# [Build Log] Dell C1100 Case Swap



## Simmons572

Hello OCN! I never anticipated this much attention for my initial question (see below), but I am sure this is going to turn into a headache fun project, and great learning experience.


Spoiler: Original Post below the cut.



As of right now, I have my heart set on a C1100, but for fun, I would like to move its hardware into a tower case.

I'm really after a near silent, powerful host with the ability to add more HDD's as needed. What form factor is that motherboard? Also, what socket are the processors?

I would like to replace the stock passive heatsinks with standard tower sinks, such as the Noctua U14s. Would that swap be feasible, given I were able to move the system into a different case?

Also, given that the 1U case is designed the way it is, I know that the componants have adequate airflow in its stock configuration. If moved to a different case, should I be concerned about any non-cpu componants overheating?

I am considering moving this into a Fractal Design Define XL v2, if the mobo form factor allows. Any suggestions of another decent tower case that would provide optimal airflow for a mobo of this size?

I know this sounds silly, but this is something I really am intrigued by, and haven't really seen anybody do yet.

Thanks in advaced!



Drop-downs for organizational purposes.










Spoiler: Background Explanation



I am sure you are all wondering the same thing, why? It would be a lot easier to just build a rack mount system and lock it in a closet.

These little 1U machines are loud. Very loud. Unless you have noise dampening foam for your server room, you will hear that machine down the hall.

Besides, a rack mount system is easy. Too easy. And we can't have that.













Spoiler: Parts List and Prices



*Core Components*

Server- C1100 (x2) L5520 48GB RAM, $540
Case- Fractal Design Define XL R2 Titanium Grey, $80
PSU- SeaSonic G-750, $110
CPU Heatsinks- (x2) Hyper 212 Evo- $35 each

Replacement CPUs- (x2) Xeon X5677, $50 each
Replacement Heatsink Standoffs - M3 PCB Standoff Assortment Kit, $6

*Storage*

HDD, Storage- x2 2TB-
--Seagate ST2000DM001, $0 (gift)
--Seagate STBV2000100, $70

SSD, OS- x2 60GB SSDs, RAID 1, $70 (total)
SSD, VM- Samsung 840 Evo, 250 GB, $110

*Cooling*

Fan Controller- NZXT Sentry Mix 2, $30
Case Fan- x2 Delta Electronics AFB1212SH, $22 (total)
Case Fan- x3 Fractal Design Silent Series R2 140mm, $0 (included with Define XL R2)
Case Fan- Corsair AF140L, $0 (included with Corsair Air 540)

*Connectors/Adapters*

x2 6" PCI-E power to 8 pin EPS adapters, $10 (total)
33cm 24 pin extension, $6
PWM Splitter Cable, $6
USB 3.0 F to USB 2.0 M adapter, $10

*Extra Items*

Replacement Dell C1100 Mobo, $60
Mountain Mods 120mm fan Mount, $12
RAID Card- Dell 85M9R SAS card, (Gift)





Spoiler: Update List



15June14- Purchased the C1100!
24June14- She's here~
25June14- First test boot
26June14- Initial Disassembly
27June14- Case test in the Air 540
12July14- Front panel header, first test
12July14- HDD, SSDs, and an OS
14July14- OS install
02Aug14- Fractal Design Define XL R2 overview
02Aug14- Seagate Expansion External Drive Disassembly
26Aug14- Killed the original motherboard
13Sep14- Installing the 212 Evo's
15Sep14- Installing the mobo and case fans
15Sep14- Wiring the board and data connections

5May16 - Teardown and Preparations for Upgrades
5May16 - Testing the new Standoffs and Reassembly



*DISCLAIMER*
Though english is my first, and only language, I have a rough time gathering my thoughts and putting them into coherent sentences. If anybody notices any jarring words, sentences, or blatant mispellings, please PM me.

This is my first attempt at a build log. If everything goes as planned, I anticipate ths thread turning into a guide, so I would like the best possible reading experience for the OCN community.


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## Sean Webster

Oh, so this is what you posted in my thread  lol

Quote:



> As of right now, I have my heart set on a C1100, but for fun, I would like to move its hardware into a tower case.
> 
> I'm really after a near silent, powerful host with the ability to add more HDD's as needed.


What are you going to be using it for? Because while this C1100 is nice and all, unless you are going to be running a lot of VMs or a HUGE HDD setup, you may want to look into other options...but the amount of RAM and cores is very tempting lol. One thing to note is that it only has 1 PCIe slot.

Quote:


> What form factor is that motherboard? Also, what socket are the processors?


Its an E-ATX board I believe...i am not sure exactly, that is just what i have read from a google search. The link is currently down but it may be up later: http://forums.servethehome.com/index.html?threads/my-successful-move-of-the-dell-c1100-to-a-tower-case-front-panel-pinout-question.3101/

It seems the only issue is figuring out the pinout for the front panel header.

Socket 1366 CPUs

Quote:


> I would like to replace the stock passive heatsinks with standard tower sinks, such as the Noctua U14s. Would that swap be feasible, given I were able to move the system into a different case?


That would be feasible. idk if clearances would allow it with those coolers.

Quote:


> Also, given that the 1U case is designed the way it is, I know that the componants have adequate airflow in its stock configuration. If moved to a different case, should I be concerned about any non-cpu componants overheating?


I'd have as much airflow pointed at the mobo as possible. Maybe just have a fan dedicated to blowing on it.

Quote:


> I am considering moving this into a Fractal Design Define XL v2, if the mobo form factor allows. Any suggestions of another decent tower case that would provide optimal airflow for a mobo of this size?
> 
> I know this sounds silly, but this is something I really am intrigued by, and haven't really seen anybody do yet.


I need to do it myself, these fans in the 1U case are starting to annoy me lol.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Oh, so this is what you posted in my thread
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol


Yeah.. I think my forum newb is showing...







Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> What are you going to be using it for? Because while this C1100 is nice and all, unless you are going to be running a lot of VMs or a HUGE HDD setup, you may want to look into other options...but the amount of RAM and cores is very tempting lol. One thing to note is that it only has 1 PCIe slot.


As of right now it is definitely overkill for what I need. I have -2 experience with VM, but after many recomendations from OCN users, I figured I'd give it a shot.
As for what I want to do with it (taken from one of my other threads):

Central media server, potentially linked to foobar and iTunes
A couple network drives, possibly a partitioned RAID array
Ability to setup and easily manage game servers (we are building a custom minecraft modpack, so the ability to remove and add files is essential)
Personal Cloud Storage (dropbox makes me leary and I don't want to pay for a service)
Ability to remote into the servers from the WAN
The main reason I am looking at this machine specifically, I am negotiating with a seller who is willing to sell the 72GB x5650 version for ~$600. As I learn what I can do with VM, I want a platform that I know will never be hurting on resources. Plus, I have a bunch of tax money that I am willing to burn.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Its an E-ATX board I believe...i am not sure exactly, that is just what i have read from a google search. The link is currently down but it may be up later: http://forums.servethehome.com/index.html?threads/my-successful-move-of-the-dell-c1100-to-a-tower-case-front-panel-pinout-question.3101/
> 
> It seems the only issue is figuring out the pinout for the front panel header. Socket 1366 CPUs.


I hope it comes back up soon.. If that is the case, a build log may be in order if I decide to really go through with this case swap. Some others will definitely benefit from that info.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> That would be feasible. idk if clearances would allow it with those coolers.


In all reality, I just want a decent heat sink with minimum noise. Hell, a 212 evo could work, but I will have to double check those clearances after I settle on the server.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> I'd have as much airflow pointed at the mobo as possible. Maybe just have a fan dedicated to blowing on it.
> 
> I need to do it myself, these fans in the 1U case are starting to annoy me lol.


That can definitely be arranged. Maybe a different case, but we'll have to see.
As well as those delta fans perform, I think they'd have better use in another application. A non-computer-in-the-apartment application.









Though quick question for you while you are here, what VM solution do you use in your machine, and would it be a good solution for a complete beginner?

Thanks for the insight. I know that the machine is extremely overkill for anything I could do with it (immediately), but if everything goes as planned, I can easily see myself filling an array like your Terrorbyte v2, as well as plenty of other applications.

EDIT: Noticed a lot of typos and bad wordings.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> One thing to note is that it only has 1 PCIe slot.


I just noticed this comment. I was fine with that until I noticed that their are only 2 usable NICs. I really was hoping for a Quad LACP connection, which won't be possible once I eventually break down and get a RAID card.

Well shackalackadingdong (self censorship ftw).

Does anybody have any other solutions that could work? In all honesty, I don't want to pass on a deal this good if I don't have to, but the quad LACP was one of the biggest parts of this (for me anyways).

EDIT: I am starting to realize how silly of a demand this this. If there is a way to mke it work, I would be overjoyed, but I am willing to settle on Dual LACP. I was just looking at the R610, which does have the quad built in, but the form factor on that board is so odd, I doubt I would be able to do a case swap.


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## tycoonbob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> I just noticed this comment. I was fine with that until I noticed that their are only 2 usable NICs. I really was hoping for a Quad LACP connection, which won't be possible once I eventually break down and get a RAID card.
> 
> Well shackalackadingdong (self censorship ftw).
> 
> Does anybody have any other solutions that could work? In all honesty, I don't want to pass on a deal this good if I don't have to, but the quad LACP was one of the biggest parts of this (for me anyways).
> 
> EDIT: I am starting to realize how silly of a demand this this. If there is a way to mke it work, I would be overjoyed, but I am willing to settle on Dual LACP. I was just looking at the R610, which does have the quad built in, but the form factor on that board is so odd, I doubt I would be able to do a case swap.


I have 2 R610's that I run at home, and I love them (quad NICs, dual PCIe) but the board is specially designed to fit in the chassis so a case swap would be a custom job.

Anyway, the C1100 also has a mezzanine slot. Put a RAID controller in the mezz slot, and put a quad gigabit NIC card in the PCIe slot. Problem solved. The ideal mezz card for this would be:
Dell 85M9R (dual SAS port -- 8 drives -- original OEM mezz card for Dell C1100 and C2100) - ~$200-250 or so, used.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Dell-PowerEdge-C2100-C1100-Mezzanine-SAS-RAID-Controller-85M9R-/131147448647?pt=US_Server_Disk_Controllers_RAID_Cards&hash=item1e88ff4147

Or you could get a Dell Y8Y69, which is much cheaper and only supports RAIDs 0, 1, 10, and JBOD. This has an older SoC, but RAID 10 between 4 drives (only 4 drive bays available) would be what I would do anyway. The 85M9R is nicer, but costs more.

This would free up your PCIe slot for a quad gigabit NIC card.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tycoonbob*
> 
> I have 2 R610's that I run at home, and I love them (quad NICs, dual PCIe) but the board is specially designed to fit in the chassis so a case swap would be a custom job.
> 
> Anyway, the C1100 also has a mezzanine slot. Put a RAID controller in the mezz slot, and put a quad gigabit NIC card in the PCIe slot. Problem solved. The ideal mezz card for this would be:
> Dell 85M9R (dual SAS port -- 8 drives -- original OEM mezz card for Dell C1100 and C2100) - ~$200-250 or so, used.
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Dell-PowerEdge-C2100-C1100-Mezzanine-SAS-RAID-Controller-85M9R-/131147448647?pt=US_Server_Disk_Controllers_RAID_Cards&hash=item1e88ff4147
> 
> Or you could get a Dell Y8Y69, which is much cheaper and only supports RAIDs 0, 1, 10, and JBOD. This has an older SoC, but RAID 10 between 4 drives (only 4 drive bays available) would be what I would do anyway. The 85M9R is nicer, but costs more.
> 
> This would free up your PCIe slot for a quad gigabit NIC card.


I was looking at that R610, and I was thinking the same thing.
That solution would be perfect. Thank you for the suggestion!


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## tycoonbob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> I was looking at that R610, and I was thinking the same thing.
> That solution would be perfect. Thank you for the suggestion!


Good luck.


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## evilminist

Subbed! Especially if you are planning on a case swap. I've been looking to do this for a while too...but I haven't had the time to sit down and do good research into this.

Good luck!


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evilminist*
> 
> Subbed! Especially if you are planning on a case swap. I've been looking to do this for a while too...but I haven't had the time to sit down and do good research into this.
> 
> Good luck!


Thank you much!

I am not 100% sure how long it will take for me to get this build on a roll, so please bear with me. I will update the title in a bit.


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## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *evilminist*
> 
> Subbed! Especially if you are planning on a case swap. I've been looking to do this for a while too...but I haven't had the time to sit down and do good research into this.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you much!
> 
> I am not 100% sure how long it will take for me to get this build on a roll, so please bear with me. I will update the title in a bit.
Click to expand...

Can't wait, I may follow suit after if you get a C1100 as I need to get rid of all the noise mine makes.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Can't wait, I may follow suit after if you get a C1100 as I need to get rid of all the noise mine makes.


Oh man, Sean Webster is expecting greatness







Breathe simmons...


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## xNovax

If you get the C1100 to work in a case other than the standard case I will look up to you as a god. If it works I will follow suit and move my C1100.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNovax*
> 
> If you get the C1100 to work in a case other than the standard case I will look up to you as a god. If it works I will follow suit and move my C1100.


Oh man. I will do what I can!


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## Sean Webster

haha, the pressure is on! I was afraid to try it because I thought it was a non ATX board...but i didnt look into it until you posted this thread. I'll give it a go myself if I get the free time before you.


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## xNovax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> haha, the pressure is on! I was afraid to try it because I thought it was a non ATX board...but i didnt look into it until you posted this thread. I'll give it a go myself if I get the free time before you.


I'm just worried to mess around with the front panel connectors.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> haha, the pressure is on! I was afraid to try it because I thought it was a non ATX board...but i didnt look into it until you posted this thread. I'll give it a go myself if I get the free time before you.


You will probably get to it before me, but that is life I suppose







I think I am going to settle on my purchase this evening. I have to negotiate with the seller a bit more, but I think I'm just about ready. Thanks @tycoonbob for the tips!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNovax*
> 
> I'm just worried to mess around with the front panel connectors.


My plan is to go through it with a multimeter and figure out what everything is doing. I will try to do a decent photo log while I'm going through it.


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## Simmons572

I made the plunge! Purchased the C1100 last night!


Spoiler: Achievement: C1100 get!







Once she arrives, you guys will be the first to hear about it.


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## Sean Webster

nice, so you may have it done faster than me lol.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> nice, so you may have it done faster than me lol.


There are a few complications on my end regarding this machine, so it may be over a week before I can even try it out. My plan of action right now is to rip the motherboard out of my girlfriend's 400r and see how the alignment looks.


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## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> nice, so you may have it done faster than me lol.
> 
> 
> 
> There are a few complications on my end regarding this machine, so it may be over a week before I can even try it out. My plan of action right now is to rip the motherboard out of my girlfriend's 400r and see how the alignment looks.
Click to expand...

I'm on vacation all this week and starting a new job the following week and have a lot of product reviews to write...I'm pretty sure you got a good head start on me haha.

I can't wait to see update pics.


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## Simmons572

And one week later, she's arrived! .... at the post office....








I missed the delivery man (I knew I shoulda scheduled off this morning...), so I will be picking it up after work.

I have a bit of homework and yardwork to do, so I appologize if I can't get photos up immediately.

As of right now, the plan is to do the initial startup using my gf's hard drive, until my boot drive arrives in the mail. Will update soon!


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## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> And one week later, she's arrived! .... at the post office....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I missed the delivery man (I knew I shoulda scheduled off this morning...), so I will be picking it up after work.
> 
> I have a bit of homework and yardwork to do, so I appologize if I can't get photos up immediately.
> 
> As of right now, the plan is to do the initial startup using my gf's hard drive, until my boot drive arrives in the mail. Will update soon!


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## Simmons572

Good news everyone!
HW finished, and not much else to do, so lets open up this big ol' box.


No major damage to the box, minus a couple small dings and sratches to the box. Surprisingly in great shape! +1 to Fedex.


It came shipped in some thick soft cell foam. Very nice. (I am starting to sound like Linus halp)


Server looks in great shape! There are a few marks from where it appears that stickers were removed, but other than that, no noticeable dings or major scratches.



I think I am starting to get a thing for these servers. She's purty~


Everything looks great from behind! And I know exactly what I'm putting in that expansion slot. kinky


Even came with rack mounting rails! Probably never going to use them, but definitely to have









I am super excited now. I am going to try to dig up my old tripod before I take this thing apart. I know the lighting is terrible, but this is the best I can do with my P/S camera at 1050 in the evening









Anyways, stay tuned!


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## jibesh

Lol you're way too excited...take a deep breath


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## Sean Webster

*Spoiler alert:* IDK if you have yet, but wait till you turn it on hahaha, you are going to get scared and think it is a tornado maker. XD The fans are super loud. It takes about 10 min for the fans to spin down to a less loud noise level after you power it on at first.

Do you have the new case yet too? I really want to toss this thing in my Norco 4224 soon and dont want to do the dirty work of sorting out the header cables since its already up and running lol.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jibesh*
> 
> Lol you're way too excited...take a deep breath


I have no idea what you are talking about








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> *Spoiler alert:* IDK if you have yet, but wait till you turn it on hahaha, you are going to get scared and think it is a tornado maker. XD The fans are super loud. It takes about 10 min for the fans to spin down to a less loud noise level after you power it on at first.
> 
> Do you have the new case yet too? I really want to toss this thing in my Norco 4224 soon and dont want to do the dirty work of sorting out the header cables since its already up and running lol.


I haven't yet. I remember seeing someone's video showing the fan volume and... welp... that's part of the reason for this build log in the first case









Not yet. My plan right now is to test fit it in my gf's 400r, see how that looks, or maybe even my Air 540... But as of right now, I want to wait a couple weeks for my next pay check before I jump onto the case. I'm still recovering from that initial server purchase...


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## tycoonbob

This video?


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## Simmons572

That's the one!


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## Clexzor

Watsup all not to steal thread or anything just wanted to drop some picks off lol...I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with...

Here is my ghetto rigged poweredge 860 for teamspeak 3 server only running 4gb with a wd enterprise 250gb no raid controller. Air 540 case that I got for 20$ from a bud. mounted the front control panel to the rear exhuat vent lol. works perfectly and is fairly quiet in the cloet with stock blower rigged on.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clexzor*
> 
> Watsup all not to steal thread or anything just wanted to drop some picks off lol...I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with...
> 
> Here is my ghetto rigged poweredge 860 for teamspeak 3 server only running 4gb with a wd enterprise 250gb no raid controller. Air 540 case that I got for 20$ from a bud. mounted the front control panel to the rear exhuat vent lol. works perfectly and is fairly quiet in the cloet with stock blower rigged on.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Is that a RAM heatsink with fan? And how secure is that mobo?

I am planning on bolting mine down, potentially making my own standoffs, but yours kinda looks like its just sitting there.


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## Clexzor

Yeah its just siting in there it has that metal backplate from the dell case keeping is straight and safe underneath...I see no reason to bolt it down as once I set in the closet shell pretty much never move except for a dusting etc lol

But other than that with some modding u can easily bolt it down etc.


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## cyanmcleod

hmmm... i have 3 of these and 1 is just there for a backup really. i also happen to have a spare HAF 932 case. ideas.....


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clexzor*
> 
> Yeah its just siting in there it has that metal backplate from the dell case keeping is straight and safe underneath...I see no reason to bolt it down as once I set in the closet shell pretty much never move except for a dusting etc lol
> 
> But other than that with some modding u can easily bolt it down etc.


That makes sense. I'm going to be moving in August (hopefully...) so I'm aming to have it as secure as any old desktop. After that, hell I could probably just skip the case and put the mobo on a box!







not really
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyanmcleod*
> 
> hmmm... i have 3 of these and 1 is just there for a backup really. i also happen to have a spare HAF 932 case. ideas.....


I was looking at HAF XB and that may be a decent option, though I'm still favoring the Fractal Define R4/XL


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## Sean Webster

TEST FIT IT IN A CASE NAOW! If you are able to get the header pins all working and can give us a guide for mapping them I will shut my server off right now and change chassis.

(wait, I think i may need some CPU coolers first lol)


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> TEST FIT IT IN A CASE NAOW!










Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> If you are able to get the header pins all working and can give us a guide for mapping them I will shut my server off right now and change chassis.
> 
> (wait, I think i may need some CPU coolers first lol)


You're going to have to wait at least 6 hours before I crack open that shell, let alone test the server to make sure everything works. If it wasn't for midterms.....

I have ~$300 left to spend to get this system operational. I've already purchased my OS SSDs, so now I just need to work out the storage HDDs. If anybody wants to donate $80 to broke college student's hard drive fund hmu!

Also I think I have decided on my heatsinks. As of right now I am going to use x2 Hyper 212 evos. I am open to other recomendations, but I really don't want to spend too much money on the heatsinks if I don't have to.

And I am going to do a bit more research on the case options while I have a bit of downtime between classes.


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## Sean Webster

NOOOOOOO!!! Forget midterms, they are for newbs anyways lol. I take my summers off and just do fall and spring courses...I like a long vacation. 

Coolers: Hyper 212 evos will do fine, you arent going to really overclock anyways. I don't know the heatsink market so i cant recommend much lol. I'd probably do the same myself.

For HDDs: i like my toshiba 3TB drives. What are you trying to accomplish with the storage set up? I can throw some more recommendations.

What SSD did you buy?


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## cyanmcleod

and to think i have 2 spare h212s sitting around.... too bad i have like 0 time to start on a project like that. maybe one day soon.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> NOOOOOOO!!! Forget midterms, they are for newbs anyways lol. I take my summers off and just do fall and spring courses...I like a long vacation.


Simmons, pro newb, reporting for duty!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Coolers: Hyper 212 evos will do fine, you arent going to really overclock anyways. I don't know the heatsink market so i cant recommend much lol. I'd probably do the same myself.


That's what I was thinking. My only beef is that everybody and their mother has one, so I feel very meh about them.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyanmcleod*
> 
> and to think i have 2 spare h212s sitting around.... too bad i have like 0 time to start on a project like that. maybe one day soon.


Case and point.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> For HDDs: i like my toshiba 3TB drives. What are you trying to accomplish with the storage set up? I can throw some more recommendations.


VM, game serve, vpn, ftp, media... Basically what most everybody else does with multiple machines....
Oh wait, small storage server (for now) and storage for what I previously mentioned. My short term goal is to run 4 2TBs in RAID 10, and expand to 8 when I decide to grab a raid card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> What SSD did you buy?


I nabbed an Intel 80 GB SSD320, and a OCZ Vertex 3s 60GB. $35 each.


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## vpex

Cooling L5520s are easy - I have a 80mm (600 - 800rpm?) fan and a passive heatsink with my normal - light workload the Supermico IPMI never gives me any warnings and the temperatures is usually ~35C.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vpex*
> 
> Cooling L5520s are easy - I have a 80mm (600 - 800rpm?) fan and a passive heatsink with my normal - light workload the Supermico IPMI never gives me any warnings and the temperatures is usually ~35C.


By any chance do you have pictures that we can check out?


----------



## vpex

No - I don't. I have a dual node Supermicro server. 6026DTT-HDTRF if your interested. L5520s with a 212 would be perfect. The only time I had trouble with temperatures is when the connector become disloged from the backplane and I had no fan







. The supermicro supported a fan swap without any fuss although the IPMI logs are spammed with fan failures and ESXi keeps warning me about a failure - I doubt it will be that pain free on the dell though unless others have done this that I haven't seen. The only thing I have seen on mods done to dell servers were a thread on servethehome where someone tried to swap the fans among other things of the C6100 with limited success. I don't own a C1100 as you can't get them in the UK but with the Supermicro the biggest problem I have now is the PSUs - they're 1.4Kw PSUs and make a racket with what the IPMI reports as ~80W usage.


----------



## Wildcard36qs

Sweet! This is going to be a summer project of mine as well. I actually posted several questions in that serverthehome thread, but looks like they've cleaned it up. If you read that thread you see that he mentions the Hyper 212 Evo messed up his board. Just be careful.

I was planning on using the Fractal Design XL, but there are some upcoming cases that looked good as well. I plan on getting the mezzanine card and using it along with my PERC 6. I don't need more than 2 NIC as I can just do everything in ESXi.

OH and the Dell 9KKK4 daughter board I think works as well for storage options.


----------



## vpex

It might not be that they cleaned the thread up they could have just lost the data - they had what they thought to be their C6100s backplane fail and that took out their SSDs and I think they're backups were on another node of that server which where also lost? Its definately a shame. But they're back now.


----------



## Wildcard36qs

That is the thread for a C1100 I am talking about:

http://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/my-successful-move-of-the-dell-c1100-to-a-tower-case-front-panel-pinout-question.3101/


----------



## jibesh

Hmm I got 2 C1100s i don't use anymore. Maybe I should try to do the same and try a case swap. I think I bricked one by updating the wrong BIOS on it thou.


----------



## tycoonbob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jibesh*
> 
> Hmm I got 2 C1100s i don't use anymore. Maybe I should try to do the same and try a case swap. I think I bricked one by updating the wrong BIOS on it thou.


Feel free to send those my way; I'll definitely make use of them. Heck, I'd even pay your shipping costs!


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tycoonbob*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *jibesh*
> 
> Hmm I got 2 C1100s i don't use anymore. Maybe I should try to do the same and try a case swap. I think I bricked one by updating the wrong BIOS on it thou.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Feel free to send those my way; I'll definitely make use of them. Heck, I'd even pay your shipping costs!
Click to expand...

Not if I get them first!


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs*
> 
> Sweet! This is going to be a summer project of mine as well. I actually posted several questions in that serverthehome thread, but looks like they've cleaned it up. If you read that thread you see that he mentions the Hyper 212 Evo messed up his board. Just be careful.


Yeah thanks for that info! I will have to try it out with the my 212 and see how it looks.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs*
> 
> I was planning on using the Fractal Design XL, but there are some upcoming cases that looked good as well. I plan on getting the mezzanine card and using it along with my PERC 6. I don't need more than 2 NIC as I can just do everything in ESXi.


I am favoring it, but if something looks better, I will gladly try something else.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs*
> 
> OH and the Dell 9KKK4 daughter board I think works as well for storage options.


Do you know how many SATA that card supports?

...

I just finished up that midterm, so time to start tinkering!


----------



## Simmons572

Time for the first test!



So I got a bit trigger happy and I had to see the guts of this machine.



I'm glad I haven't used this ash tray for its intended purpose yet











Safety first! (Seriously this is the first time I've ever actually used this thing, but I figured I wouldn't take any chances this first go around)



It's beautiful








I also decided to crack open the Kirito build, and use that OS as a test fire.



Problem number one: I don't have any mounting screws for this hard drive.



What do you know, those case screws fit perfectly! Jerry rigging for the win!



Welp, I guess this throws that safety first comment out the window...

And time to boot.




Everything seems to be working great. The bios tries to boot to the network first, so I am going to have to poke around in the bios to change the boot order.



And Windows!
As you can all tell, I put a lot of effort into this custom background.



After seeing this, I began getting concerned. Only 4 threads and 16 GB of RAM detected...



At least windows does detect the processors and the 48 GBs. I didn't realize Home Premium had RAM limitations...
Not concerned though. Once those SSDs arrive, I have a copy of Server 2012 R2 ready to go.

I will plan on starting to disassemble it in a bit, after a quick bathroom break.


----------



## Simmons572

I am not sure if I've commented on this before, but I love how neat and tidy it is in here.
Time to rip it apart!



Remove the Wind Tunnel shroud, in order to see the main components.



2 passive heat sinks, and the 48 GB of ram. It looks good too! Though something just caught my eye...



The RAM is ECC! That's the second thing that has made my night!
Okay, well back into the system with you, and time to start the great disconnect adventures.



On the PSU side of the case, we have the 24 pin, 8pin CPU, x2 4pin CPU(?), and the power for the backplane.



Also, this little brown and white plughere, but I am not sure what it is yet. (noted for investigation)



On the opposite end, we have the PCIe and the Mezz slot. I removed the riser card for a closer look...




Pretty straight forward.



Once I make the transplant, it's going to look something like this.
Moving on to the next part of the disconnect...



From right to left, we have the front panel cluster connector, front panel USB2, the SATA connections, and an unknown black and white cable.

Removing front panel connector made me a bit nervous. It was fairly stiff, but I eventually teased it out. The USB was straight forward so no issues there.



Just a photo of the layout of the SATA connections.



I still am not sure what this cable is. I tried to remove it, but the wires do not feel very solid so I will leave it alone for now.






The SAS backplane looks fairly straighht foward. 4 SATA, several fan plugs, and a few other assorted plugs I cannot identify.

So that was the easy part. I removed the motherboard's 10 stand off screws and surely enough, the motherboard was lose. Though I noticed a small issue with my test case...




That mobo is not going to fit in the 400r. I know if I remove all the fans and stash the cables, I could fit it down just fine.
The issue is the motherboard tray. It is recessed, only leaving space for an ATX board.

Okay so, time for Plan B. I am going to have to rip everything out of my Air 540. Okay, maybe "everything" is a bit of an exaggeration, but it's still going to be a bit of a pain. I was hoping not to have to do this, but it's due for a cleaning anyways..

More to come!


----------



## Wildcard36qs

To answer your question, the 9KKK4 has 2 SAS ports which can be broken out to 4x SATA each which means 8x total.

Loving the updates so keep them coming!

Also for the motherboard, you will need an 8-pin EPS and 2x 4-pin EPS for the CPUs. Some higher end PSU have those, but it is easier to just grab a cheap adapter to convert a molex to 2x 4-pin or an 8-pin.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs*
> 
> To answer your question, the 9KKK4 has 2 SAS ports which can be broken out to 4x SATA each which means 8x total.
> 
> Loving the updates so keep them coming!
> 
> Also for the motherboard, you will need an 8-pin EPS and 2x 4-pin EPS for the CPUs. Some higher end PSU have those, but it is easier to just grab a cheap adapter to convert a molex to 2x 4-pin or an 8-pin.


Thanks! It's a bit intimidating getting all this attention tbh









I didn't know about those adaptors, so yes that's great to hear! It looks like the PSU in this system is ~600-650 W so I'd probably just match that. Also, I am going to need a solution to power up to 8 HDDs and 4 SSDs, as that is the end goal... I will have to do a bit more digging.

Out of curiousity, does anybody know why the 85m9r is more expensive than the 9kkk4, aside from being less widely available? They look like they are both equally capable... The interenet is very restricted here at work so I cannot do as much research as I'd like..

I see that the 9k uses an LSI controller, but I cannot find much documentation on that 85m.

EDIT: I should probably note that I will be running RAID 1 and RAID 10.


----------



## Wildcard36qs

The issue is, you will most likely have to use 2 different controllers if you are trying to have more than 8 disks. Do you need to have 6 NICs? I am using my C1100 as a ESXi box. I plan on using my PERC as a RAID 1 solution for ESXi and using the 9KKK4 as an HBA serving 8 drives using ZFS for my storage. I am currently only using my PERC as a RAID 10.
That is my only gripe with this thing - not enough PCIe slots. Sucks.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs*
> 
> The issue is, you will most likely have to use 2 different controllers if you are trying to have more than 8 disks. Do you need to have 6 NICs? I am using my C1100 as a ESXi box. I plan on using my PERC as a RAID 1 solution for ESXi and using the 9KKK4 as an HBA serving 8 drives using ZFS for my storage. I am currently only using my PERC as a RAID 10.
> That is my only gripe with this thing - not enough PCIe slots. Sucks.


I was thinking of just using software RAID 1.... yeah not the best idea.

No I don't need 6 NICs. I really want 4. The idea being that if I am going to be hosting web, game, vpn and ftp servers, as well as local file and media, my concern is the local wan users competing for bandwidth.
Tbh, I don't really know if I even need 4 NICs. I would be more comforting knowing that there is no hardware bottleneck (if that makes any sense).

Though if it turns out there is better solution, it would be more than happy purchasing a PCIe RAID card.


----------



## tycoonbob

Use the PCIe slot for a NIC card, and use the mezz card for a RAID controller. Get the Dell 85M9R mezz controller, and add in an Intel SAS Expander (RES2SV20), which does not require a PCIe slot (uses Molex connectors for power). I'm not sure what the drive limit is for the 85M9R, but I'd assume it's at least 64 drives, maybe 128 or 256. I can't seem to find specifics on that.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tycoonbob*
> 
> Use the PCIe slot for a NIC card, and use the mezz card for a RAID controller. Get the Dell 85M9R mezz controller, and add in an Intel SAS Expander (RES2SV20), which does not require a PCIe slot (uses Molex connectors for power). I'm not sure what the drive limit is for the 85M9R, but I'd assume it's at least 64 drives, maybe 128 or 256. I can't seem to find specifics on that.


I wasn't able to find any informationabout that model number you posted, were you talking about this? If so, that's pricy...
I knew what I was getting into though so....

It looks like that mezz card uses an LSISAS2008, so I am sure it will support at least 16 drives.


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tycoonbob*
> 
> Use the PCIe slot for a NIC card, and use the mezz card for a RAID controller. Get the Dell 85M9R mezz controller, and add in an Intel SAS Expander (RES2SV20), which does not require a PCIe slot (uses Molex connectors for power). I'm not sure what the drive limit is for the 85M9R, but I'd assume it's at least 64 drives, maybe 128 or 256. I can't seem to find specifics on that.
> 
> 
> 
> I wasn't able to find any informationabout that model number you posted, were you talking about this? If so, that's pricy...
> I knew what I was getting into though so....
> 
> It looks like that mezz card uses an LSISAS2008, so I am sure it will support at least 16 drives.
Click to expand...

The RES2CV240 is what I have. SAS expanders aren't cheap lol. I had another one for sale not too long ago for $200... if only you had this then lol.

Here is what I found on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=RES2CV240&_sop=15

Here is the RES2SV240: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-RAID-Expander-Board-RES2SV240-SAS-SATA-24-Port-PCI-E-Adapter-w-Bracket-/251570556743?pt=US_Computer_Disk_Controllers_RAID_Cards&hash=item3a92c60f47

It allows you to connect up to 20 drives when you have one port connected to your RAID card, if two cables are connected from the RAID card then only 16 drives can be connected to it.

Other options include the Chenbro and HP expanders


----------



## tycoonbob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> The RES2CV240 is what I have. SAS expanders aren't cheap lol. I had another one for sale not too long ago for $200... if only you had this then lol.
> 
> Here is what I found on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=RES2CV240&_sop=15
> 
> Here is the RES2SV240: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-RAID-Expander-Board-RES2SV240-SAS-SATA-24-Port-PCI-E-Adapter-w-Bracket-/251570556743?pt=US_Computer_Disk_Controllers_RAID_Cards&hash=item3a92c60f47
> 
> It allows you to connect up to 20 drives when you have one port connected to your RAID card, if two cables are connected from the RAID card then only 16 drives can be connected to it.
> 
> Other options include the Chenbro and HP expanders


The reason I recommended the Intel is because it can be powered with Molex, and not draw power from a PCIe slot like the HP SAS Expanders and the Chenbro Expanders do.

It's not cheap, but if you want many drives on that motherboard, it's pretty much your only option (unless you ditch the idea of adding more NICs, but going this route will still be costly).

It's like I told you a few days ago, the C1100 does not make a good storage box, as it's not designed for that. The 'C' Dell PowerEdge C series stands for 'Cloud', as in private/public cloud hardware. They allow for a high density of RAM in a 1U chassis, with pretty good CPUs.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tycoonbob*
> 
> The reason I recommended the Intel is because it can be powered with Molex, and not draw power from a PCIe slot like the HP SAS Expanders and the Chenbro Expanders do.
> 
> It's not cheap, but if you want many drives on that motherboard, it's pretty much your only option (unless you ditch the idea of adding more NICs, but going this route will still be costly).
> 
> It's like I told you a few days ago, the C1100 does not make a good storage box, as it's not designed for that. The 'C' Dell PowerEdge C series stands for 'Cloud', as in private/public cloud hardware. They allow for a high density of RAM in a 1U chassis, with pretty good CPUs.


I'm still taking that info to heart.

This machine's storage server is only a temporary solution. I want to get a dedicated storage server once I finish school, but as for now I think the single mezz card will suffice.


----------



## jibesh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> 
> 
> The RAM is ECC! That's the second thing that has made my night!
> Okay, well back into the system with you, and time to start the great disconnect adventures.


Lol try not to put the RAM on any surface (i.e. your bed) that can cause ESD. Its like the easiest thing to you can damage in a server.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jibesh*
> 
> Lol try not to put the RAM on any surface (i.e. your bed) that can cause ESD. Its like the easiest thing to you can damage in a server.


Yeah.. I was a bit too excited , and that slipped my mind... Thanks!


----------



## Simmons572

So tonight was very busy, lot of things happening, but I put some time into testing the case swap.
(sorry @jibesh, but some of these photos may make you cringe...)



Just a test to see if it would even fit in the first place. No sense of ripping everything out of my primary desktop if it's not going to work.
Everything looks good, so let's get started.



Removing the mobo and the 780.

DISCLAIMER: Putting your hardware on soft wool surfaces can lead to potential ESD. Please use proper non-conductive surfaces when removing your components.
What is depicted depicted above can be considered poor care of electronics.

(Also, I am not sure why these photo's rotated, I will try to fix it in the morning...)


What do you know? The fans are in the way.



Just barely too big, about a half inch of over hang.

Welp, time to remove the fans.



You must remove the dust filter to unscrew the front fans in the Air 540. But as we can all tell, definitely time to clean it off.











Tbh, I do not mind removing these fans. I love how these look.











Now that everything is out, the mobo fits like a glove.



I tried replacing the IO cover with cover on the C1100...



... But the mobo doesn't line up properly. The IO shifts the mobo to far up, by about 2 mm. If you want that IO cover to fit, you will need to either mod the IO cover or the case.
And tbh, I'm not too fond of how the IO cover looks in there. I would need to fill that space above the cover, and quite frankly I don't feel like messing with it.



If you don't use the cover, everything appears to line up. Now, with the layout of the mounting holes, only 5 of the holes line up with the standard ATX standoffs, which I circled above.
I have not tried this with other form factors, but I am sure a case mod, or rubber standoffs would work just fine.





The NIC lines up correctly with the expansion slots in the case. No case mods necessary!

So, with this info, I am sure with the proper case everything will fit fine. But now I want my bed and desktop back....



Everything went back together great, and I have successfully posted to the BIOS and windows 7 on my gf's hdd.

Welp, it's late so if there are any typos, I will proofread in the morning.


----------



## Sean Webster

Did you get the from I/O buttons on the case working with the Dell mobo?

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *jibesh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> 
> 
> The RAM is ECC! That's the second thing that has made my night!
> Okay, well back into the system with you, and time to start the great disconnect adventures.
> 
> 
> 
> Lol try not to put the RAM on any surface (i.e. your bed) that can cause ESD. Its like the easiest thing to you can damage in a server.
Click to expand...

Man, I know your advice is 100% correct. But man, if i had a dime for every time i placed my components on my bed and they still lived I'd be a millionaire, possibly a multi-millionaire lol.


----------



## Wildcard36qs

Hah! The Air 540 was a case I was looking at swapping my server into, but I didn't like the fact that there are like 2 3.5" trays? I need at least 8.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Man, I know your advice is 100% correct. But man, if i had a dime for every time i placed my components on my bed and they still lived I'd be a millionaire, possibly a multi-millionaire lol.


Yea same here. I have never lost any equipment to static in my 20 years of building PCs. I laughed the other day when I saw a Dell tech come in and use a ground strap and all that. I mean I know it is correct procedure and all but still. Now watch me break something today because of static...


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs*
> 
> Hah! The Air 540 was a case I was looking at swapping my server into, but I didn't like the fact that there are like 2 3.5" trays? I need at least 8.


I definitely do not recomend the 540 for a server build. It would take too much case modding just to get all the hard drive capacity you'd want. Just get a TX10


----------



## Simmons572

Just a quick update, had a busy weekend so I was not able to sit down and upload my photos...

A close friend of mine and I sat down to attempt to figure out the pinout with a multimeter. And, well, I'm pretty sure we are doing this wrong. I will upload the mspaint diagram we were working on later this evening. Along with some of the conclusions we made.


----------



## cyanmcleod

need a 3rd friend to take pics of you and the 2nd friend with the multi-meter


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyanmcleod*
> 
> need a 3rd friend to take pics of you and the 2nd friend with the multi-meter


Well... If that 2nd friend was actually here....

My buddy lives in Seatle, and I live on the east coast, so webcams galore.

I need to take some pictures of that setup. I know at least one person will get a kick out of that.


----------



## Simmons572

Sorry no photos tonight. I will try to get them up as soon as I can.


----------



## Sean Webster

Did you get the pinout yet? how would a multimeter help you out with figuring it out?


----------



## cyanmcleod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> how would a multimeter help you out with figuring it out?


i would use it to find continuity from the button to the other side of the ribbon cable. after you do that you can figure out what everyone one of the wires matches up with on the board side and then know where to plug in the connectors from the case.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Did you get the pinout yet? how would a multimeter help you out with figuring it out?


Not quite. I would update right now, but I am at work and don't have my memory stick with me.


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyanmcleod*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> how would a multimeter help you out with figuring it out?
> 
> 
> 
> i would use it to find continuity from the button to the other side of the ribbon cable. after you do that you can figure out what everyone one of the wires matches up with on the board side and then know where to plug in the connectors from the case.
Click to expand...

OMG, I totally forgot about continuity testing. Wow lol. Thanks! Maybe if I have time I'll figure it out later this week if Simmons doesn't

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Did you get the pinout yet? how would a multimeter help you out with figuring it out?
> 
> 
> 
> Not quite. I would update right now, but I am at work and don't have my memory stick with me.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Personal Life Alert:
> 
> 
> 
> I think I will be settling on an apartment this evening so I appologize if I delay getting the update out this evening.
Click to expand...

No hurry, we have all the time in the world eh?


----------



## Sean Webster

Soooo, what have you been up to?









I think I have time to play around with my server Sunday or Monday.


----------



## Simmons572

I just realized it's been over a week since I promised that update.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Soooo, what have you been up to?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think I have time to play around with my server Sunday or Monday.


Crap, I forgot to post that update









Welp, bunch of personal drama, but I have made some progress. I just made a note in my phone to make that update after work today..

Sorry everyone


----------



## Simmons572

Okay sorry about the wait for this update









The biggest hurdle with this entire project is figuring out the pinout of the front panel header.



The large pin cluster is the for the LEDs and the smaller cluster is the usb 2 headers.



All of the pins are solder to the back of pcb, which lead me to think "hey, let me trace the leads with a multi meter!"

So first thing's first, I need to test the layout of the cable connecting the header to the mobo.



It's an exact mirror. Every pin is identical from one end to the other.

Now to the _fun_ part.

A friend of mine wanted to assist with mapping this pcb. Only one problem: he's from Washington state, and I'm from West Virginia. Which led to this monstrosity:
(please pardon the potato pictures)



Two webcams (circled in blue), an oversized mouse pad, a ladder, and a couple other bits made up this system.



This view is from the ladder cam, a full shot of the work area,



And this view is of the multi-meter. I let my friend tell me when the multi-meter changed.




Running xsplit through skype to show him both cameras simultaneously.
(was showing this to my gf when I took the pictures)



And this was my mspaint tier diagram. The red lines meant that they were connected without a button press, and green connected with a button press.



So.... Yeah this was proving very difficult. This was about an hour's worth of work. I am not sure this is the best method to test this, but I have Monday and I plan on working on this more then.

The alternative's for this include the following:

1- Route the header cable outside of the case and just use C1100's header module.

I could do a case mod by removing the front panel module cover piece (I'm just making up words now), and attaching it to the new case (to be determined), but...



The front piece is part of the entire structure, meaning, I would have to cut it off and hard attach it. It is a perfectly viable solution, but I would like to avoid destroying the shell if at all possible.

2- Solder some leads to the pre-existing pcb. I really don't want to do this.

Bonus kitten picture!


----------



## Simmons572

Also, got some goodies in the mail!



A 60GB OCZ Vertex3 from @Gunfire
An 80GB Intel SSD320 from @iRUSH
And a 2TB Seagate, which I got as a gift.



And on the flash drive,



Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter.

More to come!


----------



## Sean Webster

Hmmm, I think i could just mount that panel somewhere in my case if anything for now or hang it out the back. Ok, now I need to find my extra hyper 212 and if I do go pick up another cooler. 

Thanks for the update so far!


----------



## Simmons572

Not a problem. That solution seems to be the easiest workaround, but I am still not too happy with it. I will keep trying to figure out that pinout, and will keep you posted.


----------



## Simmons572

I was a bit busy with school work this afternoon so I was not able to get to the multimeter testing like I was hoping.

Even so, I was itching to get that OS installed.



Re plugged in the front panel header, and time to fire up the machine.
As noted in my last update, installed the OCZ SSD and Segate HDD into the 2 left drive bays. I inserted them into the left two 3.5 inch bays, and plugged my keyboard and OS drive into the two USB ports in the rear of the case.

Now, when booting this system, the default boot is to boot to the network, and endlessly loop the network scan. I have resorted to pressing [F11] on boot and selecting the boot drive.... except one problem:



I do not have the option to boot from the USB. I tried booting to the SSD seeing if it would detect the USB, but it immediately goes into the network scan loop.



So time to dig through the bios a bit. Select "Enter Setup" to open the interface.



First time in the BIOS, and good to see everything is detecting properly.



Navigate to "Boot" Tab > Boot Device Priority ... and no USB drive listed.



Just double checking, I went to the HDD menu, and still nothing.

At this point I am thinking one of the USB settings may be turned off.

]




I navigated to "Advanced" Tab > USB configuration > USB Mass Storage Device Configuration > Emulation Type.
I flipped it over to Hard Disk mode and backed out to the Boot Menu.



Navigated back to "Boot" Menu > Boot Device Priority > 1st Boot Device
And still not listed.



Navigated to "Boot" Menu > HDDs,
And surely enough, we have a listing!



I moved the USB to the top...



Saved my progress, and restarted the machine.



Once again, [F11] to bring up the boot order, and boot the USB.




Well, installing the OS is nothing special, but yay!



Install was complete, so back into the BIOS to revert everything back.
Changed the boot order, and switched the USB back to auto.



Just in case anybody was interested, this is the loop that the system tries to go through if you forget to pull up the boot menu.
I am not sure what setting I need to change to skip this entirely. I tried changing the boot order, but it still enters this loop. Not that it's a big deal, but it is a pain. If anybody has a solution for this, it would be greatly appreciated.




But windows is working now!

Looking at the future, I'm thinking of purchasing the Fractal Define XL Titanium within the next week. Also am going to start looking into PSUs.

More to come!


----------



## tycoonbob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> Just in case anybody was interested, this is the loop that the system tries to go through if you forget to pull up the boot menu.
> I am not sure what setting I need to change to skip this entirely. I tried changing the boot order, but it still enters this loop. Not that it's a big deal, but it is a pain. If anybody has a solution for this, it would be greatly appreciated.


In case you're not aware, booting from the network is called PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment), which allows a computer to boot to images on a PXE server and install an OS over the network. In a typical enterprise environment, you will install an OS on a physical sever in one of two ways...ususally through the Out of Band Management Console (iDRAC, HP iLO, etc) and using mounted virtual media, or a PXE server (we use both where I work). That's not to say some people don't sit locally at a new server and use a KVM locally to install the OS, but we have hundreds of server racks where I work, and I don't know that we have KVM's physically on each server.

Anyway, PXE can be disabled on the NIC settings in the BIOS. I don't remember the exact screen, but I know I always disabled it on my C1100's, and you have to disable it on both NIC's. Find the NIC settings, and you will find something about PXE or Network Boot, and all you have to do is disable it.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tycoonbob*
> 
> In case you're not aware, booting from the network is called PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment), which allows a computer to boot to images on a PXE server and install an OS over the network. In a typical enterprise environment, you will install an OS on a physical sever in one of two ways...ususally through the Out of Band Management Console (iDRAC, HP iLO, etc) and using mounted virtual media, or a PXE server (we use both where I work). That's not to say some people don't sit locally at a new server and use a KVM locally to install the OS, but we have hundreds of server racks where I work, and I don't know that we have KVM's physically on each server.
> 
> Anyway, PXE can be disabled on the NIC settings in the BIOS. I don't remember the exact screen, but I know I always disabled it on my C1100's, and you have to disable it on both NIC's. Find the NIC settings, and you will find something about PXE or Network Boot, and all you have to do is disable it.


Thanks! I will have to check that out after work.


----------



## Simmons572

Hey everyone!

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been busy with my summer course's final so I haven't had much time to work on this build. I hope to post an update soon!


----------



## Simmons572

Hey everyone. I haven't abandoned this project yet, I promise.









Though I hate to admit it, the C1100 is leaning up against the wall, and I had to use the Seagate HDD as a backup drive for my reimage. Also the front panel pcb is in a box with my multi tool....

On a positive note, I have dropped a bit more cash into this project. I purcahased a Seagate STBV2000100 2TB external for $70. I am going to crack the shell of it open and give the HDD a stress test. On another positive note, since the shell is powered, I now have a USB 3.0 HDD/SSD dock for quick data backups and hard drive tests.









Also, I purchased a Fractal Design Define XL R2 Titanium from @uncholowapo. It should be arriving in the mail within the next few days, so I am very excited to see it.

I hope to get started on this within the next couple days. I am still adament about determining the pinout of that front panel pcb. If you haven't seen my other thread yet, I'm also starting to research some high CFM case fans. I have not been able to research much, but I am favoring the Deltas mentioned in that thread.

Also I am starting to look into how to set up the VMs and the best approach to getting started with everything, for a complete beginner. I will make a seperate thread if when I have questions.

So yeah, I have a lot of stuff i want to do, and now that I'm finished with my final, I will actually have time to work on it. (I hope...)


----------



## Simmons572

A quick post before I hit the rack. Things have been crazy here at work, but I have tried to put a bit more time and money into this project.




These have arrived in the mail within the past week. I'll try to get up some photos up before I go completely unboxing crazy


----------



## Simmons572

I'll start out with the case











A big thanks to @uncholowapo, who sold me his Define XL R2!




I knew it had a scratch on the front before purchasing, but this is is a server, and will be located in a high traffic are of my parents' house, so I do not mind at all.



I think I am going to add one of these in the 5.25 bay area, but I am still trying to determine what fans to use.




Got all the original accessories and screws so I have plenty of expansion if need be.
(I think I am going to put those hubs into my primary desktop. I really don't have a need for them in this build.)



And I'm toying this idea for HDD expansion. I only have the 4 HDDs now, so I am most likely going to remove the upper cage. But once I get that mez raid card, and 2 more HDDs, I will need that airflow.

More to come!


----------



## Simmons572

I almost forgot about this hard drive!



I bought this on a newegg sale for $70. The reviews told me it was fairly easy to take apart and remove the HDD, so I figured, why not?




I like how it looks. That is, the fact that it looks like nothing.







Very conservative matte black, and the light isn't really bright at all. It uses a USB 3.0 connector and a small power adapter.



And it works! No RMAs today.









I will post the disassembly separate, for organization purposes.


----------



## Simmons572

So let's dive right into this!
(I was unable to find a guide, so I figured I would post a detailed set of instructions.) ((granted, I didn't really look that hard))











In order to open this up, you need to separate the upper shell from the lower half. The shell is held together with 3 clips, located in roughly the same location on each side.



Just use a thin sturdy piece of metal or plastic to pry it apart. The plastic is soft enough that will bend a bit without breaking.
I recommend using either a knife or a credit card. I used a screw driver that was ground down to have a pointed tip.



To prevent the plastic from re-clipping, I used toothpicks to keep it pried open.



Rinse and repeat on each side.



And when you get it all apart, the plastic holds itself open.



Now flip enclosure over, so it is rightside up. There are 3 clips on these sides as well. Rinse and repeat.



Now that everything is loose, the top pops right off.



And here's a better view of those 3 clips.











From this point the internals just lifts out. Everything is held in with friction from rubber spacers attached to the HDD. Just turn it back upside down and you can pull it out fairly easily.



Removed now!



The rubber spacers just pop off.



To remove the HDD, just unscrew the HDD screws and slide out the HDD.
This now doubles as an external drive dock. I tested it with an SSD and the other 2TB HDD and both worked perfecly.



And what do you know, its the exact same model of the HDD I already own.









Anyways, more to come!


----------



## Simmons572

Oh and I know that most of the people were interested in my progress on the front panel header.

And well...



This is what I'm working with right now. Its a pain in the rear, but until I find a better way to figure out the pinout, I am sticking with the multimeter test method.

More to come!


----------



## Simmons572

Is anybody there? Helllloooooooo!!!1









I went out of town for a couple weeks for a convention and funeral (not at the same time), so I apologize for the lack of updates.

I purchased the rest of the parts for this project, and everything should be coming in within the next couple weeks.


----------



## cyanmcleod

i am still here, waiting on the pin out then i will do the same. i dont want to be the first to mess up my server


----------



## evilminist

we're all here. waiting. patiently. =)


----------



## Sean Webster

im stalking quietly...been busier than I have ever been in my life. lol


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyanmcleod*
> 
> i am still here, waiting on the pin out then i will do the same. i dont want to be the first to mess up my server


I'm still trying! It seems like every time sit down to my desk, I'm either called away, or it's close to midnight








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evilminist*
> 
> we're all here. waiting. patiently. =)


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> im stalking quietly...been busier than I have ever been in my life. lol


I hear ya. I just started fall semester on Monday, so I've been scrambling to get all my textbooks at the last minute









I will attempt to sit down to that front panel header after class this afternoon. As always, if I make any discoveries, I will keep you all posted.


----------



## Sean Webster

I still need to get my textbooks and i have an exam Monday night already! haha


----------



## Simmons572

Hey everyone. I had a bit of a disaster last night and I figured I should let everyone know what's going on.

So I received my power supply and heatsinks in the mail yesterday. Of course I was super excited to get started on the final installation of all the parts so I forgot to take photos (I will have some up later).

A while back, Wildcard36qs posted this link to where someone else did a very similar project and used the same Coolermaster 212 Evos that I decided to use:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs*
> 
> That is the thread for a C1100 I am talking about:
> 
> http://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/my-successful-move-of-the-dell-c1100-to-a-tower-case-front-panel-pinout-question.3101/


One thing that Spectdev noted was that the standoffs for the Evos crushed a couple components on his board, killing 3 of the Dimms. Sadly I did not take that into consideration when I tried installing my heatsinks. I broke off a component next to the standoff while installing it. I spent several hours attempting to re-solder the component. Also, in the process of attempting to reattach the component, I managed to bend several pins in the CPU socket.







I did my best to realign them with a couple scribes, but I am extremely nervous about the integrity of the connections now. Also, I am not sure if I was successful at salvaging that component, but I was able to reattach it.

After that disaster, I finished assembling the machine, and I put it away. I have not fired it up yet, and quite frankly I nervous about firing it up again. I will be taking a look at it when I get home from classes here in a couple hours.

If it turns out that the board is broke, or that the dimms are not functional, I will purchase a new board. I still whole-heartedly believe that this log will be of use to others who own C1100s for home use, so if I can help others by sharing proper knowledge, then I will do so. (despite that terrible wording =P)

Anyways, and as always, I'll keep you all posted.


----------



## Sean Webster

awwww, good luck with seeing if it boots. :/


----------



## Wildcard36qs

Nooooo! Dang, I was hoping you read my post. Make sure the pins aren't touching each other and it may fire up. You may not be able to address some of the RAM however.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> awwww, good luck with seeing if it boots. :/


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wildcard36qs*
> 
> Nooooo! Dang, I was hoping you read my post. Make sure the pins aren't touching each other and it may fire up. You may not be able to address some of the RAM however.


I'm really regretting not seeing that post..

And my worst fears came true, it did not post. Fortunately, the motherboard sells for $60 on ebay. I just purchased one, and it should be here within a week.

Meanwhile I will try to come up with another solution for mounting the heatsinks without breaking the new motherboard.


----------



## Sean Webster

I would have honestly, just bought another mobo with more PCIe slots if I had to replace it.


----------



## void

Very interesting thread









Subbed to see out the rest of the project.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> I would have honestly, just bought another mobo with more PCIe slots if I had to replace it.


In hindsight, that would have made more sense, but I still want to see what it takes to properly complete this.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *void*
> 
> Very interesting thread
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Subbed to see out the rest of the project.


Glad to have you on board!

I did come up with a solution for those standoffs. I will work on photographing the instructions, as well as my mistakes. More to come this evening!


----------



## Simmons572

Hey everyone.
I feel really bad for not posting the update I promised.









As I was taking photos for the potentially final update, I managed to drop my little p&s camera and now it refuses to turn on. I am working on trying to figure out what happened to it, among homework and other family desires.

I hope to have the camera up and running soon, once I get it fixed (or replaced), I will finish the update and get it posted.


----------



## xNovax

It seems like you just can't get a break with this project.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNovax*
> 
> It seems like you just can't get a break with this project.


Indeed. My girlfriend helped me pick out a name for the server, but I will hold off on revealing that until I get this camera situation worked out.

I could take the remaining photos on my Galaxy S4, but I am trying to stay as consistent as possible.


----------



## xNovax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> Indeed. My girlfriend helped me pick out a name for the server, but I will hold off on revealing that until I get this camera situation worked out.
> 
> I could take the remaining photos on my Galaxy S4, but I am trying to stay as consistent as possible.


I think the camera on an S4 will be sufficient for us to get our fix of server nudity.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNovax*
> 
> I think the camera on an S4 will be sufficient for us to get our fix of server nudity.


Alright. I will finish taking photos tomorrow.


----------



## ShortyDoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNovax*
> 
> I think the camera on an S4 will be sufficient for us to get our fix of server nudity.


That moment we've all been waiting for!


----------



## al-tank

Maybe a bit too late, but I heard someone is taking about teh pinout.











Source:
http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/CS-028813.htm


----------



## cyanmcleod

since that comes from a guy with 1 post can anyone else confirm that works?


----------



## Simmons572

I have a busy day ahead of me today, but after I upload all the pics this evening, I will take a look at that.


----------



## Simmons572

Hey everyone. I must apologize for not fulfilling the past couple promises of getting those final uploads posted. Between school, family, relationships, and quite frankly just being overwhelmed with life, I know I have been neglecting the log a bit. Sorry everyone who has been waiting patiently









On a positive note, I will begin working on the posts after uploading this post.









More to come!


----------



## Simmons572

((I mentioned before that I broke my camera. As I was working on photographing(?) the last bit of it, I took some of the pics with the S4. And quite frankly, most of the pics looked awful. I was fiddling with the camera, and somehow, it started working again. I will use some of the S4 pics, only because I really didn't want to remove the mobo again for more photographs. Anyway, be prepared for a mishmash of photo sizes.))

Okay so, after reviewing this dusty ol' thread, it appears the last few items I left you with were the test fit of the mobo in my Corsair Air 540, and some pictures of the Fractal Design Define XL R2.
(Also the HDD extraction, but that was pretty boring







)

I received my last shipment of parts in the mail a few days back. The shipment included the following:








x2 Hyper 212 Evo's
SeaSonic G-750 PSU
NZXT Sentry Mix 2
x2 Delta Electronics AFB1212SH
Mountain Mods ALU Triple 120 mm fan mount (modified)
x2 6" PCI-E power to 8 pin EPS adapters
33cm 24 pin extension
USB 3.0 to 2.0 reducer cable
4 pin PWM fan splitter
15 cm PCIe 16x riser cable
Samsung 840 Evo
This is just a cumulative new parts list, more to come in a few!

EDIT: Forgot to mention the 840 Evo


----------



## Simmons572

Now that I knew that the motherboard fit, it was time to start working on installing the heat sinks.



I really love the look of this dual socket board











The retaining clasp for the CPU appears to be fairly standard.



An interesting note though is that the back plate is attached to the CPU clasp.

I began hoping that I could install the standoff screws that come with the Evo's into the preexisting back plates.



But sadly they did not fit.



The back plate is attached by 4 star bit screws, 2 on each side of the socket.




Remove the clasp, and the back plate falls right out.

Now this is where I began to run into issues.



The 6 standoffs I have circled were easy to install.



The back plate closest to the rear IO (lower right) must be oriented horizontally. When oriented vertically, one of the "feet" covers a couple components on the board. The other plate doesn't have any conflicts, so can be oriented in either directions.




These 2 photos are of the remaining 2 standoff holes, the upper photo of the socket closest to the rear IO, and the lower photo being of the hole by the other socket.
The components circled would either be crushed or sheared off if installed right now. (As I did before I replaced the motherboard.)

The solution: carve a couple chunks out of the standoffs using a bench grinder.




I spent about 5 minutes or so modifying these standoffs, and now they fit on perfectly, no more component interference.



Add the CPU's...



A bit of thermal paste....



The heatsinks...



And voila!



Bonus shot of the heatsinks with the fans installed.

So this will be the first of a few updates. I have work tomorrow morning, so I will finish up these posts afterwards.

I apologize for any shotty grammer, if something does not seem clear, please let me know.

More to come!


----------



## Sean Webster




----------



## Wildcard36qs

Sweet!


----------



## Simmons572

Time to get crackin' on installing that mobo.



The red circles indicate the mounting holes which line up with the pre-existing standoff mounting holes in the case. I moved around a couple of the standoffs in order to get those eight holes to line up.

The blue circles indicate the closest standoff mounting points to the other 2 mounting holes. I could have probably just removed the standoffs and been done with it, but seeing as I have been moving this server around the house quite a bit, I did not feel comfortable just leaving the mobo free floating. I took a couple 3/8 inch thick rubber washers and slid them over the 2 standoffs, giving the motherboard a bit of a bumper. ((I know this probably didn't do much in terms of rigidity, if anything at all, but I felt a bit more comfortable with the install after I added them.))

I could have drilled custom mounting holes for the standoffs to line up perfectly, but I didn't feel it necessary.



The PSU is pretty straight forward. There are large rubber feet for elevating the PSU, so suffocation is definitely not a concern. The connectors I connected to it include a x4 SATA power, a x2 SATA power, and an x2 4 pin Molex.

This is my first semi-modular supply, and I have to say, I am impressed. I think I prefer working with these semi-modulars a bit better than the full modulars (or at least working in a large case like this







).



This is the current HDD/SSD config. From top to bottom, we have the x2 Seagate 2TB drives, the 840 Evo 250 GB, the Intel 80GB SSD, and the OCZ Vertex 60GB SSD.



I mounted the Evo on the bottom of the lower 2 TB drive, like so. It save a lot of space, and still gives me room for 4 more 3.5 inch HDDs if when I decide to expand in the future.

Now to the fan installation!



The fan mounting in the front of the case is pretty straight forward. For the 140mm fan (Corsair AF 140L ((from the Air 540))), the enclosure has 2 nubs to hold the fan into place, so only 2 screws are necessary. For the Delta 120mm (AFB1212SH), it requires 4 screws to keep it secure, like most other cases on the market.

I mounted the first Delta to the upper mounting point to push more air through the open section of the case.

Now for the extra fan mount:



After installing the fan controller, you are still left with x3 5.25 inch bays, which will pretty much be empty. After a bit of consulting with the Air Cooling forum, I decided to purchase the Mountain Mods 120mm Anodized Aluminum Fan mount. I know it was a bit of a waste of money, and I could have made one of these myself if I really wanted, but I figured I would try it out anyways











The notches on the side of the mount do not come standard. When trying to fit this mount in the bays, I ran into interference with the tabs that typically help hold optical drives in place. Rather then bend the tabs out of the way, and potentially damage the case, I figured cutting a couple notches out would be much easier. I just use a pair of tin snips and a file to cut it out. I could have probably just used a dremel, but the snips worked just fine for me.



Anyways, the fan lines up like so...



Then add a fan grille (stolen from a dead 120 W PSU)...



And it fits in like so! In this particular case, I recomend you mount the fan recessed into the 5.25 inch bays, like I did here. If you mount the fan all the way in the front, the fan will be mashed up against the door, rendering the fan useless. Mounting it in the back allows the fans to draw in air through the holes on the side of the bays.



And here is my solution for the front panel header. There is a small gap underneath the fan mount which you can easily slide the the front panel pcb and cable under.

Note- I have not tried out that diagram that @al-tank posted, nor do I think I will. For my personal situation, I have nieces and nephews who occasionally run around the house and touch all the buttons. The last thing I need them to do is shut off the server while someone is connected to it. By leaving the header inside drive bay, like I have displayed above, I have space to put the 5.25 inch bay covers back on, giving me that extra level of security. If someone wants to test out that diagram and let me know if it works, I'd be happy to see it.









This update was getting very long so I decided to split it into a couple pieces. More to come!


----------



## Simmons572

Now for the power and wiring.



As I mentioned before, I purchased the 24 pin cable extension and PCIe to EPS adaptors for this board. The 24 pin cable was just barely too short for this motherboard, by about 2 inches or so. I admit, 33 cm was a bit excessive, but I had so much space for cable management, I did not mind the length.

As for the EPS adapters, this particular mobo uses a single 8 pin EPS jack and x2 4 pin EPS jacks. I was hoping I could get away with using the second EPS cable that comes with PSU, and just grab a couple cable extensions, but I ran into a couple issues:

-The x2 4 pin EPS jacks on the motherboard are identical.
-The EPS jacks are on opposite sides of the motherboard.

The PCIe to EPS adapters were the easiest solution for me. Since I am using a semi-modular PSU, the PSU already has a dual 6+2 pin PCIe hard wired. I could have used Molex to EPS adapters, but since the PCIe cables were already there, it just saved me some cable management space (not that I was short on space or anything







)



The adapters were very straight forward to connect...



And this is how I have decided to route the cables.





Everything looks really clean on the inside, so I am very happy about that.



I purchased a PWM splitter for the CPU fans. There is only one CPU fan header on the board, so that's fairly self explanatory.



The fan header is located below the EPS connector next to the rear IO (the left of the board). (I was unable to get a decent photo of that connection)



And this is all of the data connections on the mobo. We have the connector cable to the front panel header, the case USB headers, a SATA cable for the 840 Evo, and the 4 bundled SATA cables from the C1100.

I think I have a couple small updates after this one. My plan is to knock out some homework and then tackle the rest of this finale.

As always, more to come!


----------



## Sean Webster

Nice! I need to get to transferring over my mobo and stuff one day...


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Nice! I need to get to transferring over my mobo and stuff one day...


I look forward to seeing what you come up with


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> Nice! I need to get to transferring over my mobo and stuff one day...
> 
> 
> 
> I look forward to seeing what you come up with
Click to expand...

Me too, I may end up just upgrading everything lol.


----------



## al-tank

Coming together nicely.
My box supposed to be on the FedEx truck by tomorrow.
Planning to squeeze all the internals into Cooler Master - HAF XB case.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *al-tank*
> 
> Coming together nicely.
> My box supposed to be on the FedEx truck by tomorrow.
> Planning to squeeze all the internals into Cooler Master - HAF XB case.


That would look great if it all fits!

What heat sinks did you pick?


----------



## al-tank

Folks say that HAF-XB would fit E-ATX motherboard, so we shall see.

I had picked a pair of SilenX EFZ-92HA3 for $20 on sale, can't beat that.
Fans are mounted on rubber standoffs, which makes them nearly vibration free.
Might have an issue mounting it on the "rear" CPU, but I have an older Noctua on standby.


----------



## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *al-tank*
> 
> Folks say that HAF-XB would fit E-ATX motherboard, so we shall see.
> 
> I had picked a pair of SilenX EFZ-92HA3 for $20 on sale, can't beat that.
> Fans are mounted on rubber standoffs, which makes them nearly vibration free.
> Might have an issue mounting it on the "rear" CPU, but I have an older Noctua on standby.


Very cool. I am not familiar with the mounting mechanism on that heat sink, so just be careful when mounting them. Also, I look forward to seeing pics of the project


----------



## Wildcard36qs

Nice! The HAF XB was a choice I was thinking about swapping mine into. It does fit E-ATX so it should work.


----------



## dacheat

Thanks for this thread!
Seriously,

I've been looking to do this for some time. But since I'm basically running my house off my C1100 I'm not keen on breaking everything. After reading through what you did I feel pretty confident I can get it done in a couple solid hours. Couple questions.

What kind of temperatures are you seeing on the CPU?
What kind of temperatures off the RAM?
Where did you find a c1100 motherboard replacement for $60?
Are you leaving the front facing door open all the time for increased airflow?
Could you sneak those extra dimm's under the heatsink if you wanted to?


----------



## DzillaXx

While this build was cool in theory.

Wouldn't it have been cheaper and easier just to have built it in a tower with used parts from the ground up instead of buying the C1100 in the first place?

The Xeons you can get on ebay for pretty cheap, and you could have picked the ones you wanted to use. You could have gotten that vary motherboard for $60 or another one of your choosing as well.

I think the idea is cool if you already had the C1100, but seems like it was more work moving the C1100 to a different case than it would have been if you pieced it together yourself with used parts.

Though you did other C1100 users a favor with this build log









Servers in a tower case tend to be pretty quiet. Did a Quad Xeon 771 to 775 mod for my server, in a old tower case. Vary quiet. Best part about it


----------



## Simmons572

I completely agree. I could have saved a lot of money by shopping as you said. This project was moreso about "I wonder if this is even possible".

I know that a lot of people on these C1100s, as they purchased them when the 48 GB units sold for ~$300, and the main complaint about these machines is that they are almost too loud for home use. I approached this project with the mindset that most of the people who would be following through with this already own this machine, and they are just getting tired of the noise.

So a bit more expensive on my part, but the knowledge I am getting out of it is totally worth it.


----------



## al-tank

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> Very cool. I am not familiar with the mounting mechanism on that heat sink, so just be careful when mounting them. Also, I look forward to seeing pics of the project


I'm wrapping up my build.
Build log is here: [Build Log] Dell C1100 fitted into Cooler Master HAF-XB case


----------



## Simmons572

Last post over a year and a half ago?? Jeegus it doesn't feel like it's been that long..

Over the past year, this server has been running as a minecraft server, space engineers server, and a Teamspeak server. The biggest issue I have noticed is that there is not enough load on the server to trigger the turbo boost, so the CPUs sit around 1.55 GHz pretty much 24/7. This is not enough horse power to run Space Engineers or Minecraft.

I did some ebay scraping and I managed to pick up a pair of Xeon X5677's for ~$100.

Also, I am going to be experimenting with a different mounting solution for the 212 Evos. Despite the hack job I performed on the standoffs, I still managed to crush some components on the mobo, resulting in me loosing 3 of the RAM slots all over again..

Will report back once I everything arrives and the replacements are done.


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## cyanmcleod

i have had mine in a rosewell thor case for about 6 months now without issue. so much quieter. i use it mostly as a domain controller for the house and a plex streamer.


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## Simmons572

The new processors arrived. Now just waiting for one more package, and will have another update for anybody that's still here


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## evilminist

I'm actually trying this out too! C1100 to a HAF 932. I'm just waiting for a package to arrive (it's been over 3 weeks since it shipped out ><) before I get started.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evilminist*
> 
> I'm actually trying this out too! C1100 to a HAF 932. I'm just waiting for a package to arrive (it's been over 3 weeks since it shipped out ><) before I get started.


Great to hear! It really is a fun project, however, if you are using the 212 evos like I am, please read the up and coming update. I found a solution to make them work without potentially damaging your motherboard, like I did (twice).

I am writing the post as I am typing this!


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## Simmons572

So, like I mentioned before, as I was searching for cheap processors to upgrade the C1100, I started looking into a better solution for mounting the 212 Evos. Despite the hack job I performed on the standoffs before, the mobo still ended up getting damaged, resulting in the lower 3 DIMM slots no longer functioning. I searched around, and I found this build log over here.

chinesestunna mentioned that you can use M3 PCB motherboard standoffs to mount a 212 Evo directly to the Socket 1366 server backplate. However, he/she did not mention the size of standoff that would best fit in this case (or if they did, I could not find it). So, in order to find the best fit, I picked up this variety pack on ebay to find the best fit.

So, let's get this long overdue update underway!



This is the hardware that I will be installing into the server. The original backplates will be reinstalled, the X5677s will replace the L5520s, and I will figure out what standoff best fits.


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## Simmons572

This server has been used an abused for over a year now, so I gave it a good dusting.



And let me tell you, it was long overdue.

The pictures below the cut were used as reference pictures to help me reassemble the rig.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!












So diving into the disassembly, I needed the retaining bar from the cooler for a test fit.



And low and behold, it fits perfectly! Thank you again chinesestunna! Now knowing that everything fit, I decided, to continue with the tear down.




Because I removed the retention clasp way back when, the CPU stuck to the cooler. I thought it was kinda amusing












Gave everything a good cleaning, and then it was time for reassmebly. Reassembly will be covered in the next post!


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## Simmons572

So on with the assembly!



As a reminder from before, to assemble/disassemble the socket, you must use a torque bit (star bit).



And for the reassembled board!



So above, I have picked 2 of the M3 standoff's that most closely matched the 212's stock standoffs, along with the size of the standoff, minus the screw portion. Because the mounting hardware was a bit tight before, I decided to start with 15mm variant.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> I think I should clarify the size of the actual standoff. When I was measuring the size of the standoff, I was talking about the "hex" portion of the standoff.
> 
> 
> 
> This is the actual measurements of the standoff.





As shown above, there is a bit of a gap between the bracket and the heatsink, so right away, the 15mm will not work. Obviously, the only other option is the 10mm, so onward with the assembly!






Obviously, those heatsinks needed a bit of dusting. I ensure you all that it was taken care of.












As you can see, there is no longer any clearance issues with the stanoffs. I really wish I would have known about this way back when. The above pics are the 2 problem areas that I discussed before.



And the reassembled rig! (TBH, it doesn't look much different from before, but this is okay)


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## evilminist

Oh nice! I actually read the exact same thread too - the only difference is that I ordered 12mm standoffs (but they're not here yet...probably stuck in customs or somewhere for the past week and a half). How do the 10mm ones fit?


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evilminist*
> 
> Oh nice! I actually read the exact same thread too - the only difference is that I ordered 12mm standoffs (but they're not here yet...probably stuck in customs or somewhere for the past week and a half). How do the 10mm ones fit?


I think I should clarify the size of the actual standoff. When I was measuring the size of the standoff, I was talking about the "hex" portion of the standoff.



This is the actual measurements of the standoff.

In regards to the fit, the 10mm was a tad too small IMO, but it ended up working just fine. As shown before, the 15 mm was way too tall. So, if your standoffs are 12mm in the "hex" portion, then you should be just fine.









(And now that I am thinking about it, I should update the last post)


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## Aximous

This is pretty much the same thing I did with my server. I had one 212+ and one 212 EVO for the EVO I took 2 standoffs and sanded both down to some degree and screwed them together. Together those added up to 12mm and the fit is perfect.


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aximous*
> 
> This is pretty much the same thing I did with my server. I had one 212+ and one 212 EVO for the EVO I took 2 standoffs and sanded both down to some degree and screwed them together. Together those added up to 12mm and the fit is perfect.


Pretty much this. I think anything between 10-12mm will work just fine.


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## evilminist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simmons572*
> 
> Pretty much this. I think anything between 10-12mm will work just fine.


For future reference (if anyone does plan on doing this as well) 12mm does work quite well! A tad loose I think (the cooler can rotate a couple of degrees, but it might be normal?)


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## Simmons572

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evilminist*
> 
> For future reference (if anyone does plan on doing this as well) 12mm does work quite well! A tad loose I think (the cooler can rotate a couple of degrees, but it might be normal?)


Even though I felt the 10mm was a bit tight, I could still rotate the cooler slightly, so that is a non issue.


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