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Gateway FX530 Mods?
Anyone modding or upgrading parts in their FX530 yet? I just added a
Antec VCool slot cooler that is keeping my 8800GTX (GW factory overclocked 25mhz more) between 5 to 10 degrees centigrade cooler, even though I had to mount it underneath it. Next I'm looking to replace all 4gb memory with high performance memory that can be overclocked like the Patriot Extreme Performance (PDC22G5300LLK) 667mhz PC2-5300 memory. Newegg has great prices on 2x1gb kits so I might order 2 kits to give me four new 1gb modules that I could overclock via memory timings in the BIOS. I still have to do something about the messy internal cabling too. Might replace the DVD/RW IDE ribbon cables with IDE round cables and somehow strap back the thick Delta 700W power supply cables to make it look nicer inside. Here is my configuration: Gateway FX530 - Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit SP1, Intel Q6600 2.4ghz Core 2 Quad CPU, 4gb RAM, 500gb RAID-0 HD, Dual DVD/RW, 700w Power Supply, Nvidia 8800GTX 768mb GPU (OC), 22" Widescreen LCD, Asus/ViXS Combo-210E TV Tuner, Creative SoundBlaster X-FI Audio, Logitech X-230 Speaker System, Logitech Precision PC Gaming Headset, Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard, Logitech MX518 Gaming Mouse, Rocketfish Gaming Mouse Pad, Antec VCool Slot VGA Cooler, Iomega Prestige 500gb USB HD, Line-6 TonePort GX |
#2
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Gateway FX530 Mods?
While I'm at it, to replace my ATA/IDE (dual DVD/RW drives) ribbon
cable with the round type - what cable length should I get? Will a 3 connector 18" cable length be long enough to reach across to the motherboard without being too tight or blocking access to the memory slots? I'm not sure if the 18" length includes the 2 connector section at the drive bays, or is it just the length from the middle connector to system board connector? I'm not sure how it's measured by the manufacturer. |
#3
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Gateway FX530 Mods?
Ikaros wrote:
While I'm at it, to replace my ATA/IDE (dual DVD/RW drives) ribbon cable with the round type - what cable length should I get? Will a 3 connector 18" cable length be long enough to reach across to the motherboard without being too tight or blocking access to the memory slots? I'm not sure if the 18" length includes the 2 connector section at the drive bays, or is it just the length from the middle connector to system board connector? I'm not sure how it's measured by the manufacturer. FWIW, 18" is the established standard maximum ATA/IDE cable length. Placement of the two connectors for drives is very important in relation to where the drives are in the case... Ben Myers |
#4
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Gateway FX530 Mods?
On Jan 23, 6:36*pm, Ben Myers wrote:
FWIW, 18" is the established standard maximum ATA/IDE cable length. Placement of the two connectors for drives is very important in relation to where the drives are in the case... Ben Myers Yeah, I read that standard too and then wondered why they sell them in longer lengths anyway. But here is a page where I uploaded pics of my system to see what I'm dealing with to clean up the wiring mess inside as Gateway shipped it: http://www.evga.com/community/ModsRi...sp?sysid=10609 Just click on the little thumbnail images to see the interior full size. I just hope 18" in the round IDE cable isn't too short or tight across the memory slots or I'll get stuck with using the ribbon cable. Hopefully someone else with an FX530 has done this already. I looked at the Gateway doc pages for the new FX540 which looks similar inside and they are using a round IDE cable, but I only see their part number and a 500mm length which is around 19.6" going to an optical drive in the lower bay position where the card media reader is in mine. |
#5
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Gateway FX530 Mods?
I just took an 18" strip of paper and marked off 6" from one end to
account for the 2 optical drive positions. It looks like it would fit. I will get an 18" ATA133 spec IDE round cable. They are cheap for only a few dollars on Newegg. The heavy power cables are going to be tricky because most are not long enough to do anything with. See this pic: http://home.comcast.net/~snmavronis/fx530_small.jpg I have some velcro ties so I may have to strap all of them together coming right down the center and split them right and left near the bottom. Only one power cable may be able to route behind the green CPU cooling duct, but might not be worth it because it wouldn't really block airflow at that location anyway. If I bundle them together nicely they wouldn't look as haywire anyway! I should also be able to route the red SATA cables behind everything coming up behind the ends of the expansion cards across the motherboard. |
#6
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Gateway FX530 Mods?
Okay, well tomorrow I will most likely order this from Newegg:
2 Patriot 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PDC22G5300LLK Item #: N82E16820220095 $49.98 (I'll try to overclock the memory timings some via the BIOS) 1 VANTEC 24" Blue IDE Round Cable Model CBL-100IDE24-BL Item #: N82E16812232010 $4.99 (The IDE cable is to replace the ribbon cable to my DVD/RW drives.) |
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