Mk IV begins

The MK IV

In the aftermath of the MK3 I found a Core 2 Duo CPU. Using this CPU I set out to build myself a PC.

I wanted a case with cooling options, cable management and bottom mounted PSU. I wanted a motherboard that would support a lot of RAM. I wanted the best CPU cooler I could afford.

I got a nice MSI Combo MOBO on it's way and searched for a suitable case.  The case was kind of an accident.  I was look for mATX size for the motherboard, and when I found the case I ordered it was listed as an mATX because it was compatible with that motherboard size, but I didn't pay enough attention to realize it was a full ATX size.   

So when the case arrived I becan to put everything I had at the time together.

I was was just jimmy-rigging it together just wanting to to run as soon as possible.  And since it had so many HDD spaces I tossed all of them in there just so they would have a place to be.

 I really liked being able to tie up and hide most of the wiring, but it makes for a little bit wider of a case.

My massive cooler arrived, the upgrade to the one I used on the MK3.

 Got an amazing deal on a BluRay ROM

The cooler barely cleared everything.  Except the side panel fan.  Too tall for that one.

Fan installed

 BluRay installed

Complete (in its first form)

As it sat it was a pretty remarkable computer. Without a video card I was watching Youtube in HD and it was playing DVDs better than my BluRay player. I attempted a RAM upgrade but failed. The motherboard was a COMBO meaning it could use two types of RAM, though not symultaniously. Also the DDR3 it accepted was only DRAM, and I bought SDRAM. Up until now I didn't even know there was a difference. I learned a great deal about RAM from this. So I returned the RAM I bought and decided to leave it as it was for now.

I used it like this for a while.  Then one day I came across something amazing that would take this PC to it's next form.

To be continued.