Contest! No tangible reward other than pride/shame!

Ilander · 04-26-2007, 01:53 AM

Okay, so I figure I need to tell you guys about this...but I want to hear your stories too, so here goes:

Post your most jury-rigged computer mods. You all have computers, so that means many of you have modified your computer in unusual and not-to-be-bragged-about ways. Who has the best one?

One vote per post, you may vote as many times as you like for as many entrants as you like...honor system, here, though. Don't spam your own mod. I'll keep a tally in the first post.

Here's my mod: super-glue. I have a dead GPU fan, which used to rattle violently against its cowling. I now have an old CPU fan superglued atop its heatsink. Eight inches to the left, there's another fan superglued to my case, exhausting heat from my RAID array.

Of course, I also currently have the sides off my computer, but that's not terrible unusual.

Bungleau · 04-26-2007, 08:32 AM

Only thing that comes to mind, and it's not major at all...

One of my machines (Frankenputer, to be specific) has long had a problem with rattling. Ever since I built it, actually, and I had found that by positioning the box from the replacement power supply next to it, I could stop the rattle... as long as the box never moved.

A while ago, I decided to see what was rattling. I didn't find it, but I decided to put in one more screw in the motherboard (I think)... a long one that pushes out against the case. Tighten it up enough, and no more rattle

'Course, I'm now thinking about whether it's properly grounded or not... I thought it was...

Felix The Assassin · 04-27-2007, 09:32 PM

GPU cooler project as well. Took a 3 1/2" L bracket; measured thrice, then mounted it through the case bottom in line with the GPU; back (flat) side facing GPU, placed a "mole skin" cover over the bracket; mounted a 80mm fan on it's triangular tip with one machine screw through the bracket; did the 7 volt cable modification, and plugged er in.

Eliminated the whine from the GPU fan, keeps GPU cool, no rattles or squeaks. Ahh!

Lucern · 04-29-2007, 12:55 AM

The computer I built last summer had only one ATA controller for the motherboard. I was...ill prepared for that surprise as I had 4 ATA devices: 2 cd drives and 2 hard drives. I proceeded to get an ATA controller PCI card from the local computer store to solve my problem as I attempted to install Windows. However, I could not get Windows to recognize it before it was up and running, so I just had to make do with what I had before me: 1 ATA controller and the two necessary devices to install windows (cd rom and hard drive), which were far too far apart in my full size tower to get on one ribbon. Here's the mod part: to get the hard drive close enough to the CD ROM, I took it out, supplied power to it, and provided it with a rickety base of anything I could find, which was about 10 inches of CDs, books, and a coffee mug.

Properly elevated, I could attach both devices onto one IDE ribbon. When my install had a lot of problems a few weeks later, I had to do it again! I stopped fighting it and just got a SATA hard drive after that. I'm glad I did, because that ATA controller PCI card caused way more problems than it solved.

Ilander · 04-29-2007, 04:08 PM

...You know, usually, you can hit F6 when you install Windows to install third party RAID/ATA/SATA drivers before you actually begin the installation...

No, I didn't know that until recently.

Nice mods! All of them sounded like things that I would have done.

I also once had to bend the metal case-mount bracket on a video card, but I'm not as proud about that.

Attalus · 04-29-2007, 04:21 PM

My favorite mod is when Piestrider comes back from college and immediately starts doing things to this computer (the Internet one) while complaining loudly that it is obsolete (P3). It usually takes me an hour to change the fonts and remove crap he has downloaded.

Lucern · 04-29-2007, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ilander:
...You know, usually, you can hit F6 when you install Windows to install third party RAID/ATA/SATA drivers before you actually begin the installation...

No, I didn't know that until recently.

Nice mods! All of them sounded like things that I would have done.

I also once had to bend the metal case-mount bracket on a video card, but I'm not as proud about that.

Yep, I know Ilander. It would never detect the CD when I did that (maybe if I had a 3.5 inch drive lol). SATA all the way!

Iron Greasel · 04-30-2007, 08:58 AM

Some unknown force has broken one of my USB ports. Does that count?

Ilander · 04-30-2007, 11:30 AM

Only if you fixed it with duct tape and a rubber band

04-26-2007, 01:53 AM	#1
Ilander 20th Level Warrior Join Date: December 28, 2003 Location: Kentucky Age: 38 Posts: 2,820	Okay, so I figure I need to tell you guys about this...but I want to hear your stories too, so here goes: Post your most jury-rigged computer mods. You all have computers, so that means many of you have modified your computer in unusual and not-to-be-bragged-about ways. Who has the best one? One vote per post, you may vote as many times as you like for as many entrants as you like...honor system, here, though. Don't spam your own mod. I'll keep a tally in the first post. Here's my mod: super-glue. I have a dead GPU fan, which used to rattle violently against its cowling. I now have an old CPU fan superglued atop its heatsink. Eight inches to the left, there's another fan superglued to my case, exhausting heat from my RAID array. Of course, I also currently have the sides off my computer, but that's not terrible unusual. __________________ Is that what you really want to say?

04-26-2007, 08:32 AM	#2
Bungleau 40th Level Warrior Join Date: October 29, 2001 Location: Western Wilds of Michigan Posts: 11,752	Only thing that comes to mind, and it's not major at all... One of my machines (Frankenputer, to be specific) has long had a problem with rattling. Ever since I built it, actually, and I had found that by positioning the box from the replacement power supply next to it, I could stop the rattle... as long as the box never moved. A while ago, I decided to see what was rattling. I didn't find it, but I decided to put in one more screw in the motherboard (I think)... a long one that pushes out against the case. Tighten it up enough, and no more rattle 'Course, I'm now thinking about whether it's properly grounded or not... I thought it was... __________________ B Save Early, Save Often Save Before, Save After Two-Star General, Spelling Soldiers -+-+-+ Give 'em a hug one more time. It might be the last.

04-27-2007, 09:32 PM	#3
Felix The Assassin The Dreadnoks Join Date: September 27, 2001 Location: Orlando, FL Age: 61 Posts: 3,608	GPU cooler project as well. Took a 3 1/2" L bracket; measured thrice, then mounted it through the case bottom in line with the GPU; back (flat) side facing GPU, placed a "mole skin" cover over the bracket; mounted a 80mm fan on it's triangular tip with one machine screw through the bracket; did the 7 volt cable modification, and plugged er in. Eliminated the whine from the GPU fan, keeps GPU cool, no rattles or squeaks. Ahh! __________________ The Lizzie Palmer Tribute Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. John F. Kennedy 35th President of The United States The Last Shot Honor The Fallen Jesus died for our sins, and American Soldiers died for our freedom. If you don't stand behind our Soldiers, please feel free to stand in front of them.

04-29-2007, 04:08 PM	#5
Ilander 20th Level Warrior Join Date: December 28, 2003 Location: Kentucky Age: 38 Posts: 2,820	...You know, usually, you can hit F6 when you install Windows to install third party RAID/ATA/SATA drivers before you actually begin the installation... No, I didn't know that until recently. Nice mods! All of them sounded like things that I would have done. I also once had to bend the metal case-mount bracket on a video card, but I'm not as proud about that. __________________ Is that what you really want to say?

04-29-2007, 04:21 PM	#6
Attalus Symbol of Bane Join Date: November 26, 2001 Location: Texas Age: 75 Posts: 8,167	My favorite mod is when Piestrider comes back from college and immediately starts doing things to this computer (the Internet one) while complaining loudly that it is obsolete (P3). It usually takes me an hour to change the fonts and remove crap he has downloaded. __________________ Even Heroes sometimes fail...

04-29-2007, 12:55 AM	#4
Lucern Quintesson Join Date: August 28, 2004 Location: the middle of Michigan Age: 42 Posts: 1,011	The computer I built last summer had only one ATA controller for the motherboard. I was...ill prepared for that surprise as I had 4 ATA devices: 2 cd drives and 2 hard drives. I proceeded to get an ATA controller PCI card from the local computer store to solve my problem as I attempted to install Windows. However, I could not get Windows to recognize it before it was up and running, so I just had to make do with what I had before me: 1 ATA controller and the two necessary devices to install windows (cd rom and hard drive), which were far too far apart in my full size tower to get on one ribbon. Here's the mod part: to get the hard drive close enough to the CD ROM, I took it out, supplied power to it, and provided it with a rickety base of anything I could find, which was about 10 inches of CDs, books, and a coffee mug. Properly elevated, I could attach both devices onto one IDE ribbon. When my install had a lot of problems a few weeks later, I had to do it again! I stopped fighting it and just got a SATA hard drive after that. I'm glad I did, because that ATA controller PCI card caused way more problems than it solved.

04-30-2007, 08:58 AM	#8
Iron Greasel Fzoul Chembryl Join Date: July 13, 2004 Location: Finland Age: 35 Posts: 1,701	Some unknown force has broken one of my USB ports. Does that count? __________________

04-30-2007, 11:30 AM	#9
Ilander 20th Level Warrior Join Date: December 28, 2003 Location: Kentucky Age: 38 Posts: 2,820	Only if you fixed it with duct tape and a rubber band __________________ Is that what you really want to say?

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