Completed: 02/02 Upgrade Completed: 04/05

  
 
 
 

In 2001 the client wanted a custom built computer with the following criteria:

  • play DVD's
  • listening to music
  • use Photoshop while running other graphic programs at the same time
  • play Flight Simulator Pro 2000,
  • edit audio using Sony SoundForge and Cubase
  • be used on a home network
  • plus all the usual things you do on a computer.

 

In 2001, the 2.4G Northwood processor was the second fastest processor that Intel made. The motherboard was so new and so fast that it was really hard to find. And then it had a price tag of over $300.

The RAM was also the second fastest at the time. And not too many people even knew what 1 Gig of DDR RAM was.

The original computer was assembled with a different case, stock audio on the motherboard, a CD burner only, and different cooling and wiring setup. The client loved his new computer. It did everything he wanted it to do at blazing speeds and it never crashed. We went our separate ways.

It is 2004 and the phone rings. The client wants to upgrade. The computer you see above is the result of the upgrade. The pictures do not do it justice.

 

 
 
   

 

CUSTOM RIG 001

   
 
 
Case Coolermaster Cavalier 1
Dimension (mm) 500x202x435 (D x W x H)
Weight 50lbs
Material Aluminum bezel, SECC chassis
Motherboard Giga-Byte GA-8INXP
Power Supply RAIDMAX 400W Black Casing w/ lighted fan
CPU Intel P4 Northwood - 2.4ghz - 533fsb (overclocked to 2.62ghz)
CPU Cooler Vantec AeroFlow Cooling Fan VP4-C7040
Hard Drive Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6B300S0 300GB Serial ATA 7200RPM Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer
Video Card MSI NVIDIA GeForce4 TI4200-VTD8X
(128 MB) - Running Dual Monitors
Video Card cooler Zalman VF700-Cu
Monitors (2) 21in. & 19 in.
Sound Card Creative Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS
(running in 6.1 surround sound)
TV Tuner Card Kworld V-Stream DV/AV Expert TV Stereo Card
RAM

1 GIG of Crucial DDR PC2700 • CL=2.5
(2 x 512mb sticks running in dual channel mode)

RAM Cooling Thermaltake Copper RAM Cooler
Optical Drive 1 Plextor PX-712A DVD±R/RW Drive
(Black faceplate)
Optical Drive 2 Sony DRU800A 16x DVD Dual Layer Burner internal IDE (white faceplate)
Other Drives * Iomega Internal IDE Zip100 Drive
* Floppy Drive 1.44mb
Modem 56K Fax
Ventilation * One 80 x 80 x 20 mm Front Fan ( Intake )
* One Chrome 120 x 120 x 25 mm Rear Fan
( Exhaust )
Total Fans 7 - it runs cool
Front I/O USB 2.0 x 2
IEEE1394 (FireWire) x 1
SPK x 1
MIC x 1
Cable Sleeving Blue braided UV reactive w/ different color heat shrinks
Cable Ties Orange, Blue, Green (UV Reactive)
Lighting 2 Ultra -Violet Cold Cathode Tubes
Special Notes Rounded data transfer cables for drives. assorted colors: red, copper, silver uv, glow in the dark