:

[WLJ101]

i will use my Zalman Fanmate fan controller to control those fans in the mega.

Also, does anyone want to group buy that grinder software?

WLJ1O1

[Cronic]

Where did you get yours? eBay?

yeah, here is the one that is being shipped to me, shipping was $9, but he said use buy now and he will knock $2 off of shipping so $25US for cpu and $7US shipping not a bad price eh?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=86713&item=6760649405&rd=1

[felix]

hmm .. so mobile celerons do work on this? Do you need to mod it?

[sukasem]

How much did you pay for your celly mobile? I paid $40.62 canadian including shipping for a new pull 1.8 celly mobile. :razz:

Wow, you are lucky don't get charged tax and brokerage fee right!
I don't know mine gonna get charge or not. I bought from same seller but I didn't ask him for discount

[canadian]

Hi guys, i am a nubie to this board. Got my mega 651 yesterday but on the motherboard i see a row of pins for front panel connectors (pwsw/hdd) etc but nothin has been connected to them. also, my mega 651 came in a white unmarked box instead of regular MSI packaging. I dont know if i got the brand new one or used one....

[Hippak]

also, my mega 651 came in a white unmarked box instead of regular MSI packaging. I dont know if i got the brand new one or used one....

Thats normal. All of them come in whiteboxes.

Concerning the connections, that is kind of odd. My was completely hooked up and I've never come across a SFF system that wasnt.

[canadian]

Thanks Hippak. On the motherboard, i see a ribbon cable comin from the display unit and next to it is the row of pins for front panel connections. and nothin is plugged in.....Please confirm me if I am seeing the right pins

[felix]

I think mine has only one unconnected pin connector, which I think connects to the optional TV tuner as mentioned in the manual.

[ilikecheapstuff]

noticed a lot of you put in AGP video cards... i had my ASUS Ti4200 in there earlier, but then found that it's an incredibly tight fit... and also when the card is there, practically blocks out all airflow for the CPU... hence it was geting really really hot. Had to go back to my cheapo 32mb PCI radeon 7000.. unless someone knows a way to give it proper airflow... :( no more gaming for me... the AGP card basically slots up right beside the PSU (which is already generating a lot of heat) and then all the cables and wiring are blocking me from comfortably slotting in the card... when i put in the AGP card i actually cut the cable ties that they use the secure the wires to the frame so that I could push the wires out of the way... :(

anyway, anyone who is using a PCI card know how I can choose NOT to share any ram with the integrated video? the memory wasn't being shared when I had an AGP card in it, but once i changed my video card it now has to share a minimum of 4mb to it. although 4mb out of 1024 isn't much, but still. i'd like to disable the integrated video if at all possible because I've read in reviews that when the integrated video card is in use, it slows down performance...

another thing... i went to the MSI site and downloaded/installed the firmware update for the radio... ran it and it failed... killed the stereo 'portion' of the system... the HIFI mode wouldn't even turn on... nor the radio in the hifi OR the PC mode. so... DON'T UPDATE FIRMWARE if u don't need to!...
had to bring it back to CC to get replaced... (when i went there(CC HQ), a week or so ago, they said they had around 20 in stock in the back) so I guess they will have more stock these few days.. rather than the 5 they had in kingston when i got mine. (P.S. the cpu heatsink/fan is a pain in the butt to remove... took me 20 minutes trying to pry the clip off without hitting that donut looking like gadget)

oh. and someone was asking about the noise level of the computer.

it's generally really quiet in light use (MSN, webpage surfing) and gets louder when running games or DVD watching. I opened up the case and actually realized the cpu fan actually stops spinning when it's on light load (or at lower temperatures.. although i don't consider 41 degrees to be any bit 'cool') I have a LG 4163B and whenever i play any disc in it in this system the disc gets really hot... even sometimes when it just sits there it gets hot. might be cuz the hard drive sits right underneath the CD drive
(and i found out my hard drive had to be installed upside down cuz the screw holes for my maxtor HDD don't fit in the correct orientation)

either way, i love the case. all aluminum covering and stuff... haha... *hugs comp... AHH AHH... it's hot!... stupid lack of cooling*

haven't actually BOTHERED to turn off my comp at night, but with the temperatures this comp gets, I will actually turn this comp off every night (and every other if i forget to turn it off or if i'm defragging the system)



Anyway, some ppl wanted specs on what others had in their system

MSI MEGA 651
p4 2.4b 533FSB 512k L2
1024mb (2x512mb) OCZ premier dual channel kit (doesn't support dual channel, but whatever)
LG 4163B dvd-rw drive
maxtor 30gb HDD
ATI radeon 7000 32mb PCI video


and canadian, i think they made that front panel set of pins for ppl who might actually take this motherboard out of the case. mine is unused as well, they must have some other place where they hooked up the front panel for this comp. considering they have so many more buttons.

[WLJ101]

May I ask you that which firmware/software update killed your first Mega?
I was thinking to update the bios firmware to V11. umm... i don't know how cus I don't want to reinstall everything to get that floppy working!!! does anyone know how? I have a 1GB usb key. help.

also, is there any msi software to monitor the CPU TemP? If you know any, please post.

I tried to play the MP3 CD and it works perfect!!! and I tried to play MP3 on DVD and it works perfect too!!! even a song in sub folder!!!

i love it so much!!!

WLJ1O1

[Cronic]

No, it is comming via US postal service, no brokerage or tax.


Wow, you are lucky don't get charged tax and brokerage fee right!
I don't know mine gonna get charge or not. I bought from same seller but I didn't ask him for discount

[Canadianpsycho]

No, it is comming via US postal service, no brokerage or tax.

You can still get charged duties and taxes via USPS. If if comes in a box, customs will charge you a 5 buck handling fee if they decide to open it, plus any taxes they decide to charge if they think its of any value.

Back on topic, I have yet to receive the rest of my parts, so I still cannot comment on the mobile celereon compatibility...

Best of all is even after I build the system, looks like I'll be selling it off. Paypal just decided to hold some money on me screwing me over for the next little while.

[ilikecheapstuff]

May I ask you that which firmware/software update killed your first Mega?


MSI Live Update for MSI MEGA 651 (2nd one killed my stereo) (http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/software/swr/spt_swr_detail.php?UID=431&kind=4)
it's supposed to update the LCD, (allows u to change the 'welcome message' so i was like.. 'cool... i can make it display my name'. haha. then it died.



also, is there any msi software to monitor the CPU TemP? If you know any, please post.

WLJ1O1
MSI PC Alert 4 (http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/software/swr/spt_swr_list.php?kind=1)

doesn't read the temperatures properly
my bios reads around 45, then when i get into windows and the PC alert goes on, it reads around 33 or 36... and it doesn't even read the rpm of my cpu fan...

[canadian]

guys,in 651, is there a front panel connector connectin to the motherboard??...coz mine has only one ribbon cable runnin from motherboard to the display unit

[renhui]

So the LG dvd burner is working fine @ HIFI mode? because according to the MSI forum, LG drives may experience eject problems@HIFI mode.




Anyway, some ppl wanted specs on what others had in their system

MSI MEGA 651
p4 2.4b 533FSB 512k L2
1024mb (2x512mb) OCZ premier dual channel kit (doesn't support dual channel, but whatever)
LG 4163B dvd-rw drive
maxtor 30gb HDD
ATI radeon 7000 32mb PCI video


and canadian, i think they made that front panel set of pins for ppl who might actually take this motherboard out of the case. mine is unused as well, they must have some other place where they hooked up the front panel for this comp. considering they have so many more buttons.

[ilikecheapstuff]

i've only had this one drive in the comp and it's been working perfectly fine in both PC and HiFi mode.

[bug]

My Mega 651 specs:

P4-2.4GHZ 400fsb
Maxtor 60gig
Creative PC-DVD DXR2(works in hi-fi mode)
512mb Kingston ddr400
ATI 8500 AGP
ATI Ehome wonder MCE TV card
Installed OS MCE 2005

I might have to swap the 8500 for something a little smaller though.It completely blocks the cpu airflow. Cpu idle temp is 45c :eek:

[canadian]

So the LG dvd burner is working fine @ HIFI mode? because according to the MSI forum, LG drives may experience eject problems@HIFI mode.

thanks Renhui.

[BlueMax]

Anyone get a spare? ;) No word from Hippak, so if anyone wants to dump because it's too hot for gaming - lay it on me!!

[AnitaPeterson]

So it seems to me that the warning on the MSI forums regarding LG burners does NOT apply to the LG 4163B Dual DVD-RW drive... as ilikecheapstuff indicates...

This is excellent news.

[felix]

Does it work with the Toshiba SD-R5112 4x2x12x DVD-RW?

No one tried with a Celeron yet?

[Canadianpsycho]

PO Box was empty today.

Gotta wait a week until I get the rest of my parts :/

If anyone else gets their mobile Celly let me know... Until then I'll keep looking around for info I guess.

[Hippak]

Anyone get a spare? ;) No word from Hippak, so if anyone wants to dump because it's too hot for gaming - lay it on me!!

Keeping my hopes up for ya :)

CC said that it might be a week or two before they give me a call. If and when they do I will grab it for ya right away :)

[uddinf]

Well I got my 651 set up with parts I had around.
This won't be my final setup but this is what it is right now:

Pentium 4 1.8 ghz (Williamette Core)
2x512 Corsair RAM
Maxtor 80 gb
Pioneer DVR-108 DVD+/-RW
Geforce 4 MX 440
MSI TV@nywhere Master

everything is running smoothly, I haven't tried the MSI Liveupdate, but I did download latest SIS and Realtek drivers from their respective websites.

The DVR-108 drive seems quite loud to me...or maybe its in my head.
But the whole system is running pretty loud.

[WLJ101]

the NEC 3520 is so loud in the mega in pc mode!!!

except in hi fi mode, it is almost silent.

[sfu_lifer]

Gotta pick mine up from UPS tomorrow. I'll have mine setup this weekend with the following:

NEC 1520 burner
P4-2.8B
1Gig Kingston DDR
200GB Western Digital HD
ATI AIW 8500DV

All hooked up to my TV and sound system. I hope it's quiet. I have a Jetway currently with an XP2500+ and it's loud as hell. I'm hoping this would quiet it down substantially.

[ilikecheapstuff]

the NEC 3520 is so loud in the mega in pc mode!!!

except in hi fi mode, it is almost silent.

i try to keep the drive disc free... or else from time to time it'll randomly start spinning and create noise...
and also the discs get really hot when they come out..

sigh. i'm dying to put in an AGP card in here.. was playing a dvd... all laggy.. :( but then it might be cuz i was also MSNing and MS antispyware was running a scan..

but still.. P4 2.4 with 1gb ram should be able to deal with that easily... i blame it all on my crappy video card.

[felix]

So the onboard video is no good in playing DVDs?

[ilikecheapstuff]

So the onboard video is no good in playing DVDs?


no idea.
but i don't like the idea of using integrated.... makes me feel so... cheap.

and i mean, i have the video card sitting around.. might as well use it... until i can either ebay another one... or perhaps if i can get my friend to source me one from ATI.. heh

[bug]

Anitec (http://www.anitec.ca/?mode=product_detail&pid=2537) has a
Sunon VAPO bearing brushless 60x60x10mm 3 pin case fan for $6.95
Looks like it'll fit on the right side of the case.

PRODUCT DETAILS

Pin: 3 pin
Bearing: VAPO
Dimension: 60x60x10 mm
voltage: 12v
Power Current(AMP):0.09
Speed: 3800rpm
Air Flow: 169.3CFM
Noise: 29dBA
Weight: 55g

[squall458]

Anitec (http://www.anitec.ca/?mode=product_detail&pid=2537) has a
Sunon VAPO bearing brushless 60x60x10mm 3 pin case fan for $6.95
Looks like it'll fit on the right side of the case.

PRODUCT DETAILS

Pin: 3 pin
Bearing: VAPO
Dimension: 60x60x10 mm
voltage: 12v
Power Current(AMP):0.09
Speed: 3800rpm
Air Flow: 169.3CFM
Noise: 29dBA
Weight: 55g


thats a lot of CFM for 29 dBA

[bug]

thats a lot of CFM for 29 dBA
Yeah I was wondering about that too :confused: Must be a typo.

[AnitaPeterson]

The way I see it, there are two possible issues here:

1) the CPU compatibility (not really a problem, as long as things are carefully weighted)
2) the optical drive compatibility (the biggest problem...)


We've already established info on the following drives:

LG CED-8081B - has compatibility problems (per JIS )
Creative Blaster CD-RW 121032 12x - works flawlessly (says cronic )

Please continue to post...

More drives confirmed to work:

LG 4163B Dual DVD-RW (confirmed by ilikecheapstuff )
Pioneer DVR-108 DVD+/-RW (confirmed bu uddinf )
NEC 3520 (per WLJ101 )
NEC 1520 burner (from sfu_lifer )
Creative PC-DVD DXR2 (confirmed by bug )
Creative 52X CDrom (from (Hippak )

Now... anyone installing anything else but WinXP? How about MCE, W2k etc ?

Has anyone found nice hacks/add-ons that actually work - and don't kill it, like the one found by ilikecheapstuff ?

Which MSI updates are worth downloading and applying?

Does that girder software actually work?

[ilikecheapstuff]

well.. i updated the audio ALC650 driver from realtek

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloads1-3.aspx?series=8&Software=True

it's got a few more options than the old one on the utilities CD...

[AnitaPeterson]

you mean wdm_a371.exe ?

[WLJ101]

just do whatever the mod in msi forum said.

i upgrade all the firmware, bios and drivers without any problem.

WLJ1o1

[AnitaPeterson]

just do whatever the mod in msi forum said.

i upgrade all the firmware, bios and drivers without any problem.

WLJ1o1


...From here:
http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?topic=65078.0

[bug]

More drives confirmed to work:

LG 4163B Dual DVD-RW (confirmed by ilikecheapstuff )
Pioneer DVR-108 DVD+/-RW (confirmed bu uddinf )
NEC 3520 (per WLJ101 )
NEC 1520 burner (from sfu_lifer )
Creative PC-DVD DXR2 (confirmed by bug )
Creative 52X CDrom (from (Hippak )

Now... anyone installing anything else but WinXP? How about MCE, W2k etc ?

Has anyone found nice hacks/add-ons that actually work - and don't kill it, like the one found by ilikecheapstuff ?

Which MSI updates are worth downloading and applying?

Does that girder software actually work?

I installed MCE 2005 on mine....works great.

[sukasem]

I use HP 300i DVD+RW.
Generally work fine but you may experience eject problem sometime.

@ bug

How the MSI remote works on MCE2005?

[sukasem]

Anyone have Serial no. for MSI media center deluxe III?
It doesn't come with it right. I got only 1 CD (driver cd only)

[WLJ101]

MSI media center deluxe III?? what is it? and what can it do?

thanz

WLJ!O!

[sukasem]

MSI media center deluxe III?? what is it? and what can it do?

thanz

WLJ!O!

D/L from MSI site but need serial no.

It's Intervideo Home Theater rebranded.

Just like MCE shell, I think

[Esca]

Finally finished with exams! In reply to Canadianpsycho's earlier reply, when I said gaming, I've always had a crappy computer so I usually played at low res with like everything turned off as long as it has reasonable a frame rate. I'm not much of a PC gamer, I like to play games on consoles.

Still deciding what parts to get and what parts work so not much to add to this thread except I tried two of my cd drives and they both worked. So:

LG 4163B Dual DVD-RW (confirmed by ilikecheapstuff )
Pioneer DVR-108 DVD+/-RW (confirmed bu uddinf )
NEC 3520 (per WLJ101 )
NEC 1520 burner (from sfu_lifer )
Creative PC-DVD DXR2 (confirmed by bug )
Creative 52X CDrom (from (Hippak )
LG 52x24x52 Cd-writer Model: GCE-8523B
Samsung 32x Cd-rom Model: CRD-8322B

[AnitaPeterson]

oi! guys!

Look what the MSI forums say about MSI media center deluxe III:

http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?topic=64656.0

Use Girder instead!

[WLJ101]

But... Do you have the *Number* for Grider3.3.9?? PM me if you can please help 1000x thanz

WLJ1O1

[AnitaPeterson]

WLJ101,

clean out your inbox, you're no longer accepting PMs...
:cheesygri

[sfu_lifer]

Stupid CC.
The person who shipped me the product did not do a good job packing it. I think they just threw the thing in a box and randomly broke up some styrofoam and chucked it in there haphazardly. My Mega 651 was pretty banged up in the back where the AGP/PCI slots are located. I hope it turns on when I assemble it later today :(

[riskit]

Stupid CC.
The person who shipped me the product did not do a good job packing it. I think they just threw the thing in a box and randomly broke up some styrofoam and chucked it in there haphazardly. My Mega 651 was pretty banged up in the back where the AGP/PCI slots are located. I hope it turns on when I assemble it later today :(

Same here mine was banged up near the foot conner of oppsite side of the AGP. The MB board bent a little but does not look crackedl but I won't know until I boot it up later this week, and by then the return of 7 days would be up. I won't order again from them since thier packaging was realy bad the worst I have ever seen! And if it does not boot, I will have go to the trouble of tring to get a RMA from MSI or from UPS since it was insured by CC.

[renhui]

The barebone has one-month in-store warranty, so as long as CC has in stock, they should be able to exchange one for you.


Same here mine was banged up near the foot conner of oppsite side of the AGP. The MB board bent a little but does not look crackedl but I won't know until I boot it up later this week, and by then the return of 7 days would be up. I won't order again from them since thier packaging was realy bad the worst I have ever seen! And if it does not boot, I will have go to the trouble of tring to get a RMA from MSI or from UPS since it was insured by CC.

[riskit]

The barebone has one-month in-store warranty, so as long as CC has in stock, they should be able to exchange one for you.

Thanks for the info, I was going by what the recipt says in the back.

[renhui]

I asked the cashier when I checked out, so i am pretty sure about that.The rest 11 month warranty will be provided by MSI.
Thanks for the info, I was going by what the recipt says in the back.

[bk]

Just got it from my friend. It looks very nice. No parts yet, but some comparison pics with my Shuttle:
http://s95063594.onlinehome.us/rfd/PICT0371_s.jpg

And both with my old Antec case (I really used to love this case too :( ):
http://s95063594.onlinehome.us/rfd/PICT0373_s.jpg

[ilikecheapstuff]

yeah. i would have prefered if they had left the front panel 'uncovered'... cuz i think most ppl would actually be using the 2 USB in the front, and right now the cover has to be open all the time... i tried to remove the lid thing for the front panel.. but was a little afraid it'd scratch up the rest of the case.. so i decided not to.

the shuttle one has the front panel just on the case... with no cover flap on it.. i like that.

[uddinf]

Did anyone need the "phone number" for media center III?
send me a pm...just in case you needed to make a phone call

[felix]

yeah. i would have prefered if they had left the front panel 'uncovered'... cuz i think most ppl would actually be using the 2 USB in the front, and right now the cover has to be open all the time... i tried to remove the lid thing for the front panel.. but was a little afraid it'd scratch up the rest of the case.. so i decided not to.

the shuttle one has the front panel just on the case... with no cover flap on it.. i like that.
yeah, but I think most people use their CD/DVD drive more often than those USB/firewire ports and media card readers though. I don't like cases that have a cover for it ... but I guess for this one it's kind of hard to avoid. At least it's not like the ASUS one where everything is all covered up. :)

[squall458]

Did anyone need the "phone number" for media center III?
send me a pm...just in case you needed to make a phone call

just an aside, the locations ur "from" are indentical to mine cept missisauga is close to my brampton ;), anyhoo i should be gettin my system up around the second week of may when im done exams :( booo u of t

[sfu_lifer]

The barebone has one-month in-store warranty, so as long as CC has in stock, they should be able to exchange one for you.
The problem is it'll be at my cost to ship it back to them (I'm all the way in Vancouver), plus the hassle of another COD.

[uddinf]

just an aside, the locations ur "from" are indentical to mine cept missisauga is close to my brampton ;), anyhoo i should be gettin my system up around the second week of may when im done exams :( booo u of t

yeah I go to mac, live in mississauga, and work in toronto
I just finished exams. Good luck with yours :)

[tjuzer]

So is this a good deal or lot of probleem :?:

[sfu_lifer]

So is this a good deal or lot of probleem :?:
Great deal if you're not looking for a super spec'ed gaming machne. The mobo is the main issue here, it's OLD and doesn't support the modern CPUs. I'm glad I have a P4 2.8B to put in here or else I wouldn't have pulled the trigger. Despite the atrocious job they did in packaging, it's worth it. SFF cases are traditionally quite expensive.

[BlueMax]

I'm still hoping. ;)

[Canadianpsycho]

Link to some HD content if you want to see how your 651's perform

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/content_provider/film/ContentShowcase.aspx

[Bluefront]

Hello everyone...just found this interesting thread and registered. I bought two 651s at a computer show a month ago and got them both running. Mine came in the retail package with dvd/cd roms.

My buddy got one from me...his is running basically stock with a p4-2.4. He doesn't mind the noise or heat (?).....

I hang out at SPCR (SilentPCReview) so noise was a prime concern for me. Mine is now modified extensively to quiet it down,and make it run cooler. I performed a big list of mods which were successful for me Among them...

Substitute an all-copper socket 7 heatsink with a vantec stealth 60mm fan (it blows downward, and exits the heat toward each side).

Install a JustCooler slim slot fan in the pci slot....it runs on 5v.

Radeon 7000 agp card (DVI/TV out). It's a reasonably short card so there is airflow over it to the pci slot fan.

Installed a thin 70mm fan behind the right front vent (only using one memory card). This fan is "T"ed into the cpu fan, controlled by the MB, so they run at the same voltage.

Removed both drive cages, mounted a 3.5" drive sideways towards the front of the case.....improves airflow a bunch.

Closed off the right rear vent completely....forces all the airflow to come from the front vents, and keeps the drive cooler (runs 31C).

Cut off the case grill and the PSU grill....improves airflow through the PSU.

Removed the NB HSF, and installed a Zalman passive heatsink.

Installed internal ducting so none of the cpu exhaust can be recirculated.

Etc...

This is a great computer...can be modded easily, and quieted. Anybody interested in more info...ask.

Celeron 2.0
512 Kingston value ram
Maxtor 60gb
Radeon 7000
External Adaptec USB tv Tuner
AIW RF remote control
Intel USB Floppy

[WLJ101]

Which CPU heatsink you got? I can't find any copper one that can fit into that mega, would you please provide some more info about this?

Which NB heatsink you install and fit in there? the zalman ZM-NB32J or the ZM-NB42J?

I close the left vent complete to force the air to come from the right front vent and blow off the heat thru the HDD and install a 40mm fan beside the left vent blow toward the video card, cus I just want to bring some cold air for the Videocard. it gets pretty hot, i m using ti4200.

"Removed both drive cages, mounted a 3.5" drive sideways towards the front of the case.....improves airflow a bunch." do you have picture for this set up?

i m thinking to cut the grill for the powersupply... still thinking.

may i ask you how much you get it for in the states? and if anyone want some cheap 50mm x 10mm case fan, you can get it from www.ebaystores.com/sepe22

Thanz

WLJ101

[squall458]

Hello everyone...just found this interesting thread and registered. I bought two 651s at a computer show a month ago and got them both running. Mine came in the retail package with dvd/cd roms.


could u provide us with some pics if u have some? and thanks for posting! it was really nice of u 2!

[Bluefront]

Well I haven't taken any photos of the setup...I could I guess. The problem is the size of the thing, and that everything is so packed together, pictures would be difficult/confusing.

I cannot tell you the brand of the heatsink.....it's several years old. CompUSA sells a similar HSF that would fit, that has a 70mm fan. But the thing is chrome plated. SKU#299253. It would require some cutting of the retension clip...but should work.

I've seen an Alpha heatsink on Newegg that should work...socket 370. Most of the heatsinks will require some clip mods to fit.

I think either Zalman Nb heatsink will work (mine is the smaller).....but you will have to cut or remove the lower drive cage to get it to fit.

I removed the card reader assy....using the blank cover. This is necessary to mount the HD all the way forward (sideways). It is located in such a way that there is airflow over and under it. I just have it sitting on some foam feet....sort-of wedged in place.

The main mod to get the noise down is replacing the stock fan. It is noisy...runs 5600 rpms. The Vantech Stealth 60mm fan I'm using is 25mm thick....and maxes at 2800. Much quieter.

In my current setup under normal usage like surfing, at a 24C ambient, my CPU temp is about 44C, with the CPU fan on it's first speed step.....very quiet.

FWIW.....I paid $139 USD each for the two I bought.

[Canadianpsycho]

Bluefront, mind letting us know what DVD-ROM drives came with it? How are they for noise, and do they work in HiFi mode?

ty.

[Bluefront]

It is an MSI model #MS-8448M. There is no other indication on the label who actually made it. It is rather noisy.....fortunately NERO Drive Speed can control the speed, so it can be made quiet. It works ok in all modes...

I put an Iomega Super Drive DVD/RW in my setup. The front panel button can open the drawer, but cannot close it. I have to give the drawer a push to get it to close....no big deal. Nero Drive speed cannot control this drive....but it's fairly quiet, so I don't mind.

Getting rid of the stock NB fan was a big improvement....do it by all means.

FWIW...I'm running XP sp2 with all updates.....I also updated all the drivers, bios, and firmware, radio updates, without any problems.

[WLJ101]

do you guys know what is this CPU socket call? i know that the cpu is S478 but it is not using a 478 heatsink.. kinda like pentium MX series heatsink...

i m still try to find the name of this heatsink and see if bigfootcomputers has it or not...

WLJ1o1

[Bluefront]

I think you're out of luck on that heatsink. It is a special mount made for this particular board (I think). Like I said, a socket 7 or 370 heatsink can be made to fit using one clip....you might have to do some cutting.

The main problem is the size.....a 60mm square heatsink fits. A 70mm square heatsink is a close fit against the side of the PSU...might fit. Then there's the height problem. Measure the height of the stock heatsink, and check how much clearance you have. My fan sits on top of my heatsink...plus it's 25mm thick. So I had to use a relatively short heatsink, by modern standards. It cools a celeron 2.0 easily, but I haven't tried it on anything hotter.

I'm seriously considering that Alpha heatsink....I have a P4-2.4 I'd like to use.

FWIW....I could not get my buddy's MEGA to boot with a P4-1.8 Williamette. I thought the 1.75v requirement was too high for the board. Now I see someone in this thread is using one.....?

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835112004

link to alpha that may fit

http://store.yahoo.com/alienrock/coolmashhhea.html

link to coolermaster that may fit (heatpipes toward the front of the case)

[uddinf]

FWIW....I could not get my buddy's MEGA to boot with a P4-1.8 Williamette. I thought the 1.75v requirement was too high for the board. Now I see someone in this thread is using one.....?

yes, I'm using a P4 1.8 Williamette. I do anything special to get it to run.

oh, and thanks for all the good suggestions.

I really want to get this system quieter. I think I will try replacing the northbrdige cooler to a passive heatsink & replace the stock fan on MSI's heatsink with a better 60 mm fan.

[WLJ101]

I just found this one.
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=8835&vpn=CNPS3100+&manufacture=ZALMAN%20TECH

http://img.ncix.com/gif/8835.jpg

do you think it fits?

also, for the NB heatsink, are you using this one? http://www.bigfootcomputers.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/zalman/4803_big.jpg

it can fit in to mega too, right?

Thanz

[sfu_lifer]

Well I haven't taken any photos of the setup...I could I guess. The problem is the size of the thing, and that everything is so packed together, pictures would be difficult/confusing.

I cannot tell you the brand of the heatsink.....it's several years old. CompUSA sells a similar HSF that would fit, that has a 70mm fan. But the thing is chrome plated. SKU#299253. It would require some cutting of the retension clip...but should work.

I've seen an Alpha heatsink on Newegg that should work...socket 370. Most of the heatsinks will require some clip mods to fit.

I think either Zalman Nb heatsink will work (mine is the smaller).....but you will have to cut or remove the lower drive cage to get it to fit.

I removed the card reader assy....using the blank cover. This is necessary to mount the HD all the way forward (sideways). It is located in such a way that there is airflow over and under it. I just have it sitting on some foam feet....sort-of wedged in place.

The main mod to get the noise down is replacing the stock fan. It is noisy...runs 5600 rpms. The Vantech Stealth 60mm fan I'm using is 25mm thick....and maxes at 2800. Much quieter.

In my current setup under normal usage like surfing, at a 24C ambient, my CPU temp is about 44C, with the CPU fan on it's first speed step.....very quiet.

FWIW.....I paid $139 USD each for the two I bought.

Wow what a deal. Anyhow, pics would be great. Most of us know who have one will know what you did by the pics :). I noticed how loud the CPU fan is just now as soon as I record TV programs. I'm gonna go replace the ugly and thick IDE cables they provided with some rounded ones. The PSU cables are so thick and badly designed they're pushing my AIW :mad:
I'm definitely gonna add another fan to the PCI slot as this is just far too tight and likely very hot inside.

[felix]

Hi Bluefront. Yeah, I saw your posts on various forums regarding this little SFF machine. :) I guess this is the most active thread right now. I really wish you were here in Toronto area so you can help make mine silent! I'm too lazy and don't have the tools to drill and modify mine. I'm not interested in mutilating the fan grills but replacing the NB fan with a passive heatsink would be nice. I still haven't gotten around to working with mine yet, since I'm still waiting on parts.

Oh, and I have the CNPS3100+ mentioned by WLJ101, but even if it fits, the little metal bar clip likely won't fit on this smaller socket as it was designed for socket 370 processors. Also, I don't recall if it supports Pentium 4. I don't think it cools as well as other solutions like the XP-90C for example. I'm getting 40C degrees with my P3 1Ghz, using Arctic Silver 5, and Nexus 120mm fan in an open case. Then again, maybe this temp is due to the Antec Phantom I put in there after it came back from RMA. :D Again, I'm too lazy to take it out of my Pentium 3 machine and try it in the MEGA PC.

[WLJ101]

Thanz!

still searching for another heatsink for this mega.

still searching*
WLJ1o1

[Bluefront]

WLJ101...That picture of the Zalman NB heatsink is the one I'm using, except mine is blue. It fits the board perfectly with the supplied clips. But you do have to mod the lower drive cage for clearance.

I don't know about that CPU heatsink you showed....can't tell if the attachment clip would work.

Keep in mind all the heatsinks likely to fit this MEGA, were never designed for hot-running CPUs. Some manufacturers try to get around this problem by including hi-speed fans (noisy). But IMHO, you can cool this computer properly by proper management of airflow....using relatively slow fans, and small heatsinks.

Get an all-copper heatsink if possible. The Alpha I linked to has a thick copper base with aluminum pin fins....should work fine. Getting the attachment clip to fit is the big problem. It'll be a trial and error thing with all these different heatsinks.

I wonder if anyone has tried using the stock heatsink with the shroud removed, a quieter fan (thin) on the top blowing down. This would double the available exhaust area from the heatsink....maybe work better. Finding a quiet, thin, 60mm fan is difficult/impossible, however.

IMHO....the internal ducting I constructed in my MEGA, is the key to my (relatively) quiet setup. The computer is divided into two sections by ducting. The rear section exhausts the heat, and sucks all the airflow through the CPU heatsink....whether or not the CPU fan is running. All the airflow is sucked through the two front vents (filtered)....this also happens without the CPU fan running.

The result of this ducting is sufficient enough airflow through the CPU heatsink, that the CPU fan will stay off for long periods....as long as the temp stays below about 42C. This makes for a very quiet computer. Under moderate usage, the CPU fan and the front intake fan turn on, but usually stay on the first fan speed...fairly quiet. I'm happy with it. :lol:

[Canadianpsycho]

Anyoen know if you can control Hifi mode or XP Media Center Edition with a Harmony 659 remote?

[FuNPoLiCe001]

this was asked earlier in the thread, but no one has confirmed yet

do mobile celeron's (not celeron m, the p4 kind with 256 l2 cache) work in this machine?

[sukasem]

this was asked earlier in the thread, but no one has confirmed yet

do mobile celeron's (not celeron m, the p4 kind with 256 l2 cache) work in this machine?

I just put P4 mobile 1.7GHz in. Works fine! No need to modify the chip. but recognize Vcore @ 1.5ish. I think need bent pin to recogize Vcore @ 1.2ish

Anyone want P4 mobile chip, PM me? I'm selling this too because I can't wait I bought new Celly 2.4 already.

[renhui]

The on-board video really sucks, I am not talking about 3d games, but just 2d display. The characters are blurry and very uncomfortable to my eyes. My old 9600pro could not fit into the 651 due to the big heatpipe(sapphire ultimate edition). I am in the market of a used aiw 9700 so I can make this a powerful HTPC. Any idea if aiw9700 will survive in this small case and 250W power supply??

Also the ventilation of the case is really bad, my 250GB harddrive gets pretty hot. Must do some modding later to improve this.

[bug]

So the bios is not capable of reading 1.3 vcore of a 2.8GHZ Mobile P4?
If it reads it as 1.5, will the clock speed also be higher?

[BlueMax]

HTPC doesn't need a Radeon 9700!! Unless it's a Home Theatre AND Gaming PC. ;)

I wouldn't do it... it's too hot in there for such a heavy-duty card. A Radeon 9000AIW would be great for HTPC stuff! And cool-running!

EDIT: I still want one!! :D

[bug]

I read that all AIW cards are supported by MCE 2005. I was thinking of switching my radeon 8500 and Ehome Wonder for an AIW 9000.

[AnitaPeterson]

I bought an ASUS Radeon 9550, clockable to 9600 speeds... hope it'll be a good match.

[Bluefront]

Tell you what....Very tall AIW cards are tough on this system. The newer ones run hot, they all block the intake holes on the left side of the PSU, and they stress the AGP slot because the ATX cable wires are a crammed-fit in there.

But if you still want a newer/taller/hotter card in the AGP slot, seriously consider adding a slot fan in the pci slot opening. Here's a picture of a SolteK SFF setup like this. It's position is reversed from the MEGA, but you should get the idea.

http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/9/0,1311,sz=1&i=92903,00.jpg

[WLJ101]

http://www.bigfootcomputers.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/coolermaster/fans/hhcl61_big.jpg
This coolermaster hhc-001/L61 won't fit, you can't install it so don't buy it.

[Bluefront]

Hummm....what's the problem? If the fan is too thick, would a thin fan work?

[sukasem]

Hey WLJ101,

why don't you try to mod stock mega heatsink? I think you can cut blue casing and add another fan on the top. I know it won't be as good as copper hsf one. but save you some $$ ;)

[WLJ101]

Hey WLJ101,

why don't you try to mod stock mega heatsink? I think you can cut blue casing and add another fan on the top. I know it won't be as good as copper hsf one. but save you some $$ ;)


:D yeah i m doing it right now. I m installing the zalman NB cooler, the blue one with come cutting on the case to fit it.

i m trying to put the 60mm fan on top instead of sideway...

WLJ1O1

[WLJ101]

if you are *thinking* to remove the NB cooler, think before you do it. You have to take out everything in the case before you can install it. expert only, k?

[felix]

yeah, that's what I was thinking when I first looked at it. Looks like you got to take the entire motherboard out before removing it, or at least the lower cage which I have no idea how to remove since I don't have a chainsaw or any such tools. :cry: Do you think if I brought it to Home Depot they would help me cut it? Last time I asked an old guy in the tools section there, he said they don't offer such service, but then afterwards offered to cut my Zalman NB cooler for free (too bad I didn't bring it with me at the time! Needed to mod it to fit my DFI Lanparty so my video card can go in first slot)

[sukasem]

:D yeah i m doing it right now. I m installing the zalman NB cooler, the blue one with come cutting on the case to fit it.

i m trying to put the 60mm fan on top instead of sideway...

WLJ1O1

But it too close to DVD drive if you put 25mm fan.
May 2 low speed fan 10mm is better

[Canadianpsycho]

yeah, that's what I was thinking when I first looked at it. Looks like you got to take the entire motherboard out before removing it, or at least the lower cage which I have no idea how to remove since I don't have a chainsaw or any such tools. :cry: Do you think if I brought it to Home Depot they would help me cut it? Last time I asked an old guy in the tools section there, he said they don't offer such service, but then afterwards offered to cut my Zalman NB cooler for free (too bad I didn't bring it with me at the time! Needed to mod it to fit my DFI Lanparty so my video card can go in first slot)

10 minutes with a dremel and you can cut aluminum cases no problem. I cut out the fan grills and added a 120mm intake to my Super Lanboy in no time flat.

Now I'm kinda curious as to how moisy and warm this rig is going to get... I wish I had my parts :\

[Bluefront]

You can take the drive cage out easily. One small philips screwdriver is all you need. To install the Zalman NB heatsink, you need to make a small square cutout in the drive cage with a tin snip. That's it.

You don't need to be an expert modder to do this.... :)

[ilikecheapstuff]

anyway, i'm still playing around with my video card dilemna... AGP card kills the airflow, and i'm not willing to play around with the cpu heatsink like the rest of you.

so i'm back to my PCI card. however, doing PCmark tests on it, i can tell the integrated video is still 'activated' and it's taking down my memory speed scores...

anyone have any luck with disabling the integrated video when using a PCI card?

[Esca]

So is anyone using a mobile celeron with this system? I'm thinking of getting one and trying the mod for it.

As for disabling the integrated video, I believe you just go to System->Hardware->Device Manager then find the onboard video and disable it. I did that with my old system but didn't notice any difference but probably because it was already so slow to begin with.

[sfu_lifer]

Anyone know of a "half length" type dvd writer drive I can put in here for better airflow?
My P4 2.8B with the AIW 8500DV card is generating far too much heat. The fan is going hard all the time so it's far from silent :(. I'm thinking of removing the small drive cage now (currently i have the case top off). I wish they made this a little larger to accomodate better airflow or at least include a better cpu heatsink+fan. Sigh. I was hoping for a cheap silent hassle-free HTPC but it looks like this one is gonna take some work and even more expense :( ...

[WLJ101]

here is some pics i took.

I cut out the PSU grill.
http://img246.echo.cx/img246/6443/pict01208rr.th.jpg (http://img246.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01208rr.jpg)


I install the Zalman NB heatsink
http://img246.echo.cx/img246/7185/pict01212ph.th.jpg (http://img246.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01212ph.jpg)

Take a look
http://img246.echo.cx/img246/9223/pict01224tr.th.jpg (http://img246.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01224tr.jpg)

[felix]

Thanks for the pics. Can you take a pic of the tool you used to cut these? Does this mean you have to take out the 6-in-1 media reader? If so, can a FDD fit in as replacement? I have a spare of that exact same Zalman sink and would love to use it as you have.

[WLJ101]

I install the cardreader in this system, no second HDD and FDD(no room for that).

also, I install the CPU fan on top of the cPU blowing the air from top to bottom. I am still waiting for the 50mm fan and 60mm fan to come here in the mail.

I am thinking to buy those silentX 60mm fan and try it. Vantec stealth 60mm fan is hard to find. and the orignal Heatsink seems fine and i am getting 29C - 32C, so i don't think i will spend more money on the heatsink.

I install my ti4200 in the mega and it is so noisy, before i was using the mx440 and it only uses a heatsink so much quiet before... umm... i m thinking to get that xfx 5200 with dual monitor support and tv out. I won't play games in this mega so... still thnking...

BTW, I just found out that there has few dual 20.1" LCD pic in the same SD card. I want to share with you guys... :D so nice... the right LCD is *defective* so i returned it long time ago...

http://img247.echo.cx/img247/460/pict00090ry.th.jpg (http://img247.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict00090ry.jpg)
http://img247.echo.cx/img247/3636/pict00104xi.th.jpg (http://img247.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict00104xi.jpg)



WLJ1O1

[BlueMax]

Anyone know of a "half length" type dvd writer drive I can put in here for better airflow?
My P4 2.8B with the AIW 8500DV card is generating far too much heat. The fan is going hard all the time so it's far from silent :(. I'm thinking of removing the small drive cage now (currently i have the case top off). I wish they made this a little larger to accomodate better airflow or at least include a better cpu heatsink+fan. Sigh. I was hoping for a cheap silent hassle-free HTPC but it looks like this one is gonna take some work and even more expense :( ...

I'm looking to buy one if yours isn't what you want. ;) I've got a thread in Buy/Sell/Trade.

These are hot boxes... not for high-end apps by any means. There's a very set processor and video card limitation, making it far from a gaming machine. I want something small and cute for the wife to do her word processing on so she can get off MY machine! ;)

[bug]

Found this on the MSI forums. CLICK ME (http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?threadid=70541&sid=)
Guy says an Enermax EG285ST-VB is a possible replacement. Anyone seen these anywhere?
"The closest alternative PSU is the Enermax EG285ST-VB which has a similar output (although max's higher at 280W) and has the +5Vsb and +12Vsb required for HI-FI mode. I've tentativly measured up and I think it will fit although it may hang over the heat sink slightly and you will of course have to splice in a suitable connector for the motherboard."

[sfu_lifer]

I install the cardreader in this system, no second HDD and FDD(no room for that).

also, I install the CPU fan on top of the cPU blowing the air from top to bottom. I am still waiting for the 50mm fan and 60mm fan to come here in the mail.

I am thinking to buy those silentX 60mm fan and try it. Vantec stealth 60mm fan is hard to find. and the orignal Heatsink seems fine and i am getting 29C - 32C, so i don't think i will spend more money on the heatsink.

I install my ti4200 in the mega and it is so noisy, before i was using the mx440 and it only uses a heatsink so much quiet before... umm... i m thinking to get that xfx 5200 with dual monitor support and tv out. I won't play games in this mega so... still thnking...

BTW, I just found out that there has few dual 20.1" LCD pic in the same SD card. I want to share with you guys... :D so nice... the right LCD is *defective* so i returned it long time ago...

http://img247.echo.cx/img247/460/pict00090ry.th.jpg (http://img247.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict00090ry.jpg)
http://img247.echo.cx/img247/3636/pict00104xi.th.jpg (http://img247.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict00104xi.jpg)



WLJ1O1

That's running off the ti4200? Nice.

[bug]

I install the cardreader in this system, no second HDD and FDD(no room for that).

also, I install the CPU fan on top of the cPU blowing the air from top to bottom. I am still waiting for the 50mm fan and 60mm fan to come here in the mail.

I am thinking to buy those silentX 60mm fan and try it. Vantec stealth 60mm fan is hard to find. and the orignal Heatsink seems fine and i am getting 29C - 32C, so i don't think i will spend more money on the heatsink.

I install my ti4200 in the mega and it is so noisy, before i was using the mx440 and it only uses a heatsink so much quiet before... umm... i m thinking to get that xfx 5200 with dual monitor support and tv out. I won't play games in this mega so... still thnking...

BTW, I just found out that there has few dual 20.1" LCD pic in the same SD card. I want to share with you guys... :D so nice... the right LCD is *defective* so i returned it long time ago...

http://img247.echo.cx/img247/460/pict00090ry.th.jpg (http://img247.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict00090ry.jpg)
http://img247.echo.cx/img247/3636/pict00104xi.th.jpg (http://img247.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict00104xi.jpg)



WLJ1O1
How exactly did you mount the cpu fan on top of the heatsink? Did you remove the blue plastic cover and just stick the stock fan on top of heatsink?
I'm going to cut out the P/S area too, and replace my Radeon 8500 and E-Home wonder with an AIW 9000. Plus install a 50-60mm fan in each side.

[sfu_lifer]

**** **** ****!!!!
I knew there was some damage when I received the unit. I was wondering why the display was not working. So I decide to finally wipe it today with a clean cloth and saw that it bled inside. Wiping some more revealed the LCD display was severely cracked underneath.
I was hoping nothing broken when I received the unit all bent up but it seems like the following are broken irrepairably:
- LCD
- radio and MSI standalone functions w/o turning on Windows (like mp3 etc)
- onboard sound not working

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

I dunno what to do at this point. I emailed the person who sold me the unit but I'm afraid I'll be fed the CanadaComputers BS. Does UPS have any insurance type deals for these things? It's not really their fault since Canada Computers packaged it so badly.

[bug]

Yes UPS shipments are insured. Normally it's the shipper who has to request a claim, but since it was a COD shipment, I'm not sure. I would contact Canada Computers first though. Since their staff packed it so poorly, they may be liable.

Compusmart (http://www.compusmart.com/Product/Default.aspx?SetLanguage=En&SetSite=3&SupplierPartNo=491975)
is selling these for $399.99 :-0

[riskit]

**** **** ****!!!!
I knew there was some damage when I received the unit.

Please keep us inform of the out come. since my unit was also damage during shippping and I won't know if it will boot until, this weekend when the cpu arrives, until then I am getting a little nervious hear about your adventures.

[bk]

Squall458! You just cost me an extra $1.50US on that ebay auction! :twisted:

Wait your turn for CPUs :cheesygri

[squall458]

Squall458! You just cost me an extra $1.50US on that ebay auction! :twisted:

Wait your turn for CPUs :cheesygri

hahahahahah!!!!!!!! i had no idea it was u!!!!!! i asked the seller about shipping! it was mine!!!!!!!!

[bk]

hahahahahah!!!!!!!! i had no idea it was u!!!!!! i asked the seller about shipping! it was mine!!!!!!!!

It's a shame you didn't keep going; another buck and a half and it would have been yours :razz:

Guess I'll be getting mine up and running before you (tho I've already been playing with the HiFi mode with no cpu/hd/ram. Kinda neat.)

[WLJ101]

That's running off the ti4200? Nice.


NO, that's from the 6800 Ultra OC from the computer besides the mega.

Sorry to hear that sfu_lifer received a bad unit from Canadacomputers, I see that there has over 10 units in the Mainwarehouse, you can try to get another new replacement from them. Try to stay clam when you talk to them, they will help you out.

Also, I attached the CPU fan on top. here is the pic
http://img257.echo.cx/img257/450/pict01273jc.th.jpg (http://img257.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01273jc.jpg)

WLJ101

[ilikecheapstuff]

NO, that's from the 6800 Ultra OC from the computer besides the mega.

Sorry to hear that sfu_lifer received a bad unit from Canadacomputers, I see that there has over 10 units in the Mainwarehouse, you can try to get another new replacement from them. Try to stay clam when you talk to them, they will help you out.

Also, I attached the CPU fan on top. here is the pic
http://img257.echo.cx/img257/450/pict01273jc.th.jpg (http://img257.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01273jc.jpg)

WLJ101

i think his main problem is that he lives over in vancouver...


sfu_lifer:
man.. i hope they didn't mail u the one i returned... the LCD was still working on mine tho.. but the radio and hifi were dead

hope u can get urs returned tho...

[uddinf]

compusmart has a PM policy. Not sure is compusmart is selling the retail boxed ones though.
http://www.compusmart.com/Product/Default.aspx?SetLanguage=En&SetSite=3&SupplierPartNo=491975
http://www.compusmart.com/SmartPrice.aspx

[ilikecheapstuff]

for 399.99 they better be selling the retail boxed versions...

well anyway
just was looking at other things @ compusmart site and they got 60 x 10mm fan..

http://www.compusmart.com/Product/Default.aspx?SupplierPartNo=644456

but it's 15 bux... :S

[Esca]

Wow, $400? I wonder how much this was at CC before the price drop.

[ilikecheapstuff]

i believe it was $350... but i can't be sure. wasn't really in the market for a SFF before this deal came along

btw.. anyone know of any good deals for those slot fans?
similar to this one?
http://www.compusmart.com/Product/Default.aspx?SupplierPartNo=054726

[felix]

Well I finally was able to remove the cage bays tonight. Lots of screws, and it took a while to take out since space was so tight. I even got a bit of metal shrapnel in my skin too. >:( I did not take out anything else before hand, like media reader or power supply.

After that, I was able to remove the chipset fan with a set of pliers (did not need to take out motherboard) and cleaned it off with ArtiClean Thermal Material Remover (Goof Off works well too). My chipset markings are the following ..

SIS
651
SIS '02
PND3473
0332DA B0


So looks like I got a newer revision B! :D

[felix]

Also, I attached the CPU fan on top. here is the pic
http://img257.echo.cx/img257/450/pict01273jc.th.jpg (http://img257.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01273jc.jpg)

WLJ101, What size fan are you using in that pic? Are you using it with the stock MEGA PC heatsink? How are you securing the fan?



I cut out the PSU grill.
http://img246.echo.cx/img246/6443/pict01208rr.th.jpg (http://img246.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01208rr.jpg)
What tool did you use for cutting the metal? Going to home depot tomorrow to return something and will hopefully buy a cutter for this while I'm there.

I install the Zalman NB heatsink
http://img246.echo.cx/img246/7185/pict01212ph.th.jpg (http://img246.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01212ph.jpg)
Are these the exact measurements for the Zalman? (I have the same one as you). I'm planning to go by your pic while cutting. :D

[Cronic]

I believe it was around $375


Wow, $400? I wonder how much this was at CC before the price drop.

[BlueMax]

EEeeEeEEEe!! I'm so close to getting one! Just have to hope my guy can get it for me! What an awesome community! I LOVE RFD!! :D :D :D

[sfu_lifer]

Please keep us inform of the out come. since my unit was also damage during shippping and I won't know if it will boot until, this weekend when the cpu arrives, until then I am getting a little nervious hear about your adventures.
AARGH. I threw out the packaging stuff. UPS says they can't do anything and Canada Computers keeps saying it's UPS's fault. Sigh. I'm so unlucky with hot deals lately. I think I'm gonna retire from buying for a while :(
Brain fart indeed ...

[Hippak]

AARGH. I threw out the packaging stuff. UPS says they can't do anything and Canada Computers keeps saying it's UPS's fault. Sigh. I'm so unlucky with hot deals lately. I think I'm gonna retire from buying for a while :(
Brain fart indeed ...

Is the outside of the box damaged? If it isn't then UPS wouldn't have done anythign anyway....



Where's that guy who was saying CC is reputable?

Did you pay via credit card?

Can you do a chargeback?

[sfu_lifer]

Is the outside of the box damaged? If it isn't then UPS wouldn't have done anythign anyway....



Where's that guy who was saying CC is reputable?
Nope the box itself was undamaged. But the item was bashed up when I got it due to improper packaging. I have no idea why I threw it out. I guess once I got it to boot I was happy :(
It is working though except for the onboard sound and the LCD. I'm running an external Audigy 2 NX on it anyways so the lack of an onboard sound won't bother me as much but the instant playback was one of the reasons why I got it in the first place.

[bug]

AARGH. I threw out the packaging stuff. UPS says they can't do anything and Canada Computers keeps saying it's UPS's fault. Sigh. I'm so unlucky with hot deals lately. I think I'm gonna retire from buying for a while :(
Brain fart indeed ...
Sorry guy, but sounds like you have no proof now that you no longer have the packaging. You should try contacting Canada Computers again and clearly explain that you firmly believe they are at fault because it was packaged so badly. Also tell them that the box was not damaged,so how exactly is UPS to blame. Clearly they are at fault.
I had something similar happen a while back too, so you're not alone. Bought a board off ebay, gave guy his feedback, and a week later went to install it and found out it was dead. Guy insisted it worked when he shipped it and refused to refund. $100 down the drain :cry:

[Bluefront]

Ok...Here are some photos of my modded MEGA 651, as explained on page 14 of this long thread.

Look closely to see the two distinct sections of this computer. The rear exhaust section opens to the front intake section through the CPU heatsink/fan. All the exhaust of this computer is sucked through the copper heatsink, even if the CPU fan is stopped.

There is enough airflow that the CPU fan and that 70mm intake fan in the photos, stay off (stopped) much of the time. This computer idles at about 41C, and with the new slot-fan running about 8V, it maxes out at about 60C. At that point the CPU fan and the intake fan are running on the second fan speed(out of four speeds).

It's quiet and cool......compared to when it was stock. I know the photos could be confusing to someone new to the 651....but anyone who has worked on this MEGA, should be able to figure it out.

Questions...?

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/album?.dir=7f92&.src=ph

[squall458]

Ok...Here are some photos of my modded MEGA 651, as explained on page 14 of this long thread.

Look closely to see the two distinct sections of this computer. The rear exhaust section opens to the front intake section through the CPU heatsink/fan. All the exhaust of this computer is sucked through the copper heatsink, even if the CPU fan is stopped.

There is enough airflow that the CPU fan and that 70mm intake fan in the photos, stay off (stopped) much of the time. This computer idles at about 41C, and with the new slot-fan running about 8V, it maxes out at about 60C. At that point the CPU fan and the intake fan are running on the second fan speed(out of four speeds).

It's quiet and cool......compared to when it was stock. I know the photos could be confusing to someone new to the 651....but anyone who has worked on this MEGA, should be able to figure it out.

Questions...?

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/album?.dir=7f92&.src=ph

thank you so much for the pics!!!

[tjuzer]

We can use mobile chip here? The pdf that cc send me not listed there. What is best chip to use :?:

[WLJ101]

Hi, it's me. Is the Sony DVD rom drive quiet?? hheehe...

Anyways, Hey bluefront, May I ask you how did you mount the Aluminium Heatsink? Can you teach me how?

Thanz!

WLj1o1

[tjuzer]

Its bad if overheat? I plan to use radeon 9600 pro with zalman cooler is it ok and will fit :confused:

[Canadianpsycho]

Hi, it's me. Is the Sony DVD rom drive quiet?? hheehe...

Anyways, Hey bluefront, May I ask you how did you mount the Aluminium Heatsink? Can you teach me how?

Thanz!

WLj1o1

I won't know for a couple days... I may just throw it in there to see if it works in HiFi mode ;)

[bug]

Its bad if overheat? I plan to use radeon 9600 pro with zalman cooler is it ok and will fit :confused:
It'll be a tight fit for the 9600 pro. The power supply wires are right behind it. Plus it will block the cpu airflow.If you must use an AGP card, I suggest getting a half height one I just bought a half height PNY FX-5200 128MB AGP card for mine from ebay for $36 US shipped.

[WLJ101]

but does it has dual monitor support and tv out?

I am looking for a video card that doesn't have a fan on it and it support two monitors.

the asus 9520 looks like it does but it is not.

WLJ1O1

[Derek]

I actually picked up one of these myself. I have an AIW 9000 Pro sitting around, will it fit, and if so will that generate too much heat?

Still looking for a CPU so I can't test it at the moment.

[felix]

It'll be a tight fit for the 9600 pro. The power supply wires are right behind it. Plus it will block the cpu airflow.If you must use an AGP card, I suggest getting a half height one I just bought a half height PNY FX-5200 128MB AGP card for mine from ebay for $36 US shipped.
The PNY has a fan on it according to eBay pics! I think I'd look for an ASUS, Aopen, Gainward or some other brand that has passive cooling since a Zalman or Aerocool will not fit, at least not in AGP slot due to power supply clearance (I have both the Zalman HP-80A and Aerocool VM-101).

[sfu_lifer]

I actually picked up one of these myself. I have an AIW 9000 Pro sitting around, will it fit, and if so will that generate too much heat?

Still looking for a CPU so I can't test it at the moment.
Yep it should be a very tight fit. My AIW 8500DV fit but I took it out since my P4-2.8B is generating far too much heat and the fan was going nuts all the time. You'll need to take out one of the clips though along the railing in order to get it to fit since otherwise the PSU cords will be pushing it too much.

[tjuzer]

Just whats too much heat? Include chip fan or we have to get our own :?:

[bug]

Just whats too much heat? Include chip fan or we have to get our own :?:
It comes with a northbridge fan installed, but some prefer to remove it and install a heatsink in its place.

[bug]

I actually picked up one of these myself. I have an AIW 9000 Pro sitting around, will it fit, and if so will that generate too much heat?

Still looking for a CPU so I can't test it at the moment.
The AIW 9000 pro is a half height card if I'm not mistaken. If so, it will fit fine.

[tjuzer]

Half card height mean half size of normal card like 6800 :confused: or specific form

[Canadianpsycho]

Half card height mean half size of normal card like 6800 :confused: or specific form

Check Bluefront's pics. He has a half height AGP card.

[sfu_lifer]

Just whats too much heat? Include chip fan or we have to get our own :?:
There's a fan in there but it is so tight there's no real room for the air to circulate properly. Some folks got tired of the CPU fan going nuts they just took the cover off for cooling. :cheesygri

[Bluefront]

Ok...here's a good deal (maybe) for you guys. I just talked to the place from Chicago where I bought my first two 651s. They had six left, two per box, new, original packaging, with MSI cd/dvd installed. I bought four units at $150 USD ea, including shipping to St Louis (UPS).

They said they might be able to get more. He has a website, but the MEGAs are not listed. As soon as I get my four units, I'll post his address/phone #. Don't bother PMing me....this will be a first come, first served deal. I expect I'll know something in a few days...stay tuned. :lol:

Oh I'm keeping maybe two units...E-Baying the rest.

[Canadianpsycho]

Ok...here's a good deal (maybe) for you guys. I just talked to the place from Chicago where I bought my first two 651s. They had six left, two per box, new, original packaging, with MSI cd/dvd installed. I bought four units at $150 USD ea, including shipping to St Louis (UPS).

They said they might be able to get more. He has a website, but the MEGAs are not listed. As soon as I get my four units, I'll post his address/phone #. Don't bother PMing me....this will be a first come, first served deal. I expect I'll know something in a few days...stay tuned. :lol:

Oh I'm keeping maybe two units...E-Baying the rest.


Nice to get a compatible CD/DVD drive, but taxes/duties/shipping may price this deal pretty high.

[Canadianpsycho]

Well,

Looks like I can finally contribute something USEFUL to this thread now!

I haven't rec'd my PC parts yet (hopefully tonight or tomorrow). However, I did pick up a Sony 16x DVD-ROM drive at Canada Computers last night. I'm pleased to report it works just fine in HiFi mode. Plopped a Tool CD in and its playing right now. A little bit of a whooshing sound when it first spins up, but the drive is quiet when spinning the CD. Ejecting works just fine... No issues as of yet.

They only had black, but at 30 bucks it was priced just right, and the drive is stealthed anyways. Model #DDU1613.

Also, the drive is pretty short... Should help with airflow. Looks like the end of the drive will be flush with the bracket for the optical drive.

http://img188.echo.cx/img188/4854/im0001919lr.th.jpg (http://img188.echo.cx/my.php?image=im0001919lr.jpg)

http://img188.echo.cx/img188/6214/im0001927zz.th.jpg (http://img188.echo.cx/my.php?image=im0001927zz.jpg)

[Bluefront]

I uploaded nine more photos.....including one closeup of the copper heatsink mount. Like I said, it's a socket 7 heatsink, and it uses only one clip of the MEGA plastic bracket. Nothing special here. Some of these heatsinks that might be used have a longer retension clip that you could cut down.

I removed the 70mm intake fan, since the new slot fan provides more airflow. The temps actually went down slightly, as well as the noise.

There are a few new photos that better show the sideways HD mount. There are aluminum heatsinks on each side of the drive, and the airflow is enough to keep it cool. Plus mounting it like this gives the CPU fan more breathing room.

More photos...

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/album?.dir=7f92

WLj1o1....could you please tell us why that coolermaster heatpipe heatsink would not fit? Did you actually try it to see? It looks like it would work and fit with a slim fan instead of the 25mm one it comes with.

[WLJ101]

woo.. finally, it fits now... i thought it won't fit because of the clip. sorry guys

WLj1O1

[Bluefront]

Another question....Speedfan finds two Windbond sensors listed as Temp 1 and Temp 2, as well as the cpu and board temps. Has anybody figured out what these temps refer to? Maybe they're just unknown readings Speedfan picked up...

Photo...

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/detail?.dir=7f92&.dnm=c8d0.jpg&.src=ph

[WLJ101]

BF, is that the software you use to control the fan speed? what controller you use to connect to those fan separately?

ummm... lots of question, i m curious...

http://img158.echo.cx/img158/8440/pict01296nz.th.jpg (http://img158.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01296nz.jpg)

[Bluefront]

WLj1O1.....I'm very interested in how that heatsink performs. Please post results.....as well as what fan you used and how it sounds. Thanks.

Well Speed fan can control that one CPU fan header.....but. Since you cannot disable the boards own fan controller, the two programs interfere with each other. Sometimes when the fan should have been running, it turned off. Not good.

Now I only monitor temps with speedfan, and I disable Speedfan's fan controller.

If MSI published a new BIOS that allowed changing the fan control, or turning it off.....then you could use Speedfan to adjust/control the fan(s), a really great program that works well with the MEGA..

[WLJ101]

i m using 2.4b with stock heatsink & fan (25db i guess). I used Artic silver 5 and PC alert 4 gave me 29C to 34C all the time. The cpu fan turns on when it reach 34C.

so i m still thinking is the $34 dollars aluminium cpu heatsink worth the money i spend.

but i m sure i will get that silentX 60mm fan to make the fan quieter.

i m using the ti4200 right now and that fan is so noisy, i hope i can get the vantec iceberq5 sometime this month... anyone know where i can get it??

ummm...

[Bluefront]

Is this the new heatsink you're using?

http://www.bigfootcomputers.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/coolermaster/fans/hhcl61_big.jpg

[WLJ101]

no,....

the orignal one.

http://img158.echo.cx/img158/8440/pict01296nz.th.jpg (http://img158.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01296nz.jpg)

i m getting 29C all the time maybe the PCAlert4 report a lower temp than the real one... so...

[bug]

PC Alert 4 temps are not accurate with this motherboard for some reason. Motherboard Monitor might work better, I'll have to try it. I bet if you check the temps in the bios, you'll find out they're still over 40c.

[Bluefront]

I never could get pcalert to work at all. you have a link to a version known to work?

Those temp figures you mention are suspect.....this board shuts the fan off at 41C cpu temp. That's as low as it will go.

link to speedfan...MBM won't work

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download337.html

[AnitaPeterson]

Speedfan looks like a sweet - and freeware! - program... does it work OK with the Mega PC?

[WLJ101]

yeah, pcalert is BS. i think the Sys.temp is the real CPU temp. umm...

WLJ1o1

[felix]

Ok...here's a good deal (maybe) for you guys. I just talked to the place from Chicago where I bought my first two 651s. They had six left, two per box, new, original packaging, with MSI cd/dvd installed. I bought four units at $150 USD ea, including shipping to St Louis (UPS).

They said they might be able to get more. He has a website, but the MEGAs are not listed. As soon as I get my four units, I'll post his address/phone #. Don't bother PMing me....this will be a first come, first served deal. I expect I'll know something in a few days...stay tuned. :lol:

Oh I'm keeping maybe two units...E-Baying the rest.
Don't forget we're in Canada. And even with the exchange rate and assuming no duty taxes, we still get a better deal! $99 + 15% tax CDN = ~$91 USD for MEGA PC 651, barebones with no CD/DVD drive. :D

[Bluefront]

Yeah but....This is a brand new unit in the retail box. Plus any of you guys close to Chicago could drive there and pick it up. Plus this guy has them in stock....well maybe. Anyway I've seen what some places want for this thing. And it seems like that good Canadian deal is very hard to get.

$150 USD shipped seems a good deal to me.... :lol:

[Bluefront]

Regarding speedfan....it works on the 651. Read the help files. They explain everything very well. You do have to figure out which sensor is which. The sensor that reads about 42/44C at an idle is probably the CPU. That temp goes up quickly when you run an intensive prog.

[ilikecheapstuff]

no,....

the orignal one.

http://img158.echo.cx/img158/8440/pict01296nz.th.jpg (http://img158.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01296nz.jpg)

i m getting 29C all the time maybe the PCAlert4 report a lower temp than the real one... so...

well... if you look at the temperatures in the BIOS those should be the correct temperatures...

i guess try running some intense programs, then restart the comp and enter bios. those temperatures shouldn't be too far off. as for motherboard monitor 5, i'm using that right now, but you have to figure out what to adjust the temperature by. they have a thing where you can change the values, but then i don't really notice it getting off from 44-45 much. if those temps don't start changing when i find something intensive for the CPU to do, i'm uninstalling it.

i installed speedfan a few days ago and clicked the "automatically adjust fan speed" option and then the fan went crazy and probably went at full speed... making this huge whirling noise... HMM... lol. i'm not gonna click that option again. XD

[ilikecheapstuff]

Yeah but....This is a brand new unit in the retail box. Plus any of you guys close to Chicago could drive there and pick it up. Plus this guy has them in stock....well maybe. Anyway I've seen what some places want for this thing. And it seems like that good Canadian deal is very hard to get.

$150 USD shipped seems a good deal to me.... :lol:


i think most of the ppl on this thread are either from toronto or somewhere around that general vicinity... that's quite a few hours of driving... and some others from montreal, vancouver... don't think it's worth the drive down for pick up...

the $150 USD price tag isn't TOO bad, but i think we got the better deal over here this time. shipping + customs would tip it to the expensive side i guess. and all that for an older chipset... and bad cooling.. XD

[Cronic]

well I just recieved my mobile celeron 1.8 cpu tonight and I slapped it in the Mega 651 and upped the fsb to 133 and I am now @ 2.4ghz.....I am very happy with this rig, I am going to through in a AIW 9000 pro and a wireless G pci card....verry happy for the price I have put into this little box!

[Canadianpsycho]

well I just recieved my mobile celeron 1.8 cpu tonight and I slapped it in the Mega 651 and upped the fsb to 133 and I am now @ 2.4ghz.....I am very happy with this rig, I am going to through in a AIW 9000 pro and a wireless G pci card....verry happy for the price I have put into this little box!

What Vcore is it running?

[Cronic]

:cheesygri as you know ther is no adjustment in the bios! But when I put this mobile celeron chip in it seems to default to 1.5v......it is pretty stable but hot inside the case....I am goind to mod with case fans....I have already taken out the double HDD rack to free up some space and get some air flowing.....will post some ppics tomorrow!......these mobile chips rock on this board.......no pin mods at all!!!


OTE=Canadianpsycho]What Vcore is it running?[/QUOTE]

[locab]

well I just recieved my mobile celeron 1.8 cpu tonight and I slapped it in the Mega 651 and upped the fsb to 133 and I am now @ 2.4ghz.....I am very happy with this rig, I am going to through in a AIW 9000 pro and a wireless G pci card....verry happy for the price I have put into this little box!

Cronic, can you tell what voltage is your mobile celeron running under ? 1.3V or something higher ? I am waiting for my mobile celeron 2.0 and hoping to do the same 'upping' fsb to 133. Also are you able to tell the cpu temp both idle and under load ?

[Canadianpsycho]

:cheesygri as you know ther is no adjustment in the bios! But when I put this mobile celeron chip in it seems to default to 1.5v......it is pretty stable but hot inside the case....I am goind to mod with case fans....I have already taken out the double HDD rack to free up some space and get some air flowing.....will post some ppics tomorrow!......these mobile chips rock on this board.......no pin mods at all!!!


OTE=Canadianpsycho]What Vcore is it running?[/QUOTE]


Thanks for the quick response.

I plan on pinmodding mine to get the lower Vcore for hopefully a cooler system.

[sfu_lifer]

well I just recieved my mobile celeron 1.8 cpu tonight and I slapped it in the Mega 651 and upped the fsb to 133 and I am now @ 2.4ghz.....I am very happy with this rig, I am going to through in a AIW 9000 pro and a wireless G pci card....verry happy for the price I have put into this little box!
How much was the Mobile Celeron 1.8? Where did you buy it?
I'm wondering if my P4 2.8B is running too hot. How is the performance comparing the two?
To keep the heat away, I've externalized my TV tuner, my Wifi and my soundcard so I'm running off the onboard video now.

As for my situation, CC offered to take it back and ship me a new unit. As long as I get a working unit, I'm a happy person.

[WLJ101]

does anyone know where I can buy the fanmate 2 in Toronto/Mississauga Area?

Bigfootcomputers doesn't have any for the past few weeks. HELP!

WLJ1O1

[tjuzer]

Thanks whats bare minimum to get running :confused: msi mega 651 barebones, ram, chip anything else :confused: I know nothing about computer >:(

[felix]

The barebones comes with case, remote control, motherboard, cpu cooler, and power supply. So you just need CPU, ram, hard drive, optical drive, and optional video card.

Someone mentioned they are running it in Hi-fi mode with the optical drive only? Is this confirmed? Just wondering because I don't have my parts yet but I'm curious to see if it really works without damaging anything by running it with no cpu/ram. :D

[Bluefront]

felix....the 651 will run the radio and play CDs without a CPU, Ram, or a hard drive. Just don't hit the PC on button. The thing will freeze and you have to pull the AC cord to get it working again.

Regarding MBM....I installed it again, the last version 5370. It will install and read voltages, HD temps, but it will not display the CPU temp or the board temp. It finds a Windbond sensor and displays some temps.....but these are not the right readings. They usually never change.

The Speedfan program also finds the Windbond sensors.....but the CPU and board temp use a sensor called ADM1030. The CPU is called "Remote" and the board temp is called "Local". You can change the names to reflect this. Click on the Remote(CPU) temp, and you'll see a box that lets you display the temp in the tray area.

Uncheck those windbond sensors....they don't mean anything (I guess).

This Program can control the CPU fan speed....but it interferes with the BIOS fan control. I wouldn't try it. Go into the "Speeds" page and uncheck the boxes. That way you can monitor everything....and let the MEGA BIOS control the fan speed. This works best for me.

View of MEGA temperature window.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/detail?.dir=7f92&.dnm=c8d0.jpg&.src=ph

[tjuzer]

I receive today but side of case is dent. Box not original but ok condition. What should i do :confused:

[sfu_lifer]

I receive today but side of case is dent. Box not original but ok condition. What should i do :confused:
Ho boy, this sounds like my unit. Was the packaging inside the box ok?
'Cos mine was extremely pathetic, there wasn't enough styrofoam to keep the stuff from bounching around.

[tjuzer]

Ho boy, this sounds like my unit. Was the packaging inside the box ok?
'Cos mine was extremely pathetic, there wasn't enough styrofoam to keep the stuff from bounching around.

Exact same :mad: Foam was big and small inside unit. So when the box bump when delivering, no even protection. FOAM PROBABLY CAUSE DAMAGE :evil: I just pay ups man too >:(

What is your solution with yours :!:

Also no foam top and under

[sho]

I receive today but side of case is dent. Box not original but ok condition. What should i do :confused:
go ask for an exchange asap

[tjuzer]

go ask for an exchange asap

If they make me pay shipping back that another 60. Maybe they all like this or maybe I get a lemon.

[sfu_lifer]

If they make me pay shipping back that another 60. Maybe they all like this or maybe I get a lemon.
Shouldn't cost that much to ship. I'm gonna ship mine back on Monday and I reported the shipper/packager to their head office. This is unacceptable they have done this to you as well. Probably the same dork that packaged mine.
I mean how lazy can you get?

[Bluefront]

FWIW....If you have or can get an ATI Remote Wonder, it'll work on the MEGA 651. There are many advantages to using this controller.

It can be configured easily to turn on the MEGA radio(PC mode) and adjust the volume.

It's an RF unit (USB reciever) so you don't need a direct line of sight to the front of the MEGA.

It has a rocker button that controls the curser.

It can turn off the MEGA(not on, PC mode).

Plus.....there are a bunch of free plugins available to control many different functions/applications etc.

And it's easy to configure....unlike the Girder program.

I'm still learning about mine.....but so far, it works great.

[Cronic]

since 133fsb is max in bios, would a program like soft fsb work and achieving higher o/c on this mobo???

[Canadianpsycho]

since 133fsb is max in bios, would a program like soft fsb work and achieving higher o/c on this mobo???

That's an interesting question... I haven't tried SoftFSB before, should see if the chipset is supported.

Your biggest problem would be probably the PCI/AGP lock, or lack thereof... I'm picking up my parts in a couple hours... Let me know if you find any info. After I get up and running I'll look myself.

EDIT: Looks like SoftFSB was "dead" by 2000... No development after that.

Anyone know any software OCing tools?

EDIT2: Clockgen! Of course! http://www.cpuid.org/clockgen.php

EDIT3: Hrmmm, maybe not. MSI board not listed. Guess this will be trial and error.

[Canadianpsycho]

OK then,

Installing Win XP MCE as we speak. I bent the AE1 Pin, and BIOS set the Vcore to 1.15! I upped the FSB to 133 on my 1.8 Mobile Celeron. We'll see how it goes.

If MCE installs just fine, I'll Prime the CPU to see if I need to bend the pin back for more Vcore.

Wow, was it ever a pain to install the Vidcard and Stock heatsink. I would advise against a full size AGP card... My 9250 is half height and takes up enough space as it is....

[Canadianpsycho]

1.15 Crapped out (as I kinda figured). Bent the pin back and all is good at 1.55Vcore.

[Canadianpsycho]

Looks like I'm talking to myself here, but...

Anyone notice that the card readers take up drive letters? My OS is on the F: drive :(

[coco100]

Mine was not properly packed either. Some styrofoam pieces to "pad" the Mega from bounching around in the box.

Luckily, no dents on the unit :cheesygri

[felix]

yeah, card readers always take up multiple drive letters, and as far as I know cannot be disabled if you want to use them. I don't know why the OS is on C drive though. I haven't set mine up yet still.

[squall458]

Looks like I'm talking to myself here, but...

Anyone notice that the card readers take up drive letters? My OS is on the F: drive :(

thanks for updating up on the pin trick. i didnt get my cpu yet but i was gonna use the pin trick toos.

[Canadianpsycho]

Its kind of a pain in the ass, I'm so used ot having it as the C:....

Ah welll.

I managed to update all drivers/BIOS/Firmware just fine with LiveUpdate.

XP MCE seems to work just fine also... We'll find out when I hook it up to my DLP later.

[squall458]

Its kind of a pain in the ass, I'm so used ot having it as the C:....

Ah welll.

I managed to update all drivers/BIOS/Firmware just fine with LiveUpdate.

XP MCE seems to work just fine also... We'll find out when I hook it up to my DLP later.

how does MCE compare to win xp pro????

[AnitaPeterson]

Canadianpsycho: So, no pin mod for the mobile Celeron, hm?

What speed does it run at, then, and what BIOS settings?

As to the issues concerning the card reader, I would suggest going under My Computer > Manage (Goes into "Computer management") > Storage - Disk management > and reassign the drive letters so that the HD goes on C:

An alternative would be unplugging the card reader until Windows is installed, then shut down the machine, connect the reader, reboot and let Windows do its own disk management.

Bluefront, please elaborate on the usage of the ATI Wonder remote... what have you achieved and how.

[AnitaPeterson]

how does MCE compare to win xp pro????


From an internet review:

"Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 is fundamentally Windows XP Professional edition PLUS media center benefits. This means that your computer functions exactly as it always has. For example, I run IE, Visual Studio 2003 and Whidbey, Outlook and Office and my other apps exactly as I have in the past. The difference is when I’m feeling like watching or recording some TV or viewing a DVD, I can fire up the “Media Center� application from the “Start� menu and PRESTO! – I have a rich Media Center environment. In essence, the MCE experience is just an app with some additional hardware, and software plumbing behind the scenes.

Due to strict hardware requirements, including a TV tuner capture card with built-in MPEG-2 video encoding and decoding and a high-end graphics card, this operating system cannot be bought separately, it must be bought pre-loaded on a new PC. MCE 2005 supports up to 3 tuners on a single computer.

The hardware specs have been increased by no small margin over the normal Windows XP specs. MCE 2005 requires a minimum of a 1.6 GHz (or equivalent) processor, and 256 MB of RAM. That's with only one tuner, no extenders, and a hardware encoder and decoder. Users wishing to use Media Center Extenders, or that don't have hardware decoders are recommended to have at least a 3.0 GHz processor, 512MB-1GB of RAM, and at least two tuners. Of course larger hard drives are recommended, and Microsoft is pushing to cases that resemble other home theater equipment, but neither of those are requirements.

Microsoft has released their own first party remote, receiver and IR blaster with MCE 2005."


My honest opinion is that unless you intend to use a TV tuner with capture capabilities, it's not worth using MCE... It seems it also uses more stringent DRM and anti-piracy features, an it's been reported that the system wil freeze while playing "illegal" files. Also, Anandtech users say the boot times are longer with MCE systems.

[Canadianpsycho]

Canadianpsycho: So, no pin mod for the mobile Celeron, hm?

What speed does it run at, then, and what BIOS settings?

As to the issues concerning the card reader, I would suggest going under My Computer > Manage (Goes into "Computer management") > Storage - Disk management > and reassign the drive letters so that the HD goes on C:

An alternative would be unplugging the card reader until Windows is installed, then shut down the machine, connect the reader, reboot and let Windows do its own disk management.

Bluefront, please elaborate on the usage of the ATI Wonder remote... what have you achieved and how.

The pin mod worked, but I think the combo of running my 1.8 @ 2.4 plus only 1.15 vcore was too much. Overclocking and undervolting usually aren't a good combo. I think it would run stock 1.8 at 1.15 Vcore.

As for the computer management/disk management suggestion, you can't change the drive letter of the boot drive ;)

If I decide to reinstall I may just disconnect the card reader. I should have thought of it at first.

As for MCE, I haven't fiddled with it yet. It looks a lot like the Xbox Media Centre. Sections for photos/videos, etc.

[AnitaPeterson]

Cronic says in post #295:

well I just recieved my mobile celeron 1.8 cpu tonight and I slapped it in the Mega 651 and upped the fsb to 133 and I am now @ 2.4ghz.....

So I assume that he didn't do the pin mode, but was, however, able to make the CPU run at 2.4 GHz, without fiddling with the voltage... which should be good news.

[Canadianpsycho]

Cronic says in post #295:



So I assume that he didn't do the pin mode, but was, however, able to make the CPU run at 2.4 GHz, without fiddling with the voltage... which should be good news.

Yep, which is exactly what I am doing also, chugging along at 1.55 Vcore.

Now the bad news: The WD HDD I bought is whining. Loudly. I thought at first it was the chipset fan, but its definitely the HDD. I just put in for an advanced RMA at Western Digital. The whining is of such an annoying pitch you can hear it OVER my main PC in sig w/ 2 120mm fans from over 10-15 feet away.

EDIT: I tried out the WindowsMedia HD content... 720p plays with not problems. 1080p skips frames from time to time. Not a bad setup though.

[Bluefront]

AnitaPeterson.....The Remote Wonder came with an ATI AIW 9200. The Radeon 7000 I'm using on this MEGA of course was not made to be used with a remote. But the software installs just fine, although I'm not sure how it would install without an ATI card.

There are a number of generic functions that work...volume, mute, curser control, right and left mouse clicks, the scroll function, the off button, etc. Then there are eight buttons that can be consigned to do certain things....like turn on the MEGA radio.

There are also some built-in plugins that control WinAmp, Powerpoint, the ATI multi-media center. There also tons of third-party plugins that control various programs. I've down-loaded a bunch. And I'm still looking for more. It's much more useful than the MEGA remote....and very easy to set up.

A few available plugins..

http://remotew.free.fr/plugins.htm

[Canadianpsycho]

Does the IR sensor MEGA work only in HiFI mode? Or will it work in PC mode?

[Canadianpsycho]

After fiddling around with MCE, it seems that 1080p HD stuff plays smoother in MCE rather then Windows Media Player 10.... Looks like IQ is the same also.

[AnitaPeterson]

Thanks, bluefront!

Canadianpsycho, would you recommend using MCE over XP Pro ?

[Canadianpsycho]

Thanks, bluefront!

Canadianpsycho, would you recommend using MCE over XP Pro ?

No decision as of yet. I'll try some (ahem) divx files in MCE and see how it looks. I think I'm gonna need a remote though... I need some sort of receiver for my harmony remote to control MCE.

If it plays 1080p stuff better, unless I can find a better player, I'll try MCE for a while.

Pics of the build:

http://img23.echo.cx/img23/9182/im0001934vo.th.jpg (http://img23.echo.cx/my.php?image=im0001934vo.jpg)

BLah, Imageshack is screwing with me... Only 1 pic for now.

[tjuzer]

Shouldn't cost that much to ship. I'm gonna ship mine back on Monday and I reported the shipper/packager to their head office. This is unacceptable they have done this to you as well. Probably the same dork that packaged mine.
I mean how lazy can you get?

I will wait reply from cc before sending it back in case they don't take it back. My computer ship from head office so I don't think report them will do good., :lol:

[WLJ101]

http://img192.echo.cx/img192/3919/pict01302ri.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01302ri.jpg)
Bought these three things from bigfootcomputers today.

http://img192.echo.cx/img192/4740/pict01320gf.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01320gf.jpg)
http://img192.echo.cx/img192/9085/pict01361fw.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01361fw.jpg)
The Coolmaster Heatsink won't fit together with the zalman NB cooler... so i have to cut out some pipes on the NB cooler.


finally....

http://img192.echo.cx/img192/1172/pict01401fh.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01401fh.jpg)
http://img192.echo.cx/img192/1491/pict01434fr.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01434fr.jpg)

I installed the SilentX 60mm Fan on top of the Coolermaster Heatsink, it is quiet but running too slow. I get 41C all the time hehe.

I closed the left vent completely, install a 70mm x 10mm thermaltake fan on the right vent near my ram slot (I installed 2x 512Mb Kingmax ram) and connect this fan to my CPU fan controller so I can use the speedfan to control how much air intake and quiet the fan. The silentX CPU fan and the Iceberq4 fan is running at full speed. The result is so much better than before!

wLj1O1

[felix]

WLJ101, what tools are you using to cut the Zalman heatsink cooler fins and the case/hard drive cage?

Can a floppy drive fit in after you have that Zalman there? Or is there only room for media reader only now? I assume it wouldn't cool well enough if all the fins are trimmed so that it fits completely underneath the cage so that it doesn't need to be cut?

[WLJ101]

I used the dremel tools that I bought in costco few months ago. Me and my friend want to buy it since it was only $35 bucks compare to those kits in Homedepot for over $135!!! it comes with full sets of the cutting tools and in a box. If you want I can give you the SKU and the picture later today.

I m not sure if the floppy drive fits there or not. I use the card reader more than a floppy drive....


man, there was a lot of works to do to cut those fins on the NB cooler. I took out the PSU, Mobo again!!! waste of time but i love quiet.

I am thinking to change the voltage for the iceberq4 from 12v to 5v, i remember that a RFDer posted a pictures here before showing how to DIY a 3pin cable ... anyone still have the link?

WLJ1OI1

[Bluefront]

Nice job.....looks like some of my suggestions are working for you. You're running the cpu fan at 12V? What RPM is that fan turning? Have you tried any CPU stress programs to check maximum temps? CPUBurn is a good program.....my setup maxes about 58/60C after running about five minutes.

What are you using that iceburg fan for?

How was the base of that heatsink? Did it need lapping(polishing)?

Link to CPUBurn program...

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/redelm/

When you run this program, be sure to have a temperature monitoring program (like Speedfan) running. Your cpu will heat-up instantly, and if your CPU fan is connected to the MB header, the fan may max out shortly. If you see the temp keep rising after the fan is at max speed....stop the program. I don't like to see temps over about 65C.

[Bluefront]

I'm glad to see WLJ101 got that Coolermaster copper heatsink to install. Compare the photo of his install with this photo of my copper heatsink...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGAcopperheatsink.jpg

The Coolermaster heatsink is taller, the base is much thicker, plus it uses heatpipe technology. My CPU fan is a Vantec Stealth.....max of 2800rpms. In theory the Coolermaster should cool much better than my setup.

Whatever temp differences there are between these two setups may be due to my duct setup....which uses negative pressure (suction) from the PSU and my slotfan to help cool the cpu. My setup actually turns off the CPU fan, and still idles at about 41C...using the duct airflow to keep it cool.

[bug]

http://img192.echo.cx/img192/3919/pict01302ri.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01302ri.jpg)
Bought these three things from bigfootcomputers today.

http://img192.echo.cx/img192/4740/pict01320gf.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01320gf.jpg)
http://img192.echo.cx/img192/9085/pict01361fw.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01361fw.jpg)
The Coolmaster Heatsink won't fit together with the zalman NB cooler... so i have to cut out some pipes on the NB cooler.


finally....

http://img192.echo.cx/img192/1172/pict01401fh.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01401fh.jpg)
http://img192.echo.cx/img192/1491/pict01434fr.th.jpg (http://img192.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01434fr.jpg)

I installed the SilentX 60mm Fan on top of the Coolermaster Heatsink, it is quiet but running too slow. I get 41C all the time hehe.

I closed the left vent completely, install a 70mm x 10mm thermaltake fan on the right vent near my ram slot (I installed 2x 512Mb Kingmax ram) and connect this fan to my CPU fan controller so I can use the speedfan to control how much air intake and quiet the fan. The silentX CPU fan and the Iceberq4 fan is running at full speed. The result is so much better than before!

wLj1O1

Can you tell me what model that coolermaster cpu heatsink is, and did you use the mounting clamp that came with it?

[Bluefront]

It looks like an HHC-L61, like the one in this link.

http://www.alienrock.com/comahhasihep.html

They can be found here and there for $19-$35 USD. You should not have to mod the attachment clip at all.

Regarding the Zalman NB heatsink....you would get interference with a std floppy. A USB floppy boots just fine with this computer, so why bother with a std floppy at all?

[WLJ101]

yup that's the one. but those stuff wasn't cheap, it costs me $80CAD.

felix, I used the Alltrade 135 piece Rotary tools, it was $35 only in costco.

WLJ1O1

[felix]

Regarding the Zalman NB heatsink....you would get interference with a std floppy. A USB floppy boots just fine with this computer, so why bother with a std floppy at all?
oh, because USB floppies are expensive ($35 CDN) and I don't think will drop in price any time soon. :) I guess maybe it's still good to invest it one. I guess all our computers will be legacy-free one day.

[felix]

Nice pics everyone.

Well, last night I spent about 1-2 hours trying to cut out that square for the Zalman, using a metal cutter I bought from Home Depot. The cuts are nice but because they are scissors the cage ended up being warped and very difficult to put back in. And the corners were very hard to cut so it doesn't look as neat as WLJ101's. I used Arctic Silver 5 as the thermal compound between the Zalman and SIS chipset (and lots of it, since it's so huge).

I still don't have my other parts yet. So it won't be complete for a while. Too bad something like a XP-90C (http://www.thermalright.com/a_page/main_product_xp90C.htm) won't fit. I measured 82mm between PSU and northbridge chipset.

[Bluefront]

FWIW...this is strange. The MEGA radio is on all the time in the PC mode....whether or not you open the radio program.

Open audio properties....you'll find a radio volume slider. It'll be muted if the radio program is not running. Un-mute it and the radio will be playing on the last station you tuned.

I suppose there's a use for this, but it escapes me.

Oh...I find cheap USB floppies for Laptops frequently at Computer shows. I'm using an IBM model for the MEGA. Cost $15 USD

[WLJ101]

http://www.dslwebserver.com/main/fr_index.html?/main/5-7-adapter.html

finally i found this page and very useful.

I m going to do something to the iceberq4, wish me luck.

EDIT:
http://img64.echo.cx/img64/5075/pict01455xu.th.jpg (http://img64.echo.cx/my.php?image=pict01455xu.jpg)
I change the iceberq4 and the small fan to 7V.

Bluefront: I tried the CPUburn program in Normal Mode and the highest temp I got was 56C. That program is fun to try :D. eh~ I am using this CPU fan in full speed. Link (http://www.bigfootcomputers.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=1027&Category_Code=100.11)



WLJ1O1

[Bluefront]

Thanks for the info. Your results convinced me to order two of those Coolermaster heatsinks for my next MEGA projects. The model I bought is an HHC-001....the same as yours with slightly larger fin spacing (I think). Should work better in my partially-passive cooling setup.

I've never heard that Silent-X fan you have, but I do know that company publishes fan specs that are highly suspect. Their dB specs for that fan are a joke. If that fan were that quiet, you couldn't hear it running in open air in a quiet room right next to your ear. :razz:

[WLJ101]

I searched the reviews on yahoo and compare silentX and Vantec stealth 60mm fan and it seems silentX is better. So I bought the silentX...

What HDD you put in your mega, BF?

[Bluefront]

Well I'm using a 7200rpm Maxtor 60gb. When I first setup the computer the drive was in the std position, and it ran too hot....around 45C smart temp. That's too high for me, so I came up with the sideways position, and lowered the drive about 20mm so there is intake airflow over both the top and the bottom of the drive. I also put heatsinks on the long edges of the drive.

I was using a 70mm intake fan blowing in by the ram chips, but after I installed the PCI slot fan, there was enough intake airflow for me to remove the 70mm fan. The drive now runs about 30C.....which is amazing considering how hot it ran in the stock position. Plus there's no fan blowing on it.

I'm seriously considering using a laptop drive in my second MEGA. They don't run very hot at all, so cooling one would not be a big deal....less airflow, less noise. :)

[AnitaPeterson]

OK, time for a recap... please provide your commentaries and observations.

I finally received my CPU, and the video card will arive on Thursday. So, my final components are as follows:


CPU: Mobile Celeron 1.8 GHz
RAM: Samsung 512 RAM 3200
Video: Gigabyte Radeon 9600 Pro
DVD-RW: LG 4163B
HD: Seagate 200GB

I am not very comfortable with modding, for several reasons: dexterity, final aspect, noise and extra costs. So I plan to build this in the standard manner.

1) will be using the provided MSI 651 CPU cooler (I'm still trying to determine if I should use the existing thermal pad or replace it with thermal grease, feel free to comment on it.)
2) I won't "pin mod" the CPU, but an increased bus frequency to 133 should make it run at 2.66 GHz flawlessly - correct me if I'm wrong.
3) I won't connect the card reader until AFTER WinXP is installed, to prevent strange drive letter assignments. But how do I do that? I just realized that there's only one cable leading to it, and that seems to be a power cable. Is there any other connection to the motherboard, which cannot be seen? The Quick Installation Guide shows only that particular cable (page 7). Puzzling...
4) Has anyone determined what's the best, most efficient temperature report software? Are any of the existing update packages on the MSI website worth messing with?

[Canadianpsycho]

Anita:

-1.8 will run 2.4. 1.8 has a multiplier of 18, so 18 x 133 = 2400
-The themal pad (in my case) was actually just a layer of thermal compound on some thermal pad type thing. I cleaned it off with brake cleaner and applied Acrtic Silver 5, as I have tons of it handy anyways.
-I haven't figured out exactly how to disable the card reader yet. Unplugging the power should be sufficient enough I would think.
-I applied all updates (firmware for radio, BIOS, LAN and Audio) efortlessly via MSI's live update.

Hope this helps. I find the system runs warm except my vidcard runs warmer. If I manage to hold onto my system I'll probably put in a PCI exhaust slot cooler as Bluefront suggested.

[Bluefront]

Slot coolers and the MEGA....What I know.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGASlotfan.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGAAGP.jpg

They work very well to cool an AGP video card.....and the whole computer including the CPU, even if you don't have a video card. That's a photo of the one I'm using......it has a 90mm fan, not too loud, controlled by a Fanmate2 from SVC.

http://www.svc.com/fsc-190-42.html

It has the advantage of being very long, with a wide opening to the fan. I shortened mine about 30mm to fit as you see it. The problem with it is it's thickness...23MM. I had to snip off a few fins on my video card (Radeon 7000) to get it in there. It's an extreamly tight fit. But it works great.....blows a lot of air.

I also tried a Just Cooler (orbitron) slot fan ( FC-815). It's much shorter but very thin....15mm. It has an 80mm fan, very quiet, fits without problems. I have no idea where to buy one. I got mine at a computer show a few years ago. I've never seen another for sale anywhere.

http://www.justcooler.com.tw/english/products/system/FC-815.jpg

http://www.justcooler.com.tw/english/eindex.htm

Every slot fan I've ever seen comes with a four-pin connector, which would plug into the extra MEGA connector. If you want to use a fan speed controller like the Fanmate2, you'll have to splice some wires.

Slot coolers help the MEGA a bunch.....the increased airflow through the computer helps cool the hard drive, the CPU, the video card, everything. An added benefit is they reduce the thermal load on the PSU, and make the PSU fan run slower. They definately are worth the trouble to install one. Try to find one 23mm thick or thinner....15 mm is the best/easiest to install.

[Esca]

I see a lot of you are doing quite a few mods to make the system run cooler. Does it run really hot without all this cooling? Is it a problem having the system at that temperature (does the life of the components decrease?)?

[Bluefront]

AnitaP.....Speedfan is the program to use. It'll display the CPU temp, the Motherboard temp, the HD temp(smart enabled), and the fan speed (maybe).
It's free.....get it here.

http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php

[squall458]

im gonna use a pci slot blower too Bluefront, it would drastically improve the airflow and make the temps drop considerably. i wont get my system up and running till next week when my cpu arrives.

[WLJ101]

my harddrives is hot, Ti4200 video card is hot and the CPU is so hot.

That's why I created a good air flow Mega. But it wasn't cheap at all.

Mega: $100, CPU $100, Ram 1GB Kingmax $100, I have HDD but the Mod cost me $80.

WLJ1O1

[AnitaPeterson]

Thanks guys! I think these slot coolers are cheap enough to be worth looking for one... I'll see which one I can find, and how I can fit it in.

Does it seems everything else is OK with my setup and procedures?

[Canadianpsycho]

I see a lot of you are doing quite a few mods to make the system run cooler. Does it run really hot without all this cooling? Is it a problem having the system at that temperature (does the life of the components decrease?)?

I don't find it hot, but warm.

No offense to Bluefront, but remember, he is obviously a quiet PC addict. His PC is near his bed, and he's got a lot of sound dampening gear. I would go to these lengths also if I had the PC inches from my head.

I personally only find the video card to run "hot" in this system. The rest of the stuff is warm, but doesn't seem bad in my opinion.

I don't find the northbridge too loud. I also don't consider the system louder then my Xbox by much, except the HDD which I am RMAing.

If you can run cooler temps, your parts will last longer. But as long as you don't top 60 degrees constantly the parts should last their rated lifespan, IMHO.

[bk]

im gonna use a pci slot blower too Bluefront, it would drastically improve the airflow and make the temps drop considerably. i wont get my system up and running till next week when my cpu arrives.

Hope you enjoy that CPU, Squall. If it was anyone else, I would have bid (I still need another CPU for my friend's computer). $16US is too good a price for anyone ;)

[Canadianpsycho]

From a quick search of Cdn. e-tailers for slot coolers:

http://www.vibecomputers.com/index.cfm?loc=iview&if=n&vID=201500 28 dBA, 21mm $11.78 Backordered

http://www.adpmods.com/case-modding/Slot-Exhaust-Blower-p-263.html 35 dBA, 22mm $8.95, In Stock

http://www.bytewizecomputers.com/products/7/70/311/2045 assuming same specs as first one. $11.99 In Stock

If anyone finds something better, please let me know. Nothing looks as long as Bluefront's (heh).

[squall458]

Hope you enjoy that CPU, Squall. If it was anyone else, I would have bid (I still need another CPU for my friend's computer). $16US is too good a price for anyone ;)

:D thanks bk!!! i owe u!! actually guys, if anyone needs a 1 gig mobile celeron cpu for their msi let me know! i bought it but i found another great deal on ebay, which bk graciously let me have ;) i sell it for $28 shipped to anywhere in ontario. its 1.066ghz, 100 fsb, pulled from a laptop and protected against DOA. PM if ur interested.

[bk]

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Category/category_slc.asp?CatId=804
Tigerdirect seems to have some decent slot coolers as well. The speeze one is cheap at $10, and is pretty quiet (25.6 dba) and thin (10 mm) but doesn't move that much air (16 cfm)

EDIT: Thanks for pointing out the mistakes on TD's site, BF. Looking up the MFG # on Masscool's site, the Speeze is actually:
110x90x20 mm
31.73 CFM at 2,500 RPM
28.0 dBA
0.13 A
>:(
The only things TD seemed to get right were the picture, the life hours (for ball-bearing), 4 pin, and that it fits in a slot. Oh and the MFG # to look up the correct specs.

[AnitaPeterson]

Antec Cyclone Blower PCI Exhaust Fan for $10
Air Volume : 22CFM
Noise Level : 28dBA.
Fan Speed 2,200 rpm
http://www.shoprbc.com/ca/shop/product_details.php?pid=2569&cid=325

[Bluefront]

Ok I admit to being anal about computer noise. And where I'm using this computer makes any noise problem worse. But the temp thing is different....cooler electronic parts last longer than hotter parts. And this is particularly true with hard drives. The MEGA hard drive in it's stock location runs hot...to me anyway. Mine is now much cooler....I sleep better. :lol:

Let me repeat what I said about slotfans. You will have a bunch of problems getting most slotfans to fit behind an AGP card. I had to mod my 23mm thick model and it's still a tight fit.

I put up another photo on page 24, of my setup with the slotfan removed. That's a half-height card. You can see where the fan opening to the slotfan ends up. Only a corner of the AGP heatsink is directly in front of the opening. There is a large part of the slotfan opening that is reasonably un-obstructed. This lets the slotfan draw air directly from the CPU area.

If your slot fan is completely behind your AGP card (most full height cards)....the airflow is restricted, the thing doesn't work as well, and it will be noiser than a setup with better airflow.

I have trouble believing that TigerDirect 10mm slotfan is really that thin. My 15mm Orbitron is as wide as the slot opening. The photo looks wider than 10mm. Also a small fan running 5000rpms will be noisy...no matter what.

My Orbitron 15mm fan is ok at 12v.....The big one I'm using had to be run about 7V (Fanmate2) to make it acceptable to me.

I'd suggest trying a locally available slotfan that can be easily returned if it won't fit your setup. Good luck....

[bk]

Thanks for pointing out the mistakes on TD's site, BF. Looking up the MFG # on Masscool's site, the Speeze is actually:
110x90x20 mm
31.73 CFM at 2,500 RPM
28.0 dBA
0.13 A
>:(
The only things TD seemed to get right were the picture, the life hours (for ball-bearing), 4 pin, and that it fits in a slot. Oh and the MFG # to look up the correct specs.
:rolleyes:

And good luck with your MSI sale, CanadianPsycho! Will help bump your thread later! :D

[Canadianpsycho]

Thanks bk, I'm actually trying to hold onto the unit rather then sell it, but time and money will tell... I've got over 80 GB of Doctor Who Episodes on the way, and I'd love to be able to use the MEGA to relive the cheezy sci fi glory.

I'm so torn between keeping and buying that I'm practically beating myself to keep from buying a slot cooler and another 512 MB of RAM... Although I think 512 is enough atm.

[AnitaPeterson]

Bluefront, how EXACTLY did you arrange to fit your HD sideays? You keep mentioning it, but haven't explained it yet... Got a picture, too?

[WLJ101]

Bluefront, how EXACTLY did you arrange to fit your HD sideays? You keep mentioning it, but haven't explained it yet... Got a picture, too?


yeah i want to see too..... i keep thinking to cut the cage... but if i do, i am sure will split it in half and can't mount the harddrive anymore...

[Bluefront]

MEGA 651 with sideways hard drive mount.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGARightSide.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGARightSide2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGALeftSide.jpg

Those should show you the spacing, with airflow above and below the drive, the aluminum HD heatsinks (from CompUSA...$12 USD), and the little foam feet on each corner (cut from a piece of foam floormat).

I have the card reader assy removed, and both HD aluminum cages. They just unscrew and remove without any cutting. I could easily put them back.

I did this relatively easy mod to better increase airflow over the drive, to get the temps down. This Maxtor drive now stays around 30C or below all the time....with no extra fan. The little foam feet just wedge the drive in place....there are foam pieces above and below the drive on three corners. At the rear of the ram chip, you can see a little foam bridge that the drive rests on. This is called "de-coupling" the drive. There is no solid screw mount to the frame. This keeps any drive noise/vibration from being amplified by the MEGA frame. And it works....there is no drive noise at all.

Worth the trouble? Yes for me....not to hard to do, and gives me a cool hard drive with little work. The aluminum side heatsinks are un-necessary. They probably help cool a little...plus the foam feet are resting on the edges of the heatsinks. You could do this mod a number of ways...this one works for me.

Couple more things....With this setup, the hard drive just comes right out above the ram chip....no sweat. And it places the IDE connector out of the way of the CPU cooling fan. (My cpu heatsink has the fan on top). The MEGA's IDE cables really block airflow. My second MEGA project will have rounded cables....plus the HD cable doesn't need the secondary connector. It just gets in the way.

[AnitaPeterson]

I see... so you basically gave up on the card reader... and mounted the HD upside-down... isn't this dangerous? (dust etc.)

[Bluefront]

I didn't need the card reader. And the slot openings are just ways for dust to enter the computer. Both the right and left intakes on my setup, have good filters. That's the only way now that air can get into this computer. I hate dust.

Hard drives cool better upside down. They are always hotter on the bottom....mounted upside-down the heat rises easier off the hot spots. Trust me on this....there is no problem running a drive this way.

[Bluefront]

Well I just got four more MEGA 651s....at $150 ea shipped W/cdrom, brand new in retail box. And I promised to post the site (in Chicago)......

http://www.computerwizinc.com/

Crappy site. The MEGA appears nowhere....But they seem to be able to get some. I don't know about shipment to Canada. I dealt with them by phone. The # is on the home page. Quick service...UPS Ground about 6 days from Chicago to St Lous.

[AnitaPeterson]

That $150 you speak of - would it be US or CDN ? :?:

[sfu_lifer]

Okay, I shipped mine today to CC. I hope they don't rip me off and claim they received an empty box or something :)
My cost for the MSI (hopefully that is it):
- $15 for the PCI slot cooler
- $160 for the P4 2.8
- $50 for the AIW 8500DV
- $155 for the MSI box itself (incl shipping back to CC)
- $65 US for the Audigy NX
- $100 for the 160GB HD
I still have to buy a replacement fan since the PSU fan is a little loud.

[khoa]

a little off topic, but this is my MEGA 865...
specs:
p4, 2.4a
ddr400, 1 gigs dual channel
hdd: 120 gigs wd
vid: radeon 700 vid out put

one thing, the tv screen has 2 cuvres at both sides of the screen... I dont know how to fix that... should I buy another vid card?

[felix]

stu_lifer, where did you get the P4 2.8 for $160? Is that brand new in retail box? Taxes included?

[sfu_lifer]

stu_lifer, where did you get the P4 2.8 for $160? Is that brand new in retail box? Taxes included?
Nope, used. I actually sold it to someone who's computer I built a year ago. I gave him the 2.8E (faster on his box thanks to multithreading which is supported on the 9100IGP) and I took back his 2.8B. The 2.8E cost me $160 from Jlee (used).

[Bluefront]

AnitaP....The prices I quote for stuff will always be USD. I try to remember to add the "USD", but sometimes forget. I've never bought anything in Canada, so that's something I don't think about.

This seems to be the only active thread anywhere about these MEGAs....I might learn things here...maybe contribute something.

I think this would be a perfect box for a laptop hard drive.

[Bluefront]

Any modders reading this thread? :lol:

I took my #2 (new) Mega apart today with the idea to apply a few cooling mods before I got it running. Here's what I came up with....not finished yet, but these two mods will work.

First I'm going to remove the 80mm fan from the PSU, open up the PSU fan plate slightly, and cut the outer aluminum case to match the hole for a 92mm fan. This fan will attach to the outside of the case, with the wires going into the PSU, and spliced to the wires that went to the old fan.

This will work very well as there is a slight overlap on the bottom edge (hard to explain), that will allow the lower edge of the 92mm fan to suck air from beneath the PSU, drawing air out of the case from the part of the MB that is covered by the PSU. Sort of like adding another rear case fan.

The Yate Loon fan in the MEGA PSU draws .18A. I'm going to use a Top Motor 92mm fan that draws .25A (close enough that there will be no problem). And since when completed, this fan can be changed from the outside easily....I can try different fans without any big deal. The Top Motor fan is fairly quiet....and is more powerful than the Yate Loon.

This mod will suck slightly more air through the PSU....the airflow will be quieter because of the extra 25mm between the inner PSU parts and the new fan location. And there will be added airflow directly from the case by the bottom edge of the fan. This is a win-win mod.

Putting your fingers in a PSU can be dangerous because of high voltage....but the MEGA fan comes out easily without really any danger. But great care must still be taken around any power supply...even disconnected from the AC.

Mod #2 I am going to remove the motherboard and cut some ventilation holes in the bottom of the case at the location of the CPU. This will allow some airflow over the hot area of the bottom of the mother board. The air will be sucked up through the new vent hole by the negative pressure(suction) inside the MEGA case. The air will flow around the edges of the board inside the case.

Many SFF cases use this technique for added cooling for the board...it works. Put your hand on the bottom of the MEGA case and feel how warm it gets around the CPU area.

If anyone is interested, I can take some photos as I go along. These two mods shouldn't be very hard to pull off. Ideas?

[sukasem]

only thing i did is put a 60mm fan to suck hot air out:
http://img101.echo.cx/img101/4024/mega6511ty.th.jpg (http://img101.echo.cx/my.php?image=mega6511ty.jpg)

at 5v. fan speed, 4-5C cooler
at 7v. fan speed, 6-7C cooler
12V full speed too loud

at 5v the fan is very quiet only air flow noise thru small hole on aluminum case. I don't want to cut aluminum case >:(

[Canadianpsycho]

only thing i did is put a 60mm fan to suck hot air out:
http://img101.echo.cx/img101/4024/mega6511ty.th.jpg (http://img101.echo.cx/my.php?image=mega6511ty.jpg)

at 5v. fan speed, 4-5C cooler
at 7v. fan speed, 6-7C cooler
12V full speed too loud

at 5v the fan is very quiet only air flow noise thru small hole on aluminum case. I don't want to cut aluminum case >:(

How are you mounting it in the case?

Anyone know the dimensions of the stock CPU fan?

[WLJ101]

that's 60mm x 60mm fan

i have two 60mm x 10mm fan, two 50mm x 10mm fan and two 3pin extension cable. if canadianpsycho want it, you can find me and I can sell you at the price that I bought from ebay.

you know how to find me, hehe... only on tuesday and wednesday...

[Canadianpsycho]

that's 60mm x 60mm fan

i have two 60mm x 10mm fan, two 50mm x 10mm fan and two 3pin extension cable. if canadianpsycho want it, you can find me and I can sell you at the price that I bought from ebay.

you know how to find me, hehe... only on tuesday and wednesday...

haha, How loud are the fans? How are you guys mounting them in the cases?

[sukasem]

How are you mounting it in the case?

Anyone know the dimensions of the stock CPU fan?

I temporarily mount it. I use a small piece of plastic sheet, rubber band and duct tape.

I think I will use clear silicon to glue it with the aluminum case later on.

[Canadianpsycho]

Hey Bluefront (or any other folks reading ;) )

If I wanted to use my Harmony remote with this SFF box, would I just need to pick up any IR sensor? FOr example, this dude here has ATI remote sensors for like 10 bucks: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=40158&item=5190516571&rd=1

Would I be able to plug that in and just go?

Trying to figure out a cheap/easy way to use my Harmony 659 with MCE 2k5 without buying a MCE remote kit.

Also, anyone have any clue how to set this PC up to a HDTV? I need to look into Powerstrip and avsforum I think.

[edmondt]

Hey Bluefront (or any other folks reading ;) )

If I wanted to use my Harmony remote with this SFF box, would I just need to pick up any IR sensor? FOr example, this dude here has ATI remote sensors for like 10 bucks: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=40158&item=5190516571&rd=1

Would I be able to plug that in and just go?

Trying to figure out a cheap/easy way to use my Harmony 659 with MCE 2k5 without buying a MCE remote kit.

Also, anyone have any clue how to set this PC up to a HDTV? I need to look into Powerstrip and avsforum I think.


Damnit if only this was posted few days ago...then I wouldn't spend 50 bucks for the MCE reciever and remote.

[bk]

If I wanted to use my Harmony remote with this SFF box, would I just need to pick up any IR sensor? FOr example, this dude here has ATI remote sensors for like 10 bucks: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=40158&item=5190516571&rd=1


I don't know about the Harmony, but aren't ATI remotes Radio Frequency, not IR?
If it's IR, maybe the Creative receivers for $10 at Factory Direct would work:
http://www.factorydirect.ca/catalog/product_spec.php?pcode=CR9023

[WLJ101]

haha, How loud are the fans? How are you guys mounting them in the cases?

Canadianpsycho: is your Sony DVD-rom working great in the mega? I am looking to buy a small DVD-Rom drive to put in the mega too. Does it work in Hifi mode?

thanz

WLJ1O1

[Bluefront]

Yeah ATI recievers are RF, not IR. Getting any other brand of remote to work with it? Got me....

[AnitaPeterson]

How did you guys set up your BIOS? For instance, if you installed a video card, did you change the AGP aperture settings, or the AGP Fast Write (interface speed)? Did you make any Power Management changes, or modify the PC Health Status parameters?

[Canadianpsycho]

How did you guys set up your BIOS? For instance, if you installed a video card, did you change the AGP aperture settings, or the AGP Fast Write (interface speed)? Did you make any Power Management changes, or modify the PC Health Status parameters?

I haven't tweaked anything as of yet... There's a couple BIOS settings I wanted to fiddle with, but haven't as of yet.

WLJ101, I've had no prob;lems with the Sony DVD ROM at all, only used about 3-4 CDs in it though. I'll try and mp3 disc later if I can, although I may be selling the system by this weekend, too many bills :(

[AnitaPeterson]

ilikecheapstuff indicated the LG 4163B will work in this system, and I bought one, but I can't make it open and close... I PM'ed him, but he didn't answer :(

[Bluefront]

I found another copper heatsink that fits the MEGA. It's a Manhattan socket A copper heatsink #701792.....like this:

http://www.mycompustore.com/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/31/products_id/5666

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Manhattencoolerstock2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Manhattencooler-MEGAclip2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Manhattenfromtop2.jpg

The first photo shows the thing stock. The second photo shows it with the MEGA stock retension clip substituted for the Manhatten clip. The third shows it's fit in the MEGA. You might have to trim the MEGA lower drive cage slightly.....but it fits with either the stock NB heatsink or the Zalman Passive model.

It comes with a very nice Evercool 70mm fan (EC7025H12CA, 3-pins). It starts easily at 5V. The mod is simple....you only need a pair of needle nose pliers and some small screw-drivers.

Both sets of clips separate into two sections, and remove from the heatsinks without any cutting or drilling. Using the MEGA clip with this heatsink engages both MB clips on each side....making the mount more secure than a single clip solution.

At the first MEGA fan speed of about 5V....this heatsink combo is amazingly quiet. No temp measurements yet, but soon. This thing is a winner for cheap dollars... :lol:

More info....This Manhattan heatsink will not fit the MEGA unless you change the orientation of the retension clip as shown(it's slightly too wide). Also you will have to use the MEGA stock clip. The Manhattan clip won't fit if you try to use it in that direction.

The finish of the base is a perfect mirror finish...no lapping necessary.

Installed as shown in the photos, there is some airflow out the original clip location. This opening lines up perfectly with the NB. This means if you use the passive Zalman NB, you will benefit with some active airflow over the aluminum Zalman fins....lucky break here. :)

The overall height of this heatsink with the stock Manhattan (Evercool) installed is about 5mm taller than the stock MEGA setup. This Evercool fan is 25mm thick. You could install a 15mm fan if you wanted for any clearance issues.....but my setup fits ok.

I'll be assembling this new MEGA today...so I might post more info about it. I have no doubts this new heatsink will perform much better and quieter than the stock MEGA setup. Not bad for $16 USD....

[Canadianpsycho]

Hey Bluefront, can you tell us what is listed on the PLL-IC chip? Its by the IDE plugs on the motherboard... I never removed the HDD cage so I couldn't see it...

Here's a guide to IDing the PLL-IC chip:

http://www.podien.de/FSB.HTM#finding%20the%20PLL

[Bluefront]

It's 48.0F 3F. Do I sense a little o-clocking here? :razz:

ICS UN920131
0310
937228F

[Canadianpsycho]

It's 48.0F 3F. Do I sense a little o-clocking here? :razz:

Are those the marking on the chip? Sounds like something on the crystal... Who makes the PLL chip?

I was flirting with trying a software OC...

[Derek]

I put my mega together and I'm having a bit of a problem. For some reason, the bios only recognizes the drive as being a 32GB drive when it's an 80GB drive. The bios has the correct model number for the drive but it's not picking up the rest.

The second problem is with the RAM test. It counts up to 512MB and then it starts over again at zero and continues. I can only get past that point if I do a quick boot. Anyone with any ideas? Thanks.

[Bluefront]

I had some ram problems also. I think the manual mentions PC2100 or PC2700. I could not get a PC3200 to boot at all....no video even. I had to substitute a PC 2700 out of another computer to figure it out. Picky about ram, I guess.....

[sukasem]

I use generic PC3200 Samsung with no problem.

[WLJ101]

i m using one GB kingmax DDR400 ram. NO PROBLEM.

also, I was using WD160GB and Seagate 200GB right now... no problem at all.

WLJ1O1

[bug]

When I first set mine up, I put my stick of 512mb Kingston DDR400 in the 2nd slot(closest to the outside edge) and bios would only read it as 256mb. Realised my mistake, switched slots, and problem solved.

Just bought a Mastercraft rotary tool kit from Canadian Tire, so I'm ready to start case modding :cheesygri I'm using the stock fan and heatsink, an fx-5200 half height AGP card, and an ATI EHome wonder TV card. Swapped the Creative DXR2 dvdrom for an LG 4081B dvd burner. Im thinking of cutting some ventillation slots in the top to aid with cooling. Going to open up the P/S fan grill, and install at least one 60mm case fan on the right side.

[felix]

I put my mega together and I'm having a bit of a problem. For some reason, the bios only recognizes the drive as being a 32GB drive when it's an 80GB drive. The bios has the correct model number for the drive but it's not picking up the rest.

The second problem is with the RAM test. It counts up to 512MB and then it starts over again at zero and continues. I can only get past that point if I do a quick boot. Anyone with any ideas? Thanks.
Isn't that because of a setting in the BIOS? Like if you disabled/enabled quick boot or something? Did you load default?

For the hard drive .. can you boot to something like partition magic to check the hard drive size? Or even fdisk? Maybe some hidden partitions you need to delete?

[felix]

Does this support SATA by any chance? Now I'm looking for a hard drive. :)

[bigredlemon]

Isn't that because of a setting in the BIOS? Like if you disabled/enabled quick boot or something? Did you load default?

For the hard drive .. can you boot to something like partition magic to check the hard drive size? Or even fdisk? Maybe some hidden partitions you need to delete?
bios doesn't care about how you've layout the drive size.

[sfu_lifer]

I used some old PC2700 DDR. Seemed to work ok.

[Bluefront]

Too bad....no on-board SATA connectors on the 651. You could get a PCI SATA card, and it would probably work if the SATA connectors faced up. Too much trouble for me however, for very little gain....

[Bluefront]

Laptop HD in a MEGA 651......

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/LaptopLS2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/LaptopRS2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/LaptopTop2.jpg

There are quite a few advantages here.........

You can mount the thing numerous places.

You can get the IDE cable out of the airflow.

They run cooler and draw less current than a 3.5" drive.

They mount easily using an existing bracket in the MEGA.

Laptop drives survive hotter operating temps better than std drives.

Seagate drives come with a 5 year warranty.

I guess the main consideration here is finding a 2.5"-3.5" adaptor. Mine is a short type that uses a flat cable. I've seen solid plastic types(no cable) and other types that use a little circuit board.

I drilled two holes in the bottom flange of the upper CDRom cage.....both hard drive cages are removed. This setup is guaranteed to make your mega cooler, and quieter because of better airflow which can lower fan speeds.

These small drives cost more than standard drives...but not too much. I recommend getting a 5400rpm model with 8mg cache. You probably won't notice any difference at all running this way.....except for being cooler and quieter. :)

[WLJ101]

woooo

i was thinking to switch to Laptop HDD before but this mega is a download machine, actually it is a BT machine so I stay with 3.5''

is it slower compare to regular HDD???

nice job!

[Bluefront]

The drive in the photo is an older 10gig IBM, 4200rpm. Not very fast. It's only in there as a test unit till I find a bigger/newer/faster drive. Newegg has a bunch of reasonably priced laptop drives...still considering.

My order for Coolermaster heatsinks like yours was cancelled. This new copper heatsink should work ok.....

I've also finished my PSU mod. This MEGA now has a 92mm PSU fan....and it's quiet. Now to get XP installed.....

[Homer88]

Just plug in one of those Iomega External 80gigs =P

[Bluefront]

Here's a few more photos of this second MEGA project....

LS view showing PSU ventilation holes modded, an MSI half-height AGP card, hard drive cages removed, sideways-mounted IBM laptop HD.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA2LS2.jpg

Under-side view of mounted IBM laptop drive.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/SidewaysIBM2.jpg

Rear case view of external 92mm PSU fan mod.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/92mmMEGA2.jpg

That laptop drive is small enough to mount almost anywhere. I made a copper plate which mounts to the CDrom cage. The drive is screwed on as shown. This position provides slightly better airflow to the CPU fan than the previous setup....plus the copper plate acts as a heatsink for the drive.

Opening up the vent holes in the side of the PSU draws more air in that location than stock. This airflow provides better cooling for the AGP card.

The 92mm PSU fan mod was slightly more difficult, and required some cutting with a tin snip. If you have kids or pets, a rear wire grill would be safer. If anyone is interested I have more photos of these mods. So far it looks like this setup runs cooler than my previous setup.....without a slot-fan, and using a P4-2.4, rather than a Celeron 2.0.

[sleepyguy]

Ok... gotta find some stock on the barebones system now... recently got a free Celeron 2.0 Ghz, 512mb ddr, and geforce mx440 (brutal)... make a nice media pc I think.

[bug]

CanadaComputers (http://www.canadacomputers.com/cc/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=003295&cid=BS.325) shows they have online stock again.

[Bluefront]

Ok.....I've had two MEGA 651 computers apart so far. And I've learned a few things. Before I forget....

The NB heatsink/fan comes off without removing the MB. Grab the mount pegs with a good pliers and pull hard. The plastic peg might break, and the little spring will go flying (watch your eyes). Replace the thing with a passive Zalman type. The thermal paste on both my MEGAS was dry and flakey, plus there was only a small dab of it (not good). The bottom of this heatsink is terrible....deep scratches you can feel. It's a POS.

I had the fan out of one MEGA PSU......some problems evident. There is a plastic collar where the ATx cable exits the PSU case. But there is a small gap (split) in this collar. In my PSU a yellow (12v) had slipped into this crack, and was rubbing on the metal edge. It hadn't penetrated the plastic cover....but it easily could have. Not good. I fixed it.

When you have the fan out of the PSU you can see the heatsinks....my left- hand heatsink had the two rows of fins smashed together. Fixed it.

With the PSU fan removed you can see how restricted it is on the AGP side of the PSU. You want airflow through those particular holes...to cool the AGP card area. I opened up the holes....see the above picture. With the PSU fan mounted externally, there is much better airflow through the PSU case. And that helps with the MEGA heat problem....

That PSU comes out of the case easily (six screws)....but only with the CPU heatsink removed. Best time to work on it is before you do anything else.

Enough for now...don't want to bore you all. :lol:

[ilikecheapstuff]

ilikecheapstuff indicated the LG 4163B will work in this system, and I bought one, but I can't make it open and close... I PM'ed him, but he didn't answer :(


oops sorry.. i don't check my PM very often...

hmm... it doesn't open and close?? :S i've had 2 of these systems and they've both worked on it....
try unplugging/replugging everything...
any luck?
cuz i've seriously had no problem at all...

[WLJ101]

CanadaComputers (http://www.canadacomputers.com/cc/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=003295&cid=BS.325) shows they have online stock again.

yeah, it looks like they have "alot" this time.

also, please see this review about something similar to the mega... after I read that review about that SFF PC, i love my mega much more!

http://www7.tomshardware.com/howto/20050509/index.html

[felix]

I wouldn't say that's "a lot". 1 in PacMall and 5 in Waterloo. And online instock. :)

[ilikecheapstuff]

oops sorry.. i don't check my PM very often...

hmm... it doesn't open and close?? :S i've had 2 of these systems and they've both worked on it....
try unplugging/replugging everything...
any luck?
cuz i've seriously had no problem at all...

and jumper on master setting...
any problem with ejecting with original drive button?

[AnitaPeterson]

Hello everybody,

Posting from my MEGA right now :)

The drive eject button was strange - it ONLY started to work AFTER I installed WinXP... ?!! Now it works perfectly.

I've installed Speedfan, and it gives me the following temperatures:

Speedfan report (http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/AnitaPeterson/Speedfan.JPG)

...First of all, I don't know what each of these local sensors is...
Second, my case is open, so these temperatures seem excessive !

[AnitaPeterson]

Anyone? Has this thread expired or what?

[bug]

Pretty sure local temp is motherboard and remote temp is the cpu.Temp 1 and 2 are probably the actual winbond chips on the motherboard.

My local temp is 40c and remote is 45c

[locab]

My MEGA froze at MEGA splash screen. Any suggestion is appreciated.

What's in my MEGA
Celeron 2.0GHz
PC2700 512MB
40MB HD
AOpen CD drive

[Bluefront]

locab.....try a different stick of ram. These things are picky about ram.

AnitaP.....your link doesn't work. Remote temp is the CPU, Local is the Motherboard temp (where?). Temp 1 and temp 2 are unknown sensors Speedfan picked up.....probably meaningless.

With the cover off, XP idling, your CPU temp should be about 41-44C according to Speedfan. The BIOS temps differ slightly from Speedfan.

[AnitaPeterson]

Bluefront, try to access the link again, and if it doesn't work, just copy and paste it, it'll work...

[locab]

Thanks, Bluefront.

Only have 1 stick of DDR RAM. So will buy another. Which brand/model is known to work with MEGA-651 ?

[WLJ101]

I am using Kingmax DDR400 2 x 512 no problem...

i saw that CC has 57 as of yesterday, i m not sure now...

My Temp1 and Temp2 is buring at 67C, it was below 50 before I reinstall Winxp again.

[bug]

I'm using 1 stick of Kingston DDR400

[elty]

does this thing support Celeron D?

[sukasem]

does this thing support Celeron D?
i'd say no according to msi spec but you may try it and tell us ;)
I think you should go for mobile celeron, same 256KB cache.
If you want one, PM me :D

[felix]

I just found something that might be useful for mounting a fan or hard drive .. I wonder if it would work?

Sunbeam WHEREVER PCI RACK
$18.95
http://www.adpmods.com/case-modding/product.php?productid=1648&cat=10&page=1


http://www.adpmods.com/case-modding/files/thumbnails/t_1648.jpg

[Bluefront]

AnitaP.....your cpu temp seems too high for me. I used the stock heatsink when I assembled my friends MEGA. (P4-2.4) I tested it for a few days mostly with the top off. It idled about 42C. With the cover on it idled about 46C. The CPU fan was running all the time.

My two MEGAs with copper heatsinks and some mods idle about 41-45C with the cover on, and the CPU fan off. If you pay close attention to the fan noise, with the fan off at an idle, the temp slowly creeps up to about 45C....at which point the MEGA CPU fan turns on slowly and the temp drops back to 41C. At that point the fan turns off and the up/down temp swing starts over.

You can see this happening if you watch the CPU temp chart using SpeedFan.

I am very un-impressed with the MEGA heatsink/fan. Maybe you didn't get yours seated properly....try reapplying the thermal paste. But heat issues seem to be common with the MEGA and the stock HSF.

Ignore Temp 1 and Temp 2.....the CPU temp is called "remote".

[ilikecheapstuff]

AnitaP.....your cpu temp seems too high for me. I used the stock heatsink when I assembled my friends MEGA. (P4-2.4) I tested it for a few days mostly with the top off. It idled about 42C. With the cover on it idled about 46C. The CPU fan was running all the time.

My two MEGAs with copper heatsinks and some mods idle about 41-45C with the cover on, and the CPU fan off. If you pay close attention to the fan noise, with the fan off at an idle, the temp slowly creeps up to about 45C....at which point the MEGA CPU fan turns on slowly and the temp drops back to 41C. At that point the fan turns off and the up/down temp swing starts over.

You can see this happening if you watch the CPU temp chart using SpeedFan.

I am very un-impressed with the MEGA heatsink/fan. Maybe you didn't get yours seated properly....try reapplying the thermal paste. But heat issues seem to be common with the MEGA and the stock HSF.

Ignore Temp 1 and Temp 2.....the CPU temp is called "remote".

hmm... well.. shouldn't temp 1 and temp 2 be at least SOMETHING? northbridge perhaps? southbridge? dunno...
but now that i know remote temp is CPU, i'm a lot more relieved... my temp 2 has been going over 60 lately... and yet remote has alwayz been down near 40-45ish...
so yah.. relieved.

anyway anyone get the problem of when u shut down speedfan, then ur cpu fan goes to max and won't go back to silent?

[Bluefront]

If you try to let speedfan actually control fan speeds, the program conflicts with the MEGAs own speed control, and causes strange behaviour.

Don't check the box called "automatic fan speed". There is also a box called "set fans to max when speedfan shuts off". Thats what is causing the fan to speed up when you turn off speedfan.

Use speedfan to monitor temps only....

Those Windbond sensors (Temp1 Temp2).....might actually mean something, but most likely are "fake sensors". Read the Speedfan documentation...it'll explain everything.

[bug]

does this thing support Celeron D?
Celeron D has prescott core, so it won't work. No Prescott celerons or P4s will work.
P4A( Willamette) or PRB(Northwood) 400/533fsb up to and including 2.8ghz will work.
3.06 ghz P4 northwoods may work.
Regular 400fsb celerons will work.
Mobile celerons will work, but will run at a higher vcore.
Have not heard if Mobile P4s will work or not.

[squall458]

Celeron D has prescott core, so it won't work. No Prescott celerons or P4s will work.
P4A( Willamette) or PRB(Northwood) 400/533fsb up to and including 2.8ghz will work.
3.06 ghz P4 northwoods may work.
Regular 400fsb celerons will work.
Mobile celerons will work, but will run at a higher vcore.
Have not heard if Mobile P4s will work or not.

i think the mobile p4 would work but u cant get the FSB high enuff to compensate given that u can only get 100/133.

[sukasem]

I confirm that P4 mobile will work but you will get only 12 multiplier. so, the highest you will get is 1600MHz no matter what

[felix]

Will be getting my parts soon ...

So just wondering does the stock heatsink included with the MEGA PC work better than the retail HSF that comes with say an Intel P4 2.66Ghz? Anyone compare the two on the temps with noise of fan?

[Bluefront]

Stock Intel 478 heatsinks won't fit. The mount clip is different. Plus the heatsink/fan is too wide....and it would not clear the MEGA PSU.

I posted on page 27 about a Mantattan heatsink that fits, works great. Finding a good copper heatsink that will work in this MEGA, is not easy. That Mantattan model, modded with a stock MEGA clip, is a good deal for about $17 USD. Plus the fan is so much better.....

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=269856

I think that's a Kingwin version of the Manhattan heatsink I used...see page 27 for details.

[squall458]

Stock Intel 478 heatsinks won't fit. The mount clip is different. Plus the heatsink/fan is too wide....and it would not clear the MEGA PSU.

I posted on page 27 about a Mantattan heatsink that fits, works great. Finding a good copper heatsink that will work in this MEGA, is not easy. That Mantattan model, modded with a stock MEGA clip, is a good deal for about $17 USD. Plus the fan is so much better.....

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=269856

I think that's a Kingwin version of the Manhattan heatsink I used...see page 27 for details.


what about the zalman copper heatsinks which have the fan attached to a bracket, that u attach to the pci screw slots. im guessing if it fit u have to find a way to mount a fan for it..... i have one lying around, i'll try and see if it fits after i get my final parts

[locab]

Stock Intel 478 heatsinks won't fit. The mount clip is different. Plus the heatsink/fan is too wide....and it would not clear the MEGA PSU.

I posted on page 27 about a Mantattan heatsink that fits, works great. Finding a good copper heatsink that will work in this MEGA, is not easy. That Mantattan model, modded with a stock MEGA clip, is a good deal for about $17 USD. Plus the fan is so much better.....

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=269856

I think that's a Kingwin version of the Manhattan heatsink I used...see page 27 for details.

It is already a tight fit for original heatsink with HD installed.

Is there enough room for the 'bigger-footprint' Manhattan HSF while keeping HD is its installed position? Or require to reposition HD like you did ?

[Cronic]

If I had not been reading this thread I would have never thought that I have one of these HS myself that I was trying to sell for $15 canadian.....so I modded it and it is now cooling my MEGA 651.....and yes it will fit with a hDD in the normal position.

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showthread.php?t=145655

[Bluefront]

Heh....guess that answers the question. If you did have any clearance problems, you could substitute the 25mm thick Evercool it comes with, for a thin (15mm) 70mm fan. That would make the overall height 5mm less than the stock MEGA setup.

Both my MEGAs have the drives sideways, which avoids clearance problems completely. :lol:

[Bluefront]

Ok....add this to what works in a MEGA 651. An ATI TV Wonder PCI card.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGATVWonder2.jpg

As you can see it is a half-height card, so airflow in that card area should be ok. Works great so far, and system temps seem to be the same. My Remote Wonder should work with this card, neat setup.

[sleepyguy]

ok... how the heck are so many of you getting this? oos at all CC.

[felix]

ok... how the heck are so many of you getting this? oos at all CC.
It's showing in stock for me ..

http://www.canadacomputers.com/cc/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=003295&cid=BS.325

Online Stock Yes COLLEGE 0
KINGSTON 0 MISSISSAUGA 15
NORTH YORK 0 PACIFIC MALL 1
RICHMOND HILL 9 WATERLOO 2

[felix]

added this to my first post on this thread to make it easier for new ppl ..


Link to this deal for a MSI MEGA PC 651 at Canada Computers so easier for people to find ..

MSI MEGA 651 Barebone System Socket 478 SiS 651 w/ AM/FM Tuner, 6-in-1 Card Reader, Remote Control
$99.00
http://www.canadacomputers.com/cc/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=003295&cid=BS.325

Link to original thread in Hot Deals ...
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showthread.php?t=152443

[LeafyJay]

I've had my 651 for about a month now.Just need a cpu now.Will probably go cheap & use a $99 /2.4g celeron unless a better deal comes along.Anyways,for those of you looking for a slot fan...PrincessAuto has one on sale this week for $3.99.It's in their newest flyer.Grabbed a couple yesterday.It seems to fit in the Mega case alright.Not sure how well it works yet though...

[Bluefront]

Here's another HSF that might fit, using the MEGA clip mod (page 27). This fan is 15mm thick, but the fin part is slightly bigger than the Manhattan HSF. Overall it's about the same heigth as the MEGA setup. It also comes with a three-speed fan controller.

Thermaltake A4002D TR2 M2

http://us.st7.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/directron_1844_117208734

Directron Link

http://www.directron.com/a4002d.html

[Bluefront]

This MEGA is a great mod project.....just waiting for you. If you are brave enough to assemble a barebones computer, it's an easy, fun step to go a little further.

I'm mostly finished with MEGA #2. And it has MEGA #1 beat in many ways. It runs cooler with a hotter CPU. It has no slot fan. It has an internal PCI TV tuner. And the CPU fan stays off most of the time......passively cooled by a custom ducting system. A quiet 92mm PSU fan is the only noise from this computer while surfing, using the TV tuner, most std. tasks.

Link to MEGA #2 project album.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/album?.dir=/f7e6

[felix]

wow, nice mod. What are you going to do with all these extra systems Bluefront? :)

[c0w]

It's showing in stock for me ..

http://www.canadacomputers.com/cc/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=003295&cid=BS.325

Online Stock Yes COLLEGE 0
KINGSTON 0 MISSISSAUGA 15
NORTH YORK 0 PACIFIC MALL 1
RICHMOND HILL 9 WATERLOO 2

They're all waitlisted.

[felix]

seems they have moved stock around ... I'd try again if you are still looking for one :

Online Stock Yes COLLEGE 0
KINGSTON 0 MISSISSAUGA 7
NORTH YORK 3 PACIFIC MALL 7
RICHMOND HILL 2 WATERLOO 0

[cmge]

This MEGA is a great mod project.....just waiting for you. If you are brave enough to assemble a barebones computer, it's an easy, fun step to go a little further.

I'm mostly finished with MEGA #2. And it has MEGA #1 beat in many ways. It runs cooler with a hotter CPU. It has no slot fan. It has an internal PCI TV tuner. And the CPU fan stays off most of the time......passively cooled by a custom ducting system. A quiet 92mm PSU fan is the only noise from this computer while surfing, using the TV tuner, most std. tasks.

Link to MEGA #2 project album.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/album?.dir=/f7e6
wow thats really sweet MSI 651 u got there.. wanna mod mine when i get it?... :D ...

[bug]

If you guys still want these,send an email to sales@canadacomputers.com and ask to have one shipped to your nearest store and reserved for you.I can't guarantee they will, but it's worth trying.

[locab]

My MEGA froze at MEGA splash screen. Any suggestion is appreciated.

What's in my MEGA
Celeron 2.0GHz
PC2700 512MB
40MB HD
AOpen CD drive

My MEGA is working now. Left ajumper in master position on HD which caused the freeze.

Got a mobile Celeron 2.0GHz from eBay and bought a stick of OCZ PC3200 512MB. Put all these into my MEGA and installing XP MCE 2005 right now.

[Canadianpsycho]

This MEGA is a great mod project.....just waiting for you. If you are brave enough to assemble a barebones computer, it's an easy, fun step to go a little further.

I'm mostly finished with MEGA #2. And it has MEGA #1 beat in many ways. It runs cooler with a hotter CPU. It has no slot fan. It has an internal PCI TV tuner. And the CPU fan stays off most of the time......passively cooled by a custom ducting system. A quiet 92mm PSU fan is the only noise from this computer while surfing, using the TV tuner, most std. tasks.

Link to MEGA #2 project album.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/album?.dir=/f7e6

Great job on MEGA #2. That laptop HDD mounting job is damn sexy. I'm tempted to try and get another (sold my other one) but needed cash more then I need another PC.

[Bluefront]

Thanks for the kind words.....Actually you could mount a 3.5" HD using the same setup. This sideways mount with the drive against the bottom of the CD drive, helps the airflow a bunch.

I used a 4"x10" sheet of copper.... .025" thick. You make one cut, one 90 degree bend, and drill one hole which lines up to a threaded hole on the MEGA frame. Center the drive as required, and drill four holes in the plate. Using copper helps with heat transfer. ($4.50 USD for the plate)

I attached some foam where the copper touches the aluminum frame.....cuts down /eliminates drive noise.

I also used 12" rounded IDE cables.....looks and works better.

[felix]

Wow, so creative. I think we all need to hire you to mod our MEGAs! :lol:

[Bluefront]

Well too bad computer modding is a profession at which you would starve... :lol:

FWIW. I installed a 60gig Maxtor using the same mount plate (have to drill four new holes). As you can see this drive does take up much more space than a laptop drive....which means more restricted airflow. But I don't think this will affect temps too much. Not sure yet about HD temps...

Two more Photos (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/detail?.dir=f7e6&.dnm=d139.jpg&.src=ph)

[catalyst_007]

I might as well clarify some things:

first off i am a canada computers employee so i might as well start off by saying theres no point looking for a mega because u wont get one.

A) there is a wait list from almost each store
and B) the supplier told us a long while back they had about 70 only, and we received 60 about a week ago (the other 10... who knows) and thats it.

all the locations r all on reserve, u'll find by wednesday they'll all be gone (cept for 1 or 2 that might be in stock..)

2nd'ly:

we've found many things on this mega that r interesting for example: some optical drives give u some weird responses. for example: my LG 4040B will eject using the eject button, but if u press it again, it refuses 2 go back in, it just stays out so u have 2 manually push it in.

the 4163 seems to work fine tho with no problems...

another thing is the card reader is tempermental for some strange reason. If your not careful, it will suddenly stop working.

so if you have a mega, warship it, cuz we wont be getting any more for a long time, if at all.

[catalyst_007]

Another thing, i recommend if your gonna be using this machine as a media centre machine for your home theatre. get the sapphire radeon 9600pro 256mb.

A) it supports the HDTV output using the HDTV adaptor
B) its 256MB of video ram therefore giving you a higher quality output thru s-video
C) its a lesser powerful card from the xt model, so a smaller cooler. its not passive, but for the power that your getting, stick with it.

Also, i'm assuming most of you are aware of the audio output not working if you purchase a seperate audio card in HI FI mode.

Also, girder makes like 100x easier using it as a media centre machine. that or our MS bluetooth keyboard/mouse system.

[felix]

Wow, I wonder how many CC employee actually surf RFD!! Thanks for the tips and welcome to RFD! :)

Thanks for the advice on the MEGA PC's. I take it you don't want any more calls from us bugging you for more stock. :D You should remove any not for sale stock from your online stock listings, since it doesn't seem to be accurate sometimes.

Oh, and you should create a new username like "CanadaComputers_employee1" to represent Canada Computers. ;)

[catalyst_007]

ya, i didn't want 2 because i know people will start sending me a thousand PM's for discounts or wat not... u know, things such as that.

Actually, another reason why we have inaccurate stock is because some megas get transfered left, right, and centre, so everything becomes screwed up.

if i find out that we're getting more, i'll gladly notify you guys, but i seriously doubt it.

[felix]

oh, haha well, if you don't post often you won't get much PM's!

Actually, another reason why we have inaccurate stock is because some megas get transfered left, right, and centre, so everything becomes screwed up.

I was referring to your regular stock as well. Like the video card I tried to buy at one of your locations today! :lol:

If you could have a more accurate system, then we won't have to call all the time to confirm whether you have this and that in stock :)

[felix]

oh, and why not move stock around so that all the locations have an even number of each item? For example, this item I'm looking at has 73 in Kingston location which isn't even half as popular as the PacMall location ... and only 4 and 10 in the entire GTA ...
http://www.canadacomputers.com/cc/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=006179&cid=719.499

[catalyst_007]

oh, well thats simple:

we get a limited amount of media each time, and a lot of the items if there is 1 or 2 left, u should call, more than 5, dont bother we have it (unless its the mega)

videocards/soundcards, etc we generally use them for store use for our systems, but there are some issues that HQ doesn't get 2 (ie: ATI 7000 32mb thats shown on our website @ north york that they dont have)

and since we cannot do any more transfers thru locations (due 2 website) its harder 2 transfer stuff (especially media).

The megas were transfered a bunch of times because of employees for their waiting lists.

the ridata BTW: theres an error w/ that one that is being fixed. there are no more ridatas in the GTA.

[felix]

Well, when I was there I was told the last one was probably an RMA so they weren't able to find it. How come an RMA would show up as stock? Oh well.

By the way, if you don't want to be bombared with spam, you can just disable your PM box in your options. That's what I have done since I get lots of spam sometimes! :)

[uddinf]

glad i got a MEGA...I couldn't get girder to work though. But I didn't try it for long.

[Bluefront]

Looks like that CC deal for $99 is about over. But don't give up.....a Google search still finds some at reasonable prices. You know it's hard to place a real value of a 651, compared to other SFF barebones. But I like the features of this MEGA....it's a one-of-a-kind device. It lends itself to additions and modifications not available to other SFFs. It looks neat, and properly configured can give you years of use. :)

FWIW...My last attempt at using a 3.5" drive sidways, against the bottom of the optical drive, was an easy install....but it didn't work too well. The system temps went up slightly, and the HD temps are too high for me. About 43/44C at an idle....ambient of about 25C.

So I'm experimenting with another mount that lowers the drive about 20mm below the optical drive (sideways). This still lets you use the card readers, and allows airflow over both sides of the drive (similar to my first foam mounted setup, but easier to install and remove).

I'm still convinced a laptop drive is the way to go.... :lol:

[Bluefront]

Ok...I finished the final (?) Std HD mount. It is 20mm below the optical drive. I used two "L" brackets, made of perforated aluminum sheet. (A reptile cage top...heh).

The drive brackets just hook around the copper plate....they have foam between all the contact points, so it is suspended without any direct contact to the MEGA frame (less noise transfer).

The system/CPU temps dropped to where they were with a laptop drive, but the HD temp is still slightly too high for me. The problem is the CPU fan....which is now off most of the time (below 43C). This is good from a noise standpoint....but it does lower airflow in the HD area, and keeps the HD temp around 42C. Not too bad I guess.

I don't want to add any more fans, so this is it for now. A different HD might run cooler than this 7500rpm Maxtor.....A laptop drive is still the best. There's one more solution I'm thinking about.

There's a product called a "Fan Amp" by M-Cubed. It would allow me to force the CPU fan to turn slowly at an idle, say 800rpms or less, no matter what the CPU temp. At that speed the CPU fan is inaudible.....but it would help airflow over the HD area. More to come.....

[edmondt]

Question: Would it make more sense to use an external enclosure for the barebone? Any performance issue there?

[Bluefront]

An external enclosure for what? The HD I guess. I was unable to get the MEGA to boot an external USB HD.....even though there is an option for that in the BIOS.

If you could boot a USB HD, it would probably run very slow that way.....

[squall458]

started building my mega today, man the space is so tight and i had such a hard time installing things with the small cramp space. cpu cooler isnt top notch but i guess it should do for now. i removed the thermal goop it came with and used arctic silver 5. man i was day dreaming and i spread some ontop of the core and the surrounding (celeron mobile). it wasnt a lot, is there a chance it would leak out? it booted up fine and temps were around 45 but that was with the case open and not doing anything intense. how do i get the cd drive to eject the tray when the button is blocked? anyone else have that experience? installed a slot cooler, geforce 3 card (only one i had) but man i have to reroute the power cables cuz they all blocked the agp slot. will post pics in a few days after i decide which OS to install.

[bug]

use the eject button on front of the mega.

[squall458]

use the eject button on front of the mega.
i pushed it and it didnt work, will it still work in the bios? or juss when it boots to windows?

[Bluefront]

Sounds like an incompatable drive....open "My Computer", right-click on the CD icon, hit eject. It should open like that. Push the tray to close. If it works that way the drive is ok.

I was suspicious of some of the temps I was seeing, so I removed the card reader, and the outside cover, and installed a set of temp guages. The CPU temps are close to the Speedfan reading.

But the HD Smart temp was way off. The drive temp at the underside of the drive, on the drive bearing area (one of the hottest places), is almost 10C lower than what the Smart sensor was reporting. These Smart readings are known to be inaccurate....this is off a bunch.

My Maxtor is really idling about 35C at an ambient of 25C today. This is with the drive mounted sideways, 20mm below the optical drive. This is an acceptable temp to me......I'm happy now.

Guage photo, labels are reversed :( (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/detail?.dir=f7e6&.dnm=c867.jpg&.src=ph)

[ilikecheapstuff]

i pushed it and it didnt work, will it still work in the bios? or juss when it boots to windows?

AnitaP said she had the same problem. she said it worked fine after she installed windowsXP...

as for me, i remember being able to use the drive almost immediately... even before windowsXP...
so just try that... it may work

[dfw1417]

:) The eject button it the 2nd button down below the power button. If it isn't working now it will after XP is installed, some have had this experience.

I had to reinstall my cdrw 3 times before I got it lined up correctly so that the tray would eject without hitting the case and stopping.

I have mine currently inside a compartment on my desk with an external 12v connected to a wall wart and a switch. I run the external fan whenever I use the Mega to keep it cooler. I need to do some cool mods since I have installed a video card but for not I have Removed the case to keep it cool until I decide how I want to proceed.

Before the video card was installed the temps were around 45 or so. I have already moded the original fan so that it runs all the time off the 12 v supply in the Mega.

I am going to investigate a different heat sink with a top mounted fan for the future and probably a larger PSU fan I liked the mod from bluefront.

Does anyone know the ORIGINAL SIZE of the CPU Heat Sink in metric measurements its almost time to go to my favorite surplus places for a shopping spree for the project.

Enjoy your mega, I will use mine a lot once I get it where I want it, this is an ongoing project in my spare time which has been ongoing for about a year. I use a Gateway Profile 4 as my everyday machine so far but I want to get the Mega there....

Bill.

[Bluefront]

Yeah a full-size AGP card is a tight fit, really tight. You have to move the ATX cable toward the CPU side of the PSU. The wires press against the upper edge of the card....but they do fit.

Here's a photo of an AIW 9200 installed. I'm hoping the 92mm PSU mod will keep this setup cool without a slot fan....still testing temps.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGAAIW9200-2.jpg

[renhui]

I have my mega fully set up for about two weeks by now. I am very happy with it. Small, yet powerful.
Here is my configuration:
Celeron 2.0@2.66Ghz solid stable.
512MB PC2100 DDR
ATI All-in-wonder 9700Pro
WD 250GB 8M Harddrive.
LG 4120B DVD Burner
USB wireless lan adaptor
USB Remote wonder receiver
USB Bluetooth Adaptor

Anyone tried a p4 3.06Ghz HT in mega 651? I did some research to find the SIS651 B-revision can support 3.06 without problem, but my question is that if the hyperthreading part would work. Would you be able to see two cpus in device managers? My crappy celeron lagged a lot under MCE2005 when I tried to record TV shows. I think a 3.06 should help a lot.
Using a full-length video card is not as bad as some of you might think to the ventilation, of course, you need to redo the cable wiring.
The harddrive is my only concern, which gets quite hot after some time of use. I am not an expert, so bluefront's fabulous modding won't work for me. I simply used two old heatsinks which fit tightly in the cage underneath the harddrive, hoping it helps. Still working on this part.
Also, for people like me using many USB devices, the motherboard supports 6 totally, 2 front, 2 back and 2 onboard which requires an extension cable. One of the onboards is occupied by the cardreader, so you actully have 5 free ones, I just keep my usb remote receiver in the case all the time.

[skeletor]

I have my mega fully set up for about two weeks by now. I am very happy with it. Small, yet powerful.
Here is my configuration:
Celeron 2.0@2.66Ghz solid stable.
512MB PC2100 DDR
ATI All-in-wonder 9700Pro
WD 250GB 8M Harddrive.
LG 4120B DVD Burner
USB wireless lan adaptor
USB Remote wonder receiver
USB Bluetooth Adaptor

That's some crazy horsepower you got in there. For recording T.V. Shows even 1/3 of that would do it flawlessly.. Hyperthreading is useless in this box since it's only a media center your building..

I could probably buy an Xbox 360 with games for the price of those components and do the same thing.

[dfw1417]

From what i understand (I could be wrong) (i was mistaken once but was wrong.... ;-) ) Hyperthreading requires an 800 Mhz FSB while the Mega 651 is only 533 mhz.

So I don't think that would work...

[renhui]

AFAIK, 3.06ghz northwood is the only 533mhz cpu that supports hyperthreading.
http://www6.tomshardware.com/cpu/20021114/index.html

From what i understand (I could be wrong) (i was mistaken once but was wrong.... ;-) ) Hyperthreading requires an 800 Mhz FSB while the Mega 651 is only 533 mhz.

So I don't think that would work...

[WLJ101]

How did you cut these holes on the PSU?

http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/users/40534117_1396a/f7e6/__sr_/3d61.jpg?phhGriCBfJGz5V4F

[dfw1417]

Has anyone tried this one. It claims not to require a fan. Attaches with thermal adhesive and is 37x37x32mm in size LxWxH. It is made of aluminum. I was thinking of getting one for the 651 and eliminating the stock heat sink and fan then installing an additional fan in the case.

Will this size work for the heat sink?

TIA.

[felix]

dfw1417 : Yes, some of us are using the Zalman rather than the stock noisy fan for the northbridge chipset. The ZM-NB47J is actually more expensive and the same price. Either way you need to either cut a whole or remove the HDD bracket.

[Canadianpsycho]

I have my mega fully set up for about two weeks by now. I am very happy with it. Small, yet powerful.
Here is my configuration:
Celeron 2.0@2.66Ghz solid stable.
512MB PC2100 DDR
ATI All-in-wonder 9700Pro
WD 250GB 8M Harddrive.
LG 4120B DVD Burner
USB wireless lan adaptor
USB Remote wonder receiver
USB Bluetooth Adaptor

Anyone tried a p4 3.06Ghz HT in mega 651? I did some research to find the SIS651 B-revision can support 3.06 without problem, but my question is that if the hyperthreading part would work. Would you be able to see two cpus in device managers? My crappy celeron lagged a lot under MCE2005 when I tried to record TV shows. I think a 3.06 should help a lot.
Using a full-length video card is not as bad as some of you might think to the ventilation, of course, you need to redo the cable wiring.
The harddrive is my only concern, which gets quite hot after some time of use. I am not an expert, so bluefront's fabulous modding won't work for me. I simply used two old heatsinks which fit tightly in the cage underneath the harddrive, hoping it helps. Still working on this part.
Also, for people like me using many USB devices, the motherboard supports 6 totally, 2 front, 2 back and 2 onboard which requires an extension cable. One of the onboards is occupied by the cardreader, so you actully have 5 free ones, I just keep my usb remote receiver in the case all the time.

Get a hardware based TV card if you want to take the stress off your CPU. It will be cooler and probably cheaper then buying a 3.06.

That's some crazy horsepower you got in there. For recording T.V. Shows even 1/3 of that would do it flawlessly.. Hyperthreading is useless in this box since it's only a media center your building..

I could probably buy an Xbox 360 with games for the price of those components and do the same thing.

Are you serious? Do you even know how much a 360 is going to be at launch? Nevermind the games are rumoured to start at 60 bucks a pop US! If the price is even remotely close to the PS2 debacle (~600 bucks) then you're nuts

[Bluefront]

Here's what I used to make cuts on the MEGA aluminum, and the steel PSU case.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Cutters.jpg

The bigger of the two is a red-handle Wiss tin snip. This makes straight cuts, or counter-clock-wise curved cuts. This works best for right-handed people. Dont settle for anything less. (about $12 USD). The green-handled Weiss makes straight or clock-wise cuts (for lefties).

The smaller is a high-quality snipper from Radio Shack....about $5 USD. I used this snipper to cut the bridges between the vent-holes on the PSU. That's about the maximum cut you can make on steel with this snipper. It's small cutting points make the job easier.

If you do that, make certain you have eye protection....and that the cut piece doesn't fall back into the PSU, or get lodged on the motherboard.

[skeletor]

Get a hardware based TV card if you want to take the stress off your CPU. It will be cooler and probably cheaper then buying a 3.06.



Are you serious? Do you even know how much a 360 is going to be at launch? Nevermind the games are rumoured to start at 60 bucks a pop US! If the price is even remotely close to the PS2 debacle (~600 bucks) then you're nuts

The only thing that is nuts is putting a Hyperthreaded P4 into a box that only records and plays music, video files. 9700 pro AIW card is hardware based, I own one on a slower system already and it does everything perfectly.

I also find it ironic how a guy named Canadianpsycho is calling me nuts :razz:

[Canadianpsycho]

The only thing that is nuts is putting a Hyperthreaded P4 into a box that only records and plays music, video files. 9700 pro AIW card is hardware based, I own one on a slower system already and it does everything perfectly.

I also find it ironic how a guy named Canadianpsycho is calling me nuts :razz:

D'oh, I missed the AIW part... Then the guy who is nuts is totally right! ;) It should play things just fine...

My MEGA with a 9250 and 1.8 mobile Celeron @ 2.4 ran everything smoothly except 1080p content just fine. As for capture, I never tried any but with an AIW you should be just fine.

[renhui]

Correct me if i am wrong. I don't think 9700AIW is hardware-based, it's still using software methods to compress mega2 video, that's why this card was not supported in the first release of MCE. Even under MCE2005, the AIW card uses cpu power to do the compressing thing. We are talking about MCE2005, the card handles everything well under windows xp.
ALso, I am using this mega 651 as my full-time computer,not just a HTPC. I am thinking of get rid of my old computer. :)

9700 pro AIW card is hardware based, I own one on a slower system already and it does everything perfectly.

[dfw1417]

Does anyone know the size (mm) of the original heat sink contraption and fan provided by MSI with the Mega 651? I thought it would be great if I could know how much room I have to work with to start when I go surplussing for a substitute.

TIA.

[Canadianpsycho]

Does anyone know the size (mm) of the original heat sink contraption and fan provided by MSI with the Mega 651? I thought it would be great if I could know how much room I have to work with to start when I go surplussing for a substitute.

TIA.


I'm pretty sure Bluefront listed the specs earlier in the therad... Not sure though.

[skeletor]

Correct me if i am wrong. I don't think 9700AIW is hardware-based, it's still using software methods to compress mega2 video, that's why this card was not supported in the first release of MCE. Even under MCE2005, the AIW card uses cpu power to do the compressing thing. We are talking about MCE2005, the card handles everything well under windows xp.
ALso, I am using this mega 651 as my full-time computer,not just a HTPC. I am thinking of get rid of my old computer. :)

I think we are misunderstanding each other.... when we say hardware based, it is a huge generalisation, depending on the context of what you are speaking things are different.. Anyway, enough of this talk, it isn't really important.

I'm just curious, if you use this a pc substitute.. isn't it a pain in the neck to look at the tv screen reading text? isn't it also uncomfortable not having a desk to use a kb/ mouse with? I have my PC hooked up to my TV and could never use it for desktop use. Only good for games with controllers and movies

[Bluefront]

OK...I finished up my final 3.5" HD mount. And this is the way to mount a HD in a MEGA....sideways. With this particular mount the drive is adjustable from left to right and from front to rear. It is mounted about 20mm below the optical drive, and allows the use of the card reader, or any other short 3.5" bay device....such as a fan controller. It is also totally de-coupled from the frame, making for less drive noise transfer to the frame. I used 4mm thick foam(about) between the two HD mount pieces. Plus it is easy to remove ...remove one screw and out it comes in one piece. Mounting the HD in this orientation, allows the use of a taller HSF without any clearance problems....and it allows better airflow to the CPU fan. It's a win-win mod.

If you have proper airflow through the front intake ports, most HDs should run in the 35/37C range at ambient temps of about 25C.....slightly higher under heavy usage.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/FinalHDMount4-2.jpg

Six more photos (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/detail?.dir=f7e6&.dnm=bd30.jpg&.src=ph)

I also added two internal intake filters....made from electro-static AC filter material. These are mounted on small strips of foam, about 4mm thick......this is to provide a small air gap between the filter material and the intake vent holes. Depending on usage and air quality conditions.....this setup should be fine for at least 6 months without maintenance. I use this sort of filter on my window AC unit...it catches a lot of dust.

[Bluefront]

Concerning the size of the stock heatsink.....it's a cube about 65mm square.
On page 27 I showed a heatsink I'm using. This is about the maximum size possible. Using the MEGA clip, the maximum base size possible is about 70mm. The maximum height of the HSF is about 65mm with the HD in the std position. 60 mm high would be better. You begain to have a clearance problem with the HD IDE cable with a taller heatsink.

IMHO....that Manhattan heatsink can't be beat. It is all-copper, the maximum size you can cram in there, and it comes with a hi-quality Evercool 70mm fan. Much quieter than the stock fan, and cools better. :lol:

[AnitaPeterson]

I have a problem getting to install a HD in the machine.

I tried a 200 GB HD, which gives me an error when I try to load windows... immediately after the first restart in Windows Setup, I get a "Disk error. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart"

I tried a smaller HD (120 GB), thinking there might be something to do with the 137 GB Windows limitation... I get the same error.

And then I try a 4.3 GB HD (an old one), and it works perfectly! That's how I posted my previous message in this thread... before I got to try the large HDs...

I'm at my wits' end... can someone please tell me how to fix this, before I go crazy?

[dfw1417]

I have a 160GB in mine. I did'nt have any issues with it. I think you should partition it into 2 partitions, say a 100 GB partition then the second partion with the rest (it will be slightly less than 100). Once you have that done then reboot the machine and run your win setup cd. The setup CD will offer you a choice of which partion to use as your main one for XP. Then you just go from there with no problems. Of course that will make your main HD Drive C the second HD Drive D and your CD/DVD will be Drive E.

Enjoy.

[Bluefront]

Sometimes the HD jumper setting will cause problems....CS or Master. Did you have the BIOS actually detect the drive? You might try re-formatting the drive using the drive setup disk.

:?:

[bug]

Usually when you get windows install errors, you can track the problem down to incompatible ram. I've seen that a few times. Swapping the ram usually solves the problem. What type of ram are you using Anita?

[felix]

oh darn .... I received all my parts and finally put it together and tried to test it out just now. First thing I notice is that there is no on/off switch on the power supply and it goes right into Hi-Fi mode right away. Tested it with a CD, everything looks alright. Then I hit the PC button and getting ready to format. I hear a LONG BEEP .. like 10 seconds long. Keeps on doing that and there's no way to stop it until I pull the plug. What the hell?? What's wrong with this thing? Did someone else mention this problem? And yes, I made sure the connections are correct. Jumper for HDD is set to Master.

System specs are :
MSI MEGA PC 651
P4 2.66Ghz S478 512KB 533Mhz Northwood retail
1.0GB Corsair Value Select PC3200 DDR400 CAS2.5 2x512MB 184-pin (VS1GBKIT400)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 80GB ATA/100 2MB 8.5ms 7200rpm hard drive (ST380011A)
CyberDrive 40x16x48 CW078D CDRW
17" Samsung SyncMaster 712N LCD monitor

[renhui]

looks like it might be related to the cpu or ram.

Beep Code Error
1 Long 2 Short Video Card Error - Either re-seat or replace video card
Repeating beeps Memory Error - Memory is either damaged or badly seated
Repeating Hi/Low Beeps Damaged or Overheating CPU
Hi Frequency Beeps Overheating CPU

oh darn .... I received all my parts and finally put it together and tried to test it out just now. First thing I notice is that there is no on/off switch on the power supply and it goes right into Hi-Fi mode right away. Tested it with a CD, everything looks alright. Then I hit the PC button and getting ready to format. I hear a LONG BEEP .. like 10 seconds long. Keeps on doing that and there's no way to stop it until I pull the plug. What the hell?? What's wrong with this thing? Did someone else mention this problem? And yes, I made sure the connections are correct. Jumper for HDD is set to Master.

System specs are :
MSI MEGA PC 651
P4 2.66Ghz S478 512KB 533Mhz Northwood retail
1.0GB Corsair Value Select PC3200 DDR400 CAS2.5 2x512MB 184-pin (VS1GBKIT400)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 80GB ATA/100 2MB 8.5ms 7200rpm hard drive (ST380011A)
CyberDrive 40x16x48 CW078D CDRW
17" Samsung SyncMaster 712N LCD monitor

[bug]

did you notice if the bios was detecting everything properly? or did you get that far. You have good quality ram, so that shouldn't be the problem. If you're using an agp card, make sure its seated properly.
Another possibility is the clear cmos jumper might be in the wrong position. I've had that happen with new motherboards a few times. Some goof at the factory installed it wrong. >:(

[dfw1417]

Your problem is most likely the RAM. You need either 2100 or 2700 Ram as recommended by the manual. Very FEW 3200 Ram's work. The Mega is VERY PICKY about RAM, CPU and CD/DVD Drives.....

:razz:

[felix]

Nope, couldn't even get into the BIOS. The beeping was so loud. I think it really might be a memory problem since I did a google search and found this which seems to be my exact problem ..

http://www.howtofixcomputers.com/bb/ftopic31421.html

The memory is good quality already, Corsair and I tested it no errors with my DFI Lanparty. Even tried one stick at a time with no luck. I guess I'll have to try with my other memory (currently in the computer I'm using now .. OCZ 3200 Gold VX). Sigh .. such a hassle. :cry:

[WLJ101]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/detail?.dir=f7e6&.dnm=eb43.jpg&.src=ph

how did you insert the Mega CPU clip to that copper heatsink? man, i keep looking and thinking... still can't figure out...
'


edit: is it the same one as this one? http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=714255&CatId=0

cus I can't find it anywhere on ebay or tigerdirect...

[Bluefront]

Felix...Sounds like a RAM problem to me also. I had the exact problem trying to use a stick of PC3200.

WLJ101.....Your Tiger Direct link appears to be the same heatsink, with a Kingwin name.

If you had that heatsink, I'm sure you could figure it out....

Here's how. Take the blue cover off the MEGA. The clip slides out. With a needle nose pliers flatten the two metal stops that hold the two sections together.The sections just pull apart.

With the mathatten heatsink squeeze the metal stop of the clip together...the two sections pull apart. You can leave the fan on the Manhattan, since it doesn't get in the way.

The long section of the MEGA clip just slips into the Manhattan heatsink, between the top plate, and the top of the fins. It then drops down to the little set of fin spacers...visible in the photo. To get the clip past the spacers, you gently bend the fins apart with a small flat blade screwdriver. The clip will slide down past the four sections of spacers with a little force.

Then you put the short section of the MEGA clip back on the long section. bend the stops back so the clip can't fall apart....you're done. About a five minute job.

You do have to determine the correct position of the clip on the fins. You can do this easily using the long section of the clip just inserted through a set of fins....or count the fins in the photo.

It's really an easy operation. Do a Google search for Manhattan 701792....you'll get a bunch of hits.

In this photo (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/detail?.dir=f7e6&.dnm=f292.jpg&.src=ph), you can see the four marks I made to locate the fin position.

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact: Did you know..

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGARadio2.jpg

The MEGA PC radio program is also an audio recorder. It can record your radio programs, or songs, saving them as a wave file. You can then convert them to MP3 files using 3rd party programs.

Neat, unique, little application. :)

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact: Did you know.....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/CDDoorFoam.jpg

You can quiet the loud "snap" sound when the MEGA cd door cover closes, easily. Add a thin (1 mm) strip of felt or foam to the back-side of the door. Materials like this can be found at craft stores. Now the door doesn't sound like it will break off. :)

[Bluefront]

AnitaP.....I saw your post on the MSI community forum. I guess you're still having trouble with those two drives.

Here's what I'm thinking...You did not have the first partition on each of the two drives set as "active". Which might explain why XP would start to install, but would fail to restart on the first reboot.

You'll have to start over using a DOS boot disk....and FDISK. Or you could use the drive setup disk that came with those two drives.

Correct me if my hunch was wrong...... :lol:

[squall458]

i swapped my cd burner for a dvd rom and now it ejects fine with the button. if i press the button again it doesnt return the tray back though, i have to manually push it in. man this thing is so picky about cd/dvd drives!!!!!! other than that its working great. installed barebones version xp pro sp2 and it boots up really fast relative to what I thought. havent tried gaming on it yet as i suspect it will heat up unless i do some more tweaks. next thing i wanted to do was add an extra 60mm fan to get some airflow, and cut out the psu fan grill on the back.

[locab]

The only mod on my MEGA was on drive cage. Cut off most of it, the only piece left was the side that HD bracket mounts onto.

Spec:-
Mobile Celeron 2.0GHz o/c to 2.66GHz - no pin mod required.
OCZ Value PC3200 512MB
Asus 9520 Home Theater AGP - FX5200 w/TV tuner
XP MCE 2005 installed

CPU temp. from Speedfan with cover on.
Idle - 42-44C
Running DVDShrink - highest 61C before fan kicked in & dropped back to 57C

Will look to improve airflow & lower temp.

[WLJ101]

You said that you can get 37C in idle with your CPU heatsink, I forgot to ask you what CPU you are using... Mine is 47 in idle so i m wondering how you can do that, i m using 2.4.

[AnitaPeterson]

I tried both CS and Master jumper settings... I tried Seagate and Maxtor HDs... I even tried using the Maxtor and Seagate manufacturer's install software... nothing worked...

update:

HOORAY!

What eventually *DID* make it work was partitioning the HD... I made an OS partition of about 10 GB, and once I had installed Windows I had to make a second partition in the remaining space - which will be wher I'll be installing games and documents...

[Bluefront]

I made a few tests today to try to figure out the CPU fan speed in relation to the CPU temp, using the on-board fan controller. Since I have been unable to get rpm readings, I can give CPU fan voltages at different temps. These voltage steps should be the same, whatever fan or CPU you are using. I'm using Speedfan to measure the temps and a digital volt-meter to check the voltage.

With the PC off there is .5v at the CPU fan.

At the PC startup the CPU fan gets 10.5V for about 2 seconds.....then drops back to .5V (fan is stopped).

When the CPU temp reaches 45C the fan gets 4.3V and starts.

When the CPU temp reaches 53C the fan gets 5.6V.

When the CPU temp reaches 61C the fan gets 8.1V.

That is fan speed #3 and as hot as I can get using CPUBurn.

I can force the fan to maximum voltage using Speedfan, and the maxium voltage at that point is 10.5V. Apparently there is a fan speed #4.....but I never got to that temp/speed.

As the temps drop 4C below each fan step temp, the fan voltage drops back to the next lowest step. For instance....if the fan is running at 5.6V @53C, when the temp drops to 49C, the voltage drops to 4.3V. If the fan is running at 4.3V @45C, when the temp drops to about 41C, the fan will turn off.

These tests were run at an ambient temp of 27C. Both my MEGAS run their fans about the same....with the fan speeds increasing at the same temps.

What this means in practical sense, if you can keep your CPU temps about 41C.....the fan will be off. This appears to be completely normal behavior for the MEGA fan control system.

I also made some temp readings at different levels of CPU usage.....using the SiSoft Sandra CPU burn-in program.

At 30% CPU usage my system runs about 48C.

At 50% ..... 52C.

At 75%...... 56C.

At 100%..... 59C.

I suppose you could use the same program, at the same ambient of 27C.....to check your own temps against mine. Using that Sandra burn program, my fan speed stayed on step #2 (5.6V) even at 100%. I am very pleased with this result. It makes for a quiet computer. :)

[Bluefront]

AnitaP....I have no explanation for what you experienced. Both my Megas are running on OS partitions of about 20gb. :confused:

[WLJ101]

I tried both CS and Master jumper settings... I tried Seagate and Maxtor HDs... I even tried using the Maxtor and Seagate manufacturer's install software... nothing worked...

update:

HOORAY!

What eventually *DID* make it work was partitioning the HD... I made an OS partition of about 10 GB, and once I had installed Windows I had to make a second partition in the remaining space - which will be wher I'll be installing games and documents...


yeah, i think i didn't have that HDD problem because I usually make my C about 10GB and the rest for the programs. Maybe that's the only way to solve this problem.

[felix]

oh darn .... I received all my parts and finally put it together and tried to test it out just now. First thing I notice is that there is no on/off switch on the power supply and it goes right into Hi-Fi mode right away. Tested it with a CD, everything looks alright. Then I hit the PC button and getting ready to format. I hear a LONG BEEP .. like 10 seconds long. Keeps on doing that and there's no way to stop it until I pull the plug. What the hell?? What's wrong with this thing? Did someone else mention this problem? And yes, I made sure the connections are correct. Jumper for HDD is set to Master.

System specs are :
MSI MEGA PC 651
P4 2.66Ghz S478 512KB 533Mhz Northwood retail
1.0GB Corsair Value Select PC3200 DDR400 CAS2.5 2x512MB 184-pin (VS1GBKIT400)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 80GB ATA/100 2MB 8.5ms 7200rpm hard drive (ST380011A)
CyberDrive 40x16x48 CW078D CDRW
17" Samsung SyncMaster 712N LCD monitor
I found out what's wrong now. It was a memory problem, as expected. :confused: I swapped it with my OCZ PC3200 Gold VX and to my surprise it actually booted! First thing I noticed was how loud it was when the CPU fan turns on. You guys were right, it's hella loud! It's not for me, because if it was I'd definitely need some modding solution for it. The only mod I did was the Zalman heatsink mod, same as what WLJ101 did.

Loaded the OS and everything else should be no problems from here. The CDRW seems to work fine too. Since it's just for testing, I will be swapping it with a Toshia DVD burner and post my final specs later. I am using stock Mega HSF w/ Arctic Silver 5 and the temps seem okay (45C degrees idle). It will probably change after some burning in (probably lower?).

[AnitaPeterson]

I believe the problem I had was due to the infamous 32 GB limitation in BIOS (http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/capacity/32_338/) - although I can't figure out how come the SIS 651 chipset still has this issue, since it's newer than the 440 BX where I've seen this behaviour ...

[felix]

Maybe you guys have the older revision of the Sis 651 chipset? Mine is revision B0 and has no problems with my Seagate 80GB drive.

[dfw1417]

I guess in a lot of ways I was fortunate. I used Kingston 2700 Ram and just by luck a P4 Northwood 2.8Mhz cpu when I built mine. Everything worked the first time. When I installed the Maxtor 160GB Drive I had already set it up into 5 partions - 7.65/37.2/37.2/42.7/27.9 in size so I had once again no issues with it. Guess it was just a lucky guess but its the way I prefer to setup most of my machines, that way I can reformat 1 partition and not lose stuff thats on another.

I have just installed 3 case fans on my Mega where each of the vents are already made on the cabinet. I have the air flow supplying on the front left and right and the exhaust on the right back vent.

I have an axial fan on the front left, a blower on the front right and 1 of a 6 pack of fans set as exhaust on the rear right. The Thermalake fan speed controller I set up so I have manual control of the fan speeds of the supply fans and the exhaust fan is a quiet type always running at full speed sucking out 30 cfm in addition to what the standard PSU fan exhausts.

I looked at my case and using the axial fan on the front left I supplement air flow in the area of the cpu fan and drives. The blower on the right front supplements air flow to the drives, and the exhaust fan assists the exit of hot air and sucks it across the cpu heatsink which is standard with a standard fan.

I was going to try using rounded drive cables and bought 3 that were 10 inch lengths but upon looking realized if I had installed them they would impede the air flow more than the custom length ribbon cables provided by MSI so I did not change them.

I like having control over my fan speed instead of the computer controlling them. I can watch the temps and adjust my left and right supply fans to my desires for temperature which I monitor with Speedfan.

Before installing these fans I had to run the Mega without the cover on to keep it cool. Now I have the cover on and it stays cool again. I may exchange the left front axial fan for another blower since i broken 2 blades on it by sticking my paw over there to see if it was runnning. (duh)

Anyway I like it. I did'nt feel comfortable disassembling it all again to mess with the Heatsink or CPU fan. But this works pretty good now.

;)

[locab]

dfw1417

Just a few questions....

What are the brand/model of blower/exhaust fan? How did you secure them inside MEGA ? Which Thermalake fan speed controller are you using ?

Any chance of seeing some pics of your setup.

[dfw1417]

I have updated my avatar to show my mega as it appears now. Maybe I was'nt clear in my post, The supply fan and blower and the exhaust fan are all externally mounted on the case of the Mega. They would NEVER fit inside.

They are mounted on the outside of the case in the locations where the case has perforations for ventilation and thus assist with the ventilation.

I am in the process of sorting through the pictures I have taken and will provide them shortly.

The Thermalake package came with the dual fan controller with a blower and axial fan. The axial fan has a rating of 67 cfm and the blower 39 cfm. The package was 19.95 at the local Fry's store.

The six pack of fans I purchased are quiet type with a rating of 29cfm. The package of 6 fans was 16.99 at the local Fry's store.

The whole process was pretty easy - remove the case cover and assemble all the parts to it, then I used an external 12vdc power supply to test it to make sure all the flows were right and speed controls worked correctly. Then once done just put the cover back on the Mega and it was done.

;)

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact....Did you know?

The Mega fan control system uses something called PWM (pulse width modulation) to control the voltage going to the CPU fan. Basically this is a digital fan control which pulses bursts of 12V to control the fan voltage.
This as many advantages over an analog controller. The main advantage being it can start a fan at really low voltage. (The MEGA fan starts up at 4.3V).

But it does have one major problem.....it adds a humm or click sound to many fans. This happened to the Evercool fan I'm using. But it can be fixed by a small device called an Attenuator.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/svcompucycle_1847_54096644

SVC link (http://www.svc.com/tban-ya-56.html)

If you notice any strange noise when you attach a different fan to the CPU fan header, you might be hearing PWM induced noise. Some fans are affected more than others with PWM....

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact...Did you know?

There's a neat backup program that works perfectly on the MEGA. NTI Drivebackup.

http://www.ntius.com/images/products_box_DriveBackup4.gif

IT can backup your C drive....or any other partition, to a CDR/CDRW. And if you have a recordable DVD drive it can use that also. In case of a system crash that cannot be fixed, you simply boot off the restore disk you made, and the entire OS is restored. An OS of about 4GB will compress onto three cds.

You can also use these restore disks if you install a new hard drive. The program works flawlessly on my two MEGAS.....

NTI Link (http://www.ntius.com/default.asp?p=backupnow/drb_main)

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact....Did you know?

Getting rid of the stock NB fan and heatsink, and replacing it with a passive heatsink......is an easy mod, and it removes a major source of noise(hi-pitched, whiny). The Zalman passive heatsinks work.....as does this Coolermaster model.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/svcompucycle_1843_97384149

SVC link (http://www.svc.com/pac-p01-19.html)

I'm using this heatsink in my second MEGA. It is easier to install than the Zalman. There are fewer small parts to assemble....plus there is more aluminum in this model than the Zalman. Cheap, beneficial mod... :)

[squall458]

thanks bluefront! i love ur work and facts. i still need some 60 mm fans to cool my rig but its up and running!

[Bluefront]

Hope you people don't mind all these posts.....I've been off work for a while with a pulled muscle, so I've had extra time to do some MEGA testing.

I managed to get a new laptop drive (IBM Travelstar, 50gb, 5400rpm, 2mb cache). Did an emergency repair on a guys computer. He was so happy, after paying me he gave me the IBM as a tip. :lol:

This is the first 5400rpm laptop drive I've ever used...and frankly there's little decernable difference between this drive and a 7200 3.5" drive. IMHO. You can see how it is mounted in my MEGA Yahoo album.

This is the way to mod your MEGA. I got a temp drop across the board with this mod. The drive runs 3-4C cooler than the Maxtor I was using.....but more importantly, the increased airflow allows the CPU to run much cooler. Here's some figures...

CPU temps at various CPU usage percentages....

LAPTOP/ 3.5" drive

30%- 45C/ 48C
50%- 49C/ 52C
75%- 52C/ 56C
100%- 56C/ 59C

This is with a P4-2.4.......modded as shown in the Yahoo album. In the two tests, everything was the same except the drives. Ambient was 27C during the tests. Only after reaching 75% CPU usage did the CPU fan get to it's second speed. This was tested using the SiSoft Sandra (http://www.download.com/3000-2086-10018691.html?legacy=cnet) burn-in program.

IMHO....this laptop mod could help temps on any MEGA, modded or not. As to which laptop drive to buy, I recommend a WD Scorpio (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144378), 5400rpm, 8mg cache. This is a fast, quiet drive.....maybe the best right now. :)

[felix]

MEGA Fact....Did you know?

Getting rid of the stock NB fan and heatsink, and replacing it with a passive heatsink......is an easy mod, and it removes a major source of noise(hi-pitched, whiny). The Zalman passive heatsinks work.....as does this Coolermaster model.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/svcompucycle_1843_97384149

SVC link (http://www.svc.com/pac-p01-19.html)

I'm using this heatsink in my second MEGA. It is easier to install than the Zalman. There are fewer small parts to assemble....plus there is more aluminum in this model than the Zalman. Cheap, beneficial mod... :)
Bluefront, with this mod does the Coolermaster fit in without having to cut or remove the hard drive bracket? Because if it doesn't and still requires cutting, then it would be the same amount of work as installing the Zalman (which is more widely available).

[Bluefront]

You still have to cut the lower drive bracket....no getting around that with a passive heatsink.

The CompUSA store in my neighborhood carries these heatsinks....not the Zalman.

The Zalmans I've used were a tough assemble with tiny nuts and screws. This thing has two brackets that just slide into the heatsink....couldn't be easier. Other than that, the Zalman and the Coolermaster are very similar.

[felix]

Link to MEGA PC 651 downloads ..
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/download/dld/spt_dld_detail.php?UID=431&kind=4

Was wondering which do you need to download and update after a new setup? Need to update BIOS? I notice WinXP SP2 does not detect video drivers automatically?

[spol]

I got 2 mega units last week and I just started modding one of them to be my portable sound system. I think I’ll be the first to try an 80mm fan over a 60 by 60 slim valcano 8 heatsink. I’m also doing my HD sideway and soft mounted and I will probably have two very quiet 80mm fans on left and right (intake and exhaust) that will cool the HD, memory and the Zelman’s NB. I'll need the pci slot for my Maudio Delta sound card so no slot fan for me (although there are no quiet slot fans as im aware of). I’m now searching for a good heatsink for my Raedon 9200. Already found the ZM17-Cu but it’s pretty rare. I bought Celeron Mobile 1.3 for a very good reasonable price of one cent :twisted: but im lurkin for a P4 2.4 right now.

I'll post pics as soon as I receive my parts, Its long weekend here in Canada :D

[spol]

oh btw Bluefront which 80mm fans would you recommend?

I could get the Nexus and Panaflo (all models) but not sure which one to place where. I was thinking of installing the Nexus on the cpu but MikeC says that they don’t start reliably under 7V. since the system has cool and quite will that be a problem? And then the Panaflos I guess don’t have the RPM support.
I also have a Zalman-F1 sitting here and I could get a Vantec Stealth.
So as I mentioned I need one 80 for the cpu, and two for exhust and intake.

Thanks

[Bluefront]

The MEGA CD has most of the drivers. I haven't seen any issues there. You can download a bunch of newer drivers from MSI or the XP update site, but I haven't found any particular benefit to do so. Even the newer BIOS doesn't give any added functionality.....that I could see anyway.

[Bluefront]

Well I'm partial to Yate Loon Fans....But the Nexus should be ok. I have been unable to get any of my MEGAs to read RPMs off the CPU header or the NB header. You'd probably need an after-market fan control system to do so.

The CPU fan header uses PWM.....so it would probably start those Panaflos without problem.

A std 25mm thick 80mm fan will be a tight fit over the CPU area. Post some photos of your setup.....

No way I'm adding fans to the outside of the case.

[Bluefront]

Anybody reading my posts on this forum, should be able to tell I am a quiet computer advocate. And this MEGA can be made quiet....real quiet. Right now my MEGA #2 is so quiet, I cannot tell if the fans are running. This MEGA has two fans...a 92mm fan for the PSU, and a 70mm fan on the CPU. That's it. I had to add two LEDs to the front panel to tell if the fans are running. The LEDs are just spliced into the fan leads....and they increase in brightness if the fans speed up. The red LED will turn off (the CPU fan has stopped) around 41C.

The two temp guages just snap in the MEGA front panel...after you remove the card reader and the stock cover plate. No cutting is necessary...you could always go back to stock.

The front guages and the fan LEDs give me some piece of mind.....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/FrontModfinal2.jpg

I got the guages out of this sort of device.....available many places with different brand names/prices. The LEDs came from RadioShack.

FrozenCPU Link (http://www.frozencpu.com/tmp-03.html)

[felix]

^^ wow, nice pic!

So is there any problem in updating to the latest BIOS? I think someone mentioned in the first few pages that it messed up their system? Can anyone confirm?

[renhui]

I updated to the latest BIOS via MSI Liveupdate, no problem at all. :lol:

^^ wow, nice pic!

So is there any problem in updating to the latest BIOS? I think someone mentioned in the first few pages that it messed up their system? Can anyone confirm?

[squall458]

I updated to the latest BIOS via MSI Liveupdate, no problem at all. :lol:
same with me no probs

[BlueMax]

Anybody reading my posts on this forum, should be able to tell I am a quiet computer advocate. And this MEGA can be made quiet....real quiet. Right now my MEGA #2 is so quiet, I cannot tell if the fans are running. This MEGA has two fans...a 92mm fan for the PSU, and a 70mm fan on the CPU. That's it. I had to add two LEDs to the front panel to tell if the fans are running. The LEDs are just spliced into the fan leads....and they increase in brightness if the fans speed up. The red LED will turn off (the CPU fan has stopped) around 41C.

The two temp guages just snap in the MEGA front panel...after you remove the card reader and the stock cover plate. No cutting is necessary...you could always go back to stock.

The front guages and the fan LEDs give me some piece of mind.....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/FrontModfinal2.jpg

I got the guages out of this sort of device.....available many places with different brand names/prices. The LEDs came from RadioShack.

FrozenCPU Link (http://www.frozencpu.com/tmp-03.html)

That is SO cool! :D I'm a quiet computer WANTER so I should probably talk to you for ideas. ;)

[felix]

Same here! And this PC isn't even for me. :D

[BlueMax]

I still have cash for anyone who wants to "dump" theirs! :) I'll need a CPU to go with it though......

[felix]

I bought my cpu off this guy in the BST forums ... seems he has enough to go around for all of us! :)

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showthread.php?t=152767

[Esca]

I finally got most of my parts. I just need to buy RAM and a video card. I have some questions.

So does any AGP video card fit in this system? Just that some may be a tight fit while others will fit more easily (the PCI slot is used if that has any effect)? If so, I've narrowed it down to these choices, what do you think?

Sapphire Radeon 9600Pro Advantage 256MB DDR AGP 8X w/ TV-Out, DVI
(OEM) $114

Gigabyte Radeon 9550 256MB 128 Bit AGP Graphic Card $92

PowerColor Radeon 9550 256MB DDR AGP 8X w/ TV-Out, DVI $99

Sapphire Radeon 9600XT 256MB DDR AGP 8X w/ TV-Out, DVI (OEM) $143


As for RAM I'm probably getting OCZ DDR Value 2x512M PC3200 KIT (if I recall correctly, someone earlier said the premier version of this RAM works so I'm thinking this will work too).

Also, for the people who are using a mobile celeron, did anyone use any pin mods? I remember earlier that Canadianpsycho did but it was unstable I think. Right now I just changed the FSB to 133 from 100 (I'm using a Mobile Celeron 2.0 Ghz). Just curious if anyone is able to run it faster or cooler without losing stability.

[felix]

I don't know, but all those cards you listed have active cooling I believe. And you cannot remove the fan and add a passive heatsink like the Zalman ZM80D-HP since it sticks out on both sides, and so the power supply will block the backside. I tried it with my ZM80A-HP and it does not fit. So if you want a quiet video card you need one with stock passive cooling.

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact....Did you know?

If you use an AGP card in your MEGA, be aware you are blocking critical airflow to the PSU. Take a look at this half-height AGP card.....


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA2LS2.jpg

Here's the same computer with a full-height AIW card...


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGAAIW9200-2.jpg

With a half-height card, you can see the upper vent holes in the PSU are completely open. There is airflow into those holes that flows right over the heatsink of the card, giving it a much better cooling potential.

Here's another half-height card, with a stock PSU. Same good airflow potential....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGAAGP.jpg

Of course without an AGP card the PSU airflow is un-affected. If you use a PCI video card, your cooling potential is better than with an AGP card. How much heat your system can stand depends on a number of factors....such as the heat of the CPU. So take your pick....there's no 100% sure solution. :)

[spol]

No way I'm adding fans to the outside of the case.


No my idea was to place both 80mm fans inside. But now I also have another idea, I have a Radeon 9200 and most of these cards come passive except mine, I hated the 40mm fan on it so i took it off and i was going to install a zalman NB on it. With 3x 80mm fans in such a small case like mega i knew i was gonna have a good airflow to cool the 9200. But what do you think of having one 80mm intake and install a VGA silencer for the exhaust? That way the silncer will cool the Graphic card and also works like the exhaust fan through the PCI slot? Please let me know which one you think is the best and why.

thank you

[locab]

...

As for RAM I'm probably getting OCZ DDR Value 2x512M PC3200 KIT (if I recall correctly, someone earlier said the premier version of this RAM works so I'm thinking this will work too).

Also, for the people who are using a mobile celeron, did anyone use any pin mods? I remember earlier that Canadianpsycho did but it was unstable I think. Right now I just changed the FSB to 133 from 100 (I'm using a Mobile Celeron 2.0 Ghz). Just curious if anyone is able to run it faster or cooler without losing stability.

My MEGA has no issue with OCZ DDR400 Value 512MB.

I am using a mobile Celeron 2.0GHz as well and has no problem o/c to 2.66GHz. With full-size AGP card installed, my MEGA idle at ~41-44C and hit 61C at 100% load. CPUid shows CPU voltage at ~1.6V.

bend AE1/VID4 pin and that lowers CPU voltage to 1.15V but unable to o/c and at times unable to boot. It works OK once it manages to boot up. Max temp at 100% load is ~47C (if my memory serves me right - will confirm).

Will be trying to push CPU voltage to 1.3/1.35V by wire together VID2 & VID1. Let you know how that goes once completed.

Found most of the information from
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1527123&frmKeyword=&STARTPAGE=1&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

[Bluefront]

Spol.....I think your idea of using an AGP card with a fanned heatsink that blows out the PCI slot is an excellent idea. If you don't mind losing the PCI slot.

Now you can fit an 80mm thin (15mm) fan by the RAM slots. Like this....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/80mmintakefan.jpg

This picture shows a MEGA with a laptop HD, and the drive cages removed. A 70mm fan would also be an option. Forget 60s....they are always too noisy. If you do this, I'd suggest only using the inside ram slot.....one stick of ram. With two sticks there, you really block airflow. I would also cover the intake vents on the left side. If you left the other intake vent open, you'd be turning it into an exhaust...big waste of airflow.

There is just not enough clearance to put a fan (other than a tiny one) by the radio module. Lots of options....I've only tried a few. :cheesygri

[Bluefront]

Good RAM deal at Office Depot (USA).....PNY Optima 512mb, PC2700. $30 after rebate. This deal is good till 5-28-05.

It works in the MEGA....bought some. :)

[Bluefront]

Crap....my brand new IBM laptop drive (it was free) died. I was right in the middle of burning a new backup image. Nothing was hot...right then it blue-screened. And it wouldn't boot...got hung up on the MEGA screen, and I couldn't get in the BIOS.

Well I thought it was the new ram I was trying out...nope. I let it cool off for an hour, nothing.

I couldn't hear the hard drive running, so I disconnected it. Still got hung on the MEGA screen. Then I remembered there was a crashed CD in the drive. I had a hard time getting it out. The tray would open and immediately snap shut. Well I finally got the cd out.

Then it could get into the BIOS screen....and cannot find the HD which I had re-connected. This new drive had been making a few strange noises this morning. I guess you get what you pay for..... :razz:

But that getting hung on the MEGA screen sure had me stumped....

[dfw1417]

I only paid $169 for my Intel P4 2.8Ghz when I bought it from Fry's... you got a REAL DEAL going THERE!

:twisted:

[felix]

I only paid $169 for my Intel P4 2.8Ghz when I bought it from Fry's... you got a REAL DEAL going THERE!

:twisted:
Whom are you referring to? You are aware this is a Canadian forum so prices are in CDN dollars right? :D currency converter here : http://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/currencyconverter.html

[spol]

yes Bluefront i dont need the PCI slot anymore and i found a good USB soundcard for my mega but I just found out that the VGA silencer is not compatible (http://www.ocfaq.com/reviews/ArcticCooling/VGASilencer/) with 9200s. So back to the old idea I'll just do the two inside 80mm intake and exhaust fans. But one thing, How in the HELL do you guys put your graphic card in there??? I took me an hour and half and even I removed the power supply but I still cant get my full-height 9200 graphic card in there. help someone please :?:

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact...Did you know?

Yes you can get a full-height AGP card in your MEGA. It's a tight fit. And requires the removal of the PSU to re-route the ATX wires to the motherboard. Like this.....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/PSUMod2.jpg

The wires to the ATX connector go up the CPU side of the PSU....close to the edge. I wrapped mine with tape to hold them tightly together. The rest of the wire bundle gets looped and cable tied at the very top of the PSU on the port side. The four wire bundle that goes to the board is routed down the rear of the PSU by the AGP slot.....then loops under the PSU and over to the board connection on the right side of the case.

I tightly wrapped all the wires with electrical tape to improve airflow, and to get everything to fit better. Make sure the bottom edge of the PSU that touches the ATX connection is well wrapped with tape.

It's basically a crammed fit.... :lol:

[Bluefront]

Additional MEGA Mods....

I'm interested in any new ideas for MEGA mods. I've come up with a few...

Extra USB ports.

There are two USB2 port headers on the MEGA board.....unused. They are right behind the radio module. You could get one of those slot opening devices that have two ports, and attach it to the board using the device-supplied cable.

Remote wired MEGA power switch.

You could rig up a remote power switch for the MEGA, using a momentary on/off switch (RadioShack). There is an unused header on the board to attach the wires (by the radio module).

Internal Speaker/amplifier System for the MEGA in Stereo.

If you take apart a small set of amplified Sony speakers, you'll get a very small audio amplifier, which can be powered by the unused 5v wires that would go to a floppy drive. You run the wires out the rear and plug into the audio out port on the MEGA. You might be able to use the Sony speakers, maybe just attached by the two intake vent holes on the MEGA (maybe hot-glued in place)....or you could find another set of small laptop size speakers.

I've done this mod before on a different SFF....works neat. How well it sounds depends on the quality of the speakers you can fit in there. You control the volume using the volume icon. I think I'll work on this mod next.... :lol:

Any more ideas?

[felix]

Re: full-height AGP card

Do you mean most AGP cards won't fit as it is now? I thought people were buying low profile only to help with the airflow?

[renhui]

Good job, Bluefront, just a minor supplement that if you use the bulit-in card reader, you only have one of the two on-board usb ports available, otherwise both of them are open. :cheesygri

Extra USB ports.

There are two USB2 port headers on the MEGA board.....unused. They are right behind the radio module. You could get one of those slot opening devices that have two ports, and attach it to the board using the device-supplied cable.


Any more ideas?

[Bluefront]

Felix....The problem with full-height cards is the way MSI routed the ATX cable. If you don't re-route the cable like the picture, the PSU cables push against the upper edge of the any tall AGP card, and make it virtually impossible to fit without bending the card....not good.

A reasonably simple re-route of the PSU cables fixes the problem. But it's still a tight fit.

[felix]

Thanks for letting us know, so we wouldn't be making the mistake of buying a regular full height one and later find out it won't fit. :(

[Esca]

I don't know, but all those cards you listed have active cooling I believe. And you cannot remove the fan and add a passive heatsink like the Zalman ZM80D-HP since it sticks out on both sides, and so the power supply will block the backside. I tried it with my ZM80A-HP and it does not fit. So if you want a quiet video card you need one with stock passive cooling.

Are the fans on these cards really loud? The ones I see with passive cooling are not as good as the ones I listed. I'd like to play some of the newer games, even at low resolution and low frame rates. Which video card are you using/suggest? So as Bluefront said, we need to re-route some wires unless we want to bend the video card? Is everyone else doing that are just cramming it in there? So I should get a video card that's half height AND has passive cooling (which seems impossible since there are few cards like that plus I want some performance and those usually are at the lower end)?

My MEGA has no issue with OCZ DDR400 Value 512MB.

I am using a mobile Celeron 2.0GHz as well and has no problem o/c to 2.66GHz. With full-size AGP card installed, my MEGA idle at ~41-44C and hit 61C at 100% load. CPUid shows CPU voltage at ~1.6V.

bend AE1/VID4 pin and that lowers CPU voltage to 1.15V but unable to o/c and at times unable to boot. It works OK once it manages to boot up. Max temp at 100% load is ~47C (if my memory serves me right - will confirm).

Will be trying to push CPU voltage to 1.3/1.35V by wire together VID2 & VID1. Let you know how that goes once completed.

Found most of the information from
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1527123&frmKeyword=&STARTPAGE=1&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

Yeah, that's where I got my information about the mods and where I bought my CPU. I think I'll just leave mine at 2.66 Ghz unless there's some major improvements with modding and with no real drawbacks.

So what kind of video cards are you people using? I already have a PCI wireless card in there so I don't even know if I can fit an AGP card that has a heatsink/fan.

[renhui]

I can confirm ATI 9600PRO/AIW9700pro/9800pro with stock hsf fits without problem, just as bluefront mentioned, you need to reroute the power cables.Meanwhile, you can plug any regular PCI card into the PCI slot. 9800pro should give you decent gaming power, I guess.

So what kind of video cards are you people using? I already have a PCI wireless card in there so I don't even know if I can fit an AGP card that has a heatsink/fan.

[squall458]

I can confirm ATI 9600PRO/AIW9700pro/9800pro with stock hsf fits without problem, just as bluefront mentioned, you need to reroute the power cables.Meanwhile, you can plug any regular PCI card into the PCI slot. 9800pro should give you decent gaming power, I guess.
im pretty sure the 9800pro can give u a bit better experience than decent for gaming, its an excellent card even compared to next gen cards

[Derek]

The video card here from TigerDirect may be a good choice:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/deals/main.php/weblog/comments/17583/

Read the review linked in the story above. Half-height card, fanless, and decent performance, not to mention it's pretty cheap.

[Bluefront]

Ok....I started another MEGA project. I sold MEGA#1 to a friend and she didn't want the AGP card. She gave me an older Dell to rob parts out of. So I can use her CPU, RAM and HD. She wants the card reader and maximum silence, without major mods....nice.

So here's the initial results....Sideways std HD with a new copper mount, perforated for heat transfer. A compact all-copper heat-sink 70mm square. A stock Intel fan cut out of an Intel 478 HSF combo.

This fan is 23mm thick, with an open frame. I'm hoping the open frame will allow better airflow in the MEGA's cramped interior. This fan is fairly quiet....and it does have one advantage. It has an internal temp sensor built into the hub......and if things get too hot, it will speed up by itself, even if the MEGA controller doesn't sense the heat. How this will work out is unknown as yet. Initial testing is promising...more to come.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA3/HDmount-IntelFan2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA3/IntelfanRS2.jpg

[felix]

Thanks for the info Derek. But it uses a XGI Volari V3 chipset which I've never heard of before. So driver support may be iffy. >:(

Anyone have benchmarks of the onboard video vs. nVidia FX5200 or ATI 9250?

[renhui]

well, I don't have a fx5200 or re9250 to do the tests, but the following graphs taken from THG's review should give you some idea as how the onboard Real256 graphic core performs compared with a 9200.
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20030903/images/image015.gif http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20030903/images/image016.gif http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20030903/images/image017.gif
Thanks for the info Derek. But it uses a XGI Volari V3 chipset which I've never heard of before. So driver support may be iffy. >:(

Anyone have benchmarks of the onboard video vs. nVidia FX5200 or ATI 9250?

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact.....Did you know?

MEGAs run hot, even in their stock configuration. You can add a slot fan to help exhausting the heat. But what if you want to use both slots?

A few simple mods to the PSU can help a lot. Using a sharp tin-snip, you can open up the vent holes on both sides of the PSU. Like this...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA3/PSUVentMod2.jpg

Even more important is to open up the rear grill(s) on the PSU. Like this...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA3/PSGrill2.jpg

You are asking that little 80mm fan to do a lot of heat removal. Improving the exhaust airflow with these two easy mods....will help the heat situation quite a bit.

[Bluefront]

MEGA fact....Did you know?

During the setup of the OS, your MEGA is likely to get as hot as it ever will. That includes the CPU, PSU, NB, Memory, and don't forget the hard drive. It gets really hot....

I suggest doing the setup of XP with the case cover off. And I take it one step further....I always set a small fan blowing into the case (on the HD) during any setup of XP, or during any restore operation. It's a small precaution that can save you a lot of grief....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA3/SetupPrecaution2.jpg

[ilikecheapstuff]

Thanks for the info Derek. But it uses a XGI Volari V3 chipset which I've never heard of before. So driver support may be iffy. >:(

Anyone have benchmarks of the onboard video vs. nVidia FX5200 or ATI 9250?


just got myself an ASUS V9520X/TD yesterday, 3dmark2001 scores are up 400%..
that's from around 1200 to 5300 or so...

that in itself is good enuf for me, but also the CPU PCmark2002 score is up 25% because the CPU no longer has to be used as a GPU as well...

memory scores are about the same


but now i'm back to looking for a DVI to SVGA adaptor to get my dual monitor setup going...

[ilikecheapstuff]

yes Bluefront i dont need the PCI slot anymore and i found a good USB soundcard for my mega but I just found out that the VGA silencer is not compatible (http://www.ocfaq.com/reviews/ArcticCooling/VGASilencer/) with 9200s. So back to the old idea I'll just do the two inside 80mm intake and exhaust fans. But one thing, How in the HELL do you guys put your graphic card in there??? I took me an hour and half and even I removed the power supply but I still cant get my full-height 9200 graphic card in there. help someone please :?:

hmm... i think u just have to do a bit of rerouting of your power cables... and a lot of weaving in and out with the card...

i got my full sized Ti4200 into the case and running.... i just took it out because of the airflow bit.. and also cuz the video card had wires pushing it out... (towards the PCI card)

the full height cards should and will fit... just need to play around with wiring...

the wires may be connected with cable ties at the top... gotta cut the cable ties in order to reroute...

[WLJ101]

HI Bluefront.

Do you remember the size of the PSU fan? I am thinking to buy the Vantec Stealth 80x80x25 fan but i want to make sure if the size is ok to fit in there.

I opened the PSU before but i didn't look how thick it is.

Thanz

[felix]

just got myself an ASUS V9520X/TD yesterday, 3dmark2001 scores are up 400%..
that's from around 1200 to 5300 or so...

that in itself is good enuf for me, but also the CPU PCmark2002 score is up 25% because the CPU no longer has to be used as a GPU as well...

memory scores are about the same

Thanks. I was going to get the same card! At Canada Computers right? $59 + tax?

[ilikecheapstuff]

Thanks. I was going to get the same card! At Canada Computers right? $59 + tax?

yep

the CC guy was suggesting the powercolor 9250 to me.
128 mb one is 64 but but the 256 mb is 128 bit...

i believe he said that the 256 mb one is also half height.. i was about to get that.. then realized it's only a radeon 9250... why the heck would i want 256 mb of it..

but yeah... if you care about the 128 bit thing that much... 256 is for 91 bux... not too bad for 256mb

but ask them first if it's half height

personally i prefer nvidia tho, so i didn't really need to consider too much...
rather get ASUS over Powercolor...

anyone out there running a 9250? we wanna know how the benchmnarks for it are...
for general reference

[Bluefront]

WLJ101.....It's an 80mm, 25mm thick two wire fan all right. The two I had apart used hi-speed Yate Loon fans....one of the best. IMHO, you'd be nuts to replace it with a Vantec Stealth.

The Stealth probably is just as noisy, and blows less air. That Yate Loon is reputed to be the quietest 80mm fan around.

A better mod would be to enlarge the rear opening slightly and add a 92mm fan externally.....like the photos in my mod album.

[tjuzer]

you get small system to look nice. no point leave case open.
and look uguly :D

[felix]

yep

the CC guy was suggesting the powercolor 9250 to me.
128 mb one is 64 but but the 256 mb is 128 bit...

i believe he said that the 256 mb one is also half height.. i was about to get that.. then realized it's only a radeon 9250... why the heck would i want 256 mb of it..

but yeah... if you care about the 128 bit thing that much... 256 is for 91 bux... not too bad for 256mb

but ask them first if it's half height

personally i prefer nvidia tho, so i didn't really need to consider too much...
rather get ASUS over Powercolor...

anyone out there running a 9250? we wanna know how the benchmnarks for it are...
for general reference
yeah, there was another poster using the powercolor 9250. That one is the only < $60 Radeon 9250 that's half height. But do to my prior experience with Powercolor I won't buy it no matter what. The only FX5200 or R9250 right now that is < $60, half height, fanless, support DirectX 9, and with DVI, is the Asus one that you bought. And that's what I'm going to get too. :D

[felix]

Bluefront, where did you get that fan grill for the PSU and what tool did you use to cut the grill so nicely? Does it really help with cooling? I think that's the only mod I'm willing to do, other than the Zalman one which I've already done. I don't want it looking ugly, as someone mentioned. :)

[spol]

where you get the Yate Loon from? We can get Nexus fans in Canada easily but not the Yate Loons.

[Esca]

Hm...I think I'll still get one of the cards I posted. I still want performance even at the cost of the card adding to the noise (which I think will be drowned out by the PSU fan or the CPU fan anyway). Here are some good links to video card comparisions that some users posted earlier in the thread:

http://www20.graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20031229/index.html#participants
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2195&p=5
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2195&p=6

[felix]

What's the best software temperature monitor for this system? Motherboard Monitor? And what's a safe temperature with the case closed? (I think it might have been posted before but I forget :) )

[ilikecheapstuff]

What's the best software temperature monitor for this system? Motherboard Monitor? And what's a safe temperature with the case closed? (I think it might have been posted before but I forget :) )


speedfan
and i've gotten idle temps ranging from 41 to 45 degrees...

[Bluefront]

Felix....I used an ordinary 80mm wire grill that comes with many fans. The stock grill(s) were cut out with a Wiss tin-snip, from the outside without removing the PSU. You cannot use screws to attach the new grill mounted like this......I used some small squares of sticky tape.

spol....Yate Loon fans are rarely sold under that name. They are the company that actually makes fans for many different brands, Nexus for one. The MEGA PSU made by Fortron contains a hi-speed Yate Loon fan....very quiet IMHO.

[felix]

speedfan
and i've gotten idle temps ranging from 41 to 45 degrees...
Is that for system temp or cpu temp? My idle temps reading from BIOS are 42C degrees for system, and 48C degrees for CPU. This is with the case closed.

Specs are :

MSI MEGA PC 651
P4 2.66Ghz S478 512KB 533Mhz Northwood
1GB Kingston PC2700 DDR333 CL2.5
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 80GB 7200rpm hard drive (ST380011A)

[felix]

My stock cpu fan sounds like it's dying a slow death. Louder than both my computers combined. If I gave it to my sister right now, she's going to ask what the heck is wrong with it.

So in summary, what's the best CPU fan replacement right now? I know there were many posted. And Bluefront, how did you mod the Intel stock fan you described in post #563 (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showpost.php?p=1695560&postcount=563)? I don't quite understand what was done to make it fit.

[Bluefront]

Felix....I had several unused Intel fans/heatsinks for P4s. They are all slightly different. You cannot use the heatsink (won't fit)....but these fans are 70mm in diameter. I just cut down the plastic frame till all that was left was the fan with a small section of frame.

I had an older copper heatsink (socket 370) that was made for a 70mm fan. I cut down the attachment clip till it fit the MEGA. The fan is attached to the heatsink with sticky foam.

This setup is working very well.....sold it yesterday. The fan does make some PWM clicking noises when attached to the MEGA fan header. I fixed that with an M-Cubed attenuator. Very quiet setup.

Rather difficult project. I think the Manhattan heatsink I showed is the best bet.

Link to Manhattan(Kingwin) heatsink for $13 USD.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835124002

[AnitaPeterson]

Esca, buy that 9600 Pro I posted in Hot Deals... it works pretty well in my rig, and it's both cheap and powerful enough...

[felix]

Rather difficult project. I think the Manhattan heatsink I showed is the best bet.

Link to Manhattan(Kingwin) heatsink for $13 USD.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835124002
Thanks for the info. Is it difficult to add the MEGA clip on it? Does the manhattan already have a clip you need to remove? I know you explained it HERE (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showpost.php?p=1667492&postcount=505), but just wondering if it's hard to mod?

Also, from another of your posts (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showpost.php?p=1650055&postcount=446), you mentioned a Thermaltake A4002D TR2 M2. Were you able to try it? Which is better?

[felix]

Also, anyone notice on the front LED panel, the time displays 0:15 instead of 12:15 am? I guess it's read from the BIOS, but can the format be adjusted?

[Bluefront]

Felix....The Manhattan heatsink mod is easy. I know it works. The clips on both the Manhattan and the MEGA have to be taken apart with a needle-nose pliers....easy. Then the MEGA clip slips into the Manhattan and is reassembled...again easy. You have to spread apart the fins slightly to get the clip all the way to the base.

I did try to mod that Thermaltake HSF. No go....it's slightly too wide to get the clip to fit.

[Bluefront]

Mega Fact....Did you know?

MEGA 651 computers run hot....for a number of reasons. Many people try to run a hot CPU in this computer. IMHO, anything over a P4-2.4 is pushing your luck. There is only the PSU fan (80mm) trying to exhaust all the heat generated in the case. Most standard cases have at least one other case fan blowing out, and another blowing in.

IMHO....The supplied HSF leaves a lot to be desired. The fins are positioned so close together, airflow through the thing is restricted. That is why you hear the noisy fan reving up all the time.

IMHO.... The exhaust vent holes on the right rear of the case are poorly designed. The PSU is actually trying to make an intake out of those holes, and in fact sucks outside air, heated by the CPU, back into the PSU. And when it does this, the airflow through the front part of the case is diminished...causing everything else in the case to run hotter.

IMHO....Adding a full sized AGP card to this computer is folly, when you're using the stock HSF. The location of the card blocks airflow to the stock CPU fan, and it restricts airflow into the PSU.

IMHO...adding a standard sized hard drive adds to the heat problem. They add about 20w of heat to the case, verses about 3w for a laptop drive.

IMHO.....The HSF needs to be all-copper (or at least have a copper base). This computer needs all the help it can get in the heat dept.....a copper heatsink will help a lot.

IMHO....The standard exhaust grills on the PSU and the case itself, are over-kill, and way too restrictive.

This computer runs a bunch cooler with a 92mm PSU mod....and runs a bunch cooler with a slot fan. These two mods help cooling, without adding much noise.

A long cd drive doesn't help matters. A standard MSI drive is 6.5" long...a Sony drive is available that short. Longer drives hang over the CPU, and restrict airflow if you're using a top mounted CPU fan.

There's more to this problem....and it can be fixed.

But doing just one thing....like a different/better CPU HSF, probably won't be enough to make this hot/noisy MEGA into an acceptable computer. IMHO

[WLJ101]

replace the PSU Fan helps alot!!! but i won't recommend to RFDers to mod it, you can break the PSU so easily.

I didn't custom made a copper plate to hold the HDD sideway. I used some wire to hang it inside the mega. I will post a picture later. haha.

WLJ1O1

[Esca]

Esca, buy that 9600 Pro I posted in Hot Deals... it works pretty well in my rig, and it's both cheap and powerful enough...

Well, for $12 more plus tax I could get Sapphire Radeon 9600Pro Advantage 256MB DDR AGP 8X w/ TV-Out, DVI (OEM). I think this will be the card I'll end up getting.

[bk]

Well, for $12 more plus tax I could get Sapphire Radeon 9600Pro Advantage 256MB DDR AGP 8X w/ TV-Out, DVI (OEM). I think this will be the card I'll end up getting.

The "Advantage" will probably end up being slower as the ram should be clocked lower (466mhz vs 600mhz). The extra 128MB of ram probably wouldn't help much for a card of this speed anyway.

[Bluefront]

FWIW....The Fortron PSU in the MEGA 651 is a fairly standard unit, only with a slightly different shape to fit the MEGA case. I've seen no indication that it is easy to break.

It comes out of the MEGA easily (six screws). The fan comes out easily....five screws plus bending four small metal tabs. You don't have to take the PSU case apart. The only difficulty you might have is with the two fan wires....They will have to be spliced/connected somehow if you replace the fan. If you can't connect wires....you probably shouldn't be modding anything.

Changing the PSU fan (80mm) to a 92mm fan is only slightly more difficult. It requires a tin snip and a few cuts.

My only warning....Don't put your fingers inside the PSU. You don't need to in order to complete any PSU fan mods. Happy modding. :lol:

[WLJ101]

if someone here is going to mod the PSU, i have a suggestion. you can make the air vent larger, so that the 80mm fan you put in, the 3-pin power cable can go thru the hole inside the mega instead of thru outside of the case.

wLj1O1

[felix]

I'm looking for the cheapest place to buy the manhattan heatsink from right now. Unfortunately for us being in Canada, they are not very easy to find. Maybe I should move to the US since every time I do an upgrade I have a headache trying to find the parts around here. >:(

One of the links posted, from CompuStore (http://www.mycompustore.com/product_info.php/products_id/5666), seems to have it for $16 US and when I create a new account with my address and personal information, it gives me a list of shipping options where the cheapest is $2.70 US via Economy (Surface) Letter-post or $3.75 US via Airmail Letter-post. But then when I try to checkout, it says the shipping cost is $33 US. The only option that seems to work is UPS Canada Standard for $8.92 US for a total of $24.92 US shipped (and should be no duty taxes since the item is slightly less than $20 CDN).

So is this the cheapest for the manhattan for us Canadians?

I've also considered buying from a US site with free shipping to US address like zipzoomfly (http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=269856), then use a mail forwarding service like http://www.shopthestates.com


Sigh .. so complicated. :cry:

[WLJ101]

is there any in Bigfootcomputers?

they usually have something that is not listed on their website... even the quaitity shows "zero"... they have it sometimes.

WLJ1O1

[felix]

is there any in Bigfootcomputers?

they usually have something that is not listed on their website... even the quaitity shows "zero"... they have it sometimes.

WLJ1O1
I just checked, no luck. The only thing that seems close in dimensions is this ..
http://www.bigfootcomputers.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=1681&Category_Code=0030

But at $50 CDN it's a bit too expensive for me, even if it does fit.

[sfu_lifer]

Sweet. My replacement Mega 651 came in via UPS today!

Thanks for the EXCELLENT customer service, CC. I had my doubts but they've all been washed away clean.
Couldn't have asked for better packaging this time around. Sure it was $15 to ship it back but I have a perfect unit this time around. I took out the bottom 3.5" crap immediately and the fan is not turning on in high speed mode as much.
I might mod it further to make it quiet but I am running a P4 2.8 in there with a full size AIW card :)
The standard fan noise doesn't bother me so much since my Xbox is WAY louder.
No issues so far.

[WLJ101]

I just checked, no luck. The only thing that seems close in dimensions is this ..
http://www.bigfootcomputers.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=1681&Category_Code=0030

But at $50 CDN it's a bit too expensive for me, even if it does fit.


but how come you don't mod the mega like what i did?

use the coolermaster heatsink and cut the case a little bit ??

[felix]

yeah, I was kind of confused by those posts. Looks almost exactly the same as the Manhattan bluefront was referring to. You mean this post right?

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showpost.php?p=1605717&postcount=333


I did a quick google on those part numbers mentioned ..

Coolermaster HHC-001 Copper Heatpipe Heatsink
http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1128

Coolermaster HHC-L61 Copper Heatpipe Heatsink
http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1126

I'm very confused as to which one is best now. HHC-001 or HHC-L61 or manhattan?


And what do you mean by cutting the case? Do you mean cutting is required for it to fit? And why are you guys using separate fans instead of the stock fan it comes with?

[felix]

Links to the above at Bigfoot ...

HHC-L61
http://www.bigfootcomputers.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=7166COOL&Category_Code=367.1

HHC-001
http://www.bigfootcomputers.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=7167COOL&Category_Code=367.1

Shipping is $5.98 CDN to Ontario & Quebec.

The only other place I see that ships to Canada is ByteWize but is $15 more ..

HHC-L61
http://www.bytewizecomputers.com/products/7/11/20/2489

HHC-001
http://www.bytewizecomputers.com/products/7/11/20/2488

This one I can pick up in Kingston so I don't need to pay for shipping whatever it is.

[Bluefront]

Felix...I haven't tried the Coolermaster heatsinks, because I was unable to find any in stock. They appear to be slightly smaller than the Manhattan, and use a 60mm fan, rather than a 70mm. They do use two heatpipes in their design....so they may work as well as the larger Manhattan.

I can tell you this....the 70mm Evercool fan on the Manhattan is a real good fan, quiet at low rpms, and blows a lot of air at high rpms. Finding a good 60mm or 70mm fan is not easy...most are very noisy.

The fan on the Manhattan is 25mm thick. If you had a clearance problem with a std HD mount, you could substitute a 15mm fan. There are a few around. I've used sideways HD mounts on my modded MEGAs....no clearance problems.

[felix]

oh no .. do you mean I can't use any of those above heatsinks without moving around my hard drive? :(

[dk]

No! Don't buy from Compustore. I ordered on March 11 to a Chicago location, and they still not have shipped it!

15+ phone calls, 7+ emails, and they only answered once.

I'm looking for the cheapest place to buy the manhattan heatsink from right now. Unfortunately for us being in Canada, they are not very easy to find. Maybe I should move to the US since every time I do an upgrade I have a headache trying to find the parts around here. >:(

One of the links posted, from CompuStore (http://www.mycompustore.com/product_info.php/products_id/5666), seems to have it for $16 US and when I create a new account with my address and personal information, it gives me a list of shipping options where the cheapest is $2.70 US via Economy (Surface) Letter-post or $3.75 US via Airmail Letter-post. But then when I try to checkout, it says the shipping cost is $33 US. The only option that seems to work is UPS Canada Standard for $8.92 US for a total of $24.92 US shipped (and should be no duty taxes since the item is slightly less than $20 CDN).

So is this the cheapest for the manhattan for us Canadians?

I've also considered buying from a US site with free shipping to US address like zipzoomfly (http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=269856), then use a mail forwarding service like http://www.shopthestates.com


Sigh .. so complicated. :cry:

[dk]

Not sure if anybody has posted this, but the Manhatten/Kingwin are at TD


http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=714255&sku=K450-1004

[felix]

Thanks for the warning dk. I actually found a seller on eBay who is willing to ship the Kingwin to Canada for $23 US shipped via UPS Standard. But I'm still wondering, will I have a clearance problem with my hard drive in the stock drive bay? Or is it only the better, coolermaster ones that have this problem? Or just one of the two models?

We are aware the TD sells this Kingwin also, but as you know we try to avoid ScammerDirect if at all possible. :|

[felix]

anybody?

[spol]

Thanks for the warning dk. I actually found a seller on eBay who is willing to ship the Kingwin to Canada for $23 US shipped via UPS Standard. But I'm still wondering, will I have a clearance problem with my hard drive in the stock drive bay?

No you should be ok with the clearance, however UPS will charge you about $20 when you import an item thats between 20 to 30 CAN. so watch out for that

[felix]

ok that's good. Then it's only with the coolermasters then I guess. I'm tempted to just buy the Kingwin since it's the cheapest and easiest to get after shipping and taxes, etc.

[spol]

ok so I'm almost finished with my Mega, but I just broke one of the pins of the cpu that i bought this week, which was a Celeron M 2.4
I probably now go for a P4 2.4


anyways as I said no matter what I was gonna put my fav 80mm fan on the HS.
here are some pics: http://www.geocities.com/spolitta/

I have two mega units and I compared the noise of the PSU fan of both, and the grill cutted one is damn silent. So I highly recomand cuting the PSU.


Now all i need is a short CD-Rom for better airflow for my HS. So anybody knows of an exact model of a short CD-rom i could find somewhere? Bluefront may be you know one huh? :lol:

thanks.

[felix]

I have two mega units and I compared the noise of the PSU fan of both, and the grill cutted one is damn silent. So I highly recomand cuting the PSU.


So I see from the pics you cut both the PSU grill and the case grill? Does it help if I cut the PSU grill only, and not the case grill? I suppose it's only the PSU grill that could make contact with the PSU fan right? I know it's better to add a fan grill but I don't know how to make the holes for it. >:(

And how did you stick the fan adapter to the heatsink?

[Bluefront]

spol....looks like you're getting there. There are Sony CD/RW/DVD models that are advertised on the package as "compact". This is 6.5".....same size as the MSI MEGA units.

Why not just use an external optical drive?

[Bluefront]

Well I've started MEGA#4.....thought I'd try an 80mm fan on the Manhattan heatsink. Using an 80mm fan gives you a wide selection.... It's a pretty good fit. It requires a small adapter (cut out of a small sheet of aluminum). The adapter screws onto the heatsink....the fan screws onto the adapter. This setup overlaps the Manhattan slightly, toward the NB. So the passive NB will now get some airflow from the CPU fan. Should work just fine...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/80mmManhattan2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/80mmManhattanside2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/80mmManhattantop2.jpg



FWIW....I made the front page the other day with some of my computer mods. I'm Carl Bohne in the article from The Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/public/article/0,,SB111766935746748754-E4hdBch6FeIf0mpx3PoxZPSAHnc_20050702,00.html?mod=b logs). They call the MEGA a "Toaster Sized Computer". :lol:

[felix]

wow bluefront! How did they find out about you?

[ilikecheapstuff]

re: ASUS 9520X/TD

after finally getting a DVI to VGA adaptor, i realized the adaptor WILL NOT FIT because apparently the ASUS card provides a DVI-D (digital ONLY) port...

i have emailed CC to see if i can exchange this card for something that comes with a DVI port that CAN be converted to VGA

[felix]

^^ you mean for running dual monitors right? Cuz I just picked up mine from CC ($59) and so far it fits and works well with the VGA connection. Haven't done benchmarks on it yet. Still waiting for the cpu cooler and such ...

[ilikecheapstuff]

^^ you mean for running dual monitors right? Cuz I just picked up mine from CC ($59) and so far it fits and works well with the VGA connection. Haven't done benchmarks on it yet. Still waiting for the cpu cooler and such ...

yeah
the vga works fine
but i wanted to convert the DVI to vga as well
so i'm gonna see what happens.

[dealtaker]

Does anyone know where to get MSI MediaCenter ?
Or even jsut the two dll's
MSIDrvIF.dll, ForMpc.dll
They are needed for the girder plugin
Thanks

[ilikecheapstuff]

called CC this morning and after a little talking with the manager, i have replaced my ASUS 9520X/TD to a 256mb powercolor 9250

setting up drivers now
will post benchmark scores soon

[ilikecheapstuff]

just got myself an ASUS V9520X/TD yesterday, 3dmark2001 scores are up 400%..
that's from around 1200 to 5300 or so...

that in itself is good enuf for me, but also the CPU PCmark2002 score is up 25% because the CPU no longer has to be used as a GPU as well...

memory scores are about the same


but now i'm back to looking for a DVI to SVGA adaptor to get my dual monitor setup going...


powercolor radeon 9250 256mb 3dmark score 6875

however, only has directX 8.1 support.

SUPPORTS dual VGA (with dvi to VGA adaptor)
includes svideo to composite adaptor and composite cable

[ilikecheapstuff]

re: powercolor 9250 256mb

happy with the card, but cpu temp is up 5 degrees or so
idling around 46-48

[renhui]

Hi, just want to let you guys know that Pentium 4 3.06Ghz HT processor works flawlessly in Mega 651 with HT enabled. . I can feel a huge speed jump from my celeron 2.0@2.66, which lagged a lot when I watched TV on MCE2005. The only downside is the temparature, idling at 57 celsius and jumping to 68 when I played NFS Underground II. I think that's the worst scenario you ever came across with mega651, 3.06ghz HT, Full height AIW9700pro, 250GB desktop harddrive, full-length DVD burner. But if I kept the fan runing at full speed using Speedfan, it's something like 50 to 55.
Looking to get a PCI slot cooler, but no one carries that locally. Ordered from Bytewize one week ago still haven't got it.

[ilikecheapstuff]

Hi, just want to let you guys know that Pentium 4 3.06Ghz HT processor works flawlessly in Mega 651 with HT enabled. . I can feel a huge speed jump from my celeron 2.0@2.66, which lagged a lot when I watched TV on MCE2005. The only downside is the temparature, idling at 57 celsius and jumping to 68 when I played NFS Underground II. I think that's the worst scenario you ever came across with mega651, 3.06ghz HT, Full height AIW9700pro, 250GB desktop harddrive, full-length DVD burner. But if I kept the fan runing at full speed using Speedfan, it's something like 50 to 55.
Looking to get a PCI slot cooler, but no one carries that locally. Ordered from Bytewize one week ago still haven't got it.

u're talking about the 533FSB one, rite?

yeah. not really that easy to find around anyway
and a bit too hot for my taste

[renhui]

yeah, the 3.06 is 533FSB, which is the only 533FSB P4 that supports Hyperthreading. didn't expect to get it in such a short time(less than 2 weeks) and at a great price too. :lol:
well, if you are using a p4 2.4 and up, this one is definitely too hot and unneccessary, but since I was using a crappy celeron, the HUGE speed increase is well worth the HEAT generated by the 3.06.

u're talking about the 533FSB one, rite?

yeah. not really that easy to find around anyway
and a bit too hot for my taste

[renhui]

well, I once emailed MSI support to see if I can get a serial number for the media center, even though I scanned my receipt and included the image with the mail, still no luck. :(
BTW, which remote control are you using?
Does anyone know where to get MSI MediaCenter ?
Or even jsut the two dll's
MSIDrvIF.dll, ForMpc.dll
They are needed for the girder plugin
Thanks

[felix]

renhui, how much did you get your 3.06 for? Was it off ebay?

[dealtaker]

well, I once emailed MSI support to see if I can get a serial number for the media center, even though I scanned my receipt and included the image with the mail, still no luck. :(
BTW, which remote control are you using?

I'm hoping to use this plugin
http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?PHPSESSID=c7d291c44dd8d99805d0f65233174e ab&topic=51520.0
with girder.

[AnitaPeterson]

Very important question...

How did you guys enable the USB 2.0 ports? I plugged a device in the front ports today, only to be told that there are no USB 2.0 drivers installed...

The MSI CD that came with the MEGA only has drivers for W2k, and my XP installation won't recognize them... (kind of idiotic, considering MSI strongly advocates using the 651 with XP !?)

Also, how did you get the modem to be seen/properly installed by the system?

[ilikecheapstuff]

Very important question...

How did you guys enable the USB 2.0 ports? I plugged a device in the front ports today, only to be told that there are no USB 2.0 drivers installed...

The MSI CD that came with the MEGA only has drivers for W2k, and my XP installation won't recognize them... (kind of idiotic, considering MSI strongly advocates using the 651 with XP !?)

Also, how did you get the modem to be seen/properly installed by the system?

i've had that problem with the USB 2.0 as well
i plug in a USB flash drive and it tells me the drive could go faster...
and i try other ports.. but then yeah.. no luck

the modem i just used whatever driver they had on the cd... worked for me
running winXP

[AnitaPeterson]

I figured out the procedure - allow Windows Update to operate automatically, reboot, make sure you've enabled USB 2.0 in BIOS, then when everything's up and running again, just plug in again a 2.0 device... the machine will do the rest... just don't do what I did... on the first try, I realized all this time I had my USB 1.1 keyboard plugged in... :D

[Bluefront]

Concerning the USB 2.0 problems.....after the initial XP install and SP1 or SP2 update, go to control panel/device manager. Find the USB device not recognized, then allow XP to update the driver automatically. It will then find the correct driver without any other actions...

Here's another question about the front USB ports....they seem to be powered all the time. If you leave a USB hard drive (the type that doesn't need a power adapter) plugged in, it will stay running all the time....with the computer turned off. Short of remembering to unplug the thing, is there any setting to turn off power to that port when the computer is off?

[ilikecheapstuff]

Concerning the USB 2.0 problems.....after the initial XP install and SP1 or SP2 update, go to control panel/device manager. Find the USB device not recognized, then allow XP to update the driver automatically. It will then find the correct driver without any other actions...

Here's another question about the front USB ports....they seem to be powered all the time. If you leave a USB hard drive (the type that doesn't need a power adapter) plugged in, it will stay running all the time....with the computer turned off. Short of remembering to unplug the thing, is there any setting to turn off power to that port when the computer is off?


i don't follow how to fix the USB 2.0 problem AFTER i've already gotten all those updates in

all my USB devices are recognized... how do i go about making them re-update the driver?

i think the front USB ports are also powered the same way the CD rom drive is... so unless u plug it in from the back... i don't think there's another way of getting it unpowered

but then again with all the mods u've done... i suppose u can probably figure out a way to set some kind of switch that turns on/off the power that's feeding to the USB

[renhui]

Hi felix, I got my 3.06 from a nice RFD fellow for the price of a brand new P4 2.66 also on sale here :)
These 3.06s are going at crazy prices on ebay, mostly more than 200US dollars. :twisted:
renhui, how much did you get your 3.06 for? Was it off ebay?

Aren't all the USB ports(2 front+2 rear +1 inside) powered all the time?

Here's another question about the front USB ports....they seem to be powered all the time. If you leave a USB hard drive (the type that doesn't need a power adapter) plugged in, it will stay running all the time....with the computer turned off. Short of remembering to unplug the thing, is there any setting to turn off power to that port when the computer is off?

[felix]

Hi felix, I got my 3.06 from a nice RFD fellow for the price of a brand new P4 2.66 also on sale here :)
These 3.06s are going at crazy prices on ebay, mostly more than 200US dollars. :twisted:

So you got it for $170 shipped? Not bad.

[Bluefront]

Ok...making USB 2.0 work. After you update XP with SP1 or SP2, go to control panel....device manager...double click on Universal Serial Bus Controllers. You should find SIS PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller (this is USB 2.0).....and it might not be recognized. Right click on it, then click update driver. Then let XP update the driver automatically.

For some reason you need to do this on a number of computers, not just the MEGA.

[ilikecheapstuff]

still no luck

the device is recognized
i tried to pick the 'standard PCI to USB enhanced host controller

sometimes when i try to reinstall the driver it crashes on me a restarts the computer

other times the 'installation' is successful... however then none of the USB devices respond... (both mouse and keyboard are USB for me) so i have to restart

then they respond
i plug in my usb drive, back to the 'this device can perform faster' message


i've tried probably a handful of times and none have worked :(
what was the part about updating SP1 and/or 2?
cuz mine already has SP2 installed...

but not helping.

[felix]

Well, I called Bigfoot and they really were out of stock on the HHC-L61 Coolermaster heatsinks. I asked if they will get anymore in stock and they said maybe in 2 weeks. And the other other place that sells it (ByteWise) has it for $45 + tax. No wonder why they have rare stuff in stock, selling at almost twice the price of others.

Anyway, I ended up buying the Kingwin KCU-7025 from this eBay auction ...
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6746011521

Wasn't directly through the auction though since you can't bid on an immediate payment required auction without a US registered ebay account and US shipping address. So I asked the seller and he said he would ship to Canada for $13 UPS Standard.

So my total for the manhattan was $22.95 US, or $29.39 CAD charged to my credit card. Not bad. Cheapest way for us to get it anyway. :)

[felix]

Just FYI Bluefront, the "MEGA 651 Bluefront Posts" link in your sig is dead. Not sure how you can link a search on these boards.

[Bluefront]

More on USB 2.0......Well the original XP did not support USB 2.0. Either update (SP1 or SP2) added USB 2.0 support. Maybe get a stand-alone SP2 update and reinstall it......

I assume you have USB 2.0 enabled in the BIOS?

I'm out of ideas. :(

[ilikecheapstuff]

More on USB 2.0......Well the original XP did not support USB 2.0. Either update (SP1 or SP2) added USB 2.0 support. Maybe get a stand-alone SP2 update and reinstall it......

I assume you have USB 2.0 enabled in the BIOS?

I'm out of ideas. :(

oh well
thanks for trying to help out tho

kinda funny that u mention all the trials that i've just happened to have

usb devices all recognized, all the updates done

and even now.. the SP2 wa the disc that i got microsoft to mail to me.. so that's standalone alright

oh well
i guess i'll have to live with my USB 1.1 for now until i need to reformat

[ilikecheapstuff]

okay so i've given up on making it go faster

now i've just disabled the balloon that tells me my device can go faster.

i can now 'pretend' it's going fast.

[Bluefront]

Let me get this straight.....you don't show an SIS PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller in your list of USB devices?

In device manager, click view, then click "show hidden devices". If SP2 installed correctly, the enhanced controller should be there somewhere. If it shows up, a driver update should fix it.

[Bluefront]

Well I've been tweaking MEGA #4, the one in this post (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showpost.php?p=1724181&postcount=613). It has a Mantattan heatsink, with a Speeze low-speed 80mm fan. The PSU is modded to a 92mm fan (Power Logic 40cfm). I have a P4-2.53, 1 gig ram, a 3.5" HD sideways, A half-height Radeon 7000 and a PCI tv tuner.

This thing is quiet. The CPU fan stays off most of the time....idles at 42C with a 27C ambient. One 92mm fan cooling everything. Even the HD stays around 35C.

What is the secret? Ducting. Without it the CPU fan stays running at an idle, and the HD temps are over 40C. If anyone is interested I can take some better photos of the setup. The ducts are made of plastic and foam...no big deal. Took about an hour total. The right rear vent holes are covered up, and all the PSU exhaust is pulled through the Manhattan heatsink. I need a laptop drive for this MEGA....that's the noisiest thing left in the computer. :lol:

[renhui]

Eventually got around to do some minor modding. I bought a slim pci slot cooler from a local store (AOC branded, 4200rpm) and i have to say i am really impressed with the results:
cpu temp(57->50@idling)
harddrive temp(from 47->43@idling)
local temp(49-47@idling).
And I digged out my old athlon 1600 heatsink(cooler master branded, looks like this one (http://www.coolermaster.com/index.php?LT=english&Language_s=2&url_place=product&p_serial=DP5-6I11A-0L&other_title=+DP5-6I11A-0L+CPU%20Cooler) except the clip is different) and managed to mount it on the mega, still using the original fan. Now the cpu temp became even three degree higher than before(53), due to the smaller surface area of the heatsink. But now the harddrive temp and local temp dropped to 39 and 44 respectively. I am going to get a similar copper hsf in the hope of bringing the cpu idling temp down to under 50.
Of course, I got all these good ideas from you fellows here, the credit especially goes to Bluefront. :lol:
FYI, I am using relatively high-end part for my mega:
p4 3.06ghz HT
AIW 9700Pro
WD 250GB HD
LG 12X DVD burner
USB devices: Bluetooth, Wireless internet, remote wonder receiver.

[Bluefront]

The MEGA does have a heatsink problem.....and most of the newer heatsinks designed for modern CPUs are way too big to fit the MEGA. So what we are forced to do is to use a heatsink designed for a much cooler-running CPU. IMHO....getting a copper heatsink like the Manhattan I use, as big as possible that fits.....is of great importance to cooling the MEGA properly.

Increasing the exhaust flow by the use of a slot cooler, or increasing the PSU fan to 92mm is also a big help.

Also it's easier to cool a 2.0 Celeron, then to cool a P4-3.0.

There are other methods that help temperatures....ducting helps a bunch. A laptop cooler that sits under the MEGA helps some.

There are also places to add more internal fans in the MEGA....but that adds more noise. Lots of options to try..... :lol:

[ilikecheapstuff]

Let me get this straight.....you don't show an SIS PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller in your list of USB devices?

In device manager, click view, then click "show hidden devices". If SP2 installed correctly, the enhanced controller should be there somewhere. If it shows up, a driver update should fix it.

it shows
it's recognized
windows doesn't have any 'new' updates for it

and when i do try to 'pick specific driver' for it it will load the files, then cut off power to all my usb devices.. then it's basically crashed cuz i have no PS2 keyboard/mouse

[Bluefront]

Boy you've got a tough problem. Here's a technique I've use on stubborn USB problems.....Go into device manager again and uninstall all the USB devices. Don't disable them....just uninstall. Shut down the computer and remove the AC cord for a few minutes.

Then reboot and XP will reinstall everything, hopefully fixing the USB 2.0 problem. You're certain you have USB 2.0 enabled in the BIOS? This is a fixable problem....tough but fixable. :cheesygri

[ilikecheapstuff]

i'll just start taking pictures of every thing i'm 'setting' or uninstalling and see if u get a good idea of what's going on.

now if it wasn't so hot and did i say SO HOT around here i'd be gladly doing it. but i'm almost melting in my chair and things will be a little slower.

[ilikecheapstuff]

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ilikecheapstuff/album?.dir=/9611

tried what Bluefront suggested... still no help

when i tried to uninstall the usb, it would try to 'refind' or reinstall the USB enhanced host controller right away... so before i can even shut down it's got it reinstalled.


anyway
the gallery shows the screenshots/photos of what's going on... along with some photos of the guts of the computer

btw
i had a picture of the ram on my powercolor video card there

does anyone know how to check what 'timing' video card ram has?
i've checked some review sites on the video card and they all seem to have different types of ram... not samsung.

ah never mind
found it

ew... 5.0 ns ram

[Bluefront]

Hummm....try doing that procedure this way.

Unplug the wires from the card reader to the board. Disconect all other USB devices. In device manager uninstall the root hubs first, then the host controllers. Finally, uninstall the enhanced controller last. Turn off the computer, unhook the ac wire for a few minutes....reboot.

Report back.... :lol:

[renhui]

I just dissembled my MEGA again and found out the PLL as below:
ICS UA731032
0325
952001AF

According to here (http://www.podien.de/FSB.HTM#finding%20the%20PLL), this PLL is officially supported in cpucool to manually set FSB bus speed, however, I tried to set FSB to 80*4 and my mega froze immediately. maybe my cpu is a bad overclocker. :confused:



It's 48.0F 3F. Do I sense a little o-clocking here? :razz:

ICS UN920131
0310
937228F

[ilikecheapstuff]

Hummm....try doing that procedure this way.

Unplug the wires from the card reader to the board. Disconect all other USB devices. In device manager uninstall the root hubs first, then the host controllers. Finally, uninstall the enhanced controller last. Turn off the computer, unhook the ac wire for a few minutes....reboot.

Report back.... :lol:

uninstalled root hubs, had to leave one of them cuz that one was connected to my keyboard

then uninstalled the host controllers...
after i uninstalled host controllers, it took out my root hub for my keyboard too.. so i didn't even make it to uninstalling the enhanced controller...

and i tried to mod my slot fan with the Blue LEDs today... took it apart and then the wires broke off.. >:( now i have to find someone who's got a soldering iron. :(

[Bluefront]

Well I don't think that procedure will work if you leave anything USB connected. XP will immediately reinstall the drivers for the keyboard....Try to find a temporary PS2 keyboard.....

[Bluefront]

Here's another drive that works in the MEGA....Lite-On 16xDVD/RW #SOHW-1673S06C. Reads/writes all formats except DVD-RAM.

This is the shortest drive I've found....6.5", same as the SONY. It is 1/8" shorter than the MSI drive that came with the MEGA. You can get this in different colors....one version came with several bezels. Mine is black. Nice drive.... :)

[sukasem]

Soory, if it was posted before. I didn't read the whole thread.

I just have time to play with CPUFSB. Wow, it works. you can overclock you CPU thru CPUFSB.

use ICS - 952001

have fun,

[Bluefront]

I tried CPUFSB......but couldn't get it to recognize an FSB setting over 133, which is what I'm running default (P4-2.4). Anybody else tried this?

I'm finishing some front panel mods....here's my first experiment using an LED temp sensor out of an Antec HD cooler. The reading cycles back and forth between the CPU temp and the HD temp. Works nice....When I'm satisfied I'll probably use the blank panel the came with the MEGA to mount the thing.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA3/LEDGuage2.jpg

[AnitaPeterson]

OK, I found the fix:

http://www.usbman.com/USB%202%20News.htm

See that SIS patch? Do it! Then follow the procedure I described in my earlier post.

BTW, use a PS/2 keyboard, like everyone here says... at least until you have the problem solved.

[sukasem]

I tried CPUFSB......but couldn't get it to recognize an FSB setting over 133, which is what I'm running default (P4-2.4). Anybody else tried this?

I'm finishing some front panel mods....here's my first experiment using an LED temp sensor out of an Antec HD cooler. The reading cycles back and forth between the CPU temp and the HD temp. Works nice....When I'm satisfied I'll probably use the blank panel the came with the MEGA to mount the thing.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA3/LEDGuage2.jpg

I did 143 on Mobile Celeron.

[Bluefront]

I finished installing two extra USB ports, using the header behind the radio module. My half-height ATI tuner had enough space above the card to install the ports. Only one works however, and I don't have a card reader installed. Might be a wire problem. MSI might have the wire pin-outs reversed on the second port. I have never seen a picture of the board that numbers all the different pins....working on it. :D

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/extraports2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/rearports2.jpg

[felix]

A reason why only one of your USB ports works could be due to the lack of power through the USB port. On my older computer, I noticed only some of the USB ports worked properly when I had a lot of USB devices attached to the back (mouse, keyboard, printer, scanner) so I found myself plugging/unplugging them all the time. Very frustrating. Then I realized and so I had to buy an external AC powered USB hub to solve the problem.

[Bluefront]

AnitaP.....That SIS registry patch you linked to, came out right after XP was first released. I'm fairly certain SP1 fixed the problem.

I don't know what this patch would do to/for an SP2 updated XP....probably nothing.

Strange nobody else reported USB 2.0 problems.... :|

That USB MAN site has been around for years....very good info there.

[Bluefront]

Felix...I don't think that's the problem. I'm testing it without any USB devices attached. It's just that one port that's dead. Anybody ever seen a wire diagram for the board?

[ilikecheapstuff]

pg 22 in manual...

at least the v1.0 manual.. the v1.4 one that is from the site (which i can't access, but i've downloaded a while back) is pg 23

[squall458]

AnitaP.....That SIS registry patch you linked to, came out right after XP was first released. I'm fairly certain SP1 fixed the problem.

I don't know what this patch would do to/for an SP2 updated XP....probably nothing.

Strange nobody else reported USB 2.0 problems.... :|

That USB MAN site has been around for years....very good info there.

my mega is starting to have usb 2.0 issues too now! when i plug in a 2.0 device, it says that it could run faster blah blah, but thats only half the time now. if i unplug it, and replug it, it usually recognizes at 2.0 fine. and how did you attach the fan to the back of the power supply?? i love your mods!

[felix]

MSI Live Update for MSI MEGA 651 (2nd one killed my stereo) (http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/software/swr/spt_swr_detail.php?UID=431&kind=4)
it's supposed to update the LCD, (allows u to change the 'welcome message' so i was like.. 'cool... i can make it display my name'. haha. then it died.

Did you find the solution to this ... I haven't tried it yet cuz I'm afraid mine would die too. :)

Anyone else have this same problem?

[ilikecheapstuff]

Did you find the solution to this ... I haven't tried it yet cuz I'm afraid mine would die too. :)

Anyone else have this same problem?

doesn't seem like anyone else did. just me

anyone know what the update does?

other than let u change the 'welcome' to somethign else?

[Bluefront]

I'm beginning to believe there are slight differences between the mother-boards on all the MEGAs we have.....which may contribute to the various problems reported.

I did the LCD update on three MEGAs without any problem....didn't change the message however, and saw no changes in the LCD operation.

I down-loaded the latest manual for the MEGA, trying to fix my one dead USB port. The diagram in the manual is not the same as my board.....for the USB connections anyway. In fact I've never seen any MB with wire pin-outs like those in the manual. I've always seen USB pin-outs with the single port wires lined up....not criss-crossed like the manual indicates. Maybe the numbered markings on my board are screwed up....arrg.

[felix]

So how exactly do you change the welcome message? Just run the program and use keyboard right? I would like to customize it to surprise my sister.

[ilikecheapstuff]

well when i was running that program it let me 'change th message'
and ever since that last time it killed mine,i dun wanna try it again

[ilikecheapstuff]

Well I don't think that procedure will work if you leave anything USB connected. XP will immediately reinstall the drivers for the keyboard....Try to find a temporary PS2 keyboard.....


tried this and also tried the sis fix thing
both with no avail
still showing the device can go faster.
same with my back ports

[AnitaPeterson]

hmmm...

the last suggestion - look in the MSI MEGA forums:
http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?board=29.0

[ilikecheapstuff]

eh
i give up until i reformat my computer.

[ilikecheapstuff]

rebenchmarked my video card
had the case off, only was using one monitor

Powercolor 9250 256mb ram 128-bit card: 6969 3dmark 2001SE

[felix]

hmmm...

the last suggestion - look in the MSI MEGA forums:
http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?board=29.0
From that link I found a thread that may be useful ..

Things to know before building a Mega 651 (and other things you should know afterwards)
http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?topic=65078.0

[ilikecheapstuff]

yeah
anitaP posted that thread a while back... and i've found a few links that were actually pertaining to the USB problems... but then i tried everythign and still no luck...

i'll just try it again when i reformmat the next time

not too bad for me... only 30gb. :D


so, felix... how's ur cpu cooler and stuff coming along?
i really wanna cut up my case a little bit for the 92mm fan and such, but i need to find the time to do it and also find a good fan for it...
i'm at school right now and don't really have any time for it...
and i don't see too many 92mm fans @ canada computers except for the vantec stealth and the zalman with the bracket...
anyone know how 'well' this one performs?
http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=002022&cid=FN.505
cheaper than the vantec one too
and i'll have an extra bracket to play with later. hahaha

[felix]

I actually have that Zalman FB123 bracket you mentioned. The 92mm fan is detachable. I bought it for an older computer and replaced it with a 120mm Nexus fan. :) Not sure how it would fit in the MEGA though!

My cpu heatsink thing hasn't come yet. Probably on Thursday since it was shipped last thursday.

[ilikecheapstuff]

I actually have that Zalman FB123 bracket you mentioned. The 92mm fan is detachable. I bought it for an older computer and replaced it with a 120mm Nexus fan. :) Not sure how it would fit in the MEGA though!

My cpu heatsink thing hasn't come yet. Probably on Thursday since it was shipped last thursday.


well the PSU mod that bluefront has is a 92mm fan
that's what i planned on doing with it

[ilikecheapstuff]

I actually have that Zalman FB123 bracket you mentioned. The 92mm fan is detachable. I bought it for an older computer and replaced it with a 120mm Nexus fan. :) Not sure how it would fit in the MEGA though!

My cpu heatsink thing hasn't come yet. Probably on Thursday since it was shipped last thursday.

however.. u haven't told me if was good for it's purpose

any ideas? or did u just not use it long enuf

[felix]

you mean the Zalman bracket? Yes, it's good but only because I need it since my heatsink is the copper flower and by itself is passively cooled without a fan. :D This is of course on a desktop we're talking about.

[Bluefront]

Here's a few photos of what the cuts look like if you do the 92mm fan mod. Don't pierce any wires when you drill/install the new fan screw holes/screws. A fan around .2A seems to work best without being noisy.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA3/92mmcut2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/MEGA3/psu92mmmod2.jpg

[ilikecheapstuff]

heh
i'm just a little worried at what 'reactions' i'll get when i walk into the student shop on campus and they see me carrying a computer case and starting to hacking it apart. XD

[ilikecheapstuff]

got the fan

says 12V and 3.36W...
so P=IV therefore it should be around 0.28A

should be fine
if i want it really quiet i still have the adaptor i can use

i think basically that's just a resistor so that it eats up some of the voltage..

[Bluefront]

You probably don't have to do any voltage reduction tricks to that fan. The MEGA psu fan header is thermally controlled......usually runs under 6v. Just hook it up....you'll be fine.

[ilikecheapstuff]

oh.. hold on
so u're telling me the PSU fan is not soldered to the board but it's a fan controller plug? the 3 pin kinds...?

if it is then sweet. :)

btw.. should i get one of those fan grills for the back fan? someone stupid (like me) might decide to reach back and accidentally hit it..

[Bluefront]

No..the wires are soldered to a small circuit board. But if you cut the wires close to the fan, there's enough slack to run them out through the upper vent hole by the agp slot. Run the fan wires through the little cover by the slot screws.....and make the splice there. There's only two wires from the psu to splice...

[ilikecheapstuff]

oh... so it's only temperature controlled in the sense that the PSU will cut off the power to the fan when it's cool enuf?

[Bluefront]

The temp control of the psu fan is different from the temp controlled cpu fan. The psu fan will always be running while the computer is on. It starts at a low voltage, and increases voltage when things heat up.

The cpu fan turns off under about 41C....the psu fan is running slowly at that temp......

[sukasem]

Sry if it was posted before,

I confirm that MEGA 651 supports HyperThread (HT).

[spol]

Sry if it was posted before,

I confirm that MEGA 651 supports HyperThread (HT).


can you be please more specific, whats the exact cpu info?

[felix]

My manhattan cpu heatsink came last week. Finally got a chance to install it, as well as minor mods to PSU (cut out the back fan grill and side as someone posted), and added a DVD burner which I didn't have before.

The MEGA is now so much quieter!! Well, noticeably quieter anyway, the room isn't as quiet as a closed door bedroom, so I can't say by how much. Also sometimes I hear some "seeking" sound, not sure if it's coming from the hard drive or whatever, so I assume it's the hard drive since I don't know any fan that makes that sound.

Strangely though, the temps went UP after this. I don't think it's due to the added DVD burner, since it went up by quite a lot. I was not able to remove the lower HDD bracket, since it seems attached to the upper HDD bracket holding the hard drive. So I just left it with the square cut out for the Zalman heatsink mod. Still, the mods were worth it because at least now it doesn't sound like a dying machine. Hope the temps are okay in the long run.


Idle temps before:
system: 44C degrees, cpu: 52C degrees

Idle temps after:
system: 48C degrees, cpu: 56C degrees


That's exactly 4 degrees higher for both. Not sure why, it's been running for over 24 hours, left on the BIOS screen. I used Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound for both the stock and the new manhattan heatsink.


Final system specs :
MSI MEGA PC 651
P4 2.66Ghz S478 512KB 533Mhz Northwood SL6PE MALAY 0351A440
1GB Kingston PC2700 DDR333 CL2.5 184-pin DIMM (KVR333X64C25/1G)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 80GB ATA/100 2MB 8.5ms 7200rpm hard drive (ST380011A)
Asus V9520-X/TD GeForce FX 5200 128MB DDR w/ TV-out, DVI-D
NEC ND-3520A 16x DVD±RW
Kingwin KCU-7025 CPU heatsink/fan



Anyway, I ended up buying the Kingwin KCU-7025 from this eBay auction ...
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6746011521

This is the seller I bought my manhattan from. As mentioned in my previous post (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showpost.php?p=1736376&postcount=637), shipping to Canada is $13 UPS. Came brand new as advertised and no duty taxes of course since it's only $10 US. Highly recommended! :)

[sukasem]

can you be please more specific, whats the exact cpu info?

I try mobile P4 3.2GHz HT
post at 12x100 = 1200 MHz and HT enable feature show up in Bios.

[felix]

I forgot to mention, I installed the Kingwin manhattan following Bluefront's instructions (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showpost.php?p=1667492&postcount=505). Very helpful, but I think you left out some detail. I found out there are two ways in which to put the MEGA clip into the manhattan. You want to orient it so that the big fat part of the clip when you attach it back is on the side where the ram is, otherwise it will block the cpu fan pin header and AGP slot when you put it together again. Also, in Bluefront's pics (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showthread.php?p=1624897&post1624897), it might be hard to see but I found you need to keep 9 fins on the PSU (rear) side, and 7 fins on the hard drive (front) side. At least that's how it would fit perfectly for my Kingwin version.

And the "a little force" part is an understatement .. I'm just glad I didn't break a finger trying to squeeze it through with my pliers. That part took me like half an hour, the rest of it wasn't too difficult even for a newbie modder. :cheesygri

So anyone else doing this mod might want to keep that in mind.

[ilikecheapstuff]

My manhattan cpu heatsink came last week. Finally got a chance to install it, as well as minor mods to PSU (cut out the back fan grill and side as someone posted), and added a DVD burner which I didn't have before.

The MEGA is now so much quieter!! Well, noticeably quieter anyway, the room isn't as quiet as a closed door bedroom, so I can't say by how much. Also sometimes I hear some "seeking" sound, not sure if it's coming from the hard drive or whatever, so I assume it's the hard drive since I don't know any fan that makes that sound.

Strangely though, the temps went UP after this. I don't think it's due to the added DVD burner, since it went up by quite a lot. I was not able to remove the lower HDD bracket, since it seems attached to the upper HDD bracket holding the hard drive. So I just left it with the square cut out for the Zalman heatsink mod. Still, the mods were worth it because at least now it doesn't sound like a dying machine. Hope the temps are okay in the long run.


Idle temps before:
system: 44C degrees, cpu: 52C degrees

Idle temps after:
system: 48C degrees, cpu: 56C degrees


That's exactly 4 degrees higher for both. Not sure why, it's been running for over 24 hours, left on the BIOS screen. I used Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound for both the stock and the new manhattan heatsink.


Final system specs :
MSI MEGA PC 651
P4 2.66Ghz S478 512KB 533Mhz Northwood SL6PE MALAY 0351A440
1GB Kingston PC2700 DDR333 CL2.5 184-pin DIMM (KVR333X64C25/1G)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 80GB ATA/100 2MB 8.5ms 7200rpm hard drive (ST380011A)
Asus V9520-X/TD GeForce FX 5200 128MB DDR w/ TV-out, DVI-D
NEC ND-3520A 16x DVD±RW
Kingwin KCU-7025 CPU heatsink/fan



This is the seller I bought my manhattan from. As mentioned in my previous post (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/showpost.php?p=1736376&postcount=637), shipping to Canada is $13 UPS. Came brand new as advertised and no duty taxes of course since it's only $10 US. Highly recommended! :)


still kinda find it hard to believe ur idle temps are that high... my comp is almost stock and it's only idling at 43-45 degrees for CPU and around 40 for local.. and the main difference you have is that ur processor is 2.66 and mine is 2.4... unless that causes it to rise by 10+ degrees, i dunno what to say

maybe you need to duct the airflow so that more air gets to and through your CPU heatsink. btw, what fan are you using for your CPU? did you manage to find another 10mm fan to put over the manhatten? or is it just fanless right now?

[Bluefront]

Well felix....glad to see you got the new heatsink to fit. And yes it can be assembled in several positions. I think the best bet is a mount as close to the psu as possible, without touching it.

FWIW....the temp of the cpu when sitting at the BIOS screen is usually about 5C higher than when XP is running(idling). MY BIOS temp is about 48C (ambient of 27C).....as soon as XP starts, the temp goes down to about 42/43C (idling).

And it's hard to compare different systems.....particularly after some mods are performed. The hottest cpu I've used is a p4-2.53. And I'm using a 92mm psu fan....along with a ducting system. So temp comparisons will show differences.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Manhattencooler-MEGAclip2.jpg

[ilikecheapstuff]

i was just in the shop today cutting out some grills for my side fan
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ilikecheapstuff/detail?.dir=/9611&.dnm=ee73.jpg&.src=ph

to help exhaust the air when i was wondering if i should cut out a hole and put a fan grill on it
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ilikecheapstuff/detail?.dir=/9611&.dnm=e3e2.jpg&.src=ph

so that i can make use of
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ilikecheapstuff/detail?.dir=/9611&.dnm=66b3.jpg&.src=ph

on the inside.
anyone have any opinions?

[Bluefront]

well if you don't want to do the 92mm psu fan mod....which I think works best.....I'd probably suggest the use of a slot fan in the pci slot. It'll be quieter (the noise goes out the back), and work about the same as cutting a new hole in the case, and using another side exhaust fan.

[felix]

I guess if my temps are similar to Bluefront's then it should be okay. :) I think my heatsink is touching the PSU ... the space in there is so tight, I think it has to touch either the PSU or hard drive cables or both. :cheesygri

[Bluefront]

MEGA fact (revised)...Did you Know?

This is a slight revision of a previous fact. The SIS chipset supports six USB ports. One is open, behind the radio module (pins on the board). The sixth is used by the card readers. And if you want to use it as a std USB port, you will have to disconnect the wire harness that goes to the card reader, and splice the four wires into a standard USB connection. The other four open pins next to the radio module have +5v and ground.....the center pins are dead.

The MEGA(651) does not use the std USB colors for it's wire harness (that went to the card reader). Here's what the MEGA colors correspond to......

MEGA brown..........std USB red
MEGA yellow..........std USB black
MEGA red..............std USB white
MEGA orange..........std USB green

Now I have an extra two USB 2.0 ports on the rear of my MEGA.....more useful to me than a card reader.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Colors2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Splice2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Sideview2.jpg

[Bluefront]

Things are sure slow around here..... :cry:

More mods for my MEGA. A new LCD screen, made from a Lian Li fan controller. I'm not using it to control the fans, just to monitor three temps, and the fan speeds. No cutting of the case is necessary. I just had to cut a hole in the MEGA floppy bezel.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/NewLCD2.jpg

Link (http://www.xoxide.com/lian-li-tr-03-thermal-monitor-fan-control-sil.html)

[squall458]

Things are sure slow around here..... :cry:

More mods for my MEGA. A new LCD screen, made from a Lian Li fan controller. I'm not using it to control the fans, just to monitor three temps, and the fan speeds. No cutting of the case is necessary. I just had to cut a hole in the MEGA floppy bezel.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/NewLCD2.jpg

Link (http://www.xoxide.com/lian-li-tr-03-thermal-monitor-fan-control-sil.html)

it probably cuz of canada day nearing!!! long weekend is fast approaching and ppl want to partay! i love the lcd screen, so what kind of hole did u have to cut for the floppy bezel??

[Bluefront]

Well it's just the Mega floppy bezel.....I enlarged the holes already in the bezel to the rectangle you see. This hole is slightly smaller than the controller. So the controller pushes up against the rear of the bezel.

I used a snipper and a sharp flat file. The plastic is soft, easy to cut. Do this cutting slowly/carefully......

[felix]

Wow, that's nice. How much does it cost?

[squall458]

Wow, that's nice. How much does it cost?
i think the link at the bottom of his post says the price
http://www.xoxide.com/lian-li-tr-03-thermal-monitor-fan-control-sil.html

[felix]

haha .. kind of missed that. Just what I need, more expensive add-ons. :D

[Bluefront]

I bought the controller without knowing a whole lot about it. It can control three different fans according to the specific sensor (three total). You set a max temp you want for each sensor location.....then the controller adjusts the fan speed as the temp rises. I tried it on the CPU fan, but was never satisified how it worked. The MEGA's own controler works better (and quieter).

There is one problem using the MEGA's fan controller, and the Lian Li to monitor rpms. On my MEGA, the CPU fan turns off sometimes (usually) if I'm not doing much. The Lian Li thinks the fan has failed and turns on a warning beeper(which you can't turn off). Well I just unsoldered the little beeper..... You can set it to read-out a single temp/rpm, or it can cycle through all three readings. It updates each setting every second.....I like it.

This controller has nice sharp read-outs.....and the blue background is not too bright. It does use a small battery to remember the time. It is really a nice fit, if you don't need the card readers.

[Bluefront]

Till now I thought that Kingwin heatsink was the largest/best heatsink that would fit in the MEGA 651. Wrong.....

I'm finishing the installation of an Alpha 8942, combined with a Cooler-Master 80mm X-Fan. This is a high-end heatsink designed for a 478 socket. It has a thick copper base and pin fins. I have used this heatsink to cool Prescott CPUs.....it should handle any CPU you have without difficulty.

It requires removal of the stock Mega board mounts, replacing them with four motherboard stand-offs. One corner of the heatsink was trimmed back, to clear the capacitor and the NB mount. I will have to drill four new holes in the heatsink to match the board. The std Alpha screws will work.

The fan is a new model Cooler-Master, with a special frame designed for better airflow where the top of the fan is close to something....the bottom of the CD drive in the case of the Alpha. It maxes at 1900rpms and is quiet.

When this mod is finished, I'll post some temp readings....measuring for the four new holes will be the hard part. This is not a mod for beginners....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/BoardMounts2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/AlphaTop2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/AlphaFanMount2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/AlphaFan2.jpg

Coolermaster Fan Link (http://www.svc.com/xaf-b81-e1.html)

Alpha Heatsink Link (http://www.cuttingedgecasemods.com/coolers/alpha8942.htm)

[spol]

sweet man, will you please post more picture of the new hs from the side. and maybe pics of a system with the hs installed. thanks

[Bluefront]

Yeah...when I get it running I'll post more photos.

If you are considering this mod, be careful to get an 8942.....there is an 8952 that looks exactly the same but is about 15mm taller. There would be a clearance problem because of the height.

I forgot to mention...a sideways mounted hard drive is a must with this mod. Again a clearance problem.

I have seen that model Alpha 8942 as cheap as $10 USD. :)

[Bluefront]

It's installed, no problems. As I suspected, lining up the location of the new holes in the Alpha was the hardest part. I cut a template out of a clear piece of plastic.....cut the same size as the bottom of the Alpha. Then I layed it on the board over the four new stand-offs. I marked the location of the holes on the plastic, drilled the four holes in the template. Then it was easy to mark the bottom of the Alpha for the four new holes.

If anybody is interested I can answer any other questions about this mod. I'll try some thermal testing when the thermal paste sets up....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/NewHolestop2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/NewHolesBottom2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Template2.jpg

[tjuzer]

sorry itll take long to time read all this. can someone tell me what is best and easy mod to do for msi mega 651 :?:

[Bluefront]

I think it would be worth the time to read through this long thread. You'll find much info and a big bunch of mods.

The most useful/easy mods?

Replace the NB HSF with a passive type......much quieter.

Cut out the two grills on the PSU.....better airflow.

Add a slot fan....cools everything down.

[squall458]

is anyone using media center 2005? are there any add ones for the media OS part? cuz theres a section for Other Media Center programs, but I havent heard of any. Secondly, anyone got the remote to work on MCE without girder?

[felix]

sorry itll take long to time read all this. can someone tell me what is best and easy mod to do for msi mega 651 :?:
The easiest mods are the ones I did. I'm a newbie at this and so I just copied everyone else's good ideas. :D

[Bluefront]

Here's the last of the Alpha Heatsink Mod pictures. The install ends up just slightly taller than the Kingwin/Manhattan heatsink mod. I do think the open frame Coolermaster fan helps the airflow.....not to mention being ultra quiet. That fan is very low-powered, and is not pushing much air. None-the-less, it seems to be running slightly cooler than the Kingwin setup. If you were running a hotter CPU (P4-2.4 here), there are 80mm fans available that push twice the airflow(noiser of course). This is a moderately difficult mod, due to the close clearances, which make precise measurements a must.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/AlphsRSideAngle2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/AlphaTop22.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/AlphaRSide2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/AlphaLSide2.jpg

One more photo.....This heatsink was designed for sucking air off the fins, rather that blowing air down on the fins, like this setup demands. I cut back the fan shroud slightly to better this configuration. You can see part of the ducting I use.....enables the PSU to suck air through the CPU heatsink, which promotes passive operation. The left side is cut the same.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Alphamod-duct2.jpg

[ilikecheapstuff]

nice
wow... looks like a monster inside ur case now...
anyway the manhattan heat sink was so much shinier... haha.. not that i sit around looking inside my computer case... :rolleyes:

haha.. but yeah.. oh and don't forget the PSU fan mod

change the 80mm fan inside the fan to a 92mm external one

[elty]

can I ask which HSF u use for a mobile Celeron (without the heatspreader)?

Do you bent any pin to make it run at 133 FSB? I think soeone said if you pin the voltage bin it will started at 1.15v instead - not really good!

[Bluefront]

1) u said u need to reroute the PSU cables, what do u mean by that? I can see it is pressing on the AGP card, but I dont know how u can reroute it..

answer.....I've built four MEGAs so far. The PSU wire to the board was squashed against the bottom of the PSU in all of them. It bulged against the AGP card, making installation of a card difficult. To fix this you might be able to move the wire bulge toward the front of the case without moving the PSU. On one I had to remove the PSU to get the wires rearranged. But it's usually not so hard.

2) Where can find the Manhatten HS u spoke of? Do u knwo any good HS for a mobile celeron?

answer......Since I don't buy stuff in Canada, I don't know of a Canadian seller. Newegg in the States sells it. It is also known as a Kingwin KCU-7025.

3) I am a noob in modding of any kind. What is some easy way to keep it cooler? I plan to use only a AGP card, and put the slot cooler and remove the second HDD mount. Then perhaps put a small fan vertically there to suck some cool air from the outside thru the holes?

answer....A good slot cooler should provide enough extra airflow/cooling to make any additional fans unnecessary.

4) would it be a good idea to ALWAYS put a CF/SD card in just to sort of block dust?

answer.....yes. Air and dust can enter the card slots easily. Eventually the card slots would become completely clogged/unusable.

5? What is Ducting? See I am a noob...

answer....Basically it's a method to direct/re-route airflow to better the cooling potential of the airflow in your case. In all my MEGAs I have closed off the right rear vent holes. That causes all the air blown out by the PSU, to come in through the front vent holes, cool the hard drive and the rest of the computer better.

I have also used some panels to further block some of the air paths to the PSU. With the ducting I use (you can see the right side in the last photo), all the air that goes out the PSU, has to flow through the CPU heatsink. That is the only opening to the front intakes. Of course you have to have the case cover in place. With this setup in place, my computers can run around 42C without the CPU fan even running at all.....most of the time. The 92mm PSU fan mods help this process along.

This is such a long thread, much valuable info gets lost easily. I have posted a bunch of photos that show all of my mods.... ;)

[sfu_lifer]

I reinstalled XP (used to have server 2003) and now the card reader is not showing up.
Under USB devices in device manager, there is an unknown device (looks ok though as there is no ! sign).
I can't find divers for this anywhere. Anyone point me in the right direction?
Thx

[Bluefront]

The card readers require no specific drivers....they have native support in XP.

This is a relatively common problem. Uninstall the unknown device, and shut down. Pull the ac cord for a minute or so. Reboot and XP should find the device....and install the correct drivers.

If that doesn't work....disconnect the card reader cable at the board. It's the little cable at the right front corner of the board. Reboot and shut down, pull the ac plug, then reconnect everything and reboot. That should do it....

[Bluefront]

Well I succeeded in installing the ultimate heatsink for this MEGA 651....an Aeorcool HT-101, a tall, all-copper model with 6 heatpipes.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/AerocoolHT-101Angle2.jpg

I wasn't all that difficult, but it does require a short optical drive like a Sony or Lite-On, relocation of the hard drive (sideways toward the front), and cutting out two new brackets for the special installation procedure.

I'm using a very quiet, very slow, CoolerMaster 80MM fan. Even then this setup idles at 41C without the fan running (turns off), and maxes (using SiSoft Sandra burn-in) at 54C with the fan at 1300rpms. Ambient during these tests was 28C.....You can't hear the CPU fan at that rpm.

If anyone's interested I can answer questions/post more pictures. :lol:

[ilikecheapstuff]

wow BlueFront.. u've done it again

this one looks awesome... u know... u should probably start coming out with your own line of heatsinks and SFF cases...

i'd love to do something like that, but i don't have any of the tools that u're probably using. no dremel, no tin snips... and going to the school workshop is a pain if u have to carry your whole computer there.. and i'm afraid of getting all the little shards of aluminum and stuff inside too...

[felix]

Computer mod experts ... what do you think about this tool in helping with mods like this?

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173482

[Bluefront]

Well I've got a Dremel......very useful tool for many jobs, not just computer mods. That's a good price for what you get in the kit. It'll last a lifetime....

But I didn't need a dremel for the Aerocool heatsink mod. It required a Weiss tin snip (about $12USD), a small drill motor and one drill bit, some sand paper (or a dremel), and a small ruler. There were no mods to the case or the motherboard. I did have to remove the stock cpu retention brackets, and replaced them with four brass motherboard stand-offs. (easy)

The hard part with this mod was the very careful measurements required to get everything to fit. When working with a SFF of any brand, everything is a tight fit. I had to trim two rows of pins on the NB heatsink to get a 25mm thick fan in there. If you use a 15mm thick fan, you don't have to touch the NB heatsink. I'm using an 80mm fan...a 70mm fan can be fitted easier.

[felix]

hmm ... what did you use to cut the Zalman heatsink fins? I was trying to find a tool a while back so that I could replace the NB fan on my DFI Lanparty nF4 so that the video card would fit in the first PCI-e 16x slot. Right now it's losing some performance being in the second slot at 8x. :)

[Bluefront]

The NB fins are soft aluminum. I used the tin snip.... If you had a dremel, you could also use a small cut-off wheel.

[Canadianpsycho]

hmm ... what did you use to cut the Zalman heatsink fins? I was trying to find a tool a while back so that I could replace the NB fan on my DFI Lanparty nF4 so that the video card would fit in the first PCI-e 16x slot. Right now it's losing some performance being in the second slot at 8x. :)

A lot of folks are bending the fins on Zalman with the DFI board... I used to have a link for that, can't find it.

[felix]

Yeah, I tried that with a pair of pliers .. ended up deforming it which is why I want to cut those fins off now. :cheesygri

[ilikecheapstuff]

Well I've got a Dremel......very useful tool for many jobs, not just computer mods. That's a good price for what you get in the kit. It'll last a lifetime....

But I didn't need a dremel for the Aerocool heatsink mod. It required a Weiss tin snip (about $12USD), a small drill motor and one drill bit, some sand paper (or a dremel), and a small ruler. There were no mods to the case or the motherboard. I did have to remove the stock cpu retention brackets, and replaced them with four brass motherboard stand-offs. (easy)

The hard part with this mod was the very careful measurements required to get everything to fit. When working with a SFF of any brand, everything is a tight fit. I had to trim two rows of pins on the NB heatsink to get a 25mm thick fan in there. If you use a 15mm thick fan, you don't have to touch the NB heatsink. I'm using an 80mm fan...a 70mm fan can be fitted easier.

how do u deal with the metal shards/dust from ur dremelling and sanding?
it was easy for me to work with the case cuz it's not connected, but stuff like the chassis i'm a little more reluctant to do because of all the metal dust

[Bluefront]

I actually avoid using the dremel because of the dust/chips.....I hate the thought of metal dust in my eyes, even with safety goggles.

But if you must use it, it's easy to blow off the chips with canned air...or you can use a small vacuum. This particular mod didn't require any precautions, other than normal safety stuff.

I used sandpaper to smooth the edges of the two new brackets I made.....quicker than a Dremel. There were no cuts on the case or Motherboard.

Here's what the bottom of the new heatsink looks like, with the two little brackets I made. Not too hard....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Aerocoolbottom2.jpg

And here's a little invention I'm trying out....a heat transfer panel. Air blown toward the PSU hits this copper plate, insulated from the psu by 2mm foam strips......the plate laps under the PSU, over the intake vents, allowing heat to more easily exit the case by the PSU airflow. Seems to be working ok...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Heattransferpanel2.jpg

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact...Did You Know?

There is at least one way to cool your MEGA without touching the case....by using a laptop cooler like this (http://www.svc.com/nk-290-sl-42.html). Many different kinds are available. This one has two temp controlled thin 90mm fans, along with a four-port USB hub, and lights. It's very quiet, and helps cooling a small amount. Has an off/on switch in the rear, as well as a switch for the lights. Perfect size for the MEGA.....

[squall458]

MEGA Fact...Did You Know?

There is at least one way to cool your MEGA without touching the case....by using a laptop cooler like this (http://www.svc.com/nk-290-sl-42.html). Many different kinds are available. This one has two temp controlled thin 90mm fans, along with a four-port USB hub, and lights. It's very quiet, and helps cooling a small amount. Has an off/on switch in the rear, as well as a switch for the lights. Perfect size for the MEGA.....

does it really help cool it?

[Bluefront]

It really does....surprising. The bottom of the MEGA gets plenty warm during use. This device removes heat from directly under the CPU/NB socket area (the hot spot). Don't expect a miracle, but the results are measurable.

Having an extra USB hub is also a plus......

[Bluefront]

Anybody reading my posts should know I'm using a 92mm fan on my PSU. I tested six different fans for performance at the MEGA PSU default voltage...here are the results.

I gathered up all the 92mm fans I have, and devised a method to test for maximum performance (CFM) at a low voltage (5V). I used a SFF with the 92mm fan alone cooling the PSU and CPU using duct-work.....no other fans running. I then noted the CPU idle temp with each fan. This happens to be the default voltage to the fan, using the PSU PWM fan control. The voltage remained the same during the idle testing. I also tested at max CPU usage......and found the results similar. The best fans at 5V were the best fans at the max.

Checking the rated currrent draw gave mixed results.....the fan that drew the most current, did not give the best performance.

The noise levels were as expected......the best performer (Delta) was the noisiest. The second best (Sunon) sounded the same as the others.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/92mmfans2.jpg

Here's the list of the ones tested.....listed from the worst performance at 5V to the best.

#6 Power Logic #PL92D12M 1.7W

#5 Evercool #EC9225M12BA 1.8W

#4 Young-Lin #DBF902512H 2.8W tie

#3 Top-Motor #DF1209BA 2.1W tie

#2 Sunon #KD1209PTB2 2.4W tie

#1 Delta #AFB0912H 2.5W winner

The Delta beat the others easily......it kept the CPU 2C cooler than the other fans, at a slightly higher noise level. Not much though.

The other five fans sounded similar at five volts....I couldn't tell them apart during a blind test. I could identify the Delta however.

So what good is this sort of test? :lol: .........I'm cooling this SFF using a single 92mm fan, driven by the default votage (5V) of the PSU. I needed slightly more airflow to cool the hard drive better than I was getting.

Using the Delta lowered my HD temp by almost 5C, keeps the CPU Temp low enough that the CPU fan stays off at an idle (28C ambient). The CPU fan only starts up at 50% CPU usage. So by using a more powerful/slightly noiser PSU fan, I have lowered the over-all noise level, and made the whole computer run cooler.

It's a win/win solution.... :D

[Bluefront]

FWIW.....I have two of the Kingwin/Manhattan heatsinks......brand new in Kingwin boxes.....available for sale. I have no idea what shipping would cost, especially to Canada from St Louis Mo.

Interested? Make offer or PM me.

[Bluefront]

Undecided about trying out CPU ducting? Maybe this little speedfan photo will decide it for you......

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Speedfanchart.jpg

This MEGA SFF has the P4-2.53 ducted using an Aerocool HT-101. All the exhaust exiting the case flows through the duct. The cover of the SFF forms the top/sides of the duct. The rest of the duct is just two small panels.

The picture shows the CPU idling, with the CPU fan off. At the first yellow mark I popped the cover off....which completely stops the ducting. The temp shoots up....at the second yellow mark, the CPU fan starts up. Putting the cover back on brings the temp back down to 40C and the CPU fan stops.

There are countless ways to duct your CPU...some work better than others. But if you can do it right, the results are amazing. This duct lowers the CPU temp, and quiets the computer at the same time. Try it out for yourself...... :lol:

Oh....something else. With the CPU fan running and the cover off, the system temp goes up. And since the HD also benefits greatly from this ducting, with the cover off the HD temp shoots up....over 6C.

[Bluefront]

MEGA Fact....Did you Know?

Adding functionality to your MEGA.

If you have PCM-CIA cards for your laptop, you can use them in your MEGA. All you need is a PCM-CIA/PCI card like this:

http://images10.newegg.com/ProductImageCompressAll125/15-104-222-07.jpg

These can be had for $20-$40 USD at Newegg and other places. You can get almost any sort of device for a PCM-CIA slot, including TV tuners, extra USB ports, Firewire or SATA ports, Gigibyte Lan ports, small hard drives, etc. Nice addition if you also have a laptop. :)

[ilikecheapstuff]

wow. i love the nights when the temperature is nice and cool.

probably 25-26 degrees in my room. i woke up this morning to find my CPU was idling at 32 degrees. :D

[ilikecheapstuff]

http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=005334&cid=999.821

dropped 32 bux from what i got it at... like. 2 months ago
:( :(

but yeah. whoever is looking for a dual display half height card... 256 mb 128bit... pretty good for 60 bux

[felix]

So now it's the same price as the FX5200.

Asus V9520-X/TD GeForce FX 5200 64-bit 128MB
$59.99
http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=005764&cid=999.821


Is the 256MB noticeably better than the 128MB? How do they compare to the FX5200? (ignoring the crappy brand of course)

PowerColor Radeon 9250 128MB 64 Bit DDR AGP 8X
$45.99
http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=006186&cid=999.821

PowerColor Radeon 9250 256MB 128 Bit DDR AGP 8X
$59.99
http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=005334&cid=999.821

[ilikecheapstuff]

the radeon scores higher in 3dmark2001, but i supposed the 5200 would score higher in 2003 considering it supports DX9.

however, the 5200 doesn't support 2 vga monitors, the DVI output it has is digital (DVI-D) only.

i haven't tried the 128 mb version of the powercolour, but both the 5200 and the 128mb radeon are only 64 bit. for the same price(as the 5200) and 14 dollars over the 128, the 256 mb is 128bit and double the memory, making it a much better deal than the other two.

the ati software however isn't as 'friendly' as the nvidia for dual monitor using. they don't have any options for setting two different backgrounds on two different monitors, so i got this program called 'ultramon' which actually expires in 30 days. i uninstalled it and found out all they do is have a 3200x1200 bmp file they use a background and they just tile the picture. now i know and no longer need to use ultramon


and also, mind u, the passive heat sink i got on my radeon 9250 256mb is nicer than the one they display on the CC site, any review sites and even the powercolour site itself. if u look in the gallery at the bottom of my signature u'll know what i mean.

anyway, i've been playing NFSU2 a few times, and if i play it for a long time it does tend to restart. i'm not sure if it's the video card. I have a vantec slot fan (two fans that fit in the PCI slot, but does not exhaust the air, just push it from one side of the fan to the other, and I have cut out a large hole in the side of my case to allow the fan to intake air to cool the video card and also to provide airflow for the CPU.

this keeps the video card cool (and i've touched it while it's been under 3dmark tests and stuff and it stays COOL. not even warm.)

edit: i guess i don't have the link in my signature. lemme find it.

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ilikecheapstuff/album?.dir=9611&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

[felix]

Regarding the system restarting. Could it be the power supply or memory compatibility? Have you run memtest on your system?

[ilikecheapstuff]

Regarding the system restarting. Could it be the power supply or memory compatibility? Have you run memtest on your system?


for me?

well. it doesn't happen unless i'm playing a very graphics intense game. and it's only happened two-three times. so i figure the video card either overheated, or the power supply couldn't supply enuf juice. doesn't bother me too much as NFSU saves your game after each race and i don't play that often anyway. so meh. i'll live.

[elty]

for my unit, I cant turn off the HiFi unit.... the LCD will turn itself on but blank........ anyone know why

nevermind... I unplug the power and replug it and it works now...........

now all I need is to buy artic silver... it runs without the compound @ 56c full load......... using stock heatsink that I chop off the plastic casing in order to hope for better temperature....

and anywhere to buy PCI slot cooler? I think I will need it as I am going to run a AIW 9800......

[elty]

ok after I install my hdd on it it will no longer boot... stuck at boot up screen cant get into bios. then for some magical reason after I siwtch to CS on my harddisk it works again.

Anyways, what is that little heatsink between the CPU, ram and the PSU for? That thing is DAMN hot, harder than the CPU HSF.

[elty]

sorry for bumping this again, but I am kidn of anxious...

I just install a ATI AIW 9800. I dont know how to install it at all. I managed to squeeze it in, but the cables is pushing it so it is not really vertical for about 2mm. I already try my best to squeeze all the cable to somewhere between the cd rom/CPU. HOwever a portion of it still sort of block the video card. it is fine now, but will I have trouble later?

also, I cant find the connector for the remote control? Dont tell me it is the one behind AGP.......and the 4163 seems to have some problem with that eject button... sometiems work, but usually not work........

It doesnt work in HiFI mode at all now, however it used to work and I just have no idea what I have done...

[ilikecheapstuff]

sorry for bumping this again, but I am kidn of anxious...

I just install a ATI AIW 9800. I dont know how to install it at all. I managed to squeeze it in, but the cables is pushing it so it is not really vertical for about 2mm. I already try my best to squeeze all the cable to somewhere between the cd rom/CPU. HOwever a portion of it still sort of block the video card. it is fine now, but will I have trouble later?

also, I cant find the connector for the remote control? Dont tell me it is the one behind AGP.......and the 4163 seems to have some problem with that eject button... sometiems work, but usually not work........

It doesnt work in HiFI mode at all now, however it used to work and I just have no idea what I have done...

try rerouting the wires until there's no pressure on the card.. and try not to block up the airflow to the CPU HSF...

the 4163 shouldn't have any problems once u've installed windows XP. AnitaPeterson said she had problems with it too, but they were fixed once she installed winXP

connector for remote control? not too sure what you mean. if it's for the ATI, it's not compatible with the MSI remote.. at least not to my knowledge.

[scheng]

Sorry if that has been answered before. I am in the process of building my MSI Mega 651. After reading all the heating issues with a desktop HDD, I wonder whether I can put a notebook HDD (2.5'') in the Mega. What kind of adaptor should I buy and how do i tighten the HDD in the drive bay? Thanks a lot,

[Bluefront]

I'm using a laptop drive in one of my MEGAs......It does make a temp difference. The drive runs cooler, and airflow is improved. There are adaptors of various types available. Since the things are so small....there are numerous ways to mount them.

Link to Mega with Laptop Drive (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/album?.dir=f7e6&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/my_photos)

Here's another spot to mount a laptop drive...right behind the radio module.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/LaptopTop2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/LaptopRS2.jpg

The second photo shows the mount method....by two new holes drilled into the existing MEGA frame. Both lower drive brackets are removed for this install....since they are no longer needed.

Here's a link (http://www.provantage.com/buy-110CBTR-cables-go-adapters-shopping.htm) to a place selling laptop drive adapters. Scroll about half-way down the page. This is a nice one....better than most I've seen.

[Bluefront]

After many different configurations, I finally deceided to stop using the MEGA fan control system. I could never get it working as I wanted (since it's not adjustable and speedfan caused program instability).

Anyway here's what I'm using now.

Aerocool HT-101 (slightly modded to fit)
Sanyo Petit Ace 80 (15mm thick, 80mm fan....very quiet)
LianLi front panel fan controller.
Zalman Fanmate II. (used to lower the overall fan speed range)

Right now using the combination of the LianLi and the Fanmate, my CPU fan idles about 1500rpms, and maxes about 1850rpms when the CPU reaches 44C...the LianLi uses separate sensors to detect temps. This CPU sensor is stuck between the bottom row of fins.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/2angle2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/NewLCD2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Chartnewcontroller.jpg

The last photo gives you an idea of the temp improvements with this setup.
At an ambient temp of 25C the P4-2.53 idles about 35C. At the first yellow dot I increased CPU usage to 100%. At the second yellow dot the fan speed increased to 1850rpms. At the third yellow dot the temp leveled out about 46C max. Using the chart you can also see the syst temp, and the maxtor temp.

I'm pleased with this setup....much better temp improvement over anything I've tried till now. Only slightly noiser than my previous quiet setup, but worth it for the temp benefit.

Link to more HSF photos (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellownape100/album?.dir=/765f)

[felix]

darn ... finally finished setting up everything, and noticed my hard drive is assigned the letter F while the DVDRW is G and removable disks E, D!! Help!!!

[felix]

I've downloaded and installed Live Update but don't see how I can change the LCD panel display?

[Bluefront]

Felix....that drive letter thing suposedly happens if you have the MEGA card reader attached when you do the OS install. I don't know if there is a fix. You might try disconnecting the card reader.....little connector at the LF corner of the board, by the radio module. Reboot and see what happens. Windows might fix it.

That LCD update doesn't do anything I could tell. I think it allows you to change the Welcome screen. It has caused problems for some people....probably not worth the update.

[felix]

oh no. .... unplugging both plugs at that corner and turning it back on didn't fix it ... >:( >:( >:( Do I need to reformat? My sister needs it by 8pm tonight!!

[felix]

I just did a google, turns out you can reassign drive letters using diskmgmt.msc but you can only change drives that aren't in use and the registry and programs already installed might be affected. :(

[elty]

I just did a google, turns out you can reassign drive letters using diskmgmt.msc but you can only change drives that aren't in use and the registry and programs already installed might be affected. :(

do a registry search E:\ and change to C:\?

[Bluefront]

Here's another method to reduce CPU and case temperatures, using an M-Cubed FanAmp (http://www.3dcool.com/Details.asp?cid=442&id=1524).

I'm using it to control the CPU and the PSU fans.....the only two in my MEGA 651. You connect your fan(s) to this device, which is powered by the PSU. It comes with a long sensor wire, which I have wedged in the bottom of the fins of my Alpha 8942 heatsink. The right knob adjusts the base idle of both fans (same voltage to each fan).....the left knob adjusts a temp turn on point for max speed.

Right now this P4-2.4 (ambient of 28C) idles at 35C at about 6V....at about 45C the fans get 12V and the temp settles at about 46C (max CPU usage). Neat little device that helps out the the temps a bunch.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/FanAmp.jpg

[Bluefront]

This is neat....and internal USB powered speaker system for a MEGA 651. They sound at least as good as any laptop speaker system, or built-in monitor speakers I ever heard.

Now they won't work in the hi-fi mode, but everywhere else. These came from CompUSA (Norwood Micro USB speakers #316084 $15).......I've seen them at SVC under a different name (Trend Micro) for about the same price.

You simply cut the speaker sections out of the OEM part. The little circuit board just comes right out. I use the original wiring....everything is velcroed in place. I attached the thing to an internal port on a pci USB card I have.......but there is an unused set of USB pins on the motherboard you could use (with some wiring changes to the plug) Easy mod.....

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/OEM2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/speakers2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/LSpeaker2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/RSpeaker2.jpg

[spol]

hi to all mega moders :)

I haven’t been on this board for almost 2 months now. As I said before my dad broke my cpu's pin while installing so I have everything setup but the cpu. I have a second brand new mega which I never opened. I might put that on sale so I can buy a P4 cpu. So can any of you red flag dealers tell me where the best place is to sell a brand new msi mega? I appreciate your help :D





btw BF, you mods are really great, I'm enjoyin all ur moves ;)

[felix]

spol, you can post your MEGA for sale on the BST computer forums here ...

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=11

Be sure to post a price and read the forum rules before posting. :)

You can put it for sale on eBay too if you think you'll get a better price and don't mind shipping.

[Bluefront]

Spol.....hang on to that new MEGA, at least till you're sure your first MEGA is working ok. You might need some of the parts. Getting MEGA specific replacement parts isn't going to be easy. I've got one still in the box I'm keeping. :lol:

You can find a Celeron 2.0 new for about $70 USD. These things work just fine on a Celeron.....

[Bluefront]

Got a hot-running MEGA? Don't we all..... You might want to try this external 92mm cooler, by HP (http://www.3dcool.com/Details.asp?cid=289&id=634). It requires no cutting of the MEGA case......for those of you who worry about warranties. It does require some minor trimming of the plastic holder, in order to clear the radio antenna port, and the parallel port. I positioned it low down, so the parallel port cannot be used....but it could be mounted higher. You have to bend the mount clip....then it just hangs using the upper cover hole.

You could just plug it into the PSU connector and run it at 12V (somewhat noisy), or you could wire it into a fanmate and run it at lower voltage (it'll start at 5V). This might make the difference to keep that MEGA cool. :)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/hprear2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/hptop2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/hpclip2.jpg

Update.....I got the MEGA 651 running today, and checked the running temps with/without the HP cooler. I dropped 4C at an idle with the cooler running at 12V. Wide open it lowered the temps 5-6C, again at 12V. So it works.....If I sealed the edges better, it would suck more air out, probably work a little better. (Celeron 2.4, 512 ram, maxtor 60 gb HD, Nvidia 1/2 height graphic card).

[squall458]

I was planning to get a notebook cooler to help cool it down. Did you find that it made a significant difference BlueFront? Nice job on all the mods! Maybe u could try using a Cooler Master Aero Blower Fan. I have one left over from my heatsink and I'll try and see if I can use it somehow to further cool it down. I'm mostly using it as a mp3 player/dvd movie player, do u think the onboard sound is better than lets say a usb soundcard that u find often on ebay?

[Bluefront]

Laptop coolers work, but the results are not dramatic. They would work better if there were vent holes on the bottom of the case.

That HP cooler I just posted about is a super-easy mod that works excellent, with no cutting. You could have it running in a few minutes. I've seen those Cooler-Master blowers, but they blow in, not suck out like the HP.

The most effective mod is to remove the 80mm PSU fan, enlarge the hole in the case, and install a 92mm fan on the outside. That mod works like the HP cooler mod, only much better and quieter.

USB sound vs on-board sound? Tough call. USB sound does use up resources and causes some problems.....no hi-fi mode, tough to adjust radio sound, etc.

I'm trying out some new stuff on this last MEGA I have....I might post some more pictures, but this thread has slowed to almost nothing. :(

[Bluefront]

Here's some new stuff I'm trying (MEGA 651). An unknown copper based, Alpha look-alike. I drilled four holes in it, to match the MB mount holes(used brass MB stand-offs, in place of the stock mounts). It uses a 15mm thick, 70mm fan, with a custom fan mount. Works good...also cools the NB passive heatsink.

I'm also trying a new HD mount, with side heatsinks, mounted in place of the optical drive. This Samsung runs very cool in this location.....usually about 32C.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/alpha2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/NewHeatsink2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/NewHSF22.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/NewHSFTop2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/HDmount2.jpg

[tjuzer]

will this support celeron d 2.93 :?:

[Bluefront]

Nope...651s don't support Prescott, or Celeron D. Too bad....

[tjuzer]

still havent set up this. remember you guys say remove bottem second drive bracket if no need. how do we mount firt top drive then :?:

also my fan on radeon broke so i use passive zalman but much too big. where can i find one to replace:?:

[Bluefront]

The stock bracket assy comes out completely by removing a bunch of screws. It then separates into three pieces.

But in order to just use the top section for a hard drive mount, you'd probably have to cut off the lower section. You could also just cut off the section over the NB HSF. You must do this anyway to use a passive NB heatsink (much quieter).

On the four 651s I have built, I removed the complete bracket assy, and made a new HD mount, locating it in a sideways orientation.....making for a much better airflow, and cooler temps.

Here's a photo of a laptop drive mounted sideways....you can mount a std 3.5" drive in the same way/place.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/SidewaysIBM2.jpg

[Bluefront]

This is the first time I tried an elastic HD suspension setup. It's really a tight fit in this MEGA 651, but it's in there with a 1/2" clearance on all sides. I mounted the drive on a 4mm aluminum plate, which provides some thermal transfer/cooling. I used some fairly small elastic straps, from a drug store....I think kids use these things in their hair. (?)

The case is relatively thin aluminum, and if you mount the HD as intended, the whole case vibrates. This setup stops all that.... I suppose you could apply a similar setup in other cases.

This is the first time I've seen this technique in a SFF. Works good. :D

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Top_Decoupled.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/Angle_Decoupled.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/RS_Decoupled.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Bluefront/LS_Decoupled.jpg

[CARLiTO_]

what do u guys use to measure temps in Windows on your mega's?

[squall458]

i think most ppl use speedfan, but BlueFront will clear that up for us shortly

[Bluefront]

Yeah...Speedfan (4.25). This is the only prog that will measure temps on this computer. The board temp is called "local", and the CPU temp is called "remote". It will register HD smart temps, but all the other sensors it finds are meaningless.

[CARLiTO_]

I have spent all night and this morning modding my mega. It now has an aftermarket (generic) slim heatsink with a fan from a Thermaltake spark 7. I had to drill holes in the heatsink. I put some arctic silver on the chip. I also changerd the power supply fan to a hi-flow one. My room is kinda warm, maybe 24-25 degrees. The cpu temps range from 38 - 47. I will get pics soon. I took out the hard drive cages and taped the hard drive to the bottom of my cd-rw drive. My video card is a an ati radeon 8500 le 128 mb. So far it's working well. :D

[Bluefront]

The CPU fan you're using has a bad reputation for noise....how is it? I'm waiting for some photos of your heatsink/fan setup. :)

And what fan did you install in the PSU? The Yate Loon it comes with is very powerful and fast.....

[CARLiTO_]

Here are the pics...

Excuse the clear tape that I used. I did not have access to any electrical tape. :!:

The first one is of the modified heatsink and fan installed.
http://www.webpost.net/ca/carlito/DSC01518.jpg

This pic is to show how I taped the hd and optical drive together. I did not tape the entire drive because I wanted heat to be abe to escape from the hd. It fits and saves alot of space by doing this.
http://www.webpost.net/ca/carlito/DSC01520.jpg

This pic shows how close the heatsink and the powersupply are. It's a perfect fit.
http://webpost.net/ca/carlito/DSC01521.jpg

This pic is a side view of the heatsink. You can see the screws that I used to screw into the bottom. I drilled holes so that I could make it all work.
http://webpost.net/ca/carlito/DSC01522.jpg

Here is a pic of my current temps...
http://webpost.net/ca/carlito/temps.jpg

I want to say thanks to Bluefront. Only after reading all of your posts, I decided to undergo this task.

[Bluefront]

Humm...so far I cannot get pict #3 to load at all. Looks like the screws holding the heatsink, just wedge down between the fins. That's one way to do it I guess. Without brass standoffs on the MB, if the captive nuts below the MB come loose, you'll have a difficult time removing the screws. Something to consider.....

Thanks for the kind words. This is a neat SFF computer, and well worth the effort it takes to modify. :)

[ilikecheapstuff]

reformatted, reinstalled, and the USB 2.0 thing still doesn't work. it shows when i disable the usb 2.0 support in the bios, it will show the devices attached to the USB hubs. however, when the 2.0 is activated, it shows all 6 ports on the usb root hub as empty...

i don't know what to do

[Bluefront]

Maybe the on-board USB controller is broken....If you can sacrifice the PSI slot, you could install a USB 2.0 card. They have their own controller and work independantly from the main-board. Two of the 651s I built have that setup....work ok.

[CARLiTO_]

Yes, USB 2.0 cards are very cheap. I bought one for $12 on RFD.

I am wondering where I can connect the "TV Remote" wire inside my mega, I am assuming it is need so I can use the remote?

[felix]

Best to get external USB hub w/AC adapter. With this small power supply I really doubt your additional USB ports will power anything more than a mouse and keyboard. They are pretty cheap as well, i got a 3 port USB 2.0 Hub combo 20-in-1 media reader w/AC adapter for $20 CDN or so after shipping on ebay.

This is what i bought from the same seller ... found out it's even cheaper now!!! :(
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5804765284

[Bluefront]

If I remember correctly, the problem here was that USB 2.0 never worked, but USB 1.1 was ok. This could be caused by a bad chip in the board.

An external hub wouldn't fix the USB 2.0 problem......but a USB 2.0 pci card will give you new 2.0 ports. Apparently the MEGA's own ports would all be 1.1.

You can buy combo cards that give USB 2.0 and rear firewire ports, or SATA ports......lots are available at Newegg.

[CARLiTO_]

Here is a cheap pci USB card from NCIX (the canadian equivalent of newegg).

Link (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12284&vpn=UV2-5U%20(PG-42-410)&manufacture=Bytecc%20Inc)

[ilikecheapstuff]

i bought one of those sandisk USB keys and i plugged it in and no errors about the speed thing came out

but when i plug in my kingmax USB key or my bytecc enclosure, it gives that error...
so it seems like it's the chip not recognizing some of the devices... :confused:

[wiggy]

I bought one of these units and have been lurking on this thread (which has been quite informative and helpful) and now it's time to chime in with my bit.

Here's my basic config:

Mega 651, BIOS v1.1, MegaRadio v1.00.61
Celeron 2.7G
640MB RAM (1x512, 1x128)
NVIDIA GForce4 MX 4000 128MB w/tv out, passively cooled (fanless)
Maxtor 6E040L0 40G
MSI 8332 CD-ROM 32x12x40
external USB floppy
external USB wieless B adapter Microsoft MN-510

On the bench i'm using a standard MS keyboard, Synaptics glidepad and a 15" IBM monitor

Set up in the living room I'll be using a wireless RF BTC keyboard/thumb mouse and a 32" TV

The initial set up went fine. The machine booted without trouble and recognized all the bits of a basic, stripped down hardware config.

The only issues coming out of the gate were cooling the system and managing the tight, tight space.

MSI's PC Alert 4 isn't worth a damn, so I'm using Speedfan. Even just idling with the unit cover off I'm getting 42°C on the CPU and 56°C (and the little flame icon) on the hard drive.

I decided to focus on cooling the hard drive first because it's essentially turned the Mega into an Easy Bake Oven. I've attached one of those dual fan aluminum frame hard drive coolers to the bottom of the drive. To make space for what is now pretty much a double height hard drive I've removed the hard drive and floppy drive mounting brackets from under the CD-ROM mounting slot. That frees up a huge amount of room for the drive, cables and air circulation. You can even almost get your hands in there to work! I'm staying with the card reader so installing a floppy in that space is not an issue. I'll also stick with a single drive and just upgrade to a larger one if necessary.

To mount the hard drive I picked up a piece of 1/2" aluminium angle at the local Home Depot and cut two pieces to match the length of the drive. I marked and drilled these brackets to match the screw holes on the drive. This is pretty simple work that only requires a hacksaw, a drill and bit and a file to clean up the cut ends of the brackets. The brackets are mounted flush to the top of the drive. This lets the drive hang down from the CD-ROM mount rails without any other screws or hardware required. Because the brackets are made of thin-gauge aluminum there's still plenty of room to easily install the CD-ROM.

The difference from the installation of the hard drive cooling is dramatic. The CPU now idles at 36-37°C and the hard drive at about 35°C . Speedfan manages the fans with minimums set at 50/50/20. The drive cooler is dead silent.

The next step is to install a supplementary fan to exhaust the hot air from the drive fom the case. Using some heavy duty velcro I've attached a 50mm CPU cooling fan with a molex connector onto the right hand side of the blue bracket that holds the Mega's stock CPU cooling fan. This lines up neatly with the exhaust grill on the case. You need a power pigtail to extend the reach of the Mega's power connector. I tried a bunch of different fans looking for the one that runs the quietest. The difference from fan to fan cooling wise wasn't significant, so whispering counts the most here for me.

Once that's done the system temps drop again. The CPU idles at 33-34°C and the hard drive at anywhere from 27-31°C. Aside from the simple mods I've described here all the rest of the system cooling is stock. Note that I've not mentioned system board temps, but then they've generally stayed with one or two degrees of the CPU temp. I can hear the cooling fan for the first time, but it's not out of line. A higher end fan might run more quietly. I just picked from what I had to hand.

I want to add a fan to the video card, but that'll have to wait until I find something that fits properly and has a nice low profile so that it doesn't obstruct the PCI slot. I've got a couple fans that fit the bill except for the fact that heatsink butts up against one of the components of the video card which would be a no-no. So I either find a different fan or grind down a wee bit of one of those I have in hand.

All the PCI slot fans I've looked at are too wide to fit in comfortably and they end up costing you your PCI slot in any case, so I wouldn't consider them an option.

I may end up grabbing one of those laptop cooling pads with the multiple fans to sit the unit on, but I want to give the existing config a workout first.

These were pretty simple mods. They were easy to do with basic tools and materials and didn't cost much. They didn't involve cutting my case to bits or mounting extrusions on it so it still looks sleek and clean. The drive fan runs about $15 Cdn, $5 for the aluminum angle, $5 for the CPU cooler fan, $3 for the power pigtail cable, $5 for velcro. Cheaper if you've got some of these parts lying around.

That's a long enough post for now. I'll talk about some of the other bits in another post.

[squall458]

got any pics wiggy? mine is running pretty hot, but its rock stable still. very impressed with my mega mini

[wiggy]

got any pics wiggy? mine is running pretty hot, but its rock stable still. very impressed with my mega mini

Wife took the cam to work. I'll try to have something up for early next week. It's pretty straight forward work, but you're right. A picture's worth a thousand words.

And yeah, Mega's are fun.

[wiggy]

Okay. Got some pics that tie into my previous post a couple of messages back.

Here's the Mega. I'm using an external USB floppy and USB wireless B adapter. Not much space inside the case, but this thing's got USB ports coming out of it's ying yang, so why not? That's the Compag SFF I'm retiring that the Mega is sitting on.

http://ca.geocities.com/sushi@rogers.com/public/Mega_01.jpg


This pic shows the hard drive with a cooling fan installed. Fifteen bucks at CWO and the colour even matches the trim on the Mega's case! Too bad you can't see it once it's installed. Note the homemade mounting rails installed on both sides of the drive. They're cut from a piece of aluminum angle from Home Depot and have a couple of holes drilled in them to match the screw holes on the hdd.

http://ca.geocities.com/sushi@rogers.com/public/hddinstall_01.jpg


Next up, here's the drive installed. The aluminum rails sit on top of the frame of the CD-ROM mounting bay. Note there are no screws to hold the hdd in place in the bay. Once you install the CD drive on top it'll hold the works firmly in place. The stock hdd & fdd mounting brackets have been removed from the case. The hdd and fan combo hang in the open space below, but there is still a ton of room down there for cables and air circulation.

http://ca.geocities.com/sushi@rogers.com/public/hddinstall_02.jpg


Finally, here's a side shot showing the installation of a supplementary exhaust fan on the right hand side of the case. It's mounted using a velcro strip across the top of the fan and on the inside edge of the Mega's stock cpu fan holder. It lines up nicely with the existing grill on the Mega's case and draws hot air from the cpu's heatsink and the hdd and exhausts it. Note that you'll need a molex extension pigtail to be able to reach the Mega's power connector.

In this image you can also see the hdd and attached cooler fan in place. It doesn't show real clear here, but everything between the bottom of the orange hdd fan and the top of the RAM sticks is open space.

http://ca.geocities.com/sushi@rogers.com/public/casefan_01.jpg

That's my work to date. Straight forward enough, cheap and makes a big difference to the operating temp of the system.

[ilikecheapstuff]

looks very neat in there, wiggy

i actually downgraded the parts in mine
now the chip is down to a 1.8 celeron (cuz i switched the 2.4 over to my old computer... and the video card now runs SOOO much faster.. (sigh... i never realized before the celly was so bad) and the ram i switched down to some ddr266 stuff.. so i may go out and buy a new 512 stick to replace that 256 stick of 266.. the other stick is a 333, but since there's a stick running 266 it defaults to using that anyway.

so we'll see how bad this runs

[ilikecheapstuff]

looks very neat in there, wiggy

i actually downgraded the parts in mine
now the chip is down to a 1.8 celeron (cuz i switched the 2.4 over to my old computer... and the video card now runs SOOO much faster.. (sigh... i never realized before the celly was so bad) and the ram i switched down to some ddr266 stuff.. so i may go out and buy a new 512 stick to replace that 256 stick of 266.. the other stick is a 333, but since there's a stick running 266 it defaults to using that anyway.

so we'll see how bad this runs

actually i just might be getting a 1gb stick to make this a 1.5gb ram computer.

will be mainly used for BTing and dvd burning

[tjuzer]

nice to see you all making such nice mod for this. i buy this many month back and no gut to even set up yet :)

[squall458]

nice to see you all making such nice mod for this. i buy this many month back and no gut to even set up yet :)
lol im sure most redflaggers buy stuff and dont use it for ages. then post it back on the bst forums as brand new! i love my 651, i use it as an htpc and love it, movies are fun to watch with full sound and lying in bed

[wiggy]

looks very neat in there, wiggy

Thanks. Trying to stick to a minimalist approach and not carve up the box.

Got it all set up in the living room and it seems to work quite nicely. Got it hooked up wirelessly to the Internet so we can get the answers to trivia questions during the commercials when were watching old movies.

The AM radio on this thing sucks big time though. Trying to find an antenna that'll help it out.

Video card is good (Nvidia 3D Fuzion), but might bump it to 256MB if I can find one cheap. Also picked up a video cooler fan to try out just for the heck of it.

That and swap out the CDROM for a CD/DVD combo drive.

[felix]

bump ..

Looks like spol took my advice on posting his MEGA for sale in the BST forums. :)

Check out his interesting mod and video here!
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226445

[spol]

bump ..

Looks like spol took my advice on posting his MEGA for sale in the BST forums. :)

Check out his interesting mod and video here!
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226445

I actually took your advice about 4 months ago and sold my first Mega here @ RFD (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193305&highlight=mega). This second one was really fun to finish, and it turned out pretty good. As I said in the original BST thread I did 3 different mods and wasnt happy with the first two. took me a while but at least I finished in the same year as I bought it. :D

[nameht]

Hi guys,

Just wanted some help

My MSI is extremely loud...it is all stock right now
whats the easiest and most effective way of making the comp more quiet

thanks

[spol]

Hi guys,

Just wanted some help

My MSI is extremely loud...it is all stock right now
whats the easiest and most effective way of making the comp more quiet

thanks

The source of noise:

Motherboard chipset: could be replaced with a passive zalman heatsink.
Power Supply fan: No need to change its got a quiet Yate Loon fan.
Hard drives: Only DIY suspension possible as far I know, visit SPCR for more info.
CPU fan: It’s got a unique clip and a noisy 60mm fan, you can get a quiet 60mm fan but it will spin slower so temps will increase, you can’t change the heatsink unless you find something that will take the original clip. Read this thread for more info.

[ilikecheapstuff]

The source of noise:

Motherboard chipset: could be replaced with a passive zalman heatsink.
Power Supply fan: No need to change its got a quiet Yate Loon fan.
Hard drives: Only DIY suspension possible as far I know, visit SPCR for more info.
CPU fan: It’s got a unique clip and a noisy 60mm fan, you can get a quiet 60mm fan but it will spin slower so temps will increase, you can’t change the heatsink unless you find something that will take the original clip. Read this thread for more info.


heh. if all fails, get a nice set of speakers and turn em up real loud.

if you manage to find a way to keep it under 40 degrees or something all the time the CPU fan doesn't even turn on much. but then again I think i've had the MEGA for so long i've learned to tune out the fan spinning sound.

and also cuz it's partially under my desk.

[Pali]

I ve got a Mega PC 651 with an 1,7 Ghz mobile Pentium IV-M in it. Without modding the CPU it runs on 1,5 volt, and 12*100 MHz. I made the "bent pint trick" to make it work on a lower voltige, to generate less heat and to be quiter. Now it works fine at 1,1 (1,08-1,09) volt. The 1,7 GHz mobile processor rated voltige is 1,3 volt, but it works fine at 1,2 Ghz with 1,1 volt too, and generates very little heat. In this way the cpu cooler works only when the CPU it is on hevy load (for example, when I use Power DVD). At this voltige, I can even overclock the CPU to 1440 MHZ, but 1,2 ghz it is fine for DVDs and internet browsing. I even tried the 133 fsb trick, isolating the Pin AD6 with nail polish, and it works fine at 1,48 volt and 1596 Mhz, and overclocked even at 1,7 ghz (142 Mhz fsb).
BUT, I have got a problem.
The Mega PCs CPU FAN turns on regularily only when the CPU heats up to 45 C. When I turn on the Mega PC, the heatsink turns on for 2 or 3 seconds, then stops until the CPU riches 45 C, after hevy CPU load. My problem is that, after working on Mega Pc, with the fan running very rarely, sometimes after I turn off, my PC, and some other times turning it on again, the CPU fan starts to run constantly at high speed, and never wants to stop. The Speedfan program and Fuzzy Logic, reports high temperatures 53-60 C, instead of 21-22 what it shows normally (they are incorect, the cooler is not hot, not even the CPU), I dont know why.
Could you help me to find why it is happening so. Speedfan ver. 4.28 reports at Fan1 and Fan2 high temperatures. The CPU seems to be at low temperatures. Inspite of this the FAN runs constantly at 3,800 rpm. The Bios also reports low CPU and motherboard heat.
Please help me!!!

[Pali]

I have find out on another forum, what was the problem. Speedfan fancontrol conflicts with the bios's fancontrol.... So if I use Speedfan just for temp monitoring the problem dissapears...

[Pali]

heh. if all fails, get a nice set of speakers and turn em up real loud.

if you manage to find a way to keep it under 40 degrees or something all the time the CPU fan doesn't even turn on much. but then again I think i've had the MEGA for so long i've learned to tune out the fan spinning sound.

and also cuz it's partially under my desk.

What do you mean by this: "i've learned to tune out the fan spinning sound".
What have you done?

[felix]

My sister says the media reader doesn't read her 2GB Sandisk SD card. It worked fine on my internal reader. Any ideas? We'll try the external reader when she comes back to Toronto.

[ilikecheapstuff]

What do you mean by this: "i've learned to tune out the fan spinning sound".
What have you done?


lol
mind over matter my friend...

i haven't done anything. my brain has just filtered out the sounds... or just treat it as ambient sound

sometimes when the computer is off i can't fall asleep at night... it's too quiet...

[Fyshawk]

Does anyone have this operating system Microsoft Windows XP Media Center loaded on there Mega I was just wondering if it will run ok

[renhui]

yeah, it works.
Does anyone have this operating system Microsoft Windows XP Media Center loaded on there Mega I was just wondering if it will run ok

[fhofho]

Free MEGA 651 parts.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3533252#post3533252

[squall458]

Free MEGA 651 parts.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3533252#post3533252

that's really nice of u! my 651 is still running strong! one of the best deals i ever got from redflags

[Esca]

Still using mine as well. I don't know if anyone still follows this but I thought I'd ask since 54 pages is too much to go through.

Which CPU cooler/heatsink did you use to make the computer quieter? If anyone has changed their fan, what did you use and where did you purchase it?

[felix]

^ Check my posts, the heatsink/fan I bought as suggested by bluefront was the easiest to find and install. Much quieter than the stock fan it comes with.

[Esca]

I guess this is the one you're talking about. The search function doesn't go that far back so I've just been skimming through the thread.

Manhatten HS (Kingwin KCU-7025)

I noticed you got it from Ebay so I guess I'll try there as well.

[tjuzer]

Still have not set up myself yet :lol: . Anyone know if ATI aiw x800xt fit in this?

[renhui]

Yes, it will work fine in the 651.
Anyone know if ATI aiw x800xt fit in this?

[squall458]

Sorry to bump an OLD THREAD but I rather do that then start a new one.

Anyone know the most powerful video card that can fit in the msi 651? I know it had a ton of clearance issues and I want to know what can fit in it. I have an old 4200ti and it is not cutting it anymore with h.624 and many mp4 files.

[cmge]

Sapphire Radeon HD 3850 512MB AGP if it can fit... :S .. or you can try the lower end GeCube Radeon HD 2600 Pro 512MB AGP

[squall458]

Sorry to beat the dead horse again, but I just got a remote wonder for the 651. LOL. Bluefront is this thread said that it can be programmed to turn on the MSI 651. Does anyone know how? A plugin? I would PM him but he appears to have disappeared and being American I think he's gone. TIA!

[renhui]

Sorry to beat the dead horse again, but I just got a remote wonder for the 651. LOL. Bluefront is this thread said that it can be programmed to turn on the MSI 651. Does anyone know how? A plugin? I would PM him but he appears to have disappeared and being American I think he's gone. TIA!


I wish I could help :)

I had a remote wonder for the 651 (sold both) and I didn't know you could use the remote wonder to control the 651.

IIRC, 651's remote s infrared and the remote wonder is RF, are they even compatible?

[felix]

Sorry to beat the dead horse again, but I just got a remote wonder for the 651. LOL. Bluefront is this thread said that it can be programmed to turn on the MSI 651. Does anyone know how? A plugin? I would PM him but he appears to have disappeared and being American I think he's gone. TIA!
Have you tried messaging him on the other forums he visits? He posted a link to one of them earlier in this thread if I recall. I think it was on SPCR forum.