# My new (old) Gateway



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

I remember seeing this case, when my father first purchased the computer, back in early 2003 and (for some reason) loving it. I have always liked manufacturer cases (with a few exceptions). So, when I finally acquired this from my pop, first thing I though of was to modify it to fit a non-proprietary board and PSU and use it as my case. I had it sitting in my basement when I stuffed the components of my new computer (2 years ago) into an eMachines T-something or other case. While that micro ATX case did me well, I finally got around to working on the old Gateway that was sitting downstairs. I tore that old (1st gen) P4 board with RDRAM, and everything else, out and got to cutting...

Luckily I only had minor modifications to make. I cut the I/O panel out to fit aftermarket I/O panels and drilled holes to mount a modern PSU in place of the proprietary one. But I got her all together now, and I am truly proud of my (big) little machine now.

Future modifications are going to include;

Channels and holes for cable management,
Ventilation modifications for better airflow,
That new Corsair PSU I have been putting off buying!
Possibly a side window to show off my contraption
And the addition of new HDD racks, vents and fans to cool them, so I can finally get my raid up and running...
Multiple fan controller to fully customize the airflow patterns in the case.

I like it. Here are a few pictures, so you all can poke fun at me!









Here she is all buttoned up.









CoolerMaster GeminIIs and my old Thermaltake Xaser (that I have been saving for about 5 years). I was using a HyperN520 CPU Cooler, but I was having issues with clearance with the ram...









Here is a gut-shot to illustrate cable mis-management and my GeForce 9800GTX+ (I'm not a gamer, but I do enjoy good graphics performance)









Everest showing my idle temps. Pretty accurate here, just a few degrees off what I saw in BIOS a couple minutes earlier.









Everest showing temps under stress (screenshot taken less than 15 seconds after running 3Dmark06 at full-res. I will be running a CPU stress test while monitoring temps another day. Still can't figure out the drop in fan RPM... Must be glitchy.

Any comments or suggestions as to what I may (or you would) do would be appreciated. Even if you only want to make fun of me... :smile:


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## Acuta73 (Mar 17, 2008)

Actually, it IS kinda a cool case...

...just begs for some hack and slash/acrylic/paint! Needs something done for wire management, too. Bad. Bummer those manufacturer cases never have any room behind the MoBo tray. You could pull out that floppy drive and use it for a door stop/paperweight, at least that would get rid of the ribbon cable! LOL

Possibly mod the panel behind the tray by "letting it out" a bit for some room? Not sure of a good way off the top of my head, but I'm positive it could be done (maybe an acrylic "frame" around a cut window mostly the size of the panel, then a piece of aluminum to enclose it?).

If yer looking to drop temps a bit, a front intake fan (I don't see one?) would be a good thing, and/or modding in a largish door fan as an exhaust with the rear fan turned to intake. Not traditional, but effective (no room for top exhaust thanks to top PSU mount).

Have fun with it, looks like a great canvas to me!


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

A little ingenuity with aluminum and plastic filler could get me some top exhausts if I wanted... The only intake fan I will ever put into this case will be a set of low rpm 80mm to move air over the HDDs when I get my raid array going.

And the floppy is only temporary... that is gone as soon as I get home from work tonight!


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

I wasn't going to worry about tying up my cables since I am planning on replacing my PSU on payday, but I keep looking at those pictures and I am getting sick of seeing the mess...

So far I think the cooling nice, I haven't seen any high temps. I was kind of worried when I put in the GeminII (and the temps are actually up a tad). I may pull it and put the HyeperN520 back in and futz with cable management and take another look at temps. Although, the computer is MUCH quieter with this setup. 

I am undecided...


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## shotgn (Aug 10, 2008)

I am looking forward to the progress on this, Keep us posted


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Well, I didn't get around to cable management last night. I went home to set up a pc for my sister, repair a Dell for a co-worker and tear apart a CQ60 to replace the display. So I didn't have time to play with my machine. But this is all good, because I get paid tomorrow and I am going to run out and pick up a Corsair TX750w to replace the TT440 that is currently (under)powering my rig. 

Before you all yell at me for using the 440... My wifes power-supply blew again (this is the 5th time in 4 years) and I put my TT TP750 in her machine. And because I didn't have the money to replace mine at the time, I used the 440 to get me by until I could get one. Well, I am not waiting anymore. My TT440 can now go back to bench testing hardware.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Here is a quick update...

My trip to the local Best Buy to pick up my 750tx for $125 ended up with me walking out with an 850tx for $90 (on clearance). So I bought myself a new DVD burner while I was at it!

Things done since last post.

Removed the 2x1 Corsair Dominators in favor of the 2x2 Crucial Ballistix. My windows experience for memory dropped to a 5.9 from a 7.2. I have to play with the ram timings in the bios later.

Put the HyperN520 Cooler back... So far haven't seen much of a decrease in idle temp, I will update when I stress the CPU. I also remembered why I switched heatsinks to begin with...

Did a little old skool cable management to clean up the Medusa head of wires...

Here's a pic...


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## shotgn (Aug 10, 2008)

Looks much better, But I would have thought you would have drilled holes for cable management and routed them behind the motherboard?


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Unfortunately there is no room between the side panel and back of the case. I am still trying to figure a way to clean it up a little more. But I always have been "Old Skool"... Probably one of the reasons I can't stand LED lights in computers and fluorescent lights on cars... Not to mention that there are TOO many wires coming from this power supply! I don't think I will ever have connectivity issues. I kinda want to re-solder every single lead to the PSU board in my own configuration, but I know that will void any warranty that Corsair would ever dream of putting on thier PSUs.


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## Acuta73 (Mar 17, 2008)

$90!?!?! Lucky DOG! Good score!

Looks much cleaner, too. Shoulda gone with modular, but at that price? Pfft, the hell with it.

I actually ran a couple of ideas in Sketchup to open the area behind the tray a bit, but now I can't figure out where they saved to... Anyway, first idea was acrylic spacers (sandwiched 1/4" black) cut as a frame to mount between the chassis and the panel. The other was essentially the same idea, but worked out as cutting a window to be the mounting point for the same (albeit smaller) acrylic skinned with a piece of aluminum.

If I can find the dang pictures, I'll post em. Otherwise, next time I open Sketchup, I'll redo em.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Here is a quick update...

Temps seem to have dropped a bit.
Once again, immediately after running 3DMark06


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

I decided I am going to put the GeminII back in sometime soon. It is much quieter, lighter and variable speed. I could barely hear the computer running with it. The temp differences aren't wide enough to justify keeping he HyperN520 in (although it looks cooler).

I will be putting this project on the side for a bit then because I have 2 other projects going on that need my attention. 

Just for a point of reference... the attached pic is the same setup I was running up until last week...


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## shotgn (Aug 10, 2008)

What size fans does that coolermaster heatsink use?


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

HyperN520 92mm offsets. GeminIIs 120mm.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

This project (and my other posted one) are being put aside to work on a few other projects I have going on.

Anyway, I picked myself up an Antec 300 case today. It has everything I need for my personal system. This case is being set aside to house the components of my wife's current system (socket 939 Athlon 64fx). Once I upgrade, she is going to get my current setup.

I will post an update once I start working on it again.


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## shotgn (Aug 10, 2008)

Sounds good, Enjoy


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

The suspense is killing already....









:grin:


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Got my stuff switched over to my new case. Good news is, my overall temps are down!!! My CPU idle temp is up a bit, but I also just switched back to the GeminII so I need to wait for the heat sink compound to set in. Better news is, My CPU temp stayed right around 40 after running 3Dmark. I am about to run a cpu stress test and monitor Everest to check temps. 

I have to say one thing about the Antec 300. Cable management is a headache. I can't put all the blame on Antec, because the Corsair PSU has WAY too many wires. Once I get my upgraded board and cpu, I will be going to town on modifying that mess. I guess I am stuck with it for now. I also don't like the fact there is no stock access to the rear of the MB tray. I will have to cut some accesses once I get the new board. For now I am stuck with a bit of a mess.

As for the Gateway case. It is going into my closet for the time being. Once I get a few projects squared away, I will start that one again in earnest. Keep the ideas flowing though, I could always use a few!!!


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Well, I haven't even had my Antec case for 48 hours yet and I already cut her up. I searched high and low on Friday and today for a 5.25 to 3.5 external bay adapter, but couldn't find one. I needed it for my card reader. So, instead of grabbing one off ebay, I decided to make my own. Dug around in my basement till I found a set of 5.25" HDD brackets and mounted my card reader. After 5 hours of measuring, marking, scoring, cutting, filing and such. I have a faceplate. Thank you antec, for providing knockouts...

Here she is looking all sad.









Here is the knockout...
















Here is the knockout all finished up. I omitted the gazillion pictures in between...








And, last. Here is my girl sitting where she belongs, looking much happier...









All I have left to do is touch up the mesh where the paint chipped off.


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## Acuta73 (Mar 17, 2008)

BAH! If you'd have posted the need, I could have sent you my Antec 5.25-3.5 face plate and adapter for the cost of postage (likely would have covered it for the $1-2 it would have cost me...). Old leftover from my 900 I'll never use.

Do yourself a small favor, order a few feet of rubber U-channel from MNPCTech rather than painting. It'll look much better and not cost much. I say a few feet because it's also great stuff to have around. Leaves your edges much more professional looking whenever you cut.

For right angles, cut to length on a 45, don't try and bend it through the corners, it won't work.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Whaa??? You think I didn't do a good enough job??? :grin: I didn't mind the work. I was going to throw those knockoffs in a box and forget about them anyhow. 




Ssrogg said:


> BAH! If you'd have posted the need, I could have sent you my Antec 5.25-3.5 face plate and adapter for the cost of postage (likely would have covered it for the $1-2 it would have cost me...). Old leftover from my 900 I'll never use.
> 
> Do yourself a small favor, order a few feet of rubber U-channel from MNPCTech rather than painting. It'll look much better and not cost much. I say a few feet because it's also great stuff to have around. Leaves your edges much more professional looking whenever you cut.
> 
> For right angles, cut to length on a 45, don't try and bend it through the corners, it won't work.


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## Acuta73 (Mar 17, 2008)

Looks like you did fine, but the U-channel just looks nice and clean. Every time. It's also GREAT for covering up an "OOOPS!" should you have one somewhere down the road.

You shoulda seen me sweating making the cuts for my HTPC, black U-channel on a shiny copper case woulda looked like...well...excrement.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

I took my time... Wanted to make sure I got it right. I spent almost 3 hours hand filing the hole to the right shape and size. Then I cut the metal mesh and bent it in the hole, so some of the paint chipped off where it is bent. No biggie, barely noticeable. Plus it keeps with the theme of the case. I may cut a piece of that mesh to go over the hot swap bay...


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## Acuta73 (Mar 17, 2008)

It would look good.

Could "stealth" your optical with mesh at the same time. Think Bill Owen has a tut somewhere, but mostly just involves removing the faceplates and taping the mesh to the front of the tray. Along with a spacer for the open/close button so all ya gotta do is push on the lower right of the mesh to open it.

Gonna stealth my BD ROM on the HTPC with a piece of acrylic.


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## btf18 (Nov 19, 2010)

*Re: Recommend a good case fan anyone?*

LOL i didnt notice the mobo on the carpet, lovin it


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Recommend a good case fan anyone?*



btf18 said:


> Lol no i appreciate you showing your set up, its changed my ideas about how mine should look ^^ Lol I havent heard of mobo's as a decoration xD
> 
> No im not running crossfire  Im keeping the load easy on my psu. I just saw SLI on your system tab but thats just your gpu i guess.
> 
> Thanks!


I am running in Hybrid SLI. My motherboard has a nVidia GPU that allows it. I don't see any performance gain, but my case temps stay down when I am not using my GPU.


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## MonsterMiata (Jan 5, 2010)

*Re: Recommend a good case fan anyone?*

Thats his GPU linked with his onboard video if im not mistaken. Gives it a little more oomph for nothing.


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## btf18 (Nov 19, 2010)

*Re: Recommend a good case fan anyone?*

Is that an integrated gpu on the mobo, as well as a pci-e gpu..connected in some way? I havent heard of it before..just did a quick search of it


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

*Re: Recommend a good case fan anyone?*



btf18 said:


> Is that an integrated gpu on the mobo, as well as a pci-e gpu..connected in some way? I havent heard of it before..just did a quick search of it


Yes... They are connected via the PCIe bus. 

http://www.nvidia.com/object/hybrid_sli.html


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## btf18 (Nov 19, 2010)

*Re: Recommend a good case fan anyone?*

Ah yep sorry didnt see your comment MM. Basically what i said xP This thread always goes back to Gavins interesting system xP It is pretty interesting i must say ^^

Thanks!


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## btf18 (Nov 19, 2010)

*Re: Recommend a good case fan anyone?*

Sweeeeet!


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Well... It is about time to breathe a little life back into Project Old Gateway...

I finally have a new heart for her... In the form of an Asus P5N-E SLI Motherboard with a Core 2 Duo 6400... I think I am going to have a go at OC'ing it... 

Here she is.... No PSU yet... Need to cut some holes and make some modifications first.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

gavinzach said:


> I took my time... Wanted to make sure I got it right. I spent almost 3 hours hand filing the hole to the right shape and size. Then I cut the metal mesh and bent it in the hole, so some of the paint chipped off where it is bent. No biggie, barely noticeable. Plus it keeps with the theme of the case. I may cut a piece of that mesh to go over the hot swap bay...


That is what's nice about Cooler Master cases, they provide a bay cover with a 3.5" knockout. But anyway, it looks good. Great job.


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