Small city my arse.... there are smaller solar systems.

'Tis very impressive indeed... and I'm not jealous one little bit

However, I have upped my sedatives so the wait 'til July/Aug next year is somewhat doable.

Yes, now I get it... a very good idea indeed, and it would allow the use of PCIE slots covered by large/multiple GPUs.

I had an idea it may have been something like that.  Thing is, I've had cases in the past that didn't have the full compliment of 'standoffs' to the right for mobos I wanted to use, so I just screwed down the left and centre screws.  The board still sat snugly and was well enough secured, despite couple of inches or so hanging over.  As for the cable holes being covered, they're still usable... you just feed the cables through before tightening down the board, or feed them through on an angle towards the right... left from the back.

EDIT:

After seeing the pics and giving it more thought, the Delux mobo actually looks quite good with that case, and probably better than the Rampage Extreme... appearance and colour-wise, that is.  The blacks and reds of the Rampage board I believe would look better in a black case, which fortunately for me the Coolermaster Cosmos II is.  Thing is, if extreme performance is what you're after and appearance isn't that important, I don't suppose it matters that much... especially if you don't have a see-through side cover.

I will go with the Rampage Extreme board when the time comes... cos red and black really suit my mood/personality... though not in a somre way.  I just like black and red, even more when they're bright, shiny black and red.

With all the 'high end' gear you get all sorts of stickers...you know....'powered by ASUS' etc.... but I wont be putting any of them on this thing....

On my current one the only one I used was one I pulled of my original IBM XT ....about an inch square...says 'IBM XT'.

Pretending it's a sleeper...;)

None of my cases has windows .... which is a good thing....cos all of them [apart from this new one] are wired by a madman who can tangle a one inch lead...;)

Once this one is up and running...and replacing the current....that's going to get a full rebuild....100% restoration, as they say.  It's dusty AND untidy.

I put a Gigabyte and Soundblaster X-FI sticker on an El cheapie case a few years back, but there was no such thought with my Level 10 or previous Thermaltake case. And I'm pleased you decided to opt out also... would have been an extreme case of sacrilege, had you defaced it with stickers.

That's sad, really, really sad... no windows to inspect the work you've done... but then if you're a madman who could garrote a CPU fan and stop it from running, maybe it is best there's no windows.  I am pleased to see the "apart from this new one", tho.... that case demands absolute respect, cpmpete reverence.

Me, I just have to have the cabling and case interior as tidy as it can be... and each time I get better at it, too.  I'm pretty suire I will go with the Coolermaster Cosmo II, and looking at the pics of the interior it looks like a fantastic case to work with... lots of cabling and cooling options... oodles of room for the Rampage board and a couple of large GPUs should I decide to SLI x2 GTX770s at my disposal.

Well...it's Saturday here....and tomorrow I get the last pieces of the puzzle...the ram....the PSU and one more platter HD....

Maybe tomorrow night I can get it all 'together'.

I've since upgraded my True Image from 2013 to 2015 ....as the 'plan' is now to transfer this OS complete to the new machine...in order [hopefully] to NOT need to reinstall the [currently] 160 gig of FSX [not to mention everything else].

If it's successful it'll save literally weeks of playing catch-up,

This box is just on 5.5 years old, as is the OS install... so there's a lot of 'stuff' that's been added and tweaked over that time.

Maybe a little will need revision/refreshing due to processor/GPU improvements...but Drive addresses will mostly be the same...so registrations will still...er...register.  The OS and Office might whinge .... not sure if True Image provides the solution to that too... or whether I'll be calling India instead.....

...ah...bit more research....;)

If you have the Ultimate version of True Image, you should have no problem with transfering the OS and installed programs to the new machine.  In the ultimate version there is a section to relocate to 'Dissimilar Hardware'.  Now I'm not too sure about your FSX, given it is on a different drive to the OS, but as I recall [haven't used/seen it for a while] you should be able to designate which drives/partitions you want to move over using this function.

Anyway, all the best and I hope it all goes smoothly.

Yes, it ostensibly will transfer to 'dissimilar hardware'...but until you have done it successfully you never know for sure.

Reason to do it is for the reg settings etc that 'show' the proggies are installed...activated et al... if the proggies [FSX] themselves are on different drives to the OS that's no issue....you just assign them the same drive letter as they had.

It's the C drive that takes all the effort.  I expect I'll be calling India re the relocation of the OS key itself.... but if that's all it is then it's no drama....even buying another key is no drama...  also an option.

Looks like I need an el-cheapo wired keyboard too ....have run out of 'em.  Wired is best when dealing with a virgin machine....;)

Yes, I remember now, it is as you say... assign them the same drive letters.  That's what I did [successfully] when I moved games that were on a 2nd SSD.

I had no issues when I did it... no having to call 'India' or buying another key.  Everything moved over and worked okay.  The only thing I had to do extra was to install drivers for the graphics card because I'd switched from a Nvidia to an AMD card.

I haven't used one of those in years... even when dealing with a virgin machine.  I do have a couple for if and when one is necessary, but touch wood [as I raise my hand to my head] I hopefully won't need to get one out and blow off the cobwebs.

I'd 'used up' all my spare boards/mice giving systems to rellies...

Almost broke the bank to get a basic USB KB and moose...all of $12 ....and perfect for future works....now MoBos dont even cater for PS2 anymore...;)

Got all the bits now...

Ram, PSU and that extra HD .... even found an LCD TeeV I can hook into with a vga adaptor....little 12" ......I'll probably blow it into next year when it's plugged into a 980 .....

Time to get down and dirty...:)

Lights are on ....no-one's home, yet.

At least it runs.... next step is bios settings and think about getting the OS on....;)

I've always kept a couple of spare KB/Moose sets... one for systems I'm working on... the other for visitors wanting to get on the net, etc.  Then I have a couple of wired sets for times when a system doesn't recognise wireless until Windows loads the drivers.  It doesn't happen too often these days... but just in case....

My last 3 mobos have not had PS2 ports, not that I've needed one, but I have a couple of those adapters should I ever need to use PS2 again, not that it's likely.

Yeah, but it's all looking good... and quite tidy, too.  It is a machine to be very proud of indeed... more is the pity I have to wait 'til mid-2015 to get started on mine  However, if I see any of the desired parts on super-duper special during the year, I'll grab'em as I see 'em, thus decreasing a larger lump sum at the end of it.

noctua makes some of the best fans in the biz but why are they so damned ugly? would it be so bad if they'd make a special line of them with black frames?

Agreed, the Noctua colours leave alot to be desired... me,  I prefer my  hardware black with red or blue trim... which is why the Rampage Extreme will look fantastic in my new Coolermaster Cosmos II... black and red together = sexy

Well....I've managed to migrate the OS from this machine to the new one....and even got it to boot...not quite sure what I did 'right'....but it took forever to find the right/sufficint chipset drivers for Acronis to use in the transfer.

I now have 6 hotswap drives behaving themselves.... though the OS is currently on an SSD ...once it's all looking 'correct' I'll image it to the M2.

So far the OS can't find the Graphic Card...so everything's at 1024x768 ... but I'll get there eventually...;)

Must be doing something right....cos this is from the new machine...

Still on the el-cheapo KB and miniature monitor....but stuff's doing a fair imitation of working....

Device Man says everything's OK....and that's a start...;)

Good to hear it transferred without issue like mine did, though I had no problem with Acronis and drivers, everyhing went across and/or was loaded on boot.  The only thing different was my graphics card, and I manually loaded the drivers for it early on in the piece.

Yes, you may have to do as I did... load them manually.  Alternatively you can let Windows update them for you, but I prefer downloading them from Nvidia, myself.

Quoting Jafo, reply 189

 

Must be doing something right....cos this is from the new machine...

Still on the el-cheapo KB and miniature monitor....but stuff's doing a fair imitation of working....

Device Man says everything's OK....and that's a start...

See, who said you were a PC mishap waiting to happen?   Oh, that's right, I believe it was yrag.

Well you've proven to yourself if noone else that you can put a great rig together. 

Congratulations on fantastic machine and a job well done.

To make Acronis actually good at doing this dissimilar transfer they NEED to have the proggy capable of reading cabs, etc....not just 'inf'.  I made a grab at a squillion various Intel drivers before I must have fluked one of the 3 missing....enough for it to boot without the BSOD it had been doing.

It was shear pot luck.

The Graphic card was just a case of doing everything offline.  Once I'd hooked into the network the dl/install could happen.

Still on 1360 res...cos that's all the little screen can manage....;)

Things like the Noctua fans being a bit 'dull' ....so is the cooler itself....bland and functional.... but the 'class' is on the outside....the case is what you see....on the inside you just want things to work right...;)

Next 'glitch' will be to take a hacksaw to some of the cooler fins....as they project lower than where the cooler recess is in the case....to the tune of about 1/4 of an inch [6mm].  I'd rather do that than swap out the cooler for another...as its function is what really matters.

However...

IF I go for another 32gig of ram [one day] ...the cooler will then have to go....it fouls slot 4 and 5 [of the 8].

I'm thinking though that 32 should be fine...;)

Shear pot luck, eh?

Thing is, you don't have a window to off 'bling' components, so no, it doesn't matter about appearance, so long as they work... and yes, that case is total class.

What a PITA!!!  I don't envy you cos I hate that sort of thing.... hacksawing shit ain't my favourite kinda thing. The noise pisses me off cos it goes right through me. Luckily I didn't have that problem with the Thermaltake cooler in my Level 10

Now what's the point of having 8 slots if'n yer not going to use 'em?  Hehe!

Generally speaking, 32gb of RAM is more than adequate and you probably would manage as is, but future developments in software, your FSX, could see the need for 64gb, though I reckon that'd be some way off yet.  If that does occur, I might be considering liquid cooling if I were you. There are some really good sealed units these days that are quite safe, and they're not such a bulky thing to fit, either.  Just a thought.

I'm pretty sure that case is being used as one of the Nova Corps capital buildings on Xandar:

Yep, and another is surveying the zebedee galaxy in the next universe over... hopefully it has enough fuel to return under its own steam.  Bugger having to go up after it.

While it is a highly desirable case, the price tag of $1400 AUD is a bit rich for me, sadly.

Oh well, I will end up with a highly desirable something else when I've saved enough pennies

1300 ...;)

Hacksawing was successful....case now closes... and it's 'installed' as my current prime machine.....hooked up to all the peripherals as was the oldie.

I have 2 VMs running as well at the moment...and don't even notice...;)

Sitting on the desk at my right ear the loudest noise is the odd seek noise from the HDs....;)

Both the PSU and GPU's fans don't run at all  ...... until there's sufficient load.... and the Noctua CPU one is just ticking over.

The case material is so solid [read heavy] there's no real sound at all...;)

I'll need to rejig my desk [and holes] to suit cable placement - eventually.

Now the old machine is sitting there looking forlorn and dusty...so it's possibly time to point some TLC at that one too....;)

Dunno a 100 bucks less would make much difference.... if I want the high-end CPU and mobo.  And that rich uncle never came out of the woodwork.  Maybe the termites got 'im.

Never mind, the Coolermaster Cosmos II is still a quite decent case with oodles of room... and I will be happy with it... @ a 1000 bucks less.

Or then there's this one, which is also huge and heavy. It stands almost 3 foot tall at 692mm x 252mm x 650mm and is being dubbed a 'Super Tower'... so it would not fit IN my desk, should I lean that way....  then neither would the Coolermaster.  Still, I have that covered with a raised platform arrangement I built that adds on to the desk to showcase the Level 10.

Right now it's an either or, though I'm presently leaning a little more towards the Coolermaster.  The Corsair Obsidian 900D is also a great case with enormous interior space and many cooling options... not to mention rather sleek and elegant in appearance.  I guess time will tell as to which one gets the nod on the day... and then, something equally attractive could present itself in the meantime.

That 900D looks like it'd handle everything [at the same time even]...where-as the LE Level 10 needs careful consideration.....and won't fit a lot of variables.

I think one issue is with the Haswell boards that look like they have the CPU further to the 'right' [away from the rear panel IOs] and maybe lower...as the cutout in the MoBo tray doesn't match the CPU position .... and the cooler ends up too low and almost too 'forward' of the recess allowed for it in the MoBo door/cover.

The GTX980's cooler piping also actually contacts that door too...there SHOULD be note made of how WIDE the GPU card can be ...not just how long.

The hot-swap drive bays work just fine...but can be fiddly to align to slide in.

On the up side.... apart from boot-time I have never heard the PSU fan run .... that means that so far I'm under 40% load....

I am yet to experiment with overclocking....but without it I'm stoked by the improvement in FSX [and so I should be....going from a 920 to a 5960 means a shitload more grunt processor-wise]...;)

The previous 2 machines have run a benchmarking 'game demo' at averages of 21.9 and 106 fps .....next trick is to see what this one does...;)

Yes, I quite like the 900D... and it is sexy to boot.  Being that it's 18.6kg devoid of components, however, I dunno that I'd wanna be picking it up to often.

What's more, being near 3 foot - okay, so it's closer to 2' 3" - a bloke's not gonna tuck it under his chin so he can see over the top while carrying it, is he!

Mind you, the Corsair Cosmos II is 22kb [almost 50lbs] so that'd be a heavy fecher once all my stuff is in it... and it stands tall at 704mm [2' 4"ish"], though the feet and handles account for about 3" of that.

Hmmm, decisions decisions!  I like them both; both look great; both would easily accommodate the components; each has great expandabilty and cooling options; and neither would fit in the tower recess in my desk, meaning I may have to redesign the shelf addon to make room for both my Level 10 and the new machine.

Speaking of my Level 10/Intel beastie, I have missed it so much that I extricated it from its storage location while I repacked my belonging into plastic crates and reorganised things.  I probably shouldn't have done it, what with the fracture in my arm, but it was necessary. Yeah, cockroaches and other vermin eat their way through cardboard.  Despite the area being fumigated just prior to storing my stuff, I've seen a few pests - it's the weather for 'em - and prevention is better than cure.

Anyway, my beastie is here with me now and I plan to set it up when I arise later. Presently it is 3.42am and I'm way too buggered to consider it... not to mention a backache and other "oh fech it hurts" after my earlier efforts repacking.  Hopefully the pain meds kick in soon and I can get some snooze.

Couple of years ago there was a Benchmarking 'Demo' of Resident Evil 5  which was a handy way of comparing systems.  I'd kept several vers...

You run the game/demo and at the end it gives you the average framerate....at [my default] 1680x1050 [DX 10].

First system I tested was a P4 3.0 with an ATI Radeon HD 385 [AGP] which ran at [1280x1024 - best it could do] 21.9 frames per second.

Then came the i7 920 with a GTX285 at 106.0 frames per second.

Next, the same machine with a GTX590 at 144.4 frames per second.

Today.... 'the Beast' ...i7 5960 and GTX980 does it all at 250.8 frames per second.

Now, If I were to look at overclocking.....;)